Yesterday, I was having a conversation with my friend over lunch. The topic? Children and parenting, what else? She recounted to me a recent seminar she attended - and the big takeaway she gleaned:

Do it anyway.

Do it anyway. Simply meaning, continue to invite your children into connection, love, activities, even faith, when they may or may not be responding. Do it anyway, because that is what love does. It invites; it holds space; it doesn't give up.

I take this to heart as I parent boys who are quickly approaching the teen years, as well as my sweet almost-five-year-old. Don't give up inviting them and loving with my whole being because God never gives up on me. Jesus gives me the strength to do the parenting work because it gives Him joy.

A passage that has been coming up for me over and over lately is John 15:7. "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

This is where the strength comes from - connecting to Jesus for His power and love and ongoing strength. "Remain in me" is the ultimate invitation.

While Nike might have the Just Do It slogan locked down, I will keep with my Do It Anyway mantra when it comes to parenting because I know I have the God of the Universe in my court as I seek to remain, invite and love. Always.

I Corinthians 13: 4-7 (The Message)
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.