5 Step Bible Lesson for Kids (That Will Have Them Begging For More!)

May 3, 2018 by Liz Millay

Looking for a simple, but effective, Bible lesson for kids? Keep on reading!

After my son turned six, I knew I wanted to begin digging a little deeper in our Bible time.

He’s been through Play Through the Bible and read lots of stories from our storybook Bibles. We also read through the Tomie dePaola’s Book of Bible Stories, which was a great transition from Bible storybooks to the actual text. Now, it was time for him to begin studying from his real Bible!

We’ve been doing our Bible lessons for about four months now and they have been going great! They are ultra simple, but he is loving them and learning so much. Our lessons often end with him begging me to read more!

So, today I want to share with you how we are doing these lessons.

(I also made you a FREE bookmark to print out and stick in your Bible that has all the steps outlined on it to make it super easy to remember! CLICK HERE to download it!)

What’s The Goal?

Before I do most things, I like to step back and take a moment to figure out what the goal is behind what I am doing. In this instance, it is helpful to divide Bible reading into two categories: devotional reading and study.

Devotional reading would be more of a worshipful or meditative experience, while study is more of a lesson style, where the goal is to learn something. Obviously the two categories overlap! When we have our Breakfast + Bible time and we read from a Bible storybook and sing hymns or other songs – we are still learning. However, the main goal of our Bible lesson time is exactly that – to learn more about the Bible and about God.

And what exactly do I want him to learn? This is something that will be different for every child, due to their age and their previous experience with the Bible. For my son, my goal for him is to gain familiarity with the main narrative sections of the Bible.

So, while we do stop and discuss the meaning of the text, the main goal is for him is to know the stories. This is similar to my goal for him back when he did Play Through the Bible , except now he is reading the stories directly from the Bible, instead of a storybook Bible.

And of course, even more than remembering certain stories or details, I want to fan the flame for a lifelong love of scripture. He might not remember the specifics of what we read two months ago, but if he maintains a love for God’s Word, then he is on the right track.

What Do You Need?

There are tons of great Bible study programs out there for kids (hey! I even wrote one!), but for this I wanted to keep it simple. I wanted my son to feel like he could go straight to God’s Word to learn, be changed, and be encouraged!

So, to do these lessons, literally all you need is a Bible. It has also been helpful for my son to keep a Bible journal, but that is optional (you can read more about how we keep the journal right here).

As to where to do your lessons, that’s up to you! I have found, for us, that snuggling up on the couch has been the best spot. However, you could do them anywhere (at the table, in the kitchen, in bed, on the go…).

Alright, we’ve covered the goals and what you need, ready to get started?

Five Step Bible Lesson for Kids

Step One – Review

The first thing we do when we sit down to our lesson time is review what we read previously. Sometimes I’ll ask him what he remembers and sometimes I’ll give a little review.

This not only helps your child remember better what is happening in the story, it also gets their mind set on the right track and prepares them to begin the lesson. It’s like a little “warm up.”

It doesn’t need to take a ton of time, just a 4-5 sentence recap.

Step Two – Prepare

Before you dive into the reading for the day, take just a few moments to prepare your child for what will be coming.

What will you need to prepare them for? It depends on the child!

Basically, you just want to give them a “heads up” of anything that might be helpful for them to know before reading the passage.

Some examples are: important names, the setting of the story, unfamiliar words, etc. Sometimes it helps to write these important words on a dry erase board sitting nearby (although it’s not necessary). Don’t go overboard with details, just a few helpful tidbits – it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.

Step 3 – Read

Now it’s time to read your selected passage for the day! Here are five tips to help this go as smoothly as possible:

Keep the selection short. I shoot for between 10-15 verses – that’s all! If it is hard to find a good stopping point I will occasionally go longer, however, my son has a pretty good attention span. If you are just starting out, or your child struggles with sitting and focusing for longer periods of time – try sticking to closer to 10 verses. You can even read less than that and slowly work your way up to more.
Skip some stuff. Yes, everything in the Bible is important! However, not everything in the Bible is important or necessary for a six year old! Use your discretion when it comes to skipping portions – for now. If needed, give a quick summary of what you are skipping.
Read with a little drama. The stories in the Bible are exciting – read them that way! Let the emotions of the story come out in the way you read. You don’t have to be the world’s best storyteller, but with practice you can be a pretty good one! 🙂
Don’t repeat yourself. If your child wasn’t paying attention to the reading, try really hard to not re-read your selection. It feels a little backward at first, because you want them to hear it! However, when they know you are going to repeat it doesn’t encourage them to pay attention next time. If you are having problems with this, give your child a moment to focus, let them know you are only going to read once, and then stick to it. If they miss something, show disappointment with a “aw bummer, it was a really great part of the story too! Hopefully tomorrow you will pay attention and not miss anything!” This approach has done wonders for my son’s ability to pay attention – and his desire to do so!
Leave them hanging. One of the other benefits of reading short selections is that, more often than not, you leave your child wanting MORE! When you stop right in the middle of the story of Jacob and Esau and put it away for tomorrow, there’s a good chance your child will be begging to read just a little more! And while it is hard to decline that request (and I don’t always!), try building up the excitement and saying “we’ll just have to wait and see!” Ending with them wanting more is an excellent way to fan that flame of a love for the Word.

Step 4 – Retell

Up until now, your child’s main job has been to pay attention. But now, it’s time for a more active role. After finishing the reading, turn to your child and say to them “tell me what you remember.”

