I can’t count the number of times I have said “Zoe/Zion needs some new pants/dresses/shoes”. As a parent it’s my job to keep track of these things, to know their needs and seek to meet them before they become obviously in need. If you have a kid or two, you know exactly what I mean.
However, children are not just physical beings, they have a spirit and a soul as well. Therefore, their needs are not just physical but also spiritual and emotional.
Parenting therefore isn’t just seeking to meet physical needs, it isn’t just feed them, bathe them, clothe them, it’s much more teach them, instruct them, listen to them, forgive them, engage them in conversation, be kind and loving to them etc.
Active parenting is being intentional about meeting the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of your children. Scratch that, Active parenting is actually being intentional about modeling and teaching your children to realize, understand and meet their own spiritual, emotional and physical needs.
There is nothing accidental or lucky about raising spiritually, emotionally, physically whole and capable individuals. It requires a whole lot of intentionality in creating and documenting processes, establishing models, and systems of open dialogue.
Some days, I feel very successful because I was able to create time to truly connect with them, to model, to listen and build a strong relationship. Some other days, all I can do is ask for grace to be better.
My growth as a parent has gone from “feed them, bathe them, clothe them“ to “teach them, instruct them, correct them” and now I find greater fulfillment in simply “listening to them”. In this current phase (of raising a pre-adolescent child), I am quickly realizing that the true measure of my success is not in what I am able to say to her, but in what she is able to say to me.
And that’s why this prayer was laid on my heart which I find so very important “Heavenly Father, give my husband and I grace to be sensitive to the spiritual and emotional needs of our children, just as and even more than we are to their physical needs”.
Anyone can bathe them, feed them, clothe them, A parents real job is get on the floor or cuddle in their bed and listen to their heart, in order to get into their thoughts and shape it for Christ. And much more than that, a parent’s real job is to travail over them in prayers until Christ be formed in them (Galatians 4:19)
And that is why I wrote “Prayer Proof”. I know firsthand the busyness of life as a woman, wife, mom. In the space of 24 hours, we wear many hats – cook, cleaner, worker, student, lover, teacher, errand girl, driver etc. The job description is endless and it’s so easy to lose sight of what matters most – actively parenting.
With Prayer Proof, you find a companion that gives you the words to lift your children, your marriage, your work, your spiritual life, before God daily. Prayer Proof is the daily prayer guide that helps you not lose sight of what matters most. Prayer proof helps you focus on their heart, not just their actions, and focus on your heart which controls all your actions.
It is the prayer guide that gives you solace in knowing that you are daily handing them over to the only one who sees and knows them best.
If like me, you try your best, but you sometimes fail, I wholly recommend you get prayer proof, to learn to daily commit them to the hands of the one who never fails.
With Christ’s exotic love,
Wonuola Omoghene