Intentional and Purpose Driven Parenting is one important lesson I am learning in 2024. I have read some amazing books over the years that shaped my parenting journey. Some of those books are “Grace Based Parenting” by Dr. Tim Kimmel, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua, and “Lioness Arising” by Lisa Bevere. Reading these books taught me that parenting is not by chance but by being intentional.
My husband and I are in agreement with how we want to raise our children. Our vision for their lives has determined our intentional and purpose driven parenting lifestyle. We want to raise whole individuals who are loved and love the Lord, know their purpose in Him, and place their hope in Him when facing life challenges.
All of these require my husband and I as individuals to set an example in our faith walk with God. We want to be for them examples of Christ’s followers in all that we say and do. We are intentional in how we love and respect each other in our marriage. We want to teach them to trust in God to write their beautiful love story as only Him can.
Intentional and Purpose Driven Parenting means to raise our girls with God’s grace, love, and truth and in building them up daily with our words and actions. When we mess up, we are quick to apologize and ask for forgiveness. We do not want them to think of us as perfect and we do not want to raise perfect children. We want to equip them in such a way that they give themselves permission to be different, vulnerable, candid, and free to make mistakes.
I honor and welcome my calling as a mother. Training my girls in the way they should go require me to be intentional in shaping them spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. I do not expect school or church to teach my kids what God has called and equipped me to do. I am learning as a parent not to shy away from my responsibilities. I do my best to equip them with all the tools that they need to become morally strong and spiritually motivated individuals. We are intentional because God our Father is intentional in shaping and molding us into who He wants to become. Why should we do any different?
I love being a mother and I would not trade this journey for nothing. People see our children and compliment us on how well-trained they are. We are truly thankful because we understood a long time ago that marriage and family takes work. That task is not for the faint of heart. We believe in who our girls want to become. We also create opportunities and experiences to LIVE who they want to become! I embrace this wholeheartedly as a reminder to be intentional in creating opportunities for our children to be and live their purpose driven life!
On a train ride to New York City with my oldest two last year, I decided to treat myself by reading the Book of Ruth for inspiration because she is one female mentor I look up to. Ruth’s example of boldness, determination and hope for a better future motivates me to be better today than I was yesterday. Her husband died and she chose not to wallow in pity but took action. There is power in our responses to life struggles. Ruth decided to follow her mother-in-law, Naomi, to a land and a people she knew nothing about, even after Naomi attempted to dissuade her.
I assume Naomi must have made an impression on Ruth, a product of Naomi’s influence on Ruth. Ruth’s determination resulted in both women traveling back to Naomi’s native land of Bethlehem. Ruth did not waste any time once they got there and was hard at work providing for herself and Naomi. Everyone noticed Ruth’s hard work and devotion to Naomi, especially Boaz, the wealthy and well-respected man who owned the fields. He instructed his workers to make sure that Ruth left each day with plenty.
Naomi is now convinced of Ruth’s pure motives and goes into intentional influence mode. Intentional influence mode is when someone makes it their business to invest time and experience to build someone else. Ruth is intentional in heeding Naomi’s advice. Ruth ended up not only marrying Boaz but she was blessed with a legacy in offspring of kings and a life story that would be read for ages to come.
Ruth is the epitome of what happens when intention meets influence. This reinforced to me the power of intentional influence when it comes to parenting. As parents, we have been entrusted to raise successful and confident future leaders who can pay our intentional influence forward. I thank God for all the Naomis in my life whose influence shape my life journey. I pray for an Intentional WELLthy Mom Lifestyle to be ignited in all of us so that we make our business to invest in the Ruths in our lives, starting with our children.
A successful legacy is similar to a relay race as the baton is passed on to the next generation. They in turn confidently carry it on to the next. Intentional and Purpose Driven Parenting involves sowing our best today, starting at home, in order to reap a successful harvest tomorrow. Let’s be intentional in our parenting journey and the next generation and the world will sure benefit from it!
The WELLthy Mom NODte: “True success comes only when every generation continues to develop the next generation.” -John Maxwell
Reading this post made me realize that I’ve been slacking since school got out this summer. Thank you for the reminder and for the book recommendations. Naturally I have Amy Chua’s book already 😉
Thank you so much for taking time to read the post and the parenting journey can be challenging, especially since summer is meant to be a down time from all the busyness. One day at a time I say to myself because it’s all about that balance life. Very much appreciated and glad to know you have Amy Chua’s book already!
This post resonates with me! I’ve been really trying to be more deliberate in my parenting. My husband & I realized how we were just doing, going through the motions…getting through our daily routines. We decided we must be more intune, deliberate in our parenting, marriage, passions etc. Thank you!
Thank you so much and you are definitely on your way to great things??✨?