In my last post we looked at the question “Why teach our kids?” Today I am answering this question further with my personal testimony- I home schooled my children because GOD CALLED ME TO. It was very clearly “my assignment” from the Father when I was pregnant with Emily, our oldest , and continued to be for the rest of my children during their years at home.
Yesterday I heard a clip from Bethel church’s “Inspire” conference where Banning Liebscher (pastor of Jesus Culture and Bethel church San Diego) said “I believe the true definition of success is this- to love well and to be faithful and obedient to what God has assigned you.”
I love this! We need to listen to the voice of the Father in the secret place and hear who He says we are-His beloved child, and what He has for us to do: His purpose for us, our assignment. As we walk in the”works prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10) we bring Him glory. ” Love the Lord your God,listen to his voice and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life. ” Deuteronomy 30:20a
I shared earlier that I was raised believing that “man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever”. Westminster Catechism.
The other way of saying “chief end” would be purpose. My main purpose in life is to bring God the glory he deserves. “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by my name whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed and made.” Isaiah 43:7 “Whatever you do do it do it all for the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31
The question is, as a parent how can I bring glory to God? My heart has always been to bring my Lord glory in my life. I shared in my introduction that I was living a life consecrated to God the best I knew how serving in full-time campus ministry where I was preaching the gospel, teaching the word, discipling young leaders on college campuses and loving to see the spiritual growth and fruit in their lives. When i first learned I was pregnant, I thought all of this would now have to stop, which was so disappointing. I had heard His call to this ministry so clearly and it defined me during this time of my life. I felt the Lord’s presence and pleasure so strongly in the seven years I was involved in this ministry and I had seen so many lives impacted and altered for the Lord and His glory as a result. I thought this was and would always be God’s purpose for me.
I remember the Lord breaking in during this time and correcting my idea of ministry. He took my face in His hands and gently but firmly said to me,”THE MINISTRY THAT I AM NOW CALLING YOU TO AS A MOTHER WILL FAR SURPASS ANY WORK IN CAMPUS MINISTRY OR ANY OTHER KIND OF MINISTRY“! I remember responding , “How could this be?” And He said THAT THIS LITTLE ONE AND MY OTHER CHILDREN WERE MY SPIRITUAL LEGACY, THAT THE MINISTRY OF RAISING THESE CHILDREN IN THE LORD WOULD HAVE ETERNAL REPERCUSSIONS THAT WOULD EFFECT MANY FUTURE GENERATIONS. He made it clear to me in an instant that this was HIS HIGH CALLING FOR ME,MY MINISTRY, AND, FOR A SEASON, HIS PURPOSE AND ASSIGNMENT FOR ME.
This revelation was life-changing! I was so filled with His grace and supernatural energy and vision to disciple my little disciples. This was the way that I was to fulfill the Lord’s final instructions to “make disciples of all nations”. These were my disciples and for the subsequent 25 years I was dedicated to help my children walk in the ways of the Lord, to love Him with all their hearts minds and souls and to learn that there is nothing that can satisfy like the Lord. As I did this I was constantly dependent upon the Holy Spirit leading and helping me and I felt His pleasure. I believe it was bringing Him pleasure and glory as well.
There is no greater pleasure than to know you are walking in the will of the Father. There is nothing as satisfying as participating in the eternal work of seeing the young souls we are stewarding come into the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a privilege to be there the moment our children walks out of darkness into “His marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9) and become a Christian.
I can genuinely say that I feel that my life, which was dedicated to raising our children, has the eternal success that Banning described. As I fellowship with my four adult children now, there is so much joy in my heart seeing them walk out the truths they were taught in a loving dedicated relationship with the Father and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ as their first love.
My mom used to say “the proof is in the pudding” of what you do in life. The Biblical version of this may be” a tree is known by it’s fruit”(Matthew 7:20). The fruit of my life will, as the Lord promised, be eternal and will effect many generations. The fruit is my children living for the Lord, which will effect my children’s children and their children.
My encouragement to you, is that you too are walking in the purpose the Lord has for you as a Christian parent, raising your children in the Lord. You too are successful as you respond to His assignment for you. My prayer for you is that you have a new revelation of this high call from God on your life to disciple your young disciples into the Kingdom and unto the glory of the KING! There is nothing so valuable! When we see our King, our Bridegroom and are united to Him as His Bride, our children will be there as a part of the great wedding and we will worship Him forever along with us.
“When we respond to the high calling of motherhood with passion, the rewards are far greater than any we could ever gain outside of that calling. The joys of motherhood are rare and beautiful treasures that can be easily missed if we don’t grab the opportunity to grab them. Being a mom is more than being a cook,chauffeur,maid, counselor,doctor, referee, and disciplinarian(to name a few). It is molding character, building confidence,nurturing, training,and guiding towards the Lord. There is no call as consuming, challenging, and rewarding. And there is no call as worthy of our efforts as the high calling of motherhood.” Ginger Plowman, from Heaven at Home
I love Lisa’s teaching – I can read them over and over.
Thanks, Lisa!