“We don’t know what will happen next.  We don’t know where the Lord is leading. 

But we know He’s leading.  And we’re walking through it together.”

I’ll never forget this conversation with my grandfather in the back of an SUV on the way to dinner 10 years ago.  We had just left the bedside of my grandmother and he agreed to let us take him to dinner.  Nana was sick.  And the outlook wasn’t good. 

As we rode in silence, I told him how I couldn’t comprehend what he was walking through.  He haltingly spoke those words and God gave me a glimpse into the faith-wrestle my grandfather was in. 

My grandfather has had significant impact on my spiritual walk.  Throughout my childhood he always appeared larger than life to me.  He was a constant pillar of faith possessing a depth of wisdom and steadfast spirit that I could only hope to achieve. 

Yet in this moment, in this short drive in the back of a car, I witnessed a tender vulnerability that I’d never seen before. 

One of the greatest things God ever did for my faith was to give me a glimpse into the ways He stretched the faith of my grandfather. 

The past few weeks, we’ve talked about 5 Great Things You Can Do For Your Family in 2013.  You can read about the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd , & 4^th here.  The fifth (and final) great thing you can do for your child in 2013 is to take your hopes, dreams and expectations for your child’s spiritual development… and Make It Personal.

By Making It Personal you allow your kids to see how you strive to grow so they can understand how to confront their own limitations and pursue character and faith. 

My grandfather demonstrated through his daily actions that Christ was his number one priority.  I witnessed him:

• Put God in his calendar by scheduling time alone with Him daily
• Put God in his heart by reading, memorizing and digesting God’s Word
• Put God in his actions by serving in his community and his church

You see, my grandfather was a great example of how to Make It Personal because of the routine he lived out on a daily basis.  But he was an ever greater example of how to Make It Personal in the spirit in which he lived his life.  In that moment, I had a front row seat to the transformation of my grandfather as he learned a new level of loving God with all his heart, mind and strength. 

As we step into 2013, consider what Make It Personal can look like in your life as your kids have a front row seat to your daily spiritual transformation.  Read more about Make It Personal in the book, Parenting Beyond Your Capacity.