Discipling our kids can feel intimidating. Often feelings of insecurity and doubt accompany the thought of teaching our kids about Jesus. I’m here to tell you, reject those lies and step into the belief that you, the parent, are the person best suited to train and disciple your kids. As you step into your God given role, He will equip you with the wisdom and creativity needed to guide your kids. God is with you on this endeavor, you don’t have to do it on your own, He will give you what you need, you just need to start.

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We are here to help too so we want to provide a few ideas to step into discipleship this holiday season. The holidays are a perfect time to bring discipleship practices into your home. It’s a limited time, so it is not as daunting of a commitment. It’s what the season is already focused around so it’s convenient. And it’s festive and fun.

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These are just a few ideas to pick from or to inspire your own ideas or remind you of something you had wanted to do years ago and never got to. Let the ideas you see from others not be an invitation to comparison and self doubt but to be an inspiration to try something new and find what fits for your family.

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Also, don’t take on more than you can realistically handle or create a standard of perfection that leaves you feeling like a failure, never wanting to try again. If you miss a day or a week of something you planned to do, just pick back up where you left off, you can get those missed days next year. If you realize part way through you are doing too much, just stop and do less successfully.

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Another idea is to think about not adding but reorienting your lives, traditions and routines around what is more important to you. Maybe instead of listening to songs about santa claus and jingle bells on your way to look at Christmas lights, you put on christmas songs about Jesus’ birth as you drive. Instead of jumping out of the car the moment you park because your 5 minutes late for meeting your parents, you pause and tell the kids how Jesus is the light of the world and he came to bring light and hope and joy to a dark, sad world then encourage them to think about the way the christmas lights make them think about Jesus as you walk around. Simple, quick, reorienting.

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Maybe instead of going to the local mall’s huge christmas extravaganza, you stay home and do an advent activity or put on your own christmas pageant acting out the story of jesus’ birth.

Slowing, simplifying, reorienting.

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This season is a time often categorized by excess and busyness but you can choose, as the leaders of your family, to make it a time of cherished remembrance and devotion. Below are some ideas to do so.

#1 Learn hymns that sing of thankfulness

(Great is Thy Faithfulness, Count Your Blessings, Come, Ye Thankful People, Come, For The Beauty Of The Earth, The Doxology) These are just a few ideas of famous hymns throughout history that are rich with truths of all we have to be thankful for.

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#2 Say something you are each thankful for every night at dinner leading up to Thanksgiving

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#3 Have a Thank You God contest on Thanksgiving

Around the table or in a circle, one at a time you quickly say thank you God for…. and fill in the blank.

If someone takes longer than 3 seconds or repeats something already said they are out.

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#4 Create an advent wreath

Light a candle every Sunday leading up to Christmas and read a passage of scripture related to the Christmas story

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#5 Use Cindy Rollin’s Hallelujah as an advent guide

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#6 Use Jennifer Naraki’s Slow and Sacred as an advent guide

https://jennifernaraki.com/slow-sacred-advent/

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#7 Talk about a different name of Jesus each day leading up to Christmas

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#8 Use Unwrapping The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp as a family devotional and activities leading up to Christmas

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#9 Have a birthday party for Jesus

Bake him a cake, tell each other what you love about him, do any birthday traditions you have in your family but for Jesus

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#10 Put on your own Christmas pageant with neighbors or family and friends

In the backyard or a basement, reenact the Christmas story giving each person a part.

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#11 Read All Creation Waits leading up to Christmas

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