I wasn’t prepared for what happened that night as I tucked my son into bed. “Mommy, I’m not sure if I believe in God. How do you know that God is real?,” my four-year-old asked. It caught me off guard. I had expected and hoped he would wrestle with truth for himself- that he wouldn’t just accept what we said as true because we believed it. I just didn’t expect him to do it that night- when he was four.
Even though it was unexpected, God had made me ready in a sense. He had given me story after story of His work in my life and in the lives of those I love and respect. And a mentor mom had shared about how important it was to her children’s faith that she and her husband tell them their own family’s God stories.
Here are Some Reasons I Believe God is Real…
So, I took a deep breath, sat down on the edge of his bed, and started telling him stories- God stories. Stories about God showing up in a way that confirms in my soul that He is real.
Night after night, he would ask for more of these stories, until he had stories of his own to tell. Now that we’re doing school at home, we are delighting in the chance to make his school work meaningful and to focus on things that are important to him and that can serve and encourage others.
Meaningful School Project
So, part of his school is to work on this God Stories Project, telling stories of God working in our lives, and in the lives of others. He loves to hear and recall stories of God answering prayer, protecting people, and overall showing up in real time.
We’re starting out by telling our own stories, but he will also be interviewing others and collecting audio, video, and just simply retelling stories of how God has worked in other people’s lives, too.
You Have Stories to Tell
Imagine someone you care deeply about asking you, “How do you know that God is real?” What stories come into your mind?
Be sure to tell these stories- and tell them often- to the people that you care about- your spouse, kids, parents, friends, co-workers, and other people in your world. Engage deeply in your relationships, making every moment count. Embrace wholly, willing to connect with others on a deeper level. And delight lavishly in all that God has done, inviting others to delight with you.
Building the Faith of Others
And if you’d be willing to share these stories with us, we would deeply appreciate it. I love to have more stories to tell my sons. And, only if you feel comfortable with it, Eli would be grateful for a chance to share some of those stories with others through this blog series.
Just email us if you are interested.
Whatever you do, tell your stories. Tell them to those most dear to you. Recall all God has done in your life and in the lives of those around you, and delight in praising Him with others for all He has done.
Psalm 77:11-12
“I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.””
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Sip Life Slowly and Enjoy It 
Hey sweet Angela. I remember a few years back when I still live in NC. It was about 2am on a Sunday morning. My cat got sick and had diarrhea. She had made a mess in her fur. I was holding her and trying to cut the mess out as she cried to be let go. I kept holding her tight and telling.her it was ok that I wasn’t trying to hurt her I was just trying to cut out what wasn’t good for her. At that time I heard the still small voice of God say “That is what I have been trying to so for you my daughter. I want to take what is trying to harm you out of your life, not hurt you.” I just sat there and wept at his awesomeness and how he could use an animal to help me see his love. What a mighty God we serve.
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Wow, that is a really insightful, sweet story! Thank you for sharing how God spoke into your life through that difficult situation.
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