Teaching Our Kids to See the Sacred in the Ordinary

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by Tricia Goyer

Let’s be honest, most of my life doesn’t feel extraordinary.

I make meals, help with math worksheets, answer the same questions ten times, and yes—pick up socks that don’t belong to me. My days are full of laundry piles, lukewarm coffee, leftovers for lunch, and whispered prayers stirred into spaghetti sauce. But over time, I’ve come to believe something powerful: these “ordinary” moments are actually sacred.

They’re not interruptions to our purpose as parents—they are the purpose. Right here, in the sticky-floored kitchen and the backseat of the minivan, the soil of our children’s faith is being tilled. Not with grandeur, but with gentle consistency and quiet grace.

Gary Thomas once wrote, “God designed marriage not to make you happy but to make you holy.” I believe the same can be said about motherhood.

Purposeful, Not Perfect

In my book Faith That Sticks, co-written with my dear friend Leslie Nunnery, we talk about purposeful parenting, not perfect parenting. There’s no trophy for never losing your cool or keeping the house spotless. (And if there is, I’m pretty sure mine got lost somewhere under a couch cushion.) But there is eternal impact in choosing to love with intention, day after day. 

And here’s the thing: our kids are watching way more than they’re listening. We wrote in the book, “Children are more likely to do what we do than to do what we say.” And it’s true.

Every time you pray before a meal…
Every time you open your Bible, even if it’s only for five minutes…
Every time you bring soup to a neighbor or kneel beside a sick child’s bed…

You’re teaching them something lasting. You’re showing that faith isn’t just for Sundays—it’s lived out in the cracks of everyday life.

The Moments That Stick

I remember one night, one of my older daughters came home heartbroken. A “friend” from youth group had excluded her, and my mama-heart wanted to fix it immediately. But instead, I sat beside her, quietly shared how I’d felt left out when I was her age too.

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and whispered, “You too?”

That moment, wedged between dinner and basketball practice, wasn’t glamorous—but it was holy. Empathy was born. So was connection.

As Catherine Marshall once said, “The greatest moments in life are often not the loudest, but the ones whispered in stillness.” We don’t always see the seeds we plant, but that doesn’t mean they’re not growing.

And isn’t that what we want for our kids?

What Sticks Is Love

What sticks with our children most isn’t our attempts at being perfect. It’s our presence. It’s our persistence in pointing them, again and again, back to Jesus. “Small acts done in love become seeds of purpose our children carry into the world.”

I read this passage recently from Jesus Listens (October 21st), and it touched something deep in me:

That’s the kind of faith I want to model. Not perfect prayers, but honest ones. Not flawless days, but faithful ones.

What You’re Doing Matters

So if today feels ordinary—if it looks like wiping counters, answering questions, and reheating coffee for the third time—I want you to know that it matters. Your love echoes in your child’s heart. Your faith blooms in ways you may not see this side of heaven.

That’s the beauty of sacred parenting. It’s not about the spotlight. It’s about the slow, faithful work of grace.

A Simple Prayer for Ordinary Days

If you’re feeling unseen in your ordinary moments, pause and pray this with me: “Jesus, show me how You’re using this moment. Help me love like You do, even in the small stuff.” Then fold the laundry like it matters. Because with God, it does.

Additional Resources

Hope and Refreshment for Homeschooling Parents

Need more ideas and advice on homeschooling? Pick up a copy of Homeschool Basics. Receive tried-and-true homeschool advice from veteran homeschooling moms Tricia Goyer and Kristi Clover. We dish out practical help on getting started and staying the course. Homeschool Basics will remind you that the best homeschooling starts with the heart. Packed with ideas to help you push aside your fears and raise kids who will grow to be life-long learners. Kristi and I believe that homeschooling can transform your life, your home, and your family. Mostly, we believe homeschooling can truly prepare your children for the life God’s called them to live. Don’t let doubts hold you back any longer. Get Homeschool Basics on Amazon Now!