Oct 24 2023 From Thought to Action: Chapter 18
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Before we begin, remember…making disciples can be as easy as reading a chapter of The Four Priorities and discussing it with someone else. This blog series is designed to supplement your journey. Feel free to take what you need and leave the rest! And remember, please share this post with your disciple so they can subscribe, too!
KEY QUOTES from Chapter 18: The Parenting Gift of Identity
When a parent provides protection from outside threats, this creates an opportunity for a child to discover and develop his or her God-given identity.
As children, we depend almost entirely upon the responses of others to learn who we are, what talents we possess or lack, what value we hold as people, and for what purpose we exist.
We can mirror a healthy identity by committing to at least four actions:
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- Love them unconditionally (5 love languages)
- Affirm their worth
- Children crave affection
- Children want to be wanted
- Children want to be hugged
- Children want to be appreciated
- Acknowledge their uniqueness
- Appreciate their presence
In his book, Parenting: From Surviving to Thriving, Chuck Swindoll states, ‘The job of a parent is to help his or her children come to know themselves, grow to like themselves, and find satisfaction in being themselves.’ Basically, this is the gift of identity.
REFLECT: What you believe about who you are is in some ways more important than who you actually are because it influences what you believe about God, yourself, others, and the world. The more we become clear on who God is and who He created us to be, the more we are free to step into becoming more like Christ.
To understand your identity you must:
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- Be willing to confront your shadow side/imposter/lies
- Embrace the truth about yourself (which includes who you are and who you are not)
- Start by identifying what you believe about yourself (self-awareness)
- Make changes in your habits and mindsets to better reflect the truth
Spend some time journaling about these questions:
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- What are some lies that you have been believing? (about yourself, about others, about God)
- What is the truth that you can use to combat these lies? Use scripture to back this up.
- What would change about your thoughts, feelings and actions if you lived out of the truth instead of the lies?
PRAY: We have a tendency to overcomplicate things – especially our prayers! One way to simplify your prayer life is to pick two phrases or truths from scripture and attach them to your breath pattern. As you inhale, internally say the 1st phrase. As you exhale, say the 2nd phrase.
INHALE: In my Father’s house
EXHALE: there’s a place for me
MEMORIZE: Take this week to memorize Romans 8:15-17 with your household. Write it on a sticky note to place on your car dashboard, your bathroom mirror, or wherever you will view it often.
Romans 8:15-17 “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”
WORSHIP: Listen to this song called Who You Say I Am by Hillsong.
TABLE TALK:
Play the “What if” game during a family dinner (4P, p. 183)
TEACH/PLAY:
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- Play the mirror (or mimic) game. One person has to copy each facial expression or movement of the other! Then talk about how our brains learn from each other all the time through “mirror neurons.”
- Play the game where you have to copy a sound someone else made without laughing!
- Take the 5 Love languages quiz or discuss together on what makes you feel loved.
- Make a list of the strengths, interests, aptitudes, and motivations you have observed for each of your children. Over the next few weeks, make a habit of affirming each child with your positive observations.
How to be a Great Parent (Part 2)
- Get your priorities together. The priorities of your life will determine the outcome of your life. Evaluate your priorities. Be honest. What needs improvement? Which priorities are out of alignment?
- Your priorities help you “get it together” personally, and also affect your marriage and parenting. Read Matthew 5-7 to read Jesus’ messages on how to shape the character of an individual.
- Check your attitude. Your attitude is a choice. Attitudes determine actions, and actions yield results. If you look around and don’t see results you like, take a look at the attitude that got you there.
That’s it for Chapter 18!
Now…go! And make disciples!