• Home
  • Get Savannah’s Weekly Email!
  • Get to Know Savannah
  • Get Your Book Swag
  • My account
  • Cart
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Savannah Scott Romcom Author

What spiritual legacy are you leaving your children?

April 27, 2018 By Patty 2 Comments

27 Apr

Recently my friend, Dawn, started asking people a significant question about the spiritual legacy they want to leave their children.  I doubt she intended to leave me pondering deeply for days after I answered her on a Facebook thread.  I couldn’t shake thoughts of what our day-to-day life looks like as opposed to the cry of my heart as a mom committed to intentional motherhood.

You know how life goes.  We get into our routines.  Our schedules drive us.  We can find ourselves going through the motions instead of leading our children with intention.  We start our days getting kids packed and off to school, or we educate them at home.  Throughout the afternoon we complete chores and errands, then run from soccer practice to dance rehearsals.  Evenings consist of supper, getting teeth brushed and tucking children into bed.  We throw in family devotions and bedtime prayers if we are able and consistent.  We can inadvertently end up performing all the tasks while missing the mark.  

photo courtesy of andy hall

[bctt tweet=”If we aren’t careful, even spiritual activities we share with our children can end up feeling like something on our to-do list.  ” username=”HeartsHomeward”]

Where’s the Heart?

I started thinking about crazy-intentional things I did when my oldest was younger.  I mean, like, let’s get a degree from Talbot School of Theology in kindergarten, crazy.  For example, we memorized the names of God in Hebrew and their meanings.  This was actually pretty cool.  I’m not so sure I quenched his spiritual thirst with age-appropriate experiences.  Then I considered activities which resulted in messages I didn’t mean to convey.  Sometimes our spiritual practices put far more emphasis on our behavior than the heart behind our actions.  There’s nothing wrong with learning to be kind or control our tongues.  When the heart is left disengaged, these become exercises in trying to be good without God.  That’s not the spiritual legacy I want to impart to my children.

photo courtesy of mauricio artieda

 

Somewhere between child one and child two (and after child 1.5 who was our foster daughter had left our home), I realized more deeply that spiritual virtues are fruit.  As I continued to mother my children, I saw my own failings and sin come through my motherhood.  I knew God had to be at the heart.  Otherwise our spiritual activity was going to add up to nothing (don’t believe me? Check 1 Cor 13). 

The Next Generation of Pharisees 

I mean, if you are constantly memorizing verses and reciting them (all good), and you are counting three blessings a day at supper (again, good stuff), and you are reading a designated portion of scripture together each morning (yep, that’s good too), you can feel like you’ve got this spiritual training thing all wrapped up in a bow. 

photo courtesy of aaron burden

 

Strictly leading children through spiritual practices has the potential to produce adults who tithe, show up to church on time and serve in ministry.  These same adults can be the ones whose hearts do not lean on God or seek Him to share their joys.  They rarely lift their sorrows to God or look to Him to strengthen their weakness.  We can have children who know a lot about God, live around the things of God, and yet lack a meaningful connection with God.  In other words, we can be unwittingly raising the next generation of Pharisees.  

Building Relationship

Paul prays this amazing prayer in Ephesians that we would be rooted and grounded in love and know the height and depth and breadth of a love that cannot be measured – the love God has for us.  The concept of relationship as a foundation started to permeate the way I shepherd my children, and honestly, it’s made things all messy and unmeasurable. 

When you start to focus on the relational connection your children are having with God, it gets a bit murky.  Often we don’t know what is taking root in our children’s hearts.  Some seeds we scatter will fall on fertile soil.  Others, like this old lime tree we brought with us and replanted when we moved, have to grasp new soil for a good long time before any fruit comes. 

photo courtesy of ben white

 

God tells us, though, that we will know a tree by its fruit.  We can tell if our kids are growing in really knowing Jesus by the way they talk about Him.   We can observe whether they independently seek Him when we aren’t prompting them.  Yes, this quickening of their heart is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit.  We can hinder or facilitate their growth by what we demonstrate about walking with God.  A lot can be impacted by how we invite them into life with Him.  

