Rooted and Grounded in Love

We can pray for our children to be rooted and grounded in love. I want to grow in remembering that prayer is an important part of my job as a parent. And then taking the time to pray! 

Paul told the Ephesians that he prayed for them.

"For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father" Ephesians 3:14 WT*

Part of what he prayed for them was:

"that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with power by His spirit in the inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through the [right way of] believing, so that having a root and a foundation in love," Ephesians 3:16-17 WT*

Like Paul, we can pray for our children to have "a root and foundation in love". 

Prayer and love. Two simple things that can make a huge difference in our families. 

*Working Translation: A Journey Through Acts and Epistles, Copyright © 2006 by Walter J. Cummins. All rights reserved. 

On Thursdays I am posting a Bible verse that helps us as parents teach our children the Bible. Sign up for emails on the side bar, and follow on Facebook or Instagram. 

©Brigette Hill, 2016 

5 Ways To Help Your Child "Seek Peace and Pursue It" - Tech Tuesday

This Spring, I am considering the question “How do I prepare my child for a future full of technology?” 

“Seek peace, and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14 KJV, (also quoted in 1 Peter 3:11)

Sometimes I think “How can I stop my child from using screens too much?” Instead of just thinking about what I don't want my children to do (use screens too much), I want to focus on what I do want my children to do (live God’s Word).

I want my children to seek peace and pursue it. Sometimes technology can get in the way of peace and tranquility. Games and social media have an addictive quality. Screens provide distractions with notifications going off and providing the possibility of always something new to look at. Also, the content on our screens can be dark and unsettling.  

What can I do to help my child seek peace and pursue it in an age of technology?

Praying With Your Toddler - Toddler Tuesday

Teaching your toddler to pray is a part of teaching them to acknowledge God in their life. As a toddler starts to talk he or she can pray to God.  This is such a beautiful thing we can teach our children. As I compiled this list, I was encouraged with ways my own family could grow in praying more throughout the day.

1. Learn to Sit: When your toddler is around another person that is praying, teach your child how to sit quietly.  He or she can learn to keep hands and feet quiet while someone is praying.   

"Pray and Sing Praises" Teaching Ideas

I really enjoy teaching this verse, James 5:13, to my girls.  There is great application to teach in everyday life.  And as I endeavor to also pray and sing praise during my daily life, I grow with my daughters.
 

Theme Verse: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” James 5:13 ESV

"Paul and Silas Sang Praises to God" Teaching Ideas

Theme Verse: “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” Acts 16:25 ESV

Song: Praise Him
Praise Him, praise Him
Praise Him in the morning, praise Him at noontime
Praise Him, praise Him
Praise Him when the sun goes down.
Here is a video of some motions.

"We Pray For Each other" Teaching Ideas

Do you want to help out? Please take the short Teaching Survey.  This will help me to make the teaching ideas as useful as possible.  Thanks to everyone who has already taken it!  Your feedback has been so helpful!

Theme Verse:
“So Peter was kept in prison: but the church made strong prayer to God for him.” Acts 12:5 BBE

Jesus Christ Prayed To God - Teaching Ideas

Please take the short Teaching Survey.  This will help me to make the teaching ideas as useful as possible.  Thanks!

 
Theme Verse: “he (Jesus) went up on the mountain by himself to pray” Matthew 14:23 ESV 
Song: Watch video of Psalm 55:22 from Seeds Family Worship
Parent Preparation: Luke 6:12-13, Matt 26:36, Mark 1:35, Mark 14:23, Luke 11:1-9, Hebrews 5:7-8, John 11:40-42
Supplies: Bible, printout of teaching

Daniel Prayed To God - Teaching Ideas

Theme Verse: “Three times a day he (Daniel) got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daniel 6:10b NIV

Song: "Daniel Was A Man Of Prayer", listen here

Parent Preparation: Daniel 6:1-28

Supplies: Bible, print out of teaching, puppet (see note below on the puppet)

Day 1 
• (Read theme Bible verse.) 
• Daniel prayed 3 times every day (count together to 3). 
• Daniel prayed to God. 
• Puppet: “Is prayer when you talk to yourself?” 
• No! When you pray you are speaking to God. 
• Puppet: “I can’t pray to God right now, I don’t see Him here.”
• God is Holy Spirit. We can’t see spirit. God is here, and  He hears our prayers even though he doesn’t have ears. 
• Daniel thanked God. What are things that we can thank God for? 
• (Pray together.)

Day 2 
• Bad men saw Daniel praying to God. 
• They made a rule that if you prayed to God you would be thrown into a den full of lions! 
• Puppet: “That’s okay, lions are cats, my neighbors have cats, they are nice. They say “meow”” 
• Lions are dangerous. They have sharp teeth and claws! They make sounds like “Roar!” 
• Puppet: “Don’t go in there Daniel!” 
• Do you think he stopped praying? (read theme verse).  No! He went in front of His window and prayed to God. 
• So the bad men went and got Daniel, and threw him into the lion's den! 
• God sent an angel to shut the lion’s mouth! 
• (Pray together.)

Day 3 
• (Read them verse. Have child pretend to be Daniel and act out the verse.) 
• (Act out together putting Daniel in the lions den, an angel shutting the lion’s mouth, and Daniel coming out of the lion’s den.) 
• (Read Daniel 6:23) Daniel believed and trusted that God would take care of him. When we pray we can trust God to take care of us. 
• Puppet: “Can I only pray 3 times a day? 
• We can pray anywhere we go, at any time of day. 
• (Pray together.)

Note About The Puppet 
• If you don’t have a puppet you can make one out of a sock, or a paper bag, or a popsicle stick. 
• When using puppets when teaching the Bible, I have the puppet's character be really excited about the Bible.  At the same time I still maintain that I am the one teaching about the Bible and not the puppet. 
• It can be fun to give the puppet a name, personality, and 
even its own voice (though I have a hard time maintaining the voice!)


Prayer Teaching Series:

• "Hannah Prayed To God"
• "Daniel Prayed To God"
• "Jesus Christ Prayed To God"
• "We Pray For Each Other" 
• "The Name of Jesus Christ" Teaching Ideas  

  © Brigette Hill, 2014

"Hannah Prayed To God" Teaching Ideas

Theme Verse: “pray continually” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV