I love receiving gifts, even ones that require assembly. I am technically “disadvantaged” though, so I often hand the box to my husband, Chris, and say, “Honey, please take care of this for me!” He doesn’t ask for the instruction sheet or owner’s manual. For most things, he instinctively knows how to put them together. He also has a vast array of tools to tackle most any project and will usually have the item finished in short order. 

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37 years ago Chris and I received an amazing gift. One Monday afternoon, my doctor handed us a small package wrapped in a blanket and said, “Congratulations, you have a baby boy!” No box, owner’s manual, or even a return shipping label. My husband, Chris, and I were left alone with this tiny bundle. He was ours to figure out how to raise by ourselves. I remember experiencing feelings of anxiety, fear, and utter helplessness over the next few days and weeks. Fortunately, we had loving parents who were ready at a moment’s notice to provide encouragement, advice, and support.

 

Over the next 10 years, God added three more children to our family. Chris and I grew in our parenting skills and confidence, but we continually had questions and doubts about a variety of things: How do we respond when our children disobey us? What is the proper educational setting for them? What is a proper curfew time for our teenagers? And where did they put my keys?

 

So how do we respond to this amazing responsibility called parenting? Some say children will just naturally develop into caring, loving adults. Others say “it takes a village to raise a child”. There have been many books written on parenting, some based on professional knowledge and others on personal experience. I have read many of them and have learned a lot. I believe the most perfect book on parenting was written by the One who created our children. The One who formed and knitted them in the womb (Ps 139:13) has provided an owner’s manual for parents. It is called the Bible, or the Word of God. This amazing book, written by a loving God and Father, teaches us, encourages us, and even corrects us as we raise our children. It may not tell us when to introduce solid food or what movies are appropriate for our children to watch,but it does teach us about raising them to know and love Him, about establishing discipline, and about being godly examples for them by the way we live our own lives.

In the coming months, we will explore a variety of topics on parenting from God’s perspective as revealed in His Word. Some of the topics we will look at are:

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●  How to introduce God to young children

●  How to build family bonds through traditions and celebrations

●  How to respond to rebellious or questioning teens

●  How to create a strong blended family

●  How to deal with loss or tragedy

 

I hope that you will find your “owner’s manual” and begin studying it. If you don’t have a good, easy to read Bible, I encourage you to look for one online or in your local Christian bookstore. Let’s learn together how to “Parent by the Book”!