Every family has an evening routine. And that routine changes and morphs throughout the years. Our family is no different. Our current evening routine is anything but crisp, but it is a routine. The kids head upstairs after dinner. The boys get their shower in one bathroom while our girls bathe themselves in another. They clean up their dirty clothes, change into pajamas, and brush their teeth. Then the thunderous herd careens back downstairs for a time of play, reading, and prayer.

While I’d love to tell you every evening is without hiccups, kids hanging on every word we talk about, and no fight in sight, the reality is not so. There are nights when all we can do is get the kids together and do a quick prayer. On other nights, there are 5 sets of eyes and ears intently engaged in what we are reading and a few insightful questions are asked. My wife and I could let these nights set the expectation and be depressingly discouraged on the nights when wrangling loose wombats seems to be the reality. Instead, we seek to recall why we do what we do and encouragement.

If you’ve ever been discouraged about family devotions, here are five encouragements to help your family navigate the frustrations.

Zach Sparkman

If you have ever wanted to, tried, failed, succeeded, or consistently performed family devotions you may just need some encouragement. Zach Sparkman has just that for us all in his article “Help for Family Devotions“. As a practitioner himself, Zach speaks from his own personal experience of trying to lead family devotions. His 5 points are great encouragement to begin, try again, or keep going in this routine. So where ever you are check it out.

READ THE ARTICLE

For me, Zach’s fifth help was a needed rebuke for me. All too often, I make it about the perfect setting or idyllic conversation. But that’s not the aim of family devotions. There is a far greater purpose, calling, and reason we take time as a family to commune with God together. Which helpful point of Zach’s was most encouraging to you? As always I love to hear from my readers, so leave me a comment or suggestion on this subject for others to benefit from your wisdom.

As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day.

Until Next Time…

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko