This post is from contributor, Heather Haupt
We live in a crazy age where messages are coming in at a rapid-fire rate and social media is screaming that we need this or must buy that. Christians certainly aren’t immune. How did generation upon generation before us have such great levels of Biblical literacy without all of these resources?
They simply read it. They made it their study. And they had less mental clutter and distractions.
In our busy, loud world, we need to be intentional. How can we simply soak up the Word?
Carve out time to:
1. Hear the Word.
One of our favorite, free resources for getting the Word into our lives is the free audio Bible streaming from Faith Comes By Hearing. I’ll stream the Bible while I’m cleaning or cooking and my boys love it when I let them listen to it while they are winding down and falling asleep. I can’t think of a better way to fall asleep. We love the slightly dramatized reading of the ESV. This ministry works to make audio Bible recordings in 787 different languages. And yes, you can listen to the Bible being read in those languages too!
2. Read the Word.
It sounds so simple and yet most of us find it far easier to spend our time elsewhere. The more you read the Bible, the more it is going to transform your life. Try it. I dare you!
As we seek to disciple our four children, we’ve started simply reading through the Bible together as a family. It’s our daily bread. Thanks to our Family Bible Reading Plan printable {YES! Another freebie for you!}, we have a way to track our progress and strategically pick new portions of Scripture to read together. I’ve even started utilizing the reading of the Psalms for read-aloud practice.
Whether we are all listening to the audio streaming or my kids are listening to me read to them, we find ways to keep our hands busy so the mind and heart can focus on these life-giving words.
3. Discuss the Word.
We don’t just read and move on, however. We take the time to discuss it. With our children this doesn’t have to be complicated. We simply ask the Who, What, Where, and Why questions.
A favorite activity in our home, when picking our reading back up, is to recap what happened previously. What was the last chapter about? What stood out to you from this passage? Why do you think God wanted to tell us this? Who is this passage addressed to in context? We’ll even use this time to ponder out loud. When our children see that we don’t know everything, but want to dig deeper, they soon follow suit in asking questions.
4. Dramatize the Word.
So this might seem a little childish, but bear with me. It is so helpful to put yourself in the shoes of the people in these Biblical accounts. Why did they waver? What helped them stand strong? What would you have done in a similar situation? I often encourage my children to dramatize a passage. It is fun to watch them work through what they have read and then reflect that back.
There is no need to spend a lot of money on programs to build your love for, appreciation of, and study of the Word of God. We just need to have open hearts, and a desire to dig in deep to reap the benefits of time spent with the Lord and in the Bible.
And the simplicity of it all can really make an impact on the next generation.
Less striving and more thriving!
Heather H
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