Resources For Family Devotions

Trisha Novotny
24/7 MOMS Founder

We teach our kids, reading writing and math but do we place enough priority on teaching them to follow Christ? That can be a BIG question and I did not ask it to judge or place mommy guilt on anyone I ask it to myself as well.

Each week my kids arrive home with their homework sheets from school and we make it a priority to accomplish the daily assignments and return them back to school at the end of the week. It allows my kids to get free choosing time on Friday, it tells the teacher their parents are on top of their education, it improves their grades and so on. But is it the ONLY priority I should be teaching my kids?

To me raising my kids to follow Christ is #1 .....but often the day to day task of educating them in this area can easily be pushed aside with the craziness of activities, homework and so many other distractions.

So, what resources are there out there to assist me in teaching my children to follow Christ as a priority?

Over 10 years ago I found a company called CBH ministries who creates Keys 4 Kids daily devotions. A yearly , bi-monthly subscription of keys 4 kids devotion book . They are filled with daily devotions including a story, questions, key verses and more.

This resource is one that I can use any time of the day - during breakfast at bedtime etc. It allows me to inspire my kids in their daily relationship with Christ and is a great family devotional.

Keys 4 kids Unlocks God's Word for young faith
You can learn more about God’s love every day! Read a fun story and hide God's Word in your heart with the Key Verse of the day. Check out today’s Key, or look for your favorite story in the archives

Four ways to begin using Keys for Kids in your home

#1 FREE Sample - Check out this sample of Keys for Kids -- a bimonthly devotional booklet published by CBH Ministries. The devotional for each day contains a story, a scripture passage, a personal application section, a verse to memorize as well as a "key thought"!

Click here to order your free sample today.

#2 Daily FREEbie -daily Keys for Kids devotional sent to you each day via email - Each one includes a cool story, Bible reading, a Key Verse, and an easy-to-remember Key Thought! Click here to sign-up for Daily Keys for Kids to be sent to your in box.

#3 - One year mail Subscription - bi-monthly Keys for Kids is a two-month publication filled with stories and activities that kids can readily identify with! It teaches relevant truths on a daily basis and helps them learn that success in life is directly related to obeying God’s Word.

Our new policy states that you may receive a single one-year subscription per family at no charge. The suggested donation to cover the cost for one year is $18. If you would like to make a donation towards Keys for Kids, just enter the amount to donate below.

Click here to order your one year mail subscription

#4 - One year devotion books -The One Year Book of Devotions for Kids is available with a great look for a new generation of readers. Each day's lesson focuses on a key theme. A great way to help kids connect with God! Includes: A contemporary story Application questions Memory Verses Action phrase Spanish language devotionals also available.

There are 3 volumes of kids devotions as well as specific devotion books for boys , girls or families

Click here to view and/or order Keys for Kids devotion books.

Daily Inspirations- Girlfriends In God

Each day when I open up my in-box I find my daily email from Girlfriends in God. An email that is inspiring, quick to read and thought provoking. These emails are called Daily Devotions and are free to receive. Do you want a FREE daily dose of Girlfriends in God? Click here and sign-up today. “Girlfriends in God Daily Devotions”

Inspiration to get me through my hectic day

Each morning I turn on my computer, click get mail and it arrives. My daily inspiration/devotion from Proverbs 31 Ministry.

If you are like me and need a bit of inspiration to get you through your hectic day? Proverbs 31 daily devotions offer today's busy women/moms encouragement as they seek to draw closer to the heart of God.

Through "Encouragement for Today," you will be inspired as you read these encouraging daily devotions.

Click here to Sign up for your daily Proverbs 31 devotions to be set directly to your in-box.

Here is an example of what will arrive daily to your in-box.


A Financially-Productive Woman
25 Sep 2009
Glynnis Whitwer

"She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes." Proverbs 31:24 (NIV)

In today's economy, I look for every way to save money. I'm a sale-shopping, coupon-clipping, leftover-loving woman. I'm a firm believer in Benjamin Franklin's well-known adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned." And this past couple of years, my family has certainly had to apply that to our lives in greater measure.

Sometimes, however, saving money just isn't enough. As many families face a reduced income due to layoffs and company closures, there are only so many ways to cut corners. So I'm also a believer in trying to make money in creative ways. As many of us wonder what the future holds financially, I'd like to suggest we look at a biblical example of how to use the resources we have within our homes to increase our families' incomes.

One of the best examples I know is found in Proverbs 31. Throughout chapter 31 we meet a woman who was a good manager of all her resources, and in verse 24, we learn that she used her weaving skills to make money. As I consider this women's ingenuity, I learn that she identified a need (merchants needed sashes) and then used her skills (making garments) and energy (selling them) to increase her family's financial well being.

I wonder if many of us overlook this principle as we face a financially shaky future with dread. Perhaps we don't need to look for an employer that is hiring, but instead should consider how to use the resources God has already given us. On a recent trip, I met a wonderful example of a woman doing just that. She is past retirement age, lives alone and wanted to bring in extra income. Since I'm a small business owner, our commonalities got us talking.

This productive woman buys used wool sweaters, shrinks them and sews them into designer mittens using other fabrics and decorative accents. Then she sells them in a local shop where she has a booth. That's not all she sells. She has added hand-made products made by women working at home in other countries, plus some unique new clothing items she buys and resells. It all started with a creative idea, the use of her talents and some energy to sell them.

Artistic talents aren't the only resource we have to help our families. Many people have other skills that can be used to increase incomes. Some examples are physical strength, athletic training, organization, planning, love of travel, cooking, gardening and cleaning. Many have families that can help. This past summer I watched a local landscaper work every week with his two sons by his side. They are a family pulling together when it counts most.

No one wishes for hard financial times – though we can learn much in them. When God is on our side, there are always opportunities waiting to be uncovered. Instead of dreading the future, perhaps God wants to tap into the unique resources He has planted within our lives and family for such a time as this.

Dear Lord, I thank You today for the many resources You have given me. Thank You for my life, for my mind, for what health I have and for the hope you offer. Please help me to see how I might use these resources to become more financially productive. Only You know the true depth of my needs. So today I ask for Your help. I know I can do all things through You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Work@Home: A Practical Guide for Women Who Want to Work from Home by Glynnis Whitwer

Learning to Live Financially Free by Marybeth and Curt Whalen

Visit Glynnis' blog to read suggestions for home-based businesses you can start with little money.

Application Steps:
If you are in a place of financial need, take some time to evaluate all the resources you have. List five that could possibly be used to increase your financial health.

Reflections: God often uses our finances to teach us lessons. What have you learned about God as a result of a financially difficult time in your life?

What is one wise money management principle that you should apply to your life now?
Power Verses:
Matthew 25:21, "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" (NIV)

Proverbs 21:5, "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." (NIV)

John 21:6, "And He said to them, 'Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.' So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish." (NASB)

© 2009 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.