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How to Choose The Best Bible For Your Child

Reading Time: 3 min 10 sec

Do you ever wonder how to choose the best Bible for your child? Are all kids Bibles created equal? What type of Bible should you be looking for?

“I have a 6th grader this year and I’m looking for an engaging, fun, and informative Bible for my child.” Do you choose a Bible purely based on age-development, or preference?

Or do you choose a Bible-based on educational needs? “I need to find a more challenging Bible for my child. She really needs to focus on developing her reading comprehension. Her current Bible is great but I know she can definitely read at a higher level.”

Browsing the shelves at my local Christian bookstore, I was amazed at the plethora of children’s Bibles available on the market. Everyone from recording artists to chefs and leadership gurus had their version of a children’s Bible on the shelves. It was frankly overwhelming.

So how do you cut through all the options and find the best Bible for your child? We are going to share with you the key indicators of quality child’s Bible PLUS our top recommendations for kids.

Grab a latte, sit back, relax, and say goodbye to camping out in the aisle of your local Christian book store for good. 🙂

1. Best Bible: How Children Learn

2. Best Bible: How To Choose

3. Best Bible: Recommendations

1. Best Bible: How Children Learn

The first step to choosing the best Bible for your child is understanding how children learn and process information. This will equip you with a grid that will help you to remove any stumbling blocks (in your power) that would prevent your child from connecting with Jesus.

Children Learn Experientially– Kids learn best by getting their hands messy. This process (partnered with the Holy Spirit) allows them to engage their senses and turn head knowledge into heart transformation.

Children Are Visual Learners– Kids can connect with God powerfully through images. Pictures, concrete materials, nature, and art, all of these play a HUGE part in the spiritual development of our children.

Children Are Concrete Thinkers- Kids at this stage in their development are typically not able to process abstract concepts. The stories of Jesus are a wonderful place for children to wonder and experience God through scripture.

Children Learn Best in the Context of Community-

Children form their image of God through relationships with parents, family, neighbors, and friends. They experience God by watching and participating in their local church community. They learn about what it means to live a with-God life through interactions with other adults.

Children Are Spiritual Beings- Children are spiritual beings created by God. We are called, as parents to join the Holy Spirit in what he is already doing in the life of our child.

2. Best Bible: How To Choose

You are at the Christian book store or scrolling through Amazon just ready to find the perfect Bible for your child, what should you look for? Here are the simple criteria that I use to help me choose the best Bible for my child. This is an adaption of a list found in Listening to Children On The Spiritual Journey.

a. Does the Bible communicate a loving God?

b. Are the pictures beautiful and or interesting?

Nothing crushes interest in a Bible storybook than boring images. We want to be aware of and intentional about removing obstacles that might hinder our children’s experience of God.

c. Are the words concrete and captivating?

d. Are the chapters short?

Seriously, we want to set ourselves up for success. Nothing sucks the joy out of Bible reading than trying to plow through an extra-long chapter with a squirmy child.

e. Are the stories true to actual text?

Several versions get a little too free with their artistic license. We want to stay as close as possible to the original meaning and text while still meeting children where they are developmentally.

3. Best Bible: Recommendations

For those of you who are interested, here is a list of my favorite Bibles for children. Most of these Bibles are well-worn favorites on my own bookshelves.

I have to mention that the Jesus Storybook Bible is by far my favorite. I would recommend using that Bible with your child up through the elementary years. Sally Lloyd-Jones does an amazing job of communicating God’s over the top love for his children. This Bible is a foundation forming tool. It really helps your child form a wonderful picture of the character of God. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802471633/ref=olp-opf-redir?aod=1&ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0802471633&linkCode=am2&tag=mostimporta03-20&linkId=f591d2357b39001d9792f28e8f73e419

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310708257/ref=olp-opf-redir?aod=1&ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0310708257&linkCode=am2&tag=mostimporta03-20&linkId=04f35900643984b8825e602a77f579f0

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0781430550/ref=olp-opf-redir?aod=1&ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0781430550&linkCode=am2&tag=mostimporta03-20&linkId=3624d5f4d84942be39ce4d711e05ea04

If you want to know how to get started in living a deep life with God; grab our Deeper Life Beginners Guide (below). And join our community of moms who are hungry for more Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families.

