Right Place, Right Time: Positioning Your Kids for Purpose

Adia Peterson
Founder, KingdomFive! Student Ministries

1 Samuel 2: 24-28:
Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls,[g] one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there. NKJV
Parent and Mentor: The Most Important Role
As a parent, leader or mentor of a prophetic child, your role in their destiny moment in God is the most important. The fulfillment of Hannah's vow to the Lord, put Samuel in the right place and the right time to receive his visitation from the Lord and begin his journey of walking in the purpose God ordained for him. It could not have been an easy thing to do, sacrificing family time, missing many of his pivotal growing up moments, or putting his key coming-of-age life lessons in someone else's charge. She sowed Samuel's life in trust, and her faithfulness to the promise she gave the Lord, placed him on track to become a great man of God. Even now, generations later, Samuel's legacy speaks for itself.

Mentoring and developing a future giant usually means there will be sacrifices made. There will be one tough call after another as you navigate through the day to day and its demands, making split-hair fine line decisions between the relationship with the Lord your child must maintain and what they must give to everything else. Your decisions about their schedule and activities, how they spend their time, the priority they give the Lord and the quality of their relationship with Him is crucial. As the guardians over their destinies, the Lord will use your leadership in their lives to reinforce His blueprint and plan. Evaluate the role God plays in their everyday, and the level of importance, priority He is given. His place in their lives is paramount, and beyond that their availability to Him. The answer is paramount. Do they have a consistent time to hear and seek Him, and are you enforcing and encouraging it? Take the lead and set the pace for them.

1. You are the guardian over schedule, activities and time. Make personal time with God a priority and key part of their everyday.
2. Teach the principles of servanthood early. Make serving the Lord a well-known subject in your house by talking about it positively and frequently! Ask, how can we make ourselves available to the Lord as a family? Find ways you can be involved in ministerial activities together.
3. Encourage worship and teach prayer. When you teach a man to fish...I don't think I need to finish that one, you get it. Teach your child to pray and pray often. Empower them to seek God for themselves and to wait for Him to answer. Encourage regular worship and devotion and lead by example.
4. Routinely talk purpose, identity and destiny in your home. Pray with them regarding their unique call from God.
5. Pray and intercede with them. Your kids need to hear you pray and need to become accustomed to your voice speaking over their future.