Then, in their own words, your child retells the story to you.

This act is so simple, but brings with it many benefits:

Increased memory of the reading (the act of saying it back helps cement it in your brain)
A greater desire to pay close attention next time (because they know they will have to say what they remember)
Communication of the parts of the story that are most important to them (as you see the things they choose to share)
Increased ability to process what they are reading (because their brain has to hold it and then spit it back out in a logical manner)

Now, just because it is simple – doesn’t mean it is easy. Unlike a worksheet with fill in the blanks or answering comprehension questions, your child’s brain is doing all the work of remembering and processing the information.

At first, your child’s retelling of the story might just be one sentence or they might only remember the very last thing you read – that’s okay! Resist the urge to add to their retelling or prompt them with questions. In time, their retellings will improve.

Mix it up a little bit as well by having them retell the story to daddy, grandma, or the dog! Also, if you have multiple children doing the same lesson, have them take turns retelling.

Step 5 – Discuss

After your child has retold the story, take a few minutes to discuss together what you read. Now is the time to point out what you liked from the passage or ask a few questions. Don’t make it out to be a one sided lecture, but truly a discussion.

Some ideas of discussion questions you can use are:

How do you think *that person* felt when that happened?
How is God working in this story?
Why do you think *that person* did that? Were they trusting God?
How do you act like *the person from the story*?
What was your favorite part of the story?
What can you learn about God from this story?

Give it a try!

Whew! That’s it! Does it seem like a lot? I promise once you get the hang of the flow, these lessons become like second nature and only take about 10-15 minutes. You will be amazed at how well your child is able to dig into God’s Word!

If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes for you!

If you’d like extra help in planning your Bible lesson for kids, everyone who is a Steadfast Family e-mail subscriber gets access to Foundation, a family Bible reading plan that goes through the main narrative portions of the Bible! I also include notes as to what portions you may want to skip or summarize. You can find more out about Foundation right here!

Click the image below to download this free printable bookmark with all the steps outlined!

PS Lest you think I am too awesome 😉 – this method for studying the Bible did not originate with me! It is the Bible study used in the Charlotte Mason Method of Education (in fact, its a simple rendition of the method used for most all lessons) – but even if you aren’t a homeschooler or someone who uses this method of education – I still think you should give this Bible lesson method a try! 🙂

Filed Under: Bible, Discipleship, faith, Kid's Bible Study

Three Tips for Helping Your Child Start a Bible Journal

April 17, 2018 by Liz Millay

Wondering how to start Bible journal with your child? Try these tips.

One of our biggest goals as parents is to find ways for our kids to own their faith. To dig into God’s Word and walk with him daily. To go to Him in prayer and praise. And to do these things because they themselves recognize their need for Him, not just because mom or dad told them to.

A great way to do this that I’ve found recently and been implementing with my oldest is keeping a Bible journal. It is such a simple, spiral bound sketchbook from the local box store, but it is really helping him to dig into God’s Word for himself.

If you have never done a Bible journal with your child, I want to share three tips that I’ve found helpful.

#1 Have Some Ideas Ready

Sometimes, staring a blank page can be overwhelming. Even the most experienced writer still has writers block, willing a useful thought to appear on the white page before them. Imagine how it must feel to someone totally new to journaling!

Having a list of ideas (on paper or just stored in the back of your mind) can be helpful to overcome this.

One of the main things my son uses his journal for is to document what he is learning in our Bible reading. This helps give him a starting point when he goes to fill a page. Sometimes he will need additional nudges and ideas, but he usually comes up with something he wants to draw or write that goes along with the story.

Another thing I will do is suggest certain things I think would be beneficial for his journal. I do this in a “here’s an idea” way, not in a “you must do this” way (see point number three). I have helped him create Abraham’s family tree and encouraged him to replicate a map to mark Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph’s journeys on – things he wouldn’t have thought of himself, but enjoyed and were beneficial for him to do.

#2 Be Ready to Lend a Hand

Especially if you are attempting this with a younger child, they may need you to sit with them, or be close by if they need help. Although he occasionally works in his journal completely independently (and that will be the goal eventually), right now he still needs support as he learns this skill.

The main way that your help will most likely be needed is in writing. Especially if you have a younger child (and especially if that child is a boy) them dictating their thoughts to you will most likely be more successful than them doing all the writing themselves.

While my son enjoys writing some, he does like when I do the writing if he has a lot of thoughts or the words are hard for him to spell. So if he asks, I gladly let him dictate to me while I write.

#3 Don’t Forget it is THEIR journal and an expression of THEM

Yes, have ideas. Yes, be ready to lend a hand. However, and perhaps most important, be willing to step out of the way.

If they have an idea, don’t interfere. If they don’t do things exactly like you’d like, don’t change it. If they are resistant to your ideas, don’t push it.

Let this be an expression of them. Their thoughts. Their way to connect with God and to what they are learning from the Bible.

Does your child have a Bible journal? I LOVE seeing kid’s journal pages. Share them with me by leaving a comment or visitor post on the Steadfast Family Facebook Page or by tagging @steadfastfamily on Instagram!

