TRAIN UP A CHILD

Unfortunately, I didn’t grow up in a Christian home. My family never went to church or talked about God, and when I gave my heart to Jesus at 16 years old, I knew absolutely nothing about God or Scripture. So, I threw myself in to learn and grow as much as I could!

When I became a mom I knew without a doubt that I wanted to give my own kids that connection with Christ I never had as a child. I wanted them to grow up with God’s Word tucked in their heart and a tender appreciation for His presence.

As parents, the most significant ministry you and I have is to our children. And the most important thing we could ever do with our lives is to authentically point them to Jesus. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to,

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Our home is our greatest mission field; our family our greatest ministry.

When my son turned 3 I decided to implement a time of formal devotions with him. I had only delayed as long as I did because he has a significant speech delay and I’ve often underestimated what he is capable of taking in. But children absorb much more than we believe they do and I knew it was time to start some of that training Proverbs mentions.

I want to encourage you to start implementing devotions with your child(ren) if you have not yet. And to help you navigate that, here is what I like to do with my own toddler.

DEVOTIONS WITH YOUR CHILD

First, pick a time that works best for your family. For my personal daily devotions, I prefer the morning. But by the time I set aside my own time (because mama, you have got to feed yourself!), dressed everyone, and made breakfast, it’s time to get out the door. For my family, evenings work better and we specifically do it right before bed. However, if you are a morning person, here are some tips I shared with Crosswalk that might be helpful.

With a time chosen for your family, here is a basic model for devotions:

1. BIBLE READING

Find a great children's bible with a story focus. A toddler won’t likely sit through as you read your ESV Bible, however, a beautifully illustrated bible designed for kids can be a great resource. I have this 5-minute story bible and this first bible that I both use. Usually, the bible stories are shared in small segments and I’ll read a story each night. I’ll then break it down a bit more simply and ask my son simple questions about the story.

2. PRAYER

After we’ve read a bible story, we’ll pray. We’ll thank God for our day, listing specific things we are grateful for. Then we’ll pray for our family and friends, lifting up specific requests. I’ll even ask my son if there is anyone or anything specifically he wants to pray for.

3. SONG

Every night since my son was born I sing “It Is Well” over him. It has served both as a lullaby to comfort him and a sort of declaration over him. I want Roman to grow up with this unshakeable faith in God that it is well no matter what comes because of Who we serve!

It’s fairly simple but it’s perfect for the toddler age! I’d love to know in the comments what works well for you and your family. Share below and maybe others can pick up some new ideas.

BRITT’S FAMILY DEVOTIONAL

I wrote a family devotional that stemmed from these precious moments with my own family and a passion for the Word of God. 5-Minute Family Devotional is for families with children under the age of 10. It comes with a Scripture, devotional, and prompt, and will take your family chronologically through the Bible.

Here is just one parent’s feedback:

A must have devotional book for your family! As a pastor and a father, I’ve found there are surprisingly few Christian devotional books for the family that are understandable for children and biblically sound. This book is both and I believe it should be in every Christian home.

ADDITIONAL KID’S RESOURCES

Here are some additional resources, devotions, and books for children that might be helpful!

Lacey Rabalais — Lacey has a wonderful series of studies called Mama & Littles Bible study for free.
Baby Devotions — A great website with lots of free resources and activities for engaging your children with the Word of God.
Theolaby — Books and tools that help you give your little kids a big God.
Catechesis Books — Baby Believer Primers help you teach your children the central tenets of the Christian faith that they may never know a day apart from the Lord.

How I Do Devotions With My Toddler