A Radiant Face

Photo ©Faith Ganchua, 2018, A Radiant Face

My son is only a year old, but ever since I found out I was pregnant with him, I knew I wanted to be intentional about communicating the Gospel to him. More than anything else, my desire for him (and his coming-soon little brother) is that he come to know, love and follow Jesus his whole life long. That is the hope I speak over him every night as I place him in his crib, after reading, after singing, after turning out the light. That is the mission of my motherhood.

Because I know this is the heartbeat of every Christ-following mother, I want to share five ways I have connected with my son spiritually to begin writing these truths on his heart. I don't share these because I think they're the best ways or the only ways, and certainly not because I have been perfectly faithful in practicing them. Instead, I want to offer some simple suggestions in case you feel at a loss for how to share the Gospel with your children. Perhaps these ideas will springboard some of your own rhythms of faith in your home.

Also, keep in mind that I have a little toddler who can barely say five words, so I don't have any solid means of measuring what he's absorbing from my efforts. Your kids might be older, but I think several of these points can apply to them, as well as to babies and toddlers.

Here they are, in no particular order:

One - Talk to them about Jesus and God's truth and the Gospel whenever it comes up.

Photo by Jordan Whitt on Unsplash

My son may have no idea what I'm saying, but I speak what's on my heart, and I believe the Holy Spirit can translate for me. Sometimes I try to slow down and make eye contact, but often I just talk as we're going about our business - eating breakfast, walking outside, driving in the car. These moments come up as I am awestruck by the beauty of God's creation while we're exploring the backyard, and I'll begin talking about some attribute of God that the sky or the wind or the flowers remind me of.

If I'm reading my Bible or a Christian non-fiction book in the living room while he minds his own business playing on the floor, I might suddenly look up and say, "Buddy, this is so amazing!" and launch into an explanation of what I just read and how it informs the way I view God.

Another way to really drive home the point of why we need Jesus is to take moments of our own sin and be quick to humble ourselves before the Lord and our children. We can use these times of personal weakness to remind our kids that we all fall short of God's glory, and that is why Jesus needed to die and why we need the Holy Spirit in our hearts to help us do what God wants.

While he was still in my womb, I shared the Gospel with him, as well. It felt a bit awkward to be explaining the ABCs of Salvation to someone I couldn't see, but the Bible tells us that the Lord teaches wisdom to babies even before they're born (Psalm 51:6), so I figured I could begin sharing truth with him even then.

Two - Play Scripture and worship songs frequently throughout the day.

Photo by Mohammad Metri on Unsplash

Almost every morning while I'm making and eating breakfast with my son, I play the "Kid's Worship" station on Pandora from my phone. I've refined it so it plays a lot of classic Sunday School songs, Scripture songs and a bit of Veggie Tales. I love to begin our day on that joyful, centering note.

When my son was littler, his favorite calming music to fall asleep to was Matt and Josie Minikus' Hymns, Psalms and Lullabies album. It is absolutely beautiful music and includes several lyrics directly from Scripture.

Three - Read the Bible together.

Photo by Samantha Sophia on Unsplash

My son used to sit in my lap for an entire Jesus Storybook Bible chapter, but that happens less and less frequently these days. Now I usually end up reading something from a children's Bible storybook, a Psalm or a passage from the Gospels out loud as he's roaming around the living room.

At first I was concerned that he wouldn't absorb much this way, but after hearing some advice from more experienced mothers, podcasts, etc. I realized that busy toddlers and active little boys, specifically, actually learn better while they're moving. It may not seem like he's paying attention, but I know the Word of God does not return void, so I will continue to speak it out loud in his hearing.

Four - Sing hymns and Scripture songs to them before bed.

Photo by Louis Smith on Unsplash

For the longest time, I would sing the same three songs to my son as part of his bedtime routine - the hymn, Just as I Am, some version of the Aaronic blessing (The Lord bless you and keep you...) and the chorus of Twila Paris' lullaby, "I pray that you will follow Him your whole life long." I change up the hymns more now for variety, but I still see Just as I Am as his special hymn.

