Last week, a friend told Jonathan and I about a conversation he had with Nate, our 5 year old:

“So Nate, what do you think about moving to Virginia?”

“It’s good . . . and it’s sad.
But it’s what God wants us to do.”

Hearing of this conversation reminded me just how important it is to continue speaking truth to our children – not just in the formal times of planned conversation, but especially during those unplanned moments. Like the time they come into the kitchen and see me crying. That’s exactly the time I need to remind them why we’re moving. It’s because this is God’s next step for our family. We remind them that taking the next step is often difficult and hard. But we’re doing it because we want to obey God. It’s funny how this whole “reminding your children” thing goes…often I find that I learn more when I’m talking it through with them than I do just by thinking through things on my own.

That’s the great thing about shepherding children through changes. It makes you talk about why you’re doing what you’re doing. Then you actually live with your little students and they get to observe firsthand whether Mommy and Daddy really believe what they say you believe. Yikes.

Of course, we always mess up, don’t we? We sin, make mistakes, and often say things that are either partially or completely wrong. Then God gives us the opportunity to teach them about grace. We’re not perfect. Nobody is. That’s exactly why we need Jesus.

Our family is right in middle of the “good & sad” part of moving right now. With just under 4 days left in Charlotte, everything seems extra intense from the physical side of packing up our home (& a few sick kids thrown in the mix!) to the emotional side of all the “lasts.” Spiritually, we rest in the fact that amidst the good, hard, happy and sad, we are at peace knowing that this is God’s next step for our family. We’re not moving because one step is better than the next, but because our Good Shepherd is leading us to this next step. There is immeasurable comfort resting in the arms of Jesus, isn’t there?

If you are looking for ways to make Jesus & the Gospel a part of the daily conversation with your kids,
I greatly benefited from reading Everyday Talk: Talking Freely and Naturally about God with your Children.
You can find my personal review + quotes here.