“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

We call it “family time.” It’s my favorite night of the week. Several months ago, I felt the Lord convicting me, “Holly, I’m so glad you and your husband serve the youth in your church…you teach them, lead them, and pray with them on a weekly basis. But what are you doing with the two beautiful youth within your own precious home?”
I could not believe what had been revealed to me that day. I was amazed as to how simple this truth was, yet for some reason so challenging. It caused me to ponder, Why don’t we have family devotions? Why don’t we intentionally pray together? Why don’t we lift others needs up in prayer as a family – together?
Without hesitation, I talked to my husband and we determined a clear-cut plan for our family. We were going to have purposeful times with the Lord together. Just us – my husband, our 16-year-old daughter, our 12-year-old son, and me.
My friends often ask me what we do during family time. Here is our simple plan.
We read the Bible – We have our children look up key verses and we discuss them. Sometimes it will be a specific story, and sometimes it will just be a verse or two. We glean insight in both the Old and New Testament. I love the discussions that result from the truth’s we read and discover – together.
We memorize scripture – We choose one of the verses we’ve read and work to memorize it for the next week – together.
We marvel at how God answers prayers – My husband or I will read aloud from an incredible book called “100 Amazing Answers to Prayer,” by William Peterson and Randy Peterson. Each week we are truly amazed as to how God works in miraculous ways. It is filled with mind-boggling stories of testimonies to answered prayer. This is our favorite part of family time. We sit in awe of our God – together.
We Pray – We end our time in prayer. As we discuss prayer requests I marvel at the fact that it’s a great way to get a glimpse into our kid’s lives. They’ll talk about their friends, their teachers, their schoolwork and any concerns on their heart. It’s a time when they know that we’re completely focused on them. It’s also a time for my husband and me to share things as well. When my husband’s job was in jeopardy of being eliminated several months ago, we prayed as a family – together.
During our family time we attempt to show, explain, and discuss how God’s love is all-consuming, and is always available to us regardless of how our week has been. We certainly don’t come across as the perfect all-knowing parents – just parents who love our kids and love God, too.
Are our kids always running to family time with smiles, great attitudes, an eagerness to learn, and an open heart for discussion? Not usually! But they always leave visibly refreshed and encouraged. And that is why we do it – together.
Dear Lord, thank you for my family. Please show me how to love them and lead them according to your will. Give me the boldness to show them my love for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

***

Related Resources:

The Pocket Parent: A Guide to Raising Godly KidsMining for Gold in the Heart of Your Child, Character Chart and CD by Renee SwopeBuilding the Christian Family You Never Had, by Mary DeMuth
Click here to connect with Holly on Lysa’s blog, where she’ll be a guest writer today.
Application Steps: Get intentional about having a specific time for your family to pray together.
Encourage your children to talk to you about their faith and questions they may have.
Create a safe environment for your children to share what is on their hearts.
Reflections: What will you do today to show God’s love to your children?
What will you do today to get your children into God’s word?

Power Verses:

Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when his is old he will not turn from it.” (NIV)
John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (NIV)
John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”