Works In Progress: A Parenting Dashboard

By Camilla Camp Williams

Parenting is a temporary job with eternal consequences.

Works in Progress is a six-week small group Bible study written for parents and designed to encourage personal spiritual growth and leadership skills in the home.

This study facilitates the sharing of information and wisdom among parents

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leadership Books
• Release date: Sep 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781954618275

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Copyright © 2021 by Camilla Camp Williams, Vide Press

Vide Press and The Christian Post are not responsible for the writings, views, or other public expressions by the contributors inside of this book, and also any other public views or other public content written or expressed by the contributors outside of this book. The scanning, uploading, distribution of this book without permission is theft of the Copyright holder and of the contributors published in this book. Thank you for the support of our Copyright.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-954618-26-8 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-954618-27-5 (ebook)

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Week One: Trust

1. Recognize Who is in Control

2. Acknowledge that Children are Responsible for Their Own Decisions

3. Fear Not

4. Question (and Complain)

5. Stay on Track

Week Two: Lead

1. Define the Goal

2. Seek Wisdom

3. Be the Authority

4. Set Boundaries

5. Set the Tone

Week Three: Follow

1. Identify Who is Worth Following

2. Be Discipled

3. Prioritize Personal Spiritual Growth

4. Serve God

5. Pray without Ceasing

Week Four: Relate

1. Cultivate Relationships

2. Know Your Child

3. Communicate Effectively

4. Spend the Time

5. Encourage and Love Unconditionally

Week Five: Refuel

1. Fill Up at the Source

2. Rest and Exercise

3. Network

4. Give Yourself (and Others) Grace

5. Embrace Redemption

Week Six: Review

My Parenting Dashboard

Introduction

Welcome to this parenting discussion and study. Wherever you are in your parenting journey, whether just starting out or facing an empty nest, we are all in the same boat because we are all—parents and children alike—works in progress.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:6 NLT

We may all be facing differing circumstances, and we may all be in various seasons of parenting, but the importance and value of our job as parents is the same.

parenting is a temporary job with eternal consequences

While my own mom never said these words, she lived out this principle: parenting is a temporary job with eternal consequences. She was guided by the truth that she had a very limited time to do a very important job. It does not mean our job as parents ever ends—we’ll always be parents—but it is a recognition that our years of being able to shape and mold the lives of our children are limited to their childhood.

While we have limited time with our children, the benefits of good parenting are almost limitless. Keeping track of how much time we have with our children keeps us focused both on our main goals and on the truth that we have been given our children for a relatively brief amount of time. How many days do you have with your kids? How many summers? A friend who started the parenting journey a few years ahead of me set the count the days/summers example for me early on in my parenting journey. While it was startling to count days at first, it proved very valuable.

Jesus followers are called to be focused on God and on others. Therefore, as Jesus-following parents, the backdrop to our parenting is eternity and the tone is others-focused. There are benefits to this way of thinking. Just as in all things, keeping our focus on the eternal helps us to wrangle priorities when we are hit with a barrage of