The word cultivate means to prepare land or to acquire or develop a new skill or quality. To me, this is exactly what it means to prepare a child's heart and to work the soil of their hearts as they grow. I am speaking specifically about prepare and working the soil of their hearts as it pertains to their spirituality - as it pertains to their relationship with their Creator God.

Many of you reading this are very much like me, I'm guessing. Even before our children come into the world we are dreaming and hoping and thinking of how they will come to know God. We desire them to know the God that lovingly created their innermost being and all the parts that make them unique in this world. From the very beginning of their lives we pursue things that will show them His character, His presence, His availability to them as his children. What an incredible gift we have as mothers and fathers to share Almighty God with our children. As well, what an amazing joy it is to watch and discover that our children share Him back to us in ways only possible because of the innocent and wonder-filled perspective they have on all that surrounds them. 

I want to share a few core/foundational things we do with our own children on a consistent basis that I believe has cultivated in them a greater interest and a greater sensitivity to God. First, we speak about God OFTEN. From the beginning of our day, through the middle, and at the end we incorporate the topic of the Heavenly Father and His role in our day to day decisions and living. As their mother, I have purposed to speak about God as often as I think about Him and as often as I ask Him for help or guidance etc. My heart has been to verbally express what is happening in my heart and mind (after 26 years of walking with God its been a lot of growth) and let my children come to understand Him through my sharing out loud what a real and thriving relationship looks like. Second, our parenting has always been focused on TRUSTING that our children can hear God. When they are disobedient or unkind to each other or disrespectful, for examples, we many many time send them to their room or to a quiet place to talk to God about it. We do not usually supervise these encounters with God. We trust and we desire that our children would from a very young age have the confidence and comfort to get right in to a conversation and relationship with Jesus that is wholly theirs. We believe that just like adults, a child can hear and acknowledge the voice and promptings of God for themselves. BUT, we also make sure to follow up on these experiences. After they have spoken to the Father about whatever incident or issue, we call them to come to us and share what they said to the Lord and what they believe He says to them. We use this time to solidify Biblical truth about their behavior and to reinforce and/or read what Scripture says about the matter. Third, we prioritize building relationship with God. Each morning (that isn't crazy busy running out the door) we each have "quiet time". I have my time with Jesus and so do the boys. They have their own Bibles and each is asked to find a quiet place to read. At this point my younger son doesn't read, but I still see it as vitally important that he be shown how to set aside time to be with Jesus. As well as this quiet time each day, we emphasize being IN and CONNECTED to the Body of Christ - the Church. No only do we attend regular Church gatherings but we make effort to include the boys in those gatherings. If this means that our older son attends the men's group or that both attend leadership prayer meetings- great! We strongly believe that in the Lord there is no separation of age groups. We can all learn from each other and fellowship and worship in Spirit and Truth TOGETHER. There is a wholeness and an amplified unity in multigenerational gathering. I believe one of the reasons our children feel so positively toward God and Church and spirituality is because they see that we as their parents and their church family have respect for them and desire to make connection and include them regardless of age or life experience. One pitfall that is evident in our culture is the issue of children not being engaged spiritually because it has been kept from them until they reach adulthood. What I mean by kept from them is that for lack of understanding or perhaps because of laziness, relationship with God has not been shown/taught/encouraged/inspired in their young lives. They are spectators of mom and dad's Christianity, but neither parent has taken the responsibility to bring the child along, too! This has got to change. Its not too hard to start today, if this has been you or someone you know and love. Just start small, take one step toward one or all of the three things I have mentioned.

I know that I have more practical ideas for cultivating children's hearts toward God, but I will leave you with these three for now:
1. Speak about and to God in front of your children -- OFTEN
2. Encourage them to communicate with God on their own. Trust that they will hear Him and affirm their pursuit of Him.
3. Prioritize the relationship! Provide the time for your children to build their relationship with God. And provide the time and the opportunity for them to grow in their walk with God through engagement with The Church.

Even as I type this I think to myself how seasons change and children develop and variation must be allowed for and flexibility learned. There is no perfect way to shape a child's heart because all of us are unique individuals. But truly, the success will come by simply being CONSISTENT and COMMITTED. So I pray that for you and me. Let us not get overwhelmed with any current problem or negativity we wish to root out of our kids. Instead, let us simply make a choice to believe for all that God can do through His mighty power and His mighty love. And let us choose consistently to bring our children with us before Him each day- whether by prayer, quiet time, conversation or worship. Let us choose to be committed to helping them build their own personal walk with Him. God is faithful, He will help us and empower us to do it! My prayer for us is that His Grace would rush in to cover our weakness and our limitations. WE can not do it in our own power. We are but a CONDUIT of Him in their lives. Let's get available. Let's open the door and the windows to all He will send!!

​I am with you!