A mom’s story of self-doubt, childhood spelling tests, and the battle for our minds and how daily time with Jesus renews, shapes, and transforms us.
How Do You Spell????
Every Thursday at 2:00 was the moment my palms began to sweat.
I was in 3rd grade hair pulled back in a ponytail, sitting on the edge of my seat, pencil sharpened and ready, mouth silent, the smell of a portable classroom in the air, ears perked up to hear my teacher.
“Number 1. Turf. The football player ran on the turf. Turf.”
(In my brain: Terf… Terff… Turf… Turff… ahh which one is it?! Oh no, she’s already on number 2! Think, Hannah, think!)
“Number 2. Surprise. The boy could not believe the surprise that happened that day. Surprise.”
(In my brain: I’ll come back to tirf… seprize… saprize… suprize… uhhh what is wrong with you, Hannah? You studied! Why are you doubting yourself?! Stay focused…)
Okay you get the idea.
Spelling was not my strong suit (and let’s be honest, it still isn’t), which is the irony of God using me to communicate, coach, and lead others in preteen discipleship.
(God really does have a sense of humor I truly believe it!)
The Battle in Our Minds
Maybe you caught it, maybe you didn’t.
But in my thoughts I told myself:
“What is wrong with you? Why are you doubting yourself?”
We all do this.
And if we’re honest, we still do not once, but multiple times a day.
And if I was in third grade already telling myself these things… and I still struggle with them today…
I can only imagine what my preteen are telling themselves in a world of constant technology, rapid news, and loud outside influences.
2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds me:
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
I’ve read books, listened to podcasts, gone to counseling, attended conferences, breakouts, trainings and I’m grateful for all of it. But honestly?
It is still REALLY hard.
The battle in my mind is a daily one.
And if I want to stay healthy and be the best version of myself for those I love and lead, I can’t ignore it.
Maybe that battle is very real for you, too.
The Good News of Jesus
But here’s the good news the good news of Jesus.
Strongholds are things we battle daily. The brokenness, the deceit, the schemes the enemy uses to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10).
BUT…
Jesus.
God doesn’t leave me alone in this battle.
He sent Jesus so that through Him by believing in Him and choosing to live according to His ways I am redeemed.
In September of 2024, I began a new rhythm. A new journey. One I am forever grateful for. One I cannot live without. One that has changed my life and will continue shaping my God-given days.
It has made me a better version of me so I can be a more Christ-like influence on those I love and lead.
I crave it. I need it. I desire it. I fight for it. I am committed to it:
Every single day, I spend time with God.
My Daily Rhythm of Spiritual Parenting
My husband jokes that I look like Belle from Beauty and the Beast with my stack of quiet-time books and honestly, I don’t mind. I love my time with the Lord.
This foundation of faith through family devotional time has transformed my approach to Christ-centered parenting and raising godly children.
My rhythm looks like this:
- I begin with prayer from a book I love (Prayers of Rest by Asheritah Ciuciu highly recommend!).
- Then I journal how I feel at the start of the day to process what I’m carrying and what needs to be placed at the feet of Jesus.
- I ask myself, “How am I mentally and emotionally feeling right now?”
- I back that up with truth from Scripture writing down what God says is true, letting His Word shape my thoughts.
- I note three things I’m thankful for.
- Then I pray for the day ahead.
- I end with my devotional reading and a Scripture to meditate on, journaling a final reflection.
You might be thinking:
“Okay, that’s great, Hannah.” “Good for you.” “Do you want a gold star for being the best quiet-timer of the year?”
Ha! Far from it.
I share these habits because of how deeply they have transformed me this past year.
I am not the same person I was because Christ is changing me.
And my deepest desire is that He would do the same for you.
Faith Formation for Preteens Starts with You
Because when Christ shapes me as a parent, that shapes how God forms my children especially my preteen.
This is what faith formation for preteens truly looks like not just teaching preteen about faith, but living it out before them. This discipleship journey of spiritual parenting creates a biblical worldview for preteen that will last a lifetime.
This summer, the cutest thing happened.
My 5-year-old asked,
“Mommy, can you get my rocking chair out of my room and take it into your room?”
I asked, “Why??”
She replied,
“I want to take my journal and Bible in there when I wake up and do my quiet time with you.”
Cue the heart-melting mom moment.
“Of course, sweetheart.”
I will never forget the memory of us sipping coffee and milk from “real mugs,” spending time with God on our own, yet together.
Building Your Family Faith Formation
It starts with you.
Do it because you want a new life in Christ. Do it because you want a Christ-modeled life for your preteen.
God’s promises are true. His faithfulness is never failing. His love is always there.
It’s a parenting choice we all have to make when parenting preteens in today’s world. And even though it’s hard…
It will be worth it.
Need help building consistent family faith habits? Explore devotionals for preteensand discover Christian parenting resources designed to support your family discipleship journey. We’re here to walk alongside you every step of the way.