Instilling a Deep Love for Jesus in Our Kids

Last week was Valentine’s Day but I totally skipped posting a blog on Monday. I usually try to incorporate the holiday into my post, but frankly, life has been extremely busy lately and I haven’t found time to sit and write.

As I type this, it is President’s Day weekend which means 3 days off from school. Glory! I’m hoping to sit and write several blog posts over the course of the weekend, but we’ll see. With kids running around wanting to be entertained, writing often takes a backseat to life. As it should.

I was thinking over the past few days about Valentine’s Day and the meaning behind the holiday. Many people I know (my husband included) think it’s a made-up holiday to make people feel guilty if they don’t give gifts to their loved ones. And maybe they’re right. However, while I don’t know the background for Valentine’s Day, I do know that my kids Eat. It. Up.

They love walking downstairs on Valentine’s morning to see what small gifts they have received. They want to feel loved, and apparently chocolate and stuffed animals are the ways to their little hearts.

They had so much fun writing out Valentine’s cards to their friends and receiving sweet notes and candies at school. It was a fun day for each of my littles.

As I sit here thinking about how to show love, I’m reminded of something Jonah used to say. He would kiss me on the cheek and then he would tell me:

When you wipe away a kiss, it goes into your heart.

For some reason, that little saying has always stuck with me – the thought that even if I wipe the kiss away, it finds its way into my heart. I love my little family but I don’t always show it. I want them to know how special they each are, but most importantly, I want them to know that God loves them with a mighty and everlasting love.

And I want them to love Him in the same way.

I pray each morning that the Lord would give them a deep love for Him and for His Word. But how do I expect this to happen on its own? It’s our responsibility as parents to develop and foster this love for Him in our children.

In January I had good intentions to read stories from the Bible to my kids and ask them questions. But my good intentions always fly out the window once life gets busy. And it feels like the older my children get, the busier our family becomes. It’s difficult for all five of us to sit down for a meal at night. And when we do, it feels rushed and stressful. Not exactly the time for a meaningful devotion or lesson about Jesus.

I have been looking at Bible reading plans for children and devotions that we could do around the dinner table so I wanted to share some of them with you. Here are some that I’ve found.

1. The Quest for Kids: We actually have this Bible study and my kids love working through it. Written by Beth Moore, this is a companion to her adult Bible study, and is written more for kids in upper elementary. She has also written one for younger kids that looks great as well!
2. She Reads Truth: I’ve recently discovered She Reads Truth, which is a great resource for the entire family. They publish topical studies as well as studies on different books of the Bible and you can get them delivered straight to your inbox or you can purchase the books. They have resources for the entire family – moms, dads, and kids. I recently ordered their upcoming Lent study on Job and I ordered a companion kids study. I can’t wait to get them!
3. This devotional book for kids written by Louie Giglio looks really good too! A friend of mine just finished this one with their kids and apparently it was a hit!

I think for now, we are going to continue using our Beth Moore Quest for Kids. The activity sheets are fun and the kids love to take turns reading the Bible story. And when Lent begins, we will start the She Reads Truth Job study. My plan is to work through these at our own pace over dinner (or while the kids are sitting at the table “starving” and waiting for me to finish cooking dinner. Insert eye roll…)

How does your family do Bible time? How do you handle age differences and what resources do you use? I would love to hear your suggestions!