Parenting Help

Are the children you parent YOURS? Or do they belong to God?

In the past three Wednesday posts, my heart has been to encourage all of us parents to see the children that God has loaned to us, whether born naturally into our family, adopted and/or fostered, as belonging to God and not to us. What a special grace blessing from the hand of God to be a parent, to point precious lives to Christ, and to know that we have all we need by His grace to do so!! 2 Corinthians 9:8 reminds us, And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

So far, my encouragement has been . . .

1. Parents, live and train with an eternal viewpoint.

2. Parents, prepare your children to leave home as God so planned.

3. Parents, fulfill your privilege with the grace of God not the fleshly grit of man.

So, how do you parent by the grace of God? Before you read any further, go back to Post #3 and remind yourself of what parenting by grit (the flesh) looks like.

Now, parenting by grace is . . .

1. Christ sets the agenda.

Who sets the parenting agenda in your home? You, your children, your parents, your grandparents, the expectations of others, the government, society, “the experts,” you being inconvenienced by your children, sports, homework, fear, your past, being a victim, or all the above? When it comes to parenting, everyone has their opinion or idea what it should look like and is shaped by many “voices.” Even children who have never parented think they know how you, mom and dad, should operate.

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