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You are here: Home / Back to School / Unlocking the Hearts of Your Children to Worship

Unlocking the Hearts of Your Children to Worship

August 26, 2016 by Jacki Rucksdashel 6 Comments

unlockingthehearts

 

I’ll never forget the first time Richard and I went to church together when we were dating.  I was super nervous.

It was silly really, but I was wondering how each of us would respond during the music.  Will he raise his hands?  Will I?

What if I get super emotional because of something the pastor says?  (I’m known to do that a little bit.)

Should I hold his hand?  Should I not?  Will that distract him from worship, or me?

Yes, I’m aware I need a support group for over-analyzers!

I really did not need to worry about any of that stuff because Richard pulled out a sketchbook and drew the ENTIRE time of the service.  Oh, he was attentive and kind to me but clearly this was the way he did things in church.

It bothered me at first.  I was used to seeing people jot notes down from the sermon in their journals.  I was one of those people with the smoke coming from their pen as I wrote things word for word down before the next slide went up.

But Richard was doodling…or so I thought.

I have since learned that Richard worships through drawing.

It is how his heart is unlocked and opened wide in response to God.  Through each pen stroke he is connecting with his loving Creator.  He even prays through the art of drawing.

FullSizeRender

A sketch to Richard is like a song or words to my heart.

When worship music is on, I find myself ushered into the presence of God.  With journal open, and pen at the ready, I sing and write often simultaneously while responding to God.  It is how I relate to Him and listen to what He wants to teach me.

Richard and I could not be more different in our worship styles but we both are connecting and hearing from God in ways that we LOVE.

And we are not the first.  I love the way Gary Thomas, author of Spiritual Pathways, says it:

Abraham built altars. David danced and wrote psalms.

Mary sat adoringly at Jesus’ feet. John the Baptist fasted

and Peter’s mother-in-law served.

All of these spiritual heroes worshiped God in different ways. 

If Richard and I worship God differently, there is a good chance our children might respond to God in their own way too.

As both my kids are getting older, this is becoming more and more clear to me.

Their unique personalities are shining through.  They each have their own learning style when it comes to the classroom, and I’m seeing they definitely have their own spiritual temperament as well.

Unfortunately, I look back on some very frustrating “family worship times” when I  believe we could have experienced more learning and fun if I would have been attuned to the way my kids relate to God.  I was doing things “my” way of worship and not understanding why they were not responding.

A friend introduced me to Gary Thomas’ book, and I began asking the Lord to help me SEE the ways my children responded to the things of Him.

Often times I am consumed with how I want to do devotion times, but I asked God to help me let go of “my way” and try new things…things that might not mean as much to me but bring about worship from my kids.

That was about six months ago.

Since then, I have seen that my daughter loves to act out stories from the Bible.  She loves her playlist of worship songs and for Mommy to make up stories where I actually make her the main character doing all of these courageous and faithful things.

My son loves to be outside and dig.  He likes his hands busy with building Legos or even drawing while he is listening to a story.  He also likes to ask questions and talk about every detail of a Bible story.  We have had the sweetest conversations encouraging him in his young faith on the swings at the park.

3 Crosses Lego

They both are so different but when they are relating to God in their unique way, there are two amazing rewards–

SINCERE WORSHIP (from their hearts)– and for Richard and I, the pleasure of watching our children enjoy God.

I want you to experience these rewards too friends!

If this is something you have never thought about before, I was right there with you half a year ago.  There are nine spiritual temperaments that Gary Thomas talks about in his book that will help get you thinking about different ways of worship.

A great place to start is to consider how you relate to God best and encourage your spouse to do the same.

Pray.  Ask God to show you the ways your kids respond to Him.

It’s the beginning of a new school year–a great time to start something new!  Tell your kids you are going to try some new things as a family this year.  Then plan some fun family “worship” time together–get outside and go for a walk, have a dance party, do a science experiment, build together, act, sing, play, study, learn!

Then wait on the Lord to show you how your kids respond and what they love to do.  Was there an activity where great conversation came about or you noticed connections being made in their heart as a result of “doing” that thing?

Help them realize the way God made them for worship too.  When I noticed my kids were specifically enjoying our family devotion times I would encourage their worship styles.  “It looked like you were really enjoying that song.  You were having a good time worshiping God!”

Now, I make an effort to seek out ways I can encourage my kids to worship God in their own, unique, heart-felt ways.  And I try and do that for myself too.

I love the thought friends of each one of us and our families, with hearts unlocked, opened wide in response to worship our great and loving God!

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Filed Under: Back to School, Discipleship

Comments

  1. Jennie says

    August 27, 2015 at 6:29 am

    Love this!

    Reply
    • Jacki Rucksdashel says

      August 27, 2015 at 10:07 pm

      Thanks Jennie! So glad to hear from you!

      Reply
  2. Nathalie says

    August 27, 2015 at 6:59 am

    Wow Jacki! I’ve never realized this! Thank you so much for sharing. I will be paying more attention to how my children and husband enjoy worshipping God. I know I like to get things done my way, but never thought of that before.

    Reply
    • Jacki Rucksdashel says

      August 27, 2015 at 10:08 pm

      Hey Nathalie, thank you for your encouragement today! You are a treasured friend and I felt the same way too. Makes sense that just as we all are so unique in our personalities that God would create so many ways we can worship Him! Praying for you to see the ways your girls and your hubby worship!

      Reply
  3. Keri says

    August 27, 2015 at 9:09 am

    Such a great encouragement!! And what a way to help us APPRECIATE the attributes of God and the many ways His people can hear and see Him! I have done this on my own but would like to make the book something me and my hubs can dive into together!!

    Reply
    • Jacki Rucksdashel says

      August 27, 2015 at 10:10 pm

      Love what you said there Keri–attributes of God and the many ways His people can hear and see Him! Thank you for encouraging me to think about this in my own family. It has been a total perspective changer for me in such a good way! Looking forward to diving into more things of Him together.

      Reply

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Welcome! So glad you came to visit. I'm Jacki and I love to spend intentional time sharing Jesus with my kids and others. One of the ways that I do that is through the Jesse Tree. Join me in the privilege of finding ways to lead our young ones to Him!

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