Guard your heart, my child!

As a Christian mother, I lay awake, night after night, asking God for wisdom to guide me in leading my tween child as he grows.

I thought a mother could only wish and pray her child was going to turn out good, but I was wrong. A mother’s job is to love, to nourish, to guide her child and to teach her child to guard his/her heart. Not in her own strength or wisdom but in the wisdom of the Lord and by His Spirit.

Growing up in a non-Christian home, I was lucky to have wonderful parents who did what they could to guide us but the fear of the Lord wasn’t there. But I am saved. By God’s mercy and grace, I can rely on Him and on His Holy Spirit to raise my children in a godly home.

Dear Tween Child, Guard Your Heart: Biblical guidance to a tween child and a tween mother's heart.

As a lay awake praying for my sweet 9 years old child and his soon-to-be tween sister, I ask God to protect them and to keep them from the evil of this world, I pray they will not grow up in sin like I did. My prayers and my tears alone won’t guard their hearts but God’s Word will.

So in my prayer and agony, which only a mother knows the fears that come to our hearts regarding our children as we lay at night in bed, the Word of the Lord in Proverbs 4 came to my heart.

Proverbs 4:1-27 NIV

“1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father’s house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said, “Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.”
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

As I meditated in this Word, I wrote this letter in my heart to my sweet tween child.

Dear Tween Child,

I love you too much not to share what I am about to with you. So please listen to my words carefully because they will save you from many mistakes and much suffering in life.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

My child, The only way to guard your heart is by knowing and obeying God’s Word.

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:9‬ ‭TLV‬‬

I wish I had known this when I was your age. My life of sin started very early because I didn’t have Godly parents who knew the Word to guide me. My heart wasn’t pure and many times I stumbled on the way. I allowed the evil of this world to penetrate my heart and my mind.

Dear Tween Child, keep your heart pure!

Guard your eyes not to see evil things that will penetrate and corrupt your eyes. It is my duty as your mother to warn you to guard your heart and guard your eyes.

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭NIV

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE TO READ THE LETTER

 

Dear Tween Child, Guard Your Heart: Biblical guidance to a tween child and a tween mother's heart. Parenting | Biblical Parenting | Tween Parenting | Godly Advice to a Tween | Youth Parenting

 


This post is part of an amazing blog series to inform and encourage tween parents at http://www.likemindedmusings.com.

Tween Parenting Blog Party
 
You can check all the 30 Days of Tween Parenting Encouragement previous posts here: