Behold, children are a gift of the LORD (Ps. 127:3).

As I prayed an inner healing prayer with a middle-aged man, Jesus walked into a scene of him as a young boy sitting trembling in the back seat of the car while his father was screaming at him in rage and fury. Jesus appeared and held the father in His arms and just loved him. Jesus spoke, “Your father never experienced a father’s love. That is why he is treating you this way.” With those words from Jesus, a trauma which had stunted this man’s growth for a quarter of a century was healed.

As Christian parents, our passion is to release God’s grace into our children. Passing on the pain of previous generations is not what we want to do. So let’s consider how to release rivers of grace into our children and grandchildren’s lives. It’s really not all that hard.

YOU can become a parent who ministers God’s grace…

The principles Jesus gave for interpersonal relationships apply to our families first and foremost, and then, secondarily, to others. Learning to release love and grace within our nuclear family is our training ground for wider ministry (1 Tim. 3:2-4).

Don’t I just follow my parents example in parenting?

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on if they were Christian parents who ministered love, grace and strength into the lives of their children or not. Parenting is one of God’s greatest tools to mature us as Christians. As parents we need to honor each child. They are human beings, created in the image of God, and in training to rule as kings and queens. We are responsible to train them for their position of royalty.

We teach them honor and respect. We teach them to serve their brothers and sisters and friends and classmates. We train them to become selfless, respecting others before themselves. We train them who they are in Christ and the spiritual resources available to them.

The JOY of parenting!

Parenting was not intended to be a burden, and anyone who tells you differently has bought into a lie. You will learn to enjoy parenting as an exciting, joy-filled, divinely-ordained opportunity, not a wearying responsibility. You will love, encourage, trust and raise up your children in the way they should go, fulfilling their own unique destinies.

God has a vast reservoir of grace that He wants to pour into your life, your home, and your family.

God has provided lots of ways by which that grace can be channeled through you and into the lives of your children. Unfortunately, these rivers of God’s grace can become littered with the debris of our own sinful thoughts and actions, as well as the ungodly actions of our ancestors, creating dams that prevent His grace from flowing the way He desires.

In this training module you will …

• Learn how to remove generational sins and curses originating from our ancestors
• Learn how to release the power and wisdom of God into your children’s lives
• Learn how to teach them to have a heart that pursues God
• Model honoring of your parents, so your children learn to honor you
• Learn to honor your children. The Bible says we are to honor ALL people and ALL obviously includes children
• Learn to watch your words carefully, speaking only life over your children.
• Learn to focus on their God-given strengths, rather than their weaknesses, for it is in following and utilizing the strengths God has placed within them that they ascend to success in life.

My family IS my number one ministry objective!

Your number one ministry focus during the years you are raising your children is to minister God’s life to them. So you will make them your primary priority – without feeling guilty about it! You will learn why it is vital to teach them to hear God’s voice for themselves, and how to make wise spiritual decisions by using God’s approach to decision making.

Learning to release MORE grace…

The goal of this module is to enable you to release more of the grace of God into your home, making it a place of love, peace, honor and victorious Christian living where each member of the family is accepted as he is and strengthened to become all that he can be in Christ. As you allow the Holy Spirit to shine the Light of revelation on your life, He will gently mold you more fully into His image and the changes will be manifest not only in your life but in your whole family!

Testimonies

What do readers have to say about Rivers of Grace, the key book in the Parenting by Grace module?

I’ve recommended Rivers of Grace to every parent I know, as it is the BEST book on discipling children that I’ve ever read. Thank you!

I find such freedom in your book.  I wish that I had had more of this type of training when my children were younger. I must tell you that a lot of the child rearing out there, even though it claims to be Spirit-led, is simply sophisticated ways of manipulating behavior. We need more things like what you’ve written here! God bless you.
— Pam Miller

After only reading the first two chapters I know my life is being changed. Your book has been the first step God is using. I wanted to let you know right away, that your book is inspiring me. Thank you so much.
— Jennifer Kamla

The book was written in such a simple, clear way that any of us could understand the principles and put them into practice.