Filed Under: Bible, Discipleship, faith, Kid's Bible Study Tagged With: bible journaling, Bible journaling for kids, bible study, kids bible study

Journey with Jesus to the Cross: A Lenten Bible Reading Plan for the Family

February 8, 2018 by Liz Millay

**Note: scroll down to the end of this post to find out how to get the FREE printable reading plan and calendar!**

Have you ever wondered why we make a big to-do about the countdown leading up to Christmas, but Easter tends to get a major lack of fanfare?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a good Advent calendar. However, Easter Sunday is the cornerstone of our faith. Without the death and resurrection, the baby born in the manger is just another baby. Right?

This is why I LOVE Lent.

Although it is not as commonly celebrated among some denominations, the observation of Lent seems to be on the rise in recent years, which is awesome! While it is definitely not mandated to observe, Lent is a wonderfully beautiful way to spend the time leading up to Easter in reflection and anticipation.

But how do you incorporate a 40+ day holiday with kids?

When I was thinking through how I would like to introduce the season of Lent to my young children, I knew I wanted to do two things: first, make it about Jesus and second, keep it simple.

If the goal of Lent is to direct your focus towards Jesus’ work on the cross, what a better way to do that than to follow Jesus on his own journey to the cross by reading his words each day?

40 days of meditating and reflecting on the wisdom, commands, rebukes, and comfort that Jesus spoke during his time on earth. 40 days of drawing closer to him through the reading, and the doing, of his words.

Now, if we were going to be successful at doing anything for 40+ days straight, it needed to be easy to follow and implement. I also wanted something that would give a visual to my kids of how many days we had left leading up to Easter. That is where the idea for a countdown calendar of some sort came from. Plus, each day has the verse already labeled on it, that way once you’re set up, you don’t have to do any more prep throughout the 40 days.

Setting up this devotional is easy!

First, print out the pages.

Then, cut out the pieces.

Finally, hang on the wall to create a path, placing the empty tomb at the end. Use the picture of Jesus to mark which piece of the path you are currently on.

The scriptures are listed in the general order of appearance in the Bible, but it doesn’t matter too much if a few get mixed around. Just try and start with the first one listed (Matthew 4:17) and use the pieces designated with the cross in the bottom right corner for Holy Week.

Since the 40 days of Lent do not include Sundays, there are five “Sunday pieces” with a large cross and “John 14:15” written underneath. Place these where the Sundays fall along your path and use them as a day to reflect back on what you read that week, brainstorming together ways you can actually live out the words Jesus spoke.

Excuse the mess! 🙂

Well, are you ready to get started?! You can get this printable for FREE as a Steadfast Family subscriber. Sign up below! 🙂

Filed Under: Adult Bible study, Bible, Easter, faith, Family activities, Holidays, Kid's Bible Study, kids activities Tagged With: Bible reading plan, countdown calendar, devotional, Easter, family bible study, Lent

Twelve Gifts of Advent: Waiting for the Promised One

December 1, 2017 by Liz Millay

The word Advent comes from the Latin word that means “coming.” Traditionally, Advent is the season of waiting and preparing for the One who is coming. And as amazing as the Christmas story of the babe in the manger is, its meaning becomes a whole lot deeper when we understand the story that came first.

The story of creation and fall, and of the long waiting for the coming of the promised one.

I originally had the idea for this advent devotional a few years ago when we were doing resurrection eggs at Easter time. If you’ve never heard of resurrection eggs, they are Easter eggs in a carton, each with a small object inside. Each object helps tell a part of the Easter story. This simple way of telling the story was fantastic. It was hands on learning for my young son and so simple for me. Once the eggs were assembled, all we had to do each day was open one up and read the corresponding scripture.

This devotional works much in the same way. Each day, you open a gift. Inside the gift is an object that helps to tell the story of Advent – waiting for the coming of the promised one. The objects really help in remembering the story! Do all twelve days in a row, or spread them throughout the season – it’s up to you!

**CLICK HERE TO SKIP RIGHT TO THE eBOOK**

Here’s a video I made that shows everything I put in our boxes…

How to Make the Advent Boxes

Most of the items for the boxes can be found around your house, but for ones you may need to purchase I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. All you do is wrap up the object and add a tag with the corresponding Bible verse to be read.

DAY ONE – CREATION

Genesis 1

Globe ball

DAY TWO – FALL

Genesis 3

Tree branch

DAY THREE – PROMISE

Genesis 3:15

Rainbow

DAY FOUR – PEOPLE

Genesis 12:1-3

People figurines

DAY FIVE – MESSENGERS

Isaiah 6:8

Envelope

DAY SIX – LIGHT

Isaiah 9:2-7

Battery operated twinkle lights

DAY SEVEN – SAVIOR

Isaiah 53

Life saver candy

DAY EIGHT – SILENCE

Malachi 4:5-6

Earplugs

DAY NINE – ANGEL

Luke 1:5-25

Angel ornament

DAY TEN – GIRL

Luke 1:26-33

Girl figurine

DAY ELEVEN – BABY

Luke 2:1-21

Baby doll

DAY TWELVE – CROSS

John 3:16; 19:17-18

Cross made from two sticks

Want to make this even easier?

I’ve put together an awesome resource for you! It’s everything you need to make these gift boxes a fun Advent tradition for your family.

Introducing.. Twelve Gifts of Advent: Waiting for the Promised One – a hands on family Bible study!

For only $5, you get more ideas and instructions, a devotional guide for each day, printable tags, and more!

