Friday, October 17, 2008
A Special Day!
Today has been a special day. My oldest son Logan is saved! He has been asking so many questions about life and God and what happens when we die. He's always just assumed we all go to heaven, which is the way it is with innocent children. Recently though, he's been obsessed with the thought of going to hell. He has been so upset over the thought. He kept saying he wanted to be saved but every time we would sit down and ask him about being a sinner he never thought he was. This is the way with children. They cannot understand until they realize they are sinners and all sinners deserve hell. He finally came to realize that today and he was so sad and so sorry. He just told me he wanted to be saved. He told me he believed the Bible and that Jesus died to save him and he was so sorry he was a sinner. It was so sad to see him so under conviction and so scared. He is only six but he's such a sensitive soul. Finally when I was sure he understood and after he'd called his Daddy to tell him all this we knelt down to pray. Logan said such a cute prayer, if this wasn't such a serious matter I would have ran and got my camera to video tape his prayer. I will never forget it as long as I live. He prayed like normal "Dear God, thank you for this day..." and then he said, "please save me God. Please don't let me go to hell." I just cried and cried, and Logan was crying and we prayed together. Then I asked him if he was saved. He said he is and now he is going to heaven too! I know some of my family won't understand this, but the Bible says to believe that Jesus died for us and repent and you will be saved. I believe God's word and so does my son, and God has saved his soul. So now I have two down, two to go! Not that I had anything to do with this. God saved my son today, and my daughter Emily two years ago. He saved me and my husband 8 years ago. I am so blessed with my family and the life God has made for me. Praise God.
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9 comments:
Praise the Lord! Give Logan a hug for all of us!! What a great testimony! We are so proud of him and know you are too. I don't read your blog regularly and could probably count the times on one hand. Now I know the Lord led me here today! I guess I'll give Logan a hug myself tomorrow. See all of you then! Blessings, Janet and all of the Duffs
I'm not really anonymous, I just don't know what I am doing. Love you guys!!!
This is almost like me beating a kid every day with a belt, then saying its someone elses fault that he is getting beat, but its his problem to apologize even though he did nothing wrong. He never had a choice in life, you taught him what to believe. I love ya Kristie, but I disagree with your methods and frankly, hate what you teach.
I'm sorry you feel that way Vetrik :( Just because I teach my kids the Bible doesn't mean they have to choose to believe it. I didn't force Logan neither did God. I'm sorry you don't understand.
I have four little kids that live next door to me whose parents don't teach what I teach. These kids see the love our family has for each other and it's like a magnet to them. They want to be at our house every day. They actually come over every Sunday morning two hours before church starts because they want to go and are afraid they might get left behind. If what Chris and I have in our family isn't truth and love why are they drawn to it?
God has been the one to help me through some really hard times and you know what I'm talking about. I have faith in what I can't see and I believe the Bible is true. I really believe it. If that makes me less in your eyes I'm sorry. I have devoted my life to God and my family.
My kids are emotionally secure, I don't guilt trip them into loving God. Every person on this planet has guilt. Some try to ignore it and become totally self involved and some become self haters and get depressed, and there are others who take it out on God and blame him. I know how you feel about big churches and fake Christians but I am not one! I love God I believe he is directing my life and I am so thankful he's helping me raise my kids.
I love you too Vetrik but I don't think it's what I teach that you hate. You're mad at God and you choose to hate him. He won't force you to believe and he didn't force Logan and neither did I.
Kristie I just want to say that I think you are an amazing mother. I don't share all the same beliefs as you but I can tell that you really love your children and that you love God. It's great to see that you're raising your children to be good Christians. I think the family is being attacked in our society and it's getting to be a rare blessing to have two parents who love and raise children in a solid and secure home. Thanks for always being strong! I enjoy reading your thoughts and testimony.
Live and let live, and it's great you've found some guidance in your life in a form that you find acceptable. You have to expect differences of opinions on this; so here is one.
What more pure existence can be found on the planet than the soul of a child? Babies are born with only two fears. Every other fear they develop as a result of experiences they encounter through things and people. Who on earth would want to make their child believe they were a sinner? A child is not a sinner. A child is innocent and pure, and the only reason a child would believe he/she is a sinner is because of watching/listening/living with people who have had this type of influence. By the way, babies are only born with the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Every other fear is LEARNED FEAR.
I commend you for being dedicated to teaching your children something, but I would not want to make any child believe he/she was a sinner either intentionally or unintentionally. Your children are beautiful and pure and don't need to think they are bad. God can be a source of strength and guidance and love without scaring little children.
I respect everyone's right to have their own opinion. Everyone bases their opinions upon something and mine come from the Bible which I believe is the true and correct word of God. Everyone is a sinner from the moment they are born. God says in his word that he doesn't hold those accountable who cannot understand truth, so babies and young children are not punished for being something they don't understand.
There comes a time in every person's life when they are awoken to the fact that they are a sinner. Every person in some way not only violates God's standard of living but even their own moral standards. It is when a person comes to this realization that they can be directed to a savior. My job as a parent is to direct my children to their Savior Jesus Christ. Logan knew he needed to be saved because he realized he is no different than anyone else on this planet. He is a sinner, just like me and yes just like you.
If you don't think children sin I invite you to hang out in the isles of the grocery store. In just one visit I assure you that you will see gluttony, selfishness, greed, disrespect for authority and many many other sins. We all commit these sins and unfortunately a lot of these things are "learned" as you say. However just because they learn them from someone else doesn't mean they aren't accountable for their actions.
Because I have taught my son that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God he has chosen to admit he is guilty and ask forgiveness. Why is that such a horrible thing for people to understand? I didn't beat him, I didn't tell him everyday how bad he is. I loved him, and I told him everyday what a good boy I think he is. His own conscience told him he needed a savior. This happens to everyone, some just choose to ignore it. I praise God my son listened and chose to be saved.
Your comment about scaring little children is not reality. Being afraid keeps children safe. I teach my kids about dangerous situations and people to give them the tools they need to keep themselves safe. They are afraid of playing with fire because it might burn the house down. They are afraid of playing in the street because they might get hit by a car. They are afraid of not being saved because they don't want to go to hell. My younger son Brett has been saying he wants to be saved too because he doesn't like hell and the devil but he doesn't understand he is a sinner. I don't believe God holds him accountable. God holds me accountable to teach him right from wrong so that when the time comes Brett will choose salvation too. I disagree with you saying we shouldn't teach children to be afraid. I would almost bet you don't have children or you wouldn't have said that. You can read all the books about raising kids, you can babysit all you want but until you are responsible for the life of another human being you will never understand.
P.S. my children aren't afraid of God, he is their source of love and strength... it's the devil they're afraid of.
It is true we have to teach children about dangers in order to keep them safe, but is teaching a child about going to hell at age six really necessary? The visions of a little boy crying his eyes out and telling everyone he doesn't want to go to hell remind me of a child's nightmare of a monster under his bed. Sure we want our kids to be afraid of fire and teach them not to touch it but fear of hell at age six??? I believe there is a gentle way to teach right from wrong without instilling the fear of hell in them at this age.
The most effective teachers teach with rewards not with punishments. Leading by positive reinforcement is the healthy way to teach because it helps kids to make choices based on a good outcome not make choices based on a bad outcome. Yes, there are circumstances where consequences are necessary, but as a whole and as a rule of thumb positive reinforcement is always best. For example...... "Logan God will smile and be so happy if you are kind to your neighbors." Not....."Logan the devil will take you down to hell if you do something bad."
This is simply a difference in opinion and not a direct blow or stab to your parental methods. I commend your for raising your children with morals and in the focus of good. I, however, do not agree with some of the ways you do this. That is ok though. We can agree to disagree.
PS: I do have children, lots of them. They came to me pure and beautiful and not as sinners.
I didn' say anything about my teaching methods in my post. You're assuming I tell my kids all the time that they're going to hell. I don't. I teach them God loves them, after all that is why he sent his son to die for mankind. I am sorry I made the assumption about you not having children. That was rude and I apologize.
The Bible tells us all have sinned, that includes children. The Bible also tells us God will not hold those accountable who cannot understand truth and righteousness. Everyone comes to an age of accountability when they realize they have sinned. Logan has been under conviction for about three months. During this time his Daddy and I have lovingly answered all his questions, even the ones about hell. We tell the kids what the Bible says without sugar coating it, or adding to or taking away from Gods word.
Logan chose to be saved. He cried because he realized he couldn't save himself. He cried because he was humbled that Jesus loved him so much that he died for him. He was scared of going to hell too but that wasn't the only reason for his tears.
He went to bed that night no longer afraid because he's saved. He loves God even more and we are all so blessed. I appreciate your opinion because I think you have good intentions. Just know that I'm not scaring my kids to salvation. Hell is just a small piece of the puzzle. God Bless.
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