By Mallory Mattingly
Professional surfer Bethany Hamilton encourages parents to lead their children with “courage” and “love.”
“Little eyes are always watching. Lead with courage. Lead with love,” Hamilton wrote over a video of her and her son jumping from some rocks into the ocean.
“Our children don’t just listen to what we say — they watch what we do,” she continued in the caption. “Every moment is a chance to show them how to live with courage, determination, faith and love.”
“But I know it’s tough to show up perfect all the time and sometimes we mess up. I suggest you ask for forgiveness often and keep showing up and problem-solving along the way,” Hamilton added.
Related: Bethany Hamilton Celebrates 10 Years Of Marriage: ‘God Surely Is Our Rock’
The mom of four often shares faith-based parenting Instagram posts along with encouragements to help her followers tackle everyday life from a heavenly perspective.
“In the small and simple things, God whispers His love. The song of a bird, the glow of the sun, the detail in a flower. He is near,” Hamilton wrote in one post.
She included Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”
In another post, she wrote, “Your life may not look the way you thought it would by now, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less valuable or meaningful. Trust the Lord — His plans are higher, His timing is perfect, and His ways are always better than ours,” pointing to Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Hamilton and her husband, Adam, just celebrated 12 years of marriage last month. They share sons Tobias, 10, Wesley, 7, Micah, 4, and daughter Alaya, 2.
“We’ve done so much together, and the greatest of these is raising our 4 children. There is no greater joy or gift!” the surfer wrote, celebrating their anniversary alongside some sweet ocean-side snaps of the couple. “By no means are we perfect parents or perfect spouses. We’re continually learning and trying to seek to love another well amidst life’s challenges. Sometimes we feel stretched too thin, sometimes we’re able to enjoy the little things in life.”
“But most importantly, we know that Christ is our rock through it all and in it all. We will continually cling to Him and know that we are in His hands!” Hamilton concluded.
Our children are always watching our example, and as Hamilton encouraged, leading them with courage and love can change how they approach life now and in the future.
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