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Tuesday Tidbits for Parents: April 21, 2020

ParentsCorner_Weekly

 

 

 

Hey, Parents!

We’ve been talking a lot about family worship lately, which is really just regularly setting aside a time to teach our kids about and worship God together as a family. But why are we so gung ho about family worship?

The Why

I love how Psalm 78 puts it. In verses 5-7 we read,

He [God] decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds, but would keep His commands.

Another translation says, “so that they might set their hope in God” (v. 7). This hits the nail right on the head. We are so passionate about this because we, just like you, want to see our kids here at The Well put their hope, their trust, their confidence in God. We want them to treasure Him above all else and to devote themselves to Him with glad hearts. Family worship is one of the ways God draws children to Himself, as we bring the gift of God’s Word to our children and come vulnerably before Him in prayer together. 

Family Worship In Real Life

So what does family worship look like in real life? What does it look like when you have only infants at home, or young kids who are fidgety with short attention spans, or kids of different age ranges? I’m glad you asked! 

Let me tell you what it doesn’t look like. Ideal. Whatever ideal you have in your mind, you can go ahead and throw that right out the window! Kids, just like adults, aren’t always the best at sitting still or focusing. They won’t always want to cooperate. They won’t always understand what you’re saying (especially if you’ve got babies at home!). Conversation isn’t always going to be deep and rich. And that is OKAY! Push through it, knowing that you are still planting and watering seeds of faith, even when things seem messy. And as with all other things, we lean into God to do the work that only He can do, praying that He uses our efforts to help our kids treasure Him above all else.

As a special treat, we’ve got a short video to show you what family worship looks like in real life for several families here at The Well, including my own. You’ll notice that it looks different for each of us and can be a little messy. We don't all follow the same model. We don't all gather for family worship with the same frequency, or for the same length of time. If you're looking for a place to start, we suggest the "pray, read, and sing" model (which is what you'll see in the video). But know that there is no one “right way” to do this! Let the Holy Spirit be your family's guide. I pray it encourages you to keep up the work of leading your families in this way, or to begin-- maybe even today. You CAN do this!

Please feel free to contact me at jennifer.boegner@thewellsilverspring.org with any questions or if I can help as you disciple your kids in any way!