Today's Christian Woman

Family devotions don't have to be formal sit-down events. Use these quick ideas to connect with your kids during meals, in the car, or at bedtime. The more involved "Family Night" ideas will help you create memorable evenings (or afternoons) with the whole crew. Whether you use one of these ideas each week or only manage to squeeze in a couple during the next two months, you'll be teaching your children that any time is a great time to learn about God.

Family Night Fun

Let Love Rule

Point: Overcome evil by showing the love of God.
Gather: Paper and a Bible
Go: Have two of your children sit across from one another. Hold a piece of paper vertically between them and have them press their noses to the paper, so the paper is in between their noses. Tell them you will remove the paper so that their noses will be touching. The first one to blink loses. If you have more children, let them play each other until you have a champion. Older children can help referee the matches.
Ask: Was it easy not to blink? Why or why not?
Share: Sometimes God will ask us to do things for him that feel uncomfortable, like being kind to someone who isn't kind to us. But because we love God, we try to do what he asks us to do, like Jesus did.
Read: Romans 12:19-21 and ask: What does God tell us about those who wrong us? How should we treat them?
Share: God shows his love to others through the kind things we do for them. It's a tremendous honor to be the messengers of God's love here on earth.
Remember: Doing as God asks is not always an easy task.
Pray: Allow time for family members to share prayer requests.

God's Hands

Point: God works through you and me.
Gather: Dimes and pennies, winter gloves, latex gloves (tight fitting).
Go: Have each child wear the winter gloves and try and pick up the change from the floor (time limit 90 seconds). Next, have them wear the latex gloves and repeat the exercise.
Ask: Which gloves let you to pick the change up more easily? Why? How does God want us to "fit" with him?
Share: God carries out his ministry on earth by working through you and me with the Holy Spirit. We are his hands, feet, arms, ears, and mouth.
Read: John 15:5-8 and ask: What is Jesus trying to tell us with the branch and vine example?
Remember: Others need us to be like Jesus.
Pray: Ask God to help each of you be more like him.

Mealtime Moments

Words "Appley" Spoken

Mealtime Prayer: Lord, help us to speak only words that help others and build them up.
Main Course: Serve golden apples in a beautiful bowl for dessert. Then read Proverbs 25:11 about "words aptly spoken." Have everyone say something kind about someone else in the family before crunching in.
Table Talk:
» How are wise, loving, considerate words like an apple?
» How are foolish, unloving words like rotten apples?
» Read Ephesians 4:29. What does this verse tell us about how we should treat each other?

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