Every girl at some point has envisioned their perfect little family. For me, it’s a whole lot of ginger, maybe for you it’s one kid or maybe it’s ten! No matter who you are, God has called all of us as Christians to raise our children someday differently than the world. The world says your kids should be your “best friends” and they should always like you. As a kid myself, I’m so glad my parents didn’t raise me that way.

I am nowhere near to having children of my own, but there many things I feel like God has placed on my heart when it comes to how I will raise my kids. Here are the things I want for my children someday: (adapted from the sermon: 5 Things I Want for My Kids by Dr. DJ Horton)

1. To know freedom in Christ

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

I want to see my children come to know Christ as their Heavenly Father and Savior.

I want them to worship freely without restraint. I want them to fall on their knees before Him if they are humbled, and dance before Him when they are filled with joy. I want them to live fully for Him, seeking him in every choice, every direction they go, every word they speak. I want them to listen for his voice and act upon it when they hear Him speak and when He moves. I want them to live missionally in their schools and places of work. I want to know that my husband and I have done everything in our power and trusted in God to lead them on the straight and narrow. It is not a task to be taken lightly when the world is full of turmoil and can easily pull them in any direction.

2. Imagination

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2

I want them to know that God gave them His creativity, a piece of the creativity He used to make the entire universe!

I want them to play outside from dawn to dusk. I want them to read and love exploring the pages of a book and the places it can take them. I want them to love playing pretend with each other. I want them to build, draw, write, play and instrument, whatever God has gifted them with. I want them to stargaze. I want them to camp. I want them to find other things to do than to sit in front of the TV or fight over the iPad. I want them to learn to live a beautiful life without video games or cell phones (there’s enough technology in the world to keep up with kids without giving them a phone when they’re eight). I want them to know who they are in Christ before they are thwarted by the comparison game of social media. I want my husband and I to do everything in our power to entertain and create right along with them and show them the amazing imagination God gave them.

3. Good Work Ethic

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” Colossians 3:23

I want them to know the importance of working unto the Lord.

I want them to be the best at whatever they do, whether they are sweeping a floor or performing a surgery. I want them to realize nothing in life is handed to you. I want them to work hard and earn what they work for. I want them to strive for passion and not laziness. I want them to realize that when my husband and I tell them they have to work or do chores to pay for things, they will take pride in earning things themselves. I want them to lead others and be outstanding employees or employers. I want them to be kind and forgiving. I want my husband and I to be examples of what passionate and Christ-centered work lives look like so they might follow in our footsteps.

4.Love Others

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

I want them to love Christ before anything and anyone.

I want them to have genuine love for other people. I want their love to translate into humility. I want their love to lead them to do incredible things whether it be moving to another country on missions or sacrificing a job opportunity to spend more time with their families. I want them to love their brothers and sisters and mom and dad and respect them. I want them to love their spouse wholeheartedly. I want their love to be so evident it becomes a witnessing opportunity because people see they are different. I want my husband and I to show them our love for each other, our community, our church, and the people who surround us so they may see what Christ’s love looks like.

I am nowhere near getting married or having kids, but as I write down these things I want for them, I am realizing I have to strive for this lifestyle first before they can ever follow in my footsteps. I hope and dream that they find freedom in Christ someday, but first I have to become the woman God needs me to be to lead them.