What about you? What is your #1 issue when it comes to teaching your child to love Bible reading? Leave a comment, and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

How To Confidently Lead Your Kids In The Salvation Prayer

Reading Time: 8 min 1 sec

Your child runs up, her face so serious as she asks, “Mom, I want to ask Jesus into my heart. Can you show me how?” You know you should be feeling overjoyed, but right now all you are experiencing is panic. Your daughter is only four years old, how can she be old enough to really understand what she is doing? All the words fly from your mouth as you stare at her rather blankly.

It can’t hurt to pray with her, you think, even if she is too young. But how does one go about leading a child to Christ? How in-depth do you go on the whole sin thing? You try to visualize what your pastor would say in this situation and you fumble through explaining sin, and Jesus’ death and resurrection to a four-year-old.

You pray with her and try to celebrate as you desperately wonder if you did it right. Maybe you should take her to church and have a pastor “properly” lead her to Christ? Just for your peace of mind. Who knows? Maybe you left out some crucial part that determines the whole make it into heaven thing.

Where are the professionals when you need them?!

As parents, we can sometimes struggle with feelings of inadequacy when it comes to the spiritual life of our child. Especially, if our journey with Jesus has been different or we didn’t grow up in homes where they valued investing in the spiritual life of children. We worry that we are failing our children in some way.

Rest assured, we are going to walk you through a simple process of how to lead your child to Christ.

1. Salvation Prayer For Kids: God’s Rescue Plan

2. Salvation Prayer For Kids: FAQs

3. Salvation Prayer For Kids: Prayer

How To Confidently Lead Your Kids In The Salvation Prayer 3-min

1. Salvation Prayer For Kids: God’s Rescue Plan

I love how Sally Lloyd-Jones, in the Jesus Storybook Bible describes salvation as “God’s Great Rescue Plan”. Salvation is a beautiful story of a merciful God. Who so lavishly, over the top loves us, that he gave up his precious son to rescue us from an eternity spent separated from him.

The prophet Jeremiah aptly describes a rescuing God in Lamentations 3:19-26. The Babylonians have ransacked the country of Israel, and he cries out to God, saying, “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

It all starts with love. Love was at creation when God spoke the world into existence. Love was at the fall. God could have destroyed Adam and Eve for their sin. But out of his great love for them, he gave them a second chance. Love was at Jesus’ death on the cross and at His resurrection. Love is interwoven into every aspect of our being; drawing us into a relationship with him.

The salvation story looks like this: in the Bible, it says that God created the world and it was good. But as a result of Satan’s lies and temptation, Adam and Eve brought sin, sickness, and death into the world, through their disobedience. We are now born into sin, we make bad decisions, that move us away from God, and the payment for that sin is death.

But God so loved the world, which includes you and me: that he gave his only son, whom he loved so, so, so much, to die on a cross, as a payment for our sins. If we tell Jesus our sins, ask for his forgiveness, and ask him to be in charge of our lives, he is faithful to forgive us. We then get to be best friends with Jesus forever and ever in on earth and in heaven.

1 John 1:9 says, “If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.”

The Lord’s great love, his compassion, his faithfulness, and mercy to his children is the foundation of the salvation story. The God who spoke the universe into life invites us into a lifelong best friend relationship with him.

2. Salvation Prayer For Kids: FAQs

Here is a list of frequently asked questions for quick referral.

a. What About Escaping the Fires Of Hell?

For a number of us, as we were growing up, the salvation story was explained as a decision we made to escape fiery pit of hell. The term, “Turn or Burn” was a common evangelism phrase and made nifty bumper stickers. Thousands of people were scared into heaven.

