Bible Studies & Child not Saved HELP

One of the most amazing books for me aside from the Bible is Stepping Heavenward. This a novel written in the form of a journal. I believe it starts when the character is fourteen and continues on through her life.  I have read it a few times and each time it has drawn me closer to my Lord. It shows throughout it how tradegy and hardship can draw one closer to God. The main character struggles with guilt of her own sins, but learns to give all to the Lord and trust in him. It is a very gentle way and enjoyable way of being faced with love from God. You can also find a copy for very cheap price.

My husband went through a period of video gaming to the exclusion of all else. This book helped me to prayerfully give it all to God. I am so thankful that I struggled through that, now he is once again a wonderful father and husband.  It was a year of loving and respecting my husband because it was what I kow God desires of us, even though he did not “deserve” it. This was six years ago. At one point I even began to wonder whether my husband believed that God was real. Prayerfully and sparingly I would talk to him about things that God was teaching me. This last year my husband has had many talks with our children encouraging them how to honor the Lord. We have still not prayed or read our Bible together. However, I have seen more and more fruit in his life as time goes on and I will continue to trust and pray. I was originally thinking that it would be some quick miracle (and sometimes it is) however God timing is best. Maybe this slow progression is to help me in my prayer life.

May the Lord bless you and your family. There is something powerful in the prayers of loving parents. You often don’t know how the Holy Spirit is working in the lives of others. As you pray trust that he is knocking at your daughters heart. I have only read a few missionary stories. Of these there were at least two where children rebelled from thier parents faith for a time until they came to a personal relationship with Jesus. One was Franklin Graham and I believe that the other was Hudson Taylor.  

“At first he was eager to discuss his religion and share his christian upbringing. Gradually he began to spend more time listening. His new friends siad things that he had never thought about before, and he realized how sheltered his childhood had been. Perhaps his fellow clerks were right when they sneered at the traditional religious ideas his parents had taught him.”     pg 22      

He worked with them many months until his eyes grow so imflammaed that he had to go work for his father again. He began to desire and longed for the things of the world. One day in boredom he picked up a pamphlet and read it.

“When the story ended and the sermon began , he kept reading about how the death of Christ on the cross at Calvary provided a full and perfect atonement for sin -even his own sin. At first Hudson scanned over the paragraphs, telling himself that he had known this since he was a small child.  Suddenly he realized what this meant! If Christ’s work was complete and the whole dept paid, what was left for him to do? A light flashed inside Hudson at the moment, and he could not resist the urge to fall to his knees and pray for this complete salvation that he was reading about. All those years of instruction from his parents no longer seemed like a lot of silly religious ideas, as his friend George would think. Hudson was convinced that he had come to the end of his search for truth. His mother and father had been right all along and had waited patiently for him to realize this himself. Pg 26

He first told his sister who was very excited. She said that she knew that he was struggling and had been praying for him 3 times a day  for the last month. She promised not to tell thier mother because he wanted to do it himself.

When his mother came home he excitedely said that he had good news. Much to his disappointment and surprise she said that she knew. He asked if Amelia broker her promis

“No, Hudson, it was not from any human source that I found out. Two weeks ago I feltsuch a burden for your conversion that I got up from the dinner table and locked myself in my room. I was resolved not to leave that room until my preayers were answered. I prayed for hours, and that very day I felt the assurance that at last you knew the Lord ofr yourself.”  Pg 32   From Hudson Talyor (Young Christian Library Reader’s) by Susan Miller

God is the only one that knows when, how, where, what will draw your child to Him. I love how you can see that He used people, circumstance, things, and promptings of the Holy Spirit to draw Hudson to him. Maybe just reading a few books like these would bring you hope. Maybe your daughter seeing them around would intrigue her. Maybe have family Bible reading, missionary focus, and or worship time together would draw her in. Maybe pray is the best at all else would push her farther away. Praying for you all.  – Kalle

Kalle – I just had to say, Stepping Heavenward is also one of my favorites!  My best friend gave it to me when I was in high school and I have tried to read it at least once a year since that time. 

Cyndi – I’ve been following this thread and the thing that keeps popping into my heart is that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  Other books can be helpful, but I know that personally, my faith didn’t become my own (as opposed to living off my parents’ faith) until I started reading His Word for myself.  I just want to encourage you to keep her in the Word, even if she says she doesn’t believe.  Maybe study the word “faith” in the Bible with her, showing her that it isn’t about feelings?  What about that story where the man says to Jesus, “I do believe – help my unbelief!”  We all struggle with unbelief – perhaps she could relate to him? 

As for loving on her – I saw this journal idea at Currclick and I have it on my wishlist.    It’s a little pricey but it looks like a wonderful tool for relationship building, and perhaps you could use it as a place to encourage her with Scripture.  From the description: I am a homeschool Mom with the desire to have my children’s heart.  God allowed me to hear a testimony of a grown lady whose mother had done a daily journal with her as school project for one school year.  Every morning she would write in her journal and put on her Mom’s desk.  The next morning she would find the journal back on her desk with an entry from her Mom. They loved it so much that they kept journaling together; although over the years it no longer was a daily journal they still keep a cooperative journal up.  The lady said it was a real help to her during her teenage years and as a young mom.  Sadly I don’t remember the name of the lady and can’t seem to find any information on her on the internet.  I really wish that I could give her credit for this idea. 

The journal that currclick has is prompts to give you ideas to write about. 

Praying for wisdom for you and for a softening of your daughter’s heart,

Erin