As parents of two children, the goal my husband and I set for ourselves is not only to teach our children about God but to give them the desire to follow Him. Our hope is that with this knowledge they will live their lives for Jesus. Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God by Lee Ann Mancini seeks to help parents and caregivers teach children to become disciples who follow and live their lives for Jesus. Each day the world seems to be falling apart more and more, and this means our teaching our children about Christ is so important. The saying is “If we don’t teach our children to follow Christ the world will teach them not to.”
We all know the importance of good roots in plants. A plant with strong roots will thrive and can withstand adversity. The same can be said for our Christian life, Colossians 2:7 tells us “having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” As parents, it is our job to plant the seeds of faith so our children will grow strong roots in Jesus.
If you are like me, you grew up in a home that did not actively teach about Jesus. My parents separated when I was young. Neither of them had problems with me wanting to go to church with friends but I don’t recall much talk of faith or God either. I made the decision to attend church in my early 20s and gave my life to God then as well. So needless to say Christian parenting was not something I had seen or experienced.
We are still parenting our two children, I know there are things I wish I had done differently but we continue to learn and guide our children towards Jesus. Lee Ann’s book is a valuable read for parents and caregivers who are seeking to raise and share the word of God with their children. In this book, she shares her personal experiences as a child and a parent to inspire ways to connect with your child. Even the hard things such as discipline are discussed and show the importance of discipline and how to do it lovingly. I underlined a lot in this book and will go back to take notes and highlight the Bible passages shared in my own Bible. Even as a “seasoned” parent, I found plenty to learn and reflect on.
This book can also be used as a small study, there are questions in the back for discussion. Or it can be used as an individual study and write out your responses in a journal. The final chapter contains some ideas on how to have fun learning the Bible with your child. This is a great way to try something new and exciting with your child. It is also a great way to connect with them and what better way to share time than in God’s word together.
My favorite passage in the book was in the introduction!
The most valuable gift we can give to our Lord is to be equipped, empowered, and filled with the Holy Spirit to help raise His children to be lifelong followers of Christ.
Raising Kids To Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God, page 11
Giveaway
One reader can win a copy of Raising Kids To Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God by Lee Ann Mancini. All you have to do is comment on this post! Open to US residents only. Drawing to be held on March 15, 2024.
You can order a copy of the book on Lee Ann’s website.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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