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These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. Hey, and welcome back to Words of Life. As we wrap up our Back to School series, we're talking about what we really pray our kids will experience this year. Of course, we want them to succeed in school and make great friends, but there's something even more important. that they know who they are.
that they know they're loved by God and their parents, and that they know home is a safe place to come when life gets messy. As always, throughout this series, check out the show notes and we'll have links to plenty of resources related to what we've discussed in this episode. As we're starting this new school year, by now we're a few weeks in. What's like a main thing that you want for your kid? this year.
When you ask that question like My mind actually goes all the way back to when I first became a parent because I don't think it's ever changed. when I found out we were pregnant with our first a prayer of my heart is, I want my children to cultivate a spirit of gratefulness. Period. Like, what's one thing that we can really recognize like God is doing in this, or that you feel God in for you? Right.
Sometimes that's a very out there, like, how does that even work? But I think you can at least start with prayer in that. I do want them first to be kind. I think that's a big one. And like we were talking about before, like let your actions speak louder than your words.
You can't control what others do, but you can control what you do and how you treat others and everything. Whether they're successful academically or in their own way, you know, like like we talked about before, like celebrating certain things, I think The most important thing I want for my kids is that they just know where their heart is grounded. That They can walk into a school building and And yeah, they'll hear all all the other. Voices and everything, but if they just remember where their heart is grounded, I mean, that was my prayer for my kids: is that they just. Remember what they've heard about themselves.
Remember what the truth is about themselves. And then All those other things, you know, is as long as they just keep their eyes on the Lord and Jesus. then all the other things are just gonna like Grow dim, as the Course says, you know, fix your eyes upon Jesus. But yeah, just remember where your heart lies. Remember.
what the Lord says about you. That's the truth you stand on. It's been my prayer for my kids since the oldest started in kindergarten, that they would know God, they would know who He is better this year than they did last year, and that they would know themselves better this year than they did last year, but also that they will be a good friend and that they will have good friends.
someone that will point them closer to Jesus, will call them out when they're doing Dumb things. Absolutely. That will be another voice in their life that I can't always be there with them.
So. Know God, know themselves, be a good friend, and have good friends. Hey, you're listening to the Salvation Army's Words of Life. We're going to take a quick ad break, and we'll be right back. When life gets overwhelming, true peace isn't found in doing more.
It's found in Jesus. Bible League International wants to help with their resource ABIDE. A free 31-day devotional to help you connect with God in as little as five minutes a day. This resource is designed to help you spend time with the one who gives true rest. Text ABIDE to 948-78-778-778.
for your free copy. That's ABIDE to 948-78. One of the common themes I'm hearing is. None of this happens in isolation. Our kids are connected to us.
Our kids are connected to their teachers. They're connected to their peers. And so Knowing who you are when you're connected to that many people. is an ongoing process. But coming back to that and remembering who you are.
And then growing. Alongside other people. I think we talked about belonging in a previous episode. When you can find that belonging. in a group of friends.
It's the relationships that I really hope My Children will remember who they are in connection to their friends. They'll challenge their friends to continue growing in who they are. And the you know, ultimately that all comes back to growth and and forward movement as uh the little you know People have got that they are. I just had an image of like home is like a triage center. Yeah, it really is.
We literally never know what's going to come off the bus that day when our girls get off the bus and they come home. And sometimes it's like, yeah, it's a great day. They're excited. And sometimes it's like just throwing their backpacks down and then just. Just passive, aggressively eating snacks from the fridge.
And, you know, we're glad that home is a place that they find the safety, the place of like, I can get healed up here, you know, and it can get messy in here. Yeah. What a blessing it is to be entrusted with the lives of people that can pour out their dirty and their mess, and you be there to pick them up. That's awesome. Yeah.
I was um thinking about my goals and I was trying not to get emotional and I can't guarantee that won't happen. But um our daughter, she's been struggling with uh some serious mental health stuff for for a while. And um Ah, probably. I want her to love herself. I think we forget.
You know, what we hear. Love your neighbors as yourself. Yourself is included. Yeah. Sorry.
To find a reason to love yourself, you have to recognize that. The creator of the universe. Like Absolutely loves you. And if that's true, then you can get a little bit closer to knowing that There is a reason. It's a love who God made me.
I'm like just trying so hard to protect this kid. When she does like Tell us about stressors or You know, this happened in school. I think very quickly, I'm like, oh, well, no, that's okay. You can just meet a new friend. Like, I just want to fix it instead of just.
You know. Being like that. That sucks. Yeah. You know?
Like. It's okay to just, you know, yeah. And like you said, I don't have the answers. Like, can we just like pray about this? Like, you know.