Here’s an example of day one…

The devotional goes through each day, explaining the significance and making it really easy for you to lead your family to a fuller understanding of everything that came before the baby in the manger. There’s even printable images for you to use if you don’t have time to get physical objects together for the gift boxes!

And I wanted to make it super affordable for you, so for only 5 bucks, it’s a no brainer!

Filed Under: Christmas, Family activities, Kid's Bible Study Tagged With: advent, bible study, Christmas, devotional, family activity

Thankful for Who He Is – Psalm 136 Fall Banner Craft

November 6, 2017 by Liz Millay

Today I want to share with you a fun fall activity that we did recently. Not only was it a fun way to play with the pretty fall leaves, but it also was a great opportunity to get ready for Thanksgiving and dig into some theology – learning about who God is!

Here’s a video I made for the Steadfast Family Facebook page if you prefer to see the craft that way!

Okay, let’s get started!

First, you are going to want to collect some leaves. This is a whole activity in and of itself, so feel free to do it at a separate time. If you live in a climate that doesn’t have pretty leaves, never fear, just print some off online (like these or these)!

Once you’ve got all your leaves collected, pop them into your scanner and make a few copies. Now, you could skip this step, but I wanted our banner to last a while without the leaves getting all crumbled up and drying out. This was a fun way to accomplish that!

Next you are going to want to cut out the leaves. Which is a good opportunity to practice patience! haha 🙂

After all your leaves are cut out, it’s time for the Bible lesson portion. Open your Bible to Psalm 136. We read about the first half and that was the perfect amount for my almost 6 year old. Then, we talked about Thanksgiving and giving thanks to God for all the amazing things about Him and all the great things He does.

Then, I wrote on one of the biggest leaves: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is…”

Together, my son and I came up with things about God that we could be thankful for and we wrote each one on a leaf.

Once something is written on all the leaves, it is time to string them together. Cut two slits (by bending the leaf a bit and cutting with scissors) toward the top of the leaf and then string them all on a length of yarn or twine.

Once you are finished, hang your beautiful fall banner up to remind your family of all the wonderful things we are thankful for about our amazing God!

Bonus Note: Play the song “Forever” by Michael W. Smith. It is perfect for this activity and my kids love it!

Filed Under: crafts, Family activities, Kid's Bible Study, kids activities, preschool Tagged With: Fall craft, family bible study, kids bible study, Thankfulness, thanksgiving, Theology

The BIG Mistake You Might Be Making With Bible Memory

October 5, 2017 by Liz Millay

I still remember one of the first verses I had my son memorize.

Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

He probably wasn’t even three years old yet, but he enjoyed memorizing the short verse and then showing off his skills to daddy, grandma, or whoever would listen.

Fast forward a few years. Our scripture memory regularly gets derailed, but I continue to try and pick it back up. He memorizes the classic John 3:16 and works on all the verses from Hero Training. Bad attitudes come up so we learn to “do everything without complaining.” Him and his brother struggle with getting along, so we memorize 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 and work on doing “everything in love.”

*Everyone* knows it is important to have your children memorize God’s Word and he was memorizing scripture, so though we needed to work on our consistency, I figured we were on the right track.

Well, that was until a few weeks ago.

I was just scrolling Facebook – like ya do – and stopped to read a comment thread on a post asking for advice on what verses to have their children memorize. I took note of the different suggestions as I scanned through the replies, but then I read something that made me stop in my tracks.

The simple, but profound wisdom I’d never considered

Instead of suggesting a verse, one mama shared a brilliant piece of advice.

When thinking through what verses to have her kids memorize, she looked to the future. She envisioned her children as missionaries, or possibly without a Bible and in a scenario where they needed to lean on God. What kind of scripture did she want them to have hidden in their hearts? What truth did she want them to be able to draw on in those moments?

Boom. I immediately felt the conviction. Right then and there I realized that the majority of my children’s scripture memorization was not done for them, it was done for *me* out of a desire to change my children’s behavior.

On the outside I may have looked like a “godly parent” trying to disciple my children with God’s Word. However, the truth was I was in danger of raising little pharisees who have been trained to parrot God’s commands without knowing God in their hearts.

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
(Matthew 15:8)

What good would it be if I had wonderfully well behaved children, who know God’s law inside and out, if they did not know and love God himself?

So, moving forward, here are some guidelines I will be using as I choose scripture for my children to memorize…

1. Pray for guidance on what scripture would be best for that child to be currently memorizing

How often have I been in a situation where the Holy Spirit brought to mind a verse I had tucked away in my memory in just the right moment? Only God knows what these moments will be like for your child. Only he will know the situations your children will find themselves in and the perfect Words they will need in that moment.

Pray for wisdom and guidance in choosing what scripture to have your children memorize. Let God use you to hide His Word in their little hearts. Whether it is just what they need now, or will be many years down the road, He will bring fruit from it in His time.

2. Choose scripture that will help the child know God more

Instead of focusing on memorizing verses that tell your child something to do, focus on verses that tell your child who God is. Let them build up in their hearts all the marvelous vastness that is God’s character and goodness.

It is hard to follow someone you do not know and it is hard to love someone you do not care about. Sure, the child may learn to act lovingly toward his neighbor by memorizing certain passages, but if that love does not flow from a relationship with God, what is it worth?

Choose scripture that will give your child a foundation rooted firm in God’s…

…sovereignty and they will be steady through all of life’s trials.

