Empowered Kids – Everyday Life with the Holy Spirit
Excited to introduce my guest author, Jessie Mattis. Her message to Christian parents, adults, and the church about kids who follow Jesus is eye-opening.
The 4-14 Window
I don’t know about you, but the 4-14 window lights a fire in me. If this is a new phrase for you, the 4-14 window simply refers to the age range in which people are most receptive to learning about Jesus.
Approximately 70% of Christians chose to follow Jesus when they were between the ages of four and fourteen.
I’m guessing we can agree it’s an absolutely crucial period in a child’s life!
Sometimes, it seems, kids between the ages of 4-14 don’t get the credit they deserve. Teachers and parents don’t always understand the capabilities and potential of these children, bubbling under the surface, just waiting for guidance and encouragement to rise to the occasion.
More than Capable
The truth is, through the power of the Holy Spirit, kids who follow Jesus are capable and empowered to:
- Speak to God
- Hear from God
- Pray for others
- Be led and gifted by the Holy Spirit in various ways
Even at the tender age of four, I can remember my own children being more than capable of understanding the basics of God. And applying it in their own lives. When my youngest daughter was around age four, she had (and still has) deep compassion for those around her. If one of her big siblings hurt themselves (as happens with kids all. the. time.) it wasn’t uncommon for her to reach her chubby little hand out and pray a simple, four-year-old’s prayer: “Dear God, please help my brother/sister feel better.” (Cue me trying not to let my heart explode with joy.)
Showing Kids an Active Relationship with God
Children do as they’re shown, not always as they’re told. Unfortunately, too many well-meaning children’s church programs are telling instead of showing. Focused almost entirely on Bible facts and stories (which are important, don’t get me wrong), they’re missing the piece of the puzzle about being in relationship with God.
Kids need both—to learn about God, and to learn to live alongside a living God.
Understandably, teaching this isn’t something that comes naturally to most adults. Many are raised as church-going Christians, and that’s about as far as their relationship with God extends. If this is you—no guilt and no worries!
We are ALL on a journey of discovering who God is and what that means in our daily lives.
#kids need both—to learn about God, and to learn to live alongside a living God. #blog Click To TweetI’ve met many Christian parents who want more for their kids’ relationships with God, but they feel stuck. These parents are trying to figure things out for themselves.
But how can they be expected to lead a child where they themselves haven’t yet been? What’s a well-intentioned Christian parent to do?
Partnering with the kids in your life to demonstrate that God wants a rich, vibrant relationship with them isn’t just a nice thing to do. It’s a necessary thing to do. Lead by example.
If you’re not feeling up to snuff, pull in other adults who can fill this spiritual role in their lives.
Partner with Power Up
No matter how long a parent has been following Jesus, they often feel unsure when it comes to showing their child what an active faith looks like. They need a resource to partner with, to help fill in some gaps. That’s where Power Up comes in.
Power Up is a Christian novel I wrote for kids ages 8 and up. My purpose for writing this book was to show kids that following God and listening to the Holy Spirit isn’t reserved for adults. Because it’s accessible to everyone, regardless of age.
This book will show kids, through relatable characters and storylines, what it can look like to meet the Holy Spirit. And how to be empowered to live the adventures of everyday life with him.
Pray
Show the kids in your life there’s more to God than simply showing up at church on Sundays. There’s a living, breathing God who wants to empower us with his Holy Spirit to love, encourage, and live in the world around us. Supplement with external resources (like Power Up) to reinforce what you’re doing. And last but definitely not least, pray.
Show the #kids in your life there’s more to God than simply showing up at #Church on Sundays. There’s a living, breathing God who wants to empower us with his Holy Spirit to love, encourage, and live in the world around us. Click To TweetPray for your children and those around the world to meet Jesus, know God, and experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit every day. Don’t let those fertile years between ages 4 and 14 slip away. Be intentional. Power Up.
About Jessie:
Jessie Mattis lives with her husband and fellow author, Chip Mattis, and their three amazing kids in Bloomington, Indiana, and immensely enjoys being a wife and mom. While she is often busy homeschooling the kids, you can also find her spending time with friends and family, volunteering at church, reading, writing, or sneaking chocolate from the cupboard to go with her black coffee (when the kids aren’t looking, of course). Jessie’s debut novel, Power Up, was an award winner in the 2018 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference annual contest.
