Understanding God’s Vision for Parenting Matters: Why?

You’ve probably heard it from parents a little further down the road: “Enjoy it – it goes by fast.” And while you’re trying to savor every moment, the truth is the years seem to speed by with every birthday and Christmas that arrives sooner than expected. In last week’s blog post, we explored having a mindset of “begin with the end in mind.” We encourage you to create a God-centered vision for your family that can help guide your days, focus your values, and ensure the life you’re building together points your children toward what matters most.

One of the most common phrases you may hear from older parents and empty nesters is “Enjoy it – it goes by fast!”. 

And you are trying to enjoy it but inevitably every birthday and Christmas seems to feel like it's sneaking up on you. Time is the issue here, so why not be intentional with it? Imagine yourself 18 years from now, telling a young family, “Enjoy it – it goes by fast!” What core values do you hope you’ll be able to say your family lived by?

Author Rick Warren puts it this way: "Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without direction, and events without reason." Understanding a vision for parenting matters because it creates a roadmap. It channels your efforts and creates a strong foundation for your family. It will help your family stay focused on what really matters. 

One of the ways you can help your family stay intentional is by creating a family vision statement, a compilation of sentences listing your family’s most important values.

Here is an example of two family vision statements: 

1. “Love God, love people. Be grateful not entitled. Choose your actions. Attitude and efforts. Remember who you are.”  
2. “We want to know, love and serve Jesus. Our home is a safe place. We say sorry. We are eager to forgive. We show patience and kindness to one another. We look for ways to serve others. We encourage each other. We point each other towards Christ.” 

Both of these vision statements are anchored in God, yet they look very different. Every person/family's vision will look different because we are all uniquely gifted with passions and talents that call us toward different focuses. 

Here are some things to keep in mind as you begin thinking about what a family mission statement may look like for you: 

1. Keep it God-centered: The purpose of a vision statement is to help us stay focused on what God is calling us toward, not what the world is pulling us into. 
2. Make a vision that lasts a lifetime: We don't make one vision for a home with young kids, one for teens, and one as empty nesters. The vision God has for us is a lifelong journey. If kindness is a value your family upholds above all others, that certainly changes in practice from toddlers, to teens, to adults. But the value is the same. 
3. Put it somewhere you can reference: What we don’t keep in front of us we forget! Make your vision a document easily accessible to consult when making decisions. It will serve as a helpful guide as you navigate the preschool, middle school, and teenage years.
4. Don’t rush it: Coming up with a vision statement for your family is not a short process. So don’t feel like you have to rush! Instead, talk with your spouse, pray, and have ongoing conversations about it. 

Psalm 90:12 calls us to live with purpose: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” When we pause to recognize how quickly time passes, it helps us become more intentional. Instead of letting the days simply drift by, we can seek God’s wisdom and shape a vision for our family that is centered on Him and guides how we use the precious time He has given us.

 

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