Telling Your Children Stories
Children Love Stories
There are few things that captivate children like stories do. In my experience a good story, told in an engaging manner is one of the few things that can compete for undivided attention with my children.
Recently I have started telling my boys stories from my childhood. I started this new habit the night before a nerf war with my oldest son and his friends. That night I told tales of epic battles with my friends and the sheer joy of unloading nerf rounds at each other. As I told the stories, my boys were at the edge of their seat; asking for more. All told, I recounted about ten stories that night.
Tell your Children YOUR Story
As I thought over that special moment with my boys, I began to realize that I had been missing a wonderful opportunity. It was always important for me tell (read) my children the wonderful stories written by others, yet they are also yearning to hear the story that God is writing for my life and theirs.
Though it took me thirty minutes that first night to recount my former nerf stories, it has only taken 5 mins every night since to relate to the them the my story. Sometimes I tell them a funny story about growing up, playing sports and working many jobs; other times it's a story of when I was scared or even a story about when I was wrong. Each of these little stories, told as a display of God's wonderful grace, are becoming the framework in which my most important story fits; the story of my encounter with the Gospel, and how the Gospel has change my heart, soul and my life.
If we want our children to know that our salvation in Christ is real, there are two interwoven steps. 1) Build our life upon our faith in Christ 2) Tell them THAT story.
Help them Know and Tell their Own Story
The purpose of being so candid with your own story is to help your children connect with the faith that you have in the Gospel. As you share this with them, it will help them to understand their unique story with the Lord, and prayerfully turn their affections to Him so that their own faith in Jesus will have the best chance to flourish.