Connect wtih Jessie:
Website: JessieMattis.com
Social media: Twitter; Instagram
Purchase Power Up: Amazon; Barnes & Noble; ChristianBook.com
*Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Legacy Linkup/Inspire Me Monday/Kingdom Bloggers/Literacy Musings/Tell His Story/Purposeful Faith/Abounding Grace/Tea and the Word/Welcome Heart/Recharge Wednesday/Porch Stories/Destination Inspiration/Worth Beyond Rubies/Tune in Thursday/Sitting Among Friends/Heart Encouragement/Embracing the Unexpected/Fresh Market Friday/Faith On Fire/Dance With Jesus and Faith and Friends.
Jessie, what a powerful message and a powerful book! (No pun intended!) My husband and I read your book and were inspired anew in our own relationship with Christ through the work of His indwelling Holy Spirit. It is so easy to feel like going to church is the be all. But Jesus Christ is so much more!!! Thank you for your commitment to kids and families, inviting them to continue living in step with the Spirit for an empowered and fulfilled Christian life. God bless you and your ministry! Thank you for hosting Jessie and her message, Karen!
Hey Melissa, Jesus Christ is so much more than going to church or some list we check off for Christianity. The Holy Spirit plays such a vital role in our journey as followers of Jesus and our relationship with the Father. I’m sure Jessie’s book inspires adults too!
Excited about this post. Agree that as adults, we must model living our faith to our children and those we may influence. I can remember as a child how many parents put their kids on the “church bus” Sunday morning, but never went to church with their children. My adopted mother and father were the best examples I could have had. I remember seeing them read the Bible with each other. I remember them sharing scripture with us and modeling their faith in every day life. I especially remember the heartfelt prayers we shared as a family. My adopted parents taught me how to have a real relationship with Christ. Those lessons were forgotten for too many years, but were never lost on me. God’s blessing Mrs. Karen and Mrs. Jessie.
J.D., your adoptive parents sound like such blessings in your life! You were truly blessed to be raised by strong Christians who loved the Lord in front of their children. Appreciate you sharing your experience and heart-felt comment.
It’s so good to meet you, Jessie, here at Karen’s place! Your book sounds like a perfect one to share with my granddaughters, so yes, I will be placing my order. I have a series of books for young folks (and adults, too!) that you can check out at my website. I think these are ones your children will enjoy. http://www.gladetrilogy.wix.com/theglade
Blessings!
Thanks, Martha! And thank you for sharing the link for your books!
I love how capable children are! It is amazing what they understand when given the opportunity to learn and grow. Thanks for this encouragement to parents. It also reminds me of my responsibility as a grandparent to live my faith out loud before my grandchildren!
“…live my faith out loud,” Yes, Beth, I want to take this serious too!
Jessie, it’s nice getting to know you more through this post. I appreciate how you mention having a willingness to pull in other adults to help us in areas where we might feel weak. It’s a beautiful picture of biblical community, laying down our pride for the good of our children. Congrats on your win at Blue Ridge! I hope our paths cross next May. Blessings…
That is the purpose of biblical community, Cathy. To encourage each other in the family of God no matter our spiritual age.
I had never heard of the 4-14 window before. I got saved when I was 25 years old, so I must be one of the rarer ones. (Ha ha ha). But it is good to know that we mustn’t take our children’s faith for granted, and that it is important to show them, as you pointed out, how to have a loving relationship with God.
Lisa, I was 16 when I accepted Christ, so I was just a little out of the window as well. Helping all Christ-followers thrive in their relationship with the Lord is necessary and needed, we shouldn’t let kids, just because their young, fall off our radar.
Really inspiring post! Amazing tips!
Appreciate that, Ava. God bless!
Great to get to hear about you and your book Jessie. Very inspirational
Thanks for commenting, Yvonne.
I love this: “Kids need both—to learn about God, and to learn to live alongside a living God.”
They won’t have a thriving relationship with Christ with only the first.
So true, Nancy! I love that line and thought as well! It’s all about life with the living God.
Karen, thanks for “introducing” us to Jessie and her book. What wonderful, hopeful information. All three of my children accepted Christ before the age of 10. Praise the Lord!
Beckie, praise the Lord. So wonderful!
