Forever Now

Main Point: Make the most of the limited time that you have with your children to make a positive, lasting impact on their lives.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” —Matthew 3:16-17

Three things your kids need to hear from you their entire lives:
- That you claim them.
- That you love them.
- That you are proud of them.

“The goal is not to raise great kids. It’s to raise kids who become great adults.” —Andy Andrews

Our goal is to partner with you to help your children grow in their knowledge of and love for Jesus.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. —Deuteronomy 6:5-9

When should parents teach their kids about God’s love?
- When you sit at home = When you’re at home
- When you walk along the road = When you’re in the car
- When you lie down = During your bedtime routine
- When you get up = During your morning routine

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. —Matthew 6:33

Takeaway: Some parenting stages feel like they will last forever, but they never do. So make it your goal to not take a single day for granted.

Discussion Questions
1. What was your favorite stage of childhood? What was your least favorite stage?
2. If you are a parent, what has been your favorite stage of parenting so far?
3. Of the three things that God communicated to his son after his baptism, what is the hardest for you to communicate to your loved ones?
4. What area of your life has the most room for teaching about God’s love?

Table Discussion Question: How does the love of God in your life shape and inform how you love others?