PARENTHOOD, a CHALLENGE - the BIBLE, a GUIDESample

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NLT): You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Proverbs 29:15 (NLT): To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (NLT): “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

Setting your goal

Rachel and I have had the privilege of welcoming five sons into our marriage. Five life adventures made up of happiness, stress, joy, and questions. Sometimes, there were tears, too, soothed away by big hugs.

We regularly asked ourselves how to make them men after God's heart.

We first sat down and thought about the values we wanted to pass on to them: faith, respect for women, and hard work were our answers.

This is an essential subject for prayer and discussion between two parents! Take the time to think carefully about the values you want to pass on and to decide on the hierarchy of these values.

We considered how we could do this and sought help. We read books and sought advice from families more advanced than us. We learned a lot and retained what we felt applied to our situation.

Prayer for each of them has been our lifeline. "Five boys? How am I going to make them men, Lord?" I remember this question I asked God as if it were yesterday. He answered by leading us to many verses in Psalms and Proverbs, which were like rails for how we parented.

We decided, for example, to have a family service five days a week in the morning, where everyone could sing, express themselves, and pray around a Bible passage. Each day had a recurring prayer theme and occasional topics dictated by events in our family life.