Letter from the editor: I want my child's testimony to be boring

This week, we are having a mini “spiritual emphasis” week. It’s been so great to have chapel each day and watch our students take notes during the sermon after we sing and praise God.

Now that we are in a “house system,” we leave chapel and break into groups based on our houses. Today, as our house leader led the discussion about sharing the Gospel through the story of love, division, the cross and choice, I had a thought. I could see the wheels turning in the heads of our students as we talked about sharing a testimony. 
I asked them, “Who feels like their testimony is boring, and they don’t have anything to share?”
Almost every person in the room raised their hands.

That’s my goal. I want my child to have a boring testimony. I want her to not be able to tell people a moment where she didn’t know the love of Christ. I want her to be able to look back on her childhood and think of security, her loving parents, her warm home, her amazing school.

So often, we think that, in order to share the gospel, we have to have this traumatic past or experience. Those stories have such an impact - as they should! When we see God move in big ways, it’s such an inspiration!

However, as a parent, I don’t want to give Him a reason to move in a big way other than in overflowing blessings.

Am I being a helicopter parent? Yep. I’m not even remotely ashamed.

I will absolutely be a helicopter parent when it comes to the testimony of my child. I want her to come into any battle with the tools that she needs, the scripture memorized and the prayers ready. 
Right now, her favorite song includes the lyrics, “I could never bow to a king without a crown.” 
I want her to keep requesting those songs. I want her to keep learning scripture. I want her to keep asking for prayer and believing in the power of talking to God.

I want her to watch movies like the new Haunted Mansion and immediately point out that the spooky voice is a liar, because the devil is a liar, and that’s clearly not the voice of God.

I want her testimony to be boring. I want her testimony to be evidence of the generational faithfulness of God.

That starts with her daddy and me. It starts with us pouring the love of God into her. It starts with us showing her His kindness, bringing her to church, creating a community for her. It starts with us showing her how a husband should love his wife, how a wife should love her husband, and how parents should love their children.

A part of me wishes this for all children. I wish that all of our babies could have boring testimonies because they are so wrapped up in God’s word and love. I know that can’t be the case. However, I do have that prayer.

I pray for more boring testimonies.

Bore me to tears, friends.

Because, even if your testimony is boring – your God certainly is not.