The pastor said that he and his wife had two children. Together, they determined that their goal was to have Godly, well-adjusted children by the time each kid turned 35 years old.

He continued by saying they knew their children would have struggles in their teens, search for a career in their twenties, and build a family in their thirties. They also knew their faith would need to mature with them as they search for their own faith community.

What this enabled them to do was stay encouraged when their children were walking through difficult seasons. When having doubts about faith in their late teens, they remembered each one had time to figure this out. When they wanted to change majors in college, they rest assured that there was plenty of time to settle into a career. When their heart was broken over a lost relationship, they were not anxious about their future as they were still learning to love.

This single goal helped them to cope, coach, and encourage their offspring toward the life God desired. He stated that research shows that who you are at 35 is what you will basically remain for the rest of your life.

How would your parenting be different if you focused on age 35 and not 18 or 22 or 25?

As Christians, our most significant act of discipleship is the one we do with our children. This is a lifelong journey that does not end when they go to college or move out of the house.