Childlike Faith - Part 2

Beloved ones, I want to share a story with you about what has recently transpired in my son's life.   It takes a bit to tell,...but it's a goodie.  So, sweet ones, go grab yourself a cup of coffee and take a 5 minute "soul break" and sit back and be encouraged by this storyteller momma's recent life moments.

For the last couple of years my son has grumbled every Sunday morning that he "has to go to church" and "has to go to Sunday school".  (As I said in my last blog post, "Childlike Faith - Part 1", I'm newish in my relationship with God as well.)  We started my youngest, young enough in this journey, that she readily accepts and believes in God.  But my oldest has held steadfast in his grumpy skepticism of church, Sunday school, and God.  And most of the time my husband and I are patient in God's plan for him and remain patient.

 

But I must admit, there have been times, my husband and I have reacted in not the most grace-filled ways with him in his grumbling over church attendance and God.  Many times getting frustrated in getting him to get out the door on a Sunday morning and over anxious for him to believe.  I tell you this fellow parents, so that if you see yourself in my husband and I, you will know you are not alone in this messy journey of parenthood.  I shudder as I think about how I've pushed too hard.  But I remind myself, God loves me right where I am...that I'm beautiful in my messy, frazzled, pushy momma state.

It wasn't until one evening, this past Christmas, while at my in-law's church when I was completely and thoroughly frustrated with my son looking so obviously bored, audibly sighing over and over and refusing to stand to sing when two pew rows of our family all stood in unison.  It was then in my frustration as I leaned over and wrapped my hand around his arm to tell him to stand for the Christmas song already in progress, that the question came to mind, "Oh honey, what are you doing?  If it was one of the 'new-to-God' women you work with in your women's ministry at church, would you grab their arm firmly and tell them to stand and sing?"  No! Never!   I retracted my hand from my son's arm and stood up again.  So if I would never do this with the women I work with, why was I doing this with my own child?  I needed to let go of my "when's, how's, and where's" on my son's faith journey.  I decided then and there to let go and went to God with childlike faith and trusted his plan for when, how, and where He and my son would meet.

My husband and I decided to take a class this past April, at church for one month. In taking this class it meant we had to be at church on Sunday's at an earlier hour than we normally attended.  So this meant our children went to the earlier Sunday school time while we were in the class on Sunday mornings.  For my son this meant different teachers in his class.  As it so happened, one of our friends volunteers as a teacher in that class as well.  As the month progressed with our family attending this earlier time at church, my husband and I noticed a change in our son.  He had started asking questions about God and our friend reported he was more involved in discussion in Sunday school.

Around this same time, things for my son were changing at school.  His best friend had let him know he was not going to be attending their school next year and his other good friend was angry with him and wasn't speaking to him.  After dealing with the combination, for about 2 weeks, it eventually became too much.  One evening, before school ended, my son broke down in tears.  I had said everything a mother would or could say about the two situations to help guide him through.  But somehow it was not enough.  So as I sat with him, and since I was "at the end of me" and all I could offer,....I went to God with childlike faith

"God, I do not have the words to help my son in his time of hurting, confusion and fear."  

 

Immediately it was laid on my heart to pray over him...out loud.

 

For those who know me best, they know I struggle with awkwardness to pray out loud in front of others,...including my family.   I pray for my children, but my prayer time is spent alone.  In the quietness of early mornings.  In.  My.  Head.  OF COURSE, God would ask me to pray out loud! 

 

As I looked at the boy-man in my arms, still softly sobbing,...I asked if he would mind if I prayed for him.  Of course my oh so sweet "hallmark moment" was interrupted with a tone only a "tween-aged boy" could summon, as he said, "Uh,....I guess?"

 

I proceeded to close my eyes and with childlike faith I began to pray a prayer ... that did not come from me.  As I sat there listening to the words tumble effortlessly from my own lips,...I was in awe.  As I heard myself speak, I heard the words that were exactly what my son needed to hear.  I knew I had gotten out of the way and God was using me to speak to my child.  I knew we were not alone in the family room as I prayed.  The words came too easily and too perfectly and with such confidence and assuredness.  Such exactness and sweetness.  I ended the prayer and we both said Amen.  I waited...with breath held. 

 

The first words from my son's mouth were, "That was weird."
(Remember he's a tween boy...so...anyway.)  I waited. 
"Mom?..... I think I just felt God.  I've never felt that before.  It was like He was right here." 
(Insert a big Momma "gulp" right.... about.... here!)  So, I remained calm on the outside but inside I was all like, "Holy smokes!  Did God just use me for my son?  Did I just witness my child's first time to ever experience God's presence?  That's awesome!"  Goosebumps!

 

 

 

School is out for summer break now.  And as the days slowly pass, my husband and I are hearing my son make small comments at random moments.  "Last night I talked to God about....."  or  "I asked God about that."  or  "God answered me and said...".  Childlike Faith.

 

Sweet ones, I don't have this parenting thing all figured out AT ALL.  But our God is so good and faithful.  He has us.  He is carrying us in the beautiful messiness of our parenting and he has our children too.  He is parenting us in our parenting and parenting our children in their lives.  Going to him and letting him know even in our clumsy way, "Hey, yeah, God...I know I'm the parent, but uh,...I need you to take over...like....NOW!"  It's ok!

