USA (MNN) — For the first time in living memory, kids have started a new academic year in the middle of a pandemic. For children attending school in-person, masks are now donned along with backpacks. Desks and doorknobs are heavily sanitized. And for those learning virtually or homeschooling, parents are suddenly tasked with facilitating or planning their children’s education.
In summary, starting school has been overwhelming for many families. Keeping your family spiritually grounded in this season is more important than ever.
Thankfully, resources like Keys for Kids devotionals make it easy! Greg Yoder with Keys for Kids Ministries says, “This is a great time to make devotions in God’s Word with your family a regular part of your day. A lot of people do it in the morning just before they get started with school — especially homeschool families. They’ll take turns reading the devotional, whether it be the kids devotional or our Unlocked teen devotional. Or they’ll do it over dinner as classes are kind of wrapping up and they get ready for the evening time and family time together.
“It just makes for a good time of being able to have some quality time that is going to be foundational.”
(Photo courtesy of Keys For Kids Ministries)
Enjoying time as a family in God’s Word is critical for kids at a young age. The Barna Group says 64 percent of Christians come to faith in Jesus by their 18th birthday.
Even if family devotions haven’t been a part of your daily routine with your children, it’s never too late to start with Keys for Kids.
“What ends up happening is they do it for a few days [and] the kids love it. Then the kids start reminding Mom and Dad, ‘Hey, we didn’t read our story today,’ or ‘We didn’t listen to our story today!’ So it becomes one of those family dynamics where it just becomes habitual for their family.”
Yoder says, “We’ve had families literally for generations now using Keys for Kids because we started in 1982. So we’re beginning to see the third generation of families now using Keys for Kids and Unlocked — which was brand new a year ago — to really become a foundation for spiritual truth within their families.”
Devotionals with Keys for Kids and Unlocked are all engaging, relevant, and even fun as they present biblical truths. You can expect to discuss topics such as what it looks like to trust God, share your faith with friends, or respect your parents.
(Photo courtesy of Keys for Kids Ministries)
Teens reading Unlocked explore even deeper issues as they relate to faith — singleness, anxiety, legalism versus grace, and depression, for example.
You can get started today by downloading the Keys for Kids app or the Unlocked app!
Or Keys for Kids will send you devotional booklets for free when you sign up online here.
Ultimately, Yoder says, “Our goal and our mission is to ignite a passion for Christ in kids and teens and families worldwide…whether it be through radio, through online resources, or even through print.”
Header photo courtesy of Chris Benson via Unsplash.