I love so many modern worship songs, and my millennial heart resonates with them and enjoys listening to them throughout the day. However, there is something so rich and precious about older hymns that I want to pass on to my children. I'm so thankful for the time I spent at a church that sang only hymns every week because, while I no longer think that's the "right" or "only" way to worship God in spirit and truth, I learned so many hymns by memory. As I sing these hymns over my son now, I am blessed by the rich theology contained in them that is difficult to communicate in such a succinct and profound way with our modern language.

Five - Pray together.

Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

This is one area in particular I would like to grow in, but I think praying together with kids is beneficial no matter what age they are. Of course we can pray over our children, and we should, but there is something special about praying together for things on our hearts in addition to the needs of others. My son is still too young to understand closing his eyes and being still while we pray, but if he's sleepy enough at bedtime, I have a captive prayer companion as I rock him. I will begin thanking God for the day and praying for our concerns in first person plural, as if he's praying right along with me.

I want to demonstrate to my children that prayer is a normal part of my life individually and of our lives together as a family. I believe the more frequent and natural these practices are in our daily rhythm, the more they will begin to adopt those things as they become independent.

These are the five main things I do as the mommy of a (currently) 16-month-old boy and his little brother in utero. I hope they are an encouragement and a springboard for you as you seek to impress God's truth on your little ones' hearts. Remember that God is with us as we share the Gospel with our children. He desires their hearts to come to salvation even more than we do!

I would love to hear which of these practices you are currently implementing or would like to implement in your home. And if you have any other ideas for how to connect with kids spiritually, please share them in the comments for the rest of us to learn!

The hymn, I Surrender All, is a great sermon-closer, and it has been used as such many times at my church. It has a singable tune and meaningful lyrics that cause one to really think them through as they're sung.

I usually have a hard time singing this one with gusto because I have to evaluate my heart each time I hear it: do I really surrender all, and if not, am I ready to?

There have been moments when I've simply closed my mouth and my eyes, praying through the song that the Lord would soften my heart to surrender because I knew I wasn't ready. I knew there were habits and idols I didn't want to lay down, and I didn't feel right singing that I was surrendering all when in my heart I was not.

The most recent time we sang this hymn, however, I did join in with my voice for the entire song, and I even lifted my hands as if to say, "Here is my life, Lord. I surrender all."

This occasion was no different than the others; I am well aware of how prone to wander is my heart, how quickly I retract my sincerest devotions and commitments to the Lord for the sake of ease and self-service.

Yet this time I sensed the fullness of Christ's grace toward me, and how His sacrifice covers my broken vows and my failure to always place Him first in my heart.

In Romans 7, Paul laments the fact that, though his desire is to obey God's law, his sinful nature battles against his spirit and often wins. This is not because the Holy Spirit isn't powerful within us but because we will not reach perfection until we see Christ face to face. In the meantime, we fight against the flesh to choose what is honoring to the Lord, and we often win, but sometimes we lose. This is the angst we face as redeemed people confined temporarily in a world still full of sin.

But Paul ends the chapter this way:

"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Paul acknowledges that he will always struggle against sin in this life, but he rejoices that Christ's sacrifice is enough to deliver him and cover him with grace!

Friends, the Lord knows our hearts. He knows we long to glorify Him with our lives, and He knows that we are weakened by our flesh. He knows we want to obey, to surrender all, but He knows we will always struggle to do so.

That is why we can say to Him, "I surrender all," knowing that while we are guaranteed to fail, His grace is sufficient for us, and He is pleased with us.

all photos from Unsplash.com

I struggle with bad attitudes frequently. I really like things to go my way, meet my expectations and cater to my needs and wants. And I begin to feel the crankiness meter rising as soon as they don't.

