How do I introduce Jesus to my children?

There is a lot that pulls at me but when I parent, I have to prioritize eternity.

I must

This is simply not an option

I want my love for Jesus to be contagious

I want my days to be spent bringing Him glory even in the mundane.

I feel these children watching my every action, weighing them more than they do my words.

 

I am learning it’s beyond taking them to church and reading them bible stories so that they can know the facts.

Most of us have the right answers, but do we live it?

Beyond knowledge of the word, I want them to have a relationship with the word that became flesh.

More than anything I want them to know Jesus as their own.

This is not automatic.  I must be intentional.  I can’t give to my children what I don’t have.  Every day I have an option; do I seek His face or seek to do my will?

Seems like a simple answer but life has a way of complicating simple matters

If I let it

These last 12 years of parenting has taught me that children are more discerning than I previously thought. They can smell a hypocrite from miles away.

I tell them to get in their word, but do they see me on my laptop more than they see me reading my bible?

I tell them to forgive but do I hold on to anger towards their dad or towards them?

I tell them to pray and bring their worries to the Lord but do they see me on the phone more than they see me on my knees?

I tell them to have self-control but do they see me eating my worries away?

I tell them to be a servant but do they hear me murmur and complain about all the domestic chores I am CALLED to do?

I tell them to fully obey but do they see me practicing selective obedience because I am good and grown?

Honest questions that deserve honest answers.  And did I mention, a hypocrite can do some serious damage to innocent bystanders.

How do I steward these 6 blessings the Lord has given me?

The call of motherhood is weighty. It can be sobering to think that my actions can either draw them or turn them away from Jesus.

MY ACTIONS CAN DETERMINE WHERE THEY SPEND ETERNITY!

Yes, I am fully aware that I can’t chose Jesus for my children but my actions can make the choice more appealing.

So I pray real hard

For grace to mother the way my Father wants me to.

For the right focus to seek the Kingdom of God first and then relax knowing that all these others things will be added!

For the discipline to push the distractions to the side , silencing the unnecessary noise so that I can hear and respond to His still small voice(Social media and all her kinfolks, relationships that pull me away from Jesus, thoughts that are trespassing on God’s property…my Mind …just to name a few).

Yes Ma’am I have been called to something big…I have to introduce Jesus to my children!

 

Anika Jones

About the Author

Anika Jones

Anika Jones is a speaker and author of the book Lessons Learned Along The Way: A 40 Day Devotional. She blogs about faith and family at LivingForLater.com and posts weekly videos on her YouTube channels, Living For Later (@livingforlater) and Living Life Now (@livinglifenow). Anika loves speaking about developing intimacy with God and understanding who we are in Christ. She serves alongside her husband in ministry. They live in Illinois with their 6 children.