Be the Parent God Designed You to Be

Have you ever thought about how perfectly God designed you to be the parent in your family for your kids? He did. And there is no one better suited than you to be your children’s mom or dad.

We don’t always believe that.

The beginning of November, a team of five speakers from the 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting team went to Minneapolis to present at the HeartCORe Parenting Conference held at Christ Presbyterian Church.

We started off the conference by talking about how God designed each of us to be our children’s parents.

Many times we don’t feel equipped or qualified. Often we think we are not up to the task. (But that’s just because God isn’t through with us yet.) We may even pray, “God what were you thinking making me Little Joey’s mom (or dad) ?”

God uses the raw material of our personalities, individual passions, and parenting styles to craft our families. Many times moms and dads are very different in terms of personality types, passions, and parenting approaches.

Of course God’s design is intentional.

I’ve noticed that if one parent is an extravert (energized by being with people) the other is typically an intravert (energized by being alone). God stretches us with different personalities.

Passions or interests are often different, bringing a variety of experiences into the family. God uses our unique gifts and talents.

Parenting styles tend to fall on opposite ends of the scale. If one is more relational, the other may be more rules and structure focused. Both important. Both valuable. Yet taken to the extreme, not good. God brings balance into the family.

God also places people in our lives to help us grow. Sometimes that person is our spouse. Other times, a mentor or a peer.

At the conference, many of us who spoke encouraged the attendees to find a mentor; a person who is a little ahead on the parenting journey. A mentor provides perspective. Peers are great for the times we need understanding but mentors can give us that bird’s eye view we may not have while we are in the trenches.

When we feel unsure of what to do next, the best place to be is on our knees with our hands folded in prayer. Even though we are perfectly designed to be the mom or dad in our family, we are not perfect.

This is the place our Perfect Heavenly Father meets us to mold us and guide us to be the parent He designed us to be. When we are weak, He is strong.

And that is God’s intentional and very intelligent design as well.

Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.

For apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

With faith, hope, and love,

Lori

If you are looking to find a mentor or be one, get a copy of one my newly published books and study guides to help direct the mentoring meeting. Raising Little Kids with Big Love or Raising Big Kids with Supernatural Love (Wildenberg & Danielson) are both written to be used not only as an individual but can be even more powerfully used in community (with peers or a mentor) or with your spouse.