Raising Wimps
I love our AWANA T&T clubbers! I want so much for them! Yes, they are children, but many of them have already invited Jesus into their hearts. My concern is that I do not see an authentic reflection of that relationship(as a group anyway.)
I have been reading One Million Arrows by Julie Ferwerda. I began reading it while flying to Vnam but did not have a pen to write in it so I had to stop reading. I only made that mistake once! My Dear is reading, Do the Hard Things by Brett and Alex Harrison. Both books push our children to do more. What is it that makes us think our ministry does not start until we are adults and ends at retirement?
While teaching these 3rd-6th graders, I gave the students minutes to come up with a list of what God did. When it was time to share, most of the comments were about what He created not so much about what He did. One child did add that He sent Jesus to die.
I made a quick list going through Genesis and partly through Exodus and the excitement brewed in me as I read what GOD DID! He created, flooded, gave a baby to barren woman, turned a another into salt, burned a bush but did not consume it, turned a rod into a snake, a well hand sick and back again, and then the plagues....so that is only through Exodus 11!
In Genesis 21:8-18, He is the God who answered the cries of a boy not of his mother! He even tells Hagar it was the cries of her son, a child that he answered!
God is not waiting for our children to grow up to use them, HE WANTS TO USE THEM NOW!! The moment they ask Christ into their lives, the same God that DID, wants to DO through them.
In her book, Ferwerda gives many examples of children and teens making a difference. But parents it is up to us to move our children that way. The church is not responsible for your child's spiritual growth, they can only supplement it! Why is it that your child's homework is ALWAYS done but they come to church or AWANA Clubs without a book or Bible because they can not find it?
We have recently lost a piano lesson book in our house. Do you know why? Because no one has been practicing with the book so no one noticed it was missing. Is that the case with the Bibles and literature at your house, the literature that tithers paid for your child to have.
Please hear me, I am not without fault in this area. But the same God that held the sun in position for 2 days so that Joshua could win a battle is the same God that entered the hearts of Billy and Dolly and that I pray on for B. and the other children God puts in our lives. He wants them now. So when families say, "he is just a kid" I agree, he is, "God's kid!" My choices on behalf of any child put in my care are to lead them to Him. I do not want to stand before God and have to explain why I did not grow a child to give all of themselves to Him.
I know the joy of seeing God at work! There "ain't no way" I want to keep that from a child who is ready to serve the water-parting, giant-defeating, walking on water, resurrected God!
May Godly conversations fill your home as you acknowledge the blessings that God has given you and what you see Him doing. Encourage your children to join in and call them to do "harder things."
I have been reading One Million Arrows by Julie Ferwerda. I began reading it while flying to Vnam but did not have a pen to write in it so I had to stop reading. I only made that mistake once! My Dear is reading, Do the Hard Things by Brett and Alex Harrison. Both books push our children to do more. What is it that makes us think our ministry does not start until we are adults and ends at retirement?
While teaching these 3rd-6th graders, I gave the students minutes to come up with a list of what God did. When it was time to share, most of the comments were about what He created not so much about what He did. One child did add that He sent Jesus to die.
I made a quick list going through Genesis and partly through Exodus and the excitement brewed in me as I read what GOD DID! He created, flooded, gave a baby to barren woman, turned a another into salt, burned a bush but did not consume it, turned a rod into a snake, a well hand sick and back again, and then the plagues....so that is only through Exodus 11!
In Genesis 21:8-18, He is the God who answered the cries of a boy not of his mother! He even tells Hagar it was the cries of her son, a child that he answered!
God is not waiting for our children to grow up to use them, HE WANTS TO USE THEM NOW!! The moment they ask Christ into their lives, the same God that DID, wants to DO through them.
In her book, Ferwerda gives many examples of children and teens making a difference. But parents it is up to us to move our children that way. The church is not responsible for your child's spiritual growth, they can only supplement it! Why is it that your child's homework is ALWAYS done but they come to church or AWANA Clubs without a book or Bible because they can not find it?
We have recently lost a piano lesson book in our house. Do you know why? Because no one has been practicing with the book so no one noticed it was missing. Is that the case with the Bibles and literature at your house, the literature that tithers paid for your child to have.
Please hear me, I am not without fault in this area. But the same God that held the sun in position for 2 days so that Joshua could win a battle is the same God that entered the hearts of Billy and Dolly and that I pray on for B. and the other children God puts in our lives. He wants them now. So when families say, "he is just a kid" I agree, he is, "God's kid!" My choices on behalf of any child put in my care are to lead them to Him. I do not want to stand before God and have to explain why I did not grow a child to give all of themselves to Him.
I know the joy of seeing God at work! There "ain't no way" I want to keep that from a child who is ready to serve the water-parting, giant-defeating, walking on water, resurrected God!
May Godly conversations fill your home as you acknowledge the blessings that God has given you and what you see Him doing. Encourage your children to join in and call them to do "harder things."
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