Have you set goals to reach the best life results in your child rearing? Do you have a Christian parenting plan in place to assure you do our best to reach those goals? God has given each parent a special privilege and opportunity to raise and mold our child – our baby. It is a wonderful opportunity, an awesome privilege, and a grave and great responsibility. Parenting doesn’t just come naturally to us. We must realize that there are outcomes and results of everything we do with children. How we parent will determine the kind of adults our sons and daughters grow to be.
I remember looking at Matthew, my first baby and thinking – ”I will raise him in my home for at least 18 years!” It seemed like such a loooong time! Meanwhile, everyone was saying that the time would go quickly! And how right they were!
As the song goes, “Turn around, and they’re a young adult going out of the door.” I’m at that stage in my life as I watch Matt prepare for high school graduation and his future. He just turned 18 years old and I can’t believe how fast the time has flown by!
What do I want my child to be like when he “goes out of the door?”
In every area of life, we set goals. In our education, our finances, our retirement, our hobbies, etc.
We plan and prepare and work to achieve the goals we’ve set for our lives. This is so important! Why???
Because nothing happens by accident.
If we fail to plan, we plan to fail!!!
Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it.”
Proverbs are simple sayings filled with the words of God’s wisdom and principles to follow. If you train a child in the direction he should be going – then he will stick with it, even when he is old – a young adult “going out of the door.” Even when they seem to be going in the opposite direction, the wisdom of God’s truth will follow them and guide them back to the right path.
So what is the direction you would want your child to be going? What is the end result you desire?
I am sure it is the same as mine was – to have my child grow into an adult who loves the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind, and who loves his neighbor as himself and share Christ with others. (Matthew 22:37-39)
Jesus said those were the greatest commandments & His purpose for us. I want my children to know God personally, to first have Jesus as their Savior, and then to follow Him and love Him and others, and not depart from Him ever.
I want them not to just say, “I believe because that is what my parents taught me,” but, rather, to know for themselves that God is real, that He cares for them and loves them.
My heart’s desire is for both of my kids to experience a relationship with God for themselves.
We know with training dogs or animals, it takes consistency along with love and encouragement. It’s the same with children.
But with children there is more – they need the EXAMPLE.
Our children will follow what we do, and our subtle attitudes, even more than what we say to them. We teach by our example how we are to live and to love.
- Are we in fellowship with other Christians by going to church and Bible Study?
- Do we read our Bible daily?
- Do we pray consistently – without ceasing?
- Are we serving with our gifts and talents?
What kind of plan should we have to reach the goals we’ve set for our parenting? Here are a few ideas to help you develop your own plan.
THE PARENTING PLAN
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Teach your child to love the Bible and follow it.
God’s Word is powerful and effective. (Heb. 4:12)
The Word of God does not return void – it accomplishes good things as God directs It. (Isaiah 55:11)
It will never pass away. (Matt. 24:35)
With my babies, I read the Bible out loud to them and told them Bible stories and the plan of salvation beginning when they were just infants.
Begin early.
Honor God’s Word and teach your little one to respect and obey it.
Set the Bible as the ultimate operating manual for parenting!
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Lead your child by your spiritual example.
Be sincere. Don’t be one way at church and in front of others and then another way at home when you think no one is looking. SOMEONE IS WATCHING YOU!
Be faithful. Just as training a child requires consistency, so does a successful spiritual life. Let your children see that you have a walk with the Lord – read your Bible, pray and serve the Lord in front of your children. Be faithfully consistent in attending church.
Be a pattern. Live your life in front of your child as God would have you so they will have a life pattern to emulate. Set the pace so they will follow in your spiritual footsteps.
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Pray, Pray and Pray Again.
The enemy prowls around looking for someone to devour. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.
(I Peter 5:8, John 10:10)
The only way to fight back is with the sword of the Spirit. which is the Word of God, and prayer in the powerful name of Jesus.
- Pray for the early salvation of your child.
- Pray for them to be obedient and follow God’s Word.
- Pray the truths of God’s Word over your children.
- Pray for their physical, spiritual, mental & emotional growth and protection.
- Pray for their future spouse, family, life, friends and choices.
- Pray for their future.
I am sure you will learn many lessons as you parent your children and you will add that wisdom to your plan. Start with these few ideas and ask God to help your child to become the person He created them to be! With the Lord’s help and guidance, these little ones can be powerful for His Kingdom when they are grown and “go out of the door” – saved, trained, loved and trained to follow the Lord all of the days of their lives!