Cruz will turn 10 next month. He was not even a year old when I began to feel the pressure of raising him in a foreign country apart from Sunday School, discipleship programs, and a church family of believers who would help point him to Christ. I think one of the most eye opening moments I have had is the realization that if my boys are going to know anything about God, church, sin, Heaven, Hell, etc. it would be up to us to teach them. It is not as easy as it might seem. Up until a little over a year ago, we always lived out in rural areas. We did not have a lot of other missionaries around to pour into our kids. The whole responsibility of pointing them to Jesus fell on our shoulders. That overwhelmed me at times!
We are thankful for national believers who were great examples for our kids. We are also thankful for mission teams who have loved on our boys and lived a Christian example in front of them. Both of these have had a part in Cruz's decision.
When Cruz was two years old I had a visitor bring down some Sunday School literature from our church for me to use with him. I was desperate and it began a long journey of me teaching him. Having resources helped, but I still missed the church. God taught and reminded me during that time that it is not the church's responsibility to teach our children about Him. It is our responsibility as parents. We are the ones accountable. It took a while but I eventually began to view it as a wonderful opportunity. I began to embrace the role I had and faced it head on. I am thankful for homeschool and the opportunity it has also given me to teach Bible to the boys. It is a subject I have never taken likely.
Cruz has come to us many times over the years with questions about God, the Bible, sin, and salvation. We have always tried to answer as clear as we could. We have thought many times that he was ready to make a decision but we did not want to pressure him. We have taken a very gentle approach with him. We have tried to point him to Christ every opportunity we had but wanted the decision to be his own. We knew when the time was right he would know it.
This year as I began to prepare to teach the Easter story I began praying early that God would speak to his heart. I tried to be very thorough in my explaining and sharing of the stories. I had a long conversation with him one night at bedtime and told him that that if God was calling him he would know it. God did indeed speak to his heart. The next afternoon Cruz came to me teary eyed and said he was ready to pray. By the end, I was crying too. I think it was my proudest parenting moment so far.
I wish I could say that my work was over. He has prayed. He is saved. All is well. But, in reality, I know that my work is only just beginning. Leading him to Christ, although it did not seem easy at the time, was not the hard part. My job now is to disciple him, continue to help him understand his decision, help him understand the Bible, and what it means to be a Christ follower. We have a bigger job ahead of us. Like all parents, we covet your prayers.
We are excited for Cruz and look forward to seeing how the Lord is going to use his life. Would you pray for him? Pray that he would have a passion for God and God's Word. Pray that he would stay pure in heart. Pray that he would have a great love for others. Pray that he would impact lostness even as a child. Pray that he would begin to recognize his spiritual gifts and abilities and long to use them for God's glory. Pray that he would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Pray that he would grow in his faith and understanding of who God is. Pray also for us as we daily teach him and guide him.
I cannot end this post without also asking for pray for Ben. Cruz's decision has really opened his eyes. Pray for his heart and that God would draw him unto Himself. We long for the day he makes a personal decision to follow Christ as well.
Pray for your kids. It is the greatest thing we can do for them. Do not grow weary in pointing them to Christ. Trust that He is at work and in His timing we will see the fruit of our labor.
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