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Renee Swope

Encouraging and equipping moms to parent with God's grace and confidence.

Read An Excerpt: Chapter 1 & 2

Becoming a Can-Do Mom, Raising Can-Do Kids

In my devotion today on Crosswalk and Proverbs 31 Ministries, I talked about a situation where I felt frustrated and completely helpless as a mom. So I asked for God’s help and He came through with a powerful promise to help my son become a can-do kid, and help me become a can-do mom!

Andrew moved beyond who he was to who he could become with God’s help. He learned (and is still learning) that he can do all things through Christ who gives him strength, (Phil. 4:13). It’s a spiritual lesson that’s become part of his spiritual legacy. A lesson that’s lasted for years. He was four when it happened and he just turned eleven yesterday!

Monday we talked here about our calling to teach God’s truths to our kids in everyday moments. All throughout January, I’ll be sharing on my blog about becoming a D6 family based on God’s instructions in Deuteronomy 6:5-9. I’ll also be partnering with the D6 conference/ministry each weekday to give away resources to encourage you and your kids along the way.

My story in today’s devotion a D6 moment when I saw what it meant to live out the principles in Deuteronomy 6 – to pass on God’s promises as we go along. God showed me real life application of His Word in the middle of a motherhood meltdown.

And the lesson lingered. It’s been applicable in the days that followed. A year or so afterwards, we were getting ready to leave for school and Joshua offered to help Andrew feed the dogs. Andrew smiled and said, “No thanks. I don’t need help. I’m a can-do kid!”

Just yesterday Andrew was struggling with anxiety. I shared how I have worries, too, and described how I write them down and give them to God. We talked about living in today and not tomorrow until it gets here. Then I read him the devotion and reminded him that he’s a can-do kid who can trust God with His concerns. Then we prayed Philippians 4:13, claiming once again that he can do all things through Christ who gives Him strength. He smiled so big and thanked me for reminding him.

My prayer today is that God will show us all D6 moments with our children so we can help them become can-do kids in Christ!

I also wanted to share promises God used with Gideon in Judges 6 to help him become a can-do kid:

  • I am with you. v.12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”
  • Focus on the strength you have. v.14 The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
  • You can do it! Remember, I am with you. v.16 The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”

I didn’t realize it then, but as I look back I see practical ways I applied this process and these promises with Andrew that day in the kitchen:

  • I drew his attention away from something he couldn’t do and focused it toward something he could do.
  • I showed him how to do it, and then I did it with him.
  • Once he gained his confidence, I stepped back and watched as he completed his assignment with success.
  • We celebrated the reality of his new name and talked about how good it felt to do new things.

God is so good! I love that these steps we can take with our children in various situations as we become a Can-Do Moms who are raising Can-Do Kids!

Copyright 2009. Renee Swope – All rights reserved.

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Great Give-Aways for Moms

We’re giving away two D6-mom resources today, that includeone copy of “Revolutionary Parenting” and one copy of my “Mining for Gold in the Heart of Your Child“ CD and chart to be selected from your comments today. Be sure to include your email in your comment so we can contact you if you win the give-away. Here are some things I’d love to know:

Has there been a time when you were able to share a promise or spiritual truth with your child in an everyday life moment? What hinders you or helps you look for those teachable moments? Are there other ways you are passing on your faith to your child? I’d love to hear your thoughts, stories and/or questions.

Every Friday, we’ll be giving away two tickets to the D6 Conference. So be sure to come back for more encouragement and resources from D6 and Proverbs 31 Ministries!


Be sure to include your email so we can contact you if you win the give-away.

Comments

  1. At Bible study just last night, I asked my pastor’s wife for advice on helping my child who has a fear of failure. My daughter is naturally talented in so many ways, but she is hard on herself and becomes resistant and “mopey” when something challenges her. Rather than say, I almost got it; she will put herself down.
    I have called her a superstar second grader lately. She is my oldest so she likes this and is beginning to feel that her homework and chores are more important than boring and unfair. I have taught her scripture, but I had not read this part of your devotions until today.
    I just heard Lysa Terkuerst last Friday and Saturday and have had amazing opportunities this week to say yes to God and minster to a lady with cancer who lives alone. God began to reveal to me her needs and how to care for her and minister to her because he knew that I was ready to say, “Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes!”
    I hope he will now also begin to help my daughter and I to become a Can Do Mom-daughter team. We look so much alike and I sometimes need God to motivate her from within and let me back off on the pushing. Scriptures such as ABC Bible Verses by Susan Hunt have helped me a lot over the years.
    It is an answer to prayer to find your message and just the right time in our life. Thank you and God Bless!
    Susan [email protected]

  4. My 1st born perfectionist child is like this and your reminder to lead them through something they CAN do and then allow them to do it on their own is great. Thx.

