You do know that Family Devotions don’t have to look one certain way, right?
But I wonder…how do you feel about the way they happen? (or don’t happen…as we’ve experienced at times). Life is busy and the ages and stages of children are definitely a factor in how we spend intentional time with God together as a family.
No two families are the same and I would venture to say that every family who seeks the Lord together does it differently, and that’s okay. I used to worry all the time about HOW we did family devotions. We’ve tried many different methods, used all kinds of resources found online and have tried to create specific times each week to intentionally study God’s Word together. And if I’m honest, we’ve never been able to stick to the same time, routine or kind of study. Because our children are always growing physically, emotionally and spiritually…what worked for us last month, might not work for us today.
But one thing that DOES work well for us consistently is when we focus more of our attention on seeking God together around mealtimes. We’re already gathered, which is sometimes half the battle and there’s nothing like food to bring everyone into the same space.
This is why I’m really excited to share a book with you today that we are totally loving as a family called, Whit’s End Mealtime Devotions: 90 Faith-Building Ideas Your Kids Will Eat Up. It’s part of the Adventures in Odyssey collection, presented by Focus on the Family. My online friend, Tricia Goyer, co-authored this book and blessed me with a copy. Let me just say…it’s SO GOOD!!!
We love the way each devotion is delivered in five courses:
- Mealtime Prayer- a fresh way to bless your food
- Appetizer- a fun question or activity
- Mail Course- an object lesson or thought to chew on
- Table Talk- questions to spark interesting discussions
- Vitamins and Minerals- a creative way to thank God for your time together or a reminder that God provides all we need.
These devotions are awesome because they really do bring us together in a way that makes time around our table feel more Peace-filled and purposeful.
Mealtime Devotions Giveaway
As a gift to you, Tricia Goyer is offering three of my awesome readers a copy of Whit’s End Mealtime Devotions. To enter for your chance to win your very own copy, I’m making it easy. Just answer any of the following questions in the comments or if you’d prefer, you can email me at meganspires@gmail.com. (feel free to answer all of them!!)
I know…it’s not always easy to make the time for family devotions, but I’d love to know more about what works well and also what isn’t working so well for your family in this area.
1. What does it look like in your family to study God’s Word together?
2. Do you have a set time of day you do devotions with your kids? Perhaps a family devotional night or bible study you’re working through together? Describe what works well for you.
3. And if your family struggles to find time for devotions together or it’s just plain hard to do them (believe me, I do understand) what are some of the obstacles and reasons that make it a challenge?
4. What do you believe would make family devotions less of a challenge for your family in this season?
And because I love this book and finding creative ways families can seek God and His Word together, I’ll be sharing more on this subject in the coming weeks.
This post contains some affiliate links. If you purchase anything through those links, I do receive a small percentage of the sale which helps to keep this site running. Thanks you!
I pulled up to the drive-through window to pay for our meal. As I handed my card to the woman just within reach, she smiled sweetly with tears in her eyes and said, “No need, it’s all taken care of. The woman ahead of you just paid for your meal.”
You know those times in your life when you’ve really identified with a particular song or artist? I remember many songs that have resonated deep within my heart during certain seasons of my life. I had boxes and boxes of cassette tapes, mostly mixed ones I had created myself. In later years, I collected all of my favorite CDs and would listen to particular songs depending on the mood I was in or the circumstance I faced. But one thing I remember…there was never a song I would have claimed as “MY LIFE SONG”.
