Yesterday we returned from a Mission Trip to New Mexico. We woke up one day while there and one of our teens was noticeably an inch taller. Every time I come home to my own kids, I feel like that doubled in size. We planted some grass seed outside in the front yard. A few days ago, it was just a mound of dirt, and now grass is up and growing. There is something amazing about growth.

When it comes to growth, we, as parents, want it to slow down. And while we know it is always ongoing, there are times it comes in large burst. It is the same with the growth of faith in the lives of our kids. Faith is action based on belief. Sometimes we carry faith around, live in it, trust God through one normal day after another and it doesn’t produce much noticeable growth in our faith. We still need these days. We still need to be consistent in our devotion to God. It should be easier in these average mundane days absent of major trails. These days add up. They still produce growth. Faith is built one day at time.

But then there are days you look at your faith and there is a noticeable growth in your faith. In my experience with teens these growth spurts happen when they participate in something that pushes them to be a part of something out of the ordinary. Something uncomfortable. Something hard. Something they did not think they could do. Something that requires trusting God more than they ever have. For some, maybe this is leading a prayer or a song, or reading scripture. Maybe it is going to a friend and sharing how God has lead them out of something they struggled with that their friend is now drowning in. It might be confessing something they struggle with to someone they know can help them. Maybe it is putting their faith into words and answering a question in class. For others, it may being willing to go to New Mexico or Honduras to walk into unknown situations where they find themselves serving others in ways they did not think possible through conditions they did not think they could endure. These big steps are crucible moments. Growing our faith is a choice. And if you want to see huge change we have to chose to trust God in big ways. Those big things are scary but when we allow God to take us through them we will be changed. We will have grown. People will notice. And when the next opportunity comes to trust God we will be much more likely to trust His track record.

Parents, this means we have to trust God to let them participate in big things that we know will produce growth. The truth is, our kids have and always will be in God’s hands. We have to constantly seek ways to let their faith be challenged.  Lead them through these opportunities with them. Let them see your faith as they growth theirs. This is our main role as parents. They need to know you trust God in big ways so they will learn how. They need to hear you share about the times that grew your faith. If we believe what we say we believe then will seek to live it out in big ways. Our kids need their own deep faith. It defines their identity, solidifies their confidence and purpose, and brings immense worth to their lives. Celebrate their growth. Look for the next time they can grow even deeper. The storms are coming. Faith is the anchor.