Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
To say that my family has an obsession with Disney World is an understatement. My children measure holidays and big events by when the next Disney trip will be. They spend their days hoping for the next big moment to stroll down Main Street or slide down Splash Mountain. They live with these hopes and dreams because their Mom does as well. Anyone who knows me will tell you that there is a different level of excitement in my voice when I talk about anything Disney. The magic and memories we have created there have made this a special place in my heart and something I look forward to and I often spend my days hoping for the next adventure we will experience.
Still, I have been convicted about how I should be the exact same way about my faith. In this world, it is so easy to get caught up in the shiny objects and next big moments. Taking the desire of your hearts and placing your hope in anything other than the One and only Creator of your heart and lover of your soul is as easy and Googling the crowd calendar for Disney World in 2015.
Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. As believers, our hope should be in nothing other than the very faith we place in God and His faithfulness.
My husband and I pray that our children will not waiver in their faith. That they will be certain in God and his faithfulness; even when things don’t look like they think it should. We pray it is their desire and innate reaction to bring their worry, fears, and dreams to their Father and trust that He holds their tiny little hearts in His hands. And if we are able to help plant seeds of hope and expectation for their next magical visit to Disney World, than certainly we can be fueling their little souls with the life giving truths of what it means to place their hope in Christ.
What To Share With Your Children About Hope:
Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Even more than we hope for our next trip to Disney World, we can and should put our hope in God and all of the blessings he provides. Be an example, daily, to your children. Allow them to visibly see you placing life’s circumstances {big and small} at the feet of the Lord. Slow down the craziness of life and take time to point out how God has been an anchor to your family. Share with them how you are placing your hope in Him. Tell them about how you have placed your hope in the things of the world and been let down. Also, tell them about times you’ve trusted God even when it has been hard. Tell them of His faithfulness.
Ideas For Discussion:
1. God is strong. Building your life on the hope of God’s promises is a solid foundation.
2. You can trust God. He created you and already knows your heart. There is no better person to share your hopes and fears with than your Creator.
3. God loves you. He is your friend and He never leaves your side. He is always with you.
Ideas For Activity:
1. Keep visual family reminders throughout your home of the times you’ve placed your hope in the Lord and he has been faithful. Go on a family walk and collect stones. Decorate them together and use that time to talk about God’s faithfulness.
2. As you anticipate your family’s next big adventure, outing or holiday – do a countdown that focuses on the promises of God that we find in scripture leading up to your event!
3. When you see your child living in expectation for something other than the hope we have in the Lord, re-direct their hearts by painting or drawing a picture of an anchor to hang on their wall in their room or the fridge in the kitchen. Then, make it fun – use the picture as an accountability tool in your house for the next time anyone in the family finds themselves hoping in something other than the Lord. It can be a bit of an a game in your home.
4. Memorize scripture with your child. 1 Peter 5:7 is a great simple verse about trusting and hoping in the Lord – “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for You.”
3 Truths To Share With Your Child About Hope:
1. God created you. He has a plan for your life.
2. Placing our hope in anything other than God will always leave us feeling empty.
3. God wants to be your anchor. It makes Him happy when we trust Him.
Prayer:
God, thank you for being all that we need in this life. Thank you for always providing for our family. We know that we can always count on you. Help our family to trust You for our every need. Amen.
Sharing with my children that Jesus is way better than Disney World will be a great point of reference for them! Oh, that I remember this too and that I take the time out of my crazy day to point out God’s faithfulness to our family and their little watching eyes. May we be the example to them of placing our hope in the one true anchor that loves us unconditionally and created us with a purpose.
How have you shared the blessing of hope with your children?
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