7 Ways to Invite Christ into Your Family Life

I can remember being pregnant with my daughter and thinking about the impact I would have on her life. The weight of who she would become because of the environment we have in our home. It became heavier the more I thought about it. Then, as I watched her grow and her little brother was added to our family, my heart continued to have a deep desire to be intentional in helping my kids become the best version of themselves. To find ways to make sure they knew Jesus and how to have a relationship with Him. As time has moved on, God pressed upon my heart how my family is a gift from Him that I am to steward well for His purposes. My heart is reflected in 3 John 1:4 (ESV), where it says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” The Holy Spirit has guided me in finding ways I can invite Christ into our hearts and our home. I pray they can do the same for your family.

Pray daily over their lives. Whatever your kids are struggling with, take time to pray with them over it. Whether it is your toddler who just had a nightmare or your teen who is struggling with peer pressure, praying with them helps both you and them to keep your heart in the hands of our Savior. As you do this, it encourages them to start taking their burdens to the Lord just as scripture tells us to do so (Psalm 55:22).

Pray for others together. Every day, there are so many people around us who could use prayers. As God opens your eyes to those He would like for you to pray over, include your kids in that. One way God has encouraged me to do this with my children is by praying every time we see emergency vehicles. We take a moment to pray over those emergency workers and the individuals who they are going to help. It has become a brief but beautiful moment to encourage all of us to see the needs of others and pray over those needs.

Serve others together. Christ modeled a life filled with serving others, and we are all called to do the same (Mark 10:45). As you serve in whatever capacity God directs you to, pray over ways to invite your family to do the same. It could be collecting donations, sacrificing time to serve food at a soup kitchen, or maybe even going on a mission trip together. Serving together creates habits that encourage us to share the love of Christ with others regularly.

Get them their own Bible. Our heavenly Father gave us scripture as one of the main ways that He speaks to us. Making sure every member of your family has their own Bible invites them into that individual relationship with Christ. Click the links below to see my recommended Bibles for children 4-12:

Ages 4-8 The Beginner’s Bible

Ages 6-10 NLrV The Adventure Bible for early readers

Ages 9-12 NIV The Adventure Bible

Read scripture together. Reading and memorizing scripture helps us be reminded of God’s wisdom and faithfulness throughout our day (Psalm 119:105). To help everyone in your family learn the habit of reading their Bible daily, take time to read it together. Talk about how the Holy Spirit uses verses to speak into our lives today. Reflect on what that looks like, create a spiritual habit for them, and reinforce the habit for yourself.

Choose a family Bible verse. Talk about the season of life you are in. Discuss things that your kids are struggling with and find a Bible verse that provides hope for that season. Maybe you can choose a verse for each week, or perhaps a monthly verse would be a more realistic goal for your family. The start of every new year is a great time to choose a verse to guide your Spiritual growth over the next year. Whatever that looks like for you, take time to discuss scripture and choose a verse that can apply to your life.

Listen to Christian music together. In our family, my daughter calls it “Jesus music.” To help us intentionally start our day with Jesus, we listen to worship music on the way to school. While I often let them choose what we listen to on the way home, God has convinced me to begin our mornings with Him. In addition to that time, any time I feel like we are getting stressed or overwhelmed, I will put on some “Jesus music” to help us all get back to a better place. Incorporate listening to Christian music into your day so you are reminded of God’s faithfulness and the hope we can have when we live for Christ.