Devos They'll Do

In our family, one of the first casualties of our busy lives is family devotions. But lately God has been reminding me that quieting our spirits and coming together before God is an essential part of our family life. And it's up to us as parents to make that time a priority. If your family devotions are falling by the wayside, these ideas can liven them up and get your whole crew excited about growing closer to God and one another:

• After your child's soccer or softball practice, talk about the ways Paul compared athletics to the Christian life (1 Cor. 9:24; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 12:1).
• If you've got a particularly hectic week, use your time in the car together to listen to worship music, talk about what God's doing in your lives, and pray.
• Use time you've already set aside to learn more about God. On movie night, watch a Christian flick and discuss it afterwards (find suggestions at dove.org). Put together a puzzle with a Christian theme. Have a Bible-story dinner night—try fish and chips (Mark 8:1-8) or a snack of bread and honey (Ps. 119:97-104).
• Take a long walk in your neighborhood or a hike in the woods and celebrate God's handiwork. God's Word says he is revealed through creation (Isa. 6:3). Get your kids to think about what nature tells them about God.
• Ask your preteen to plan a family devotion. Encourage him to be creative and think up an activity everyone will enjoy.
• Scrutinize your schedule and figure out where you can fit in regular devotions. Can the kids do homework while dinner cooks, freeing up time in the evening? Can you wake up 15 minutes earlier or stay up 15 minutes later to spend time with God and pray about the day? Remember, family devotions can happen anytime, anywhere.

—Ev Bishop

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