…love and they will always know their worth

…kindness and compassion and they will never be alone

…justice and they will not need to be angered

…strength and they will live in courage

3. Think of future situations the child will benefit from God’s Word stored away

In the original post that I read, she wrote that she would picture her children as missionaries and think of what scripture they may need. Though we do not know the futures ahead of our children, we can ponder this and consider it as we choose passages for them to memorize.

Will they face trials and need to remember God’s goodness? Will they feel alone and scared and need to know that God will never leave them? What scripture will they need to draw upon in moments where a Bible is not nearby?

4. Choose longer passages of scripture when possible

Snippets and fragments of scripture rarely display the same beauty and truth of longer portions. Memorizing random verses taken out of context not only puts us in greater danger of misinterpretation, but it also robs us of the fullness of longer passages.

Instead of doing one separate verse at a time, try selecting a longer passage and slowly make your way through it verse by verse. Passages such as Ps 23, The Lord’s Prayer, and John 1 are great places to start.

All Scripture is God-Breathed

In conclusion, let’s not forget that “all scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). Even if you have fallen into the same trap that I did, if you are memorizing scripture with your children, that is still marvelous and can be used by God.

Let this just be an encouragement to both of us to continue teaching our children God’s Word – not for us, that we may somehow selfishly benefit, but for them, so they may grow closer to the heart of God.

Filed Under: Bible, Discipleship, Kid's Bible Study, parenting Tagged With: Bible memory, bible verse memorization, kids bible memory, scripture memorization

5 Tips for a Successful Bible Time with Kids

March 30, 2017 by Liz Millay

I have a confession.

After completing the Play Through the Bible series I did a terrible job at having a consistent Bible time with my kids. We started and stopped, and started and stopped again. I had lofty goals and didn’t see them through. Most of the time I just plain didn’t know where to start.

Have you found yourself in this place too?

You know it’s important. The desire is there. But the days keep slipping through your fingers without these goals being met.

I’ve been there. In fact, I’m still there sometimes. However, over the past few months I feel like I’ve finally landed on something that works.

We haven’t been perfect, but we have consistently had a morning Bible time together, opening the doors for lots of great spiritual conversations.

Today, I want to share with you how we made it work.

#1 Find a time that works for you

Does it seem like everyone else in the world starts their days with the picturesque scene of kids delightfully learning about God’s world around the breakfast table, but at that hour of the day your brain feels more like your gray bowl of oatmeal?

Say adios morning Bible time.

Seriously, let it go and be you. Maybe your family works better during a quiet hour when the baby is napping or in the evening when dad is home to lend a hand.

Set a time, embrace it, and then stick to it.

#2 Keep it simple

Like, ridiculously simple.

At least for me, it is so easy to fall into the trap of feeling like I can never make Bible time “enough.” Wiggly kids, lack of time, and unmet plans leave me feeling discouraged and I eventually give up.

I finally realized that something small is better than nothing at all. In fact, it’s actually quite freeing and opens the doors for continued, yet unplanned, conversation.

And I’m not talking about a “simple” lesson plan or a “simple” list of things to get out of the Bible time. Oh no. We started with one short Bible story at breakfast.

That’s. It.

No lesson plans. No crafts. No memory verses, songs, or lengthy discussions.

We slowly got in the habit of daily starting our day with the Bible. We built our discipline muscle. The kids started to expect the story and look forward to it. We would miss a day or two and then quickly pick it back up again because we could feel it missing.

We stayed here for a long time. We didn’t read just one story for a week and declare it mastered, starting to add new elements. This one story was our home base and we stayed and made it nice and cozy until we were able to venture out and add more.

Your home base doesn’t have to be a Bible storybook. It could be a song you sing, a simple prayer, or a chapter from Psalms. Whatever feels like home for your family in the stage of life you are in currently.

#3 Slowly add more to your Bible time

After camping out in your home base for as long as it takes to build that habit (no rushing!), slowly add in other elements to your Bible time.

Don’t feel tempted to add in a bunch of things all at once now that you’re feeling confident in your new habit. Pride comes before the fall, yeah? Make a list of the things you would *someday* like to accomplish and pick one.

Introduce that one thing and give it time to become part of the routine. If, at any time or during any particular day, your new routine starts to feel overwhelming – go back to your home base. Do just that one thing and pick back up the new the next day or the next week.

I cannot emphasize enough to take it nice and slow with no pressure. We have been doing this for at least two months now and this is what our morning Bible time looks like (with a 5 and almost 2 year old):

Read Bible story and briefly discuss/answer 5 year old’s questions
Read a few pages from God’s Wisdom for Little Boys (awesome book by the way!)
About ten minutes of listening to and learning a hymn

That’s all. And if we don’t do it all, that’s okay. If we miss a day, we just pick right back up where we left off. Eventually I’d like to add more, but for now we will probably be hanging out here for quite a while.

Bonus tip: when you do get to the point of adding more, do them on a rotation, instead of trying to do everything every day.

#4 Roll with the punches

It’s easy to feel discouraged when things aren’t going how you expected.

There are going to be days when your kids are more interested in the squirrel out the window than the story you are reading or would rather run off and play than sing worship songs. Life will get crazy and you will skip a day here and even a week there.

Just keep going, keep coming back to it, keep building the habit. Hold your plans loosely and keep an eye toward the future.

Remember, Bible time is not the ultimate measure of your godly parenting ability.

