Coach's CornerNovember 2021
There is certainly a great need for that safe community at this moment, isn't there? Here are just a few ideas to help you meet your parenting goals. As you move toward helping your children grow in relationship with Jesus, tell your children Bible stories. Don't just read them stories (though there is nothing wrong with that!) When you tell your child a story from the Bible something special happens in the heart of your child! They hear it! You know what I'm talking about. It is similar to when someone gives a presentation reading from PowerPoint slides or when someone tells you about the slides, you learn and appreciate differently. Additional benefits of telling the Bible story are many – to both you and your child!
Sometime ago I learned that a person needs to hear a Bible story at least three times to be able to remember the story. I don't know if three is still considered the magic number, but I do know from personal experience that if a person hears it twice and acts it out twice and tells it to another person, he or she will certainly remember the story better! After telling your children the story, have them act it out. You may want to participate in the drama or help them remember details. Or maybe you need to pop some popcorn and enjoy while they act out the story for you and other family members. Stories do not have to be long since free times are sometimes short. Whatever you end up doing, what delight to enjoy with you children and what an eternal impact this will make for them.
When that is all said and done, there are some great questions you can ask. I'll get to those next time but for now, the simplest question to ask is: "What did that person (Mary, Joseph, David, etc.) feel at a certain point in the story?" When I ask this question, I find that God shows different aspects to different people. Sometimes the answers are similar, but how insightful it can be to hear what God shows to different individuals!
A few newsletters ago, I mentioned that experts were becoming concerned because our children of these times of text messages and anything-but-in-person communication have become disconnected to their feelings and those of others. This technique of question asking can be a huge gift to our children both now and to their future families. They begin to develop a pattern of awareness of feelings of others (as well as their own), and the people in the Bible stories become more relatable and real.
As you try these few simple ideas, let me know what you find works best for you and your family or what might not have seemed to work. I'll be glad to help you tweak areas of struggles and incorporate your successes to help others. For those of you who don't have children around at this point in your life, consider asking yourself about the feelings of the people in the Bible stories your read during your devotions or find some kids to tell a Bible story to, impact their eternities with this simple act.