Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas
Week 11: Chapter 10 — Eternal Investments: Parenting with the Long View
Read Chapter 10 of Sacred Parenting by Gary L. Thomas.
Previewing Week 11 of Sacred Parenting
Read 3 of 6 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
Thomas closes with an invitation to lift our eyes from the exhausting daily demands of parenting and to see it through the lens of eternity — because what we do in these years matters far beyond them.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Thomas argues that parenting is one of the most significant 'eternal investments' a person can make — that the spiritual formation of a child has implications that ripple across generations. How does that long view change how you think about what you are doing right now in your home?
2.He is careful not to promise that faithful parenting guarantees a child's faith — he acknowledges the pain of parents whose children have walked away from belief. How does he hold together the importance of our role with the limits of our influence? Do you find his balance convincing?
3.Thomas uses the language of 'planting seeds' — some of which we may never see grow in our lifetimes. Have you seen evidence in your own family of seeds planted by a previous generation that are only now bearing fruit? How does that encourage you?
a.What seeds are you most intentionally trying to plant in your children right now?
b.What seeds do you fear you may not be planting, and what would it take to begin?