I am reading a helpful parenting book by Reggie Joiner & Carey Niewhof titled, “Parenting Beyond Your Capacity” Though I am not done with the book yet (because let’s be honest trying to read a book with a 9 month old and 2 year old is hard to do and the Bible comes first each day when it comes to reading) I thought I would share a few quotes that have been insightful.
“Your role is not to impress your children or anyone else with your ability to parent; your role is to impress your children with the love and nature of God.”
“With a strong commitment to do what you can and to seek out the help of others to do what you can’t; you practice a version of parenting beyond your present capacity”
“What if our purpose as parents is to illuminate the bigger story, to influence the next generation to experience God in a more genuine way?”
“God is at work telling a story of restoration and redemption through your family. No matter what your family looks like or how limited your capacity might be; you can cooperate with whatever God desires to do in your heart so your children will have a front-row seat to the grace and goodness of God”
“What if you invited your children into a bigger story; instead of encouraging them to conform to a superficial ideal?”
“The family exists, even in its imperfection, to display the heart of God to every generation.”
So far this book as helped me continue to restructure in my heart and mind what it means to be a mother. It is helping me get the focus off me and my family and onto God and His purpose in giving us family. It was very interesting for me to think about Moses’ parting words to God’s chosen people in Deut. 6 as it puts a strong empathize on parenting.
“These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
We are called to parent in such a way that we leave a spiritual legacy not just well behaved grown Christian children. Moses is telling not just the parents, but also all the people to live a life that shows the children that God is the Lord our God! The task of parenting was never meant to be done alone; in fact connecting your family to a wider community is biblical.
And I will close with one more quote, “The right community is not only important because of what it gives your children, but also because of what it requires from your children”
