THE TIME IS SHORT. Mom-apathy is your enemy. I think all of us who are raising children would agree with this statement. Most moms would wholeheartedly agree:
- We mean to be purposeful in our parenting.
- We intend to make the most of the time we have with our kids
- We regret when we realize we are wasting precious moments to parent with NO REGRETS.
But somewhere between acknowledging the time is short, and the piles of laundry calling our names, most of us moms loose track of the hours, to find ourselves parenting from a place of merely “keeping-your-head-above-water.”
What are some practical ways you can parent more deliberately? Let’s unpack this question, shall we?
REALIZE that there is little time to waste. Ask God to help you redeem the time, and use it to help guide your children toward loving and knowing Christ. We can glean an incredible perspective from the Apostle Paul:
Continue steadfastly in prayer,
being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word,
to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—
that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders,
making the best use of the time.
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
– Colossians 4:2-6
From Paul’s advice in Colossians 4, take a moment to examine your own ministry as a mom. Ask yourself:
-Do you continue in steadfast PRAYER?
-Are you WATCHFUL for opportunities to declare the mystery of Christ to your kids?
-Are you THANKFUL? Paul was advising others to be watchful in thanksgiving, while he himself was a prisoner. I know sometimes being a mom can feel like solitary confinement, but God wants you to determine to be thankful.
-Do you THINK about what you are going to say – BEFORE you say it? Ask God to give you clarity in what He would have you say to your kids…and when He would have you HOLD YOUR TONGUE.
-How do you CONDUCT YOURSELF toward outsiders? Would your kids friends say that you are a mom who reflects Christ loving character? Do you live in a way that glorifies The Lord so that He might draw your kids unsaved friends to salvation?
-Are you GRACIOUS in the way you interact with your children and their father? When your speech is seasoned with salt and light, the Lord can use your behavior to draw your children to know your Savior–and your husband too, if he does not know Christ. Consider the advice of the Apostle Peter:
I Peter 3:1: Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives—
DETERMINE to live deliberately, and not to let each day just happen. As you go about your day, remember that your [children are] observing how you live. [They are] studying your words, actions, and attitudes to discern if your relationship with Christ is for real.
God expects you to DEVOTE YOUR LIFE TO MAKING MUCH OF HIM.
“MOM-APATHY IS YOUR ENEMY. If your words and actions are filled with a passion to share Christ and to encourage others, your excitement will be contagious to your [kids].
Your example will teach [them] the normal Christian life is one of urgent service to God. And you will expose him to the idea that serving God is an exciting way of life.
THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE, for in just a few years your [children will be grown]. Life is short, and childhood is short. So weigh the use of the time you have with your [kids] (see Psalm 90:12).
You’re not just changing diapers, burping babies, and attending soccer games. You are representing Christ to your kids which influences not only them but everyone they meet in the future!”*
Mom-APATHY IS YOUR ENEMY.
Won’t you determine to parent with NO REGRETS?
To Book Rhonda to speak at your next women’s event & to learn more about Rhonda’s NO REGRETS WOMAN message: NoRegretsWoman
*Excerpt Moms Raising Sons to Be Men (Harvest House Publishers 2013)
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