Never-Ending Student

This week I had the privilege of going with the wonderful young moms in my connection group from church (Christy, Stephanie, Tandy, Becky – love you all) to hear John Townsend talk about setting boundaries with kids. It was a tremendous time of learning, and I highly recommend any of John’s books (www.JohnTownsend.com) and especially Boundaries with Kids if you are a parent. It’s funny, but I thought I was going to the event just to encourage and support the young moms in my group, yet oddly I walked away with a wealth of wisdom which I needed to apply to my own life and relationships as well. We never stop learning and growing!

On Saturday I went to speak to the ladies at First Baptist Lewisville and funny thing, God wanted me there so I could learn as well. I attended one of the break-out sessions mainly because I wanted to just hear what the teacher had to say on a certain misunderstood topic in scripture (mainly submission), and once again I not only walked away with a wealth of wisdom, but also a fair amount of conviction.

This morning I picked up my dad’s latest book, Your Daily Mental Vitamin (by Garry Kinder), and the entry went like this: Read and inwardly digest one book each month. Feed the mind as you feed the body. Leaders are readers and readers are leaders. I think the lesson for the week, at least for me, is never stop learning. Be intentional about growing and learning. We learn from books, from the people God places in our lives and most importantly from God’s Word.

As a mom, we want to instill this love of learning with our kids. We begin with our own example. Allow your kids to see that you still love to read, grow and learn as an adult. Every now and then, tell your kids what God is teaching you. Read, read, read. Read to your kids, sit down and read next to your kids, and joyfully talk about what you are reading and learning in life. Begin a collection of classics for your home book shelf. Half-price books is a great place to find treasures. You will find a list of classics books for your kids in my book The Power of a Positive Mom (chapter 18). Enjoy the adventure of learning, and don’t be discouraged if you still feel like you are a never-ending student. Remember that He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

“Knowledge and experience are the best two feet anyone can have to equip him for successful living.” John Wanamaker