...for Powerful Parenting - Part 2: Purposeful Parenting

Now that we have seen and understood who God has created us to be as women - we can move on to the first of the eight principles of Powerful Parenting that Mrs. Campbell shared with us.

The first principle is 'Purposeful Parenting'.

Purposeful parenting has certain goals in mind. This is not an exhaustive list, by any means, and can be custom-designed to your family. First, we must purposefully parent towards the end that Christ may be found in our children. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 tells us "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This was Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians, shouldn't it also be our prayer for our children??

What greater purpose can there be in our role as Mother? To what lasting benefit could it be to our children if we gave them the whole world, but did not instruct them in the ways of the Lord? We love Woodrow Kroll's saying. He says, "Have a good and godly day. For of what lasting value is a good day if it is not also a godly day?" If you truly think about this statement - is it possible, truly possible to have a 'good day' if it isn't godly? I don't think so. However, you can most certainly have a godly day without it necessarily being what the world would deem a 'good day'. Just as the day Abraham set out on his journey to sacrifice his son - this was certainly not a 'good day' for him - but oh what a godly day it was.

This should be our purpose for raising our children. That Christ may be found in them. That all their days be godly days!

We also need to purpose to raise our children in preparation for the destiny God has for them. We read over and over again in the Bible that a battle is going on. This is not a battle of flesh and blood, but of principalities. Are your kids prepared? Do they know the battle field? Do they know the battle is already won? As they go out into the world, are they going to prepared not only academically to be well-rounded for whatever task the Lord has before them, but also for the battles they will face?

Mrs. Campbell said when her children were younger, she wrote the following on the walls in their bathroom:

Australia is waiting to see what will come out of 18 ______ Street

Isn't that fantastic? The world is watching us. If we call ourselves Christians - they watch us even more closely! The world is waiting to see what comes out of our homes. We need to prepare our children!

Mrs. Campbell took us to the Scripture and went over different areas of how the Israelites prepared their men for battle. We spent a lot of time in 1 Chronicles 7 and 12 as she described how the sons were valiant men of honor! So very powerful!

All of this was tied to preparing our children for marriage. Our sons need to be protectors, providers, and priests of their own. Our daughters need to be the gate-keepers of their homes, strong - yet willing to submit to the authority of their husband. They need to be graceful and beautiful from the inside out.

Psalm 144:12 tell us - That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace

Our daughters are to be as corner stones. That is not a weak, mindless place to be. ...and they are to be as ones for a palace!!! Not a broken down shack! What a beautiful picture this paints, don't you think??

While preparing our children - we also have to understand that we are not just mothering during our lifetime - but for eternity.

We have to have a multi-generational view! We must understand that it is not just our children, but our children's children, and our children's children's children that we are parenting. The baton must be passed from generation to generation. We cannot separate God from our 'morals and ethics'. Sadly, this is how I was raised. We were taught to be 'good', but God's glory was not in the 'whys' of it all. Do not make this mistake!

Consider Zephaniah. He was related to Hizikiah - a king who cleaved to the Lord! This is at least 5 generations removed!

Every decision we make today WILL have a lasting impact on generations to come.

What is your decision today? Will you pray that Christ may be found in your children? Are you willing to turn aside everything the world says we need/want and prepare your children for the destiny God has for them? Are you willing to let go of the feministic view of our culture and raise your daughters to be wonderful help-meets to their husbands and to be keepers of their homes? Are you raising your sons to love God first and to have a firm foundation in Christ so they can know true fulfillment and success? Are you mothering today for the children of the future?

Powerful Parenting - Part 1