I started this series of posts by explaining that the first priority of leadership should be leading yourself to repentance and making sure you were following Jesus, the second one is birthed out of that one which is to lead your family. There are tons of great books that give great recommendations about what this looks like, but personally I think
flexibility and the leading of the
Holy Spirit is what it takes.
I'm not talking about a flexible schedule, I know that is not always possible and I have a very demanding schedule myself, Im just talking about being intentional about the time you do have with them. For instance, practicing a date night is important for sure, but sometimes Stacy needs extended attention during times that aren't date night. Sometimes she needs flowers on non-special occasions, and sometimes she needs me to unexpectedly take all the children out to dinner and to buy a doorknob (that doesn't fit by the way) so she can get some rest. The same goes for my 5 children, showing up at the games and special events are important but they need a 24/7 dad, not just a guy to comment on their abilities. They need a dad who gauges their spiritual, physical, and emotional climate and knows what's going on in their heart.
So what I have found to be successful is for me to become a student of my family and pray for God to give me discernment as to where I need to apply attention and then when I do I am fully present in those moments. I also have found that involving them in my life is just as important as me being involved in theirs, I talk to them about my struggles, challenges, successes, failures and I invite them to be a part of some of the things I enjoy and work related responsibilities when possible. We also do recurring family devotions, exercise, and we have a worship service in our home weekly just as a family.
How about you, what practices have you found to be helpful leading your family?