Tracy was raised in an alcoholic home. Her story might have had the same tragic ending as so many who grow up in her circumstances.
But the Lord used a neighborhood family to intervene in her life.
When Tracy was little, she met a girl next door named Missy, who was her age. They became lifelong friends. Missy’s family was kind and welcomed Tracy into their home. The two girls would play all day and have sleepovers at Missy’s house. But Missy’s family had a rule.
They went to church on Sundays.
That was the point where the Lord began to work in Tracy’s life to bring her to Christ.
It was also that experience that taught her the importance of introducing children to the Christian faith. How to most effectively go about that is something every Christian parent must ponder, and it’s a core directive of our mission here at Focus on the Family.
Tracy will be with us on our program today to share some practical ideas she’s used to pass on her faith to her kids.
One of the things she did with her boys was find ways to impart Scripture into their hearts. She helped her kids memorize God’s Word by practicing verses with them. She also took a few minutes each morning to write Scripture notecards that she’d place in her kids’ lunch.
There are many more practical ideas she’ll share today, but one overarching fact remains true: a spiritual foundation occurs little by little, from the time a child is born until the time he or she leaves home.
The hope is that as children internalize their faith in Christ, they’ll begin to share it with others. An opportunity to do just that is coming up on Oct. 8 with Focus’ second-ever “Bring Your Bible to School Day” which empowers public school students from kindergarten to college celebrate their religious liberty and share God’s hope with their friends. I wrote about “Bring Your Bible to School Day” earlier this week. You can learn more online at www.focusonthefamily.com/bringyourbible.
Tracy Garrell is from North Carolina and was raised in Houston, Texas. She is a work-at-home mom, like many of you, and she has a great story to tell. She’ll be with us today to share some fresh ideas for how to encourage your child’s spiritual growth.
In the meantime, listen to our broadcast, “Helping Your Kids Express Their Faith,” on your local radio station. Or tune in anytime online or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.
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