Jessie, there’s so much wisdom in your words! As I read I thought about when our boys were young. They both “prayed the prayer” when they were five, and my husband have tried to live out loud in terms of our relationships with the Lord, so that the boys would have an example. I’m coming to the conclusion that they (now teens) are both at the point where they have to choose Jesus for themselves. We talk about Him and His impact in the world around us and in our lives. We pray with them, but they aren’t eager to embrace Him on His terms (if that makes sense) right now. And so we continue to pray.
Great post!
Jeanne, so wonderful how you and your husband modeled your relationship with the Lord in front of your boys. Teenage years are tough, praying with you they learn to embrace Jesus fully one day.
Karen and Jessie, this is such a powerful message! This paragraph may be THE KEY to what’s wrong in the American church: “Children do as they’re shown, not always as they’re told. Unfortunately, too many well-meaning children’s church programs are telling instead of showing. Focused almost entirely on Bible facts and stories (which are important, don’t get me wrong), they’re missing the piece of the puzzle about being in relationship with God.” You trace this to the fact that often the parents haven’t been shown either, but have only been told, how to live the Christian life day to day. You’ve discovered the problem! I hope and pray that many will read and benefit from your book, Jessie, because you’re absolutely right!
I agree, Melinda. Just like we disciple and mentor followers of Jesus as adults, the same holds true for kids. We show them, not just verbally tell them how to live the Christian life. They need to see our active relationship with the Lord and us relying on the power of the Holy Spirit.
I’m so thankful my parents raised me by showing and telling me about Jesus! I accepted Him when I was five, so right there in that age-range window. 🙂 This was a great reminder to all parents – thanks for sharing!
Wonderful, Emily. Faith and following Jesus should really be a show-and-tell kind of thing.
I love this! I’ve recently been called to start volunteering with the middle schoolers at our church. We have a MASSIVE middle school ministry, but I didn’t want anything to do with it at first. I hated middle school! It was one of the toughest seasons of my life! But these kids are so open to God and so receptive to the working of the Spirit in them. And I’ve also found working with this age has been healing for me. We do have an obligation to empower our kids with faith.
Jessie, that’s a great calling. Some people don’t want to work with that age group, but Jessie showed us in this article just how important it is to reach middle school kids! Awesome! Praying for you!
Yes, that is such an important window. And it goes so quickly! My kids are both grown now, but my oldest has started having her own family, and that is speeding by even quicker. I pray for them all!
Lisa, both my kids accepted Christ during that window and I’m continually praying for my daughter’s kids to accept Jesus as Lord one day when they are a little older.
What an amazing topic to write a novel on, Jessie! I’ll have to check it out and, in the meantime, send a little Pinterest-love your and Karen’s way!
Thanks for commenting, Beth. This theme is such fresh insight on kids and the Holy Spirit. Appreciate Jessie sharing it and her awesome book with us!
The website won’t allow me to respond to individual comments, but please know that each and every one of these comments was a huge blessing to my heart. Knowing that others also see the importance of showing our kids how to live with Jesus while they’re here on earth is so exciting and inspiring to me! Much love to you all!
And Jessica Brodie — prayers for you as you dive into middle school ministry! I would be apprehensive too, not gonna lie, haha! Two churches I know of are using “Power Up” as a middle school church curriculum…the novel has different church lessons that make it easy to follow along with in real life. Just thought I’d throw that out there in case it’s helpful!
Thanks for your wonderful article, Jessie. And I think that’s awesome your book has different church lessons to use as curriculum!
Karen- thank you for opening up your home to Jessie.
Jessie- thank you for the reminder that kids can not only learn about God but have a relationship with Him too. I agree that many Sunday school classes for kids revolve around the lesson or facts you are trying to teach rather than the truth of who God really is. Beautiful post.
Hi Mary, I just love how Jessie makes the point that we need to both teach God’s principles to kids and show them how to nuture their relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Thanks so much for adding to the conversation.
Karen, have you read the book “Let the Children Pray” by Esther Ilnisky? Powerful book. Highly recommend.
I haven’t, Susan. But it sounds so awesome. Thanks for recommending it.
I’ve not heard that term before, but it makes sense! I work with young people on a daily basis and your words have reminded me how I need to keep my spiritual life vibrant in order to model a vibrant spiritual life to my students.
Praying for you to keep a vibrant spiritual life and model it to the students you work with, Anita!