Keeping It Young

Please pray for Dave and Bethlie as they continue this season of pause on the podcast. If you're a brand new listener or a orignal listener from 6 years ago, we're sure this series will be a blessing.
 
Recap of Steps So Far
Fear God — must first know God to stand in awe of Him. Host shared a personal illustration: praying as a family for a new RV, and God's provision through friends/supporters — using it to show their kids God's goodness firsthand.
Keep God First
Love God (heart, soul, might/mind/strength)
Step 4 (this episode): Teach God's Word Diligently
Deut. 6:4–9 
1. It must be personally real first (v.6 — "shall be in thine heart")
You can't teach what you don't know/live yourself — parents need their own regular time in God's Word before they can pass it on.
There is value in a physical Bible over a phone/app: fewer distractions (notifications), and the ability to highlight, underline, and write notes 
Not legalistic about method (no requirement to read X chapters/day) — the goal is that Scripture is treasured and genuinely part of daily life, not just consumed on a screen.
2. It must be diligently taught (v.7 — "teach them diligently")
Two forms: Formal family devotions — scheduling a set time (Dave and Bethlie do this in the evenings). Their practice: reading a passage, reviewing memorized passages (Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, Psalm 1, 19, 23, 100), closing in prayer.
Informal/organic teaching — woven into daily life as Deut. 6:7 describes ("when thou sittest... walkest... liest down... risest up"): Using teachable moments from TV (example: an Andy Griffith episode with a drunk character as an opening to discuss what the Bible says about alcohol; also referenced a real story about alcohol contributing to an affair in a church).
Correcting sibling conflict by quoting Scripture on the spot, and having kids write out Bible verses as a consequence/reinforcement.
Attaching specific verses to recurring life moments — e.g., Psalm 19:1 ("The heavens declare...") for stargazing, Psalm 23 imagery for green pastures/lakes seen while driving, Ecclesiastes ("in all labor there is profit") for schoolwork motivation, Proverbs 11:16 ("a gracious woman retaineth honor") for daughters navigating "mean girl" dynamics, Job 31:1 ("I have made a covenant with mine eyes,") for teenage sons and purity of eyes.


3. It must be prominently displayed (v.9 — "write them upon the posts of thy house")
Scripture decor/signs around the home
Kids writing verse references or phrases on their own hands as personal reminders — modeled after a young evangelist who traveled with the family; framed as intentional and temporary, not a tattoo.
4. It must be reasonably explained (previewed, to be covered in a future episode)
As kids get older, genuine "why" questions are an opportunity to explain Scripture's reasoning — distinguished from rebellious "why," which needs correction rather than explanation.
As kids mature, ask them "What do you think we should do based on what the Bible says?" to build their own habit of returning to Scripture.

Please pray for Dave and Bethlie as they continue this season of pause on the podcast. If you're a brand new listener or a orignal listner from 6 years ago, we're sure this series will be a blessing.
Series Recap
Fear God — To fear God, kids must first know God (can't stand in awe of someone unfamiliar).
Keep God First — God takes priority over comfort, convenience, and blessing.
A home can look put together (loving spouses, "good kids," active church attendance) and still fail at these principles. None of this happens by accident; it requires deliberate, daily practice.
Parents can "perform" faith at church, but they cannot fool their own family — kids sense whether God is genuinely first.
Step 3 (this episode): Love God with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength
"No one rebels against that which they love." What you love becomes obvious to others (illustrated humorously via sports team loyalty).
How to Train Kids to Love God
In the good times:
Teach kids to be thankful. Teach them to be thankful for each other (birthdays, Father's/Mother's Day, graduations), and for God's provision through others (writing thank you notes).
Prioritize church attendance even when life is comfortable — ease is often when people quietly deprioritize God.
Invest financially/practically in opportunities for kids to encounter God (e.g., sending kids to summer camp despite the cost).
In the dark times:
Personal Example: loss of children (infant loss), loss of both of Bethlie's parents, church transitions, ministry conflicts/misunderstandings.
Foundation matters: loving God consistently in good times prepares a family not to be "blown out of the water" by hard times.
Framing for kids: hardship isn't God abandoning the family — it's the reality of living in a fallen/sin-cursed world; God remains good and can grow us through difficulty.
Model consistency: continue church attendance, Bible reading, prayer, and kindness within the home even when discouraged — kids watch whether parents' faith holds up under pressure.
Have honest, age-appropriate conversations with kids about what's happening and reaffirm the family's commitment to keep loving God through it.
Serving others during hard times shifts focus off self and onto others — described as "powerful."
Callback to Episode 1 theme: "serve the Lord with gladness" — serving happily in both good and bad times testifies to love for God.
Caution on guarding the tongue (referencing James 1:26) — complaining/negativity undercuts a credible testimony of loving God, especially in front of children.
Closing Thought
"Love is never stagnant — it is either growing or declining.
"Relationship with God requires ongoing, active pursuit, not a one-time declaration.
Summary challenge to listeners: fear God, keep God first, and love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength — then train the next generation to do the same.

Turn to Matthew 6:19-21 and Philippians 1:21 and join Dave and Bethlie as the continue their discussion on Building A Chrisitian Family.
Here are some practical diagnostic questions for parents:
When did you last skip an activity (beach, TV, a purchase, a look/fashion choice) because God comes first?
Do your kids see you pray, read Scripture, and make decisions on the basis of faith rather than convenience?
Personal example: host's daughter prayed for two years before the family took a scaled-back Disney trip, modeling "seek the Lord first" over just charging it to a credit card.
"Priorities are demonstrated by actions (money, calendar, speech, treatment of others), not just by stated beliefs."

In this "From The Archives" episode, we revisit this popular series entitled Seven Vital Steps to Building a Christian Family, based on Deuteronomy 6. God charged Israel to live distinctly from surrounding culture and to actively pass that faith down to children and grandchildren. This is a multi-generational, slow-built process rather than a quick fix.
Step One: The Fear of the Lord
Psalm 33:8, Psalm 33:18, Psalm 34:7, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, 1:29, 8:13, 10:27, 14:27 — Fearing God is tied to wisdom, knowledge, protection, and a fuller life.
Practical ways to cultivate reverence in kids
Congregational singing as an act of worship and awe
Daily gratitude and prayer at meals
Careful, deliberate use of God's name in the home
Creating "awe" experiences

Dave and Bethlie finish up the second part of this Overcoming Challenging Events series.
3. Keep growing
Only God can bring beauty out of ashes Satan wants to increase the ash heap
God wants to grow beauty from the ash heap

He does it as we grow in Him Stay in the Word Read it daily
Listen to it read aloud You Version
Blue letter bible
Etc


Pray a lot
Keep trusting God
Remind yourself of truth Sin is bad
Sin is the reason for all the wrong in the world
God is good God is continually working to enable us to overcome the wrong



 
4. Be prepared for people
When they forget
When they say the wrong thing
When they let you down