 It's ok for us as parents to give ourselves permission to go to God as "his" child with childlike faith and ask him to help us parent our children. 

We aren't supposed to have it already all figured out.  And in watching us in our messy states and ways, our kids see it's ok for them to go to God just how they are and right where they are, too.


Challenge:  What do you struggle with in your faith journey?  How can you give it to God and let go and trust with childlike faith?  How can you go to God as a child, with your parenting issues?  What do you need to let go of in your child's faith journey or life in order to trust with "childlike faith" in God's plan for their lives?  What does "childlike faith" look like for you?
 

Childlike Faith - Part 1

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. 
The Lord be with all of you." - 2 Thessalonians 3:16



 

Last night my 7 year old daughter struggled to fall asleep.  I admit there was an inner groan of "not again"!  She was afraid of the dark.  Afraid of what might be in her closet.  Afraid that something was under her bed.  Something was outside her window.  Someone was in the hallway.  Arg!  At one point, she had worked herself up so much that she was slightly shaking and definitely sobbing.  Her fear had taken over. 

I went into her room and we talked.  And as I talked to her I heard myself telling her that she of course new the "truth" that nothing was there, but her own thoughts were what were scaring her...all of her "what-if's" and her imagination.  She insisted she needed someone to sleep with her in order to feel better.  It was so hard not to just give in and lay down next to her until she fell asleep. 

I reminded her that her brother was in the room next to her.  And that mommy and daddy were in the room on the other side of her.  Her whole family was with her in the house.  She insisted this wasn't the same as someone being in the room with her.

 

Now, let me back up and be totally honest.  I was tired.  So sleepy and I just wanted to get back to my bed and return to my sweet slumber.  And my daughter's main concern was that someone be in the room with her. So in this sleep deprived moment, I decided to pick God as the guy to fill the bill.  I admit my initial reasons to pass the buck to God, were all selfish and out of irritability and exhaustion in the moment. You see, I'm still a "Baby Christian".  I say this in meaning that I'm about 4 years new in my relationship with God and still learning about how he works.  So helping my children navigate getting to know God and helping them understand is really a moment by moment thing in our house.  Admittedly it is sloppy and often by accident. Thank goodness God took the mess of the moment and made a message out of it for both of us.  Yay God!!!  A message for her to learn to turn to God in times of trouble and rely on him.  And a message for me to remember to incorporate God into parenting and rely on him when I've "run out of me" as a parent.



Doing everyday life "with" God is Artful Living. 
 He is big enough to parent both myself and my children. 

 

So I told my daughter that she was not alone and that God was with her even when mommy, daddy, and her brother can't be with her at night.  We then talked about all the places she already goes that her family is not with her, school, the baby sitter's.... but that God is always with her.  She then asked,
 

 "So God is bigger than my family? 
And God is there for me when my family is not? 
So is God a bigger parent than you and Daddy?" 

 

Her questions were amazing and kind of a lot to take in in my sleep deprived state.  It was hard to admit that yes Daddy and I were not always going to be there for her whether physically or out of some lack of our own.  But He would be there for her when we would or could not.   

 

I answered each of her questions with a "yes".  

Yes, God is bigger than your family. 

Yes God is there for you when your family is not. 

Yes, God is a bigger parent than Daddy and I. 

 

I realized in this moment that God was there for me as a parent as well.  That yes indeed he was bigger than I.  He didn't need to sleep and he could be here for my daughter when I was struggling to do so.  Which of course will be the situation many times in my children's lives.   God was definitely using this moment to show my daughter He was the one to turn to and that he is always there even when mommy and daddy can not.  We talked then about how she could talk to God, and tell him how scared she was right at this moment and tell him what she needed.  She then took her moment and talked with him.  I asked her how it went and she said that he would give her what she asked for..."bravery".  Wow.  (You know... this "God stuff" in parenting is awesome!) 

 

I told her that even when I leave the room to go back to my bed, God will still be here in the room for her to continue to talk to.  And that her family's love for her always exists in her heart.  I walked out of the room and thanked God for totally providing for me in that moment and for her to turn to Him and waited. 

 

She peacefully fell asleep.

 

"Now may the Lord of peace himself

give you peace at all times and in every way. 

The Lord be with all of you." - 2 Thessalonians 3:16

 

She woke up this morning and her first words were filled with excitement, "Mommy, you were right, I took your advice!" (Thank goodness I was sitting down, because when a mom hears this particular statement from their child, it could cause sudden fainting.)  "Mommy, God was there for me!  I talked and talked to him and I got really relaxed and just fell asleep!  I slept so well all night!" 

 

I love my God.  He was there for me in a tired and exhausted mommy moment.  He was there for my daughter in a moment of being overcome with gripping fear.  He was a parent to us both.  That is Artful Living!  I love my God!  He is awesome!  Especially when he takes over so I can sleep (wink). 

 

Challenge:  When was the last time you talked to God?  Do you know that God is with you always?  How can you turn to God more often with the "daily" of life?  What steps can you take to rely more heavily on Him and less on others, things, environments, situations or yourself?