5 ways to incorporate scripture into your everyday family life
We know that the Bible is God’s word. We know that it’s inspired and good for teaching and learning and changing. We know that we need to get into the word on a daily basis but when it comes to our family as a whole how do we incorporate scripture into our everyday lives when we have small children who won’t do anything unless skittles are involved?
Well, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve failed a lot. And I think I’ve finally figured it out for this stage and phase of life and, best of all, we are finally seeing results and the scripture stick.
So, here’s a quick background on our family right now just so you have an idea where I am coming from. We have three busy boys - 7, 5 and almost 2. Our oldest two our in a public christian school program and our youngest frequents the most amazing day care I know when mom and dad need to get some work down for our jobs out of the home. With all that being said - a typically day involves a slew of different things but about 5 ish hours a day when we are apart. Because this is the life that works for us right now we want to make sure that the foundation we are building for our kids is strong, built on scripture and goes with them wherever they may be.
Here’s how we incorporate scripture on a daily basis:
Morning Card & Check-in
Every morning we love to go through one of our ABC sets from Tiny Theologians. These sets of cards go through characteristics of God, names of God and theology. I know it may sound like a lot for young kids but each day is a small little explanation with a scripture verse and let me tell you, they get it! Takes a few minutes, right after grace and our breakfast benediction, but we have learned that they are very impactful minutes!
Memory Verse
This one ebbs and flows with life but the goal is to have a verse written on our chalkboard each week that our boys will see, read and memorize. I always go with verses that are important to their basic theologically understanding but also ones that are applicable to their character building as well. Here’s a few we have used recently;
Table Talk @ meals
This one is my favourite. Recently we have been working through the Tiny Theologian Theology 101 cards and I am amazed at what my littles have retained and learned. Both older both understand the big words of the bible like holiness, sanctification, justification, grace & mercy (all things I learned as an adult in bible school….) These small and simple cards help my kids learn and help keep their bums in their seats for a few minutes longer was they scarf down their dinner (or just complain and say they don’t want it)
Evening Devotions
Devotions every night is a great ending and pillar to our day. Again, nothing fancy, just reading from a kid friendly devotional book that is rooted in scripture and shares pieces from the bible. Eventually, as the grow older, reading directly from the Bible will be a part of this rhythm.
Hang. It. Everywhere.
This is the easiest (and prettiest) was to incorporate scripture into your everyday life. I am that person who has those hobby lobby scripture pictures everywhere. We have scriptures and pieces of scripture as art, written on our chalkboards and hung like a clothes line over our door ways. Whether you realize it or not, physically printing and hanging it all over your homes helps you and your children remember the scriptures and permeate them into our lives. We like to take Deuteronomy 6:6-9 for face value when it says;
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Click here to get your own set of table talk cards that you can use for morning or evening chats and hang in your home. Just grab some string and little clothes pins!
