This morning my ten year old daughter offered our family prayer. In it she quoted scripture like language asking the Lord that we would stay on the path of righteousness, and that we would not harbor fears, but conquer our fears through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. She uttered other things that at the time struck me as both spiritually deep and powerful language far above her mortal years.

Does the depth of spirituality, the Spirit, power of the Gospel shown through them, or the power of your children's trust and faith ever intimdate you?

I try so hard to encourage my children to embrace the wonderful truths of the Gospel, often because of my own weakness. Now I see them taking such strength from the Gospel. I want them to be strong, but at the same time I fear, and it makes no sense, and I'm sure this post seems strange...

I guess one of my fears is that of the Master of the Vineyard of Olivetrees, in which the young branches grew too fast... the loftiness of God's plan, but lacking the wisdom... I dunno if that makes sense either...

  Jacob 5:48 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: Is it not the loftiness of thy vineyardhave not the branches thereof overcome the roots which are good? And because the branches have overcome the roots thereof, behold they grew faster than the strength of the roots, taking strength unto themselves. Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees of thy vineyard have become corrupted?

How do you encourage spiritual growth while not being afraid of letting them fly free and rejoice in the glory of God's plan? How do you encourage your children when they catch fire so that they don't explode? Or is this just a rare thing that will pass--a phase--that I should just be happy with and let life take its natural course?

--Ray