Have I Got A Match for You

At some point, and I don’t remember when, I started thinking of my role in my children’s faith relationships with God as one of a sort of Yenta (matchmaker).  You know when you meet this awesome single young woman and you think, “Oh, do I know a guy for you?”  (Ok, maybe that’s just me …)  Anyway, I look at my children and God as a delightful match literally made in heaven.   My role is to introduce them to one another and then let them cultivate a relationship.  Christianity is not a box I want to fit my children into, but a relationship I want them to cultivate.  I hope my spiritual legacy will be one of relationship.  

Walk the Talk

Another pitfall we can easily stumble into is working on our children’s spiritual growth as if it were a project to be accomplished.  We sometimes do this to the neglect of our own walk with God.  It’s so much easier to focus on what they need to do and how we need to set up all the things to make them do it.  Instead, we would do better to double up on our own heart examination, prayer time, and devotion to the Word.  Jesus talked about this when He reminded us to take the log out of our own eye so we could be equipped to help others with the speck in theirs.  

photo courtesy of nathan shipps

 

As parents, we need to model our own dependent and abiding relationship.  The more we walk with God, the more we will include Him in all we do.  Our children will emulate our modeling far more than they will absorb lessons we struggle to impart to them.

Do first; teach second. 

Live out the spiritual legacy you want your children to copy and you will be amazed at the growth in both of you.  

God has both the capacity and the desire to pursue our children.  Their faith is not an outcome of our input.  Let’s walk the talk and focus on leading them to Him so they can foster a trust-follow relationship.  We will know we have done the best we can to facilitate a spiritual legacy that carries them forward.   Not one of us does this perfectly.  Ultimately, the choice to live out all that has been modeled and taught will be theirs.  

Share
Pin
Tweet
Share

Filed Under: Parenting, Spiritual Growth

About Patty

I write to encourage your heart, feed your soul, and give you wisdom for your life. Motherhood is my passion. I've been married to my surfer/skater husband for over 20 years.  We have two boys and a home full of neighbor kids most days.

« What is the number one message you are giving your child?
Learning from God How to Live in the Day at Hand »

Comments

  1. Alicia says

    April 30, 2018 at 7:52 PM

    Excellent insight for us moms who are addicted to accomplishing tasks and checklists! Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

    Reply
    • Patty says

      April 30, 2018 at 7:55 PM

      I hear you, Alicia! I just finished a chapter in the book, “Hands Free Life” where she talks about the standards we hold ourselves to and how to let go of that internal pressure we put upon ourselves. I am so glad you shared that insight. I can tell it’s from your heart.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I’m Savannah …

I’m a Zumba dancing, coffee sipping, road tripping girl and I love writing closed-door romcom!

My stories make you laugh, smile, and sometimes keep you up past your bedtime chanting the famous reader mantra, “just one more chapter.”

I hope you find your next sweet escape in one of my books.

You can read more about me on my “Get to Know Savannah” page.

I love hearing from you! Sign up for my weekly email, join my reader group on Facebook, or follow me on Instagram so we can connect more often.

Want to talk books, books, books?

I'd love to bless you with my weekly sweet reader email!

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

I’d love to connect with you on Social Media …

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Woooo hoooo! We’ve got winners! That’s right. Woooo hoooo! 
We’ve got winners!
That’s right. 
TWO WINNERS. 💜

Congrats to @tesshomelibrary and @spinmeastorybook 

You each won a paperback copy of CruiseShipped! 

CruiseShipped is a forced-proximity, vacation romcom with a hot fireman and a sassy, spirited event planner. 

40 Midwesterners take a wedding cruise together. What could possibly go wrong? 

Brooks & Gabriela met years ago. They saw one another once since then and spent a day together they’ll never forget. When they wind up on the same cruise, their attraction is as strong as ever. But they live in different cities. How will they find their happily ever after? 

And for those of you who didn’t win, stay tuned. We’re doing a Friendshipped-themed Box-o-Bordeaux giveaway next week! 

