“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
Forty-two years ago, I took my first breath. It was Easter Sunday, 1966.
My father stood behind a pulpit, voicing the good news of an empty tomb, while my mother cradled her pain, voicing the good news of an empty womb. I christened that day with my cries of arrival. Easter, in turn, christened my life with its cries of resurrection. We have companioned together for over four decades now…Easter and me. Every step I have taken…every moment I can recall…has been walked in the shadowing constant of the cross. I have had my moments of clarity along the way…of fully understanding and accepting the gift of the cross as my own. But from my beginning, an Easter walk has been my portion.
My parent’s named me accordingly. Faith Elaine. And while everyone calls me by my middle name, my first name is the one that scripts the truth hidden within my heart.
Faith.
My mom and dad had a big task ahead of them…this raising of “Faith.” It would not be easy, but it was always done with the understanding that parenting was a sacred privilege, rather than a necessary obligation. Over the years, they shaped me for kingdom living—a journey that was rooted in the truth of God’s Word and always in the fellowship of God’s people. And now, four decades later, I have been given the privilege of doing the same.
Beside my bed sits a gift from a ten year old son—a plaque that reads, “Mother, I am what I am because you are who you are.” I keep it close by as a reminder of the sacred privilege that I have been given to be his parent. He is nineteen now. There are three others who follow him. I have been a mom for nearly half of my life. Of all the titles that I have worn or could ever wear, this is the one that sticks.
It has not always been a comfortable cloaking. I didn’t take to motherhood with a natural tendency, as so many mothers do. It was a hard fit for me, and on many days…it still is. I am not an expert on parenting strategies, nor do I wear my motherhood mantle with ease. And while I might, on occasion, have a few tidbits of advice I would like to offer someone regarding the issue, I have learned to find my silence. Recently, however, God has challenged me to find my voice. To pen my thoughts on some lessons that I have learned and am continuing to learn about raising my children to become three men and one woman whose hearts will be forever written with the Easter story.
When I read the words of my son’s gift, I wonder as to the sacred shaping that has come to each of them through my hands and through my heart. Will it be enough to lead them to Jesus, or have my imperfections within the process scripted them for another road? What part do I play in their journey of faith? Am I raising a generation of children who will one day raise the name of their Creator before all men as the witness of their hearts?
That is my constant and abiding hope, and one reason why I have decided to tenderly explore this topic of…
Raising faith.
God thought the topic important. His Word is filled with the mandate. Over and over again, he charges parents and the community of faith with the responsibility of teaching and of raising up children to revere his name. In Biblical times, some did it right. Some did it very wrong, but all were charged with the task. Not a lot has changed since then. We are still teaching and raising. Sometimes right and sometimes wrong, but always with the sacred mandate to do it.
The “right” is always scripted with the story of a faith lived—a faith embraced and meted out within the hearts of those who find their rhythm with the heart of God. The “wrong” is usually scripted with the story of a faith forgotten, perhaps professed, but never fully embraced nor embedded within the hearts of those who almost always walk to the rhythm of a selfish drum.
I am the keeper of both hearts. I have done many things right. And there has been some wrong. But this one truth is truer than most.
If faith is to be raised, then faith must be lived.
Real, authentic living. In season, throughout all seasons. In pleasant and in heat. In plenty and in want. In laughter and in tears. In pasture and in famine. In triumph and in testing. In comings and in goings. In Sunday and in all days. Everyday. Faith…
simply lived.
Children, and those who have been given to us for influence, are not after our perfection and our fake. They are after our real. What they see is what they tend to believe. Indeed, what we are can be a precursor of what they become, and that, my friends, is a heavy cloaking to wear. We are not fully responsible for the outcome, but we would be remiss if we did not own our part in the process. A bent toward kingdom living is best birthed when kingdom faith is boldly lived. And so I ask you this day,
How is your faith living itself out upon the stage of your influence? Does your heart beat with the genuine pulse of our Father? Is your faith believable? Do others around you see the truth of God’s story lived out in yours?
Being uncomfortable with the question is OK. It is right and good to search our hearts in the matter. Staying uncomfortable with the question, however, is a tragedy, for in this one moment, your story of faith can alter its course. You can begin the steps of another direction—a truer path that fleshes out the matter in the light of God’s illuminating presence.
It is never too late to walk the road of faith. Let me write that again. It is never too late to alter your forever, and in turn, to alter the forever of those within your realm of influence.
For forty-two years, I’ve been making adjustments. And while my earthly pilgrimage began on an Easter Sunday, my missteps have sometimes landed me back at Friday’s tomb. I do not always live as authentic as my speak, but God’s grace has always lived authentic. It breathes genuine, and it is a grace that I love and accept because, as a parent, it offers me a plenty to draw upon when my children are in need of its comfort.
