Train Them Up

A mother's role is to watch over the affairs of her house (Proverbs 31:27). What does this mean? Being a parent is being the gardener and the gate-keeper of your home. What does it mean to be these two things? Well, there is a rearing--I hate that word, it sounds like a lot of work--involved. Rearing your children—the work, the investment: physically, emotionally, and spiritually—is being the gardener and the gate keeper of your home. Though tiring at times, the inheritance we gain and joy we experience through it will be well worth it, in this life and through eternity.

"Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are older they won't depart from it." Proverbs 22:6.

Garden Keeper

What is a garden keeper? One who makes sure the proper things are being grown and nurtured in their little hearts! A garden keeper ensures that good mindsets and attitudes are cultivated and bad mindsets that could keep them from reaching their full potential are weeded out. However, my responsibility becomes to first tend to the weeds in my own life and make sure the proper fruit is growing and then guide and nurture the growth of these children!

Maybe you didn’t have a good relationship with your mother, or maybe you feel like you've failed at raising your children. It’s never too late to start anew! Maybe you're not perfect, but you can be an overcomer! Break out of the old cycles and strongholds that cause you to stumble even if you inherited them from a long line of women in your family!

If you garden or have had a garden in the past, then you also know how important it is to keep the weeds out! Holy Spirit is a great teacher! He will show you the areas in your life that need weeding and will produce good fruit in the soil of your heart. These are the things that your children will plant deep inside of their hearts and spirit. Taking responsibility for your own life will ensure that you are passing the right things down to your children. Raising daughters has compelled me to make sure I live a life worthy for them to catch!

Gatekeeper

As gatekeeper of your home, what are the things you want to let in? Just as diligent as we have to be to filter out the bad, we must cultivate the good. 

It's important to me that my children have their own relationship with God. As they grow up, they begin to take on their own walk. I used to take full responsibility for feeding them spiritual food when they were younger. As they get older, now my goal is to set them up for success. I often will create Bible reading plans for them, and I will ask them often what they are reading and what God is speaking to them!

It's also important to me that my children fulfill their destinies. Each of my children are different. As a parent, I take the responsibility of recognizing their giftings and helping them to develop their strengths and callings. Sometimes that means making them go to music lessons when they want to quit or making sure they are staying motivated in their studies. Its more than about just teaching them commitment which is important, or just keeping them busy. It's about cultivating the gifts the Lord has given them.

Rearing children is a serious task! We are the garden keepers and the gate keepers of our homes. The Lord has graced us to rear our children and to help them cultivate their God-given destinies. He has made you the perfect mother for your children, and your children will go farther than you ever could!

Have a Happy Mother’s Day and remember, you are anointed for this!

-xoxo Joie