“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV)
“You expect her to have the faith of a 44 year old when she’s only 14!”
Ouch. My husband hit the nail on the head. I want our children to grasp hold of our faith, yet it is hard to know how to do this in a way they can receive. I often make the mistake of wanting our kids to understand and act on my faith like I do but, like my husband reminded me, they’re only teenagers.
Life is busy and time seems short. I want to make the most of the precious moments I have as a mom, yet not preach every time I open my mouth.
So how can we pour truth into our children’s hearts in a gentle flow and not like a fire hose? God’s Word gives the answer: weave His truths into everyday life when sitting, walking, laying down and getting up. Any moment can become a teachable moment. Here are some ideas that work for me:
Share what God’s doing in your own life
One of my favorite things to do is sit with my girls and listen about their day. Even better is when we catch up over a special treat. Last Friday we made it a milkshake from our favorite restaurant.
When I give my children my undivided attention to hear about their day, it opens a door to talk about mine. I try to specifically tell what God is doing in my life or teaching me. In this way, I’m not really teaching but sharing, which seems to go over well!
Read God’s Word together
Each morning as my girls eat breakfast, I read to them from a daily devotional book. This works great since I have a captive audience!
Lead a small group with their friends
Every other Wednesday, Madi and five of her sophomore girlfriends come over for a Bible study together. This is a wonderful way to teach my daughter and those in her life about Jesus’ crazy love for them, as well as being in touch with the ins and outs of teen life.
“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” God’s wisdom is so perfect for us when it comes to investing His truth into our kid’s lives. When sharing God’s Word with our family, let’s capture the everyday moments and look for creative ways to make each one a teachable one.
Dear Lord, open my eyes to see opportunities that are right before me each day to share Your truth. I want this overflow to become a natural part of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Visit Lynn’s blog for a free resource on starting important conversations. Just click on “freebies”!
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