Raising faith. I have been doing it nearly half of my life. My parents have been doing it for over half of theirs, and my God has been doing it for always…for all of us. I wonder if he wearies with the doing. I know I do some days, and so I pray…
Raise me up, Father, to a better faith. Grow me so that I can grow others. You have marked my life with the story of your resurrection. Let me walk in the truth and grace of Easter’s embrace so that my faith becomes real in the shadow of Calvary’s cross. Let my life breathe as authentic to those you have placed within my keep. And when my children are grown and gone, may the sacred portions of my influence continue to live on in them as they shepherd young hearts toward an Easter’s end. Amen.
Copyright © May 2008 – Elaine Olsen. All rights reserved.
Thank you for joining me today as I begin a mini-series on a few things that I am learning about “raising faith”…especially as it pertains to parenting. We are all called to the task of faith building, even if our children are grown. Even if our wombs have remained silent. Please feel free to leave your comments along the way. I cherish your participation in my life at this time. Your thoughts and your dreams are welcome here. May God bless your day with his rich anointing and with an awareness of his love for you. Shalom.
“It is never too late to alter your forever”. I place my failures on the altar and let God change my forever.
I’m on a journey of living the faith I’ve claimed for years to believe. Faith is so much more than head knowledge and heart acceptance. Faith is following.
You are so appropriately named. Your life is a beautiful walk of Faith.
Simply His,
Joy
Faith,
Incredible! Inspiring! Motivational! And Heart-Moving! Thank you so much for writing this blog. You asked the right questions.
I was just singing this song today, “My Faith Has Found A Resting Place”…it’s so appropriate for this post.
I consistently pray that the Lord daily strengthen my faith levels in Him- especially with this writing journey. It’s only God who is directing our paths, if we let him, by faith. And I agree completely! It should be shown in our daily lives! I have so much more to say…. but I’m speechless! Incredible Blog! I’m going to link it to mines so other readers can come take a peek and be blessed!
Prayers and Blessings,
Kennisha
This is beautiful. Count me in for the series- though I am not a mother. Perhaps one day. Your words are beautiful and speak so deeply of One Alive.
As always Elaine FAITH that I can embrace and Peace for my journey…
with such profound depth in invaluable words of wisdom that inspire me to walk my faith better
before others. I totally agree with the previous comments…I would have said the same…Joyful mentioned that your life is a
beautiful walk of faith and I couldn’t agree more…and so pray
that whatever you’ve done that you are raising faith in that extremely blessed and lovely family
(I love your photo)! And what Kennisha said..I say Amen and Right on…in every way REAL…simply lived…there is so many key and wonderful truths!
Pure gems that are priceless!
I guess that this has been the REAL prayer of my heart and life to live out that FAITH in my daily walk so that others might see…and more importantly believe
and want what I have…JESUS!!!
Your prayer has become my prayer!
Though I have many failures in not
living that FAITH out in the best way before those I love so much…
I’m thankful that you say “it is never too late”…to alter their fate…by me living MY FAITH the way I should!
Bless you for this great study you have begun..I can’t wait to be enriched in my faith and raising faith…Peggy
Thank you for once again challenging me to look beneath the surface. . . to find a little crack in the armor I have worked so hard over the years to wrap myself in. Thank you for taking up the sword in the form of your pen (or laptop as the case may be)in order to help arm me for my daily battles.
Blessings & hugs!
Liz
And within these beautiful words lies the key to freedom from some of my greatest fears. Are my own shortcomings and imperfections negatively affecting those who I love the most? Those who I pray for daily and love with every fiber of my being; my three boys and sweet man. Camping out on that thought for any length of time has caused a few sleepless nights and moments of anxiety.
Here’s to knowing that God has equipped us for the position he has placed us in, doing our best, being real, and letting God do HIS work through us!
Thank you for sharing your heart.
Elaine:
That was beautiful! What an awesome word picture of your life intertwined with His death and resurrection. A Faith builder indeed.
Blessings,
Marita
Powerful! I am reminded that a faith untested is really no faith at all. No wonder you learned at a young age that faith must be lived out. The Hall of Faith-Walkers from Hebrews 11 shout a resounding “Amen!”
I really enjoyed this post.
Look forward to reading more!
We lay it down, intending not to pick it back up, yet our struggles are just that…struggles. He will never turn from us…what a PROMISE!…and He Won’t Grow WEARY.
\o/ PRAISE HIM! \O/
Isaiah 40:28 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.”
For my husband and I, we didn’t come to a “relationship” with our Savior until our children were adults. I praise God that He lives in us TODAY, and that we have the opportunity to have a RAISING FAITH with our grandchildren. I’m praying through that, that our children will then come to know Him in a very deep and personal way.
I loved these questions: How is your faith living itself out upon the stage of your influence? Does your heart beat with the genuine pulse of our Father? Is your faith believable? Do others around you see the truth of God’s story lived out in yours?
I think, as Sisters in Christ, we need to always inch our ways outside of the worlds box, to show them just how awesome OUR Creator is. Don’t you? What better way, than by being real not only to our children/grandchildren, but to EVERY ONE.
