Today’s blog is a guest post from my dear friend, Lois Graham, speaker and author. Lois has two wonderful websites you will just love, http://lois-graham.com and Building Blocks 4 Life, http://buildingblocks4life.com.
Enjoy!
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Quiet Time For Kids
by Lois Graham
Encourage your children to have a personal quiet time with the Lord. Having a quiet time doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. Even young children can have a personal quiet time.
Spending time in prayer and Bible study helps us to build a close and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. The content will vary depending on their age, but the habit of having a time to grow in the Lord is what’s important. Don’t make having a quiet time a drudgery. It should be like spending time with a special friend.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8 (NIV)
Try these tips to help your child start a quiet time:
- Work with your child to find a time each day they can have a personal quiet time. Don’t nag, but encourage them daily.
- Find an age appropriate Bible and devotional that includes scripture.
- Get a CD or Mp3 player with the Bible on it for young children.
- Give them ideas on how to have a quiet time. Include reading their Bible and devotional and a time of prayer. Explain to young children how to listen to God’s word and pray.
- Give young children paper, crayons, and a pencil. Let them draw pictures of the stories they are listening to.
- Older children can dig into a topic that interest them or a study on a specific topic. It could be a book of the Bible, growing into a godly woman or man, or a specific character trait.
- Teach your children that their time of prayer doesn’t need to be a time of just asking for things. Let them know they can talk to God like a friend. God wants to hear our requests and praise. Help them make a prayer journal they can write request and praises in.
- Set an example. Have your own quiet time with the Lord. Dig into the scriptures and let God speak to you. Talk to God through prayer. Write your prayer request and praises in a prayer journal.
- Ask your children about their quiet time. Show an interest in what they are learning.
Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)
2 Comments
Love this! Thank you for reminding us just how simple it really should be. My son gets frustrated when he doesn’t “hear from God”. We’ve talked about how God answers prayers in different ways, but the prayer journal would be a wonderful way for him to see that for himself! Thanks, both of you!
Kim, our daughter Leah hears God’s voice so clearly – sometimes the things coming out of her mouth come STRAIGHT from the throne of God! But she doesn’t always recognize that she really DOES hear His voice. Just like with us and God, our children need to be trained to hear that still, small voice. I agree with you, the prayer journal is an excellent tool!