I’m sorry, but who wants to be friends with someone under the threat of bodily harm? That doesn’t seem like a strong foundation for any relationship. I am not saying that God can’t transform a decision made out of fear into something strong and enduring. But everything we know about God goes against this methodology (that is still taught today).

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” 1 John 4:7-10

Salvation is an invitation into a love relationship with God. When you look at salvation through the lens of relationship, you come to understand that escaping the fiery pit of hell is more about being separated forever from the love and security of your father in heaven; not about saving your own skin.

For children, we must present the gospel as an invitation to be best friends with a loving God. Catherine Stonehouse says it like this, “A deep awareness of that love (of Jesus) is essential for a treasured, growing relationship with Christ- a relationship that releases a child to receive God’s grace and live in ways that bless others.”

Love, not hell, is the foundation of salvation.

How Do We Prepare Our Child For Salvation?

It all comes back to your relationship with Jesus. Your children are establishing their own picture and depth of desire for God by watching you. What you value, what you do, where your money goes, what your schedule looks like, all influence the spiritual depth of your child’s relationship with Jesus.

“In an environment where conversation about God happened naturally, these children opened the way for their parents to walk with them and assist them in “coming to Jesus”. The parents did not have to figure out the right time and the right approach, but they were listening and ready to respond to the child’s questions and desires.” Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May

When you raise your child in a household where God is interwoven into your days, leading a child to Christ is the natural outcome of spiritual conversations. You don’t have to do anything special, you just have to be available. The best preparation is your relationship with God lived out in front of your children.

b. Is My Child Too Young?

If your child expresses an interest in accepting Christ then go for it. I have heard of so many children, through doctoral studies, in books, and even personally who have expressed a desire to invite Jesus into their life starting at age three.

In Joining Children on the Spiritual Journey, authors Stonehouse and May, explain it like this:

“Being Christian is rooted in a relationship with Jesus, and relationships are unique; they begin in different ways and at different times for different persons. But however they begin, healthy relationships grow and change across the years. We want to honor the uniqueness of each child’s experience with God, and we want to participate with God in encouraging the development of that relationship, their spiritual formation.”

If your child expresses an interest in inviting Jesus into their hearts go for it! Trust and celebrate that the Holy Spirit is at work in the life of your child.

c. Do I Initiate the Salvation Prayer With My Child?

Every child is different. Every child is on their own unique spiritual journey. We need to remember to put aside our own (and others) expectations and trust that the Holy Spirit is at work in the life of our children. He will lead them to make decisions of faith when the time is right.

“These parents (in a research study) freely shared their faith story, while giving children time to process, to come to understand, and time for God to draw them into a relationship. They seemed to understand that there would be a right time for each child and they didn’t want to get ahead of God and the child; they wanted to keep in step.” Stonehouse and May

Our goal as parents is to stay in step with what the Holy Spirit is already doing in the lives of our children. We do that by developing our own relationship with Jesus, and intentionally focusing on God; through our values, actions, schedules, and financial choices.

3. Salvation Prayer For Kids: Prayer

When your child is ready to ask Jesus into their lives, I briefly explain the salvation story. You want your child to understand (at their level) what they praying.

Here is a sample you can use/adapt to talk and pray with your child.

The Salvation Story:

The Bible says that God created the world and it was good. But as a result of Satan’s lies and temptation, Adam and Eve brought sin, sickness, and death into the world, through their disobedience. We are now born into sin, we make bad decisions, that move us away from God, and the payment for that sin is death.

But God so loved the world; which includes you and me, that he gave his only son, whom he loved so, so, so much, to die on a cross, as a payment for our sins. If we tell Jesus our sins, ask for his forgiveness, and ask him to be in charge of our lives, he is faithful to forgive us. We then get to be best friends with Jesus forever and ever in on earth and in heaven. We will never be separated from Jesus, no matter what.

Salvation Prayer Example:

I typically ask the child to repeat the prayer after me. After you have prayed, CELEBRATE! Call everyone you know! Let your child tell them the great news! Celebrate by serving their favorite food for dinner. This is a huge deal! Let your child remember this important decision with fond memories.

