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Family Devotions for Dads

family devotionsHey Dad,

Last week I asked the guys for their family devotion ideas.

I can’t list them all (some mentioned the same things), but here are some of their ideas:

 

“I love these for our family:

Long Story Short
http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/-strse-920/Gospel-Story-Curriculum%2C-Children%27s/Detail.bok

Old Story New

 
They may be a bit too easy for older children but we’ve been enjoying them for about 3 years.  I have a 9, 12 and 15 year old.” – PC

Start at beginning of Bible:

-10 verses a day

-5-10 minutes and no more!

-everyone around the table (after dinner is good time)

-clear everything from table

-ask and pray for their attention for 5 minutes please!

-the Living Bible or another contemporary version (even a Children’s Bible) that paints clear word pictures.

-ask for questions, comments and opinions.

– D.C.

As far as family devotions, I hear ya!  I struggle to say on track too.  We have used some children devotional books in the past but this year what I am doing is just reading to them a chapter a day from the gospel of Luke.

After I read the chapter we then have questions from the chapter and it is working GREAT.  I think that it is just knowing what I am going to do each night is a HUGH help.  And what better can we give our children then God’s Word?

Well anyways that is what I am doing. 

It is amazing the different insights that come up.  We are learning different aspects about the lives of the Bible characters and OURSELVES all the time.  Like God telling Moses basically when about to go thru Red Sea “ok, quit praying and march on!”. – J.M.

Hi Todd,
We like to use the devotional, “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. What’s great about it is they have both parent as well as kid versions that follow the same thought line. Even if we’re not able to do it at the same time I can still track with each of the kids and my wife.  Though nothing replaces enjoying each other and seeing new thoughts, ideas, life changes, and dad moments spring up during those times. It’s all worth it because I get to be there dad.
Press on in , push on through because I only get to be this close for a short time.
I’m There Dad – K.K.

Just wanted to pass along a book we’ve started using for our family devotions.  It’s been around for a while so you may already be familiar with it.  The book seems to be geared toward teens and young people but not overtly so.

The Experience: Day-by-Day With God — A Devotional and Journal
by Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby

Best of luck.
B. G.
In the family devotions department we’ve used a few different tools.  We usually have a little reading and then take praises/prayer requests alternating each night on who says the prayer.  Probably the best/easiest thing we’ve used for several years is Keys for Kids from CBH Ministries.  They’re short and have very good lessons – not only for the kids but also for us parents :), and it’s amazing how many times they’ve been right on the mark with something we’re dealing with (a God-think of course :).  Another great one we went through was the Average Boy devotional book from Focus on the Family – my boys (now 16, 14, and 9) and my wife and I really enjoy Average Boy.  Currently we’re working through 1st and 2nd Samuel (usually a chapter or two each night) – the stories/lessons are great (though sometimes a little graphic :), and the boys are really enjoying it.  We have also started using Fuel by Joe White (it’s on hold until we finish 2nd Samuel).  The Fuel devotionals are also pretty short, but go a little deeper with the story and questions at the end that make us all think a little harder – not as much fun, but probably good for us on occasion – even for my 9 year-old :).
L.E.
 
Devotion replacement! 🙂 -N.D.
Something we just started was from the JellyTelly when we signed up. It is a 2-3 minute devotion that is already outlined and talked about and very easy to use. Keep in mind I just started this last week so we really havent gotten into it yet but something to try. – L.F.
Hey Todd,
I appreciate and enjoy your frequent challenges and reminders that I receive by email.  I’m the dad of 6 kiddos.  
8 y.o. and under.  We use different materials for family devotions. BUT my kids favorite is when we use “Picture Proverbs”.  You may be familiar with Dr. SM Davis.  He is the one who created the DVD’s.  You can find them on his website.  
 
 
We also enjoy the character booklets that Bill Gothard has. – S.M.

We use Keys for Kids.  When they were young, they called it kids for kids.  We still call it that.

http://www.cbhministries.org/ForKids/KeysforKids/ReadListen.aspx

J.H.

Hey brother,
Here is a great resource I use occasionally for our family devotions:
I hope it helps you! – J
We use Hope for Each Day by Billy Graham.
Thanks!
K.L.

 

This Post Has One Comment

  1. Well, I guess I have a different view than some, I really have a hard time with 1 page quick devotionals.

    We are almost through Bill Bennett’s Book of Virtues, but we read a few clips from that last night that were complete train wrecks. Then we moved on to the Bible.

    I’ve done various things but now that my children are 7, 10, and 12 and call all read and easily sit for 20 minutes, we just take a chapter a day out of the King James Version. We talk about what it means and then we have prayer (taking turns we each pray)

    If you start your kids out on the KJV it just isn’t that hard to understand.

    Last night we had Galatians 1, we talked about whether or not Paul was being arrogant in stating that anyone who preached a different gospel than what he had brought to the Galatians was accursed, and how Paul received it by revelation.

    My 10 year old decided he wanted a scofield so he could have the references like my wife and 12 yr old.

    It was a great time! My kids see the love that we have for the Scripture and the things of God and it’s contagious. They love it too! It’s some of the best family time that we have.

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