When things don't go my way, I can be not the nicest person. Maybe I don't lash out and yell, but I have definitely turned to grumbling, casting dirty looks, or determining to show how miserable I am to everyone else so they feel uncomfortable. Super immature, I know.

not my kid, but still stinkin' cute

Some may equate this with the behavior of their two-year-old, but the truth is, we are all born with a sinful nature. Our internal bent is to look out for ourselves first and do everything we can to fulfill our desires.

Scripture tells us that, "those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires." (Romans 8:5)

Until we come to trust in Christ for our salvation and are given the Holy Spirit as our guide in living a holy, set apart life for the glory of God, all of us live according to the flesh. However, in Christ we do have the guarantee of the Spirit, and as soon as we place our faith in Him, He begins sanctifying us, transforming us daily so that we look more and more like Christ.

Let me pause a moment and say, Thank You, Jesus!

And then let me say, even while living under Jesus' Lordship, it is hard to choose to respond to people and circumstances with kindness and patience.

Because of this, I want to offer some practical tips for living out kindness in our daily lives because this fruit of the Spirit really does set us apart and makes Christ look attractive to the world.

And as I am sharing these, know that the reason I do so is not because I have achieved perfect kindness or mastered how to handle these situations. Far from it! Like I said right at the get-go, this is a frequent struggle for me. But I have been asking the Lord to refine this area of my character, and I've been doing a lot of study in Scripture and elsewhere on how to live out kindness.

First, the physical.

Our emotions and reactions are impacted greatly by our physical state, both our general health, and more temporary conditions like hunger and thirst. Most of us have control over what we eat and drink and whether we exercise, and these are just some of the ways that we can set our physical bodies up for success so they don't affect our moods as much.

Exercise: Exercising plays a huge role in regulating our hormones, which in turn affect our emotions. When we exercise regularly, whether that's an evening walk around the block or a Crossfit class before work, we help activate the happy hormones in our bodies. There are so many other benefits to exercise, but this is not a post devoted to overall health, so I'll keep it short and sweet.

Eating Sensible Food: This is a really sensitive area for a lot of people who struggle with eating disorders and addictions. I myself have struggled with food addictions in the past, and it is so hard to break bad habits. Again, this post is not meant to give guidance on how much or what to eat specifically. That is up to you to determine with your doctor, a nutritionist and the Lord. But I know from personal experience that I feel so much better when I eat more "clean" whole foods. Choosing home cooked meals over fast food more often, fresh fruits over sugary desserts and veggies over salty snacks nourishes my body and keeps my mind clear, which sets me up to have a better attitude throughout the day.

Drinking Water: Our bodies are made up of a whole lotta water, so it makes sense to keep the water flowing through to feel our best. When I get dehydrated, I get cranky real fast, so I try to keep a full bottle of water on hand at all times so I can drink as I feel thirsty and make sure dehydration doesn't get in the way of my attitude. Also, there is no other drink (no matter how it's marketed) that will hydrate our bodies as effectively as water.

Supplements: It is recommended that even the cleanest of eaters should supplement their diet (simply meaning what you eat, not a weight-loss program) with at least a multivitamin to get a good supply of vitamins, minerals, probiotics and antioxidants in their system. It's difficult to get the right amount of these things solely from our food. Vitamins and probiotics, in particular, affect our moods because vitamins affect our hormones and probiotics contribute to a healthy gut, which regulates many of our hormones, as well. I recommend Young Living supplements because I know they are clean, effective and have helped a lot of people, including myself. You can email me with any questions you have about these, but as with anything health-related, it is important to talk to your doctor about what supplements you should take.

Sleep: Getting a full night of sleep (7-9 hours depending on what your specific needs are) has a huge affect on our moods. Lack of sleep affects our brains negatively, impairing our ability to respond to situations with self-control.