“Dear God, Thank you for loving me so much that you sent your son, Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Please forgive me for the wrong things I have done and wash my heart clean inside. I want to best friends with you forever, and ever. Please show me how to listen and follow you every day. Thank you for never leaving me. I love you! Amen!”

If you want to know how to get started in living a deep life with God; grab our Deeper Life Beginners Guide (below). And join our community of moms who are hungry for more Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families.

What about you? What is your #1 issue when it comes to leading your child into a relationship with Jesus? Leave a comment, and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

How To Fight For Your Child’s Spiritual Survival

Reading Time: 6 min 19 sec

“Mommy!” a yell ripped through a fog of sleep, sending me bolt right up in bed. I scrambled to my feet and raced toward the sound. Throwing open the door, I fell to my knees beside her bed and gathered her up in my arms.

Between gasping sobs, the story of the terrifying nightmare unfolded. She clung to me, refusing to let go.

Fear can be a paralyzing enemy.

We are all in a spiritual battle. Our children are not exempt from the lies, fear, and twisted plans of Satan. All throughout the Bible, there are examples of Satan’s single-minded purpose for our destruction. It began with the lie in the Garden of Eden, and then he wove his way through the lives of men and women throughout history.

We are going to talk about how to use prayer to fight for your child’s spiritual survival.

1. Pray For Your Child: Protection

2. Pray For Your Child: Our Role

3. Pray For Your Child: Warfare Prayers

1. Pray For Your Child: Protection

In our enlightened culture, the concept of demons and angels can feel like something out of a Hollywood movie, right up there with zombies. The whole idea just doesn’t seem real. With our obsession with control, we don’t like to spend much time contemplating that there are forces we can’t see that are fighting for our destruction. It can feel so juvenile.

But Peter the apostle has a different message for us, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8

He says be alert, resist Satan by standing firm in the faith. And know that you are not alone in your sufferings. We need to remember that as we face challenging situations or experiences, they are not always a direct result of a demonic attack, but could also be the result of living in a sinful world where there is pain and suffering.

Jesus himself underwent a severe (and blatant) testing by Satan in Matthew 4:1-11. It says this, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

–Satan strategically attacks us most often when we are weak. He waited until Jesus was physically and mentally depleted from fasting before he struck. It says, “Jesus was hungry”.

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

–Satan strategically attacks our identity. Multiple times he challenges Jesus with these words, “If you are the Son of God”.

“Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

-Satan is a liar. He loves to weave webs of illusion. It says, “He showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world” and then had the gall to tell Jesus that he ruled the world.

“Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

-Satan is also persistent. He attacked Jesus three times before he finally left.

We live between the first and second coming. And until Jesus returns, Satan is determined to prevent our children from having a deep relationship with Jesus. Satan doesn’t fight fair. He doesn’t wait until our children are grown up: to start attacking them with fear, lies about their identity, and anything else that would drive a wedge between your child and God.

2. Pray For Your Child: Our Role

Our role as parents is to protect and equip our children from Satan’s webs of deceit. In 1 Peter 5:2-3 it says, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

We are called to be shepherds for our children. Serving them by guarding and protecting their hearts against the schemes of the enemy.

Here are a couple of ways we can shepherd our children.

a. Serve as Prayer Warrior

We are called to protect our children by covering them in prayer. We pray protection over their hearts, their minds, their souls, and their bodies. We pray that guardian angels would surround them through the day and night. We pray against the lies of the enemy and that God would replace those lies with his truth. We pray a blessing over them, and that their hearts would always be soft to the things of God.

b. Equip Your Child

We are called to equip our children with tools needed to resist Satan. God, in his infinite mercy, and love gave us several tools at our disposal to stand firm against Satan’s plans. The first of which is the Holy Spirit, who serves as a guide helping us discern between spirits. (1 Cor. 12:10) We can teach our children to invite the Holy Spirit daily into their lives. Asking him to give them ears to hear his voice.

