What Is Your Child’s Godly Potential?

What Is Yoru Child's Godly Potential - Parenting Like Hannah“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Did you know God has a plan for each of your children? Some might argue this verse was only for these people in this time and place, but I believe other verses like, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) point to a more universal application.

The idea God not only knows each of us well enough to know the ever changing number of hairs on our heads, but has made specific plans He would like each of us to do, should excite you as a parent. Of course God has THE Plan – sending His son to earth to die for our sins so you and your kids have the hope of eternal life.

I also believe though, God has things He wants your children to do in addition to becoming a Christian and worshipping and obeying Him. He, who has all wisdom and can see the future, knows your children will have opportunities in their lives to serve others and share their faith. In fact, I believe the Bible reinforces the idea God has uniquely gifted your children to be prepared to meet the challenges those opportunities will provide.

Continue reading What Is Your Child’s Godly Potential?

Will Your Child Leave God?

Will Your Child Leave God - Parenting Like HannahLet’s be honest. There are a lot of terrifying things about being a parent. Just the whole keeping them alive and relatively healthy thing can be a challenge at times. Yet, I think the thing that has always terrified me the most is some day my daughter might reject God. In fact, if I even let the thought enter my brain as a remote possibility for more than a few seconds, I get weepy.

I always get angry when preachers and youth minsters make it sound as if it is a given young people will turn their backs on God when they are young adults. According to them, the only hope is that your children will return once they marry and have kids. Yet, I have known plenty of young adults, who not only stayed faithful, but lived their faith, served others and shared their faith in their teens and 20’s. Unfortunately though, those ministers are right more than they are wrong. Studies show most kids will leave God when they leave home… and both for the rest of their lives.

What can you do to prevent your child from leaving God? There are no insurance policies, because your child has free choice and so do all of the people with whom they come in contact. You can greatly improve the odds your child will not only stay faithful, but grow to become a godly, servant leader in the church. You just need to remember this one tip.

Continue reading Will Your Child Leave God?

How “See Something, Say Something” Parenting Could Revolutionize Your Christian Parenting

How See Something Say Something Could Revolutionize Your Christian Parenting - Parenting Like HannahIf you have lived in or visited a major urban area recently, you may have noticed a sign that read “See Something, Say Something”. Designed to encourage citizens to report information that could help authorities prevent a terrorist attack, the phrase could also be the best Christian parenting advice I can give you.

Years ago when I was a child, we knew without a doubt that if just about any adult saw us doing something we weren’t supposed to do, they would correct us or worse yet, tell our parents. In fact, it wasn’t always misbehavior.

I had gotten carsick on a school field trip four states away. When we stopped for dinner hundreds of miles from home, by coincidence a family from our village had also stopped to eat there. We drove all night, but by the time our bus pulled into the school parking lot, my parents greeted me with “Why didn’t you tell us you got sick?!”

Oh, how times have changed. Most of us are terribly afraid of correcting a child who isn’t ours – even if their life is in danger. We would never think of allowing anyone to tell us anything about our kids – except on a rare occasion their school teachers. In fact, we were in a situation where a teen was making some scary choices and we were honestly afraid of being sued or worse if we let the parents know what was happening.

Continue reading How “See Something, Say Something” Parenting Could Revolutionize Your Christian Parenting

Teaching Kids About God While They’re Learning to Count

Teaching Kids About God While They're Learning to Count - Parenting Like Hannah

 

Often the “trick” to spending more time teaching your kids about God is to find ways to do it while you are working with them on something else. Teaching your kids to count is an important rite of passage for most kids.

Many of them will go through a stage where they will count…and count…and count. They aren’t counting things necessarily, but just counting to see how high they can get without making a mistake. Why not add a little fun and some Bible to the mix?

Here are some fun ways to mix learning to count and teaching your kids about God:
Continue reading Teaching Kids About God While They’re Learning to Count

5 Listening Skills You Should Be Teaching Your Children

5 Listening Skills You Should Be Teaching Your Children - Parenting Like Hannah
Greek Bell

Did you realize there are dozens of verses in the Bible about listening? Whether it’s listening to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, parents, wisdom or instruction, it is clearly important to God that our children listen and listen well. If you have children, you have probably been frustrated more than once with their ability to listen – and we won’t even talk about the obeying part!

Strong listening skills are essential to any Christian who wants to make an impact on the world for God. Yet parents, churches and schools spend little time training children how to listen well. Oh, a few may have children practice repeating what they have heard or even answering questions about it, but the listening skills your kids need go far beyond merely recalling details.

So what are the listening skills you need to help your children learn to master?

Continue reading 5 Listening Skills You Should Be Teaching Your Children