My husband and I have become Uncle Duane and Auntie Des to many of our friend’s children.

It is a role in life that we love!

I was reading a scripture passage in Matthew and it caused me to think about some things.

“Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:13-14

Our children are older now and this passage made me think about some things.

How many times did my children want to come to me, just needing some love and prayer but I was too busy to stop what I was doing and just love them for a moment?

How many times were my children struggling with something and I was too absorbed in my own emotional baggage to have them come to me and pray for them?

My heart breaks thinking about it to be honest.

It has caused me to repent and to be more attentive in setting down my own agenda, my own plan, my own stuff to stop and open my arms and say, “Come here.”

I love time spent with the youth group girls at my church. I have made relationships with many of them and I treasure them. There are times in church when I am talking to someone and I can see one coming to give me a hug. I will open my arms and embrace them as I talk to the person in front of me.

Whenever I am in a conversation or my attention is somewhere else and I see my children or a child I love come towards me I will hold their hand so they know that I see them and will talk to them soon.

Our children and those in our lives need to know that we love them. They need to know they are important. More important the agenda, the plan, or whatever is on our minds at the moment.

We need to embrace them, listen to them, love on them, and pray for them.

If we put them off or we don’t make them a priority, we will hinder them.

We can hinder how they look at Jesus Christ.

We can hinder them knowing how much God loves them and sees them as important.

We can hinder their walk with the Lord.

I pray that as I have learned to put down the dishes I need to put away, the book I am in the middle of reading, or the text that just has to get out right now and opened my eyes, my ears, and my heart to truly see, hear, and know these precious children in my life, that they will know that they are important not just to me but to Jesus.

I encourage you to examine your heart and your actions today. Many times I didn’t even realize what I was doing. God is faithful to reveal our hearts to us.

Let Him teach you how to truly love the children in your lives today.

Visit With Desiree

I love writing about marriage, parenting, and our every day walk with the Lord. Some of my favorites are listed below along with my testimony. I pray that God will bless you and speak to you through each word that is written.

http://www.arenewedcreation.com/testimonies/

http://www.arenewedcreation.com/2015/04/pulling-up-the-weeds/

http://www.arenewedcreation.com/2015/01/being-a-mature-christian-has-nothing-to-do-with-age/

http://www.arenewedcreation.com/special-people-special-needs-unique-world/

http://www.arenewedcreation.com/2014/10/the-power-of-a-womans-words-by-sharon-jaynes/