“Small seeds grow into big trees”- This is one of my favorite quotes for faith development.
I feel, as a mother of faith, it is important to instruct facts but introduce friendship.
Let me explain.
Bible stories, stats, and scriptures have to be “instructed”. They have to be taught and rehearsed and repeated and chiseled into heads and hearts. This is why we, just as subjects in school, practice and memorize Biblical principles . It may feel "ordinary" and "routine", but truly it is a supernatural doing! Instructing faith may sound like:
Let’s go over your memory verse again.
Repeat the books of the Bible with me. This time let’s clap as we say them.
Who did God talk to through a burning bush? Let’s act out that story, do you want to be Moses or the burning bush?
And so forth and so on.
Bible trivia builds confidence. It builds faith language. I love the quote “The Bible is the language of the Holy Spirit.” The more you learn it on pages the more you’ll recognize it personally in your life. Instructing faith facts is valuable!
But in building confidence, it can also build cockiness. It can build lives filled with fact-checkers but no fruit- producers. I've been in rooms where a child knows allllll the details and "answers" of every Bible question I throw at them, but they don't honor Jesus with the way they love their teachers and peers. They don't have a personal relationship with Jesus. Their head is packed, but their heart very empty. It doesn't mean they are a "lost cause" but it does mean that there may be a little more heart work to do. And heart work is not taught. Heart work is modeled. Heart work takes place by Holy Spirit drawing them in.
The narrow path is narrow. There is no room for holding our children s hands and dragging them with us. They must make choices. They must go alone. That’s the walk of faith. It’s knowing you’ll never be lonely even when you are alone. As they watch your friendship with Jesus, they too will have faith to make the journey for them self as well.
Friendship is how you do life with Jesus. It may look like :
Them seeing you choose to sing to the Lord by yourself in front of the kitchen sink.
Inviting them to help you bake cookies for a neighbor who just lost a job because “they need extra love and we have that Love”.
Teaching the story of Moses and the burning bush and then after the trivia review asking with twinkling eyes “What do you think Jesus wants invite you to do with Him?”
We learn faith on pages but we live faith with a person, His name is Jesus. He is a real friend, a perfect friend, and that deep friendship is what you pick up daily and carry with Jesus.
It‘s a privilege to narrate the scenes of the narrow as you are on it, and pack their “backpack“ so to speak. But please remember, IT IS ONLY BY THE SPIRIT THE HEART IS DRAWN. There are not enough picture Bibles, memory verse programs, christian schools, or Sundays on the calendar to "create a follower of Jesus". It is by the Spirit. This should be a weight lifted off of you. We instruct in faith, and fellowship in joy knowing He is faithful in both parts.
So, in review, how do we keep planting seeds?
Keep instructing facts of faith. Don’t get weary of doing good. Do the Deut 6 instruction : every moment of life.
Keep introducing them into friendship with Jesus by letting them see YOUR friendship with Jesus.
All in all, Here’s what sparked today‘s inspiration. I videoed my morning rhythm with my one year old (she’s 16 months here) for personal archive sake. After watching how "normal" it seemed (messy bed hair, wiggles, simply off pitch song) I teared up with thinking of how SUPERNATURAL this moment is. How many generations and culture have done the same thing that I'm doing here in this video?
It may seem simple, but this is how we plant the seeds and scenes for The Narrow way. It’s her journey. It’s her choice one day. But for now, I’ll do my best to show her the beauty that awaits.
5 Min "Quiet Time" Routine : 1. I Love The Bible through the "Old Testament"
2. Jesus Loves Me through the "New Testament" so I can point to a picture of Jesus while singing. 3. Read a mini story. This week we were doing Noah. You'll hear her asking for it the whole time. 4. End with our little song Jesus gave me for my kiddos. *Lots of songs at this age. The goal for me is to get the Bible in their normal morning routine. Sometimes we act out the story. Sometimes we pray and giggle. Most important, for their little hearts I want there to be a rhythm of joy around opening a Bible every day.
Generational harvest will require present planters. Keep sowing.
Dig and Reap,
Abby PS - These are some of my favorite faith resources. There are SO many AMAZING resources out there so let the Holy Spirit lead you. He knows your family and their journey now and future. 1. Jesus story Bible in the video 2. Our favorite Jesus story Book Bible 3. The Ology
5. The Donut Man.... I know it's dated, but I just can't get away. Tiny Theologians has so much great stuff I'm eager to dive into in the days ahead but for now I want to keep things a bit more heart based. [https://www.tinytheologians.shop/