For the first post in my Faith and Family series, I am excited to introduce my friend Melissande. She has a beautiful family with four great kids and blogs at Growing Roots. I love reading her posts - they are always beautifully written, positive and insightful, and I'm very excited to have her participate in this series!
I asked a series of questions about how Melissande and her husband, Greg, integrate their faith into their family life. I really enjoyed hearing what she had to say!
Tell me about your family.
My husband Greg and I have been married for 12 years. We have four amazing children (two boys and two girls ages 8, 4, 3, and 1) who are all incredibly fun, hilarious, and full of personality. We're a very passionate crew. I've heard that kids turn out to be very much like their parents. Therefore, I expect that as they get older there will be a lot of loud talking, loud laughing, and a bit of debating - if we're being honest. As a family we enjoy playing games, reading books, hiking, and road trips. I couldn't imagine a more awesome and exciting group of people to hang out with for the rest of my life!
Tell me about something your family does that you are very proud of.
We have been extremely blessed to be a part of a church plant. With around 50 other members of our original congregation we embarked on the journey of starting a mobile church. By mobile, I mean that our church doesn't have our own building - we rent. Therefore, everything we need to run the church is stored in trailers during the week. On Saturdays we set up all of the equipment, signs, and classes. Immediately following church we break everything down and pack it back into the trailers. We absolutely love it. Being a part of a church plant is unlike any other experience we have had before. It is a lot of work, effort, and time. Our previous ideas of church have been blown out of the water and replaced by the reality that church is less about me and more about we.
Including our children in the process of heading up a new church is a priceless experience. Our kids (the 8, 4, and even 3 year old) often go with on Saturdays to help with setting up and also participate in the tearing down on Sundays. We also have family services where the kids are given activity sheets that correspond with the sermon getting them to engage in listening. Our kids were also able to see my husband and I get baptized. They are able to witness the adults at their church taking an active role in leading and organizing, loving and sharing. They are getting a front row seat to what it means to be servants and to share God with others every single week. I see this manifesting in their attitudes and their actions.
Tell me about something that your family does that you are still working on.
What are we not still working on? We can always do better. As often as possible I remind my kids that mistakes are not only natural, but good because through trial and error we are able to learn and grow. I am honest with them about my own mistakes. I try to make sure that they know that even I need to ask God's forgiveness when I've messed up. I make it a point to convey the message that regardless of how often we mess up there is nothing that we can do that will ever cause God to stop loving us.
If you were raised in a Christian home, what is something that your parents did when you were a child that made a lasting impact on you and your faith as an adult? Do you do this with your own kids?
My parents were for several years involved in a Koinonia (a small group) with several other members of their congregation. They met every week. From time to time there was a potluck held where all the kids were able to come too. It made an impression on me in the sense that community within the church was valuable.
In turn my husband and I co-lead a small group during the school year. Everyone's kids are in the house (usually being entertained by a movie) during small group. For our kids, Bible Study night ranks up there with going to Chucky Cheese's. They absolutely love it. Their reasons have more to do with playing with their friends and watching a movie, but that's ok. Someday they too will fondly remember Bible Study.
What is something that is very important to you when raising your kids that you think a lot of Christian parents miss?
Sometimes I feel like everything hinges on what I do or provide for my children. Because I'm so invested in my kids, who they are, and their futures I get distracted. I often forget the fact that these children are not mine. They are God's kids and He cares infinitely more for them than I do - which seems impossible. I only have my children on loan. Therefore, my ultimate goal should never be to raise them with the intent to make them who I want them to be, but rather to guide them towards what God wants them to be.
What is the number one thing that you want your children always to know about God, faith, and their relationship with Him?
'Jesus Loves Me' is the perfect song. It might sound cliche, but those simple verses sum up what I want my children to know about God. He loves them, they belong to Him, He wants them to come to Him, He walks with them, and He is their friend forever and always.
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To see more posts in the Faith and Family series, follow my blog by liking Learning to Trust on Facebook or by using Bloglovin or subscribing via email. There will be more posts like this one in the upcoming weeks, and I don't want you to miss any. The next one will be posted next Monday, and it's a good one!
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