Family Devotions: Babystep 2- Be yourself, intentionally

One of the main roadblocks to a family devotional life, from my perspective, is the awkwardness of trying to do something which does not feel natural. This is part of the reason why, in my last post, I encouraged you to break out of the typical mold of what a devotion looks like. The problem with anything which is typical is that it suggests expectations which seem just out-of-reach. Allow me to explode the myth that a successful family devotional routine must conform to some standard of elite perfection. It just ain’t so. Especially since there is no such thing as perfection in this context.

I hereby and forthwith give you permission to be yourself. However, there is a caveat. You kinda figured that was coming, yes? When I write, “be yourself,” I am not suggesting that you go back to the default behaviors which have brought you to this place of seeking solutions for your family’s spiritual health. I am, however, saying that God has given you a wonderful, creative personality, full of adventure (yes, even those of you who feel awkward, or dare I say it, resistant), and poised to make an impact on your children as only you can.

Tap in to that creativity. Tap in to the resources available to you. Network with other Christian parents. Perhaps you are in a small group with other parents. Share your struggles and needs. Share your creative ideas. Help each other out. Create an ongoing conversation with one another. Above all, be yourself as God intended for you to be.

Here are a few thoughts to spur your thinking and actions:

1. Follow Jesus with all your heart. I know you work hard, and some of you have all kinds of hobbies you enjoy. That’s great. But above all of that stuff, follow Jesus and help your children, and your spouse if you are married, to do the same. Be their spiritual champion!

2. It’s okay to make mistakes. You will try something new, and maybe it won’t fly very well with the kids. That’s okay. Learn from it. Keep trying. Make adjustments.

3. Pray, pray, pray. Nuff said, but we better do it.

4. Be the spiritual leader. You set the spiritual climate of your home. No excuses. It is true for me as a single person with no children. It is true for the single parent. It is true for two-parent homes. We are the adults and we are responsible for the spiritual climate of our homes.

5. I will conclude with this one: You CAN do this. You can. More resources and ideas are on the way. But remember, you are able. God equips those he calls and he has called you to lead your household toward spiritual maturity, children and adults alike.

Be blessed as you journey on. I am praying God’s richest blessings for your homes!

Family Devotions, Babystep 1: Unlearning the One Right Way

There IS no ONE right way to do family devotions. However, the name “family devotions” itself carries with it a loaded connotation that, indeed, such a “right way” exists. It looks something like this: We gather the children into a comfortable room, perhaps the family room. We open our Bibles, or maybe a devotional book and we read it. We might even take turns reading, including those children who are old enough. And then we discuss what we have read, especially thinking about ways to apply it to real life, including the day’s events. Sound familiar? Now, there is nothing wrong with this scenario. Nothing at all. But that is only one way to carry out a family devotion. For some families, it might work marvelously. For others, perhaps even for most after awhile, it probably will grow painfully boring for the children.

I suggest an exercise to break out of the sit, read, and discuss mold. Take your children on a nice, Autumn hike. The weather is supposed to get nicer this next week, so this should be doable. It can be in your backyard, a local trail, or even into a national park. Be creative. Make it an adventure. Add your bicycles if that helps. Maybe even pack backpacks, a picnic lunch and some games to play. Use your imagination. Don’t forget your Bibles, of course. Then find a place out there, somewhere, to explore and marvel at God’s creation. Tomorrow in Sunday School your children will be learning the second half of the ten commandments. During your journey talk about how it must have felt for the Hebrews to journey, but not know completely, where they were going. If you are near a water front, such as a lake, river or even the Pacific Ocean (yes, feel free to go that far!), imagine the parting of the Red Sea, which then led to the liberation of the Hebrews. Or if you are at or within view of Mt Hood, imagine Moses coming down from Mt. Sinai to give the ten commandments.

Family devotions should engage all the senses, not just reading and discussing. Reading the text is important, of course. But children want to experience the story itself firsthand. They want to BE Moses, or the Hebrews, or the Egyptians. You get the idea. You could even bring bread to act as manna!

If the weather is yucky after all, then have a campout in your family room. Hike the hallways, through the kitchen, outside to the back and around to the front, and back inside again, never telling your kids where they are going. Even go to the attic if possible! Make it fun, surprising, and mysterious. Sort of like it was for the Hebrews who had been enslaved for 430 years before their captivity ended with the exodus. If they want, let the children take turns leading the hike. You could even make it a follow-the-leader adventure. Create memories with them, and also cause them to learn what God did for the Hebrews back then, and for us here and now.

Does this help? Do you have any ideas which were sparked from this post? You can share here or on facebook. Let’s spur one another along in faith!