Should I Be Excited About Good Things In My Life?
Trillia Newbell is the author of Enjoy, Fear and Faith, United, and God’s Very Good Idea. She's been published in Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and more. Trillia is married to Thern and they reside with their two children near Nashville, TN. You can find her at trillianewbell.com and follow her on twitter at @trillianewbell.
We started off by asking Trillia, "What’s one thing that you do for your kids that you would recommend to others?"
She talked about listening and talking with them -- and also spending one-on-one time with each kid. Sitting down and looking them in the eye and letting them know they have your full attention goes a long way. Put your phone down and actually listen to your kids. Hard boundaries for technology is so important. We mention the following books:
12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You
Tough Question: Can We Be Excited About God's Good Gifts, Even If and Especially If Someone Else Isn't Receiving Them?
Absolutely, we have freedom to enjoy God's good gifts! We can enjoy it and not feel guilty because God has given these gifts to us specifically. Now - we do not want to be boastful or to raise kids who are boastful. We want to raise children who are grateful for God's gifts.
How Can We Best Show Our Kids the Gospel When They Don't Get Something They Want?
Trillia tells us a hilarious story about her son asking her to draw Kung Fu Panda. She finishes us to tell us that she doesn't tell her kids that they are good at things they are not good at. Our kids want us to speak truth to them. We want them to know if they fail at something, then it's ok! Maybe God has not gifted them in that way, but in another way. The Church is a body of many parts.
Featured Resource
This book will help you more thoroughly answer this question, and move you to a spirit of gratitude in all things as you enjoy the good gifts God has given.
How Do You Teach Kids to Love God's Word?
You have to love God's Word! Do you love God's Word? Let your kids see you reading God's Word, talk about it, get them resources that they love. Kids will adopt the importance that you place on things, and the importance you place on Scripture is no different.