While it is definitely important to set a precedence for digging into God’s Word and going to him with prayer and worship, you have many more hours in the day. Hours where just walking along side your children through the daily tasks of life can speak more into their hearts and souls than you’d ever imagine.

One of my favorite parenting passages is Deuteronomy 6:5-9…

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Let go of having the “perfect” moment and fill your home with the love of God and talk about him daily.

#5 Cover your goals in prayer

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
-Proverbs 16:9

Don’t try and do this on your own strength. Go to God for his grace and wisdom. Spend time praying over your goals. Spend time praying for the spiritual maturity of your children.

Even with the simple steps we’ve discussed here, we will just be turning our wheels without God establishing our steps.

Take the next step

So, friend, if you found yourself knowing that having Bible time with your kids is important, but you just weren’t sure where to start, I hope you have a much clearer plan now!

If you are ready to take the next step and you could still use a little guidance – I’ve got you covered! I’ve created a FREE printable worksheet to help you plan out a Bible time that works for you.

*Affiliate links included.

Filed Under: Bible, Discipleship, faith, family, Kid's Bible Study, preschool, toddlers Tagged With: bible storybook, bible study, bible time with kids, discipleship, kid's bible time

The BEST Children’s Storybook Bible

February 24, 2017 by Liz Millay

I am extremely picky when it comes to children’s Bibles.

Extremely.

I’m looking for a lot in that little package. Biblical accuracy, lack of fluff, lovely illustrations, and all done with text that is engaging and interesting to the youngest audience.

It’s a tall order.

So where, exactly, does one find a children’s Bible that meets these high standards? Perhaps you’ve walked into a Christian bookstore or browsed the pages of Amazon lately to find one. If you went into that without a plan, you probably found yourself overwhelmed. An Amazon search for “children’s bible stories” brings back a whopping 7,663 results to wade through!

And what happens if you choose the wrong children’s Bible? In your desire to begin planting God’s truth in your child’s heart, you could instead be sharing inaccurate accounts and misleading picture of God’s Word. Or worse, nothing at all could happen. The lack of an accurate and engaging story could leave your child bored, uninterested, and apathetic towards God’s Word.

What Are You Going To Do?

Well, you could spend a couple hours scrolling through Amazon, reading all the mixed reviews (do people ever agree on those reviews?). You could drive to the nearest Christian bookstore and page through all the Bibles on the shelf, maybe asking the employees for their recommendation (hopefully they’ve tested them out with their kids). Or you could hop over to Amazon right now and take five minutes to purchase our hands down, number one, most favorite Children’s Bible.

We have been using The Rhyme Bible Storybook since my oldest was just a small toddler and we absolutely love it. We own multiple different children’s Bibles, but this is the one we find ourselves coming back to again and again and again. (It’s also the Bible we used for the Play Through the Bible series)

And if that’s not enough to convince you to go grab it right now, I want to give you a detailed review of why we love this Bible so very much.

Biblical Accuracy

When it comes to storybook Bibles, this is probably my number one concern. In our attempts to make the stories digestible to children, are we staying true to the meaning of the actual Biblical text? In the many other Bibles I have read or flipped through, there are three common themes I see happening: too much extra fluff, important elements being omitted, and dumbed down stories. With the Rhyme Bible Storybook:

1) There is no extra “fluff” added. The author goes just a little too deep into their imagination, weaving a story that may not actually be implied in the original text. While these stories can be fun to read, they don’t always give an accurate picture of what the Bible is trying to say. The Rhyme Bible Storybook is simple and to the point, while also communicating the important aspects of the text.

2) The most important elements are included. On the opposite end of the spectrum we have another problem, vital information being left out. This especially happens with children’s Bibles that like to gloss over the more uncomfortable aspects of the Bible. I’ve seen the Fall skipped over, hard stories tied up with a pretty moral, and even the frighting omission of Christ’s death on the cross. While no children’s Bible is going to cover all the dark, nitty gritty moments in the Bible (nor should they), with its 35 stories the Rhyme Bible Storybook does a great job giving an overview of the Biblical story, including the most important aspects.

3) The stories are not dumbed down. You’ll find this especially in the story Bibles that are marketed towards the very youngest listeners. Sure, the stories are short and simple, but there is not much there either. With the Rhyme Bible storybook, the stories are simple, yet also give plenty of information that can be discussed, dwelt on, and grown into. With this Bible both my one year old and my five year old are able to listen intently while still gaining something from the stories each on their own levels.

Simple Text

I mentioned this briefly before, but I think it bears repeating. The text in the Rhyme Bible Storybook is beautifully simple. Young children and older alike will be drawn into the lovely rhyming nature of the stories. Yet, the sing-song text is not overly flowery or verbose, unlike other popular children’s Bibles that have not done well at keeping my children engaged (I’m looking at you Jesus Storybook Bible).

However, if you find that your younger toddler still has trouble following these short stories, I also recommend The Rhyme Bible Storybook for Toddlers. We have used both versions, and while we don’t love the toddler one quite as much, the stories are even shorter and simpler, perfect for the youngest children.

Beautiful Illustrations

Beautiful illustrations may not seem like that big of a deal, but I can assure you, once you’ve glanced through some of the downright goofy looking children’s Bible cartoons, lovely pictures are a nice change of pace.

The illustrations in the Rhyme Bible storybook are simple, colorful, interesting, and full of emotion.

