Ask any parent and I think they will agree that raising children is one of the toughest jobs anyone could ever undertake. And raising godly children takes parenting to a entirely new level. Todd and I both agree that we don't want just "good" kids that we can take in public without humiliating us (although that's always a plus). But rather, we want kids that love God and live their lives as a reflection of that love.
It doesn't take long to realize that raising your child in godliness is nearly an insurmountable task. That sin nature rears its ugly head early in life. I remember vividly the first fit I ever witnessed from our sweet little Gracie. I stood in the kitchen with my mouth hanging open as she threw herself out on the floor all because I told her no. I realized that my role as her parent had swiftly changed from caregiver and nurturer to teacher and disciplinarian. It was then that I realized that I was going to need some help.
I began to seek out advice from trusted friends and more experienced mothers. I read as many books as I could get my hands on that dealt with child rearing. One of my favorite authors is James Dobson. I have read and highly recommend his following books:
"Dare to Discipline"
"The Strong Willed Child"
(This one was a life saver when it came to understanding my son)
"Bringing up Boys"
He has just published "Bringing up Girls", but I haven't had the chance to read it yet.
This past January, a group of parents in our church did a parenting study based on the book "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Ted Tripp. This book has radically changed the way that I view parenting. The overall message of this book is based on Matthew 12:34 which says:
"For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks"
In this book, Ted Tripp explains that so often parents spend all their energy trying to change the behavior they observe in their children and neglect to recognize that behavior stems from the heart. Behavior will change when the heart is transformed.
While I wholeheartedly agreed with this idea, I found myself asking, "How?" How do I change my children's hearts? Immediately the Lord reminded me that I cannot change their hearts. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. Only through his Word can any of our hearts be changed. My job is to teach my children the Word so that through it, the Holy Spirit can work to transform their wayward hearts.
James 1:5 says,
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault."
So this is what I did.
I asked the Lord to show me how to teach my children the Word in a way that would allow change to take place in their lives.
And God has answered my prayer
And this is why I have decided to blog.. to share what the Lord has been teaching me about teaching my children His truths.
