It is estimated that parents have 3000 hours of intentional time with their kids each year. The Kids Team knows that those hours are vital in the social, emotional, physical and spiritual development of your kids. In 2019, we want to encourage and challenge you to find rhythms in your home that are engaging, creative, fun and allow for natural conversations about faith and Jesus. Every month a staff member from the Kids Ministry Team will share an idea from their family rhythm that will guide you in making those 3000 hours a year a little more intentional. Join us each month by sharing how you incorporated the month’s challenge in your home. Post your family experiences to social media using #mhcfamilychallenge for chances to win prizes and encourage other families to join the challenge!

Marching to a different drum

Walking with Jesus is “Marching to a different drum!” My husband Tim and I chose that drum beat as first-generation Christians. We both had great values & morals displayed in our families, such as great love, generosity, and more, but we both sensed something was missing. It was in our twenties that God captured our hearts and we gravitated toward a personal relationship with Jesus. Fast forward now as parents, our prayers and desire of our hearts has been to have our kids know and love the Lord. But what does that look like? Where do you go to see that lived out? How do you know that you’re doing it right? All these questions have swirled in our heads. Luckily, we found an incredible church body.

For us, the church community displayed a heartbeat for providing parents with resources to walk authentically with our kids. Sometimes an activity would really connect for our family, like squeezing toothpaste out of the tube, trying to race to get it back in to win the $20 cash prize Tim placed in the center of the table! But the real prize was the life lesson that our words can’t be taken back, only forgiven and that we need to use our words wisely. One of my favorite moments was “steps to a good day,” which I made up! I placed a small, “SHORT” devotional on the stairs, and I would read it to the kids as they put their shoes on before they walked out the door for school (man, how I miss those elementary days). In the whirlwind seasons that came later, we struggled to be consistent with the devotionals. Today our parent posture is that of thanks; we are thankful for the small group leaders, family, and friends that influence our kids in their faith as they walk through middle and high school. They are a vital part of our family marching to a different drum. Remember, no matter the phase your kids are in, I think God just smiles when we attempt to “March to a Different Drum!” by placing him in our daily rhythm. And if you get off beat, try a new rhythm, just keep marching toward Jesus.

Check out our parent resource page for some great ideas to authentically connect and march to a different drum with your kids. Parent Cue is an amazing place to start. 
*Check out the links (via button) below. 

First beats, (aka- getting started) initiate a great conversation about what it means to choose Jesus!

Tricia Stefaniak
Kids Director