From Parent to Child

I gave you life, but I cannot live it for you,
I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn,
I can give you directions, but I cannot be there to lead you.
I can allow you freedom, but I cannot account for it.
I can take you to Church, but I cannot make you believe.
I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you.
I can buy you beautiful clothes, but I cannot make you beautiful inside.
I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you.
I can give you love, but I cannot force it upon you.
I can teach you to share, but I cannot make you unselfish.
I can teach you respect, but I cannot force you to show honour.
I can advise you about friends, but I cannot choose them for you.
I can advise you about sex, but I cannot keep you pure.
I can tell you the facts of life, but I cannot build your reputation.
I can tell you about alcohol, but I cannot say NO for you.
I can warn you about drugs, but I can't prevent your using them.
I can tell you about kindness, but I can't force you to be gracious.
I can tell you about lofty goals, but I can't achieve them for you
I can warn you about sins, but I cannot make your morals.
I can love you as a child, but I cannot place you in God's Family.
I can Pray for you but I cannot make you walk with God.
I can teach you about Jesus, but I cannot make Jesus your Lord.
I can tell you how to live, but I cannot give you Eternal Life........

"IT'S YOUR CHOICE"

Patrick Atkinson © 1978, 2003
www.GodsChild.org

The older I get the more I realize this to be true, but the good news is that we have a God that is big enough to do all these things for our children. Our responsibility as they get older and we have done all that we can do, is to pray for them. Someone gave this to me the other day and I just had to share it. When they are little we do all we can to instill Godly values and train them up in God's ways but as they get older we need to let go and trust God with them and all that we have put in them. It has been my experience that although it doesn't always happen when and just how we had imagined that God is faithful to His promises and will bring them back and do above and beyond what we could think or imagine.

Proverbs 22:6 (New Living Translation)

Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it