Discipleshaven

Look Whats we here, sweet melon !!!!🍈

Fear or Faith?
Every day, we will have to choose.

Fear is one of our greatest enemies in life including in parenting.

Fear-driven parenting can lead us to overprotect, control, or make decisions simply to avoid the worst-case scenario.

It often sounds like this:
• “What if my child fails?”
• “What if they reject God?”
• “What if people judge me as a parent?”
• “I must control every situation so nothing goes wrong.”

But parenting by faith looks different.

It means:
• Trusting God with our children’s lives (Proverbs 3:5–6).
• Being faithful to teach, discipline, and model God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6–7).
• Correcting in love, not in panic.
• Remembering that while we are responsible to train our children, only God can transform their hearts.

God reminds us in Isaiah 41:10:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

We are called to parent out of faith, not fear; out of obedience to God’s Word, not anxiety about outcomes. Our responsibility is to faithfully sow the seeds of truth while trusting God for the harvest.

The fears we have are understandable. They often come from a genuine love for our children and a deep desire to see them know and follow Christ. But even sincere fears should not become our guide.

Instead, let God’s truth lead us.

2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Remember this:

Fear is allowing the possibility of an undesirable future to dictate our thoughts, attitudes, and actions instead of allowing God’s truth to guide us.

So when fear shows up, don’t give it the driver’s seat. Let God’s promises take its place.
So,
Dear Mama and Dada-this is a battle we must fight daily. By God’s grace, let’s choose faith over fear, again and again.

I’m learning this too.

May the Lord help us to faithfully plant, faithfully pray, and faithfully trust Him with the hearts of our children.

🤍 Save this post for the days fear feels louder than faith, and share it with a parent who needs this reminder today.

Love,
Temi

Scripture is foundational in shaping a child’s heart. So, we don’t stop at asking thoughtful questions that help a child see why they should consider others.

We must also intentionally point them to God’s Word. Find relevant Scriptures that address the issue at hand, help the child memorize them, identify key words or phrases, and discuss the lessons they teach as simple as possible . As God’s Word fills their hearts, the Holy Spirit uses it to transform them from the inside out.

John 13:34–35 is one I have used in the last week with my girls trusting that the lord will water it!

John 13:34-35

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Fellow parents of young children, and singles who have children around them, don’t scroll past this post!

In my last post, I shared that many of the actions we see in children are really matters of the heart.

As parents and caregivers, our goal should not only be to correct behavior but also to shepherd the heart.

For example, when two children(siblings or friends)fight over a toy, we often focus on one question:

“Who had it first?”

While that may help settle the dispute, it may not address what is happening in their hearts.

If we look deeper, we may discover issues such as:

* Selfishness
* A desire to always have their own way
* Lack of contentment
* Impatience
* Lack of love or consideration for others

Instead of stopping at, “Who picked it first?” try asking heart-revealing questions like:

• Why do you want the toy so much?
• How do you think your brother or sister feels right now?
• What would it look like to show love in this situation?
• Can you think of a way to put the other person first?
• What do you think would please Jesus right now?

These conversations help children see that God is interested not only in what they do, but also in why they do it.

Behavior matters, but transformed hearts matter even more.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23

As we disciple our children, let’s aim beyond raising well-behaved children. By God’s grace, let’s raise children whose hearts are being transformed to become more like Christ.

The more time I spend with my children, the more convinced I become that many of the problems we see in our society can be addressed if we intentionally raise children who know, love and obey God
In this season of life, I have watched my children spend hours playing together. I’ve also watched them argue over toys, compete for space, and insist on having things their own way. At first, it seemed like ordinary childhood behavior. But the more I observed, the more I realized that the issue runs deeper than the actions I was seeing .it is a matter of the heart.

I see selfishness showing itself in simple ways: “I want this toy.” “No, it’s mine.” Each child wants what they desire, often without considering how the other person feels. The toy itself isn’t really the problem. The struggle reveals something happening inside the heart.

And that’s what reminds me why parenting is about so much more than correcting behavior. God has called us to shepherd hearts. If we only stop the quarrel without addressing the selfishness, we may achieve temporary peace, but we miss the opportunity for lasting transformation.

Our children don’t simply need to learn how to share; they need hearts that are being shaped by Christ,hearts that love, serve, and consider others above themselves. As parents, our calling is not merely to raise well-behaved children, but to raise disciples whose lives reflect the character of Jesus.

Perhaps the change our communities and our world desperately need begins in the quiet moments at home, as we faithfully point our children to Christ, one heart at a time.

If you want to change the world , go back Home and love your family .

Mother Teresa