How To Study the Bible and Help Your Kids Find Real Life {Free Printable}

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The school day starts really early in Germany. Last year when we lived there, we went through seasons when it was almost still dark as the school bell rang.

So we had to leave home at like 7am to get the girls to school on time. Like ready to go. Out the door. Coats, hats, scarves and mittens on. Breakfast eaten, teeth brushed, shoes on enough to walk down the apartment building stairs without tripping. By seven o’clock in.the.morning.

That was a challenge. Also, aside from this early morning deal, every day held unique difficulties of its own.

Because we lived in the land of foreign, and so much of life was uncomfortable for us that year. We were foreigners in the land where morning bus commutes involved personal-space violations that would send most Americans running for open, breathable air. Also, my mono-lingual kids went to school where only German was spoken.

It was hard.

There was nary a morning when we didn’t have uncomfortable staring us down as we got out of bed and ready for the day. We cried a lot. Especially in the morning.

But God used those unsettled everyday mornings to point us to Himself. We found ourselves, as a family, needing to hear from Him regularly. Just to make it through the day. Consequently, we found ourselves in God’s Word together before 7am every day before heading into the day.

I was finally the Christian I always thought I was supposed to be but somehow never really became because I’m not a morning person and studying the Bible at o-dark-thirty was something I could do at o-mid-morning-thirty and why was I doing it anyway if it was only just to say I did it? I mean, God doesn’t give out stars for reading the Bible early in the morning. At least I don’t think He does.

But last year in Germany, every morning, before getting ready, the four of us would read the day’s selection from the kids’ version of Jesus Calling. It would start with a piece of something from the Bible and go through a sort of challenge for the day. Help us understand what that particular passage meant.

It was almost uncanny how often the day’s reading applied to our very situation.

But we left Germany last June, and our comfortable returned and the mornings got a lot less scary and our very real and obvious need to hear from the God of Life kind of slipped into the background.

Because there is never a time when we don’t desperately need His input, His life, His Word speaking into our every moment. But sometimes that need gets covered up by the comfortable we find ourselves in. Last year’s vacation from comfortable just made us more aware of it.

Still, here we are inside November, six months in to our new life after a year abroad. And while the settling in is nice, there are pieces of our life over there that I am unwilling to part with.

Like afternoon coffee.

And helping my kids realize how desperately they need God’s Word every.single.day.

So last week we went back to our German-living ways. (Yes, as a matter of fact I do still enjoy afternoon coffee. Every day. But I’m not talking about that.) After the Mann left for work, the girls and I got out our Bibles before getting dressed and brushing our hair and putting on our deodorant. And we all read something different from the Word that is God’s life spoken straight to His people.

I let them choose what they would read, but I asked them about it when they were done. I quickly realized, however, that sometimes it’s difficult for them to figure out how God might want them to use that truth today.

Like when my almost twelve-year-old decided to do a survey of the Bible’s shortest books and started with Obadiah and Haggai. (For which I owe her props for figuring out a way to push the boundaries even in this.)

So we argued calmly discussed how it’s my job to teach her how to look to God’s Word for how to do life. I assured her I was not out to torture her but that I actually want to see her love God and His Word with all that she is because I believe His is the only real way to live.

Then I replayed that conversation in my brain for a few hours. Somewhere in the middle of that replay, God gave me an idea.

Remember the verse in 2 Timothy 3 that talks about Scripture and why God gave it to us?

Well, I used it to come up with some questions that might help. It’s a little printable that, if she ever decides to use something I created, will lead her through each part of God’s purpose for any portion of His Word.

Because I want my kids to know why it matters that God included Haggai and Obadiah and Jude and every other everything that’s in the Bible.

Because what if God wants to use my kids to change the world? I want to do everything I can to help them listen for the Holy Spirit and recognize His voice. I want to teach them to pursue God’s truth and live it and know it in their every day.

I want to point them to God’s Word for how to do life today. And this is the best way I can figure how to do it.

I’m pretty sure He does want to use my kids to change the world. And I believe with all my heart He wants to use your kids too. That’s why I’m sharing this tool with you. I hope you’ll show it to your kids. I hope you’ll tell your friends about it. I hope you’ll even use it for yourself if you want to.

Because all that stuff about God’s Word changing our kids’ life? Well, it’s true for me and you too.

Anyway — I am so, so excited about this, and I really hope you find it helpful because finding life inside God’s Word is something I am super passionate about. And I desperately want that for my kids. And for your kids. And for you.

**You can click these words, and you will find the Lets Study the Bible Today Printable which you will then be able to download or print. Happy Bible studying!!

I really want to have a discussion about this in the comments today. But, in all honesty, I’m kind of afraid. Because I am fully aware that a question like How do you point your kids to God’s Word in the every day? could easily lead to comparing or shaming or seeing other parents as maybe better than each other. But I want to ask it anyway. And in asking I hope each one of us can find encouragement here in this place. Because, really, aren’t we all just trying to point to Jesus anyway?