This is the last post in our WISE WOMEN SERIES!
We hope and pray that you have gleaned from these women like we have ❤️
As they say, we saved the best for last! This women is our biggest encourager, its our Mom 🥰 She is a wife to our Dad of 36 years, has 2 daughters, and is a maw-maw to 7!
Our Mom loves her savior Jesus Christ. She loves God's word and we have so many memories of her just sitting in her bed reading her Bible. We have seen God transform her in so many ways, year after year. She is a huge blessing to our family! ALWAYS willing to tell us some hard truths, whether it is about sin in our lives or a pastor she is telling us to steer clear of! She comes alongside us in the raising of our children. Yes, she bugs us sometimes LOL! (who's mom doesn't) But we are very thankful to the Lord for making her our Mom, don't know what we would do without her ❤️
Here is what she had to say:
Parents I encourage you to be purposeful in your Christian walk because your children are watching you, so look to Jesus to stay the course! I hope using my personal experience is an encouragement to you.
I praise God the Christian life and parenting are not stagnant, defined by any one thing we do or don’t do or have done but are instead both advancing and persevering. I say this as one whose Christian life has run the gamut from Catholicism, easy believe-ism, revivalism, Charismatic Chaos, seeker sensitive, name-it/claim-it, pietism, over corrections to sweetly settling in the doctrines of Grace. All the while looking to Christ to stay the course with my kids in tow.
As I trudged through a myriad of defunct doctrines and churches, God had uniquely positioned my children as eye witnesses to the faithfulness of Christ in my life. Yes, they were exposed to aberrant and abhorrent theologies while in tow but God protected them. It was by grace and for God’s glory my kids saw the out workings of the holy spirit in my life of faithful bible reading and church attendance modeled, they heard scripture exposited, theological terms spoke/explained to them, time devoted in prayer, new friends made, spiritual interests being pursued as worldly entertainments lost their luster. They were privy to the evangelizing of their friends. They witnessed a sincere, whole hearted stance for Christ against the ideologies/philosophies of this world in an unequally yoked marriage. My Christian walk is still being watched by my adult children today. So, by the power of the Holy Spirit I look to Christ trusting him as I pursue holiness to stay the course with my kids still in tow, (just no longer under my authority) as we worship together, discuss and discern scripture, reprove, rebuke, seek or give forgiveness, function in our local church and love the brethren.
You parents, will not always be where you are now in your Christian faith, but just like me, in God’s providence will always be right where God wants you to be every step of the way. It was his kindness to me each time the Holy Spirit of truth opened my eyes discerning that something was not truth or gave me spiritual understanding of a new theological or doctrinal truth, as it will be for you too. Yet each time he moved me forward, in submission it required something of me as it will too for you. I had to have uncomfortable conversations, let go of false beliefs, leave churches, step out in faith into new realms of learning and I was always being judged by someone along the way. I did not, and parents you should not either, care what others are doing in their Christian walk or what they are thinking about your Christian walk. The “theys” of this world will not be with you when you come into account for how you handled the truth God gave you. I urge you parents do not look to the right or the left when in pursuit of truth, keep your eyes on Jesus alone to stay the course in your own walk with Christ.
Parents, I encourage you to walk firmly grounded in the word, knowing, it is only by grace you have been saved and can pursue holiness in sanctification. Take heart and remember it is not quality of your Christian walk or what you model that will save your children. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, this too will be the path of salvation for our children. Nonetheless, your children will always be watching your Christian walk, I pray you are encouraged by the scriptures below to LOOK TO JESUS TO STAY THE COURSE.