Secure your own mask

Secure your oxygen mask on your face before putting it on your children…

It sounds funny when you first hear it.  I am a parent and if things go wrong I want to protect my kids first but if you ponder it, how can you protect your children if you are unconscious or dead? Well you can’t, right?

The same goes for us and our faith.

We can’t expect our children to develop the habits of faithful Bible reading, memorization, prayer and walking out their faith if they are not seeing that in our lives.

They will not just do what we say but will do as we do. We must remember to be faithful before them!

Moms and dads, they have to see that we make it a point to put God and our relationship with him first.  Before our jobs, the stacks of laundry or a having a perfectly clean house (yeah, right), getting all the dishes done or the huge TO-DO list gets tackled. They need to see that we make him a priority so they can see the steps we take to do that same thing.

 Pray. Not only is it urgent that we cover our family in prayer but it is also just as urgent for them to see us on our knees practicing the habit of communication with the Lord.

James 5: 16 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Study your bible.  How are we to know the precepts and promises if we do not spend time in the Word of God daily? How are we to teach them to our children? So many of us leave this to the church, the youth pastor or youth leaders but mom and dad, this is OUR job.  I know we are exhausted. But, we wonder why we feel so empty inside, why that it feels like everyone needs a part of you and nothing is filling you back up.  The answer is time in the bible.  I know it sounds strange but it is true, time reading and meditating on God’s Word refills our empty tank and allows us to then fill others without feeling depleted ourselves.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

Read Good Quality Christian Books. We need to surround ourselves with what is good and right. Our eyes and ears are bombarded with sights and sounds and ideas and we need to be careful just like our children do with what we take in because it becomes what we believe and our worldview.

I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. Psalm 101:3

Practice sharing your faith.  Write out your testimony – your story.  Who you were before, and how you have changed. What God means to you and what he has done in your life.

1 Peter 3:15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…

Exercise your faith. Live it, your kids will notice, believe me. Days and nights are filled with teachable moments and when we know God’s word we share with them day and night, home and away as we live life together.

Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 (Message) Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night.

Then, encourage other moms and dads.  We need one another. Life is tough.  Be a light in someone’s life today.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 so encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.