A to Z Blogging {Still catching up!}; Other Ways to Bring God into Your Kids' Lives

(Click here to read part one of this post; Kids--Bringing God into Their Lives)

To instill a love of God in your child, God must be a part of your life every day—at home, at school, wherever you go and whatever you’re doing. Here are a few tips to make God an integral part of your life every day.

• When you read to your child, include Bible narratives. When your child is old enough to read, provide Bible stories; give tweens and teens Christian fiction to read. (Caution: read the books first, to be sure they are really “Christian” books.) Consider subscribing to faith-based magazines; again, preview them first to be sure they give the message you want your kids to read.
• Give each child a Bible of their own; consider a study Bible so they can learn even more from the study notes. Give them highlighters so they can mark in their Bibles too, and encourage them to write down what they’ve learned and questions that come up as they read.
• Have Bible-study/devotion time as a family. Teach what you learned in Bible study, or read and discuss passages from the Bible. Many Bible study and devotion books are also available.
• Write Bible verses on note cards and post them around the house. Encourage your kids to do the same so they memorize verses or are reminded of God during a tough time.
• Pray for your kids…and with your kids. Ask them what they would like you to pray for, for them. Pray that they will desire to have God in their lives and follow Him. Encourage them to start a prayer journal, recording their requests and God’s answers.
• Set a good example of showing Christ’s love wherever you go. Be polite even if the checker is rude. Return change when too much is given. Give to charity as you feel led. If you lose your temper with another driver, apologize, explain why what you did was wrong, and ask God’s forgiveness out loud.
• Bring God into situations in your child’s life. When she talks about a new child at school, encourage her to talk to him and explain how Jesus was kind to everyone. If a teen at her high school gets pregnant, talk about the consequences of not obeying God’s laws and the impact on the rest of that teen’s life. You can also use this as an opportunity to talk about choosing life, and God’s forgiveness.  
• It’s normal for teens to ask questions about faith and your religious denomination. Allow them to ask these questions (I think God is glad when we think about Him and His Word and ask questions!). Discuss them as a family; find the answers if you can, or ask your pastor or priest. Even if kids are questioning their faith, make attending church a rule.

How do you make God a part of your kids’ everyday lives? Please leave your comment below! 

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

Proverbs 22:6