Mike Smith:
Rachael, we’ve been talking this week about how to hear God’s voice in the things you say to your children. What do you find yourself saying to your children most often?

Rachael Carman:
Now you’re putting me on the spot, Mike! This is a tough question. And it’s confession time—I’m not perfect. I wish that I could tell you that I say all of these loving, encouraging, affirming things to my children, 24/7, 365. But the reality is, I fall into the same bad habits that I think we all do. And that is, I end up saying things that are about their behavior, about things that I wish they’d do, or that they didn’t do, or that they need to do.

I think, though, this year, having a senior, it’s really given me pause. As we prepare to send him off on his new life adventure this year, I’ve really begun to think all over again—what are the things I want him to hear next year when he’s not at home? Do I really want “Go clean out your car!” to be the number one thing that he remembers me having said? No! I want it to be “I love you!”

But I’ll tell you something else, Mike, that I’ve really become convicted by. And that is, yes, I really want my children to remember me saying that I love them. But even more than that, I want my children to remember me saying, “God loves you. He has great plans for you, and I can hardly wait to see what those are.”

Mike:
Rachael, thanks for bringing us that message today. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.