Changing Our Thinking!

I firmly believe that if we, as parents, don't teach our children to follow Christ, the world will teach not to. That's something I've believed for years! More recently though, I've noticed the need for more than that. We must be intentional about teaching our children who God is but also in teaching them who God says they are!

It has taken me years and years to actually believe what God says about me. I often wonder how different my high school years and early adulthood would have been if I had been taught as a child what God says about me. Finding my identity in Him could have changed so much! Learning to choose to believe what God says would have been life-altering.

So, I've decided to do everything I can to make sure my kids know how God sees them and what He says about them. I wholeheartedly desire for them have this truth as a foundation.  I can't even imagine how valuable it will be for my sweet kiddos as they grow up.

Over the past couple of weeks Dylan, Evan, and I have been discussing the 2 on-going narratives about our lives. There is one narrative told by the world that the enemy wants us to believe and another narrative told by the One who created us. For example: The world says, "you are all alone." God says, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

 I've been learning about this for myself for months. Whatever thoughts are running through my mind, its best to determine if those thoughts match what God says about me. If God wouldn't say those things about me, I need to kick those thoughts out. Having the ability to choose to believe what God says even when the "facts" don't add up is like having a superpower! Knowing and believing what God says about us is just as important as knowing who God is! 

We've also been talking a lot about we preach to ourselves. We decided on some core values that we need to remember. "I am valuable. I live for a higher purpose. I am full of potential. I am being transformed. My mission is to reflect Christ. God's purpose for me is not about what I do but who I am while doing it." 

What if I had grown up preaching these things to myself? What if I had grown up teaching myself that I am valuable, full of potential, on a mission, and being transformed! Oh, how I want that for my precious children!

I've said it again and again but today I am grateful for the ability to homeschool my kids. God has impressed on me the importance of teaching my kids what He says about them. He also wants me to teach them to choose to believe His words over the world's words. Homeschooling allows me to spend as much time as needed teaching these vital truths that will be a foundation for their lives forever. I am also thankful for the impact this has had on me. It's taken me years to understand and believe what God says about me. I think it's finally sinking in! My kids and I are learning that we are the only ones in control of what we believe and changing the way we think can change our lives! It's truly powerful!