MAPP ~ the Journey of Parenting

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Although I am NO EXPERT, and I have made tons of mistakes for which I so wish I could have "do-overs," I have been asked from time to time for parenting advice.

The parental road is one which we would travel many times over even though it can be treacherous, long, and full of pit-stops ~ some joyous, some frustrating, some heart-breaking, some heart-rendering, some sweet, some too long, some too swift, and some way too scary.


Allow the Holy Spirit to be your Guide and the Bible be your map:


M  ~  Model.....no one likes a hypocrite, and even kids can sense them a mile away.  Make sure you are living a life that holds up to what you are espousing to them, and to the standards you have set for them.

A  ~  Affirm....the world and Satan are going to try to crush them at every turn.  Remind them consistently of the "wonder" they are, how precious they are in the sight of God, and how much you love them.  Caution:  Be careful to not instill in them arrogance, and a sense of entitlement.  There is a fine line between "affirming" and "you are so great that the world  revolves around you."

 P  ~  Prepare....do everything possible to get them ready to leave the nest.  Of course good moral character tops the list, and them teach them everything from laundry, to how to handle money, to how to wake up by themselves to an alarm, to how to stand-up to peer pressure, to how to cook, to how to be a good friend, to time management and much more ~ wrack your brain to think of things to teach them.

Here is the legend:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  Deut. 6: 6 - 9

And then, navigate that map with PRAYER.  Pray.  Pray.  Pray.

I Thess. 5:17  ~  Continually be prayerful.

If we are to be in continual prayer....the children God entrusted us with should be a HUGE PORTION of our prayer life.

Let me reiterate  ~ I veer off these directions ALL the TIME, but I am looking to the perfect Parent and Cartographer to help me get back on track when I do.

Blessings to you, dear ones, as you navigate this wondrous thing called Parenting.

I am linking up to a Blog Hop hosted by a darlin', godly woman who has a fabulous website...