#cruiseshipped #cruiseshippedbook #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #romcombooks #sweetromcom #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #summerreading #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #smalltownromance #beachromancebooks #travelromance #forcedproximityromance #puertoricanstories #latinaromancebooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammers #shippers #Imashipper #romcom #romcomreadersofinstagram #smalltownromancebooks
Here we are … another #wipwednesday Only six m Here we are … another #wipwednesday 

Only six more until this book is out in the world. 

You guys! 
Riley and Cam are so awesome. This road trip is iconic, fun, sometimes deep. 

Cam is downright oblivious. 
And then … he starts to feel things.

Riley has crushed on Cameron for years. He’s her best friend’s older brother. Totally off limits. 

A week on the road driving from Ohio to California has them in forced proximity. 

How long can they resist what’s building between them? 

#arewethereyet #arewethereyetbook #lovetrippin #lovetrippinseries #savannahscottauthor #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #sweetromcom #roadtripromance #comingofagebook #route66roadtrip #bookexcerpt #amwritingromcom #bookstagram #romancereadersofinstagram #romcomreadersofinstagram
CruiseShipped is on Audiobook! If you’re looki CruiseShipped is on Audiobook! 

If you’re looking for the perfect summer read, get away to the Caribbean with forty midwersterners and a couple whose kisses will melt your flip flops. 

You’ll laugh
You’ll swoon
You’ll want to pack your bags. 
The HEA will make you smile so big. 

He’s a fireman from a small town. 
She’s a spirited, sexy event planner from Boston. 
They met years ago. 
Now they happen to be on the same cruise for a week. 
They want so much more, but they’ll take what they can get. 

And … to celebrate the release of CruiseShipped on audio, @bookworm_wordnerd and @aurorabookreview and I are teaming up to do a giveaway!

That’s right!
We’re giving away not one, but two paperback copies of CruiseShipped (two winners total). 

To enter for a chance to win …

🛳️ Follow all three of us:
@aurorabookreview 
@bookworm_wordnerd 
@savannahscott_author 

🛳️ Like this post. 

🛳️ Share to your story for a bonus entry. 

🛳️ Tag up to five friends. 

🛳️ And comment below with your fave vacation spot — either one you’ve been to, or one you hope to visit. 

Winner will b selected Friday, June 2nd. 

(Sorry, open to US residents only due to shipping costs). 

#bookishgiveaway #cruiseshipped #cruiseshippedbook #gettingshippedseries #savannahscottauthor #savannahscott #bookstagram #romancereadersofinstagram #romcomreadersofinstagram #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #sweetromcom #newaudiobook #dreamscapemedia #vacationromance #puertoricanstories #summerread #beachreads #poolsidereading #summerromcom #firemanromance #smalltownromance #lovestories #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever
#FirstFeelingsFriday. 💜 Do you like Insta-love #FirstFeelingsFriday. 💜

Do you like Insta-love stories? I’ll be honest, I mostly don’t. 

I believe love takes time to build. 

I’ll tell you what rings true to me: insta-chemistry. And these two have it in spades. 

Gabriela is passionate and sassy. She speaks her mind and takes risks easily. She’s a confident woman from a strong, loving family. 

Brooks is a sweetheart. He’s a fireman, like his dad and brothers before him. His family bonds are more complicated. 

When these two meet, actually even before they actually ever speak, there’s an electrical charge in the air. They flirt from the first moment their eyes lock. 

What’s the problem?
Well, Brooks lives in small town Bordeaux. Gabriela lives 850 miles away in Boston. 

So, they walk away. 
When they see one another again at a wedding, they decide to give themselves a day together the day after the ceremony. 

But then, Gabriela returns home. 

And neither of them really ever get the other out of their mind. Brooks says … if only … if only things were different … she’d be mine. 

If you like closed door romance with forced proximity, a vacation to the Caribbean, a small town vibe, and more hot kisses than you can imagine … CruiseShipped is for you. 

This book has heart, laughs, and a surprising HEA. (It is recommended to read CruiseShipped before reading Ripped & Shipped because Ripped & Shipped has a spoiler for CruiseShipped) 

#cruiseshipped #cruiseshippedbook #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #romcombooks #sweetromcom #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #romcomauthor #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #smalltownromance #beachromancebooks #travelromance #forcedproximityromance #puertoricanstories #latinaromancebooks #lovestories #bookstagram #shippers #Imashipper #romcomreadersofinstagram #ohiolove #smalltownromancebooks
Are We There Yet? Nope. Not yet 😉 But, it’s Are We There Yet?

