Welcome to Day #6  the Intentional Mothering Series:

Today I have been given special permission again from True Woman to share an applicable post with you from another Carrie- Carrie Ward (originally posted on the True Woman site) about reading God’s Word with your children.  This year, my husband and I began reading the Chronological Bible as a family.  I wish I could say we have never missed a day, but that is far from true.  But, what we have seen is, even when the kids act up and do not seem to be listening or interested- they often talk about things they have learned later on; much to our delight.

Enjoy this post by Carrie and go check out the valuable resources at True Woman’s site (you can also order Carrie’s book there).

Growing Appetites For God

Have you ever felt like the discipline of Bible reading was beyond
your grasp? Have you started and stopped more times than you can count?
Do you feel like you have failed as a follower of Christ because of your
Bible-reading record?

I know how you feel!

That’s part of the message of my book, Together: Growing Appetites for God.
For years I tried—and failed—to read the Bible. Then God prompted me to
cry out to Him, and in the process, gave me a hunger to know Him
through His Word.

That doesn’t mean it was suddenly easy. I still had all the baggage that prevented me from reading the Bible in the past:

I wasn’t a morning person.
I wasn’t a fast reader.
I tended toward the undisciplined side of life.
And . . . I was busy!

At that point I was mothering three small children. How could I possibly have time to become a student of the Word?

Then God gave me an idea: Read the Bible with your kids.

Now, almost eleven years later, we’ve just completed our third reading of Scripture.

What has made the difference?

This time my urge to read the Bible was motivated by a desire to get to know God rather than by guilt.
Also, this time I had company.

God has used (and continues to use) my children to teach me about Him in
ways I would never have imagined. Their enthusiasm makes me excited
about Scripture. The questions they ask challenge my thinking. The
belief they express grows my faith. God is working on my heart through
the lives of my kids.

I’ve learned many things from this experience:

God loves me. He does not give up on His children.
God speaks through His Word (to adults and children). His Word is living and active.
My kids, at a very young age, can understand far more of the Bible than I would have thought.
And it’s important to teach our children all of God’s Word.

My kids need to encounter Jesus firsthand. They need to hear the great
redemptive story of Scripture.

As a mom, I have a unique opportunity to
make this happen . . . and so do you.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, you and I can be tools God uses to get His
Word into our kids, just like Eunice and Lois did for Timothy:

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your
grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in
you as well.” (2 Tim. 1:5)

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly
believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you
have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make
you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 3:14–15)

I’m encouraged as a mom to read that Timothy was evidently following God and leading His people as a young man:

“Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth,
but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in
faith, in purity.” (1 Tim. 4:11–12)

Imagine, with me, a generation of children acquainted with Scripture since childhood (Deut. 6:7; Ps. 78:4).

Envision our kids learning what it means to rightly fear the Lord (Deut. 31:12-13; Prov. 1:7).

Imagine them encountering the Word that is able to bring them to faith (John 1:1-5; 2 Tim. 3:15; Rom. 10:17).



Join me, please, in reaching the next generation with the living and active Word of God (Heb. 4:12).

Standing on His Promises,

Carrie

Carrie has been married for nearly twenty years to Wes Ward, Sr. Director of Media at Revive Our Hearts. She’s a stay-at-home mom to their four children, and the author of Together: Growing Appetites for God (April 2012). Check out her fun stuff for everyday moms at AnEverydayMama.com.

Deep Breaths:

1.  Have you read through the Bible (the whole way through)?  I dare you!

2.  What is one practical way that you can get more of the Bible into your, and your kids’, daily life?

3.  Take a few minutes and read Psalm 119 (yes, the long one- the whole way through), what verse
     sticks out to you?  Try and commit it to memory (have your kids quiz you on it- great
     accountability and they will learn it too).