I’m stepping out of my typical frugal living, saving money, family manager tips and ideas “hat” to continue a series I have been sharing this summer.
Honored, Humbled, Humiliated, Frustrated, Loved, Worried, Overwhelmed, Incapable…
In this 4th of five posts on the Faith of our Children, we were asked, “How does our children’s faith affect our own?
I sit at my laptop with a long list to share with you. I pull up various one hour talks that I have given that inspire others on building Character in our Children, or Raising Responsible Kids etc. etc, and yet all that comes right now are tears.
Tears that remind me of the five precious blessings that have been shared with me for this small moment in time, yet tears of unworthiness that I am often not the mom that I should be for them.
And yet that is right where the Lord wants me. I can not be all things to them. My husband can not either.
There is only One who can, and it’s that faith I want our children to cultivate and cling to in a difficult and confusing world. I want them to know and understand this intimate, authentic, and passionate relationship that is available with a Heavenly Father. Not a list of rules; not a bunch of do’s and don’ts or hypocritical patrons that people often confuse with “the church,” but a relationship, a friendship.
I want them to see His love; His love that is continually demonstrated in so many ways amidst my unloveliness, never ceases to amaze me.
So, how does their faith affect mine? It brings me to the feet of my Heavenly Father because without Him, so much of what I do is in vain.
Their faith is still in process. My faith is as well, but years have shown me that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
I have children who live and breathe a simple faith – the precious faith of a child whose eyes look to Him for all their answers.
Yet, I also have children who are wrestling it out, and as painful as that is for me, I welcome it. I want them to ask the hard questions. Our desire is this becomes their faith, not ours; a true and vibrant faith born out of absolute Truth, not born from a parent’s desire or modeling of what I think is the “perfect child.”
I don’t want them giving me “Jesus answers” (those answers that kids raised in the church can spout without thinking or internalizing. I want them developing discerning minds with a strong world view, so we ask them, “What do you really think about that? How do you know it’s true? What evidence do you have to back it up?
And sometimes we hear things we don’t want to hear, but that’s alright. We want them wrestling through truth under our roof where we share Life together.
I am going to state something that may not sit well with many, but if there’s one thing that this blog is about, it’s about welcoming the “We agree to disagree” philosophy. In my opinion, “iron sharpens iron,” and if I desire that for my own family, why wouldn’t I desire that for us as a blogging community?
We are rearing our children from the world and life view that there is absolute truth.
Christianity can not be truth if truth is relative, or just true for you and not true for me. Something that is true is true for all people, at all times, in all situations.
If we don’t stand for something, we fall for anything.
Yes, easier said than done in this society where everything is admissible, yet I continue to wrestle that out, not with judgmental airs, not with finger pointing, but with love, gratitude and grace from One who gives it so freely to me.
Be sure to visit all the other moms participating in the Faith of our Children series. Some of us come from various philosophies and backgrounds, yet powerful to see it all points to One:
- Smockity Frocks – How the Faith of a Child Affects Our Faith
- The Happy Housewife- Faith Like a Child
- Owlhaven – Faith and Motherhood
- Amy’s Finer Things – What About My Faith
- Mom’s Toolbox – Praying For a Baby Sister
- Parenting Miracles – Learning to Be a Light
- Kitchen Stewardship – A Siren Call to Prayer
“Christianity can not be truth if truth is relative, or just true for you and not true for me. Something that is true is true for all people, at all times, in all situations.
If we don’t stand for something, we fall for anything.”
Thank you, and amen!
Well said! I hope that I am showing my daughter her need for a Rescuer and Saviour each day by showing her MY need for a Rescuer and Saviour.
While the gospel is truth, people can find pieces of truth in many places. It is what they do with that truth that brings them honor or shame. The gospel can and does change lives, but God judges people on their personal circumstances. The epistles of Paul has some great stuff on this topic. 🙂
Beautifully put. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this. It brought tears to my eyes, partly because I feel the same way you do about the overwhelming responsibility of raising my children and partly because it’s so good to hear about other families who believe in absolute truth. The truth of Christ doesn’t change despite our circumstances–so thankful for a faithful God who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). 🙂
Thank you for this post and standing up for Christianity. Many people are ashamed in these times to stand up for our faith, especially when it involves using the name Jesus. He is our only hope and although some do not care to hear it, it is the truth Christians have to stand behind. Thank you for sharing.
Something that is true is true for all people, at all times, in all situations.
If we don’t stand for something, we fall for anything.
Amen, Girl & Well said. I was very blessed to be raised early in a fairly conservative Christian home but somewhere down the line, I was allowed to go to any church I wanted to see & hear how others worship. I didnt have to attend church, but I wanted to and I came away with many Spirit Filled Truths that do stand the test of time & all people. Its a beautiful thing & such a blessing.
If Spirit leads your Life instead of looking to other people to tell you what to do & believe, you only learn to follow man, not Spirit. You’re doing a great job in parenting & I wish you many many blessings & few tears. 😉
What a lovely post–I love that you are encouraging your children to think, ask questions, and come to KNOW God through the process of thinking and being inquisitive… Too many times well meaning people teach WHAT to think and believe, but by discovering His love for us, they will really know. And then it will truly be a relationship, rather than an obedient parroting.