HEY MOM,

A couple of thoughts

on training up...

I had this revelation a few years back now, how it’s MY JOB to train up my kids. No one else is responsible for teaching them the Bible but me, no one else is responsible for teaching them kindness but me, no one else is responsible for teaching them how to work hard but me, no one else is responsible for teaching them how to contribute but me and the list goes on and on. Now don’t get me wrong, other people will come alongside and contribute to my kid's training up (thank God for this) but this is a SUPPLEMENT not a SUBSTITUTE.

This revelation brought deep conviction to the way I parented. All of a sudden, everything I did in my days with my kids, little or big, became a teaching moment or a “let’s do it together” moment. Before this revelation came to me, I would do life in a way that was multitasked, efficient, and sad to say but “controlled.” Although my heart was good in this, it didn’t allow time and space for teaching or imparting into my kids. Let me give you an example; cooking dinner wasn’t a linger and do it together moment—it was get it on the table as fast and yummy as possible moment. Doing laundry wasn’t a moment of letting me show you how to do this and make this a part of your life rhythm it was a GET IT DONE and move on quick and neat moment. Reading my bible was an isolated, quiet experience, not a you read and journal with me a moment. Cleaning the house wasn’t a let me show you how to clean and learn responsibility moment it was an “I need my house clean and ordered please just let me do that moment.” HA! 

I realized really quickly that I was training them, I was training them not to contribute to the house, to not learn how to cook, to depend on me to do everything for them, to not ask me if they could help, to not ask me to spend time with Jesus together, to not workout with me... EWWWWW right? Definitely not the teaching I was going for. In my defense and in the defense of all you moms out there, the above isn’t bad…It’s a survival mentality. It’s how we survived the infant and little's stage. However, it’s not meant to stay that way.

When my heart caught the vision of “Gabby, your job is to train them up” conviction gripped my natural tendencies and my pace of life and caused it all to change. I also want to say not only did conviction come but a new DESIRE and POWER came to live out that conviction. 

One of my favorite verses is Philippians 2:13 “For God is working in you, giving you the DESIRE and POWER to do what pleases Him.” THIS is what meets you at conviction's door if you allow it. Not only does God course correct you with conviction, He also gives you the fresh DESIRE and POWER to do whatever it is He is asking of you. I had the DESIRE to move slower in life so I could teach them, I had the DESIRE to let things be messier so I could teach them, I had the DESIRE to let them help me in all the things so that I could teach them, I HAD THE DESIRE.

“Training Up” takes time, it takes space, it takes grace, it takes patience, it’s not an overnight work. It’s a long-suffering work, so we must buckle in for the ride. We must accept the mandate and allow God to TRAIN us how to do it. 



Praying for us all this week! That we would have an eye to see moments that seem simple and yet we would stop and TRAIN UP! That we would slow our pace and let go of control for the sake of TRAINING UP! That we would be known as moms who create space and make room for our kids to grow and be taught by us first and foremost! I know it’s not easy, it’s not convenient, and we can’t move as fast…So we need God, but that’s the POINT and we have Him, so we can do it!!

You got this!

- Gabrielle