How to Have a HEART Study- Chapter 5 & Epilogue

I've joined an online group to go through the book "How to Have a H.E.A.R.T For Your Kids' by Rachael Carman. You can click on the banner above to take you to the blog that is hosting this.

I got behind in reading this so I have just caught up by finishing Chapter 5 and the Epilogue. This post is about what I gleaned from both chapters to finish up this book study. This week's topic is T: Teach Them The Truth and the Epilogue.

Some things I gleaned in the text are as follows:

I have really learned a lot reading this book. These last two chapters hit home for me.

She discussed how dangerous lies and deceit can be. She says "Lies are like wild animals-dangerous and unpredicatable." The most important thing we can teach our children is truth. She states that 'It's paramount that we give them knowledge and understanding of the one true and living God. This is the foundation upon which all other knowledge is built.' We are failing our children if we give them less.

Romans 8:20 reminds us that the world doesn't want God. We can't afford to allow the world to teach our children the truth of God. It's our job to show them the way to heaven and that's through Jesus. God has instructed us to teach our children and to train them up in the Lord.

I love how she goes on to help us understand six facts about truth. She mentions how today's society is all about relative truth. That the truth changes from situation to situation or person to person. Truths are knowable, they exist, they are objective, not subjective, they are absolute, and exclusive. You should read this chapter to get more details on how she explains all of this.. It's so enlightening and very easy to understand and it's shocking to see how the world has fallen prey to such lies..

I need to be reading the Bible more to them. Giving them examples of God, Jesus and the truth's that are printed between the covers. 'We need to regularly open the Word of Life and read it to our children.'

She also mentions ' We must also speak to our children of God's promises made to ordinary people and how their lives were changed in extraordinary ways.' She reads biographies of missionaries and I think that is an excellent idea of showing our children how God works in today's world. She gives some excellent examples of God's people she read to her children and I've written them down so I can find some of them at my local library to read to my boys.

She then goes on to state that we need to be living the Word in our own lives showing our children by example the power of the Holy Spirit. We can't just talk the talk but we need to walk the walk.. 'Too often, we're willing to settle for good enough or far enough or just enough.' We need to be the example in our children's lives because too often they are not and will not get it outside our home.

I love how she states at the end of the chapter that all the work we do to bring our children closer to God, ultimately it's their choice to follow Christ. 'As parents we must accept the responsibility to teach our children diligently, but we cannot choose for them. We can pray for them, but we cannot force them to accept God's will. We must be willing to let go, knowing that He loves our children more than we do.'

In the end we need to focus our eyes on Jesus. We must not lose heart or grow weary. Pray, be in the Word and trust in the Lord. He loves our children more than we ever could. I just need to bring them up to God each day and ask Him daily how to be the best Mom I can for them..

This book was very eye opening. I would highly recommend all parents to take some time to read this short book. 5 chapters.. and packed full of wonderful knowledge, scripture to awaken your walk with the Lord and a sense of love of our wonderful Father. I am so glad I joined this book club.. It was well worth it!