Although I am a grandmother and am past raising children I found this book to be an excellent example of a woman who went against the ‘normal’ stream of society, and did what she felt the Lord wanted her to do for her children. She teaches and encourages through God’s Word and His principles, how to be the Mom (parents) we were called to be. I consider this to be an excellent book for all parents as well as educators.
— Margaret Fraser

What an awe-inspiring, uplifting and encouraging word of God:  Not only the need to raise up children to love, serve and follow God’s leading, but how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. Has God called you to homeschool your children? Here are words of wisdom, guidance, and understanding to help parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and close friends to understand and support the principles of homeschooling based on God’s word. Read how to(s) for praying and encouraging yourself, your family and your children to live by the Spirit rather than by the law.

This is a book to be read by all Christians who are called to minister and serve in God’s Kingdom, for are we not all children in God’s eyes? Are we not called to be spiritual parents, brothers and sisters? We must all come to God with a child’s faith and grow into His love and grace as a child. What wonderful, easy-to-follow principles that can be applied to our own lives and to all of God’s children, regardless of age or parentage.
— Alice Mickelson

It is definitely a book that I would recommend people read, whether single, married, with children or expecting a child. If someone hasn’t heard about the topics discussed in your book, they need to! The book helped to dispel some beliefs I had previously held, and caused me to go to God and ask Him what He thought about those things, which I think the book communicated really well (not a bunch of rules, but relationship!). I thoroughly enjoyed it!
— Denise Dunleavey

I have been a public school teacher for many years and have also worked with many church youth programs. In Rivers of Grace, I recognized many principles that will aid in seeing and hearing the voice of God myself and working with youth of all ages to hear God’s voice.

Patti has truly shared God’s word. She shows how each of us is able to move from the rules and law as described in Scripture to God’s grace. It is this grace that really far exceeds the rules and laws we so often rebel against. Patti’s emphasis is on raising children for the Lord and homeschooling. But are we not all children that must learn the same lessons?

I believe that God is busy homeschooling His children every day, teaching and guiding us to listen to His voice and learning to abide in Him. We are all in the process of learning and teaching. May we all continue to have a child-like faith that believes that all is possible, and know that God is indeed the Answer.

A Parent Journals About His Children

Lord, yesterday was a rough day. Two of my children arguing – a lot – knocked the wind out of my sails.  It was very discouraging.  Thank you for helping me not to blow up like I used to.  But I want to do more to encourage them.  What do you want to say to me about this?

I am here. I am with you. And you are in me. I brought peace to storms and calmed crying mothers and children when I walked the earth.  You can do the same.  You were right not to take away phones and iPods. You were right to speak to the good you saw in them.  You were right to tell Mary this pain is training to be a world-changer.  You were right to encourage Abby for staying above the fray. 

When you said to one of them: “You are the common denominator in 5 different conflicts in this home… so look in the mirror” you were not speaking my words. It seemed clever to you at the time, and you felt you scored big points, but I am not about scoring points or winning arguments. 

I am about using you to call your children from where they are into all I have created them to be.  To all I’ve called them to.  You are my main channel of revelation to your children, and if you’re telling them they’re troublemakers, that is not my heart for them. 

I am calling you and filling you in order to honor them.  To celebrate the good without stumbling over the bad, like Bill Johnson says.  I am using you to carve the bad away.  You are uniquely called and equipped to do this. You can speak life and hope and encouragement to your children, and you have.

Jesus, can you give me any more specifics on how I can help them?

Be filled with joy. Be filled with Me. Carry me into every situation, every expected and unexpected conflict and I will speak and smile and encourage them thru you.  That’s how it works!  I showed you this years ago (crossing the street in Rocky Mt), and you know it is true. 

Your role is to host my presence and ask for the eyes to see them as I see them; the heart to love them as I love them; the words of life to encourage them as if it was me right there. Because it is me, I in you, and you in me, just as I am in the Father and He is in me. 

This is the easiest parenting and marriage and relational technique on the market.  It requires no books or manuals or role-playing, etc… though much of that is helpful.  It does require you to draw near me, and to stay near me.

This was my original intent all along, starting in the Garden. I want to walk with you, and speak with you and love others thru you.  I’m not replicating myself in you as the Rule-Giver and Taskmaster, but as a gentle father and redeemer. Redeeming the years the locusts ate and making your family into the joyful, overflowing passionate lovers I designed them to be. It’s happening already. And I’m pleased with you as you continue to facilitate these changes in them. I’m proud of you, son. 

How much time should we invest learning to release rivers of grace to our children?

If you save the whole world and lose your family, would you consider that a success? If our homes are our number one ministry locations, and the place where we prove ourselves for other ministry roles, then we focus our time first and foremost on our homes.

