Successful adults don’t happen by accident. It takes years to raise a daughter into an adult with a strong sense of  her destiny in God, a passion to serve Him and a deep knowing of her gifts and callings, purpose and destiny. Mamas, you know your girls better than anyone else. By partnering with God you can equip her to be all He called and created her to be. It’s up to us to equip our children (not push or pressure them) to go after their dreams.

“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

These treasured words teach us this truth: we have a responsibility. We have to do the training. We will see the ‘way they should go’ because I believe God will clearly show it to us.

I don’t claim to be an expert in child rearing, but I am an expert in raising my child. Just as you’re an expert in raising your child. The fact is, no one knows your child better than you and as your child grows and develops, her gifts and talents will be more obvious to you than to anyone else.

The Amplified Bible says it like this:

 “Train up a child in the way he should go {and in keeping with his individual gift or bent} and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Mamas, we are the trainers and ‘train’ is an active word! We train the whole child in the word and godliness, in faith and biblical principles. We train them to obey and honor Him in thought, word and deed. We train them to pursue their future career and calling. We have a sacred trust as stewards of our children.

I love the note on this scripture in my Spirit Filled Life Bible:

 “Train up has the idea of a parent graciously investing in a child whatever wisdom love, nurture, and discipline is needed for him to become fully committed to God. It presupposes the emotional and spiritual maturity of the parent to do so. In the way he should go is to do the training according to the unique personality, gifts, and aspirations of the child. It also means to train the child to avoid whatever natural tendencies he might have that would prevent total commitment to God (for example, a weak will, a lack of discipline, a susceptibility to depression). Hence, the promise is that proper development insures the child will stay committed to God.”

How do we do this? By partnering with God to mine the greatness and gifts lying dormant in our children. Each of us is capable of far more than we think we are. I truly believe we are capable of greatness and we shouldn’t be afraid to pursue it. God will show you the gifts and talents, the callings and destiny residing in your child.

For our children to become all God has designed them to be, we must be willing to go the extra mile and not assume children will simply, ‘figure it out’ when they’re grown. Too many parents seem content to allow their children to drift into young adulthood and then wonder what turned them into adultolescents, defined as a person who has physically matured to adulthood, yet still behaves like an adolescent, and why they seem to have no direction in life.

Childhood is an innocent time of wonder and discovery and endless possibilities. It desperately requires our care and nurturing and firm direction! Helping your daughter explore life’s endless opportunities will open the floodgates to her dreaming big dreams. As time goes on, with your guidance, she will narrow her choices, focus on what really interests her and embark on the path to building a future in the center of God’s will for her life.

Where do we start?

• Pray. First and foremost. God will show you if you take the time.

• Take practical steps to help bring her dreams to pass. 

• Be proactive about her future. Don’t just let her drift!

• Speak truth over her, say what you see! Remind her she’s a world-changer.

• What you model she will follow. Model excellence and diligence and don’t be afraid to set expectations high.

I firmly believe God shows parents from the time their kids are small what He’s invested in them. He shows us their ‘bent’ and our job is to dig deep and find the depth of the gifts and callings buried inside. It’s important we aren’t too busy or distracted with life to see what God is eager to reveal to us in each of our children!

There is so much more in our children than we realize and they are capable of far more than we give them credit for. There are precious metals and rare jewels deep inside. You’ll have to dig them out but it will be well worth it when you launch her out into life knowing you did everything you could to equip her for success. And by success I mean doing what God has called her to do with passion and purpose and with Christ at the center.

Whatever God shows you, believe it and get started! Nothing is more exciting than partnering with God!