If you’re a parent, I’m sure you wrestle with having complete faith and total awe in how good God is, how much opportunity is available to your kids, the white canvas called “life” that awaits them, and the joyful expectation of who they’ll be. Then, the other side that grips you with fear because of societal norms, social media, and everything in between. THAT. But as parents, we must hold the line and we must ensure our kids are walking in the freedom of Christ.

So I did the thing last night…

I found myself scrolling on YouTube with my husband.

#dontdothat

It’s a lot.

The news. The politics. The extremist. And let’s be honest, the lines between fact and opinion are being blurred. And even more scary, the line between fact and truth.

I fell asleep with a knot in my stomach. I think anyone would.

But, I’ve also vowed for the last two years to only go to bed the way David did. In Psalm 55:17 it says, “Every evening I will explain my need to him. Every morning I will move my soul to him. Every waking hour I will worship only him.”

So I did that ladies and gentlemen.

And I encourage you to do the same.

It’s not overrated.

I believe this Biblical strategy is the only way we are going to be able to handle big situations that we don’t have divine context for. Our world is a mess, no doubt about it, and yet, it’s always been a mess. Try reading the Old Testament. It’s no joke.

Yet, I just believe that committing to this process with God, every evening just explaining the need that you have and every morning continuing to move your soul closer to him (to run towards him in all things), and ultimately to worship in him every waking hour between the two is imperative.

So I did that.

I did that for my own sanity.

I did that for my kids.

If you’re a parent, I’m sure you wrestle with the two sides of your imagination like I do. One side, complete faith and total awe in how good God is, how much opportunity is available to your kids, the white canvas called “life” that awaits them, and the joyful expectation of who they’ll be.

Then, the other side that grips you with fear because of societal norms, social media, the narrative around drugs, homosexuality, racism, and everything in between. THAT.

If you’re like me, lean in and let’s continue to do what we can to hold the line for our kids FREEDOM IN CHRIST!!!

Now, if I’m honest, there’s nothing I want more for my kids than for them to be completely FREE.

FREE to be who God called them to be.

FREE to create uninhibitedly.

FREE to live unapologetically for the kingdom.

FREE to live, lead, and love with the whole heart.

Now, I say that as though it’s a problem, but if I’m honest, they act more FREE than I do most days so who’s to say they’re not actually teaching ME more than I’m teaching them?!?

Any parents out there?! Can I get an AMEN?

My kids are resilient. They’re brilliant. And they teach me about freedom everyday.

Zion will ask me for that one piece of candy 1700 times before breakfast.

Nixon will fall on his bike and without blinking an eye get back up and try again.

Malachi will sit with rubix cube in his hands and learn a new algorithm for HOURS, thinking nothing of it. Sheer dedication.

Aslan can make a mistake and within seconds she’s recalibrated and walking in the fullness of forgiveness.

And Roxy-boo, let’s be honest, that little girl is freedom at its finest!

So then here’s the REAL DEAL… my kids already walk daily in the freedom of Christ. So really, I just want to be a mom who helps her kids stay FREE.

Because how many of you know it’s one thing to get free, it’s another to stay free?! Any overcoming addict knows how true this is. Myself included.

It will be three years in July that I’ve been sober and completely free from alcohol. Best decision of my life! The day I got sober changed everything for me. The days leading up to that moment was a process and took some time to wrap my mind and my heart around this new level of freedom and what the choice would cost me but once it was made, it was made. I got free.

Then, I learned that everyday thereafter was also a choice to STAY free.

Salvation is the same.

Jesus came, died, and rose again to set us FREE. That cost him everything, it cost us nothing. All we had to do was choose him back, and it was in that one choice, we became free.

If you know Jesus and you’ve accepted him as your Lord, you are free!!!!!

However, staying in the graces of that freedom is on you. And it does take work.

Galatians 5:1 says:

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

So really, it’s our job to show our kids WHO they are because of WHOSE they are. We must show them salvation. We must show them Jesus. Freedom does have a name.

Jesus!

Then, we must give them the tools they need to stay FREE. We must, we must, we must!!

This is no easy task. And for most, causes them to realize that they don’t just find these tools at Target, rather have to get them developed within themselves before they can freely give them to their children.

Parents, it’s time to get to work!

Ultimately, this is why I’m indented to the fact that God called me to write the book he did, DREAM-I Dare, 5 years ago because that, alongside the word of God, IS my tool book.

What’s yours?!?!

What’s your tool book to help your kids?

What keys has God given you?

What support do you have to raise your kids FREELY in the Lord, totally in alignment with truth, and who God says they are?!

Bottom line, get in the word! Get in community with other believers, fight to keep your kids free, to resist the lies, to heal pain, to do hard things with character, to rest in God, and to hold the line of their freedom in Christ.

#simplestupidhard

So to all my parents out there, I’m with you and I see you. And I’m holding the line for my kids FREEDOM too. Who’s with me?!

And if you need a few tools, I got you!

Go pick up my book, DREAM – I Dare You, AND grab my 12-week LIFE GROUP to go along with it TOTALLY FREE. It’s my gift to you. Use the discount code LIFEFREE at the time of check out.