Best Family Devotional Resources

I have to admit that I’m a purist when it comes to the resources I use for our family devotion time. One reason is that I try not to over-think it. I want this time to be a simple and beautiful time as a family. The goal for me isn’t so much hard-core theology, but development of the consistent habit of talking about and enjoying God’s Word. (I wrote a lot more about how to have a family devotion time without feeling defeated in this post.)

I’m also picky because I want any resource we use to keep us firmly planted in the Bible. False teachers are everywhere and the Bible is the absolute best place to get your truth, so I’m very careful. Nonetheless, we do have some cherished favorites to share with you.

Best Family Devotional Resources

1. The Bible

I suppose this isn’t too surprising, but like I said- it’s crucial. I am always amazed at devotional books that never even encourage readers to open up their Bibles. For me, that’s simply not enough! I think something like that would be ok for a brand new Christian who needs some help getting pointed in the right direction, but the Bible tells us to move on from “milk” and start digesting our own “solid food.” That means we need to get out that Bible!

We do have a preference: the KJV Study Bible for Kids. This is a kid’s version, but the words have not been changed to be more fitting for children, which means they can still follow along in church without being confused. Also, the dictionary, concordance, and maps in this Bible are absolutely fantastic. Truthfully, I’ve learned a lot from it! Of course, you can pick what Bible works for you.

2. A hymnal

No one in my family would ever suggest skipping the music in our family devotion time. It’s our absolute favorite part. We use the Majesty Hymnal which is what we have at church. I like doing this because it gives the kids extra practice with the songs we sing during worship services.

We have also enjoyed using Then Sings My Soul. The book compiles beloved hymns and shares the story behind them. We will read the story and then sing the hymn. We don’t do this every day. In fact, sometimes we go weeks without opening a book and other times we do one each night for a week. It’s totally flexible.

3. A prayer journal

Basically, we want to record our family’s prayer requests for each other, as well as those around us. Then we want to be able to look back and see the handiwork of God in the answering of those prayers. This is a wonderful lesson for the kids as it can sometimes take a very long time to see the answer. And, of course, sometimes we don’t see it. But regardless, we can note the many things God has done through that prayer or situation. It’s always a blessing.

Of course, any notebook will work for this. The one we currently use is from Dayspring. It’s super cute and very reasonably priced. Why not, right?

We’ve also been known to use the prayer cards that I developed a few years ago. They still keep a prominent place on the kitchen table and help us think of ways to pray outside of the old rote stuff we can be tempted to fall into.

4. A few devotional books worth mentioning

Of course, I haven’t always done things in such a simple way and sometimes we take a break and dive into a book that grabs our attention. So I figured I’d share a few of those with you, too.

The Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers and we love working through these from time to time. It’s a great lesson in faith, history, and of course, thankfulness.

Prayers that Changed History is a new book by Tricia Goyer. I love the idea behind this book and think it would be a good fit for the way we like to do family devotions, but I have yet to try it.

24 Family Ways is a devotional type book that our family did last year. You read the Bible and it walks you through discussion questions guiding your family to establish a set of guidelines by which you are known. It’s a great resource to work through.

Leading Little Ones to God is a great resource for families with primarily young children or new Christians. It’s a great foundation to the faith and even a great reminder for those of us who might have missed a few facts here or there!

So what are your favorites? I’d love to hear about them!

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