    Jennifer

  5. Didi Gray
    [email protected]

    Bless you Renee.

    Today was a hard I can’t day and we really had to keep working through her not overcoming in homework missed because she was sick yesterday and had a lot of make up work, as the hours passed so did her grace and I felt like today her can’t might have won !but after a 30 min brake and some hugging and talking she regrouped and we went on the math still was a struggle but she won that battle amen!!

    Thank you again for allowing us into your life and struggles that are ours as well

    Didi Gray

  8. Thank you for this devotion. I have two daughters, 19 and 16 years old. I am saddened to admit that my 16 year old is still struggling with I Can’ts. She is shy and afraid to even order her own food at a restaurant. After reading this, I feel that I failed in parenting her to become a can-do child. I would love any suggestions on how I can change this in her.

  9. My 4 year old and I talk a lot about God and Bible stories but I can’t think of any time in particular that we applied such ideas to an every day instance. That is one thing I really want to work on is incorporating Scripture and Spirituality more in everything we do and say.

    Last year my then 12 year old son was not putting forth his best effort. The biggest problem was that he was still making strait A’s. But he would only do what was expected not what he was capable of. So we talked about how he was not using the talents that God gave him. We read the Scripture about the three servants whom the master entrusted 10, 5 and 1 talent too. The first two doubled their talents and the last hid it and gave him back what he was given. That is what my son was doing; not putting forth his best effort and multiplying his talents for God.

    I know I could be doing so much better myself. I shared yesterday’s blog with my husband. He also read my post (which I didn’t think that he would do.) It lead to a good discussion between us. I hope that we will discuss things more and be able to incorporate more D6 into our family’s life.

    Wendi O
    [email protected]

  12. Renee,
    Thank you so much for reminding us that it’s ok, it’s actually crucial, that we keep focused on our children. Some days I feel overwhelmed by the state of the country and the world and where should my “mission field” be and what do I do? Then God reminds me that my mission field is at home. I don’t have to go out and look for causes because I have been blessed with three of them who need me and need someone to show them the lord. And He has already given me a Kingdom Cause. Thanks for reminding me! [email protected]

  13. I am the ‘anonymous’ raising my 4 yr old grandson. I didn’t even know how to leave my email..wasn’t asked for it when I left my comment. So, I am going to try again.

  17. God is so good! We are struggling with this very issue right now with our 7 year old son. He is so afraid of failure that he won’t play sports with his friends. He doesn’t think he’s good at sports. When he plays with his friends, he will act silly and just run away.

    Recently, we were playing football together as a family and with one of his friends. He did so well that day. It’s amazing what spending quality time with your kids can do. It encourages them beyond what we can even imagine.

    I’ve sent your devotional to my husband so we can read this and share together. Thanks for sharing from your heart, Renee!

  18. Thanks for the practical application steps…sometimes we read and it sounds nice and makes sense, but it’s still hard to figure out how to apply the principal.
    Renee B.
    [email protected]

  19. Dear Renee, I had a D6 moment while walking with my 4 yr old grandson (we are raising) on land that my husband and I may be purchasing to relocate. We were holding hands and just admiring the beauty when he asked, “Mawmaw, are we going to buy it today?” I answered him, “Oh, honey, Mawmaw and Pawpaw have to go home and pray on it.”
    Well, that opened up a long and wonderful conversation of seeking God’s will in ALL things we do. From big decisions like the one we are facing to everyday ones, ‘do I share this new and special toy with my cousin when he comes over?’ He was really into the conversation and asked very good questions.
    Such as ‘how will I know what God is saying if I can’t hear Him with my ears?’ But he totally got it when I answered that sometimes you must listen with your heart. His eyes lit up and he said, yeah Mawmaw like when I get a bad feeling in my belly and not a good one about something.
    Yes,sweet little man, just like that.
    Thankyou Renee for all that you do. May God continue to work through you.