We’re In It Together!

One of the things I love about our ministry is the way we get to serve real moms with their real  questions, especially when it comes to parenting teens. Questions as simple as this one:

I am looking for good, clean, safe teen book suggestions for my 13 year old daughter. Do you have any suggestions?

And ones a little bit more serious, like this one:

I’m struggling on the matter of social media use with my 12 year old daughter, and I was wondering if I could get your opinions and suggestions on what you think is reasonable use…and what to do when she rebels against our usage rules?

I’m sure this mom isn’t alone in her concerns about how to face this particular challenge with her daughter, but my guess is that there is a sense of fear when it comes to turning toward her friends or older women in her real-life community for help. She, like the rest of us, might very well keep quiet and struggle alone.

What will they think of me as a mom?

Can I admit I don’t have this mothering thing figured out?

What will they say about my daughter if they find out how she is really behaving?

How many of us are trapped by pride and fear because we think our teen’s rebellious behavior is really all our fault. We feel like failures…not only as a moms but as godly women.  If the Bible tells us to train up our children in the way they should go…and then they don’t go…aren’t we to blame? I know that’s the thinking of so many moms (and dads), and it is exactly what keeps us from seeking help and guidance when we need it most.

We're in it together!

Are you a mom who needs support in parenting your teen?

We need each other, especially when facing difficult parenting situations. There is no manual or guidebook out there that will tell us exactly what to do for our children and how to meet their needs perfectly.

Yes, we have the Bible as our source of truth and reminder of grace, but I believe God also designed the body of Christ to come along side us with encouragement, wisdom, and experience to help us process through our parenting dilemmas.

[Tweet “Let’s strive to live as the body of Christ, the way God designed it.”]

I know I need to the body of Christ to serve me this way, as much as I’m called to serve them.  I need to learn from other women and hear their stories, simply to gain perspective and a renewed sense of purpose as I face the challenges in parenting my own children. Yes, my children are totally imperfect. Like me. Like you and yours. Just because I run a ministry about mentoring teens doesn’t mean my own journey is without challenge.

[Tweet “Let’s offer each other love, grace, truth, and stick-with-it support…in our mess! “]

While I am busy offering advice on how to mother our babes, I still have to make it a point to be teachable and humble.  God’s provided just the right people for me to turn to — like a long-time friend whose always a phone call away and an older sister in Christ who I can corner for a quick piece of advice. And, He’s given me the newest of friends, who I make it a point to meet with for prayer. We often talk about one of my daughters, whom she knows and loves dearly, and I listen closely to her professional advice (she happens to be a counselor) on how to best parent my daughter’s strong-willed nature.  I don’t ever want to crush my daughter’s spirit by parenting out of fear.  Yes,  I do worry about what she’ll get herself into if she doesn’t bridle her passionate side and submit to the Lord’s ways in every area of her life. But my prayer-sister keeps my worry-o-meter in check by challenging me to bring it to the Lord and respond with His grace.

Do you have women in your life that you can talk to about your teens, in a safe and prayerful way?

It is so very important that you not go this road alone, and yet I know that alone is how so many moms of teens feel.  Please know that we exist to support you.  We want to be the hands and feet of Christ to you, and give you a burst of courage to seek out the real women, in your real life, for support.

If you crave the support of other moms, but in-real-life friendships are short-coming, consider the MOMent Coaching opportunity.

This post was pulled from the archives, because it’s so core to our vision even today.

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