We have always put ministry to our children first. Now, both our children, Josh and Charity, are grown, married to Spirit-filled spouses, and we have three godly, born again grandchildren.

We work together as a leadership team of Communion With God Ministries. We play and vacation together. We are best of friends and in daily contact. We co-author Christian books with our children, and speak together with them in Christian conferences.

Can we say, “We are experiencing heaven on earth!” How much is this worth? We don’t regret a minute of the time we spent ministering to them, home schooling them, or providing college courses for them from home. They are our pride and joy, and ready to carry CWG Ministries on over two more generations. What a gift from God! You will never spend too much time ministering God’s grace to your family, first and foremost. The dividends are priceless.

Our No Risk Guarantee – Experience “Lesson One” Absolutely FREE, right now!

We provide Lesson One of the dynamic course Hearing God’s Voice free of charge so you can discover for yourself if it is some stuffy armchair theology or real, down-to-earth, practical, engaging, and life-transforming truth.

Didn’t the free sample convince you this is better training than anything you could have imagined?

In Parenting by Grace, you will discover the keys to Spirit-anointed parenting. I can guarantee that! You will need to practice turning to Him throughout the day to make this effective and life-giving. We can teach you in just three months what it took us years to learn because we have gone ahead and prepared the way. God has revealed and guided us in laying out the principles to parenting by grace. This devotional training can easily and comfortably be explored during your daily quiet times.

My wife and I even co-host a members-only online chat room where you can come and post your questions and get answers. As you get started, you can share your revelations and questions and issues so we can confirm if you are on the right track and help you along the path of abiding in His presence. We will become personal coaches to you during this three month training experience.

1. The 20-page ebook, LEARN Rivers of Grace, is a workbook which provides application exercises to go along with the main textbook.
2. The main text book is the 189 page Rivers of Grace PDF ebook where Mark and Patti Virkler expand nine key revelations concerning Spirit-anointed parenting. The revelations are: 1) Start with a Clean Slate, 2) Know What Your Goal is, 3) Honor Your Father and Mother, 4) The Golden Rule, 5) Respect Everyone In Every Way, 6) Watch Your Words! 7)Focus on Strengths 8) Make Them Your Ministry, and 9) Release Them in Faith! These are followed by three appendixes.
3. Rivers of Grace MP3s, five sessions where Patti and Mark Virkler teach through the key concepts of Parenting by Grace. This allows you to listen to the training over and over in your car or while exercising.
4. Rivers of Grace Videos, which can be accessed streaming online or downloaded for offline viewing. Identical to the MP3s and ideal for evenings watching the sessions together with your spouse, family or small group. For maximum results, draw together some friends into a home group or Sunday school class and watch the videos (also available on DVD) over a 5-week period. Pray the prayers, do the exercises, and share your results together.
5. A comprehensive online lesson plan which takes you by the hand and guides you step-by-step through the whole process, integrating all your learning materials into a cohesive and well-rounded experience. This Learning Management System also leverages interactive self-scoring quizzes to reinforce all of the key takeaways from each section, making sure that you “own” them before moving on.
6. Printable Certificate of Completion as you finalize the course, awarding you five CEUs.
7. Option to apply credits toward an undergraduate or graduate degree from Christian Leadership University.
8. Coaching – Access to a members-only online chatroom where Patti and Mark will answer your questions and be a sounding board for your journaling. Wow! Now this is a personal touch to speed you on your way!

Don’t you think it’s time YOU team up and focus with a coach at your side so you speed forward and enter your Promised Land?

There is no easier way to grow than to get into a group of like-minded people, and focus intently, under the direction of the Holy Spirit and a coach who is ahead of you in the area you are pursuing. A cord of three is not quickly broken. You support one another through the training process and by “focusing intently,” you become a doer of the Word and not a hearer only (Jas. 1:25). No one wants to die in their wilderness, so make sure you are taking the proper steps which will allow you to experience your promised land!

P.S.

This is your chance to gain the revelation of grace-based parenting. Train yourself in the principles of grace-based parenting and watch your children grow up to be Spirit-anointed world-changers, and your best friends. Really, what could be better? Gain this revelation for ONLY a $99 investment! Make TODAY YOUR DAY to step into a fuller revelation of releasing rivers of grace into the lives of your children, grandchildren and all you touch!