Ephesians chapter six is another tool that serves as a model for teaching our children to daily put on the armor of God. It says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-17

Prayer is crucial to your child’s ability to resist Satan.

c. As An Example

Children learn best through experience, and your daily relationship with God is a living model for your children. As you experience new depths to your relationship with God that hunger and love for God spills out into all of your relationships. You can teach your children how to stand firm against the lies of Satan all day long but what sticks with them is your own relationship with God. More is caught than taught.

3. Praying For Your Child: Warfare Prayers

Preparing and interceding for your child doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a couple of ideas of warfare prayers that are very effective and only take a couple of minutes.

Armor of God Prayer

“Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17,

Protection over Hearts and Minds

“Father, We ask that you would guard _____(child’s name) and keep ___ (him/her) safe. We ask that you would put a hedge of protection around_____ (his/her) heart, mind, body, and soul. Surround ______(him/her) with your guardian angels and uproot any lies from Satan and replace them with your truth. Remind____ (him/her) of who _____(he/she) is, your beloved child. Let ____(him/her) experience the depth of your lavish love today. We love you and praise you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Protection over Your Child As They Sleep
Pray Protection for Travel
Pray Your Own Prayer Based on Childs Circumstances

If you want to know how to get started in living a deep life with God; grab our Deeper Life Beginners Guide (below). And join our community of moms who are hungry for more Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families.

What about you? What is your #1 issue when it comes to praying for your kids? Leave a comment, and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

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How To Teach Your Kids to Pray When You Have No Clue

Reading Time: 5 min 17 sec

Every Sunday she stared out the window with longing as she watched her next-door neighbors leave all dressed up in their Sunday best for church. She longed for the love, peace, laughter, and stability that the family exuded. And she promised herself that one day when she had a family of her own she would do the same.

Years later, all grown up with three kids of her own, she desperately wonders how to teach her kids to pray when she isn’t comfortable with the practice of praying, herself. She has this vision of three clean little children, all kneeling to pray, but reality overwhelms her like an ice-cold bucket of water.

Her kids are rolling all over the couch, laughing and irritating each other, and prayer seems to have quickly spiraled into a gross-out contest. After several attempts at praying, which resulted in several children being sent to their room for misbehavior, she is left feeling like a failure.

Here are three steps that you can do today with your kids that that don’t require a seminary degree:

1. Kids Pray: Journey Together

2. Kids Pray: Simply

3. Kids Pray: And Respond

1. Kids Pray: Journey Together

In our society, we have been taught to believe that as parents, we have to have all the answers.

Our child’s spiritual journey can sometimes feel like we are driving on a busy highway, desperately trying to interpret the Holy Spirit’s directions while our child is sprawled out on the backseat.

Talk about pressure! However, God created children not as people that need to be filled up with facts, but as spiritual beings.

Catherine Stonehouse in her book, Listening to Children On The Spiritual Journey says this, “Often adults have assumed that they could give children their understanding of God by just telling them what God is like… We cannot literally transmit to them what we know. As they are ready, children construct or form their understandings for themselves, with the gracious presence, encouragement, and guidance of God’s Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit does the heavy lifting! Yay! Right now, he is inviting your child into a deeper relationship with Jesus. Our role, as parents, is in accompanying our children on their spiritual journeys. We do that by helping our kids recognize and respond to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

One of the most powerful tools at our disposal is our own relationship with Jesus. As you grow in your walk with God, that passion and love for Jesus naturally flow out into every aspect of your life. When your children experience the power of your own authentic relationship with God the longings of their hearts are stirred.

Pat Lynch, in Awakening the Giant, says it this way: “Notice that not once did Jesus make his disciples pray. He just kept on praying until they could contain their hunger no longer and asked Him to teach them how to pray.”

You don’t have to have all the answers or get it “right” when it comes to teaching your kids how to pray. Your role is to help your child look out the window and notice all the amazing landmarks along the way.

