Friday, April 25, 2014

When Children Believe: The Way We Raise Our Children Does Count




No parent wants to see their child hurting or in pain. But, so often as parents we have to watch our children hurting and wounded. We have to help them up from falls, put balm on their injuries, stay with them throughout the long nights, and kiss their boo-boos. The most painful times are those when there is nothing we can do. Amazingly some of my most awe inspiring moments have come when my children were hurting.

My oldest son has considered himself grown for several years now (He is only 19). He likes to think that he is “hard”. So, I found it absolutely amazing that whenever he was really hurting-I mean really hurting-that he would always run to me. “Moma, moma, help!” What was even more amazing was when he was in severe pain, he would always ask for 2 things: holy oil and prayer. He shocked me the first time he said, “Moma, go get the holy oil and come pray for me. This hurts so bad. Pray.” And, every other time he was in severe pain, he wanted me to help him contact Jesus.

This let me know that he knows enough about Jesus to know that he can heal. As a child, he attended Sunday school and church regularly. He has witness me and my prayer partner and partners laboring in prayer. He knows just what Jesus can do. So, it doesn’t matter if he sings rap or wears dread locks. He knows Jesus. I did raise him in the way he should go.

My youngest son has been having knee pain all week this week. He has had to be out of school and stuck with my mother and father. These bouts of pain come and go in intervals and when they come, they are excruciating to him. He screams and cries, and I feel completely lost. Yesterday, when his leg began hurting, he did something that shocked and thrilled me. He called me over to the couch where he was lying. He said, “Moma, pray for my leg.” That’s when I knew that I had done something right. No, I am not the world’s greatest parent. I am not the most patient person. I am not the easiest person to get along with. But, my children do know that I love Jesus. They know that he can heal. They also believe in the power of prayer.

Raise up a child in the way that he should go...

Proverbs 22: 6

James 5:14-16

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