Teaching Kids About the “I” in Faith

Teaching Kids About the "I" in Faith - Parenting Like HannahYou don’t have to look very hard to find an article speculating on why young people or Millennials or Christians in general are leaving the Church. The causes range from the name of the church to the type of music to almost anything and everything people can imagine. As I read the articles, I started noticing something.

The root of every theory started with “I” messages from those leaving. “I don’t get anything from that.” “I can’t worship a God who would expect that of me or others.” “I don’t like that.” “I don’t feel close to God when that happens.” “I don’t like the way they do that.” And on and on.

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Bible Study for Moms

Bible Study for Moms- Parenting Like HannahBeing a mother means you are “on call” twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. You never know when a child will keep you up all night, will have you running all over town for an entire day or will need you by his side for hours at a time. Most mothers put many of their own needs aside if necessary, in order to care for their children.

Unfortunately, one of the first things that often gets cut from a mom’s life is Bible study. Taking the time to read scripture suddenly sounds like a luxury we can’t afford. Yet, this is the time in our lives when we need to hear from God daily more than ever.

When I was a young mom, I found it helped me to be in a weekly Bible study. There was an accountability that made me take at least some time every week to study the scriptures. An added benefit for me was that many of the women in the study were ahead of me in their mothering journey. They could help me in my journey, for they had recently walked there themselves.

As you think about starting or joining a Bible study for moms, one of the first hurdles is what to study. So I was interested when I had an opportunity to review a new Bible study designed specifically to help moms. Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood: An Eleven-Week Devotional Bible Study by Melissa Kruger, which is designed to help mothers walk with God while their children are at home.

As an eleven week study, this book could be used for a personal Bible study or in a group with other moms. Each week is divided into five smaller daily study units. The author shares her own thoughts and experiences as well as scripture and biblical examples. She asks thought questions and leaves room for you to answer them in the book. The back contains additional questions which could add to the discussion if you are using the book in a group study.

The study covers topics with which most mothers would be familiar. From finding time for God to anxiety to training children, she addresses a variety of important topics. Although some if not much of the information could probably be found in other Bible studies, this is arranged in a way to specifically take those scriptures and principles and discuss them in the light of the role of mother.

Although I am not a huge fan of Bible study, fill-in-the-blank books, this one does have value. It is a strong template for examining motherhood in relationship to faith. I only wish the few times she asks readers to think of creative ways to introduce certain things into their homes, she gave more concrete help. Ultimately, I think this study would have been even stronger if the author had taken the time to introduce lots of practical tips and ideas or at least places to go and look for them.

My suggestion would be to use this study in a Bible study for moms, but make sure you have some experienced, godly, creative moms who are part of the group. They can expand the themes the author addresses and hopefully provide more of those practical ideas the study is missing.

Whether you use this book or another, please take the time to study God’s Words. It will help you more on your mothering journey than you realize. The Bible is one of the best parenting tools you have – especially if it is used regularly.

 

 

 

A copy of this book was given to me for free in exchange for my honest review. An affiliate link is included in the post for your convenience.

Teaching Kids to Focus on the “Paper” God Gave Them

Teaching Kids to Focus on the "Paper" God Gave Them - Parenting Like HannahHave you ever wished you had some gift from God you don’t have? Personally, I would love to be able to compose music and have an awesome singing voice. God however, to this point, has not put a single original song in my brain and I am learning to be content with just a passable singing voice.

Now, I could get really obsessive about those musical gifts God didn’t give me. I could become envious of those who have those gifts and make them feel guilty about using their gifts instead of allowing me to show them I am almost as gifted as they are in those areas. I could whine and complain, beg God, force others to pretend I have those gifts or even convince myself I have gifts I clearly don’t have. Or, I could focus on the gifts God did give me. I could develop them to their fullest potential and find all kinds of creative and fun ways to use them in service to God.

Unfortunately, I think we are subtly teaching our children that instead of focusing on the “page” or gifts and opportunities God gave them, they should compete with others to have the “best” gifts. There are a couple of messages our children are learning, which frankly I think are lies satan is promoting to undermine the Church.

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Teaching Kids How To “Read” People

Teaching Kids How To "Read" People - Parenting Like HannahThis probably never happens in your home, but have you ever had one of those parent miming conversations? You know, when one parent is taking a very strong conversational path with the kids while the other parent is desperately signaling to switch topics immediately. Which, as the signals are ignored, get more obvious and often end with the signaling parent muttering “don’t you know ‘this’ means stop talking?”

Your, I mean the “clueless” spouse had failed to read the signals properly, creating an awkward parenting situation. While your marriage and your kids will survive quite a few of those moments, there are other times when it is crucial our kids have learned to “read” the non-verbal signals others give them.

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Helping Kids Enjoy Bible Reading

Helping Kids Enjoy Bible Reading - Parenting Like HannahMy favorite Bible verse of the moment is 2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” Our children are being fed a constant diet of teachings designed to interest those itching ears. Some may be from non-Christians, but even some famous Christians preach what is misguided at best and false doctrine at worst.

It’s almost impossible to predict every bit of false doctrine your children may be exposed to during their lives. The burden to accurately predict and teach against every misrepresentation of God’s Word is almost impossible to bear. Yet, there is one thing you can and must do to protect your children. Immerse them in God’s Words.

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