Purposed Parent Connected Child Podcast Episode 037 - Life Lessons From my Teen

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Purposed Parent/Connected Child Podcast

Episode #037 – Life Lessons From my Teen

Thank you for listening to the Purposed Parent/Connected Child podcast. My prayer is that you and I will parent with purpose and confidently connect with Christ and our children moment by moment.

Since my middle daughter recently graduated from high school, I enjoy listening to her thoughts on childhood and her upbringing. While sharing a walk in the neighborhood recently, I spontaneously asked her to share 3 things she thought I did well while raising her.

Would you like to hear her response?

The top 3 things my daughter believes helped shape the morals she holds as a young adult were:

1. Church/Service – Because she was raised going to church out of reverence and love for God, and we were very active in many activities and committees as she was growing up, my daughter believes it taught her to make God a priority and that serving in the areas He calls you to at church is an act of love and obedience. Every committee meeting I could bring my daughter to, I made sure she was present. Sometimes my husband took her to his. My daughter helped set up for events, she danced at meetings and programs, and she helped make decorations. When I prepared materials for VBS, she helped. When I had to clean up after VBS, she helped. When we opened our home several times to house out of town college students, she was part of the conversations we had. Everything she could take part in, we allowed. Now she is a four-time Presidential Gold Service Award winner and has hours logged in other years that she never submitted for awards. Serving is natural for her and now, as an adult Christian she knows that she is serving for Him above all.

2. Awareness – Because we taught her to be selective and careful about what clothing she wore and what types of music she listened to, my daughter believes she learned a foundational understanding of being conscious of how she presents herself and what she allows to reside in her mind. She believes that how she learned to manage what she allowed into her mind taught her to carefully consider whatshe listens to or watches. For example, we taught her not to wear a bikini out in public as we did not want her to desire wearing scanty clothing when she was a tween or teen. We didn’t allow short shorts or shorts and sweats with writing on the bottom. Looking forward to the future with present decisions made a huge difference in what she came to desire as she matured.

3. Respect – Because my daughter feels that my husband and I respected the gifts and talents God placed within her, and that we helped and encouraged her to find and pursue them, she feels very blessed for our support. My daughter believes that when parents truly respect the child as a whole and unique person created by God, it makes it much easier to find the passions He crafted within and allows a stronger parent/child relationship. She felt that we actually paid attention to who she is and not what we wanted her to be or become.

I enjoyed hearing her answers so much. I want to state that I didn’t know what she would say and truly, her answers surprised me. They weren’t the answers I thought she would give, but I’m so thankful for the ways God spoke to us while raising her. I thankful for the tiny acts that we made consistently over the years. They paid off for her and us in the best ways now that our daughter is facing young adult years.

Please mothers, use what I shared to remember that what you do matters! Continue to seek God’s Word and use it in practical, godly ways. Proverbs 4:5 says, “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.”

Ask God for the wisdom to raise your children wisely. Ask Him to lead you in raising godly children who know and honor Him. Ask Him to keep you consistent in pursuing and shining Him to your children and family. Making God a priority and remaining in Him over the years will teach your children that your faith is real because God is.

If you’d like to hear more, I will release an interview with my daughter this summer. I’ll be sure to let you know when it airs. Remember, I’m not sharing this with you because I think I’m the greatest mother. I share because anything that worked well came from God. I know anything I did well came from His wisdom. Mothers, continue looking Up and seek Him in all decisions. Although I fall short, He still lifts up what I offer and multiplies beyond my wildest dreams. He will absolutely do the same for you.

Dear Heavenly Father, Your goodness to us is overwhelming. Your love is beyond what we can comprehend. How faithful You are. I thank you for all You are and do in our lives. Father, even when we absolutely do not deserve Your best, You still offer it. Thank you. Lord, please help me, help each of us to continue to seek You through Your Word, prayer, and service in all the ways You call and desire. Help us to hear You clearly because we seek You consistently. May we, and our children, please You more each day. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Thank you for listening to the “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” podcast. This summer the episodes will be shorter and I may occasionally offer favorite replays as I spend time with my family and follow a special collective I believe God is calling me to complete for Him.

Remember, this podcast, and the “Live With Eternal Perspective” podcast, may be found at terrihitt.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and they are part of the Spark Media Network. Both podcasts may also now be found on the Edifi app, where you can hear thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment.

Have you rated or reviewed my podcasts on Apple Podcasts yet? Did you know that when you review my podcasts on Apple, it helps to elevate the standing of the podcasts online so that more people are allowed to find and hear them. Will you please take a moment to follow the shows and think of someone you can share the podcasts with and encourage them to follow and share, as well?

Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will sway them away from Christ. I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Parent and Connect With Eternal Perspective.