'I Can'-fidence

By Teena Skiles
Have any of you mothers been involved in a conversation with your child such as this?
“I can’t, Mom.”
“Yes, you can.”
“No, I can’t.”
“Yes, you can!”
I have cut the conversation down by at least five “can’ts” and six “cans!” I have been guilty of “conning” my girls into having confidence. Are you guilty as well? Have you said things like, “OK, if you do this, then I will buy that for you,” or “OK, you can do this, and if you, do I promise I will (fill in the blank.)”

It’s “Con” vs. “Can!” This week, let’s pray that God’s true confidence will be OVER our children and IN them.

We recently went to our youngest daughter’s first softball game. She was quite upset that she actually had to play a game because, in her own words, she thought she had “Just signed up to practice.” She actually has very skilled eye-hand coordination and enjoyed practicing and working with her father and sisters in the front yard to develop her skills. But something happened when she found out that she had to perform in a game—against another team, while a crowd was watching! Something inside her told her she wasn’t good enough, made her nervous, made her want to quit BEFORE she ever set foot on the field. I know for a fact that we did not speak that into her thoughts or being. That tells me the enemy, the devil, starts out lying to children while they are young and impressionable.

That sounds exactly like the enemy I know. He will strike our children with fear and inferiority so they will never get in the game . . . the game of life! That’s where we moms come in! Go ahead, moms, give me a fist pump and a big “YES!” We have the power of prayer to establish our children in God’s true confidence, confidence that will cause them to know who they are and Who is on their side. We repeat Philippians 4:13 together every morning on the way to school: “I CAN do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.” It’s not a coincidence that we say that together; we speak that ON PURPOSE!

Proverbs 14:26 says, “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his children will have refuge” (NASB).
I want to raise strong, confident young ladies who will fear the Lord and will therefore be safe as His Word promises.

Holding hands and swinging our arms while walking to the dugout, my youngest daughter and I spoke the words of Philippians 4:13 again, so she could say to herself “I CAN.” We also spoke positive words like, “Today is about doing your best; today is about meeting new friends; today is about having fun; today is about trying hard; and today is about making someone smile.” By the second inning, she ran to where I was sitting, put her mouth up to my ear and whispered, “Mom, I’m not nervous anymore.” She ran back to the dugout and confidently got back in the game.

Another lesson learned . . . praise the Lord!