Sharing God with Little Ones

As COVID pandemic continues, I often ponder “how am I moving the needle for God?”

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. —Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Who am shepherding on a daily basis right now? My son.

Below are active ways I talk with B about God. I pray this offers encouragement, specifically in ways to be spontaneous, in sharing of truths illuminated in the Bible. This is not to take away from set devotion times or family worship.

Practicing Thankfulness

Waking up in the morning and routinely saying “Thank you God for this day.” (Psalm 118:24) I’ve heard Brayden exclaim several times recently… “Thank you Jesus for the sun. Yaaaaaay the sun is out!” His beautiful exuberance and thankful heart is a gift to us. I was unaware even in the less than 2 minute shuttling him to school at the beginning of 2020, how much the spoken word of thankfulness/gratefulness as the sun was rising was rubbing off on B. At 4.5 years young he is a sponge!

My prayer: Lord help me keep filling my son with more of you, less of me. More scripture and truth. May the Lord direct our steps always.

Outdoor Walks

We point out the flowers, gardens, birds, squirrels, dirt! We talk about how God created it all and it is good. I ask B as we walk, “what do you see?” “what are you thinking?" I know he can have the propensity to say “nothing.” Which trust me, as a woman, I am getting more used to raising a son ie male with a Nothing box! Yet, I can pause and a few minutes later return to the subject. “What do you see?” And for instance because there are a lot of birds on our walks, I recall the verse from Matthew. God cares for the birds of the airs needs and if they do not worry because God provides for them, then why should we?

My prayer: Show me the biblical truths written on my heart to speak as we walk. Illuminate your word in my heart so that it can continue to overflow into my thoughts and speech with B.

Scripture Memorization

A few weeks back I started having Brayden learn Proverbs 3:5-7 and for 3-4 days I recited it with him 10-15 times during various activities. We practiced at mealtimes, snack times, outside on the porch, while we played bubbles, in “bath swim time” in our larger bathtub, and so on. It became natural to him to utter the verses at random times of day which is a good habit as he grows that he can recall scripture.

My prayer: Lord continue to give me a thirst for knowledge and also B. Lord help me shepherd him to the right knowledge daily and know what is purposeful for his heart and mind.

Praying Without Ceasing

This is something we continue to grow in. When I was very sick last year we often said “Jesus is good, amen, hallelujah.” Now praying is more fluid. It could be a family member or friend dealing with something and we will stop and pray. We pray when we are in the car (not often). We pray in any room of the house. We pray at meals. Brayden has come accustomed to this and asked one day to my husband, “Daddy, mommy is not feeling good… we should pray.” It becomes part of their DNA like breathing and eating when we follow Paul’s guidelines of doing it all throughout the day.

My prayer: In 1 Thessalonians we understand it is important to pray without ceasing and how this aligns our hearts with you. Lord, help our family to know this is always our first lifeline in the best and worst of times.

Daily Devotions

These are best day in the AM and as a reminder I leave several devotions near the kitchen table. This serves as a physical reminder to me to grab the devotions even if my brain is still waking up. It is there in our physical realm so we grab it and we read. Some of the devotions we adore are CS Day by Day and OC for small children. Another B likes is the 5 minute bible stories book. This is one of my TOP favorites for children maybe even over Jesus Storybook bible (which is good!). The succinctness of the 5 minutes (when attention spans can run short) is really key for us in this season.

My prayer: Lord I pray that you are the first image that comes to our minds before our feet hit the floor. Lord make this a continued realty for our family that we open our eyes and praise you, thank you, and obediently look to follow you before we begin any big projects of the day.

Giving to Others

So this is a BIG one for me. When we sign up to take food to someone in need (I know I know COVID makes it challenging) I make sure to include Brayden on the WHY. When the church is asking for donations I make sure to get Brayden involved in the why. I have given $10 for meals for front line workers several times and I explain to Brayden that gifting people food, so they could focus on helping others and paying it forward. Easter gifts, mothers/fathers day/birthdays etc. It is important for Brayden to see the JOY in giving and not just buying for oneself.

My prayer: Lord it says in your word that you bless us so that we may bless others. God I pray that we instinctively open our hands with grateful hearts to share whatever you lead us to Lord. May our hearts take full gladness in giving always.

Asking Forgiveness

Modeling this to Brayden looks like me asking him when I have been overtly short or unrighteously angry. In the same way I expect him to explain to me what he has done wrong and ask for forgiveness, I strive to model the same for him. It is important for him to know mommy fails and God forgives and Brayden can forgive too.

My prayer: Lord as you sever the old ways of unforgiveness. May the seeds of full forgiveness be sown deep into the bedrock of our family and especially Brayden. May the words and truths of forgiveness in Gods word be impenetrable in Brayden’s heart as he grows into a young man and then adult.

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Final BUT very important point. All of the above practices are MUTE if I am not daily seeking God in his word and appropriating my faith.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. —Galatians 6:9