Create Health in your Marriage & Family

Healthy marriages and families begin with intention. Can we encourage you to begin with some simple but profound tools?

1) As a couple and as a family, PRAY TOGETHER! There is so much POWER in prayer. Let your children see you pray. Let them hear you pray. Let them pray. Oh, the voice of a child. If you don’t know where to begin, start with these four things. Use ACTS (yes, like the book in the Bible to help you remember):

A – Adoration – adore God for His amazing creation and all He has done in your life.

C – Confess – confess your sin, big and small and express your desire to turn away from them. Ask for his help.

T – Thanksgiving – thank God for all He has given you and what He hasn’t. Remember, He knows best and He can make ALL things good!

S – Supplication – knock and ask. What do you and other need? He wants to hear your heart.

2) As a family, eat dinner together! As often as possible and do what it takes to make it happen. Our kids very much look forward to this time of day.  We have some rituals around or dinner time that have become such a blessing and it matters! As our kids grow and have evening events, we have found that we often eat dinner at 4:30pm and sometimes our meals have to be fast, but we are intentional to make it happen! A few things we love to do together – first, pray, followed by some of these favorite things, sharing highlights and hards from the day; writing in a family gratitude log (our goal is 1000 things we’re thankful for!); Dwight reading a Bible story, and family memory verses (we do one a month).

3) Plan ahead and schedule what’s important! If your life is feeling chaotic and it certainly can and will… implement structure by planning and scheduling. Brittany has become a master at this! Click here to see how our family takes time to line out what’s important to our family each month. Feel free to use this to create your own. TIP: schedule a time to have your monthly family meeting and start simple – a great place to begin is dating your spouse! Then, follow with special time with each kiddo. Marriage first!

4) Speak affirmations over your children! This has been powerful. This world can very easily install beliefs and identities that are not true. You do not have to accept them! And, you can start your children each day with speaking truths over them. Here’s an example of an affirmation I keep on our refrigerator and read to my children as often as possible with the goal of doing it each morning before they head off into the world.

5) Play games together as a family and do what they love! Have fun and talk about what makes your family awesome!

6) BE BRAVE! You don’t have to let your child watch that show, that movie, or play that video game. Read the review and check the ratings. You can even turn TV off all together and not buy the device.  You have my permission. And, please be careful to teach your child the ins and outs and safety of having a cell phone! They don’t have to have one in elementary school, just sayin! Click here for a sample cell phone contract.

7) Teach them to drink water and eat healthy! It begins with simple steps and even having their own special water bottle.  Empower your kids to know the truth about sugars and the food industry. (You’ll learn more as you get healthy first as a parent. ;) hint, hint! Lead the way, parents!