2. Kids Pray: Simply

So how do we partner with what the Holy Spirit is doing in the lives of our children? One way is by offering different tools or resources for their journey. Prayer is simply talking with God. Over time, prayer becomes a way of life, a way of being present to God 24/7.

Jesus walks us through how to pray in Matthew 6:6-13 as he says these powerful words.

“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.”

-Jesus encourages us to find a place where we are free of distractions, where we can be vulnerable, honest, and quiet before God.

“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense.”

-He shares with us that God doesn’t play games. That we don’t need to teach our children special language, a specific tone of voice, or posture to be seen as holy or to somehow trick God into answering our prayers.

“This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:”

-Jesus also reminds us that our prayers are received on a foundation that is based on a love relationship with God.

“Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what’s best—as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.”

-Jesus models simply talking with God about your needs, asking for forgiveness, praying for protection, and praising him.

The Lord’s Prayer or Psalm 23 are wonderful tools to teach our kids how to pray. Simply. No flowery language or long prayers needed.

3. Kids Pray: And Respond

When we teach our kids to pray, the most amazing gift that we can give our kids is the gift of space. I tell my kids that we are creating “elbow room for the Holy Spirit”. We can get so focused on making sure we include prayer in our everyday lives that we forget that prayer is an active, not passive activity.

Silence at the end (or throughout) prayer forces us to slow down, even for a couple of seconds and to listen and respond to God’s voice. We are reminded that prayer is a conversation between us and God, not an endless monologue.

Silence has been a powerful tool in my own life, and in the lives of my children and the students, I have worked with over the years. The very act of slowing down long enough to hear God’s voice can be used so powerfully by the Holy Spirit. It reminds your child that we serve a talking God, who is very present in our lives. It also encourages children, by helping them move from acquiring more head knowledge about God to an actual experience of God.

So practically, what does this look like? Here are just some of the ideas to teach your kids how to pray:

Start off by focusing on your own relationship with God. Your desire for Jesus sparks a hunger for him in the lives of your children.

Read and wonder together about the Lord’s prayer or Psalm 23. Use it as your family prayer for a week or more.

Practice the habit of prayer by praying for skinned knees, fights, delightful or beautiful moments, hurt feelings, nightmares, or fears. Focus on including him all throughout the day. These don’t have to be long prayers (we are talking 30 seconds).

At the end of family prayers, start by incorporating 30 seconds of silence. Let your children know what to expect before you pray. For instance, “We are going to spend some time in prayer. Prayer is a conversation between you and God. At the end of your prayer, we are going to be quiet for a little bit and practice listening to God’s voice. I will make sure to close in prayer when the time is up.”

I will leave you with this, as parents, “We are responding to the child’s silent request: ‘Help me come closer to God by myself.” Sofia Cavalletti, Christian Educator

If you want to know how to get started in living a deep life with God; grab our Deeper Life Beginners Guide (below). And join our community of moms who are hungry for more Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families.

What about you? What is your #1 issue when it comes to teaching your kids to pray? Leave a comment, and don’t forget to follow Most Important Work on Pinterest!

How to Stop Abdicating Your Spiritual Role as A Parent

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As Christian parents we all want our children to grow up to know and love God. We want them to behave well, get good grades, and live a moral life. We believe that if we can only keep them in a church, they will develop a faith that will keep them from drugs, teenage pregnancy, and overall bad decisions.

We quickly fall into the trap of believing that it is the primary role of churches to develop the spiritual lives of our kids. Our feelings of inadequacy and perceived lack of time and energy drive us to make sure our children are being taught about God from the professionals.

So we jump from church to church desperately trying to find a children’s program or youth group where our child can truly connect. We find safety in the belief that our role begins and ends with a ride to church and money for summer camp.

This mindset is doing a great disservice to our families. Studies have shown year after year that parents, (not youth pastors) are the number one influence in the lives of their children.

As a former youth pastor, let me be completely honest with you, it is impossible for pastors to raise children to know and love God because we only have them for an one maybe two hours a week.

