Focus on the Family Magazine - June/July 2023
It can be a struggle to raise a family while balancing your work life, social life and relationships. Focus on the Family magazine is here to help! Each complimentary issue delivers fresh, practical Biblical guidance on family and life topics. Every issue comes packed with relevant advice to build up your kids, strengthen your marriage, navigate entertainment and culture, and handle common challenges you may face in your marriage and parenting journeys. Plus you'll find seasonal advice ranging from back-to-school activities to date night tips for you and your spouse.
It can be a struggle to raise a family while balancing your work life, social life and relationships. Focus on the Family magazine is here to help! Each complimentary issue delivers fresh, practical Biblical guidance on family and life topics.
Every issue comes packed with relevant advice to build up your kids, strengthen your marriage, navigate entertainment and culture, and handle common challenges you may face in your marriage and parenting journeys. Plus you'll find seasonal advice ranging from back-to-school activities to date night tips for you and your spouse.
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FAITH & INSPIRATION / QUIET TIME<br />
Of course, at <strong>the</strong> time I didn’t know<br />
that this device would become a distracti<strong>on</strong>,<br />
keeping me from fully being<br />
present with my family and <strong>the</strong> Lord.<br />
With all <strong>the</strong> ringing and dinging<br />
and interacting with family and friends,<br />
c<strong>on</strong>necting with <strong>the</strong> Lord became<br />
more of a struggle. Often, I found<br />
myself reaching over my Bible for my<br />
ph<strong>on</strong>e first thing in <strong>the</strong> morning. Even<br />
when I intenti<strong>on</strong>ally opened my Bible<br />
app, I became unintenti<strong>on</strong>ally distracted<br />
by notificati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
Now, more than a decade later,<br />
I find I’m not al<strong>on</strong>e in this struggle.<br />
Many Bible-believing moms are not<br />
Bible-reading moms. Distracti<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
exhausti<strong>on</strong>, laziness and even hopelessness<br />
threaten our faithfulness and<br />
leave us feeling helpless.<br />
I’ve since regained a rhythm to my<br />
mornings and realigned my priorities<br />
using three simple ways to become a<br />
Bible-reading mom <strong>on</strong>ce again.<br />
Seek God first<br />
Many parents struggle with seeking <strong>the</strong><br />
Lord first thing in <strong>the</strong> morning because<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir children always seem to rise<br />
before <strong>the</strong>y do. There’s a Scripture that<br />
speaks of bringing God “<strong>the</strong> best of<br />
<strong>the</strong> firstfruits of your ground” (Exodus<br />
34:26). While this verse is about offering<br />
God <strong>the</strong> produce of <strong>the</strong> land, I love<br />
<strong>the</strong> applicati<strong>on</strong> to our busy lives.<br />
When we offer God <strong>the</strong> firstfruits,<br />
or earliest moments, of each day, we<br />
are telling Him that we trust Him to<br />
guide us through our entire day. As a<br />
result, we parent our kids more like our<br />
heavenly Fa<strong>the</strong>r parents us, with <strong>the</strong><br />
fruit of His Spirit <strong>on</strong> display in our lives.<br />
You may not be able to offer God<br />
<strong>the</strong> first moments of your day if you<br />
have little <strong>on</strong>es requiring your attenti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
But as so<strong>on</strong> as you’ve taken care<br />
of your children’s needs and have a<br />
few moments of your own, offer those<br />
moments to <strong>the</strong> Lord.<br />
“The Word before <strong>the</strong> world” has<br />
become my morning motto. Before I<br />
engage <strong>the</strong> world <strong>on</strong>line, I make sure<br />
I’ve opened myself up to <strong>the</strong> One who<br />
made <strong>the</strong> world and set me very purposefully<br />
in it.<br />
In Mat<strong>the</strong>w 6:33, Jesus invites us<br />
to “seek first <strong>the</strong> kingdom of God and<br />
his righteousness, and all <strong>the</strong>se things<br />
will be added to you.” I like to think of<br />
it this way: Seek God first, and everything<br />
else will fall into its rightful place.<br />
Unfortunately, when we turn our<br />
attenti<strong>on</strong> to o<strong>the</strong>r things first, our affecti<strong>on</strong><br />
for Christ falls from first place to<br />
a distant sec<strong>on</strong>d. Whe<strong>the</strong>r your ph<strong>on</strong>e<br />
or your friends or your morning trip to<br />
Starbucks is tempting you to veer<br />
off course, commit to keeping<br />
God first in your life.<br />
Snack <strong>on</strong> God’s Word<br />
throughout <strong>the</strong> day<br />
As a parent, you’re probably w<strong>on</strong>derful<br />
at packing crackers and sippy cups<br />
when you’re <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> go with your children.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>sider bringing God’s Word<br />
with you as well. If a verse or passage<br />
res<strong>on</strong>ates with you during your morning<br />
Bible reading, jot it <strong>on</strong> a note card<br />
and tuck it in your pocket or purse, or<br />
highlight it in your Bible app, and <strong>the</strong>n<br />
meditate <strong>on</strong> it throughout <strong>the</strong> day.<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r way to recall God’s Word is<br />
listening to an audio Bible while you’re<br />
driving or doing chores. You can pause<br />
it when you’re interrupted, and even if<br />
you listen <strong>on</strong>ly a few minutes each day,<br />
those moments will be well spent.<br />
Reading and rereading Scripture<br />
shapes not <strong>on</strong>ly our lives but also <strong>the</strong><br />
lives of our children as <strong>the</strong>y watch us<br />
and learn from us. Modeling a love for<br />
God’s Word is <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> most powerful<br />
things we can do in our homes.<br />
Then as our children grow, we want to<br />
invite <strong>the</strong>m into God’s Word with us.<br />
CREDIT TK<br />
42 FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA JUNE / JULY <strong>2023</strong>