Earlier this month Lauren and I took a Passport to Purity weekend get away together. Passport to Purity is a material put out by the ministry of Family Life. www.fltoday.org
http://www.amazon.com/Passport2Purity-Book-Set-Dennis-Rainey/dp/1572296569/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333163285&sr=8-1
The material helps a mom or dad take a son or daughter away for a night or two and disciple them in the area of purity. The material consists of cds that can be listened to in the car as you drive. The preteen receives their own workbook and receives stickers as they progress through different lessons. There are fun projects to do as a parent/child as you progress through the lessons. The projects are basically like object lessons to illustrate principles taught in the lessons. One example was with puzzles and talking about how you need the box top of a puzzle to get it put together quickly. Just as you need to see the box top, God's Word is our box top for life. It shows us how to put the pieces of our lives together. The material explains in detail how to plan for the weekend. One suggestion is to schedule in a few hours just for a fun activity. Our activity was shopping and eating out. The most special thing was visiting a Vera Bradley store and each of us getting a new purse. It was Lauren's first Vera Bradley, so she was super excited. I really liked the material. Some of the things that were stressed are that the Lord is to be first place over all things in our lives. That includes our bodies and our purity.
Colossians 1:18
English Standard Version (ESV)
18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
Also, the material covered issues of peer pressure, of not running with the herd, of setting personal standards for purity way away from the cliff where you might fall off, and of listening to counsel from parents who have their child's best interest at heart. There was much wisdom in it all, and I was so pleased that Lauren responded with a heart that really wanted to commit to high standards in the area of purity.
The Lord is so good......Lauren wanted to get some milk. We went down to the lobby to buy a bottle. The milk bottle said "Passionate About Purity." How appropriate and how good of the Lord to encourage me that He was with us and even in the small details of a milk bottle. :)
Family Life suggested commemorating the weekend with a special gift for your son or daughter. My special gift to Lauren was a charm bracelet. I picked out a charm of a heart in the palm of a hand. I told her that it symbolizes her daddy and me holding her heart. One day we will give her over to the man she marries, but until then we will be here to help protect her and give her counsel towards a future spouse.
She is growing up so fast. I am very thankful that I was able to take this trip with her and discuss God's plan for her as His young lady. I was able to really challenge her to walk in purity, and I pray the Lord Jesus will give her the ability to stand strong in this very sinful culture in which she is growing up. I also pray that He is preparing a young man who is also guarding His heart and His way to be her husband one day.
This is so sweet. Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteI have been asking God what I should use to have this special talk with my daughter, and I'm sure passport to purity is the answer to my prayers! I've been so concerned I won't say the right thing or make sex seem wrong when it's a gift from God. I just want my daughter,( and younger daughters when the time comes) to hear what God wants her to hear and not my tainted view of sex. I've also been blessed to be able to stay home with my children and homeschool them. We have 4, 3 girls, 1 boy. My oldest daughter is now 13 and I know she's ready for this. Thank you so much for sharing about your experience, it's very helpful to me.
ReplyDeleteI have been asking God what I should use to have this special talk with my daughter, and I'm sure passport to purity is the answer to my prayers! I've been so concerned I won't say the right thing or make sex seem wrong when it's a gift from God. I just want my daughter,( and younger daughters when the time comes) to hear what God wants her to hear and not my tainted view of sex. I've also been blessed to be able to stay home with my children and homeschool them. We have 4, 3 girls, 1 boy. My oldest daughter is now 13 and I know she's ready for this. Thank you so much for sharing about your experience, it's very helpful to me.
ReplyDeleteSara,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your encouraging comment. I am so thankful that the Lord is giving you direction in how you will spend time talking with your daughter. The weekend I spent with Lauren set a wonderful foundation, and we have been able to have further discussions since then. May the Lord bless you as you seek to raise daughters who embrace purity and love the Lord mightily!
Thank you Ruth! I can use all the encouragement I can get. We are praying about changing churches because there's almost no homeschooling families where we are now. I sometimes feel so alone in all of this. I really enjoy reading your blog, you're such an inspiration, thanks again. Please pray God gives my husband the same vision for a large family he's given me.
ReplyDeleteSara,
ReplyDeleteYour comments have been super encouraging to me. I usually do not get a lot of feedback on the blog, so knowing that it is ministering to someone out there is a blessing to me. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. We too have been through some of the struggles you shared, and with time and much prayer have seen the Lord lead us and provide like minded fellowship. We recently began attending a family integrated church where pastor Voddie Baucham preaches. This has been huge in encouraging our whole family. We are surrounded by lots of like minded homeschooling families, and yet the church is very careful to not make homeschooling the gospel. It is very balanced, and the teaching is expository. It has been a huge answer to years of prayer. I want to encourage you to continue walking that narrow path the Lord is leading you down, and I believe with time He will be faithful to bring others alongside you who can help hold up your arms when the journey gets hard. We were crying out to the Lord for friends for our daughter, Lauren, and the Lord has surrounded her with a good group of girls her age at our new church. It has not always been easy, and we have cried out many tears through the years for the Lord's guidance and provision. I prayed for you today that the Lord would guide and lead your family concerning church, possible future children, and just the raising of your children to be sharp arrows in the kingdom of God. Thank you again for your encouragement!
Wow Ruth! I'm so blessed by your words. Thank you so much for sharing your struggle with me. We've also had the struggle of finding Godly friends for our children, and still do. I really appreciate you praying for us. I can't tell you how much it means. I've been praying for my husband for years, that God would open his eyes. I know God has a plan for our family, and I know that includes more children, whether that be through adoption or naturally. But my husband just refuses to let God lead him in this. Please pray God will open his heart to more children, and His plan and purpose for our lives. Thanks again Ruth, I'm so thankful God showed me your blog.
ReplyDeleteWow Ruth! I'm so blessed by your words. Thank you so much for sharing your struggle with me. We've also had the struggle of finding Godly friends for our children, and still do. I really appreciate you praying for us. I can't tell you how much it means. I've been praying for my husband for years, that God would open his eyes. I know God has a plan for our family, and I know that includes more children, whether that be through adoption or naturally. But my husband just refuses to let God lead him in this. Please pray God will open his heart to more children, and His plan and purpose for our lives. Thanks again Ruth, I'm so thankful God showed me your blog.
ReplyDelete