The Joy and Challenge of Leading Your Kids Towards Jesus

One morning during my quiet time as I was praying aloud (a habit I've formed when alone to keep my heart focused on the Lord) my little 13 month old daughter toddled up. She tapped my knee. I looked up and smiled,

"Hi sweetie."

She made the sign for prayer.

"Yes, mama is praying to Jesus."

She quickly signed "please", then "up" so I pulled her into my lap.

She tapped my knee again.

"Please", "More", "Pray"

My heart jumped! It's so difficult to tell how much a child of one year can understand. My husband and I pray so much for our little girl to have a heart that recognizes and responds to the Lord at an early age. That morning will always stay with me, both the joy and delight of her response and the reminder that she will imitate what she sees in me.

Joy comes in all shapes and sizes. I think though one of the greatest joys we can experience as a Christian is the joy of seeing someone we love and have invested in take steps toward spiritual growth. Our "children" choosing to seek and follow the Lord on their own. I don't care if you are single, married with no children, have children of your own, or if you are separated from your children, this still holds true. Paul (a single missionary who spent most of his life on the road or in prison) spoke of his "children" with great love, and John, speaking of those He nurtured in the faith said, "I have no greater joy than to see that my children walk in the truth." There is something in our hearts that leaps in response to the delight our "children" experience in the discovered joy of following God on their own initiative. Our spirits rejoice with God, and them, as we see first hand God responding to their seeking heart.

Don't loose the teachable moments, don't let complacency corrupt our thinking by allowing the feeling that our example is unimportant or unnoticed.

Every moment is seen, every moment important.

“Mommy” The best worst job in the world

“I just can’t wait till they start school!”

“Once the kid’s get up in the morning, that’s the end of my sanity.”

“Can’t I even go to the bathroom by myself?”

I’ve heard statements like this repeatedly, and sometimes I wonder if I'm abnormal because I don’t share these sentiments.  I’ve always known that something was wrong with me. I seem to always be just out of the loop of how a woman of my age and station should behave. Obviously I’m not doing the mom thing right if I’m enjoying it right?

Sure there are times I don’t want to be interrupted, sure I get tired of how demanding a toddler can be. But when I do, I stop and remember that my daughter is a soul with a body. That she is uniquely her own person. That she is created in the image of God, and that out of all the people in the world God entrusted her to my care. She is not mine, and she is not an interruption. Raising her is simply the most important thing I will ever do, and doing so is not a menial task that makes me less of a woman, but rather the closest I can come to joining the hand of God in action.  

Answering my daughter lovingly, and taking time to laugh with her is not an interruption but the most important work of heaven. 

I think anyone who has dealt with the constant needs and demands of a child has known what it is to be frustrated with the responsibilities of parenting. However listening to and participating in conversations about these trials has caused me to pause lately and wonder if feelings like these, though valid, are right.

So the next time your kiddo wants to sit in your lap while you are trying to write a letter, wants one more story, or interrupts your grownup conversation. I hope you will take a second look into your child’s eyes, and see the God-created spark of the eternal soul that God gave specifically to your stewardship. And when you look, see that there is nothing more important than unreservedly giving your child the next few minutes.