by Sandra Kay Chambers
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14 NIV)
As Christian parents, we desire that our children grow up knowing that the God of the universe handcrafted each of them to be unique, one-of-a-kind, with unique gifts and talents to serve Him and others. Unfortunately, we no longer live in a society that has a biblical worldview, and as a result, there is a crisis of hurting kids struggling to know who they are and what their purpose in life is.
TV shows, movies, social media, magazines, etc. portray success as external beauty, popularity, power and money. Bullying is at an all-time high, beginning even in elementary school. By the time children reach their tween and teen years, many of these harmful lies about who they are, their value as a person, and their purpose in life has already caused much harm psychologically, emotionally and physically.
My heart breaks for children who face these pressures day in and day out without knowing a God who loves them and who accepts them as they are and gives purpose and meaning to their lives. The earlier we as parents begin to build a foundation of Truth in the lives of our children, the earlier they will be equipped to stand against the ungodly world view that permeates our current culture.
Deuteronomy 11:18-20 tells us to teach God's truth to our children: “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders” (Psalm 78:4 NLT).
We are to do this faithfully, step-by-step, day-by-day, year-by-year. Here are a few practical ways to help us do this as parents:
Start by reading Bible stories and character-building picture books with your children at a young age. Interact with them and invite their questions about God.
Pray with your children from a young age. Teach them to pray sentence prayers in their own words.
Let them see you reading your Bible and praying.
Demonstrate God's character and the fruit of the Spirit in day-to-day life.
Take advantage of teachable moments throughout the day to talk about God.
Make your home a safe place for your children to discuss any topic.
Most of all, love them and pray for them daily.
When I wrote Fingerprint Devotions, my goal was to help children come to know God and grow in Him with age-appropriate devotions on topics relatable to kids. It was important to me that they realize how unique and special they are to God. Each devotional includes a scripture, prayer, a fun, scientific fact about fingerprints, and a place for them to journal or be creative. The four sections outline God’s creation, His plan of salvation, how the Holy Spirit lives in them and helps them daily, and how God has given them unique gifts and talents to serve Him and others right now and in their future.
The enemy is out to destroy this generation, but God is out to win their hearts and raise up a new generation of disciples to demonstrate His love and power to the world.
With a personal motto to “Pray Often; Inspire Others; Create Beauty,” Sandra Kay Chambers writes and blogs to help kids and adults understand how much God loves them and has a purpose for their lives. Her “must haves” include: ocean breezes, dark chocolate and a good mystery book.