Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Protecting Our Children
I have been reading 2 girly books lately. *Lies Women Believe* by Nancy Leigh Demoss and *Feminine Appeal* by Carolyn Mahaney. Both are really good and have, more than anything, encouraged me greatly! I am probably late reading these, but I have been reading a lot of adoption related books, as well as being in a ladies Bible study at our church...both which have taken up some reading time. I have particularly enjoyed the chapters referring to being a godly mother and raising children. I may post from time to time on things from these books, just as a way to remind myself of the things I already know....to help me on my walk as I seek to be a godly wife and mother. I have been greatly encouraged by these women's words and if you have not read them, I do recommend them to you.Nancy Leigh Demoss gives a wonderful perspective on protecting our children. I have felt this way about raising children my whole adult life, but I love the way she articulates so many points that express the importance of why we do what we do.
It is from Lie #28:
Children need to get exposed to the real world so that they can learn to function in it.
I like the way she explains God's purposes for us is to not experience evil. God never intended that we should know evil by experiencing it for ourselves. And, as parents we should not want our children to experience evil or be exposed to *the world* for the benefit of learning how to fit in or survive. We can train and teach our children about the world from a Biblical worldview that shows evil for what it is and by protecting our children from experiencing it.
Nancy Leigh states:
The Truth is, our task is not to rear children who *fit in* or merely *survive* in this world. The challenge for every Christian parent is to bring up children who love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength; who have a vibrant personal relationship with the Lord Jesus; and whose lives will be bright and shining lights, penetrating the darkness around them.
She goes on to say this:
Christian parents ought to be seeking to raise up not just good children, but children who enthusiastically embrace the Truth, children who love righteousness and hate evil, children who will be used by God to change this world.
She goes on to give a wonderful testimony of her godly parents, who although could afford the best secular private schools in their area, chose to have them educated in a small less established Christian school. She said her home life cultivated in her and her siblings a deep love for holiness and a strong aversion towards sin. Her parents took great steps to protect their hearts and minds...to keep them from being influenced by the values of our world system.
This precious testimony of her parents encourages me greatly...
The result? I was a very sheltered young person. I don't recall ever hearing a single word of profanity before graduating from high school. I knew virtually nothing about the popular cartoon characters, movies, or television programs of the day. But, by God's grace and thanks to the influence of goldy parents, there are some things I did know that few other young people knew.
I knew the difference between right and wrong. I had a good overview of the Scripture--in addition to family devotions and sound doctrinal preaching in church, our elementary school curriculum included two journeys through the entire Bible. I had large portions of scripture in my heart, had a basic understanding of the major doctrines of the Christian faith, and could sing from memory all the stanzas of many theologically rich hymns. I had read the biographies of many true heroes-men and women such as Hudson Taylor, George Mueller, William Carey, and Gladys Aylward.
She goes on to say that she is not boasting in herself. These were all gifts from the Lord...and from parents who took serious responsibility to raise godly children.
Nancy Leigh went on to a secular university where she found so much freedom...freedom to do what she wanted. But, her *want to* had already been shaped. She wanted to please the Lord with her life. This was not driven by fear from her parents, but from a strong sense of holiness and love of God.
She was exposed to ungodly philosophies and lifestyles while in college and after, but she so gently states:
Their ways held no appeal to me.
The challenge for us today is:
To raise up a generation of young people who are not conformers but transformers.
Mike and I's prayer has been through the years that we would have this kind of home...where children would learn to love God and desire Him above all.
I am a stay at home mother to 4. I am very blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord and his family. I welcome the days of much needed grace,the times of sweet victories,and the tears of trials,knowing it is all for God's glory. I want my lifesong to sing to Him,the author and finisher of my faith. Soli Deo Gloria--To the Glory of God alone.
22 Comments:
I love "Lies Women Believe"! It's an EXCELLENT book! Speaking of Excellent...I also love, "The Excellent Wife"! Both books offer a lot of truth that often times I DON'T wanna hear!
Melissa
Martha Peace is one of my favorites! I am going to be reading *Damsels in Distress* soon! Thanks for your comment!
I have seen first hand what happens to a young girl who is exposed to things at an age when she was not entirely ready. She's my daughter. And it has been and continues to be a struggle for not only her, but our whole family.
There's time enough to experience the world. It's called the rest of our lives.
I, too, would like to read Martha Peace's next book.
I have read "Feminine Appeal" and loved it too! I want to read it again. I have read some of "Lies Women Believe", but need to read it all the way through as well. I don't know if I would ever tire of these two books. Such wonderful truths for women who desire to understand their God designed role and to live it out.
