(This post was written by Matt Grimes, Middle School Ministry Pastor)

Hey gang, if you are like me, life gets busy fast.  I can only imagine that when kids are added into the mix, it gets even more hectic.  Our tendency is to get caught up in the here and now.  Our attention gets focused on just getting them to their next practice, or maybe just getting the homework done so that they can get to bed quickly.  Whatever it may be, the list of to do’s get longer and we hunker down and commit to just get through it.

The challenge for us is that while we are just getting through the here and now moments, or as we are just checking off the never ending to do list, life is happening all around us.  Not only is life happening all around us, but God is moving and at work all around us as well.

This past week I got to spend some time with some of the brightest family ministry leaders in the country, innovating new ideas for effective family ministry.  One church there talked about a strategy they implemented in their church called “capitalizing on the God moments”.   For them this means that they remind parents that God is at work all around them everyday and as parents one of the ways we can help our kids grow spiritually is to capitalize on the God moments and use them as opportunities to connect with our kids and help them to grow in their faith.  It could be a time where God answers a prayer that your kid or someone in your family has been praying for and you simply stop to remind them that God hears the prayers of his kids and that we can trust God to walk with us through anything.  It only takes a few moments, and you don’t need a seminary training to be able to do it.

Unfortunately if we are focused on just getting through the day and all we see is the here and now, we can easily miss these God moments.  I challenge you to commit over the next three days to turn on your spiritual eyes and tune in to the God moments happening all around you.  Then, capitalize on them with your kids, and watch how God begins to bless and grow their faith in HIM!