Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Discipling My Kids

God didn't give me kids so I would raise nice girls who make good grades, love cheerleading, and are social butterflies.  I have to say proudly that they are all of these.  I don't want to raise nice girls.  I want to disciple young women who look like Christ and will do great things for Him.  That's it.  Cute hair bows and pink and purple rooms aside, I must raise girls who look like Jesus and not just blend in the crowd of 7 and 4 year olds out there.

I want girls who will not just survive this crazy world but girls who will change it by invading it with the light of Christ.  So, how am I doing this?

About a month ago Kylee got up after the 2nd, no 10th time after being put to bed on a  school night.  It was a long weekend and it was getting late.  She asked, "Can you get me up early tomorrow so I can read the Bible and pray?"  "Good cover," I blurted out giving her props on not getting in trouble for getting up again.  She said she was serious.  I thought about that for a moment.  What would she read?  What would she pray?  Did she know how to study the Bible?  Sure, I have been helping them memorize scripture since they could talk but did she actually know how to get up and get in the Word? 

I asked her those same questions the next morning.  She said she didn't know where to start - imagine that?  A new believer in Christ who didn't know where to start studying or praying (can you pick up on my sarcasm?).  She needed to be discipled.  Who was going to do it?  Me!  I had prepared a short Bible study on true beauty the night before.  I thought about what a 7 year old girl should know.  After a week on faith, compassion, beauty, etc. I let her start picking the topic.  She picked worry, self-control, patience, love, and a host of other topics.  We have been studying the early ministry of Jesus this week - His fasting and temptation, His baptism, His meeting with Nicodemus, etc. 

Tonight, as I put her to bed, she said, "I'm the luckiest girl in the world!  I have a big warm bed, I had lots of yummy treats tonight from momma's party, and I have lots of cute things to wear (thanks to her mom's sense of style)."  Then she said, "Some little girls aren't as lucky as I am."  I agreed and said we would study how to be giving and help those in need tomorrow. 

So, I sponsored a 7 year old girl from ecquador named Melannie from Compassion International.  I want Kylee to experience giving and helping others that are less fortunate than she.  I printed out her picture, a map of where she lives (in relation to Arkansas) and her bio so Kylee could hang it on her wall and pray for her.  She'll correspond with this little girl several times a year till she's 18.  Wow!  Now that's cool.

I desire Kylee and Abby to change the world through the power of Christ working in them.  I want them to change the world around them before the world has a chance to change them.  I pray, as I have prayed before, they have a "boring" testimony (one without their lives falling apart - you know, one of those Christian horror stories).  I want to show them a life full of Christ that is not just great to come back to after you've strayed away but one that is worth never leaving in the first place.

God, help me to disciple my girls.  Teach me to be like You so they can see You in me.  Help them love you with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Transform them and renew their minds so they will know Your will and be your disciples.  If they are going to look like You, it is up to me and Haley to teach, model, and point them towards You.

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