Sing. Pray. Read. Our 20-Minute Rhythm
This 20-minute rhythm is simple enough for any family to implement, and I believe it has the power to change the world.
Our family begins our day this way, but you could easily do this at night when your husband can participate. I dare you to give it a try, whether you homeschool or not. Even if it feels awkward at first. Even with a squirmy toddler on your lap. God will meet you there and will use this meager offering to build a family that reflects His glory.
Here's what it looks like:
Sing a hymn. Why hymns? Because we are singing deep theological truths set to music! I recently made a family hymnbook which is just a 3-ring binder with sheet protectors that I fill with hymns we are learning (I printed the hymns from hymnary.com). There's one section for new-to-us hymns that we're working on and one for hymns that we already know, and each morning we sing one from each section. Not sure where to start? Try "My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less" - and if you're not familiar with it, look it up on YouTube and sing along. We try to learn one new hymn every month.
Pray. Prayer is simply pouring out our hearts to God. It can be as simple as two sentences from a four-year-old thanking God for his new toy car and asking Him to give his family a good day. Our children and I take turns praying and keep things short and simple, praising God for who He is and what He has done, and laying our needs and worries before Him.
Read the Bible. We read one Bible story each morning and discuss it. One day, we will read straight from an adult Bible translation. But for the time being, it is a gift to my children to read stories from Scripture on their level. For ages 2-5, I recommend The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. For ages 6-12, we love The Gospel Story Bible by Marty Machowski. Take a moment to discuss what you just read.
That's it! I hope this simple rhythm equips you for consistent, meaningful family discipleship.
If you're looking for a resource that has planned this time out for you, check out our Morning Time guide. Hundreds of families are joining us and it's always a great time to start!
