The Bedtime Family Devotional: 90 Devotions to Help Your Family Love and Live for God

By Ruth Schwenk and Patrick Schwenk

Connect with God as a family in just a few minutes each night

You love your children and want to pass your faith on to them, but in the busy activity of daily life, it's not as easy as it sounds.

This helpful, hopeful family resource is exactly what you need to strengthen your faith as a family. It includes 90 days of biblically grounded devotions, prayers, and action steps. Organized into three sections, this devotional helps parents answer three important questions: What do I want my child to know? What do I want my child to be? What do I want my child to do? As you walk through these pages together at the end of each day, you will not only instill God's Word in your children's hearts, but you will equip them to:

· understand basic theology
· develop Christlike character and virtue
· discover their unique God-given gifts
· live as confident witnesses in the world

Before your children's heads hit the pillow, let Jesus be the last thing on their minds.

Great for families with kids ages 6 to 12

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9781493445288

Ruth Schwenk

Ruth Schwenk is the founder of the popular blog TheBetterMom.com and co-founder, with her husband Patrick, of FortheFamily.org and the podcast Rootlike Faith. She is also the trusted author of several books with HarperCollins Christian Publishing, including The Better Mom Book and Devotional, and co-author with Karen Ehman of Pressing Pause and Settle My Soul. Ruth is a Michigan football super-fan, lover of all things HGTV, and a self-proclaimed foodie. But her greatest joy is her family. She lives with her husband and their four kids in the dreamy college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Book preview

Books by Ruth Schwenk

FROM BETHANY HOUSE PUBLISHERS

Trusting God in All the Things*

Jesus, Calm My Heart

The Bedtime Family Devotional**

The Love Your Life Project*

* with Karen Ehman

** with Patrick Schwenk

© 2024 by Ruth Schwenk and Patrick Schwenk

Published by Bethany House Publishers

Minneapolis, Minnesota

BethanyHouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2024

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-4528-8

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations identified NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The authors are represented by the Brock, Inc. Agency.

Baker Publishing Group publications use paper produced from sustainable forestry practices and post-consumer waste whenever possible.

To Tyler, Bella, Noah, and Sophia:

You were made to love God and live for God. May He bless you, protect you, and work through you for His purposes. We love you, are proud of you, and believe in you.

Contents

Cover

Half Title Page

Books by Ruth Schwenk

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Dear Parents

How to Use This Devotional

Section One: What Do I Want My Child to KNOW?

1. The God Who Had No Beginning and Has No End

2. The God Who Can Do All

3. The God Who Knows All

4. The God Who Is Everywhere

5. God Is Three in One

6. God Is in Control

7. God Never Changes

8. God Is a Shepherd

9. God Is a Rock

10. God Is Eagles Wings

11. Created to Be a Friend of God

12. The Saddest Day—When Sin Entered the World

What’s the Big Deal with Sin?

14. God Keeps His Promise to Save

15. Jesus Is Fully Human

16. Jesus Is Fully God

17. Jesus Shows Us How to Live

18. Jesus Died as Our Substitute

19. The Happiest Day—When Jesus Rose Again!

20. Chosen and Called

21. What Is Faith?

22. What Is Grace?

23. What Is Baptism?

24. What Is Communion?

25. Jesus Goes Back to Heaven

26. The Holy Spirit Is God

27. The Holy Spirit Fills Us

28. Jesus Is Coming Back

29. A New Family

30. A Bright Future

Section Two: What Do I Want My Child to BE?

31. What Does Jesus Want Us to Become?

32. Making Time for God

33. Praising God in Prayer

34. Telling God You Are Sorry

35. Taking a Peek into Your Heart

36. Knowing God More

37. The Truth about Love

38. Overflowing with Joy

39. Peace with God

40. Peace with Others

41. When Waiting Is Hard

42. How to Treat Others

43. Choosing the Best Way to Live

44. A Person Who Keeps Going

45. Are You Prickly or Gentle?

46. Building Strong Walls

47. Learn and Then Live

48. A Heart of Justice

49. Overcoming Fear

50. Working Hard

51. Becoming Teachable

52. Taking the Fear out of Honesty

53. Grounded in Gratefulness

54. Give Me a Clean Heart

55. Showing Honor

56. Do You Know the Difference?

57. Can You Be Trusted?

58. Jesus Is Enough

59. Obey

60. Taking the First Step

Section Three: What Do I Want My Child to DO?

61. A Life of Worship

62. Words That Heal, Not Hurt

63. Too Good to Keep to Yourself

64. God Is at Work through YOU

65. True Greatness

66. Living with Open Hands

67. Trust God

68. Loving Jesus When Life Gets Hard

69. Don’t Give Up

70. WE Are the Church

71. Thinking Less ABOUT Yourself

72. Be Light in the Darkness

73. Loving by Listening

74. Do Hard Things for God

75. The Right Feet

76. Cheering Others On

77. A Heart for Others

78. Fighting Sin

79. Standing Strong in the Battle

80. Little Things Are Big Things

81. Welcoming Others

82. Choosing the Right Kind of Friends

83. Don’t Be Afraid to Dream

84. Positive in the Face of Problems

85. But First, Love God

86. Speak Up and Stick Up!

87. Living with Integrity

88. Honoring Those in Authority

89. An Arrow in the Hands of God

90. An Out-of-the-Ordinary Life

About the Authors

Back Cover

Dear Parents,

God loves the family. He loves your family. And one of the greatest joys we have is, with God’s help, the opportunity to pass on faith to the next generation!

