Preparing Our Kids for Easter - Step Two

"Israel, listen to me. The Lord is our God. The Lord is the one and only God.   Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength.   The commandments I give you today must be in your hearts.   Make sure your children learn them. Talk about them when you are at home. Talk about them when you walk along the road. Speak about them when you go to bed. And speak about them when you get up." Deuteronomy 6: 4-7

Step 2

2. Dinner discussions

Another time God encourages us to engage with our kids is “when you sit.” It’s rare to have families in a place where they all sit down together, but sometimes dinner still gives us that opportunity. To center your conversation during those nights, consider asking four questions: What was your high today? What was your low? What mistake did you make? Where did you see God today? These questions lead to “teachable moments” at dinner and before you know it you may begin discussing something related to faith, God, family or church. And what’s great is that everyone, even Mom and Dad, gets to participate.

Preparing Our Kids for Easter - Step One

4 Steps to Discipleship at Home

As we prepare our children for the important celebration of Easter I thought you may like some simple ways to shape you child's faith formation. For the next several weeks there will be suggestions for ways you can implement discipleship in your home.

Step 1

in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, God tells parents to “impress” his commands on the children and provides four times in which to do that. One of those times is “when you rise.” Mornings can often be rushed, crazy times as everyone is trying to get shoes tied, hair brushed, coffee guzzled and breakfast consumed. In the middle of it all, take just 30 seconds to stop with each child and pray a simple blessing like, “Lord, be with Grace today. May she know that you are with her, that you love her and that you have called her by name and may she return home full of joy and wisdom.”

You will be setting the tone for the day with those simple words and reminding her just how much she is loved by you and by God.