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Parenting & Faith on the Go · HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN®

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  Good morning, and welcome to another edition of Half-Faith, Let It Begin.
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  Before we drop into our formal introduction, I want to set the stage for today's message.
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  Parenting and faith on the go. As parents, life moves quickly.
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  Schedules, responsibilities, and endless to-do lists can feel overwhelming,
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  but even in the chaos, God's presence is steady.
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  Guiding us as we raise our children in love and faith.
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  So let's prepare our hearts for today's episode.
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  And now, Half Faith Let It Begin starts right now.
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  Music.
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  2000 came and the spark was lit The testimony raw It wouldn't quit His mother's
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  voice A guiding thread, the angels are with you, she gently said.
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  Have faith, let it begin, through the storms and the spin.
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  Rise with joy, respect the fight, face the torch that lights the night.
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  Have faith, let it begin, through the storms and the spin.
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  Rise with joy, respect the fight, face the torch that lights the night.
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  Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another episode of Have Faith, Let It Begin.
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  If you're listening in your car, on the bus, or while preparing the kids for
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  school, I want to say thank you.
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  Thank you for letting us be a part of your life. Thank you for letting us show
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  walk with you in your busy, busy life.
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  Parenting is definitely a gift, a calling.
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  Let's be honest, it's also one of the most exhausting, challenging,
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  and faith-testing roles God could ever give us.
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  Today, I want to talk about how we can keep our faith alive and active,
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  even when life feels like a nonstop marathon.
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  I remember mornings when I was rushing to get my kids ready to school.
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  One needed help finding their shoes, another was upset about their breakfast,
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  and meanwhile the clock was still ticking.
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  By the time we got out the door, I felt like I had already run a marathon before the day even started.
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  And now I'm just at six and three years old, two children.
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  So I've got lots more to deal with. Can you relate?
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  Parenting doesn't stop. Keeps
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  us going when we're tired and we're stressed and we don't feel equipped.
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  And in those moments, I used to wonder, and I still do, am I doing enough?
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  Am I raising them the right way?
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  Here's what I've learned. It's not being the perfect parent.
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  It's about being a present parent, a parent whose faith shows up in the little moments.
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  Proverbs chapter 22, verse 6 says, start children off on the way they should go.
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  And even when they are old, they will not turn from it.
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  That verse isn't a guarantee that parenting will be easy. It's not saying our
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  kids will never wander or struggle.
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  What it does remind us is this, the seeds we plant now matter.
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  Every prayer spoken, every prayer spoken, every Bible verse read,
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  every act of kindness modeled, it all gets stored in their hearts.
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  Our children may not remember every lecture, but they will remember the way we lived.
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  They will remember seeing us pray, watching us worship, hearing us apologize
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  and noticing how we loved others.
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  So how do we practice faith as parents on the go?
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  Let me just give you my own personal struggles and understandings and what I
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  have dealt with and how I share these items that maybe would help with you.
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  Turn everyday, let me see how I can phrase that.
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  Turn everyday moments into faith moments. Yeah, that sounds better.
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  Bedtime prayers, singing worship songs in the car, maybe even at nighttime,
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  or talking about God's creation during a walk.
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  These small practices matter.
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  Model, be a model, a model grace, not perfection.
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  Kids today, they don't need flawless parents. They need faithful ones.
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  When we mess up, and we will, we can show them how to ask for forgiveness and lean on God's grace.
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  Pray over your kids out loud. Even if it's a quick, Lord, protect them today.
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  It reminds both you and them that God is part of their daily life.
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  Parenting is busy, but faith doesn't have to be pushed aside.
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  In fact, faith is what gives us the strength to keep going.
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  If you're a parent listening today and you feel overwhelmed, take heart.
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  God trusted you with this calling because he knows you're equipped through him.
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  You may not always feel strong, but his strength is made perfect in our weakness.
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  Remember this, you do not have to do everything perfectly.
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  You just have to point your kids to the one who is perfect.
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  How do we do that? Start with a prayer like this. Heavenly Father,
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  we lift up every parent listening today.
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  Give them patience in the chaos, wisdom in the decisions, and joy in the little moments.
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  Lord, help them to see that their faith in you is the greatest gift they can
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  pass onto their children.
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  Strengthen their homes with love, peace, and your presence. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
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  I've gone through it and believe you and me, I know what it feels like to want
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  to scream in a pillow by talking it over with your loved one,
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  talking it over with your spouse, praying to God and asking him for peace of mind, truly works.
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  Remember that as you go about your day. Remember that you matter and never forget.
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  Have faith, let it begin.
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  Be wrong, it wouldn't quit. His mother's voice, a guiding thread.
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  Music.
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  The following episode was brought to you in part by Right on Cue Productions and TJ Eric Santana.
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  Music.