Our Family Shield of Faith

“Hurry, say ‘Amen’…you’re gonna make us tardy!” The thought running through their adorable little heads each morning before I let my daughters out of my sight for the day. While praying this particular morning, I must have said something to peak the curiosity of my seven-year-old, Macy. As we sat together later that evening, chatting about the excitement and events of her day, she asked me, “Mommy, have you ever been REALLY, REALLY scared?”

I knew God placed this moment right in my hands, and I had to take this intimate opportunity to share with my daughter how God has protected me every day of my life, how He has calmed me in my most frightening times, and put my mind at peace when all I could do was worry.

I looked Macy in her big, beautiful, brown eyes, and responded with a quick, “Yes.”

She stared back as if there was more to the story.  She obviously needed to hear what I was thinking.

“I was seven years old, at a sleepover with my friend, Jessica. I was sleeping alone in the living room, as Jessica and her family had all gone to their own rooms to bed.  Their home was far out in a very rural area, surrounded by a forest, and extreme darkness.  They had chickens in the back yard, along with other animals which scurried and made small noises in the night.  As I lay on the couch, I heard a commotion near the back door, about 20 feet from where I lay.  Frightened by what it could have been, I slowly turned my face toward the back door.  There at the half-open screen door were wolves (or so my seven-year-old mind thought), about to attack the chicken coop. I was scared frozen! I didn’t want to move, thinking they were coming in the house for me! I closed my eyes for a brief second to pray the only thing that came to mind…‘God hasn’t given me a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’ As I turned back to look toward the sliding screen door, there, standing directly between me and the door, was a massive angel! My angel was as wide as the double French-door frame, top-to-bottom, side-to-side! It was the most spectacular and amazing thing I had ever seen! I immediately felt peace, calm and protected. I knew God had placed His angel right in the middle of my situation to protect me.  I saw my angel! I rolled over, quietly closed my eyes, and fell sound asleep.”

Macy was enthralled with the story of my angel, and how God opened my eyes and showed me His protection in my time of fear.

It is amazing how quickly I had forgotten about that frightening night, and never thought to share this story with my daughters. God knows this, and this is why He asks us to actively remember his blessings, and share them with our children.  Children learn from example. If I can model a faith that is alive and real, it will have an amazing impact on my daughters’ lives!

In Ephesians 6:16, God calls us to “…take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (NIV).  My family’s shield of faith can be constructed with the stories of God’s faithfulness and protection, just like this one! My family can hold these stories as defense against the enemy!

I am so grateful that God gave me the opportunity to share with my daughter the ways God has blessed and protected me. It serves as a reminder to continue to take time with each of my kids, to share these stories, to construct our family shield of faith and be an example of real faith to them.