10 Ways To Bring Faith To Life
These are in NO particular order. I compiled this list of “1o Ways To Bring Faith To Life In Your Home” from watching other moms, reading tons of books, listening to sermons and from experience in our own home.
I know what you’re thinking, “If I am not doing all 10, my kids is going straight to…” I am kidding! Just pick 1 or 2 or consider some for the future. I think if we just started with #1 and did it well – we could really stop right there. That’s definitely where I need the work right now. No guilt, K? J You’re a great mom.
1. Growing In Your Own Faith
It’s no secret kids learn by doing what we do. If we are patient, they tend to be patient. If we put others first, they follow suit. I watch mine snap at each other – wonder where they saw that? The best place to start is figuring out your personal relationship with Christ. You only have to be one second ahead of them to teach them something new.
2. Reading Bible stories
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure ALL of the bible stories were that critical. However, Angela Cotrell at dotMOM opened my eyes to it all. She said at their little ages – they can understand David and Goliath and it captures their attention. They can understand it happened! In history! And, then later they begin to insert themselves into the story in times of trouble. (Well, if God did that with David… maybe he could use me?) I love the Storybook Bible.
3. The Power of Storytelling
My kids are obsessed with “Tell us a story mom.” So I do. I tell them how God wanted me to feed a homeless woman an egg sandwich. And, how the Whites felt led to adopt their two kids from Congo. And how Marshall’s faith was bigger tan his mom’s. They are glued and learning from REAL live stories of people they know and a God that loves them.
4. Prayers For Them
This series was so popular on A Praying Mom. Definitely a great resource for praying for our kids. Check THIS OUT – unreal big prayer story that rocked me the other day. I love the idea of realizing God is way bigger and capable than we know – and going for it with expecting hearts. I love finding out what’s on their heart and showing them God cares and can be trusted with those things through prayer.
5. Prayers With Them
Something that I think makes it “real” and “alive” to my kids is praying with them. Not just the meal routine that is memorized but praying over them at bedtime. Inviting them to pray. It is comical at times when Larson wants to pray for a sock or bedskirt – and I don’t get mad. She’s only 4. Then, there are times when she absolutely gets it. She won’t let me leave the room without praying for her – and her precious heart will ask me to pray for a hurt friend at school or she thanks God for daddy working. Planting seeds early through prayer is so fun. Showing them the little AND the big things matter in prayer.
6. Scripture Memory Made Easy
Of course I have to mention ABC Scripture Cards. They are like my third child. They work people! I love to hear mine bring up the right verse at the right time or they will start singing one of our ‘made up tunes” just while playing. Scripture hidden in their hearts – huge. Just huge. Want to win a set? Head on over to Karen Ehman’s site today. I am a guest on there today. I love that woman and so bummed I can’t hang with her at She Speaks this year. It’s awesome.
7. Music That Rocks Your Minivan
Oh, we LOVE music! Not corny music that gives my head another pound, but great tunes. I was spoiled coming from North Point and the insane artists there. My kids have known the sweetest songs about God from age 2. My friend and North Point artist Casey Darnell is a part of their latest CD called SHINE – an it’s for the elementary age I’d say. Less “babyish” and Ella LOVES the songs. Guess what!? It has the “books of the bible” song on there you loved. Want one? Make it through this list and enter at the bottom.
8. Simple Walks
Every day as I walk outside or just go about my day – there is ALWAYS a lesson waiting. Always a real life tangible way to mention a truth about God. The trees and creation. The way we handled a tough situation. The way we invested our time. This one is so guilt free – seize the moments already happening and focus their eyes on Jesus.
9. Relevant Churches & Schools
Some of you aren’t as over the top as me – but I pretty much grill the schools I consider. “That’s awesome you say you are a Christian school on the website – but really, what does that mean? How are my kids going to know God better by coming here?” Yikes. I really say this stuff. I am so glad though. It has helped us get our girls around teachers and leaders that walk the talk. Larson came home with this yesterday. Ok then.
And I’m crazy about finding a church that your kids WANT to go to most Sundays. If you are forcing them to go, consider looking around. There are some kids ministries out there nailing it and capturing the hearts of kids big time.