You can ride the weight with them. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The foundation is there.
You've taught them the skills.
Now it's time for them to just kind of fail. or feel And then you're just there writing it with them. What is one thing every parent? should remember this school year. What's like one takeaway?
out of everything we've discussed that we want a listener to walk away from today's episode and remember. Your teacher wants a box of Kleenex. Please send in boxes of Kleenex. I can't say the Tynex. You probably have enough of that.
But the Kleenex, my goodness.
Sorry, that's just silly. But if you want to love your child's teacher, just send in. I remember the happiest day was I got an entire like Costco-sized case of Kleenex. And I was like, Jesus, we are coming back. I'm so happy.
Yeah. Sorry, that's silly. That's fine. What do you think there's one major thing every student needs most from their parents as a student, not even just a I'll be kidding. Open lines of communication.
Let them know you're there. And you're safe. You're a safe person to Let, like you said, let it get messy and We were in this together and that they're not alone. A lot of times our kids just feel like they're all alone, but they're not alone. I think it's just what Dinah said, right?
Someone to ride the wave with.
Someone that's there, someone that's a listening ear. I might not have the answers, but I'm with you. Like, I will walk this with you. Yeah. It's okay for parents to know that they don't have to have the answer.
Um that This part won't last forever. This too shall pass. Yeah, well, really. I mean, but it does it is hard when you're kind of in the season and it doesn't feel like it's going to pass. But reminding yourself, like, okay, This this will.
It will. Um And then you you know I think every student and child, it's a powerful thing to feel safe. to feel like okay This is the place I can go to to fall apart. And there's nothing wrong with that. You have to really recognize, okay, falling apart at home.
talking about the hard things, being broken. is not a sign of bad parenting. I think we often think, well, this must reflect on me, and like this means that I did something wrong. But I think we've made it very clear that really all of us are learning and growing and broken here, so let's do it together. As opposed to you know, hiding behind our Instagram versions of ourselves.
And No, that's actually. Really work through these hard things together, being honest about our shortcomings and. allowing our kids to feel the things that they're feeling and then Expressing those things to us so that they're not trying to walk it alone or find other voices or other. other answers elsewhere.
So ironically, like The answer is that there's not a definitive like solution of this is exactly what you have to do. It's more of a being present in the moment. I think that's something we can see. in Jesus when we look at how he lived every single day. I think People wanted these black and white answers.
And he just said, actually, no, it's about being present here. And being in a relationship and not fixing something immediately. I'm with you about trying to like offer solutions to my daughter's problems, right? That really wasn't what Jesus did, was it? I think he got frustrated with his disciples.
I think there were times when he rolled his eyes, probably, right? But I think he was just so patient with them and said, all right, we're going to go through this together. Also, reach out to other parents. Like, recognize that you are not alone. You actually, you are part of a community of people who are going through this.
So, like, reach out to neighbors, reach out to people in your church, mentors. That have done it before, that have been ahead of it. You don't have to do what they do, but. Man, is it helpful to be able to process and talk through things? Teachers, guidance counselors, they are a just a huge resource.
For connecting you with other support.
So utilize the community that's around you and don't operate. in isolation because you don't have to. We pray that you're enjoying and being blessed by this conversation. We're going to take one more ad break and we'll be right back. When life gets overwhelming, true peace isn't found in doing more.
It's found in Jesus. Bible League International wants to help with their resource ABIDE. A free 31-day devotional to help you connect with God in as little as five minutes a day. This resource is designed to help you spend time with the One who gives true rest. Text Abide to 948-78-478.
for your free copy. That's ABIDE to 948-78. As we close this series, Melissa, can I ask you to pray? over our parents, over our students, over the school year. Father God, we thank you for the privilege it is to be a parent, that you would entrust us with your people for us to help guide and raise and teach.
And so, Father, we just pray now for every student and for every teacher, for every parent. We pray for wisdom, we pray for grace, we pray for love. We pray for friendships and people to turn to when we have questions. And when they have things that they need to just talk out, Father, we thank you that you provide those things for us, that you provide those people for us, Lord. And so we just ask that when we get lost and we don't know where to turn, Father, that you will point those people out to us and remind us that you are there.
We just ask for a great school year, one that kids grow, that teachers grow as well, that they learn not just books and not just math and other things, Father, but they learn about relationships and they learn how to be a better friend. And so we thank you for all of this, Lord. and just ask that you go with us even now. Amen. Amen.
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These are the words. These are the words of life. Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life. We want to thank the team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio.com where you'll find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network.
They have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, and more. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for working everything out for my good. Help me trust in your perfect plan.
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