Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined by Gabe and Andrea Olson.

Andrea and Gabe Olson are believers, parents, entrepreneurs and authors. A worship leader and songwriter, Andrea founded and runs Overflow Worship, a ministry that equips worship leaders at churches across the country. Gabe owns and operates a real estate investment company. Creators of 'The Big God Books' series and authors of two previous books, including 'The Little Church'—which debuted on the Amazon bestseller list in Children’s Christian Ministry in 2021— they ventured into publishing in order to not only capture some of the miracles they've seen in their own home and lives, but to help point their kids and others to the miraculous work God is doing that they may otherwise miss. 

In this episode, Somer, Gabe and Andrea discuss ways of pointing our kids to Christ through answering their big and little questions about God. A recent survey revealed only 1 out of 5 Christian-raised teens or young adults will stay in the Church, many leaving because they found the faith to be inauthentic and religion to be irrelevant. Our kids need to see real and authentic faith lived out and to see God isn't a religion, He is real and desires a relationship. Gabe and Andrea offer suggestions for engaging with our kids, answering their questions, talking about miracles, and not being afraid to admit we don't have all the answers. 

Thank you for being here today. Now, let's dive into the conversation! 

You can connect with Gabe and Andrea through Instagram.

Their books The Big God series make an excellent Christmas present! You can order them here on their website.  

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

There is a weight as a Christian parent. The weight to make sure your kids follow Christ. While we are stewards of our children and responsible for them as kids, in the end they will have to find Christ on their own and choose Him for themselves. That means building a solid foundation for them to stand on is so important. 

When our kids ask questions, especially at random or inconvenient times, it is easy to brush it off. Pausing to listen to them and walk in discussion can be a small action which a big impact. 

Prayer is crucial to building a relationship with God, and modeling that for our children builds that solid foundation. Prayer isn't just folding hands, bowing heads, it can also look like having a conversation with God throughout the day. As a family, you can also find meaningful ways to incorporate prayer into your routine. Example from Gabe and Andrea: expressing gratitude at the dinner table every night, "I'm grateful for...." and a prayer huddle in the mornings before Dad or Mom goes to work. 

While prayer is crucial, we don't want our kids to think God is "Holy Santa Claus" and will grant all we ask and desire. We have to teach our kids what prayer really is, and how to surrender, and that God answers our prayers or gives us what we need sometimes in unexpected ways. 

 

REMEMBER:

God is the perfect parent. We are not perfect, and it's okay that our kids know that. We don't have all the answers, but we know God is good. 

Our kids world is different from ours. When they experience something like losing a friend or moving, it may not seem like a big deal to us, but it is shattering for them. We can't impose our worldview onto them and diminish their feelings and experiences. We have to get on their level. Asking questions about how they're feeling can open doors to connection and seeing God in their circumstances. 

We may feel a pressure to craft perfect responses to our kids' questions but remember it’s not just your words but it’s the things that you are doing–your actions. Your actions may be more impactful than anything you say. Being present with your kids is more than enough.

The little things add up and become big.

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today.