Saturday, March 22, 2008

Family Devotional

If you happen to be looking for a good family devotion, I highly, highly, highly recommend one that we just started a couple weeks ago!
Its called "Our 24 Family Ways family devotional guide" by Clay Clarkson.
Its a study that lists 24 Biblical values for a family to live by - with scripture backing each one. You spend 5 days on each value - so it can take 24 weeks to complete.
There is even a coloring book that goes along with it for younger kids!

Each day starts with a question, then you read the scriptures that pertain to that day's lesson. It gives you questions and points to further the discussion with your kids and then action points to pray about. We are loving it so far! We've had to bump some of the questions down a notch for our kids, but this is something we plan to do again, so they'll get more and more out of it each time. And, the values are exactly what we want to pattern our family around. Its just plain GOOD! The kids LOVE knowing that we all snuggle up on the couch together before bed and do our devotional. They love it.

Of course, the hard part about it is that as the adults, we have to SET THE EXAMPLE and live out these values for our children to truly learn them. Not always an easy task, but an important one nonetheless!
And, there's just nothing sweeter than listening to Jadyn rattle off the Family Ways! Precious! (see below for an "interpretation!!")


Here are the 24 Family Ways the book covers:

Concerning AUTHORITIES in our family...
1. We love and obey our Lord, Jesus Christ, with whole hearted devotion.

2. We read the Bible and pray to God every day with an open heart.

3. We honor and obey our parents in the Lord with a respectful attitude.

4. We listen to correction and accept discipline with a submissive spirit.

Concerning RELATIONSHIPS in our family...
5. We love one another, treating others with kindness, gentleness and respect.

6. We serve one another, humbly thinking of the needs of others first.

7. We encourage one another, using only words that build up and bless others.

8. We forgive one another, covering an offense with love when wronged or hurt.

Concerning POSSESSIONS in our family...
9. We are thankful to God for what we have, whether it is a little or a lot.

10. We are content with what we have, not coveting what others have.

11. We are generous with what we have, sharing freely with others.

12. We take care of what we have, using it wisely and responsibly.

Concerning WORK in our family...
13. We are diligent to complete a task promptly and thoroughly when asked.

14. We take initiative to do all of our work without needing to be told.

15. We work with a cooperative spirit, freely giving and receiving help.

16. We take personal responsibility to keep our home neat and clean at all times.

Concerning ATTITUDES in our family...
17. We choose to be joyful, even when we feel like complaining.

18. We choose to be peacemakers, even when we feel like arguing.

19. We choose to be patient, even when we feel like getting our own way.

20. We choose to be gracious, even when we don't feel like it.

Concerning CHOICES in our family...
21. We do what we know is right, regardless what others do or say.

22. We ask before we act when we do not know what is right to do.

23. We exercise self-control at all times and in every kind of situation.

24. We always tell the truth and do not practice deceitfulness of any kind.

2 comments:

Lori Eilers said...

That is amazing!!! Thanks for a great source to share with my new families. It sounds like a really good devotional. Jadyn is precious, it is so important to utilize a child's natural ability to memorize at a young age. Past the 6th grade, it gets increasingly more difficult to memorize. Good job Momma Sustala!!

stephanie said...

Just WOW!

I believe God smiles when he looks upon your precious family. Is it any wonder you are being blessed with another life to mold in this way!!!??