Sounds like they are good books, I have been meaning to get the Maheny one for a while and also the new one they are bringing out soon.
Would be interested in hearing about your adoption reading! :)
I have not read that book by DeMoss. It sounds very good! Thanks for sharing so many quotes from it.
Wonderful post Kim! This speaks to the heart of the argument that I have faced lately in the homeschool versus public school debate. People do actually say things like, "don't you want them to experience *real life* so they can handle it when they graduate?"
Whose *real life*? A life that reflects the world? I think not.
Blessings and thanks again. I may have to do a little linkage here :)
The very first quote and the last one resonate most with me. Sooo true. It sounds like you're reading a couple of very good books, Kim.
I really liked Feminine Appeal. I can't wait for Carolyn to write another book!
Great post!
"Lies Women Believe" transformed much of my thinking several years ago when it came out. I give it to girls as graduation gifts now. I think it should be "required reading" for all young women!
And, someone once pointed out to me (with regard to our children) that the word "shelter" is never used negatively in the Bible. (That's my new answer to those who bring it up negatively as it applies to homeschooling.)
I've had Peace's book in my Amazon cart for awhile now. I think I'll put it on my "summer reading" list. Thanks!
I haven't read that book but looks like I should. :-)
Thanks for sharing that about our children!
LOVE THAT BOOK!!! I read that a few years ago, and you made me want to get it back out!! I love Nancy Leigh DeMoss!
Thanks for sharing. Erik and I are discussing all these things right now as we pray about what to do when our children get to school age!
And, the picture is beautiful!!
THAT sounds like a great book, I am taking notes! I have always disliked it when people say that our children need to learn to stand up for their faith young! HUH? You TRAIN a soldier before you send him to war! Thanks for the book tip!
Janet T.
Oh, I just love this post. You spoke my heart precisely. I have been wondering about that book. It sounded interesting, but I wanted a sound endorsement being buying. I would love to see your book list, maybe in the side bar?
Can I just say Amen! and Amen! to the quotes you featured? I have become so tired of hearing (from Christians no less!) that we must be "in the world".... our children need to be "in the world". No, they need to be in God's Word, grounding their belief structure until they are mature enough to be in the world, and choose not to be of it. I am going to pick this book up today- thanks for sharing. I think these words are just the encouragement I have been needing.
Blessings!
Kelly
Oh, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this post, Kim.
My 5 year old attends a Christian school and I cannot tell you how much judgement I have gotten even from Christian friends about this decision. I constantly hear how we are sheltering her from the REAL WORLD. I ALWAYS reply, "I'm not raising her for this world. I'm raising her for the next one!"
Thanks for the post. I need to read that book!
Great post Kim. I was looking for a new book and I think I will opt for the 'Lies women believe'. Looking forward to hearing more on this subject.
PS- good friends of ours recieved their referral yesterday. You can see their precious Esther at a link on my blog. I know when I was waiting I loved to see the referral pics of these beautiful babies.
Jill
You've touched on something that I feel SO strongly about! Thank you for encouraging me, yet again! That sounds like a book that I would LOVE to read!
Kim,
Great post! I am going to buy this book right now. I have the Mahaney book. Great stuff!
Oh yes, Lies Women Believe is great! I read that several years ago....maybe I should read it again!!! I was working with teens (I wasn't married yet), and the one chapter that stood out the most was the one about our children and protecting them! It IS a lie that we need to "socialize" our children or "let them be missionaries in the schools"...ect! I've had to walk through that with several friends...those lies....the enemy can be SO deceiving!!! And there's SO many ways w/ homeschooling that we CAN allow our children to be around MANY other children and do MUCH more than they could do in public school (though that's not the purpose or goal of homeschool). Anyhow, that chapter still sticks with me today after 5-6 yrs, and I didn't even have children! And I'm going through Feminine Appeal right now with a group of women! It's been GREAT!!!!! Thanks for sharing, Kim!!!
Thank you so much for posting this. I have a 17 month old and another one on the way. Our current Sunday School study is based on Ted Tripp's book, Shepherding a Child's Heart, which just re-iterates everything you quoted by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. My husband and I's prayers are the same as yours and we've been looking for resources that exemplify Biblical Child-rearing and I will note this book by DeMoss. I'm sure it will help me address some of my own sin struggles in my heart, which will help me be a better mom and wife.
Shepherding a child's heart was the book that convinced us to homeschool! A wonderful book!
Thanks for your comments!
Kim
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