Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 119 - How Can I Reflect Christ to My Children?

Welcome to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast – Episode 119 – How Can I Reflect Christ to My Children?

Thank you for sharing your day with me. I pray this podcast gives you the awareness and tools you need to STOP being a GOOD mom and BECOME the GODLY mom God entrusts you to be. Then you will be the SET-APART woman PURPOSELY raising children to chase CHRIST over culture.

Just a quick reminder as we start, if you enjoy Purposed Parent Connected Child podcast episodes, would you please share this episode or others with a friend or family member? When you graciously take a moment to do that, and leave a rating or review at Apple Podcast, you are ensuring that others will find the podcast. When you do, you’re helping affect generations for Jesus.

Now on to this episode about how you can reflect Christ to your children.

Over the last couple of years, my youngest daughter has been fascinated with roly polys. I’ve never seen one of my children so absorbed in learning about this little creature. In fact, Brooklyn has maintained several terrariums over time, and still has one or two left. Over the course of these many months she has viewed the cycle of life, learned how to distinguish male and female roly polys, and has gained maturity and wisdom through caring for them with food and climate choices. I remember a time last year when she prepared the soil in a new habitat to move the roly polys into a bigger residence. She carefully laid chia seeds in soil, then daily you would find her checking soil moisture, sunlight, and adding water when needed.

Although you couldn’t see anything growing, when you looked under the clear terrarium box, you could see that many roots were winding beneath the dirt in preparation for the changes that would take place on top of the soil later. It’s fascinating to see how many hidden roots twisted and turned, but you couldn’t see them unless you purposely made an effort to find them.

Just as our heart needs seeds of truth to be planted before we can experience changes, no one can see how the Holy Spirit is working within us unless our words, actions, and reactions are altered to showcase His presence. When we first become believers and followers of Christ, we can’t comprehend the life-changing beauty of what a maturing relationship with Him could look and feel like. Yet, once we are His and the longer we walk with Him, the more intentional we are about pursuing Jesus and submitting to His work within us. Then the greater our belief grows, we humbly invite Christ to shine through us, we move out of the way so He freely makes a great impact on those around us.

How true it is that the way we conduct our life and Christian walk attracts attention. Even when we don’t believe anyone is paying attention, they are. The older I’ve gotten, the more I focus on how my actions affect others. Actually, this thought process probably has less to do with aging, and more to do with my walk with Christ. As time has progressed and I’ve continued to mature in Him, Jesus prompts me to examine motives and actions in light of the way others are impacted by them. I desire others to see Him clearly through me and that hope comes with great responsibility.

As I ponder what that responsibility holds, I acknowledge how easily my behavior can attract people to, or turn people away from Christ. Have you ever noticed that small and seemingly insignificant decisions you make can cause someone to build their foundation of Christ on rock or sand? Those decisions may also cause another to stumble or to turn away from Jesus completely. Especially our children.

Romans 14:12-13 says, “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”

Have you ever been short with someone at work? Or with a family member? Maybe you gave a dirty look to the crazy driver who totally cut you off on the highway or at the person who took the parking spot they could see you were going to take. Have you ever rushed to get in line to order food or check out at the store before someone else could get ahead of you? Perhaps you yelled at your child or reprimanded too harshly.

Do you ever stop to think about how well you’re representing Christ in these situations?
What if the person you hurried past showed up at church the next Sunday and took a seat next to you? What if they heard you proclaiming to love Jesus or giving testimony at a later date and they remembered that it was you who did whatever act didn’t offer a holy representation of the Lord? What about your watching children? Every word and act is absorbed by them and becomes interwoven as a building block of their desires, character, and actions.

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” This verse from 1 Corinthians 3:11 reminds us that the only foundation that is true and lasting is one built on Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ, and parents of the children He entrusted to us, our mind should remain focused on our character, our visible and invisible walk with Christ so that He is reflected in the way we model a fruitful life.

