Mom, I Dare You - Challenge 23 -27

Yesterday, I tossed out a few questions to get our brains thinking more specifically about our parenting. Today, let me explain my reasoning: Our children are on the playing field of life and we are their hand-picked coaches. Every good coach needs to take time to remember who they are coaching, why they are coaching, and what their purpose is at the end of the day. A focused coach gives their athlete a better chance at success. So, moms, let's get focused in two areas...

Area 1 -- The Children in our Homes

• What training methods am I using that are currently affecting both the behavior and the heart?
• What do I need to stop doing, change, or improve upon in terms of training up my kids?
• Do my children know Jesus? Do they love Him with a child-like faith?
• Do my children know the Word? Do we need to spend more time in it?
• What is their primary influence? Should it stay this way?
• If I could pick one area that needs my attention this summer regarding training up my children (Proverbs 22:6), it would be...

Area 2 -- Spiritual Children and/or Grown Children

• Am I in this relationship for what I get out of it or for what I bring to it?
• What ways am I speaking both truth and grace into their lives?
• How am I coming alongside them, in support, love, discipling?
• What ways do I need to set them free to be independent, not codependent?
• When was the last time I said, "I love you and I am committed to this relationship through thick and thin!"?
  

If you don't have spiritual children in your life, ask the Lord, "Why?" Are there young women you should be mentoring, but are too afraid to take the step. It may not be the right season in life, depending on the needs of your own family, so please don't feel any unnecessary conviction here.

I have the privilege of living at a boarding school, with young girls hungry for a spiritual mother, so I don't have to look far to fulfill that role. The absolute thrill is the generation to generation blessing. As I invest in these teen girls , they in turn invest in my own children. The fruit is beyond comprehension at times. When my eldest daughter had to dress up in her favorite sports team garb for school, she picked one of our school's t-shirts and wanted to write the last name of her babysitter on the back of the shirt (and this from a huge Boston Red Sox fan, even though we don't live anywhere near Boston!).

My daughter's greatest role model isn't a superstar, but rather a star athlete, a servant leader, and a young woman whose heart is steadfast on the Lord. This same teen has sought me out for counsel, and now she influences my daughter with wisdom I've given to her. I can think of at least a dozen more that have impacted the lives of my children for the Lord -- the same dozen who have allowed me to speak into their lives with the truth of Jesus, risking my own heart in the process. Yes, it can be painful at times when you fall in love with a daughter not your own, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Speaking of investment, the opportunity is right in front me to do just that. I'll have a house full of my own children along with spiritual children staying with us over the next few days. Instead of giving you five more little dares, I'm going to give us ONE BIG DARE -- to invest physical time, thinking time, and prayer time into the precious lives of all the children God has loaned to us. We all need to treasure these opportunities and make the most of them for the glory of God. One more part of this challenge is to make some mental notes about the experience and be ready to share your final thoughts on the last Mom, I Dare You! Challenge next week. I'll announce the Starbuck's gift card winner then! Thanks for this wonderful journey together!

Because of Him,

Click here to begin the
Mom, I Dare You, 28 Day Challenge!
or just jump right in today!

And don't forget to leave a comment to enter
the giveaway for the Starbuck's Gift card!