Trusting God’s Plan As A Family
Bible Verse
<strong>“</strong>I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers. You will worship me with all your heart, and I will be with you…” CEV Jeremiah 29:11-13
While teaching Sunday school, I’ve heard a lot of kids’ plans. Hudson wanted to be a missionary. Bruce wanted to be a train conductor. Valentine wanted to be an astronaut or an actress. It will be interesting to see how God’s plans for their lives unfold. After all, I wanted to be Mary Poppins, and my husband wanted to be a dinosaur. Good thing our own plans don’t always work out!
It’s healthy for kids to dream big dreams and make plans accordingly. We must listen to their goals and guide them to help them make good decisions that positively affect their lives. However, we must trust that God has the final say and the best ultimate plan for our lives and theirs.
In the New Year, let’s model walking in faith alongside our kids by trusting God’s plan. We aren’t perfect, and sharing our struggles with our kids is okay. But remind them that God works in our lives—grown-ups and kids—daily. And even when we don’t understand God’s way, it is still the right way.
Here are some tips to help you and your family grow in God, ask him for help, and worship him through it all.
Stay rooted in Scripture. Read the Bible in a year as a family using Kids Corner’s 52-Week Bible Reading Plan. As you read about the faith warriors of the Bible, discuss with your kids how God’s plan was bigger—and better—than they could have imagined.
Ask for help. We want our kids to ask for help when needed, but we sometimes fail to ask for help ourselves. Pray as a family and model humility and reliance on God. Boldly ask God for help in each area of your life, and your kids will learn to do the same.
Worship God. Make time for your family to be creative and worship God in many ways. Play worship music in the car. Have a worship dance party in the living room. Build, paint, cook, and tell stories to glorify God as a family. Share with your kids that God wants us to give him our whole hearts in worship. We can’t just squeeze worship into our schedules; worship is a lifestyle of magnifying God’s goodness with our every breath.
I can’t wait to hear if Valentine is walking on the moon or starring in a movie. But even if she does something completely different, I’ll still be proud of her. I’m sure you feel the same way and are excited to see what God has in store for your kids. Let’s encourage our kids to run with God and follow where he leads this year and in the years to come.
Areo Keller-Donahue
As soon as Areo could pick up a popsicle stick, she was making puppets and putting on plays that shared her faith with her neighbors. Areo grew up with a strong interest in musical theatre and earned her BFA at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Areo was led to use artistic gifts to share the gospel with young ones, and she became involved in ministry. She has worked in children's ministry at Redeemer Upper West Side and North Way Christian Community and is currently developing a musical live-action series that celebrates faith and fun. Areo and her husband live in Pittsburgh, where they enjoy spending time with their families and adorable cat, Daisy.
