Challenge:
This past Christmas, some friends and I began brainstorming new traditions we could incorporate during the Advent season to help our children focus on others. As we tossed around ideas, I began to wonder, why don't we do these things during other months? Yes, the Christmas season is special, but we should be doing and serving others all year round and teaching our children to do the same. In light of that revelation, I had the children go with me yesterday when I took a meal to someone I have never met but who I knew was in need. Normally, I would have just run the meal over when Jason was home to stay with the kids, but I wanted them to take part in the serving. I was amazed at how aware and involved my three year old became in the whole thing and still today she was talking about it and wanting to pray for the family we helped.
That leads me to my challenge, I want to become a servant in order to model that lifestyle for my children, but I also want to get them involved no matter what age they are. My family will, of course, be the people I invest in the most, but I also want my children to learn that giving is about more than simply serving your family, your church, and your friends. It is about doing unto "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40). Here are some ideas I was thinking about today: sponsor a child and have your children write to them often, visit a nursing home or serve at a shelter regularly, make at least one meal a week that goes to another family, have your children draw pictures/write notes and mail them to those who might need encouragement, have your child do something for their school and/or teacher, pick up litter at the park, and the list goes on. We must be "others driven" and encourage our children to be the same, but it is crucial that we do these acts of service in the name of Jesus and not simply in the name of goodwill! That will require talking about our service projects with our children, bringing Scripture into it, and praying for those we serve throughout the week. Let's join together, along with our children, and become a generation who gives without expecting anything in return all throughout the year!
Dear Lord, Jesus' life on earth modeled that of a servant. May I be that same type of servant for others and may I encourage my children to be servants as well. Help us never become too prideful, too busy, or too comfortable so that we forget to be Your hands and feet to anyone around us. I pray You would interrupt our days in order to help us notice those in need of a helping hand or a kind word. May we, as a family, never pass up an opportunity to share your love with others. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for the gift of Your Word which is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). I pray that my children would develop a deep and sincere love for the Bible. May they rejoice in Your Word as one who discovers a great treasure (Psalm 119:162) being confident that Your Word is perfect, trustworthy, joyful, and altogether righteous (Psalm 19:7-9). I pray that my children would have a genuine delight in studying the Scriptures and that they would use Your inspired Word for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (1 Timothy 3:16). When my children are making decisions or as they seek to know You more intimately, I pray that they would know that Your word provides light and understanding (Psalms 119:130). In the name of Jesus, I ask that my children would crave the Bible and accept all the truth it contains. Amen.
This past Christmas, some friends and I began brainstorming new traditions we could incorporate during the Advent season to help our children focus on others. As we tossed around ideas, I began to wonder, why don't we do these things during other months? Yes, the Christmas season is special, but we should be doing and serving others all year round and teaching our children to do the same. In light of that revelation, I had the children go with me yesterday when I took a meal to someone I have never met but who I knew was in need. Normally, I would have just run the meal over when Jason was home to stay with the kids, but I wanted them to take part in the serving. I was amazed at how aware and involved my three year old became in the whole thing and still today she was talking about it and wanting to pray for the family we helped.
That leads me to my challenge, I want to become a servant in order to model that lifestyle for my children, but I also want to get them involved no matter what age they are. My family will, of course, be the people I invest in the most, but I also want my children to learn that giving is about more than simply serving your family, your church, and your friends. It is about doing unto "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40). Here are some ideas I was thinking about today: sponsor a child and have your children write to them often, visit a nursing home or serve at a shelter regularly, make at least one meal a week that goes to another family, have your children draw pictures/write notes and mail them to those who might need encouragement, have your child do something for their school and/or teacher, pick up litter at the park, and the list goes on. We must be "others driven" and encourage our children to be the same, but it is crucial that we do these acts of service in the name of Jesus and not simply in the name of goodwill! That will require talking about our service projects with our children, bringing Scripture into it, and praying for those we serve throughout the week. Let's join together, along with our children, and become a generation who gives without expecting anything in return all throughout the year!
Dear Lord, Jesus' life on earth modeled that of a servant. May I be that same type of servant for others and may I encourage my children to be servants as well. Help us never become too prideful, too busy, or too comfortable so that we forget to be Your hands and feet to anyone around us. I pray You would interrupt our days in order to help us notice those in need of a helping hand or a kind word. May we, as a family, never pass up an opportunity to share your love with others. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for the gift of Your Word which is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). I pray that my children would develop a deep and sincere love for the Bible. May they rejoice in Your Word as one who discovers a great treasure (Psalm 119:162) being confident that Your Word is perfect, trustworthy, joyful, and altogether righteous (Psalm 19:7-9). I pray that my children would have a genuine delight in studying the Scriptures and that they would use Your inspired Word for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (1 Timothy 3:16). When my children are making decisions or as they seek to know You more intimately, I pray that they would know that Your word provides light and understanding (Psalms 119:130). In the name of Jesus, I ask that my children would crave the Bible and accept all the truth it contains. Amen.
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