“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” 2 Timothy 1:5

I am always so encouraged by the example and the enduring heritage of this faithful mother and grandmother!

2 Timothy 3:14-15 further illuminates their legacy, as Paul encourages Timothy to, “…continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

I want to raise my daughter to value, and to be obedient to her biblical role and calling, as a woman. But, my ultimate goal, is not simply to raise a homemaker.

As mothers, we have an incredible missionfield in our own home, sleeping just down the hall, playing in the back yard, or working next to us in the kitchen.  And, as our daughters come to Christ, we have the opportunity, privilege, and responsibility, to disciple them – not just as children, but as sisters in Christ! (Titus 2:3-5)

Our daughters have a front row seat from which they watch us each day.  Habits, quirks, mannerisms, values.  They see the good…and, unfortunately, they also see the bad.  We are teaching them…

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”~Deuteronomy 6:6-9

These verses makes use of a Hebrew idiom: “…when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise…” It simply means “all the time,” in the context of real, everyday life.

Part of this real life, everyday discipleship involves teaching and training them in the domestic arts, and skills necessary for managing a home, and caring for a family.

But, Titus 2:3 also exhorts the older women (and as mothers – of any age – with daughters, we fit into this category!) “to teach what is good.”

But, just what makes up that “good” curriculum?

“…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” ~Philippians 4:8

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.” ~Psalm 19:7-9

Despite having an unbelieving father,  Timothy grew up acquainted with what is good – “the sacred writings” (Scripture).  Lois and Eunice passed on their “sincere faith” to him.  If we want to pass on this kind of sincere faith to our daughters, we must not “shrink from declaring to {our daughters} the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27)

I want my daughter to love and serve the Lord with all her “heart, soul, and mind.” (Matthew 22:37 and Deuteronomy 6:5)  Like Timothy, I want her to become well-acquainted with “the sacred writings” – the Word of God – “from childhood.” I want her to know – and believe – that God’s Word is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and is absolutely sufficient for “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).   And, as she learns to view everything through the lens of Scripture, I pray that she would leave our home as a young lady who is “…competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:17)

Is homemaking included in this? Absolutely.  But I don’t just want her to know how.  I want her to knowwhy.

Above all, I want her to know Christ!

That, is my ultimate goal for my daughter.

“It is impossible for a believer, no matter what his experience, to keep right with God if he will not take the trouble to spend time with God. Spend plenty of time with him; let other things go, but don’t neglect Him.” ~J. Oswald Sanders

Veronica,  A Quiet Heart