1. Thank Him
We have so many reasons to be thankful. Kids often list health, a home, food, and friends first if you ask them what they are thankful for. Help them to look beyond these and see Jesus’ creation. When we are driving down the road and I see an exceptionally beautiful sunset, I will say a quick prayer of thanksgiving for the beauty. When we studied mammals, I thanked God for the variety of animals He created. When we face trials, I try to thank Him for the opportunity to trust Him more.
Some of these prayers are small and might not seem worth the trouble of saying out loud, but it is often the small actions that our children pick up on the most. After years of hearing me say these small prayers, my girls are now beginning to say them too. One morning recently, my oldest daughter came running downstairs at 6:45 a.m. excited to call me up to her room to see an exceptionally beautiful sunrise full of orange and purple. She shared with me how God was creating a masterpiece that morning.
2. Memorize Scripture
Memorizing scripture is a great way to share Jesus with your children. Jesus is alive in scripture. Whether you are reading passages or memorizing a single verse, you are storing up His Word in your heart. We use this scripture memory method. It is simple, yet effective. Recently, as we were reviewing scriptures we had already learned, my daughter commented that she was surprised she knew so many. Your kids will draw upon these scriptures for years to come and feel Jesus close to them during difficult and joyful times.
3. Sing and dance to worship music
One of our favorite ways to refocus our thoughts and attitudes is to sing and dance to worship music. Often we memorize the worship songs and find ourselves singing them later in the day. This is yet another way we experience Jesus. Some of our favorite music is from Seeds Family Worship. Not only are you singing and having a blast, you are memorizing scripture at the same time since their songs are word for word scripture.
4. Share a story
Kids love to hear a story from your past or their past. Take advantage of this desire and share about times when you experienced God. As opportunities have arisen, I have shared stories with my girls
- about when we trusted God for guidance when we were determining where to live and what job to accept
- how I felt His presence and yet His silence at the same time
- times when He reminded me of scripture at the exact moment I needed it most
- how I have often said a simple prayer, “Jesus, help me” when I had no other words
Sharing these times with my girls has helped them see that God is beside us all the time. It helps them begin to look for Him in their everyday experiences.
5. Pray together
Even Jesus gave us an example of how to pray when he taught the disciples the Lord’s Prayer. Children need to learn how to pray by example. They need to learn that we pray not only at dinner time and bedtime, but ALL of the time. Some of the times we pray together include when we:
- are looking for a lost item
- see an emergency vehicle zooming off to help someone in need
- are thankful for a small blessing
- have the needs of a friend pressed upon our heart
- begin traveling
Regardless of how you share Jesus with your kids, be sure to do it often and in a variety of settings. Help them see Jesus at work in their everyday life.