I am delighted to have Heather Stahlman as a guest blogger from To Know God Ministries sharing how she fosters her children’s heart for the Lord, develops their character, and teaches them to love His creation through horseback riding lessons…
A year ago my family was blessed to meet the Erkmann family when we attended a World Vision walk to raise money for clean water. As we drove up to the race, we were delighted to find a family of smiling kids passing out necklaces and race bibs as others prepared for the walk. The Erkmanns have SUCH a heart for the poor around the world and involving others to make a difference. Our family was touched by their servant hearts and the overall mission of the walk!
Have you ever wished you could eliminate those countless hours of screen time on long road trips? What if you could give your kids a constructive activity that the whole family enjoys? I know books are great, and we encourage our kids to read in the car as much as possible. It’s also important to use some car time to talk or play family games, but it’s nice to have other options as well. One of the activities we enjoy on road trips and when traveling around town is listening to audio dramas: stories that come to life through the character’s voices and sound affects without the visual input.
While it’s fun to buy chocolates and other Valentine’s gifts that show our kids we love them, we can also buy gifts that remind them how much their Heavenly Father loves them! With this in mind, here are my favorite Valentine’s gifts for kids to lead them closer to the Lord!
I recently met a wonderful lady named Victoria who is part of a refugee ministry. Her family ministers to refugees from countries all over the world. I was amazed by her heart for serving others and how she and her husband, Sergrey, have involved their whole family in sharing God’s love with others.
As Christian parents, if we know from heart the greatest commandment, then we understand that the most important thing we can teach our kids is to love the Lord our God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, as Jesus teaches.
Reflecting His Character
To Save or to Spend: Teaching Kids Money Management
To Save or to Spend: Teaching Kids Money Management
from a Biblical Perspective
As we teach our children to know and love God and follow in His ways, encouraging them to honor God with their money is an important task that cannot be neglected. One of the roles my husband plays in parenting our kids is teaching them about money management, since he is both knowledgeable and interested in the topic. We have also learned from other parents and resources and implemented some basic strategies to help get our kids off to the right start.
I have had the privilege of knowing the McMullen family for many years and hearing first hand their stories of bringing children into their home through foster care and adoption. I know the road has not always been easy for them, but seeing their beautiful children become part of their family and watching how God uses them to impact other families by their ministry is inspirational.
As each new year approaches, I begin to think about what I want to do differently and ask God how I can be more effective and intentional in different areas of my life. One of the areas I have been praying about is how to be more intentional with my kids. As a mom, one of the most important assignments I have is to raise my children to know, love, and follow the Lord.
One of my favorite things about Christmas is the spirit of love and generosity that embraces our hearts this time of year…We tend to look for ways to bless others by serving together as a family, and by doing so we are blessings Jesus in the process. Serving others with our kids not only demonstrates the heart of God and shares His love with His people in the process, but it is a great way to develop meaningful family traditions and foster a strong family identity.