There is a point in our children's lives that they have to know for themselves and decide for themselves the direction for their lives. As parents, we must help them once they have made that decision. Even though they may change their minds, we don't decide for them and then try to make them follow our plan. No. They must know and hear from God for themselves.
Our son thought he was going to be an aeronautical engineer when he was a little boy. His dad and I did everything we could to help him to research to find out what an aeronautical engineer did, including finding out what type of schooling he should have. We took him to the different colleges. We even sent him to space camp. This was a week long program where he learned, "Okay, I'm not getting up in any airplanes."
That's what he decided. But until he released that, we still had the responsibility as his parents to help him get to the point where he was totally prepared to go into that field.
When he released it, we had to switch with him. You can't force your kids into what you know they're called to do. It will only cause them to rebel. They have to know that they know what God has called them to do.
When our son graduated from high school in 1994, he did not know that he would be going to Rhema. My husband and I went to Kenneth Hagin's Winter Bible Seminar in February 1994. My husband gave me a note during one of the services, which said, "The Lord just told me that our son is supposed to go to Rhema." I responded, "I got the same thing." But we did not tell him.
We enrolled him in the college in which he received a scholarship, and made all the arrangements for him to attend classes in the fall. Then he went to Camp Meeting. By the end of that week he told us that he was supposed to go to Rhema. We switched with him.
We made all the arrangements for him to attend Rhema in the fall for him to fulfill the call of God on his life.
Study Reference: Psalm 37:23
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Pastor Deborah L. Butler is the first lady of Word of Faith International Christian Centre located in Southfield, Michigan where she serves in ministry with her husband, Bishop Keith A. Butler.
Pastor Deborah is a licensed and ordained minister of the Gospel. Her encouraging, yet down-to-earth teaching imparts wisdom from the Word of God to all that hear her speak. One of Pastor Butler's many duties is serving as the Director of the Women of Virtue Ministry. Pastor Deborah is often called to travel to other ministries to teach and admonish women to walk in the wisdom of God and to experience peace in every area of their lives.
