With All Your Strength: Parenting Shift Series

How strong are you? Let’s finish our look at Mark 12:30 by delving into strength. Really, how strong are you?

I think I’m strong until I spend an entire day in the yard working and wake up sore the next morning. Or worse yet, think I can handle the storms of life only to get knocked totally flat. I’m really not as strong as I think.

It’s helpful knowing my strength is nothing compared to the Creator of the universe. But to love Him in return, to love Him with all my strength, especially when I feel weak (which is often) is a tall order.

Jesus tells His followers in Matthew 17:20, “For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” It’s not our physical strength that can move mountains, but power that comes from faith. This is complete and total confidence that God can do all things; move those massive mountains, change horrible situations, reconcile hurting relationships.

How can we love the Lord with all our strength? Here are four ways to love God and witness well.

• Believe He can do all things. Pray expectantly.
• Use time, gifts, and talents for God’s glory.
• Model perseverance, determination, and unconditional love.
• Be responsible in all situations and teach children to be accountable.

One of the best books on responsibility I’ve read is by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN with Julia Raudenbush. The National Center for Biblical Parenting recently released Cultivating Responsibility: Parenting Wisdom for Ages 9-12 as part of the Parenting Shift Series. It’s a great guide for parents to determine appropriate expectations and develop a heart for God in your tween. The book is laid out with 43 chapters discussing everything from money and technology to chores and homework. Scott and Joanne are the founders of the National Center for Biblical Parenting and have many years of experience training parents across the nation with their heart-based approach to parenting. Cultivating Responsibility: Parenting Wisdom for Ages 9-12 is a terrific resource for parents as it’s a practical tool, loaded with real-life stories and biblical truth.

Love the Lord…with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength!

Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
Mark 12:30

© 2014 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.

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