Family Devotions

Family Devotions
Get the gang together and grow closer to God … and each other
From Heritage Builders

Just for Toddlers

Key Thought: Jesus is our friend.
Bible Verse: A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17
Song to Sing: (Sing to the tune of"London Bridge.")

Jesus is a friend to me (Point to self)
Friend to me
Friend to me.
Jesus is a friend to me
I love Jesus

I can be a good friend, too (Point to partner)
Good friend, too
Good friend, too.
I can be a good friend, too
Just like Jesus

Prayer to Say:Dear Jesus, thank you for being my best friend. Help me be a good friend, too. Amen.

Just For Toddlers

Key Thought: God made all of me.
Bible Verse: God created man in his own image. Genesis 1:27
Rhyme to Say: Say and do this action rhyme.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes (Point to each)
Eyes, ears, mouth, and nose
God gave me all of those! (Arms up high)
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes.

Prayer to Say:Dear God, thank you for making all the parts of me. Amen.

Bedtime Blessings

Wonder Why

As you get your child settled into bed, read Proverbs 3:5. Then say, " 'Why' is a wonderful word, because it helps us explore the world around us. Let's ask a few 'why' questions and see what we discover. Why do you think baby teeth fall out? Why do you think you yawn when you get sleepy?" Take turns asking and answering questions for a few minutes. Explain that there are a lot of "why" questions in the Bible. Some of them lead to answers; some of them don't. But we can trust that God will always take care of us and do what's best for us.

Pray: Dear God, thank you for creating us to be curious, and for such a wide and wonderful world to be curious about. It's fun discovering things about you. Amen.

I Spy

Tell your child that the name of tonight's game is I Spy. Begin by saying, "I spy something beginning with the letter S," Have your child ask questions to figure out what you've spied. Take turns spying different things in your child's room. Then read 1 Timothy 6:17. Talk about the ways God has provided for your family's enjoyment.

Pray:Dear God, thank you for providing ____________'s (your child's name) room and all the good things our family needs. You have been so kind and generous to us. Thank you. Amen.

Joy Rides:

Bumped Up

Ages 5 and up
Have each person in the car take a turn looking for a bumper sticker on another car. Once they find one, have them read it out loud. The discuss the message of the bumper sticker:
What is this person trying to say?
What is this driver admitting to?
What do you think his or her attitude in other areas of life might be? Why?
Have each person think up a bumper sticker that would tell people how they look at life.

Family Night Fun

Unpopped

Ages 3 and up
Point: God wants our best.
Gather: Microwave popcorn (or supplies for popping corn on a stovetop) and a Bible.
Go: Tell your children you are going to start this family night by making some popcorn. Let the popcorn pop for half of its intended time. Pour the popcorn into a bowl, making sure kids see the unpopped kernels. When your children complain that you didn't wait long enough, discuss the following questions: What did you think when we didn't get much popcorn from this bag? What did I need to do to make the popcorn turn out right?
Share: You were disappointed when the popcorn didn't get completely cooked. I was impatient when I stopped the popping before it was done. Sometimes we rush through jobs that take up our time, or we get impatient with chores and quit before we're done. But God asks us to keep doing what's right, whether it's helping keep our house clean or showing God's love to other people. He tells us to always do our best and finish what we start.
Read:Galatians 6:9. Ask, "Why do we get tired of doing the things we know we should?"
Remember: I'll give God my best, he'll take care of the rest.
Pray: Ask God to help you do what's right, even when you don't feel like it.

Read more articles that highlight writing by Christian women at ChristianityToday.com/Women