I have been thinking a lot lately on raising children and what my vision is for my children as they grow. I do not mean I want to plan out their lives for them but I do want to raise my children with God's help so that when they are grown they will be people who love and seek to serve Christ wholeheartedly. This is my number one goal. I also want to see them grow to be well-balanced, confidant, people who truly love others and seek to make a positive difference for God's kingdom wherever they may find themselves. While I cannot "make" this happen and I can as their mother teach, guide, pray and create a positive home enviroment for them.
Some thoughts I have had on how to do this are:
1)Pray daily with them and show them a genuine relationship with Christ and invite them to join in times of being in God's presence. Talk to them about God and His ways and love. I think daily is the key here as Christ is to be our life not a hobby or duty.
2) Demonstrate a real, genuine love for others. Help those in need, invite people into out home to share a meal who may not be able to repay it, visit those without anyone who are elderly or sick, pray for others. Expose them to a wide variety of people even the "lowest" so they can learn to respect others even a begger and show the Christ's love.
3) Have a strong, good marriage and make it a priority as this hugely affects the tone of our home and in turn them.
4) Take time throughout the day to actually listen fully to them, talk with them, hug them, show genuine interest in them. For me not to be so "busy" that I cannot truly connect with them and spend time with them.
5)For me to demonstrate through my own behavious how I want them to behave. If I am not patient/ kind/ peaceful/ ect how will they as little children be? To pray for the Holy Spirit to build my character as I seek to see theirs built.
This list was not meant to be exhaustive. What is your vision for your children? What do you do to see it come to fruition? I would really like to hear your thoughts on this..
Oh I love this post, and that list is very very good :-) I think we parents are a great influence on our children. They see what we do, how we react, how we love and do the same on their own.
ReplyDeleteOur children's salvation is not in our hand, yet we still have a duty to raise them to know the Lord. In a way I see it as a way we can share the blessing of salvation with them, being part of their life.
I'm starting seeing some fruits, like one little girls wanting to share Jesus with her new friend, hearing them pray on their own without being asked too etc.. It's the sweetest thing ever :-)