Hi everyone! It's Tania, and welcome to the Moms for Christ podcast. A Word that I have today comes from the Book of John, chapter 1, verse 36 to 37, and it says, “When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.”

"...it's our responsibility to be the leaders in our household and in our family so that our children can follow us as we follow Christ."

And this Word is speaking about John - he's speaking to a crowd of his disciples, Pharisees, and other people in the crowd that just wanted to hear what John had to say. And John's disciples were able to go and follow Jesus because they had been taught about Jesus, they had been taught about who He was, and when their time came - when Jesus was there standing before them - they were ready to follow Him because they had been prepared, they had been taught of who He was. The same is with our children. We are supposed to lead our children, and they're supposed to follow us the way that we follow Christ. And I think of the children's game, “Follow the Leader,” and you know the kids follow whoever is in front of them, and the same holds true in everyday life. Our children are always following whoever the leader is, and so, it's our responsibility to be the leaders in our household and in our family so that our children can follow us as we follow Christ.

"God calls them to be the example."

It reminds me of a few days ago: Ryann was very upset because she wanted to do something, and it just wasn't the right time and I told her that she had to wait. And I noticed that she got upset for a moment, and then immediately turned and was okay and went about doing whatever she had to do until she was able to do what she had originally wanted to do. And later we talked about it, and she said that at first she got upset but she realized that her friends were around her, and she is supposed to be the example, and if she's doing the wrong thing she did not want her friends to think that it's okay to do the same. And, no she did not have a right to get upset, and we spoke about it, but that she could understand at a young age that her friends are watching what she's doing and to take on the responsibility of not wanting to do the wrong thing, and cause them to think that it's okay. And we really - my husband and I - have been trying to instill this in our children: that they are to be the example and that God calls them to be the example.

"...set the example of who God is in your life..."

I always laugh when I hear my children's teachers speak about them being natural born leaders because I am not a natural born leader - it is not something that has been instilled in me at a young age. But it is something I can testify that God has instilled in my children, and it's so exciting to see them have this ability to not go with the crowd but to set the pace. And we speak to them about, you know, as you're setting this pace, as you're setting the lead for the way that you walk, there are others that are following you, there are others that are watching you and you want to set the example of who God is in your life and not to do what everybody else is doing, and to be comfortable following God because He is going to lead you to life.

And so, would you just join me today in praying for the children - that they would understand that God has called each and every one of them to be natural born leaders - to lead others as they are following their parents, and as their parents are following their leaders and as their leaders are following Christ. That they would stand and testify that, “This is what it looks like to follow Christ.” Lord, I thank You so much for Your Word. I thank You so much for the way that You lay Your Word down, Lord God, to give us a piece of Your heart, to give us a piece of what You desire from us, Lord God. That You speak to us and that You lead us, Lord and, Lord I pray that our children would grow and be strengthened in You - that they would be those that would understand that even at a young age, they are leading others to who You are, to Your goodness and to Your grace. That as they walk and as they move, in life they testify to who You are and how good You have been in their lives - they testify how good it is to be obedient and follow their parents and do what their parents are doing because they want to follow Christ, they want to know Christ. And so Lord I just pray that You would continue to lead them, Lord so that they would be able to lead others to You.

"...understand what it looks like to follow Christ, and then...lead others in the same way."

And that's the prayer - that our children would, at a young age understand the responsibility, and understand what it looks like to follow Christ, and then that they would be those that would lead others in the same way. God bless, and have a wonderful week. I will speak to you soon.