One of the most sobering comments in the Bible about passing on faith is found in Judges 2:10. In speaking about the Israelites, it says, After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. One generation knew the Lord. They had seen His power, goodness, and faithfulness and were grounded in their faith. But in just one generation, a grounded generation gave birth to an ungrounded one.

As parents, we do not want to make the same mistake! This is why we are so excited to provide a resource like The Bedtime Family Devotional. It is both helpful and hopeful! It helps parents, but it also reminds each of us that by God’s grace, we can with confidence raise kids and release kids to live for Jesus!

The Bedtime Family Devotional is a ninety-day devotional to help parents root their children in faith before releasing them into the world. Divided into three parts (thirty devotions each), we answer three questions:

What do we want our children to KNOW? This first set of devotions is geared toward helping kids understand basic theology. For example, we’ll cover questions such as What is God like? Who is Jesus?What is grace?

What do we want our children to BE? The second set of devotions is designed to help cultivate virtue or character in the life of a child. Beyond knowing God with their heads, we want kids to grow up and truly be transformed into the image of Christ.

What do we want our children to DO? And finally, the last set of devotions is meant to help turn families outward, looking at the kind of life Jesus calls each of us to. We’ll talk about what it looks like to live a life of love for God and for others.

We’ve been in pastoral ministry for nearly twenty-five years. We’ve written numerous books and devotionals for moms, children, and families, and even a book on how to love your spouse with kids in the house. Passing on faith and helping others do the same is so important to us that we even created several online ministries.

BUT . . . we are really excited about this resource. We are confident God will use it in powerful ways to grow your family closer to one another and to Jesus!

We hope and pray that this book helps you love God more fully and live for Him more faithfully. We are in this with you! May it be said of our children that they were found righteous in their generation. We are praying for you and pressing on with you.

In Christ,

Ruth and Patrick Schwenk

How to Use This Devotional

The following is a brief description of what to expect and how to best use The Bedtime Family Devotional.

What should we expect?

Each devotion should take five to ten minutes.

Devotions are written for a child to read but also work great for a parent to read to their child.

Each day has a key verse, key idea, devotion (300–350 words), action step that drives home the key idea, and a family prayer.

We recommend doing each day’s devotion just before bed. After a busy day, it is the perfect way to wind down and fill your child’s head and heart with God’s love and truth before going to sleep.

Finally, have fun! There is no greater joy than loving and living for Jesus! So, with God’s help, enjoy every moment of praying together. Talking. Teaching. And dreaming of all the things God wants to do in you and through your family!

What could our bedtime devotional time look like?

Begin by praying with and for your child. Ask God to prepare your hearts as a family to hear His voice and learn, asking that your child continue to grow into whom Jesus wants your child to be.

Have your child read the key verse at the top of the devotion.

Give your child a few minutes to read the devotion.

Take a minute to explain or answer any questions your child may have.

Allow your child a few minutes to complete the action step, offering any help if necessary.

And lastly, pray the family prayer together at the end of the devotion. This completes your bedtime family devotional time!

1

The God Who Had No Beginning and Has No End

Key Verse

Before the mountains were born

or you brought forth the whole world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Psalm 90:2

Key Idea

God has been there for us, is there for us, and will always be there for us.

Do you remember the day you were born? Well, you probably don’t remember that day, but you probably remember the date—your birthday! Every year, you likely gather with your family or friends and eat lots of good food and open presents. All of this for YOU—celebrating and giving thanks for when your life began!

You have really grown and changed since you were born. Your body has gotten bigger and stronger. You have learned new things and you are smarter! You can talk and share how you feel differently than you could when you were little. Every year since your life began, you have been getting older, bigger, and wiser—you are changing.

But God is different.

He did not start to exist when someone else made Him. There was never a time when God was not around. He didn’t need a birthday! No one had to create God. He doesn’t change or get bigger or wiser, stronger, or smarter. He has always been, always is, and always will be. God is eternal! The psalmist says in Psalm 90:2, Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Because God is eternal, we can always count on Him. Whether we look backward at our life or look forward, God is always there. He never changes, and He will always be there for us. If that makes your brain hurt a little when you think about it, that’s okay! Even for moms and dads, it’s hard to wrap our minds around it. But this truth about God should also give us hope.

It should help us to feel safe when everything around us is changing. It should bring us joy because no matter what happens in our lives, God will be there!

divider

Action Step

Take a minute and share with your family what you feel when you think about God as eternal.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the reminder that You are eternal—You always have been, You are, and You will always be. Help us to trust You and to remember that You are the God who never changes. Fill us with joy and hope. In Jesus’ name, amen.

2

The God Who Can Do All

Key Verses:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, Let there be light, and there