Nope. Not yet 😉 But, it’s coming … July 2023!

Cameron and Ben have jobs on Marbella Island their first year out of college. 

Riley and Madeline are going back to California for their last year at UCLA. 

Riley’s had a crush on Cam for years. 

Two problems:

1. Cameron is Madeline’s older brother. That’s right, as in Riley’s bff, Madeline. 

2. Cameron’s oblivious. He only sees Riley as a second little sister. 

These four travel down iconic Route 66 in this coming-of-age, coming-to-your-senses, closed-door romcom. 

Cam’s the responsible, goal-oriented young man with a secret in his past. 

Riley’s the free-spirited ball of sunshine who pushes him to step outside his comfort zone and risk again. 

#arewethereyet #arewethereyetnovel #arewethereyetbook #lovetrippinseries #lovetrippin #roadtripstories #sweetromcom #closeddoorromcom #comingofagestories #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #wipwednesday #amwritingromance #romcomreadersofinstagram #romancereadersofinstagram #bookstagrammers #lovestories
Townshipped … a bride-on-the-run, amnesia romcom Townshipped … a bride-on-the-run, amnesia romcom. 

People have said this book made them love the amnesia trope. 
And, why not?
When “Em” lands on Aiden’s property and remembers nothing, she wakes in his guest room. 

He’s a farmer … but not that kind of farmer. 
Not like Old MacDonald. 
Nope. 
Aiden’s got heart. 
And he keeps that heart tucked under those pecs. 

Aiden’s friends have always teased him, saying things like, “it’s not as if a woman’s just going to land on your doorstep and fall in love with you.” 

Never say never. 

Townshipped is in KU, on Amazon, and on audiobook … even through Hoopla in many places. 

#townshipped #townshippedbook #audiobook #dreamscape #dreamscapeaudio #willdamron #amymcfadden #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #smalltownromance #smalltownromcom #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #brideontherun #runawaybride #goatsofinstagram #romcomreaders #romcomreadersofinstagram #sweetromance #sweetromcom #closeddoorromcom #closeddoorromance #lovestories #ohiolove #bookstagrammers #shippers #Imashipper #smalltownromancebooks
Feeling that itch to escape to a small town where Feeling that itch to escape to a small town where life is simple, people know one another better than they know themselves, the townspeople meddle, the seniors get into shenanigans, the men are hotter than July heat, and the corn grows taller than the fishermen’s tales?

I’ve got just the place for you. 
Come to Bordeaux (Bored Ox), where the cattle are bored but you never will be. 

This seven-story series of stand-alone romcoms will make you laugh and steal your heart. 

🌽 friends to lovers in Friendshipped 
🐄 second-chance romance in Battleshipped 
🚜 forced-proximity, amnesia romance in Townshipped
🧢 older brother’s best friend in Censorshipped 
🏡 grumpy-sunshine, single dad in Doctorshipped
🏝️ vacation, forced proximity in Cruiseshipped
👠 enemies to lovers, fake dating in Ripped & Shipped 

The books are available on Amazon, KU and in audiobook (dual POV with two narrators). 

Slip away to the middle of southwest Ohio for some snort-laughter, hot kisses, and happily ever afters that will keep you smiling. 

One thing about a sweet small town. You might leave it, but it won’t leave you. Come on back anytime. 

(Video is mine - filmed in #pasorobles Ca when I was on a writing retreat finishing Ripped & Shipped). 

#romcombooks #sweetromance #sweetromcom #closeddoorromance #closeddoorromcom #savannahscott #savannahscottauthor #bordeauxohio #bordeauxohioforever #ilovemyreaders #gettingshipped #gettingshippedseries #lovestories #romcomreadersofinstagram #smalltownromancebooks
#smalltownromance #ohiolove #imashipper #shippersforlife #bookseries
Follow on Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 · Patty H. Scott · All Rights Reserved