Category Archives: Family Focus

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5 Ways to Teach Your Child the Bible

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Almost six years ago, a sweet, six pound, premature baby girl made me a Mommy. My life had changed forever – in a beautiful way. I remember trembling in awe our first days together as I contemplated the responsibility of being a parent.

As my little one has grown and God has blessed us with two more daughters, I have pondered these verses in Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 often:

“These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Teach them Diligently

As a Christian parent, God has commanded us to teach His Word diligently to our children. I love that this passage encompasses all aspects of daily life together: when we sit in our houses, when we are out and about, at bed time, and in the morning.

What I have taken away from this is that I can incorporate biblical teaching at any time.

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Here are a few things I’ve done that have helped me to walk this out:

1) Start the day with a prayer – during breakfast or shortly after, I gather my kiddos together and we say a brief prayer to invite God into our day. It goes like this: “Dear Jesus, thank you for today. Help us to love you, to love others, to be kind, and to have fun.”

I am continually amazed at how pointing our gaze towards God at the onset of the day will set the tone for the whole day.

2) Practice Scripture Memorization together – I choose one short passage per week for us to memorize together. About a year ago, I began creating little tunes to go along with each passage, which made the memorization so much easier for all of us. When the girls can recite the passage and reference from memory, they get a piece of candy, which they love. You can sign up to receive these “Scripture Songs” here.

3) During Times of Instruction and Correction – Teaching God’s Word to our children in times of correction will help them to understand the foundation for our beliefs and values.

For instance, when talking to one of my children about a problem they have with complaining, I may refer to a verse we memorized together: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing,” discussing what God says in His Word about the importance of a thankful heart.

4) Out and About – As we walk with our children around this great big world they will see or hear things that they do not understand. When this happens, they look to my husband and me for direction.

Stewardship, Poverty, Crime, and every human issue can be discussed through the lens of God’s Word and provide a solid framework for them to process life.

5) When They Lie Down – Like many Christian parents, we read our children Bible stories at bedtime. They love hearing these stories of men and women in Scripture and how they handled adversity, prosperity, and every other problem known to man.

These are just a few ways that we train our children in God’s ways and His Word. I’m learning as I go and eager to learn from all of you. What have you found most helpful as you teach your children God’s Word?

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Missionary Mama

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From the ages of 19-25, I traveled to 20 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East just to share the love of Christ with the nations of the world. I never felt more in my element than when my feet were on foreign soil, traveling to tribal villages for outreach, and holding African babies.

But then our lives changed courses, which landed my husband and me in the D.C. area where we still are today – 10 years and 3 kids later. I will be completely honest with you – my heart wrestled against the will of God. I wanted to be there – not here. I wanted to do that – not this. But then I realized the problem – my “I” had to die.

Glorifying God in the Mundane

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31

In this season of my life, God has called me to be a stay at home mom to three beautiful girls. Two years ago, He opened my heart to the joys of homeschooling and I am committed to this journey for the long haul.

I have learned over the last six years that I can glorify Christ just as much when I bandage my daughter’s knee as when I bandaged the wounds of an orphan in Sudan. What matters most to Christ is not the activity or work I do, but the heart and attitude I put behind that work.

Please read the rest of this post over here at Sacred Mundane – thanks!

 

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Secrets of the Eternally Optimistic

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The rain pounded down on our roof without stopping – again. Chesed, my three and a half year old girl, crawled up in my lap with a huge grin on her face.

As she wiped the sleep from her eyes, her expressive face showed her delight as she declared, “Mom, all this rain is going to be so good for our garden! The flowers are going to be so happy!”

It’s Summertime and all my girls are eager to spend every moment possible at our neighborhood pool – Chesed included. But she has a way of seeing the bright side of everything – even a rainstorm on a Summer day.

We all know people like Chesed – optimistic regardless of circumstance, unwavering in joy even when all odds are stacked against them. What is it about these people that keeps them smiling when they are slapped in the face? And what can the rest of us do to learn their ways?

Let me start by confessing that I am not by nature one of these people. I have a melancholy and choleric personality which just means that at my worst I’m overly serious and gloomy with a huge splash of “Type A” thrown in there. I know – you can pray for my family 🙂

So God knew what He was doing when he gave me an eternally joyful, lighthearted husband and daughter. Here’s a few things I’ve observed from these two that I try to imitate:

1) Joyful, optimistic people aren’t immune to sickness, failure, difficulty or trial. They just choose to focus on all the good things that are happening in their lives. If Chesed has 103 fever, well, she’s still giddy that she gets a Pedialyte popcicle…which brings me to #2.  

2) Joyful, optimistic people don’t overlook the smallest of blessings. Did it rain on their parade? Well, where are the flowers? Did they miss their plane? Well, who did they get to meet or chat with as a result?

3) Joyful, optimistic people are content with less. Our culture inundates us with ads which tell us that we need more than what we already have to be happy. Thus, we tend to overlook our blessings, hoarding what we already have and grasping for more, which only leads to sorrow.

4) Joyful, optimistic people tend to influence others positively and thus change their atmosphere. We’ve all heard the phrase, “She just lights up a room with her smile!” And it is true. The most darkened, depressed soul can come alive when they encounter a person full of genuine joy.

 There is yet another secret for us here: Those who are Christ’s  have access to even more joy than the most naturally happy and optimistic person on earth has without Him. But we must tap into Him – the source of our joy.

He has come “that you might have joy and have it to the full.” He has set you free from the bondages of sin and death. He has overcome the world. The God of the Universe promises that He will never leave or forsake you – for eternity. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

So lift up your eyes to Christ, meditate on your abundant spiritual and physical blessings, and then go light up a room!!!

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