What Do I Do With Worry? A Devotional for ParentsSample
DAY 1: Cultivating a Grateful Heart
The Bible tells us to name our worries in prayer to God, but it does so with one caveat: name your worries with thanksgiving. That’s because worry and gratitude cannot coexist in the brain. Ask your kids to make a list of what they’re grateful for. You do the same. The more you list, the more you push worry out of your thoughts!
Helping kids learn to live in gratitude—focusing on what God can do instead of worrying about things we can’t do—leads to courage and helps our kids make brave decisions, knowing God is in control.
Will things always turn out well? Not necessarily. But as Jesus reminds us, worrying about tomorrow does not do us any good (or anybody else for that matter). When we choose gratitude instead of worry, we can live with more freedom and remain focused on God’s blessings.
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About this Plan
Based on their new book, “What Do I Do With Worry?”, authors, speakers, and family coaches, Dr. Josh and Christi Straub wrote this devotional for parents to help them tackle the tough topic of anxiety. “Helping our kids manage worry is the lifelong process of teaching them to trust God. That begins by realizing—not just in our heads, but also in our hearts—that God can handle ANYTHING we’re going through.”
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