Leading Our Children

The school year is drawing to a close for Wil. It has been fun teaching Wil, and seeing him read on his own, letting Maggie join in, and joining the CHE home school group. From my own personal assessment, I would have to say we have have had a successful year. Looking back over this momentous year of Kindergarten 2 things easily stick out in my mind as the definite best moments. They were when both Wil and Maggie on separate occasions expressed a desire to know Jesus as their Savior. It would take way too long to go into detail what happened and what was said. But Momma was praising God at the end of both those days. It happened with Maggie first during our morning devotions at the kitchen table during the second week of school back in Aug 08'. She seemed adamant about it and remains adamant about it. Only time will tell. And then a couple of weeks ago during the same devotion time sitting at the same kitchen table once again, Maggie was asking me questions about Hell and what it is like and who goes there and will the people there see their mommy and daddy, and on and on. Wil was intently listening but as usual had very little to say. Now Mags knows that Wil has not accepted Christ. Not because I say anything. She is just keenly aware of it. So drawing her own conclusion of Wil being hell-bound (i hope that doesn't sound harsh. i intend it not that way of course), she said "Can I ask Jesus into Wil's heart". How precious and wonderful that she wanted to save her big brother. I said (with Wilson right there), "No, Wil has to do that on his own." I never ever want to pressure Wil. He is only 5 in a half. But I looked up and read Wil's lips as he whispered (wanting NOT to draw attention to himself) "Jesus, will you come live in my heart?" I pretended not to notice all the while praying for God to direct Wil's little mind and heart. I did not want him to be confused or to be misconstrued by my words to Maggie. I just went about the devotion. Wil began to ask questions, one after the other until I could not ignore the heart of the matter any longer. I asked if he wanted to pray with me to accept Jesus as His savior. So after asking him some questions, we did. His voice trembled as he spoke. It was bittersweet for me. On one hand he is 5 and Maggie at the time of her acceptance was 3. This is so very young. Tommy and I know they must understand to a degree what they were doing, but we could never discourage there desire lest their hearts began to harden. God has been very confirming over these weeks and months. The truth is because we home school, they hear about Jesus and God all through the day. Our curriculum is Christ centered and his lessons are taught from math to science from a Biblical perspective. I just want their faith to be caught from Tom and me, but independent from ours as they grow! It has got to be their own.

The LORD has set in my heart to step up praying this year from my pastors to my children. And last night I ran across a book on my shelf that I got as a little gift for Christmas. I had not looked at it until last night. It is called Leading Your Kids To Christ (30 devotions to prepare parents). One of the most if not the most important role as Wil, Maggie, and Trey's parents is leading them to Christ. This book is an excellent resource.

The biggest part of my testimony began one night as I rocked Wil to sleep as a baby. I was praying, "LORD let Your Word be real to Him so that You can be real to him". I heard God so clearly and so gently say, "Misty, how can I be real to Him if I'm not real to you." I "loved" the LORD and was walking with him at the time so it really threw, but as I searched my heart, of course, He was right. Isn't He always? From that night I prayed like I never have before and God threw open the flood gates of heaven in answering my prayers. The big idea in today's devotion from this book I'm reading was this: Your child's faith will be a direct reflection of your faith. If you want your child's faith to be strong, your faith should be strong too. I had to Amen that. God spoke that to me 6 years ago and today he confirmed it yet again. Here are some other great insights that I found today in my new book.

"Never underestimate that power that comes when a parent pleads with God on behalf of a child." Max Lucado

If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all Isaiah 7:9

Just as our faith strengthens our prayer life, so do our prayers deepen our faith. Let us pray often, starting today, for a deeper, more powerful faith. Shirley Dobson

Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves the One who is leading. Oswald Chambers (I LOVE THIS ONE)

This book is a God send to me. You know how it goes with this blogging thing.
It can serve as an outlet to your thinking thus was the case on this particular post. May it encourage us to live it (our faith) out before our children inviting them to join us.