I've always thought one of the most important things to teach my kids, was about God. I told them stories of the Bible( their favorite was Noah and the ark) oh and I'll never forget when I read the story of Jonah for the first time, not just from the childhood story books but from God's word (that was pretty gross being thrown up on the beach.... not spit out but thrown up, ok, we're all moms we see how gross that is, no further explanation needed...did I mention I don't do throw up well at all, I'm one that usually follows suit...) but that's just the thing sometimes things have to get messy to put us on the right path(my story is pretty messy).
Well anyway, as I mentioned earlier my kids dad was an atheist so he didn't go to church but there were times I took the kids and went to church, after all I was in church as long as a church bus picked me up as a kid, I wanted my kids to love church and Jesus as much as I did.... I had Wee Sing Bible Songs and a few other children's tapes and we'd listen to them all the time, I remember one of my kids favorite songs was "I've decided to follow Jesus, no turning back" . I pray that will be true with them always.
I was taken back one Sunday morning at church, apparently my son told his Sunday school teacher(the pastor's wife) that he would only sing if his daddy came to church because one Sunday morning daddy went to church with us and the pastor stood up and said "I've got a special treat for you all this morning... Jeffrey come up and sing your song, then I looked at my son and the pastor went on to say Jeffrey said that the day his daddy came to church he'd sing... I don't think I quit crying as my son sang those sweet words... I've decided to follow Jesus, no turning back... no turning back.
Well, I'd love to say that we never turned back....but things happened and questioning of Jesus existing came into our lives. In fact in 2008 so many things happened my son grew very angry with God, his daddy was in ICU fighting for his life, then I get a call from a friend letting us know one of his best friends was killed in an accident and the final blow came when he learned that his dad and I were getting a divorce.
So i see today, it is very important to pray for a hunger for the things of God.. I'm thankful I've always tried to point them to God in the many life lessons but I'm even more glad that God fills in the gaps for my many mistakes.... one of my old pastors told us that he prays that God will out shine his sin so that his family could be won over to Christ . So I pray that people in my lives see Christ and not my many mistakes.
With so many things to get in the way of God today(T.V., video games, sports, hobbies, phones, facebook, popularity, church, iphone, ipad, ipod..... I...i....i....) Yeah, even i get in the way..
All these things and many more pull us in different directions, so this is an important thing and must not be left to chance.
I've tried to set aside time during the day for my son to read a devotion, his Bible and to journal but this isn't something that he is interested in, today.
As I write this I know there is hope, for I wasn't interested at his age either ... In fact, when I was a teen I'd call my granny up to read the Bible to her(sounds like a nice thing to do, right....) I'd call her as I was getting into bed to read but my reasoning was so my mom wouldn't know a friend called me at 9,it's obvious I had someone praying for me(even Jesus prays John 17) seeds were planted as I read to my granny which reminds me of a verse that says something like this men will make plans(my plan to keep mom from knowing friends called after bedtime) but God's purpose will prevail(that I might hear His words and come to believe in Him) for Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing.....
It wasn't until 2005 that I took on a hunger for God's word, before I'd read here and there and even fall asleep reading but in 2005, I set aside daily reading time, yes it started with a check list provided by my church but as I began reading I couldn't stop reading and I wanted more and more... Then in 2006, as I read I journaled, I wrote down verses that spoke to my heart.....so see there is still hope for your grown kids.
I may come back and write more with this chapter in mind. I think I could go on and on and on.......
I don't know your story , I don't know how you came to know Christ or how you will.. and I don't know what plans God has for you and your family.... But I know they are good, they will give you a hope and a future, they will not harm you.... Jeremiah 29:11
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