Essential Oils: Again, not going to go into great detail here because this post is not primarily about physical/emotional health, and I don't want to turn it into an advertisement. But I share a lot about essential oils in other spheres of my life because they have been a huge blessing to me physically and emotionally. There are so many wonderful blends of oils that affect our minds and hormones in just such a way to help "take the edge off" and keep my emotions in check so I can deal with circumstances rationally and with kindness. And as with supplements, I use Young Living essential oils, which you can email me about and read more about on that page of my website.

Second, the Mental.

Calendar and To-Do List: Keeping a calendar and to-do list helps declutter our minds of our schedules and tasks so we can free a little extra mental space. I'm not sure how scientific that last statement is, but I know it's true for me. And with as many professional organizers and bloggers are out there talking about eliminating mental clutter, I'm inclined to believe it's true for many people. When our minds are bogged down by lists and ideas and errands and all the things, it's hard to be in the moment and focus our attention on showing kindness toward others.

Journal: This is a habit I need to re-establish. I have at least 20 journals I filled up between the ages of 9 and 23, but since I got married I haven't kept up the journaling habit. Journaling, like keeping a calendar and to-do list helps free up mental space. It also helps to process thoughts, emotions and experiences from the day and think through what we did well and what we could improve.

Last, but most important of all, the Spiritual.

Thank God again for the gift of the Holy Spirit! Last night I was singing a song to my son before bed that talks about how I am one with Christ. The Holy Spirit of God lives in me! It filled me with awe and wonder once again, and most of all, gratefulness at the kindness of God toward me and all who believe in Jesus!

That being said, what do we do when circumstances don't allow us to exercise, eat clean, drink water, journal or keep a calendar? Certainly we have control over these areas of our lives most of the time. But there are times when we can't attend to all of these things, which leaves our physical and mental selves in a compromised state. How do we choose kindness then?

We can choose kindness in every circumstance, no matter how we feel, because of the Spirit of God living inside us and guiding us toward righteousness. This is the resource Christians have that no one else can tap into. We have access to the Highest Power in the universe, and that should make us fall to our knees with gratefulness. Holy, holy is the Lord, and how great is His love for us!

Without the Holy Spirit, we would be left to "white knuckle" it, and all our striving toward displaying the fruit of the Spirit would be in vain. The Bible says that apart from Christ, all our righteousness is as filthy rags. Worthless. No matter how ship-shape we keep ourselves mentally and physically, nothing and no one can help us live up to God's standard of kindness other than the Holy Spirit. And without Him, we cannot make Christ look beautiful to the world.

Earlier I mentioned Romans 8:5 and how it talks about minds controlled by the flesh. But there's always good news on the other side of bad news in the Bible, because the Good Book is all about how God redeems every single thing that has gone wrong because of man's sinful choices.

So here's the whole verse: "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."

Yes! There it is! But still, how do we live in accordance with the Spirit? What does that even mean?

I believe verse 6 is the key to unlocking this promise: "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace."

Oh, to have a mind governed by the Spirit of the Living God! As I've been studying and praying on kindness over the last while, this verse has become a precious treasure. I hold it close and remind myself of it when I am tempted to lash out or spiral into grumpiness.

When we surrender our lives to Christ, we submit to His Lordship over us. This isn't easy because we still battle our flesh and our desire to always be in control, but it is made easier knowing what a good, kind Master we serve.

The same is true of the Holy Spirit. We can suppress His voice as He convicts us and urges us to walk in righteousness. I certainly have. Or we can position ourselves to listen to Him and place ourselves humbly under His guidance because He is a gentle leader, and we live most blessed within the parameters of His governance.

And here is my "practical Spiritual tip" to have a mind governed by the Spirit: Saturate yourself in the Word and worship of God. The more our minds are filled with His truth and loveliness, the more we recognize His voice, and the stronger our desire will be to be quick to obey and quick to show kindness, even when our flesh desires otherwise.

Lord, give us minds controlled by Your Spirit,

that we may display the beauty of Christ

through our kindness,

in turn reaping abundant life

and sweet, sweet peace!

