Q: Devotional Habits?

WHY AND HOW?
Home devotions are intended to help children begin developing their own devotional pattern of looking into God's Word and applying it to their lives. Children should feel free to get help whenever needed. The LQI five-day format allows one day for Sunday and one day for the family to share devotions together or to pursue some other devotional study.
 
Choose the proper level for each child by determining their current reading level. See the Teaching Reading section at the back of the "Spiritual Teacher Training 101" book for help in determining the reading level. 

Parents are a primary source of a child's conception of God's loving care and holiness. Be an example first, and then help your children set aside a regular time each day to do their devotional study. The home devotion lessons are tools to help adults and children get into their Bibles and find out who God is and what He has done. The introduction section of each book contains suggestions for using these materials effectively.  
 
WHET THE APPETITE
The lessons are intended to stimulate communication between children and their parents. Parents will want to talk with and provide guidance to their child in what he or she is learning. You may find it helpful to begin by considering one question together to whet all of your spiritual appetites. Introduce a sentence or phrase, but allow each one to go 
away hungry, desiring to go to God and His Word. 

ACCOUNTABLITY 
Consistently check primary and junior lessons individually. Provide encouraging remarks. Also provide help where your child is having difficulty. 

REWARDS? 
You may want to provide a reward for those who choose to do their devotional pages regularly. God Himself offers rewards. Perhaps help students choose their own rewards such as points, a special snack, a game Time when the class reaches a certain goal, etc. The goal is to encourage students to develop a pattern of looking into God's Word for themselves and relating it to their lives. Pray that will happen. Rewards should enhance spiritual growth but not overshadow it. Rewards should be reduced as habits are established. Verbal praise and encouragement are always desirable and appropriate.

Determine before God what your devotional style will be this week and perhaps this month. Try various ideas to find out what will work for your particular family size, ages and bents.  
 
What is your ultimate goal? What will you do today to aim for that goal? What will you do today to begin establishing a good habit for yourself and your family? 

WHAT ARE YOUR PRESENT DEVOTIONAL COMMITMENTS?

• Which ones should be continued, and which ones should be altered?
• List something each member in your family especially enjoys doing that can be included.
• Include something appropriate for each individual each week.
• Have a "family spotlight" to highlight favorable qualities observed during the week. Be sure to include 
  birthday recognitions when appropriate.
• Relate holidays and seasons to the passage being used when appropriate.
• Look through this book for ideas that will work for your family.
• Consider different methods of studying the passage together daily such as:

MONDAY: have different ones read a part, have one read the whole passage, vary the location, time, etc. 
TUESDAY: practice the verse together: read, assemble as a puzzle, quote, have a sword drill, sing it as a  song to a familiar tune, etc.
WEDNESDAY: share a related game or activity
THURSDAY: have a family devotional evening discussion, include singing, and hare applications
FRIDAY: focus on praying: share answers, prayer requests, praise and thank God for who He is and what              He has done, end with songs 
SATURDAY: review the week, research unanswered questions, review the passage and verses, share with 
                             another family, do a related service project based on the passage
SUNDAY: worship God together and encourage other believers with what God is doing in your lives

There is much variety available, and unending repetition will become boring. Focus on valuable areas. 
The mandate according to Deuteronomy 6 is to teach throughout the day wherever you are.
  

SETTING GOALS - DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY, PLANNING TO ENDURE

DAILY: Choose your goals.

• Share in a Bible reading time.
• Help each family member who is old enough establish personal devotions. There are coordinating student devotion pages available each quarter based on reading abilities.
• Use word cards on the refrigerator or on a bulletin board. Point them out to younger children periodically.
• Pray together. Sing a song or hymn together. Practice memory verses. Other

WEEKLY: Choose your goals.

• Have a family devotional highlight night.
• Apply the lesson to events occurring in your lives.
• Prepare a map.Add to a timeline.
• Have a special meal.
  Plan and present a family drama from the passage or something which applies the passage to present-day life.
• Sing songs and hymns.
• Play games.
• Have a discussion time. Talk about what you can learn about God and people from the passage. 
• Carry out a ministry outreach: meal, craft, drama, missionary, giving, etc.
• Pray together, sharing answers and keeping a journal.
• Remember how God has answered and guided in the past.
• Find other related books to share.
• Other:

MONTHLY: Choose your goals.

• Look over the weekly goals and determine which ones would be better on a monthly basis for your 
  family such as focusing on a different hymn each month. List them below.
•  

PLAN TO ENDURE: 21 DAYS?
ThE reproducible habit charts on the next page are intended to help you establish some enduring habits for you and your children. Make a copy for yourself and for each of your children to begin with. (You can make more copies as the need arises.) Do not try to change too much at once, but determine before God that you will find something to change today. Some say it takes twenty-one days to establish a habit. You can be developing either a good or a bad habit today.

SEEK GOD FIRST
Time with God and interaction with His Word are all that we will consider here because that is the foundation for everything that will last for eternity. You are individually in the first, second or third week of the chart. You are either carrying out a habit or are evaluating and establishing new habits. What you do with your children will reflect what you do for yourself.

EVALUATE CHARACTER
As you consider applications, do not neglect character qualities in both yourself and your children. 

BEGIN WITH YOURSELF
You are the model your children watch daily. You cannot model what you are not; however, it is not too late to make changes today that will endure for a lifetime. You can grow with your children. What kind of heritage do you want to leave for your grandchildren? Weeks 1 - 3 focus on you. Weeks 4 - 6 focus on your children. Focusing on yourself first will help you develop humility and supportiveness for your children rather than using the Scriptures as a club like the Pharisees (Lk. 11:46).

WEEK 1 
Begin where you are with Week One, and determine what your present habits are. Be as honest as you can. Trying to change for the sake of filling out the chart will only make real change more difficult.

WEEK 2
At the end of Week One begin evaluating your strengths and weaknesses in each area. Ask God to point out which area is most needy, and begin establishing new habits there.
 
WEEK 3 
Carry out your Week Two plan. 
 
WEEK 4 
Once you are making changes, begin with each of your children individually and help them fill out the chart just as you did for yourself for Week One. Continue your own week Two plan.
 
WEEK 5 
Carry out the Week Two plan with each of your children separately. Continue your own plan.
 
Week 6 
Help your children carry out their plans. Continue growing.
  
Re-evaluate 
Do not be afraid to reevaluate your position and progress, and make changes as needed.

"ESTABLISH A HABIT" CHARTS
Week 1 or 4: What are present habits?

Note the time you and your child actually spend in each activity 
during the week below. Also note the passages covered. Note some specific prayer 
items and applications you made
                                      Sun          Mon          Tue          Wed          Thur          Fri          Sat
Bible Listening        
Bible Reading
Bible Study
Bible Memorization
Bible 
Meditation
Praise and Prayer 
Applications

Week 2 or 5: "What do you want the habits to be?"
                                      
                                      Sun          Mon          Tue          Wed          Thur          Fri          Sat
Bible Listening        
Bible 
Reading
Bible Study
Bible Memorization
Bible 
Meditation
Praise 
and Prayer 
Applications