I am sure that many of you worry or wonder about how your children will turn out. You see behaviors in them now and wonder if they will ever change or if they will always be like this. But don’t lose hope.

When I was a child, I had a doll that I loved. Her name was Sugar Button Baby. That was actually the name brand of the doll, but I apparently never got around to naming her. I always called her Sugarbuttonbaby. I said it all together, really quickly. I LOVED Sugarbuttonbaby. I took her with me everywhere. She had a pink outfit on and had blonde hair like me. She was about 4 inches tall, or at least that is how tall she started out. Once I started playing with Sugarbuttonbaby, she almost doubled in height because I carried her by her hair. She eventually looked like a troll doll.

I was very protective of Sugarbuttonbaby. I took her with me everywhere. My mom was pretty adamant that I not take Sugarbuttonbaby into stores and such because she knew I would be devastated if I lost her. In fact, my parents had several other Sugarbuttonbabies hidden in their closet in case I lost one. That way my panic would short lived and she could be easily replaced.

I didn’t have great skills taking care of children. One time when my mom and I were about to go into a store, I had Sugarbuttonbaby’s hair securely in hand and was ready to take her with me inside. My mom reminded me that Sugarbuttonbaby had to stay in the car. So, I then proceeded to kiss Sugarbuttonbaby goodbye, like any loving parent would, but rather than just setting her down in the seat, I then with all the “love” I could muster up, chunked her behind me.  I also used to sit out on the patio and rock my baby. So sweet, right? Well, when I was done rocking her, after about 3 minutes, I would throw Sugarbuttonbaby on the ground and say, “That is enough.” Then, I would leave her there and go play. I had lots to learn about caring for Sugarbuttonbaby, or for any child for that matter.

I tell you that story so that you will not only get a little glimpse of how crazy I was as a kid, but also to illustrate a simple point. Don’t lose hope. You are working hard to raise your kids and train them and they may not have progressed as far as you would have hoped. Or maybe you see some rough edges around them and wonder if things will ever change.  My mom said she was always worried that she was going to have to raise her grandchildren, for fear that I would “love” them like I “loved on” Sugarbuttonbaby: holding them by their hair and tossing them in the backseat. But the Lord has brought me a long way. I no longer carry children by their hair, or throw them in the backseat. So don’t worry about the children in my care on Sundays.

Don’t forget that your child is growing and changing and the Lord is shaping them into who He has planned for them to be. They are not there yet. I bet my parents never thought I would be working in children’s ministry. Just like Christ is daily transforming and reshaping us, He will do that in your child too.

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

It can be easy to lose heart when you don’t see much fruit. But remember, God did not entrust your children to you expecting you to make them perfect, but rather to love them and point them to Christ. So as you are training your child and shepherding them, remember that you are not alone, you are the vessel that the Lord is using, and we get to trust Him to do all of the inner heart work.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6

Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. - Ephesians 6:4

Keep training your children and investing in them. I know it is the hardest job you have, but pour into them and pray for them and trust the Lord with them. He has plans for them that even you cannot imagine.