Living, Learning, Loving, Leading

Last night I had settled into one of my big red chairs to read Day 2 of the "New Thru 30" plan.

(For those of you who don't know what I am talking about - our church, Elevation, is reading through the New Testament. We are doing it in 30 days. We are finishing up Matthew today and moving onto Acts. It isn't too late to join in if you want to join in on this jump start to the new year. There are many other churches and people who have joined in with us. Click here for the reading plan.)

I had my Bible opened up to Matthew and had just started reading when Alyse climbed up beside me and said, "What you doing Mommy?" in her sweet little voice.

I replied: "Mommy is reading her Bible."

Alyse: "You read 'bout Jesus, Mommy?"

Me: "Yes, I am reading about Jesus!"

Alyse: "You read to Lysey (that is her little nickname that we sometimes call her) a story about Jesus?"

Me: "Sure Baby! Mommy would love to read Lysey a story about Jesus!"

With a huge smile on my face, I read her this story.

When I was finished she said, "I like it. Read more 'bout Jesus, Mommy."

I then read her this story.

When I was finished with that story, she said "Thank you, Mommy!" and decided to go back to her toys.

I sat there distracted from my reading plan for a few minutes.

My main two thoughts were this:

- Lord, THANK YOU for that moment!!!! Thank You that I was able to share Your Word with my baby girl! Thank You that she sat and listened and wanted to hear about You! I pray that will continue in her life. Please give me other opportunities to share You with her! I pray that she will continually seek you. I pray that she will someday sit and read Your Word herself. I pray that "Jesus" will not only be words on a page to her, but that "Jesus" will be alive in her life and that she will worship and honor You!

- I then remembered reading how important my responsibility is to not only talk about Jesus to my children, but it is also that I am living it! It is important that my children see me reading my Bible. It is important that my children see me having a relationship with the Lord. They need to see me going to church (and making it an important part of my life by serving and giving) and worshiping the Lord. They need to see me obeying God's commandments, being kind and respectful to others, "being a servant", etc.... If I am not an example to my children, then how can I expect them to know how to (and want to) have a relationship with the Lord?!

I need to be living for the Lord.
I need to continually be learning about the Lord.
I need to love the Lord with all my heart.
And I need to be leading my child to also be living, learning, and loving!!!

Now that Alyse is older (and number two is on the way) I obviously need to make sure that I am making it a priority to be an example for my child!

Proverbs 22: 6
Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

1 Corinthians 11:1
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Philippians 4:9
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you

Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these