Key #2: Family Devotions and Prayer during Lent

No matter where you are on your own spiritual journey, you can nurture the faith of your children, because faith is “caught” more than it is “taught” through the routines of your daily life. Reading the Bible opens us to the presence of God , and connects  the generations with faith, hope and love in a world that speaks and operates on a different basis than the gospel of Jesus Christ. The first step in developing a rich family devotional life is to cultivate ways of listening to God.  God’s primary way of speaking to us is through his Word. (The following “faith at home” ideas were developed by  Pastors David W. Anderson and Dick Hardel of the Youth and Family Institute:www.youthandfamilyinstitute.org.)

As we dust off our bibles and put them to use in our daily lives, we hear God speaking to us and experience God working within and amongst us.  Here are some suggestions to consider:

• Select your own or a whole family bible verse for each week (e.g. a single verse out of the Sunday readings).  Print it off to carry each day.  Read it (together).  Try to memorize it during the week.
• Families set devotional times: 15 minutes twice a week or more to come together to read the bible and pray.
• For families with younger children, a bible story at bedtime is often keenly anticipated.
• As a reminder of God’s presence with you in your home, develop a “sacred space”: a small table or shelf on which you can place a cross, bible and other spiritual symbols.  Redecorate it for each season.
• Play Christ-centred music in your car and at home.  Many are based upon specific bible passages.
• Have an open bible on display somewhere in your home:  a powerful reminder that God is with us.
• Upon returning from church each Sunday, discuss how God spoke to you through the service.
• Say “grace” at mealtimes (but don’t do it just as a routine – always with meaning and love!)
• Set up a “prayer board” at home with photos of people to pray for.
• Try to “act out” Bible stories in all sorts of silly and fun ways – remember the story of Noah during a rainstorm, talk about Baptism during bath time.

As we strive to fulfill our promise to put resources in parents’ hands to grow faith at home, we offer some ways to “take faith home” by extending what we’re hearing and learning at church, helping you to find ways to make these stories come alive with your children.

Click here for more ways to grow faith at home.