Chapter Six - Inspiring a Sense of Purpose (all emphasis mine, personal comments italicized)
This chapter begins with an incident in Sally's 16 yo son's life. Joel reminds me of a couple of our young men. She then goes on to discuss the cost of discipleship. Good stuff.
A really easy study if you'd like more study on this topic is put out by Precept. They have quite a few "40 minute" studies that work great for a light summer study with no homework, or a Sunday School class, or my personal favorite - a weekly outing with parent/child, or even a couples weekly study time. These studies are written for you to do the work in "class". I'm not sure the link will take you directly to the study - but click "study materials", "40 minutes", "Being A Disciple: Counting the Real Cost". It sells from Precept for $6.99.
OK - on with the quotes:
LOL I marked many but will share a few. Feel free to share others.
"But sometimes I think we fail to consider that following the Lord might mean leaving behind the ordinary and the
familiar. It means exchanging a temporal view of life for an eternal goal.
And this may mean leaving behind things we really care about - involvements and pursuits that seem important and worthwhile but may not be God's best for us." p72
(I've lived this lesson)
"To fulfill God's design for
their lives, our precious
children must at some point determine to give Jesus allegiance in every aspect of their lives. There is a cost to discipleship, and that cost is everything!" p 73.
"What really mattered in Joel's case was not his decision but his questions. Instead of asking, "What kind of job should I train for?" or "What kind of career do I want?" he was asking, "With all the skills, background and personality the Lord has given me, how can I best serve him and tell others about his kingdom? What job should I pursue so that I may serve him best in all that I do?" p 75
This is so key. So often we, as parents, stress over our children choosing a future, a career....but we need to be helping our children see what really matters is loving God wholeheartedly, listening and obeying to Him constantly...and following His plan for their lives....hey...sounds like a graduation type thing huh? ::snort::
"We must strive as a family to keep our focus on the eternal, not the ordinary. We must be willing to pay the cost of discipleship, determined to lay up our treasures in heaven." p75.
"By God's standards, our
children will be successful in life if they are willing to
love and follow Christ
wherever they are asked to go. And that is an attainable goal.
What he has called us to do he will give us the ability to complete. " p 76
Yes, yes, yes!
"That is a final important word to me as a mother committed to discipling my children. I can train. I can teach. I can strive to be an example and to give my children the gift of inspiration. But it is Jesus who calls them, just as he calls me. And the, in the end, are the ones who must make the choice to follow him into extraordinary life." p76
I believe THIS is where we need to spend lots of face time before the throne for our children. Yes, I pray for personality traits. Yes, I pray about academics. Yes, I pray about a career and a future. Yes, I pray for godly spouses. BUT the biggest issue that I intercede before the throne for my children on is that they respond to His call, that they experience a work of saving grace in their lives. This is so much more important than the things that fill our schedule: the right math course, the right extra curricular opportunities, finding the right writing agent, applying for the right scholarships.....these things pale in comparison to their hearts following HARD after their savior and creator. As a mom who has had two grow up and leave home....and a third about to....I can attest that knowing beyond a doubt that your child KNOWS how to listen to God that your childs LOVES god with their whole heart brings great peace. I KNOW that if things look unclear now, it doesn't matter. They know how to listen. They know how to obey. They will make the right choices....and they will have to make their own choices....but they've been good ones. Yes, I still have a few things I wish we'd done differently in homeschooling or what not - but frankly - those are insignificant. If they aren't quite ready in a subject that they need, they'll take a bonehead class at college. If they've missed the gift of grace, inspiration....and yet excel at all else....well that would be a bigger pain for my mother heart to bear.....and so we continue...chosing the eternal view, training children to choose to obey, demonstrating what a whole hearted love of God looks like, demonstrating the cost of discipleship, demonstrating a faith that is real, demonstrating a purpose beyond simply exsisting....and our children observe. And honestly, I thank God often for His grace that covers my mistakes and failures in parenting....for His work in my child beyond what I can expect or ask or hope to see.
Arielle got one of the Mandie sets that I'd found online today. 
