categories: personal
17 comments (+ Add)
Lessons From My Kids 4 (of 5)
This has been a very challenging season in ministry. My schedule has been more hectic than I can ever remember.
The other night, we sat down for family prayer (which can be really interesting with six kids). Exhausted and wearing down by the moment, I tried to stay engaged through prayers for all our pets.
Finally, Mandy prayed, “Dear Jesus, Thank you so much that my daddy gets to tell people about Jesus. I know he could have a regular job and just try to make money, but You called him to something great.”
At that moment, I had a much better perspective. I’m praising God with Mandy that He called me to do what I do. How about you?
Thanks, Mandy Hope!
Visit 
What an awesome moment!:) Still waiting on that “exact� phone call of what my calling is …but I am trying to give my best to each circumstance or whatever defines my day.
And it will be even sweeter when Mandy is an adult and can still say with pride in her voice that her daddy does what he does. I love to hear our adult children speak positively about their mom’s life call. You are a blessed man.
A scripture I have been reading a lot this week is Isaiah 61.
More Here
Part of v.10 really struck me yesterday as just AMAZING!
It’s so humbling, exciting, mindblowing, and just…an honor…to be called His child!
Craig- You have some pretty amazing kids! You certainly are blessed!
Thanks for sharing the simple things this week, Craig.
What you’ve been teaching us for the last 10 years is that “telling people about Jesus” IS a regular job—for ALL of us!
I’m also praising God that He called you to do what you do!
[...] BTW- If you want to hear some lessons learned from kids moments, check out Swerve.  [...]
What an encouragement! I am so grateful for the feeling that I am living in the center of God’s purpose for my life. I know so many that do not feel that way right now. It has been great helping them discover that same feeling!
Thanks for the posts Craig!
How Awesome is that!!
God has called me to do something Great for His Kingdom, and honestly I didn’t see what it was until just now. (literally)
He has called me to be a mother. Everything else is secondary.
hmm…Thanks Craig!
Craig-
Thanks for sharing your life with the world here on the internet. I do think that you should have made this a 6 part post instead of 5 parts because of your 6 kids. Which one are you going to leave out? I am just joking with you a bit. Thanks for lightening it up this week
Craig - don’t you have 6 kids? Maybe you should change this to part 4 (of 6) :)
Kids can be so wise, it’s scarry. Your story about Mandy reminds me of the time that God spoke directly through my son Eli to his mommy who needed to hear a message from God.
Here it is in my wifes own words:
I was trying to ignore Eli as he was bugging me to do something… not sure what since I was trying to ignore him… when I suddenly felt burdened to stop what I was doing and listen to him.
He said: “Mom, can you read this?� I said: “What part?� (He was holding his Bible he received at VBS and I knew I wasn’t about to read the whole thing! :) He pointed to a part on the page that was in all caps. I read it, first not aware of what it was “really� saying, but quickly became completely freaked out and had to hold myself together not to burst into tears. (that came a few minutes later)
Here’s what it said (Acts 7:3): “GET OUT OF YOUR COUNTRY AND AWAY FROM YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME TO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU.�
Okay, you know I don’t like reading into things too much, but considering I hardly read my Bible, and the one verse my son asks me to read to him is a direct command to do one of the things I fear most in life…
I love when God uses children to remind us of our calling.
My kids constantly feel the blunt of what it means to live with an evangelist dad…
The neighbors look funny at us sometimes, (were those wierd christian folks)…
Sometimes people get offended at the preaching of the gospel and angry…(My kids are like me, and want everyone to like their daddy…)
Sometimes I just get worn down, and have to re-treat(there is alot of rejection, and bouts with discouragement, and doubt)…and they have to feel that too…
But the greatest joy of my life… is when my kids (from the Lord), are confirming the call (in spite of the hardship), and it is just second nature to them…
I think everyone should have kids…(alot of them)… because as surely as the bible says they are arrows in your quiver…
I thank God for ministry… but man I thank God for my children..(Libby, Alix, Hannah, and Jacob)… may the Lord bless each of them with children like them, that they can thank Him for!!!
That is very cool! Kids are amazing sometimes…
Mandy said:
“…I know he could have a regular job and just try to make money, but You called him to something great.â€?
She may not know it but she is so far ahead of the curve it isn’t even funny.
Kids are so great.
Your example is exactly why we should NOT look down on children, but rather strive to have faith like a child!
Bobby and I just returned from a short trip. Thanks for all the comments. I would have written six posts, one for each kid, but there are only five days in my blogging week. :)
i’m starting to wonder why you only have 5 of these coming. can’t you just make one for each kid? i don’t know how old your kids are, so maybe one is too young to speak but he/she could still move and inspire you somehow. i would think…
i don’t really know because i don’t have kids of my own, but i think i’m going to get off the computer and go have a discussion in the bedroom with my wife about that…
these are inspiring. thanks for posting them.
I don’t have any trouble identifying what God’s purpose is for my life, but I do have an awfully hard time “turning it off” when I go home to my family. I only hope my kids are as sensitive about recognizing the importance of God’s call on me.