Just a note: there is an older version and a newer version with updated illustrations. We have the newer version of the Rhyme Bible Storybook and also the toddler version with the older illustrations. We like both! Some people do have a preference though and you can find both versions on Amazon.

Well Made Product

Lets face it, toddlers and preschoolers can be rough on books. They are still learning to turn pages gently, close the cover properly, and to not chuck books across the room mid tantrum. Our copy has survived multiple years and tons of use from two rough boys. It’s looking a little rough around the edges, but still going strong. The binding is sturdy, the pages are thick, and it’s made to last.

Engaging and Child Approved

Besides being Biblically accurate, an engaging story is probably the most important part of any children’s Bible. If your child isn’t interested in listening to the stories, reading them isn’t going to do a whole lot.

Every child I have read the Rhyme Bible Storybook to, both my own children and others, have loved it. They have listened intently, captivated by the story being read. Every morning when we do our reading, every story is followed by pleas of “More! More! Another story!” And, while it’s possible that your child is the exception to what I’ve found, I think if you give this Bible a try you, too, will fall in love.

Where to Buy

While I assume the Rhyme Bible Storybook can be found at your local Christian Bookstore, the easiest thing to do is to hop over to Amazon and get it delivered right to your house. New versions of the book run for about $13, but you can also easily find it used for around $5.

Even if you already have children’s Bibles, this one would make a great addition to your collection. You won’t be disappointed! It also makes a great gift to tuck in an Easter basket or give at a baby shower. You might love it so much you buy twenty and give them to all your friends!

This is NOT a sponsored post – we just really love this children’s Bible! There are Amazon affiliate links included, which does not change the cost of the book to you, but does give me a little extra spare change to keep this blog running. Thanks for making purchases through my links!

Filed Under: Bible, Kid's Bible Study, review, tips, toddlers Tagged With: Best Children's Bible, Children's bible review, Childrens storybook Bible, review, Rhyme Bible Storybook

5 Great Resources for Teaching Your Kids the Old Testament

October 4, 2016 by Liz Millay

In my last post, I gave 8 reasons why I think you should be studying the Old Testament – both personally and with your kids.

This week, I want to quickly pass on five great resources for doing just that!

These resources will cover a wide range of ages and levels, so you should be able to find something for everyone in your family!

1. Play Through The Bible

Let’s start with the itty bitty kiddos. Play Through the Bible is the very first series I did on my blog. It is, to date, the most popular resource I have available.

When my oldest was a toddler I wanted to start being intentional about teaching him the Bible, but couldn’t find the kind of resource I was looking for. So, I created it myself!

Play Through the Bible takes tots and preschoolers through an entire children’s Bible, covering 25 of the major stories of the Bible. It meets them right where they are with super simple crafts, hands-on activities, and kid friendly discussions.

I am currently revamping the entire series and cannot wait to release it as an eBook in Summer 2017! However, you can still get the entire original series here.

2. Case of the Mixed Up Timeline

I wanted to share one more resource you can find here on Steadfast Family before I move on to some others.

Case of the Mixed Up Timeline is a unique kids devotional that I released this past summer. If you and your kids are looking for a super fun way to introduce yourself to some of the main stories of the Old Testament, this will be perfect for you!

In this devotional, a villain named “Dr. H” has traveled back in time and destroyed the Timeline of Biblical Heroes. As a special agent, your child must travel back in time to complete the case files and set the timeline straight once again.

Each Biblical Hero has an incomplete case file and your child must solve the clues to discover the information on each Hero’s story. They then use that information to put the timeline back in order. Each case file also contains a “mission” – a hands on activity to further experience the story.

3. Future Flying Saucers Bible Lessons

The Future Flying Saucers blog has a ton of hands-on, kid friend, and just plain awesome Bible lessons. On this page you will find at least 39 Old Testament specific lessons and a lot of other lessons and ideas as well!

4. The Bible Road Trip

Okay, so I haven’t used this resource myself, but I have heard nothing but good things about it! It is described on the website like this,

Bible Road Trip is an exciting journey which places you and your children in the driver’s seat! Aimed at youth grades PreK-12, Bible Road Trip will allow your family to survey the Bible cover-to-cover in 3 years ~ with breaks for summer. There are notebooking pages available for the Lower Grammar (Grades 1-3), Upper Grammar (Grades 4-6) and Dialectic (Grades 7-9) levels. Students at the Rhetoric level (Grades 10-12) will keep their own notebooks and be busy sharing their information with others!

I absolutely love how the whole family can partake in this Bible curriculum together! I highly recommend checking it out!

5. Intoxicated on Life Resources

Intoxicated on Life is another fabulous resource for all things family discipleship. There are so many great materials on this website, but they also have multiple resources specifically for studying the Old Testament. Pop on over and check it out!

Am I missing anything? What is your favorite resource for studying the Old Testament?

Filed Under: Bible, Discipleship, Kid's Bible Study Tagged With: bible study, bible study resources, discipleship, kids bible study, Old Testament

Not Teaching Your Kids the Old Testament? 8 Reasons to Start

September 23, 2016 by Liz Millay

I always have to give one of my good friends a hard time about how when we started college she didn’t realize that the David of “David and Goliath” was the same person as King David. And she even grew up in the church! We like to joke about it, but it’s kind of a shame that this fundamental knowledge wasn’t passed down to her at an early age.

So often in children’s ministry settings (and even in the big church too!) the Old Testament stories are glossed over or even altogether skipped – presumably for the sake of focusing on the “gospel.”

