bible devotions for children

Today I was able to have the pleasure of finishing a book. I love that feeling of coming to the end and already the excitement of starting a new one begins to well up inside. This devotional was read aloud nearly daily (with many interruptions this year), being more specifically geared toward A's level back when we started it. It seemed to take us forever since we didn't read it exclusively. Each lesson talks about the qualities and character of God and how to know Him better. It very simply includes verses, bible passages and hymns. I love for my children to hear words in hymns. If you have a very young child, especially one new to hearing God's word, this would be a great book to read, discuss and begin hiding God's word in the heart of your child. It can stir up good conversation in any young child however.

I especially loved the little end lesson where it reminds us that the Lord will return again someday and everything will praise Him.

Rev. 21:4 HE will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sadness. There will be no more crying or pain. Things are no longer the way they used to be. You can imagine the comfort that brought, knowing this truth in the midst of all the illness and even death ( and near death) that our family has witnessed over this year. Life on earth can bring such suffering at times but it is not the end. What peace that brings. HOPE

Now, we don't dwell on those things, so let's go back to joy land.

Over the years my most consistent bible devotion with the kids has been reading aloud in good bible books. Just a little taste every day. I have circulated through a few good ones since D was little. It is satisfying to be at a stage in my homeschooling career to be repeating some of them. We will revisit this one now. It is full of rich illustrations. 'A' was quite young when last this was out.

Let me encourage you with simple. I like simple. You may have entered a more involved/ intense season of devotions with your child as they have gotten older, but wherever you are in your devotion season it is good to just be in the word. In my younger days, with little nursing babes, I used to feel overwhelmed about teaching my children's devotions. That's when I started this simplistic but oh so fruitful plan. As I read each day to them, God taught me more about Him. I was able to show Him to my kids in their daily lives and how to behave toward one another. There is a guidebook for parenting after all!! All the bells and whistles are nice and if you can swing it, then go to town, please. There will be a time to dig deeper and a time to be simple, but the Lord impressed upon my heart that just hearing His word on a consistent, truth giving basis and then living out what you've learned in your daily lives, truly builds mountains into the spiritual lives of ones children.

I am excited to reopen this book with my younger clan and then we will shift into another favorite that will be perfect for all three younger ones.... the child's story bible by Vos. This is one of the first real large story bibles I began reading to my children when D was little and I was a new Christian. It is a favorite. I couldn't believe how much I learned right along with them. A very special Titus woman-friend gave me her old beat up version after hearing that I longed to get my own copy. Back then money was super tight. I still have that book with it's duck tape binding. It is precious to us all.


Thanks Patty!