God is real, so why shouldn’t I be?
Love,
Yolanda
“How is your faith living itself out upon the stage of your influence? Does your heart beat with the genuine pulse of our Father? Is your faith believable? Do others around you see the truth of God’s story lived out in yours?”
While I can’t speak for others regarding how they see some of your questions lived out in my life, I am glad, Elaine, for the hand mirror you hold out. I turn it over to look closer, to see what the magnifier side sees and ask do I see the truth of God’s story lived out in my own life?
I learned yesterday that my remission from cancer is shorter than I hoped. Bone lesions have grown and acquired friends. Looks like there is even a new neighborhood. Grin. Gulp. This I know. This I see up close in that mirror: There is nothing good this Father withholds from his child. There is nothing I can do to make him love me more or love me less. This affliction has changed my life. It has purged me. And while I will always despise the disease, I can see with my own bleary beady eyes that God has been up to something in it and that has all, every teensy bit, been good. Thank you, friend Elaine, for this post and for transparency.
Elaine,
I have not known of you and your blog longer than a month. It has occured to me that you love to use the word “sacred.” As I bring my understanding and own definition of that word attached to whatever you use it for, it made me think of how you might define it. Forgive me if you have done some post already on this. You are a gifted writer and painter of word pictures. If you have not already, would you consider writing a post on the meaning of sacred? If you have, point me to the post where you did it.
I just realized I gravitate to a word on my blog that I should post on….defining and describing…and use a word picture for it too.
You continue to get my eyes up to the One who knows and sustains all.
Amy:
Good question. Yes, I use it frequently because the essence of what it means to me is everything!
Sacred for me would be any moment, experience, song, words, relationship, etc. that brings me to a point of deep contemplation with the divine nature of my God…when everything points back to him to affirm the faith that I’m fleshing out in this flesh.
They are truth moments…Moments I believe to be authored by God…an invitation of sorts for me to take notice of his presence. Perhaps, touching the realness of God. Thus, sacred moments can happen anywhere, anytime, through any situation.
It’s sort of like what Brother Lawrence would term…
“Practicing the Presence of God.” (great book by the way).
I hope this helps. Yes, this would make a good blog posting in the future. In fact, most everything about this blog experience has been a “sacred happening” in my life.
Thanks for your thoughts. What is the word you feel you need to define?
peace~elaine
What a lovely post, and so touching. Your children are beautiful. I love this idea: raising faith. Hmmm. It is more than a Sunday thing, is it not? Living faith looks different in different families, I would imagine. But I love the way you are defining it! I can’t wait to read more about your walk in the shadow of the cross…this Easter walk. What a beautiful image you painted with those words.
Very beautiful and very encouraging to me.
I left you a comment last week about your son’s life changing decision and my computer froze. I’ve been having difficulty with my home computer so it’s been real frustrating.Anyway…just wanted to tell your son “Welcome to the family!” 🙂
That is so awesome!!
Loved your comment you left today~very funny & how true! I have my little at work with me…
Blessings!
Lelia
Elaine- I loved the prayer at the end..I shall have to record that in my prayer journal. Beautiful! But I especially liked “Does your heart beat with the genuine pulse of our Father?”. Wow. That’s what I want!!
I will be following you closely with this series. I so want my faith to be contagious to our children.
Your writing is such a blessing to me!
In His Graces~Pamela
Elaine,
How beautiful! You have touched my heart and encouraged me tremendously. Thank you.
Prayers and Blessings!
Rebecca
Elaine,
I love how you say (and then reiterate) “It is never too late to alter your forever” Praise God for His daily mercies! Knowing the many mistakes I’ve made (and still make) in the raising of my son, I often think of 1 Peter 4:8“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
I love the photo of you and your children…so beautiful!
Thank you for this beautiful, challenging and heart-examining post.
Blessings,
Tracy
I would love to be in on this, I feel that be a mother is one of the most important things God ever put me here for, I love being a Mom, i’m not perfect but I totally enjoy it…
Connie
GBU
“Expert on parenting strategies” ? If you find one of those, please let us all know if they are still sane, still standing or have been tied up like the nanny in “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies.” 🙂
Your honesty amazes me, friend! Blessings,
Grace
Elaine,
Thank you so much for your encouraging words on the Wellblog. I can hear your voice of experience and it helps…believe me, it helps! This “growing thing” is like to send me into a panic at any given moment! I know that God is good, and I cling to this.
You have blessed me today…
Laura
“Parenting is a sacred privilege.” I love that it! I always viewed pregnancy as a sacred time, when God allows you to be a part of bringing about a miracle.
But I’m also learning about the sacredness of parenting. It is a blessing to be chosen by God to be a steward of little’s life and faith. We know that it will not be an easy task to raise her to know the Lord, but we pray daily for guidance and strength to do what God wants us to do in raising our daughter. It is a privilege, indeed!