Are you being a help or a hindrance in your child's personal faith journey? I can't imagine that any parent would purposely be a hindrance. We all want what is best for our children, and have in mind what we think is the best way to accomplish all we want for them. Unfortunately, if we aren't careful, we can actually be a hindrance and not even realize it. I don't want that, I know you don't either! So what's a mom to do? Take the time to reflect on how God parents you and then turn around and do the same for your children! That's how! And how does God parent you? By lavishing you with grace. From the moment you are conceived to the very end of your life, you are showered with grace from your heavenly Father. He draws you to Himself, makes you His child, and carries you through each day. As a parent, we can purpose to stay connected to our Source of grace, and then we can be a channel by which God's grace is shown.
We have the amazing privilege of being the very first people who will live out and introduce the gospel of Grace to our children!
Of course we love this concept, but what do you do when you find yourself in the middle of the daily grind of fussy babies, piles of diapers, willful two year old, sibling battles, loads of laundry, and all that comes with the daily in and out of raising children? At times you can find yourself stuck in survival mode.
You must prepare yourself to live a life of grace with your children.
The first, and most important thing is to be connected to the Source of grace! You must fight for time to be in the Word and prayer. Nurture your relationship with God. As we press in, and depend upon the Source, we are given what we need to face the daily stuff of life, and we also are provided with the ability to pour that same grace out onto our precious children.
Second, evaluate how you are viewing those precious people God has entrusted you with! Do you view them as kids you need to raise, or as precious, unique individuals that have been entrusted to your care for a few short years?
This is something that I am very passionate about! So passionate, in fact, that I wrote a book about it! Let me introduce to you: Grace Gifts: Celebrating Your Children Every Day
Grace Gifts is not meant to be another book of standards for you to try and measure up to. It is not just another "to do" list for you to follow. My goal in sharing the things that God is so graciously teaching my husband and me is to encourage you away from rules and lists--and the striving and fear that go with them--and instead free you up to be encouraged to relax, to enjoy your children, and learn how to see them as the amazing individuals God made them to be. To encourage you to parent your children with grace.
We, as parents, have an amazing privilege and opportunity to teach our children what the meaning of grace is by putting it into action as we interact with them through every season of their lives, as we respond to them in the challenges of daily life--even when they resist authority, even when they make mistakes. As they navigate the battles of life, they need us to extend grace to them daily and celebrate with them in times of victory.
We give them a priceless gift when we choose to become their biggest cheerleader and support system. Celebrating our children and showing them the same grace we have experienced from our God helps us to view our kids as more than just our children who need to be raised, but as precious people who need to be pointed to Christ.
So why do we celebrate our children? Because our Heavenly Father celebrates us, every day.
And, like our children, we need His gentle reminders of grace that point us back to the cross. We see in our opening scripture passage, Zephaniah 3:17, that God celebrates His children! We also see in Isaiah 62:5 that He rejoices over us “…as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” In the same way God rejoices over and celebrates us, we can rejoice over and celebrate our own children, showing them a picture of the Father!
Would you like to learn how to connect with your children and how to be their biggest cheerleader no matter what stage of parenthood you find yourself in?
Join me as I share practical ways in which we can celebrate our children, at any age, by lavishing them with grace, helping them to gain an understanding of what God does for each of us on a daily basis.
You can purchase "Grace Gifts: Celebrating Your Children Every Day" HERE! And please let me know if it is an encouragement to you!
Gina Smith
Gina Smith has been married to Brian for 25 years, and has been a mom for 24 years. Her two young adult children still live at home, one a recent college graduate and one still in college.
Gina and her husband have been in ministry together for over 20 years, working with college students and young married couples. It hasn't been easy, but it has been their calling, and something that has enabled them to do life and ministry as a family.
Her greatest desire is to fulfill the most important callings that God has given her - God follower, wife, mother, member of the body of Christ, and gospel proclaimer. When she is not pouring into her family, her desire is to pour into and to encourage those who God brings across her path - In real life, and through writing.
Share this post: