I can’t remember if it was 2 or 3 years ago when I met Amy, but when we connected, I instantly loved her heart! Amy has a new book out. And her heart for God to minister to the hearts of women is evident!
Today, I’m honored to have her as a guest on The MOM Initiative AND… she is graciously giving away one of her books, Breaking Up with Perfect AND a copy of The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree, a Christmas story for your whole family.
BE SURE TO COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!
Now… without further adieu… here’s Amy with Finding a Fit for Passing On Your Faith!
A simple request from a young mom left me completely flustered. “I want to hear how you did devotions with your kids,” she said. Suddenly, I found myself blushing and feeling ashamed, floundering for words and drowning in regrets.
The honest answer is that I didn’t do well creating structured devotional times with my boys as they grew. As a rule-following, Jesus-loving girl, I wanted to have the perfect formula to pass on to my younger friend. Laying out a defined plan for her would have made me feel successful and like a “good mom”.
Later that day, I shared the uncomfortable moment with one of my close friends, and she was surprised by my reaction. “But, Amy, you did raise your boys to love God,” she reassured me.
My boys are young men now, and they do love the Lord. Their devotion is truly a huge tribute to God’s grace, but I might have had a little to do with it. ☺ I’d love to tell you exactly how to do it step by step, but God has been setting me free from that kind of thinking.
God made you uniquely, with gifts, talents, and passions that are perfect for your children. You’re the just-right fit for their specific requisites—including their deepest need to love God and learn to follow Him. There’s no set method to teach your children to love God, but He’s given you all that’s required to accomplish this important task.
Since it’s Christmas, let’s think through how you can leverage your strengths to teach your kiddos about Jesus and the beauty of His coming. If you love…
Music—Surround your family with music. There are so many resources that have scripture embedded into fun songs, and my musician husband wove them into the spiritual instruction at our house. My boys went to sleep every night to “Come to the Cradle” by Michael Card and by day we sang “Hide ‘Em in Your Heart” by Steve Green. These goldie-oldies are still available, but there are tons of new resources too. Talk about the Christmas songs you’re singing and find new Christmas music to pique your children’s interest.
Books—I’m the reader in the family, so I tried to pass on my love for God through my love for reading. Under my Christmas tree is a galvanized tub full of books. Some are just for fun, like Hillbilly Night Afore Christmas (try reading that one in your best hick accent!), but many tell the true Christmas story or have Christian truths embedded in them. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston and Jacob’s Gift by Max Lucado are two of my personal favorites.
Baking—This is not my forte at all, but I know I’d love to eat at many of your homes! Why not make gingerbread cookies with this adorable cookie cutter set and tell the story of Christmas while you do it? What a fun way to use your gift and teach your children at the same time.
Play—If you’re the mom on the floor playing with the kids during play group instead of chatting with the moms, that’s a gift. I’m in love with this cute nativity set for little fingers. One of my friends posted a picture of her kids’ version with Cinderella in the mix. So funny! Play is serious business for kids, though. It’s the way they learn, so put your gift of play to work.
Crafts—My own mom led us through lots of lessons about God with crafts. With all the pages available through Pinterest these days, crafters rejoice! Although I’m not very artistic, I love crafts, and this one would be simple and fun to do with your kids as you talk about the Christmas story.
Here’s the bottom line. There is no “one size fits all” for passing on your faith to your kids. God has made you the way He made you with a purpose. Instead of following someone else’s formula, I encourage you to tap into the gifts God has given you as a way of passing on faith in Him!
Giveaway: Leave a comment today to enter to win a copy of Amy’s book Breaking Up with Perfect and a copy of The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree, a Christmas story for your whole family.
Winner will be announced Saturday!
Amy is also leading a movement with a prize attached. Snap a picture of a moment when you choose relationship over perfection this Christmas, tag it with #breakingupwithperfect, and share it on your favorite social network to enter. For the whole scoop, click here to read Amy’s blog post.
Bio: Amy Carroll’s passion is leading women to deeper delight through the matchless pleasure of rich relationship with God and others. Amy is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ speaker team, the author of Breaking Up with Perfect, and the blissful director of Next Step Speaker Services. She lives in NC with her 3 favorite guys and a little, red dachshund. You can find her on any given day typing at her computer, reading a book or trying to figure out one more alternative to cooking dinner. Visit Amy at her blog to join her in a journey toward more joy.
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