December 31, 2009
Last week, this broadcast aired on Christmas Eve and it was my privilege to send you Christmas blessings from all of us at Heartland Christian Academy. This broadcast will air first on New Year’s Eve, so I offer you again a word of blessings from all of us here at Heartland, praying that you will have a new year full of favor and opportunity to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in your corner of this needy world.
This month, we have been exploring gifts together on this broadcast. Not the kind of gifts that can be wrapped and placed under the tree, but rather intangible gifts that can be exchanged between a parent or grandparent and a boy or girl.
I suggested that Christian adults can model a strong spiritual foundation and heritage to the next generation. I recommended the gifts of adventure, creativity, and the love of learning, demonstrated first in the life of parents. I urged you to help your child discover their own unique gifts and contribution to our world. We looked at small things a parent can do that can go a long ways toward blessing a child’s heart.
New Year’s, of course, brings opportunities for reflection on the past and the taking aim at goals for the future. This brings me to the last gift that we will look at this month: hope as we face an unknown future.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
That is a word from our Heavenly Father, but it is a word that can also come from earthly parents. You do not know what tomorrow will bring, but it is still an incredible gift to share your vision of a hopeful, blessed and Christ-honoring future with your child. Convey to your sons and daughters a clear message that God remains on the Throne of the Universe, that He is faithful and loving, and has plans for His children that are good.
If economics and health and the world situation seem uncertain, you can still give the gift of faith by declaring that in an uncertain world your children can count on the firm foundation of God’s Word and a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
- Talk with your child about their hopes and dreams, without criticism or skepticism. Listen to them. Allow them the gift of envisioning a bright future.
- Teach your children to look past the declarations of doom and despair by the powers of this world. In an age of disbelief, demonstrate those things worth hanging on to.
- Help them create goals for this next year that are challenging but achievable. Teach them how to work step-by-step toward making goals become reality. Show them how to work past the inevitable obstacles.
- Speak words of hope, blessing and excitement about what your child’s future looks like. Commit this next year to the Lord in fervent prayer with your child.
Our Heartland Focus broadcast today was sponsored by the Minnesota Nice Café in downtown Bemidji, with homecooking just like grandma used to make.