Four Tips on Making the Bible a Priority for Your Children
Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Talk! For the next few weeks, in honor of schooling starting back up, I’ll be sharing some tips – no matter if you are home schooling, public schooling, or private schooling!
Four Tips for Making the Bible a Priority for Your Children During the School Year:
In our home, school is important. The year my oldest learned to read I felt the pressure. I spent the entire year patiently teaching him the letters, sounds, and blends. The phonics and reading took precedent over everything else, even our Bible time.
Every year I buy a different Bible curriculum and vow to do better. But as the year goes on, the Bible is the first to go while we try to cram all the science, social studies, and math into our days. God’s Word was placed second, sometimes third, in our attempts to fit it all in. The Lord has been working on my heart this summer. I love God’s Word and I want my children to love it as well.
In order to teach them a love for God’s Word, it isn’t just enough to pray before meals and go to church. They need more than just to see my reading my Bible. If you are like me, maybe you need some fresh encouragement or new tips in making the Bible a priority this school year.
I’m not perfect. Each year I pray that the Lord keep me faithful in our family’s devotional time. This list is for me just as much as it is for you!
Four Tips on Making the Bible a Priority with Your Children
1. Be First! To instill in our children a love for God’s Word we must have that love in our hearts. If you struggle to read God’s Word, then your heart must change. Dig deep, evaluate your schedule, and make the time. My husband says we make time for the things we love. Ask God to grow your love for His Word. Do you need to say “no” to some things in order to spend time reading the Bible? Can you read it in your Fringe hours? Here are a few resources I’ve found that are great for the busy mom!
SheReadsTruth(.)com – an online devotional. You can sign up to receive the devotionals sent straight to your email. -OR- You can get the app for your phone, but you will have to pay for most of the reading plans.
First5(.)org – A new app by Proverbs31 ministries, it is a great way to get free devotionals daily – straight on your phone. I love these because they are short and the questions are a great way to get your mind focused on God – first thing in the morning!
2. Be fresh. You don’t have to be a super creative mom to come up with ways to study the Bible. Go to a local Christian book store and ask for the kid’s section. Sunday School material, although written for a class, works great one-on-one. Most Sunday School books have worksheets and coloring pages. You can do a quick online search as well! Some recourses are free, and others are very reasonable! You don’t have to break the bank to study God’s Word with your children Answers in Genesis has some great Bible curriculum. If you buy the digital version and print everything yourself it is very affordable! Also, check out my post on Reading Scripture with your Children for some more great ideas.
3. Be fun. Make sure to keep things age appropriate. It doesn’t matter if you have a teenager or a preschooler, you can make God’s Word fun. Keep a positive attitude. Try not to make Bible time just something to check off the list. Or something you HAVE to do. Instill this truth in your own heart and your children will catch on: We get to study God’s Word, we don’t have to study it. Maybe play some games with your Bible time. Little ones love to act out the stories from the Bible. Make Bible time fun.
4. Be flexible (but also consistent). Make the time to spend in God’s Word – and be consistent! Your children will see that God’s Word is a priority if you do it everyday. You can be felixable as to when and where and how you study God’s word. Some days you might have do it in the mornings, other days the afternoons or evenings work better. If you are able, schedule the Bible time into the same time every day. If you have a planner, write it there. Bible reading shouldn’t be just something to check off, but try your best to find someway that will help you to do it everyday. Even if that means writing it on a To-Do list.
Bible time is so important, not just as a family, but making the Bible a priority is what will influence our children for the rest of their lives.
What resources do you have to study the Bible with your children? I love adding to my resource list! I read every comment, even if I don’t reply. I value your opinion and look forward to reading your thoughts!
You might also like…
Reading Scripture with Your Children
Book Review – Favorite Children’s Book
Book Review – Jesus Storybook Bible
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Books, books, books, that is what we used a lot of in teaching our girls about the bible. Memorizing scripture also. Always had some fun ways of doing this. Great post Sarah and as a teacher, looking forward to the Back to School link up next week.
Great post and what good suggestions!
Love these tips. Exactly what I needed with school starting on Monday.
Me too! That’s why I wrote it! 🙂
Yes! We are starting up in a couple of weeks, and I want to have my priorities straight from the start! 🙂
As school is starting back we are getting back into a more normal routine. These tips are great for our bedtime regime. Thanks so much for posting. I found your post through the Grace and Truth link up.
Thanks for joining me! And thanks for reading. 🙂