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One Habit that Will Change Our Families and Our World

What if we told you that your family has the ability to impact the world for generations? Yes, your family! Don't believe it? One little change in your routine and your home could be the factor that transforms your own hearts and changes the world.

Pause.

I know you’re busy, so before you read any more
:: take a breath ::
:: still your heart ::
and just imagine with me.

Imagine a generation of children who love God and who love His Word.

Children, who, like the writer of the Psalms, keeps his way pure by living according to God’s Word and who seeks God with all of his heart and doesn’t stray from God’s commands.

Imagine a generation of kids who have hidden God’s Word in their hearts that they might not sin against God. Children who rejoice in following God’s Word as one who rejoices in great riches.

Can you imagine a generation who meditate on God’s precepts and consider God’s ways, who delight in God’s decrees and who do not neglect God’s Word? (Psalm 119)

Wow! What a generation they would be!

Parents, we can help raise a generation who honors and depends on God’s Word! If we want our kids to be that generation, we have to help them become that generation.

Proverbs 6:20-22 impresses on us the importance of God’s Word in the life of a child. The writer admonishes us to “Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.”

We must cling fast to God’s Word and teach our children to do the same. The result really is astounding ::

  • When you walk, they will lead you,
  • when you lie down, they will watch over you;
  • and when you awake, they will talk with you.”

Deuteronomy 6 is similar. Eugene Peterson shares verses 6-9 this way —

Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.

More than I want my kids to remember my words, I want them to know and remember God’s Word.

The Struggle

If you’re anything like me, busyness or bad attitudes cause me to think it’s impossible to spend time with the kids in God’s Word, and the vast number of ideas, resources, and methods paralyze me from doing anything!

Even thinking about all I should do in regard to Scripture — reading, memorizing, meditating on, praying, studying, and living the Truth of Scripture — can overwhelm me, and I’m tempted to give up before I start.

But I’ve been reminded lately that “we make our habits and our habits make us,” or as my grandfather always taught me:

“Success in life depends not on the dreams you dream but on the choices you make” (Dr. George Sweeting).

Both are true for me as a parent, and both our true in the lives of my kids. The habits my kids develop will form their lives. Am I helping them develop life-giving habits?

Is Scripture a priority in our family? Am I sowing God’s Word in the hearts of my kids and teaching them to do the same? We are responsible to sow the seed, and we can trust God with the harvest.

Rather than being overwhelmed, we must start. Let’s make a resolution together. Instead of feeling guilty about all we should do but aren’t, let’s start somewhere. Let’s start with being consistent in God’s Word as a family.

Start somewhere.

The Solution: Start.

Decide where your family will begin. Our community is starting with a goal of reading Scripture daily.

Our methods might look different — one family might read Scripture all together every day, while others will read together once or twice a week and spend the other days reading the Bible individually.

Whether alone or together, our goal is to develop in ourselves and our kids a daily habit of reading the Bible.

The Scriptures

Join us as we begin a movement of #FamiliesInTheWord.

Choose a book, chapter, or some verses and get all of your family in God’s Word every day. You don’t need new books or extra resources. You need the Bible. Before you read, ask God’s Spirit to teach you and start reading.

If you’d like a little extra support, we’ll be sharing Scripture reading plans, short devotionals, and videos to help your family grow in the Scriptures.

We’re joining together to find encouragement, accountability, and ideas. Families just like yours will be sharing about how they are modeling, leading, and encouraging their kids in loving and living out the Words of Scriptures.

We don’t want competition, we desire community. We’re not about guilt but encouragement – literally, giving courage to one another as we lead our families into God’s Word.

So how about it :: God’s Word, every day. Our lives will be changed!

Committing with you,

Erika // erikadawson.com

Resources for You ::

Already reading daily and need a next step? Consider these –

Or –

  • What if you don’t love God’s Word? Read this.

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