parenting

Raising a Child to Know God

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
Illustration depicting Lily from infant to young adult with age ranges and activities
Image generated via AI.

Raising a child to know God is one of the holiest assignments a parent will ever receive. It’s not accidental, automatic, or something that “just happens.” Scripture paints it as intentional, daily, relational work—planting seeds that the Holy Spirit will water for a lifetime.

The Call Begins at Home — Not at Church

God places the primary responsibility for spiritual formation on parents.
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 says these commands must be “on your hearts” and that you should “teach them diligently to your children.”

This means your walk with God is the first sermon your child ever hears. They learn what faith looks like by watching you pray, forgive, repent, worship, and trust God in real time.

Build a Rhythm of God’s Word in Their Lives

Children thrive on repetition and routine. Scripture encourages this kind of steady, daily exposure. Psalm 119:11 reminds us to “hide God’s Word in our hearts.”

Ways to build that rhythm:

  • Daily Scripture moments — a verse at breakfast or bedtime
  • Worship together — even simple songs plant deep truths
  • Bible storytelling — make Scripture come alive with imagination and joy

You’re not lecturing; you’re shaping their spiritual instincts.

Model a Life That Makes God Attractive

Paul told believers, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Your child will imitate what you celebrate.

If they see you:

  • turn to prayer when stressed
  • speak with kindness
  • repent when wrong
  • serve others joyfully

…they will learn that following Jesus is not a burden but a blessing.

Correct With Grace, Not Just Rules

Rules without relationship lead to rebellion. But discipline rooted in love reflects God’s heart.
Ephesians 6:4 warns parents not to “provoke your children to anger” but to raise them in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord.” This means correction should always point them back to God’s character—His holiness, His mercy, His truth.

Pray Over Them Continually

You can teach them truth, but only God can transform their hearts. Prayer is how you place your child in God’s hands daily. Pray for:

  • their salvation
  • their future friendships
  • their purity
  • their calling
  • their protection
  • their hunger for God

But what if they grow up and reject God

Proverbs 22:6 — “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  This scripture notes the way a child “should” go, but it doesn’t promise that they will. There can be a lot of reasons for that, but the bottom line is – free will.

Most likely, they get influenced by some individual(s) before they realize the pleasure of having a personal relationship with God. Whether the influencer is a wayward parent, a friend, a love interest, or someone else the child becomes interested in and how “they” live their life without God. The child may be deceitfully only seeing the good parts of the influencer’s life.

If that has happened to your child, it can break your heart. You could worry, fret with fear, or you can give it to God. In some cases, the child will know in their heart that the lifestyle they have chosen isn’t right, but they will find ways to ignore it, and one way may even be to stop talking to you. That may be because they know you represent God. Whether you say something to them, hoping they will return to God, or not. Never stop praying for them.

A Closing Prayer

Lord, thank You for entrusting this precious child to my care. Give me wisdom to teach them Your ways, courage to model Your character, and grace to lead them with love. Plant Your Word deep in their hearts and draw them to Yourself all the days of their lives. Amen.

Copyright © 2026 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Give it to Me

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

A child grows up believing they’re an awful person, because their parent told them so.  The only time they heard words come out of their parent’s mouth was when it was a complaint.  And perhaps the volume was turned up way too high when those words were spoken.  The parent’s own hurt created a toxic mess in the child’s heart.  Know this; it wasn’t your fault.  You didn’t do anything wrong.

Jesus says, “Give it to me.”

Years go by, and that ungodly belief sticks to the heart of the child, and it actually affects every future relationship that child grows up to have.  One way to relate to hurt people is to wear a hazmat suit when around them, but those things are hot and heavy, and not readily available.  So what is the answer?

Jesus says, “Give it to me.”

That beaten down and battered child grows up denying the pain exist.  Even saying things like, “Oh, its okay.  That’s just the way my parent was.”  Yet they walk on in life struggling to carry the weight of it all, believing the lies.  At times they buckle under the load and they wind up hurting someone else.  Perhaps their own child, or spouse.  Those hit by friendly fire walk away questioning, “What did I do?”

Jesus says, “Give it to me.”

There is only one way to fix it, to get delivered from the burden.  In case you haven’t noticed I’ll repeat it one more time, give it to Jesus.  He wants to take the load from you.  He has been there your whole life, patiently waiting, but his heart broke when you wouldn’t surrender it to him.  He has felt your pain, and every time you hurt he did too.  Jesus doesn’t like to see those he died for hurting, and he died for everyone.  Every time you have cried most likely he did too.

Jesus says, “Give it to me.”

Please, you have carried it way too long.  It’s time to give it to Jesus.  He can handle it.  Don’t go another day living with the pain and trying to carry the load.  Don’t fall asleep one more night on a wet pillow.  Simply ask, “Jesus, will you take this from me, and heal my heart.”  Then trust that he has heard you and will do just that.  You will feel so much better.  Your steps will be lighter, and you will see your world in living color.

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.  Mat. 11:28 (TPT)

Copyright © 2020 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.