10. Experiencing Virtues Through Fun
I saved this for last because it’s my favorite. If I had to do a speech tomorrow or write a book – this is it. I believe our kids have to experience the goodness of Christ way deep in their hearts. They don’t need a lecture on generosity – they need to do it and feel how AWESOME it feels. (For example, Light ‘Em Up). So, keep your eyes peeled for any way, any how to get your kids active in loving and serving others. Simple, simple things leave a mark on their hearts.
This list is geared toward the little ones to elementary ages. I am going to try and beg Paige or Tara to do a pre-teen and teen list for us. On my list for my girls for that age will be serving through mission trips with friends, family mission trip, mentor groups, girls groups and amazing camps.
Disclaimer: Follow this 10-step list and your child might totally abandon all teaching and run away from home. Of course, I have no guarantee. My kids are 4 and 6 for heaven’s sake! I know this – scripture has a ton to say about raising kids and I’lll spend all the time on earth making sure they know the creator of the earth loves them and made them for something unique. And, if they run away – I’ll find them and love them no matter what they believe.
ENTER TO WIN SHINE
By telling your favorite tip above!
Giveaway ends Sunday at midnight.
TWO winners will be drawn.
My favorite is the scripture memorization tip. I so wish I’d had parents who felt this was important. It
is awesome to see my son retaining this stuff and filling his mind with Truth!
I love the pray with them concept. I try to pray with my 4 boys at any occasion not just meal time so they know you can talk to God anytime, anywhere.
Memorizing scripture, hiding the word in their hearts.
Thanks for the awesome giveaway and practical tips! I love love love praying with my kiddos. I love to hear them pray in their own words or “from the heart” as we call it in our home. It’s amazing the way they pick up some of how they pray from how we pray. And then to hear my youngest imitating not only me as she prays her two-yr-old prayers but imitating her 5-yr-old big brother, too. Fills my heart! So true that we can talk about lots of things with them but actually doing them together makes all the difference.
I love the music. I love to hear my kids singing praises to Him. This only happens when they are hearing it often. Its like the old saying, Garbage In: Garbage Out, or in this case, Good stuff in: Good stuff out 🙂 Scripture memory songs are great. We have a whole list of ‘nighttime music’ that our 4 kids listen to as they go to sleep.
Reading Bible stories. This was done for me as a child and I think it is so important to start kids young. We all talk about a quiet time with God but it like everything else needs to be shown not just spoke about.
Love the last one, experiencing gererosity is huge!
We love to read the Storybook Bible and listen to children’s worship music. Our favorite CDs are Seeds Family Worship.
We send our daughter to the parochial school run by our church. We also read Bible stories to her every night before bed. We love hearing her add details that she has learned at school. It amazes me how well she knows the stories.
Thanks for this great list! My favorite is the “Prayers With Them.” Our little guy is only 6 months old and we try our best to pray with him every night before bed. I look forward to the day when he can contribute his own words as well!
Great post Courtney! Thanks for sharing about the CD but mostly thanks for the inspiring ways to inspire our kids in a relationship with Jesus… All their own!
Thanks for this post. My wife and I have our first child on the way (due in June), and raising her to know Jesus is our top priority. These tips are all great, but I think my favorite one is the 6. Scripture Memory Made Easy one. I’ve never heard anyone using cards like that for scripture memory even though it seems so obvious.
Thanks again!
My favorite way above is “Rockin the Minivan”…I play K-Love or Christian Artist CD’s all the time and it is such a tug on my heart strings when out of the blue my boys start singing along with the songs. They may moan and groan “that’s all moms listens to” but it is getting in their spirit and having an impression on them. I also love the Prayer one…my boys and I always pray on the way to school/daycare etc that God go before our day, guard our hearts, protect us and let His light shine in our lives in everything we do. Thank you for sharing!
I love using music to reach my girls, now age 5 and 2. A few nights ago we were listening to “it’s a big big house, with lots and lots of rooms”, and the 2 year-old Anneli said, “I want a big house like Her father”. Perfect time to talk about heaven and how God is everyone’s father. Of course, I didn’t think about that till later, as I was so tired! As an exhausted mom, music is easy, scriptural, fun, and memorable. A new wonderful CD would make a difference in our lives!
