Overwhelming
That’s what parenting is – overwhelming.
God has blessed us parents with one, two….three…or maybe even more children. Each child is unique and needs individualized nurturing and training. Thinking about everything that is involved with that is overwhelming.
What if we mess up?
What if we miss something?
What if we mess up our kids?
Will our children grow up to be happy?
Will our children be a positive and active part of society?
Too Many Activities
With this we involve our kids in anything and everything we can. Music lessons, art lessons, soccer games, basketball practice, scouts, service clubs, academic clubs, horseback riding lessons, gymnastics, church activities…and the list goes on.
Are you tired yet?
Are your children tired yet?
What are you focusing on?
What *should* we be focusing on?
What the Bible Tells Us
Whenever in doubt, the Bible has the answers. The book of Ecclesiastes questions the meaning and purpose of life. Isn’t that what our children try to discover as they grow up? When our children begin to ask questions sometimes we give simple answers and hope they move on. But some questions are worth struggling over. Some questions are worth time and research.
Listen to the Questions Your Kids Ask
Perhaps it’s these questions we should spend time answering instead of driving to the next activity. Maybe their questions can help you focus on what really matters to them. It gives you a peek into their hearts. Maybe we, as families, need to sit down and discuss the meaning and purpose of life.
Purpose of Life
What is the meaning and purpose of life anyway? The Bible is there to guide us on our life journey. And God is there with us on the path. Between praying and reading you get a good understanding of what God wants for you. It is more simple that we make it.
Matthew 3:15 – We should do all things that are God’s will.
So how do we know what God’s will is?
Read and Pray
God has 2 major things He wants from us that are from Matthew 22:37-40. First, He says, “Love your God with all your heart, soul and mind.” Second, Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.” If you obey these 2 things you will find you are naturally obeying all other guidance from God.
With these verses in mind, how do we slow down and set the right spiritual focus in our homes?
Communicate With God
Loving God means building a relationship with God. You do this through communication – pray and listen. When was the last time your family had prayer time? Are you too busy to pray with your kids before bed? What about before they leave on the bus or as you drive them to school? Here are 4 ways to teach your kids to pray. Praying doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. And how do you even hear what God has to say? Here are some tips on how you can hear God.
Focus on God
Yes, parenting can be overwhelming, but doing our best to stay focused on God will help keep an atmosphere of peace in our homes. Will our efforts cause our kids to make good choices all the time? Probably not. Like us, they have free will. But if our focus is on God, and we communicate the importance of that focus, then the odds of good decision making are greater.
Be patient and diligent! God is on your side, and that’s power!
Amber has a BA in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Human Resources. She spent 9 years working in youth and multi-generational ministry where she focused on making faith fun. Her book, The Beginner’s Guide to God, will be out spring of 2025. She is the author of the blog AuburnRaven – Balancing Faith, Family & Fun. She has a passion for introducing people to God’s love and biblically equipping parents and teachers so children can grow in faith. Her journey, tips and lessons can be found on her blog Auburn Raven. You can connect with her on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