You might be nodding your head here – Yes, yes, we should be focusing on the gospel. After all, we are under the new covenant now – why should be focus on the Old Testament?” Or maybe you began a study of the Old Testament with gusto until you got stuck somewhere in 1 Chronicles, thinking why am I doing this again?

Great questions! Today I want to share eight reasons why I think you should teach the Old Testament to your kids (and study it yourself!). And I’m talking about in it’s entirety, not just a few of the popular stories here and there – made fluffy and given a “moral at the end of the story” like it’s Aesop’s Fables instead of the Word of God (I’m looking at you Jonah!).

So, without further ado, when your kids learn about the Old Testament they will….

1. Gain a better understanding of the full scope of God’s character

The mighty hand of God that created everything from the vast universe to the invisible atom.

His loving-kindness delivering His people from Egypt.

His justice displayed in the words of the prophets.

Studying all the different stories, experiences, time periods, and people represented in the Old Testament give you so many windows through which to catch a glimpse of God’s character.

2. Understand the full story of our sin and God’s goodness

The gospel is powerful. It is rightly the center of our faith. However, we have to avoid the temptation to believe that the gospel story begins in Matthew. Yes, it begins with Jesus – but it begins with Jesus in Genesis 1:1.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. -Genesis 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. -John 1:1-3

The story of God’s love and redemption through Christ is woven throughout the entire Old Testament. As we turn the pages of God’s story we find prophetic words, metaphorical foreshadowings, glimpses of His plan and purpose.

Through stories like Adam and Eve, Noah, and David we are brought down into the depths of the depravity and fallenness of humans. Only when we see ourselves in our place among the broken can we truly understand the magnitude of God’s love and mercy – and our need for His gospel offer.

3. Learn from a rich history of the saints and sinners before us

While I think that trying to tack on a neat moral to every Old Testament story does a disservice to the text, that doesn’t mean there is not a ton to learn in these pages. We learn of the characters strengths and successes and their sins and failures. We see God’s people love and obey Him, and also turn and forget Him.

One of the biggest lessons we see time and time again in the Old Testament is that God can and will use ordinary sinners just like me and you to take part in his big plans. We don’t have to be perfect to serve God, just trust Him and follow His commands.

4. Marvel at the perfectly planned lineage of Christ

To us, genealogies can often seem dry and boring. However, they too are an important part of God’s word.

Take, for instance, the genealogy of Christ found in Matthew 1. It would be easy to just skip on over it and get on to the story. However, have you ever stopped and looked at the names found in this passage?

Abraham (wife was barren) …

Rahab and Ruth (both non-Israelites) …

David (murderer and adulterer) …

… And the list goes on!

When we read of these people and their stories in the Old Testament we can see God’s faithfulness and plan in bringing his promised Messiah into the world.

5. Understand themselves in light of God’s story

Like I mentioned before, the Old Testament connects us with stories that mirror our own brokenness. We learn of our depravity in the story of Adam and Eve and see our same brokenness played out in the stories of God’s people time and time again. The Old Testament does not let us pass by without an understanding of our humanness, our dependance on God, and our lowly position before him.

However, in spite of our lowly position, the Old Testament also shows us how much we are loved and chosen by our creator. We see His plan to redeem His beloved people, no matter the cost. We see his love, patience, and mercy played out in the lives of ordinary humans. Ordinary humans that he allows to do great things for Him. Ordinary humans just like you and me … and your children.

6. Be taught, rebuked, corrected and trained

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. -2 Timothy 3: 16-17

Timothy didn’t stutter when he said “all scripture.” In fact, during that time, the Old Testament probably would have been the primary scripture he was referring to! If you skip over the Old Testament as you seek to disciple your kids you are missing out on a huge chunk of what God has given to equip them.

7. Deepen faith through wrestling with tough topics

The flood, Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son, the story of the hardships of Job – these stories (and many others) aren’t Disney fairytales. The stories of the Old Testament are big, messy, and often hard to understand. When we wrestle with these stories, the concepts they hold and the questions they bring, we deepen our faith and understanding. This provides our children with a steadfast foundation that will stand the test of time.

8. Develop a deeper awe and reverence for God (and gratitude we can have a relationship with him)

Something that can often be missing in churches and Christians these days (including myself!) is a reverence, fear, and awe of a holy God. We get so focused on his love displayed through Christ that we can easily forget about his justice, power, and holiness.

Generally speaking, as they are set before the work and grace of Christ, the Old Testament stories give us a great picture of what it looks like to be in awe of a holy God. The creation account shows his strength, majesty, and sovereignty. The accounts of worship in the temple displays the lengths to which sinful people had to go to come anywhere close to God and his glory. Over and over again God’s chosen people and prophets declare themselves unworthy to stand before him.

These accounts do two things. First, they deepen our awe and reverence for God. Second, they make us all the more grateful for the relationship we can have with God because of the work of Christ.

Ready to get started?

Hopefully these eight reasons have encouraged you to give the Old Testament a chance. There are so many great reasons to dig in!

Plus, at the very least, you’ll know who King David is. 🙂

Do you have any more reasons you’ve found for studying the Old Testament?

EDITED TO ADD: I compiled a post with some great resources for teaching the Old Testament – find it right here!

Affiliate links included.

Filed Under: Adult Bible study, Bible, character training, Discipleship, faith, Kid's Bible Study