Marriage & Dating Essentials

As parents, we tend to know what’s best for our children.  We choose what they eat, their bedtime and often want to choose their friends.  Well, how many of you have chosen or steered your child down a particular career path?  How many of you have parents that chose or steered you down a particular career path?  One of life’s greatest tragedies is an individual engulfed in a career that he or she hates.  To make matters worse, this individual won’t change careers because he or she doesn’t want to disappoint mom and dad.  

A child is placed in the life of parents to be nurtured and provided for.  Parents are to teach their children how to be decent, respectful, responsible and most important, godly individuals.  I, being a Christian, believe that God has placed in every individual a specific purpose for being on this earth.  For some it takes longer to discover than others what their purpose is.  Be it sooner or later, we have a job to do.  Amazingly, there are some children so hard-wired with purpose that it begins to shine through at tender ages.  What happens when a 4 year old watches a movie Monday and passionately recites the lines to you on Tuesday?  Do you get upset with the 3 year old that won’t stop singing?  Have you ever questioned your child about reading maps as a hobby and considered it silly?  Were you ever told that the activity you loved most was stupid and would take you no where in life?

Too many parents crush the dreams of children thinking they know best at all times.  Only God can reveal a child’s purpose to you, parent, if you observe and listen.  As parents, our responsibility is to position our children for success in their purpose.  Children not only deserve, but are expected by God to follow their innate passion for the purpose placed in their heart.  If purpose for your child means becoming a doctor, garbage man, athlete, teacher or mechanic, your job remains the same as a parent.  It is a parent’s responsibility to expose their child to as much about his or her future purpose as possible.  You then step back, let them follow God and encourage them along the way.

What excites your child more than anything in life?  What does he or she enjoy most?  What can you do now to make sure your child has every opportunity to be successful in his or her God given purpose?