As a parent and grandparent I think teaching children to trust God may be one of life’s most important lessons but also the most challenging. The lesson is challenging because as  the adult, I can slip into relying on myself rather than God especially in the small things in life. Is our Lord too busy for the small things in my life? Or can we talk to Him about every little thing in our hearts?

Proverbs 3:5 tells us the truth: ” Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding”

It doesn’t say trust only in the big things. His word doesn’t say ” don’t bother me until it is important”. His word says” Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Period. Big things, small things, sad things, happy things, His word says trust Him.

I was reminded of this last weekend when my grandkids were visiting our new home in the hills of Brown County where the deer are abundant and all kinds of wild life can be seen on our 3 acres… or at least most of the time. The kids and I were out with flashlights and blankets waiting for the deer to come to the feeder but none were to be found. Not a life threatening incident but serious for a six and 9 year old longing to see a deer close up and personal at mamaw and papaw’s new house. It was also difficult for them to sit still for long so they were whispering, turing on the flashlights and all in all not creating a very inviting environment for the poor deer. I didn’t think we had a chance of seeing this beautiful creature yet I longed to see their excited faces if one would appear.

I whispered a quick prayer with the kids: ” Dear God, Kylie and Edwin are here Lord and we are waiting to see your creatures here in the wild. Would you send a deer our way before mommy and daddy make them come in to bed?” Amen.

We whispered about God’s creatures and maybe He would send one our way but we needed to be quiet and be patient to wait and see. Such good little children they were. Only once did they whisper and ask if they could sweep the area with their light one more time. As Kylie was asking to look again with the light, a deer who must have been watching as it eased closer to the feeder became startled and jumped directly in front of them. The looks on their faces was the most precious thing I have seen in a long time. They were so very excited that God had answered this little prayer. The memories we made that night were priceless and God taught me a lesson too.

No thing is too small for God. Trusting God for my needs, big or small is the only way. And my grandson was obviously impressed as he exclaimed” God was really listening mamaw, that was awesome.”

Teaching children to trust God is simple if we too learn to trust Him in all things, big and small. I am thankful for that small lesson that night and for an answer to a tiny prayer. It made for a wonderful life lesson the three of will not soon forget.