Thank you for the timely tips.
Courtney! I’ve been reading your blog since the beginning – what an AWESOME encouragement you are to moms everywhere. I lived until just a month ago across the street in Hapeville from Kerri and we used to carpool to BC together most everyday. I feel like I know you (and we’re already friends!) because of her and this blog! Does that count?
My favorite and probably the one I use the most often is number 8. I love to talk about the things of God as we “walk along the way.” Pointing out a bird, or the sunset or the stars is an easy way to point kids toward a great BIG God. And I’m thrilled that even at a young age, both my boys are learning that God made all of these things but he also made each of them.
hey emily! we’re totally friends. kerri speaks so highly of you. thanks for being a great friend to her. i appreciate your awesome encouragement. it means a lot.
Tip #9 is so important. I can’t tell you what a difference it has made finding a church that is real and relevant. It has taken years, but now the family is excited to go to church every weekend!
#10 We all learn by doing, and we want to do things that are FUN!
I don’t think I can pick just one! Reading the Bible stories with our eldest are great. It brings joy to my heart that he understands that God is our provider from stories like Elijah and the ravens and already has favourite “go to” stories. Praying “at all times” is something else we are all working on – sadly it’s sometimes the kids who remind me to “ask Jesus” first… Like I say, we’re ALL working on it!
#6 and #7, which often times can go together…I can’t even count the number of Scripture verses that my kiddos (and myself) have memorized through rockin’ Christian music 🙂
#6 is what has been on my heart the last few months:)
#5 is my favorite! I love hearing my kids pray and what The Lord puts on their hearts!!
My favorite is #3! My kids are always asking for stories, to the point where sometimes I tell a story about a mommy who had to tell so many stories she lost her voice. 🙂 I like the idea of telling real-life stories!
My favorite is #10 Experiencing Virtues Through Fun because as Bob Goff says, “love does stuff”.
Pray with them, for sure. As the parents of two girls (5 and 6), who we’re adopting through foster care, our goal is to make sure they know Jesus is their best friend, and that they can talk to Him anytime! These precious babies have lived with us for three years, and before that, the lived in abuse and neglect. If I never do another thing in my life that’s worthwhile, teaching these ones about the love of Jesus, and His forgiveness is enough for me.
My favorite is #8. As adults we sometimes forget to notice God in the everyday, simple things. Looking for them to share about not only teaches the kids, it also reminds us.
I love the scripture memory cards! We love to act out verses as a memory tool, but I love that these are displayed as a constant reminder. Thank you for this post!
These are all so encouraging. I love 7 because music is big in our house. Steve Green, Praise Baby & Scripture Memory Songs are some of our favorites. We would love to have Shine!!
My favorite part of this list? The disclaimer at the bottom, Courtney. I have been listening to Seeds of Faith recently, which has lots of Scripture set to music and came to mind when reading #8 on your list.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
6“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.7“You
shall teach them diligently to your sons 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
#7!! I LOVE music!!! It moves me in a way like no other and has a profound impact on my life.
I love #4! I have had such a peace lately praying for for my children. I loved the book Praying the Scriptues for your Children! Awesome!
I love listening to my 2 year old belt out her favorite praises! I would love a CD with even more songs for her to learn!
“Growing in your own faith” is key – kids can tell what’s real & what’s not. Thanks for the giveaway.
Growing your own faith is definitely something I think is VERY important and also something I need more of. It’s hard to balance my time, but definitely am working on it.
#10 jumps out at me! I love faith in action! I think it is so improtant for kids to share God’s love and word through helping others!
Love all of them but #10 is my favorite. It’s easy to tell my daughter act, but showing her is how I shape her character!
I love this post!!! I’d love to make a list of 10 things that bring faith to life for teens. We’ve seen it in 10 years of youth ministry and college ministry and we’re certainly seeing it in the lives of our boys. 🙂 As you well know from my first post for you today, it does wonders to admit to your kids when you’ve goofed and accidentally taught them a word (or an attitude) that they’ve picked up. YIKES. Talk about humbling. How freeing to know that it’s God’s grace that saves them and keeps them and not our mistakes in parenting!!!! Praising Jesus tonight for that truth!