There is a reason why God encourages us as parents to take a primary role in the spiritual life of our children. “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 A life with God is modeled for kids by their parents, who live life with them.

The church still plays a crucial role in the spiritual development of your child. However, it was not meant to serve as the primary spiritual influence in their lives.

So how with all of our misgivings, inadequacies, failures, and humanness do we raise our children to know and love God?

We are going to be talking about three ways that we parents can serve as the primary spiritual influence in the lives of our children.

1. A With God Life

2. You Are Not Alone

3. Take A Breath

1. A With God Life

I was engaged in small talk at a birthday party, when another mother interjected, “Oh, my. Now I know where your children get it.” I looked at her puzzled, “Get what?” I ask. “Their manner of speech. They sound just like you.”

As parents, whether we like it or not, our children pick up not only our mannerisms, but our outlook on life. When we make our relationship with God a priority it sends the message (louder than all our rants) that God is to be taken seriously.

Your actions literally speak louder than your words. When you make the choice to spend time with God, to pray, to wrestle with real-life problems with God in front of your children, you are helping to set the foundation for their spiritual development.

In Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Moses tells the Israelites to, “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.”

When a life with God is a priority, not an afterthought, not something we work in into the margins of our lives, our children sit up and take notice. When you live your relationship with God in front of them, you are giving them tools for the rest of their lives.

This can be as simple as natural conversations about God. Apologizing when you have blown it. And treating your spouse with respect. Our children need us to care and invest in our own spiritual development. Our life with God speaks louder than all the sermons in the world. Trust me, I should know.

2. You Are Not Alone

Okay, before those feelings of discouragement and pressure threaten to overwhelm you know that you are not alone in this parenting journey. You don’t have to have all the answers (it’s better if you don’t). Woohoo!

God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we don’t even know that our child is struggling, he does. He knows exactly what our children need and when they need it. Our job is to partner with the Holy Spirit in inviting our children into a life with God. He is the one who works in their hearts as they come to know God.

“As they are ready, children construct or form their understandings for themselves, with the gracious presence, encouragement, and guidance of God’s Spirit.” Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May, Listening to Children on the Spiritual Journey.

So how do we partner with God? We can do this by creating elbow room for the Holy Spirit to move. We can create opportunities by slowing down and inviting Gods to speak to our hearts, through prayer, quiet, conversation, and reflection.

3. Take A Breath

As parents, we need to understand that children learn by experience, not data. As much as we would like to fill their head with all these facts about God, they need to experience the lavish love of the Father, in order to have a living breathing relationship with him.

And so, the phrase, “Just because I said so” doesn’t work in the spiritual formation of your child. We need to allow them to wrestle with real-life issues. Information about God and the Bible is an important part of our faith. However, at this stage in their spiritual journey, experience is how they encounter a relationship with God.

“Children are most like adults in their feelings. They are least like adults in their thinking. More information does not make them think like us.” Catherine Stonehouse

When children have an actual relationship with God, they make decisions of faith. Here are some practical tips to create elbow room for the Holy Spirit to speak to your child.

1. When reading a Bible story or passage do not be quick to point out the moral. Allow your child space to think about the story. Trust that the Holy Spirit is planting seeds.

2. Model talking to God like a friend. Trusting him with the little and big stuff of life. All throughout the day. No deep voice required.

3. Spend some time in silence. Tell your child that you are going to spend some time being quiet and just spend time with God. Remind the children that he is present with them right now.

Pray and Invite God’s presence and allow for a short period of silence (start with a minute). Close with a short prayer.

Talk to your child about their experience. If they didn’t experience anything, let them know that it happens. Tell them that they brought God great joy by showing up to spend time with him.

4. Allow your child to interact with the story in a variety of ways. You can use toys, puppets, food, drama, books, and art etc.

If you want to know how to get started in living a deep life with God; grab our Deeper Life Beginners Guide (below). And join our community of moms who are hungry for more Jesus in their lives and in the lives of their families.