Our reason for showing others the Way, the Truth, and the Life should be because our own heart and mind are so full of Him that He overflows and we can’t help but exude His spirit, grace, mercy, and love to others because He has permanently entwined His spirit within ours.

Do you guard your actions, your mind, your heart, and reactions daily through the power of the Holy Spirit alive within you? In order to train yourself to respond in ways pleasing to God and in ways that will impress Him perfectly to others, you must be aware of how your actions reflect Him. Just as an athlete develops discipline through intentional daily training, we must be attentive to the coaching of the Lord within us. We must desire to reflect Him in Christlike, not fleshly ways. We must invite Him to guide and guard us and our responses and reactions so that others clearly see the work He has done - and is still completing within us. Through life, each of us develop habits. Some are good, making us stronger in the Lord while others may become the opposite. Without consistent, intentional, purposed life through Christ, we shine Him less and flash self more. Which do you want your children to emulate?

As you grow in relationship, strength, and character through Christ, your affections and actions toward others change. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” When most of us become believers, we still think of “self” more than Christ. Once we begin to mature our walk, humbly inviting the Holy Spirit to transform our character and desires, our thought processes change. We begin thinking of others more than self and deeply desire to be stewards of the relationship we have with Christ.

When selfishness, jealousy, impatience, or other fleshly feelings try to overtake us, it is a blessing to know we can utilize the power of Christ within us to shift our thinking process to Him. He makes us aware of how others see Him through us, reminding us of the challenge and responsibility we must bear.

Our inadequacies, even when we strive to follow and honor Christ are apparent in differing ways. One method to strengthen our Christian walk and make Jesus known to others in ways that attract them to Him is through our habits. We all have behaviors we repeat daily. We understand that it’s much easier to develop bad or harmful habits over nurturing good ones. One key to growing habits that press your walk upward through Christ while drawing others to Him is to pay attention to the Word. Stop excuses and study the Word! Each of us need individual time with God, as well as time with family. The better you know God’s Word, the more you effortlessly exhale Him on your spouse and children.

Of course, right now we’re only discussing godly habits, not health, beauty, finance, work, or study habits. Goodness! When you think about it, our lives consist of a variety of routines and habits we’ve developed over years without giving them much thought. One purpose of fostering positive habits is to build character. As followers of Christ, we want our character to reflect His.

Righteousness or Christlike character is only fashioned through reflection on Him and formation of excellent, repeated actions. It is crucial to discover which thought processes you need to alter, then commit to doing it. Just as we get out of bed, get dressed, brush our teeth, etc. we must have a set standard we commit to completing for the Lord. If we aren’t purposed women, we can’t be purposed parents or create the connection with Christ and our family that we long for.

As humans, we often make plans to be consistent or to begin character formation in some way, but life interferes. Our schedules are tight. We get sick. Our children need us. Maybe we run errands all day and just need to relax in the evening. When we’re tired, hungry, cold, or overscheduled, we tend to think of “self” first. We want to satisfy the burning need we have or the commitment to child or spouse that must be completed. Instead, stop. Allow yourself to think of Christ. As He was dying on the cross, He put sinners first. He didn’t just fulfill what obligations He had to. Jesus remained committed to a lifestyle of integrity and obedience.

Jesus followed habits He constructed through righteous intention throughout His life.
Remember:
1. Your children see your actions.
2. Your children hear your words.
3. Your children learn your desires.
4. Your children appreciate your acts.
5. Your children feel your love.
6. Your children see your devotion to Christ.

When others see followers of Christ, they consciously and subconsciously observe whether we appear to be genuine, whether we lovingly serve others, how well we appear to trust and obey Christ, whether we are discerning or judgmental, and how our actions affect them.

The same is true of your children. They hear your professions for Jesus, and can easily evaluate whether your actions match your words. Over time, your attitude and actions are the biggest reflection of what theirs will look like in the future.

