I have two precious daughters. The oldest is the classic first born. She is obedient. She is a pleaser. She cleans the house just for "fun." She is everything a mom could want in a child. It is easy to draw close to her.
Then there is my second born. She is strong willed and opinionated. She has her own ideas and does not accept discipline compliantly. Truthfully, this daughter doesn't draw me close to her, but makes me draw close to the Lord! Because many days when I am out of patience or worn down, it is HIS name I call to. I pray for strength and wisdom to be the parent I should be to my strong-willed daughter.
Both my daughters love Jesus. But my youngest daughter loves him with a passion, that same passion she has for everything she wants or loves. The neighbor girl, two years older than my youngest, told her that there is no God. That Jesus was a man and he died, and he can't hear your prayers. My daughter wouldn't hear of it. She told her in no certain terms that Jesus was real, and that the Bible said he was real and that he does hear our prayers.
"Mom, she didn't believe me. But I'm going to keep telling her no matter what! She needs to know." I have no doubt that my argumentative girl will make a case for Christ like no other. Through out her life, with her gift of evangelism and her strong will she will be a great witness for Jesus. I believe she will be a light in the world bringing many people to know Christ.
Yes, today (in exasperation!) she draws me closer to God. But it will all be worth it when that same tenacious personality, with the help of the Holy Spirit, brings many others closer to God.
What traits do your children have (or had) that seem hard to parent, but may serve them well in life?
Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com
7 comments:
Amen...Godspeed to your little evangelist.
That's what I believe for my Andrew - "an evangelist with an unusual ministry."
Hi Kelly, I'm hopping over from Jeff Goins site!
My kids are both in college now, but I had to (HAVE to) constantly remind myself that God gave them their quirks for a reason! This summer we're going through Max Lucado's Cure For The Common Life to identify their "sweet spots." I pray God will open doors that will let them earn a living, have a sense of purpose, AND give them great joy.
Thanks for sharing about your daughter. Sounds like she's already found one of her passions!
Hugs from Roanoke,
Susan
Thank you so much for popping over Susan! Welcome to my blog, and a friend from Roanoke at that! Small world. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I hope you'll visit again!
Oh, I have two very head-strong and heart soft girls. Both make me cry to the Lord on a very regular basis. Like clockwork most days. We were not living for God in their early years and they only recently came to Christ themselves, but my youngest struggles the most with matters of faith. She vacillates between believing and scorning and that hurts my heart as a mom. I just hold the banner of Jesus high and live my life out loud so she can hear and see the love of Jesus. Thanks for the great post Kelly!
Great thought Kelly. Ron Edmondson's post today has a similar theme - http://www.ronedmondson.com/2012/06/i-needed-those-scars.
Thank you for sharing that Michael. I went over and read it, and left a comment. The wounds that cause scars can be so painful, but the "scar tissue" that occurs makes us even stronger as a result.
So true. Thanks!
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