Proverbs 22:6, "Train up children in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it." Deuteronomy 6:5-7, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

Think

Did you know there are improv classes, robotics camps, language tutors, and private pole vault clubs for kids? That doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of all the artistic, athletic, and academic training opportunities available to children. Parents intentionally invest in their child's specific interests to help them succeed. But, there's no greater investment for a child's success than training their faith. Training our children's faith starts with us, as parents. We don't have to be perfect, but we do have to make our children's relationship with God a priority. They notice what matters to us most and they see how we prioritize our relationship with Jesus. And the reality is, we "impress" our beliefs on our children far more by what we do than what we say.  Godly values are more caught than taught. If the thought of training your children's faith is intimidating, there's good news - you're not alone! You can partner with the church by attending every Sunday just as you would any other artistic, athletic, or academic commitment. That, alone, will leave a lasting impression on your children's faith as they grow to know who God created them to be.

Act

There are so many good things we can choose for our children, but none of them have the eternal impact that church involvement has. As a symbol of the importance of being in church every Sunday, take the time to put "church" on your calendar as a high priority and watch how God uses that commitment. You can also take advantage of devotionals for families on the FC App.

Pray

God, Thank You for the opportunity to partner with the church in training my child's faith. Please help me maintain my commitment to weekly attendance and guide me each day as my child's spiritual leader. In Jesus' name, Amen.