What is your goal for your home and family? Have you ever given any thought to that question?
I am notorious for having goals and dreams and then not following through. Just ask my husband and he could probably make a list a mile long of all the things I’ve started and not finished. I get super excited about a new exercise plan or a new chore chart system or a new Bible reading plan for the kids and go at it full force.
But after a couple weeks, I get burned out.
And I quit.
Can anybody relate? Or is it just me?
Several months ago, I listened to a podcast that spoke right into my mess. The podcast was entitled “Dancing Free of Expectations…” on The Inspired to Action Podcast. (You should be able to find it at the link above or by searching on The Inspired to Action website.)
This interview was a breath of fresh air. I was reminded that I don’t need to do EVERYTHING. I just need to do something. And having a goal for my home can be the catalyst which sets the tone of our family life.
So as I think about a goal for our home and family, I realize what I want most of all is this: I want our family to have a deep desire for Christ. I want us to know His truths and truly love and trust Him.
Everything we do, everything I do, should point my family in this direction.
But let’s be real for a second. This isn’t always easy to implement.
When I get home from work, life is utter chaos. Every single person in the house wants a piece of me. They want to tell me all the things. And as you know, it’s impossible to talk to four different people at once. Someone always gets their feelings hurt because I’m not paying enough attention to them.
Time is limited and this parenting gig is not easy. (Did I say that already?)
But it’s important that my children see me relying on Christ, reading His Word, praying, and trusting Him.
In their new book She Is Yours, Jonathan and Winter Pitts say this:
“As a child of God yourself, you are His image bearer. The degree that your life – your attitudes and actions – reflect the character of God will be the degree to which you experience what the love of God looks like.”
And to take it a step further, when we reflect the character of God, our children will also experience what the love of God looks like.
Is that speaking to you? Because that didn’t convict me at all. Sigh…
Here’s the deal: I want my kids to experience the love of God, but they can’t do that if I’m not filled with the Holy Spirit each and every day.
So I’m not going to try to do all the things.
Instead, I’m going to fill up with the Word of God each morning.
I’m going to pray for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit each day. (Because let’s face it – I’m not doing very well over here on my own…)
And I’m going to trust that God has a plan and purpose for our family.
In the comments section here or on Facebook, tell me one of your goals for your family. How do you implement them on a daily or weekly basis?
This post was inspired by the book She Is Yours: Trusting God As You Raise the Girl He Gave You by Jonathan and Wynter Pitts. You can learn more about the book, sign up for a free family devo series, and order the book at http://sheisyours.net/.