What’s Your Vision for Your Child?
When we had our first child, our goal was simply to keep her alive! How do we hold her head properly, work out the bath temperature, get her tiny arms through onesie sleeves?? Having a vision for her life wasn’t something I intentionally thought about—although, like all parents, somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I definitely had one.
I was challenged, while listening to the masterclasses, to think more deeply about this—to sit with Josh and actually write down what our vision for our children is. This gives us a chance to reflect, to put into words subconscious thoughts we may have for our children that we haven’t acknowledged, maybe not even to ourselves. It helps us check that our vision is biblical and also ensures it’s well-rounded—are there aspects of their lives we’ve completely missed?
If you’re wanting to write down a vision for your child(ren) and family, here are some things to consider:
- Take a moment to describe the adult version of your child. What kind of person do you want them to be? What qualities and characteristics would you love to see in them? Imagine their relationship with God, the type of spouse and parent they will be, their integrity, kindness, resilience. Write it down.
- What does that mean for today? How can I help train my child toward this vision? Are there behaviors and character traits that need addressing? Do other areas in their life need growth?
- Am I modeling the person I want my child to become? Are there areas in my life I need to change, work on, or overcome?Remember what Ps Dot said—sometimes the problem isn’t your child; sometimes it’s you. Ouch!
- What can I do to help my children choose Christ?This is a choice they will one day have to make for themselves, but we can be very influential in this decision. I was reading Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (great book, by the way) not long ago. It’s the story of a Muslim boy who became a Christian. When he shared about his childhood, I was challenged by how diligent his family was in teaching him their faith and passing on their worldview. Am I being that diligent with my kids?Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start—I think devotionals are great—but we also have this book you might want to look into ‘Talking to Your Kids about God’ – Natasha Crain. Ultimately, you want to get to a place where you can help your kids process some of the big challenges they’ll face when defending their faith and answering tough questions for themselves.
- Think about your children individually. Are there aspects of their character that are concerning you? What can you do to specifically help your child with this?
And finally, pray over your vision. Ask God to give you wisdom and discernment and to bring wise people around you who can speak into your life and your kids’ lives. God loves to help. They’re ultimately His children, after all.
Habakkuk 2:2
And the Lord said to me, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that he who runs may read it.”