Kiddie Korner
With Lori Braswell
Spiritual Gifts in Children
I have had a precious last several months watching my children as they have both come to a saving knowledge of Christ and have both prayed for Jesus to forgive them of their sins and live in their hearts. These are moments I have prayed for continuously for as long as they've been alive and even before they were born. God has sweetly answered my prayers. Being that my children are not quite five and six years old, some may be skeptical about their understanding of the decision they have made, but I can honestly say that I have witnessed them both growing in spiritual ways that have amazed and delighted me. I have witnessed the light of understanding come into their eyes when I ask them to be obedient and their desire to want to be obedient. Before accepting Christ neither had that desire, the only desire they had was to not get themselves in trouble. It has been a wonderful testimony to me of God's faithfulness and how I should go to Him in everything as I've observed them ask God to help them be obedient and do what is right.
It has given me a new connection with them now that they understand how God helps them in daily living. It's also been fun to watch them as the Holy Spirit prompts them to use spiritual gifts with which God is gifting them. While it is somewhat different for children than it is with adults in recognizing their spiritual gifts because of their maturity levels and life experiences, I do believe children exhibit at different times different spiritual gifts as God grows them. For instance my son, Benjamin, shows the gift of exhortation every time he encourages his sister to do what is right. He truly wants her to do what is right to help her not get in trouble and not just because he wants to be in charge. My daughter, Rachel, usually has a little trouble accepting his help, however, because she is the older of the two and is therefore, The Boss (or so she believes). But I've watched her also, as God gifts her with mercy when she hears a story about a child who doesn't have as much as she does and her tender heart melts as she cries that we need to pray for him/her and love them. She also loves to make people cookies or brownies to let them know they are loved and in our thoughts.
As they grow and develop, we parents need to help our children realize their places in the Body of Christ. We can help them participate in what God is growing and gifting them in right now through ministries in the church, mission programs and various projects in our communities. It is an exciting time when we allow our children to be actively using their God-given gifts. Not only does it give us the chance to teach them, but it also gives us a chance to hone our gifts too as God uses our children to teach us.
Ministry Resources
There are some wonderful ministry resources on the Internet to help us provide our children training. Here are just a few. I hope you find them helpful.
http://mintools.com/children-spiritual-gifts.htm
http://christian-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/spiritual_gifts_for_kids
http://childrensministryandculture.wordpress.com/2006/05/03/spiritual-gifts-for-children/
http://www.higherpraise.com/pdf/New/Curr277/Curr27700001.html
Lori's Bio
Lori has been writing the Kiddie Korner for HeartBeat the Magazine for over a year and is working on her first novel. She is currently living in the Lexington , Kentucky area with her husband, Joel, and their two children, Rachel and Benjamin. In her spare time, she enjoys scrapbooking, crocheting and singing with her husband at church. This past year Lori decided, at the Lord's urging, to use her passion for crocheting and teaching to start a Prayer Shawl Ministry at her church. Whether it's a prayer shawl she crochets, a song she sings or an article she writes, it is Lori's continual hope that all will glorify God and minister His love and words to those who receive them.
You may contact Lori at: braswellfamily@gmail.com