It is imperative that you:

1. Desire His Word

2. Study His Word

3. Know His Word

4. Practice His Word

5. Share His Word

6. Live His Word

As you develop habits, remember to form them around your view of eternity.
1. Which habits will you construct that support what you believe?
2. Which habits will be important enough to ensure you continue?
3. Which habits will draw you nearer to Christ?
4. Which of your habits will draw your children to Jesus?

5. Which habits will draw your spouse to Christ?
6. Do you possess the qualities needed to form godly habits in your children?
7. Will your daily words and actions draw your children and spouse nearer to, or farther from, Christ?
8. Which habits will they copy?

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Does your professed faith match your actions, reactions, and words?

How are you working daily to develop strong, righteous integrity that is pleasing to God?

1 Samuel 16:7b says, “For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

Make sure that what God sees in your heart is intentionally more pleasing to Him for your children day by day.

Dear Heavenly Father, oh Lord, how we need You! Left alone, we are so far from the holiness You require. Thank you for sending Jesus to bridge the way to You. Thank you for loving us as we are, yet purposely making sure that we don’t have to stay where we are. May our lives proclaim Your glory, mercy, love, and holiness more each day. Enable our hearts to desire You above all else. Give us a longing for You that cannot be quenched by this world. Help us remain steadfast in studying Your Word, the life of Jesus, and obeying what You call. Help our lives proclaim You to those who do not know You and draw them closer to Your heart, especially our children and grandchildren. May future generations of our family never go without knowing, trusting, and following You with passion that spreads to others. Help us never act in ways that turn others away from You, but invite You to flow through us to spread a sweet fragrance that draws them nearer to Your truths. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Raising children is challenging. No one has all the answers because each child is unique as are parenting styles and family dynamics. By connecting with and knowing your children as you maintain purposed growth in Christ, you will be better prepared for any situation you face.

That’s why you hear me share about the Set-Apart Collective in this podcast. I work with ambitious women who care about making Jesus known to their children. Are you a high-achieving woman who loves Jesus, but is so busy with the rush of work and daily life that you feel like you’re being drained like the water in your bathtub? Do you yearn to get closer to Jesus and show Him to your kids so you will create a love that will last into eternity? The desire is there, but your days spiral out of control before you even think about opening your Bible.

Do you ever stop to think that you are the first Jesus your child will see? Let me remind you there is hope. There is a way you can be equipped to raise kids who chase Christ over culture. If you want a connected relationship with Christ and your children that leads them to your side and His feet, instead of them seeking validation from peers, I have an 8-step program to move you from frustrated to fulfilled. I will show you how to reflect Jesus in a way that attracts your family to a connected relationship that lasts into eternity.

Remember, godly parenting is rooted in relationship with Christ and the mindset you carry. If you don’t want peers and culture to be the main influence over your child, if you desire to parent to “prepare” your child for eternity with Christ, not repair your relationship with them, the Set-Apart Collective will arm you with a Christ-centered Motherhood Mindset Model™, and create a Purposed Parenting Plan™. You’ll also deepen your identity in Christ so you can mentor the way for your children to do the same. You will be a purposed mother with an intentional mind and heart set on Christ and your family and you will have the tools to raise set apart kids as you parent the heart, not simply the behavior.

Does this sound like a lifeline to help you be that set-apart mom God has entrusted you to be? Visit terrihitt.com/coaching and click the link for a free, no obligation conversation call with me. This is a strategic call where I will hear your biggest struggle and show you how to turn it into a blessing that will bring you closer to Christ and your children. It’s time for believing mothers to be purposed in preparing their children for a lifetime pursuit of Christ. Time is short. Make yours matter for eternity.

If you need a little jumpstart, visit my website at terrihitt.com/resources. Scroll down near the bottom of the page and click on the link for my free ebook, “Good to Godly: A 31 Day Scripture and Prayer Guide for Moms.”

One last thing to remember - if you’re not purposed in knowing Jesus and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway your children away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast enables you to stop being a good mom and focus on being a godly parent. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to parent with eternal purpose and connection with your children and Christ.