Faith @ Home

Yesterday was such a busy day, but thankfully, I left feeling renewed, rejuvenated and feeling determined to change.

We had a guest speaker at our church yesterday morning.  He spoke on Faith @ Home.  I use some teachable moments to speak to the kids about Jesus, my faith etc, but after yesterday, I realized that it wasn't enough.  It was a priority, but my actions weren't following suit. 

Based on statistics 6-9 out of 10 churched children will fall away from their faith after they graduate high school.  The main reason: hypocrisy.  They feel that their lives at church were different than their lives at home.  They felt that they were raised in hypocrisy...their parents were faith-filled on Sunday, but never brought their faith home.  I don't want to be the reason why my kids don't experience eternal life.

According to studies, there are 40 assets that children may develop in life.  The average child grows up with 18.  In order to do well in life, the child need 31 or more.  So, we as parents have to work on helping them develop 13.  However, there is one asset that almost guarantees 30 others to follow....Faith Relationship.

Both scriptures Joshua 24:15 and Deuteronomy 6:2 have something in common.  Both talk about how your family/houehold will serve the Lord.  But I never got this until yesterday....in both verses, before it mentions family, it mentions "me". 

Joshua 24:15 - As for ME and my household, we will serve the Lord
Deuteronomy 6:2 - so that YOU, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

Wow! Did you get it?!?  It starts with me.  How can I expect my children to want to read the Bible, listen to Christian music, do devotionals, love God if I first don't do it where they can see me and know that I love it? It starts with me.

Another eye-opener.  Ask your kids who they think you are in love with.  See if God makes the short list without prodding them.  Do they see that you love God with all your heart, your soul, your mind?

The beauty: today is a new day!  I can set a new course for my life and for my children's lives.  Again, I didn't live a hypocrite lifestyle, we talk about God, we talk about faith, we pray, we do a lot, but I left yesterday knowing that I can do more. 

Tonight, after work, while driving to our house, I asked the kids if they had a good day and if there was anything they wanted to pray about.  I didn't think they would be old enough to really grasp a random question like this.  To my surprise, Olivia told me her eye was bugging her and Noah asked that we pray for a boy at daycare that has been excluding him from play.  Right there in the vehicle, we prayed for both situations and it wasn't awkward, the kids realized that there never is a wrong time to pray.

At home, while the kids were taking their bath, I grabbed my iPhone (it is never far away).  I found a newfound favourite song and I made it a devotional with the kids.  The song doesn't have an official title but it is called "untitled song (come to Jesus)".  I played the song a couple times, I then found the lyrics online and read them to the kids and asked them what they thought each line/verse meant. 

It is such a powerful song and totally reflects how I want my christian walk to be as well as my kids.  I want them to know that no matter what, Jesus is there all the time to be with us and wait for us to come to, sing to, fall on, dance for, cry to, fly to...

I explained that no matter what Jesus is there for us.

What a great blessing my kids are to me and I pray that God will continue to lead me in the direction that leads my children to Him!

Here is the song, I found it on YouTube....so powerful!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW5S8Xm-GkA