Simple Family Devotions

Do you struggle with the responsibility of teaching your children God's Word?
Do want them to memorize scripture, but never have time?
Do you know your children should love each other more, but aren't sure how to teach them that?

Over the years we've had many versions of evening devotions together. Our kids call it "Bible Time". But after a lot of trial and error, we've come up with a simple, effective and easy to do plan of spending the time together in the Word and encouraging family unity and prayerfulness.

Our older 5 children are in school, so we don't have a chance to do this during the day. And even though they attend Christian school, their education is our responsibility and they need to see this happen in our HOME, not just at school. They are all memorizing verses at school, but it's important to do it together, as a family. And for our little ones to be involved.

Each evening that we are home (and we don't stress about the nights we aren't), we sit down in our playroom for about 10 or 15 minutes together. The Coach selects a passage of scripture (we are in 2 Peter 1:5-8 right now). We read through it - sometimes the Coach reads, sometimes one of the older kids read. Then starting with the beginning we take one verse and say it together several times. Then each child says it (with help). By the end of the week we've all memorized a verse together.

On Saturday, all of the kids quote the verses we've learned so far in the passage. One the first week, two the second, and so on.

Even our three year old can say them!

The Coach spends a minute of each time together talking about the verses - sometimes having an older child look up a word in the dictionary so that we can all understand what it means.

At the end, we all pray. Each child prays for another child. The one just older, or just younger, or the person next to them, etc. Rotating around so that they are praying for each sibling fairly frequently. We help them with this - talking about what each child has coming up in school, or projects, or other challenges. That way they can pray specifically.

This is a very simple way to teach your kids the value of knowing God's Word. How to study, meditate on and memorize it and how to love each other by praying for one another. And don't worry, once you've started this you won't forget to do it - your kids won't let you!

Simple Devotions work for us! It's worth the time.

Check over at Rocks in My Dryer for more WFMW posts!