Photo by Cullan Smith on Unsplash

I've taken to analyzing the worship music we sing at church - not criticizing, but thinking through the meaning of the words I'm singing. It makes for a much more engaging experience of praising my Lord.

A theme I've noticed in several songs written in the last five years or so is inviting God's presence by calling down fire from heaven. "Fire fall down," "All-consuming fire, fall, fall down," and the like. And while it is so important to invite God's presence to a worship gathering, I've never stopped to think before what a dangerous thing we are singing.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."
Hebrews 12:28-29

Our God is holy, completely set apart and on a different plain from us in His glory and perfection. He will not tolerate sin, and that is why Christ shed His righteous blood on our behalf, so when the Father looks at us, He sees the holiness of Jesus.

Yet He is still a consuming fire.

When we invite God's holy, jealous fire to enter our sanctuary (or living room, or car, or wherever we're singing), are we doing so with clean hands and pure hearts? Do we recognize that as we sing these songs, we invite the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to convict our hearts of sin and pierce our souls with truth?

In our modern Gospel-telling, we focus so much on God's grace and mercy that we can forget that He is not only worthy of our perfect obedience, but demands our holiness. Otherwise why would Jesus have had to die?

God is good, but the reason God is so good is because He is holy and because He has made a way for us to enter His presence without being consumed. Thank You, Jesus!

Let us remember as we talk to God and sing to God and live for God that it is only by salvation through Jesus that we are no longer afraid of His wrath, and let us worship Him with awe and reverence because He is so different from us and so truly awesome!

Photo by Sam Goodgame on Unsplash

Not sure if I've mentioned this here yet, but we're expecting baby #2! It's been almost 4 months since I found out, and I have to say, as thrilled as I am to have another precious little one to love, I have been struggling with a lot of doubts this whole time as to how much I can manage at one time.

I'm so grateful to say that we have a lot of really good things happening in our lives right now - things to rejoice over and get excited about, but even good things come with uncertainty and a whole lot of work.

A couple weeks ago I was sitting down to pray about some of these things on my heart, and I just didn't know where to begin. I would start telling my Father about one area of life and suddenly another concern would pop up. Then I would try to focus on that and another problem or fear I had would jump in and take over my brain. I couldn't even pray without anxiety creeping - or rather, storming - in.

All I could say was, "Lord, I'm so overwhelmed." And I just began to cry.

**side note** Sometimes in such moments I feel bad for getting upset or anxious over my seemingly trivial problems in life when I know friends dealing with cancer, chronic unemployment, infertility, or family problems. But we all have our own journey with the Lord, and He knows our frame and empathizes with our weakness, whatever that may be. What a kind, gracious God we serve. **end side note**

As I was fighting my stressed out brain in an effort to lay my burdens at His feet, the Holy Spirit brought the lyrics of a worship song to mind that matched my thoughts exactly. He turned my "I'm overwhelmed" into "I'm overwhelmed by You."

Maybe you know the song by Big Daddy Weave? It talks about being overwhelmed by God's greatness and grace and taking delight in His overwhelming presence. Such a beautiful, perfect thought to switch my mind from the fullness of circumstances to the fullness of my great God who is over all, above all and in all!

I want to make a practice of turning my "I'm overwhelmed" thoughts into "I'm overwhelmed by You" praises. It is so good and so necessary for our hearts to bring our concerns before the throne of grace, but when we can't do it without our minds reeling or our hearts racing, it must be time to worship.

Our God is overwhelmingly huge and able and mighty to save. He is a Healer, Redeemer, Provider and Friend. When we are overwhelmed by Him, we leave no room in our hearts to be overwhelmed by less.

I encourage you to listen to this song when you are alone if you can. Close your eyes and sing along, dance to the rhythm, or stand and sway with your arms raised high. God created our voices, bodies and movement to bring Him glory and help us forget ourselves and worship Him with all of us. It is truly therapeutic, just the way He meant it to be!

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