Trailhead – Edition #7 – January 2026
Hello, disciple-making parents! Welcome to the December edition of The Trailhead, a devotional designed to help you begin each month with focus, encouragement, and intention. Just as a trailhead marks the start of a journey, The Trailhead is here to reorient your heart for the weeks ahead. A season filled with joy, challenges, and opportunities to lead your family closer to Jesus.
A new year brings fresh starts, hopes, and exciting goals. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with our God-given responsibilities: our family, our jobs, our plans. But this month, I want to help us take a step back and remember a truth that transforms how we parent and live:
God is Sovereign.
Quick Update
If you’ve been with us since September, you know that The Trailhead is walking through 12 aspects of God’s character. Each month, we’ll pause to remember who God is and how that shapes our parenting. Last month, we looked at God as our Provider. This month, we’ll focus on God’s sovereignty.
God is Sovereign
If you’ve been parenting for any length of time, you understand that it can be unpredictable. One moment, everything seems to be going smoothly, and the next, your big plans for the day are out the metaphorical window. When we feel like our day or even lives are out of control, it’s easy to lean on our own understanding.
Proverbs 19:21 (ESV) tells us – “Many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”
It reminds us that while we may have plans, God’s purpose prevails.
To help us think through this, I think a definition of God’s sovereignty is in order, and John Piper gives us a good one:
“God’s sovereignty is his right and power to do all that he decides to do.”
God is in control of all things, big and small.
Nothing happens outside His authority.
His plans will always come to pass according to His will.
And the God who created the universe is also aware of the needs and rhythms of your family. Trusting God’s sovereignty changes how we parent. We can release the pressure to make everything work perfectly, as we planned, and instead focus on leading our families with calm confidence, knowing He is at work in every moment.
Reflections for Disciple-Making Parents
When we grasp God’s sovereignty, it changes how we parent. Our children don’t need us to have all the answers or to make every day go perfectly. What they do need is to see us trust a God who is in control. When schedules change, plans fail, or life feels uncertain, our trust in God teaches them to lean on His wisdom rather than their own understanding. By showing our kids that God’s purposes will always stand, even when we can’t see the full picture, we model faith, patience, and confidence in His perfect plan. Your family may not always understand why things happen, but they will see that God’s hand is guiding each step.
Life Application
Try out some of these ideas:
Family Reflection: Pick a moment in the past week when a plan changed unexpectedly. Share with your kids how God’s purpose still worked out.
Journal: Encourage each family member to write one example each week of how God’s hand was evident in daily life.
Morning Prayer: “Lord, help us follow Your plan today. Teach us to trust Your timing and Your wisdom.”
Book Recommendation
Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
This is a solid book for understanding God’s control and care. It offers encouragement and practical wisdom for parents who want to model trust in God’s sovereignty amid life’s uncertainties.
This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a commission.
Looking Ahead
Next month, we will focus on God’s wisdom. We’ll be reminded that His understanding surpasses ours and guides our decisions as parents. This will help us make wise choices for our children while resting in His guidance.
Closing Encouragement
Parents, God’s sovereignty is not distant or abstract. He is actively working in your home, your family, and your life. You don’t have to carry the weight of making everything perfect because He is in control. Rest in Him, and lead your family knowing that His purposes will stand.
Additional Resources
Family Discipleship: A Biblical Guide for Parents
Why Taking Your Kids to Church Matters
Out with the Old – In with the New – A Parent-Driven Discussion
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