Raising Godly Children

 

For a long time, I wanted to be intentional about building my children’s spiritual foundation, not just their behaviour. And today, I want to share something that has truly transformed our evenings and our conversations: daily devotion.

But let me start by being honest, mornings don’t work for us.

Our mornings are fast-paced, clock-ticking, everything-moving-at-once kind of mornings. One child wakes up at 6:30, the other stretches until 7:00. We then head straight to the bathroom and by 7:15, we’re downstairs for breakfast. By 7:30, we are out the door. There is simply no breathing room for devotion.

So I chose evenings.

And honestly? It’s been the best decision.

Our Evening Devotion Routine

After dinner, around 6pm, we gather. It’s calm. No rushing. No school bags. No time pressure. Just us.

Here’s what it usually looks like:

We start with the devotional manual, we use the rccg zeal manual.

My older child reads the recommended Bible chapter.

We go through the memory verse together.

We talk about what we’ve read:

What does it mean?

How does it apply to your life?

What is God teaching us today?

We do the life application, then the prayer point.

My younger one prays first, then his older brother, then I pray over them.

And after that, we read Psalms 23 together.

It’s become a rhythm, gentle, intentional, and deeply grounding.

But it wasn’t always this smooth.

In the past, devotion was simply: open the Bible → read something → close it.

No structure. No theme. No guided topics.

Then I discovered a children’s devotional manual that changed everything. Not because of the brand or church it came from, but because it offered what I desperately needed: structure, direction, and meaningful conversations.

Why Devotion Matters: It's More Than Good Behaviour

I don’t just want to raise good children.

I want to raise godly children.

A good child knows what is right.

A godly child understands the God-factor behind every choice:

They learn to pause.

They learn to ask, “What would God want me to do here?”

They learn that strength, identity, and wisdom come from Him.

And the truth is, this foundation is the greatest gift my parents gave me. Not money. Not possessions. But grounding. Values. Faith. A place to run when life gets dark.

Because God never promised we wouldn’t go through storms, He promised we’d never go through them alone.

That is the gift I want my children to carry.

How Devotion Opened the Door to Hard Conversations

One of the biggest reasons I am sharing this is:

Devotion has helped me address things I didn’t know how to talk about.

There are days I notice behaviour I don’t like.

There are moments I want to correct something, but I don’t know how to start.

There are sensitive topics I'm unsure how to approach.

But through devotion, these topics flow naturally.

For example:

One morning, my older son said to his younger brother,

“You missed yesterday’s topic. It was so important. There was so much to learn.”

Another day, he asked me,

“Mum, when I’m upset, how do I become happy quickly?”

That moment melted me.

These are not conversations children randomly initiate.

These are questions birthed through reading the Word and seeing life lessons tied to everyday behaviour.

And it has helped me more than I can put into words.

Through these devotionals, I’ve been able to:

Correct gently

Teach emotional regulation

Discuss  gratitude, attitude, and friendship

Talk about showing kindness

Talk about not showing off

Discuss responsibility

Address conflicts without shouting

Guide their hearts without fear or confusion

Even my younger one, though playful, is absorbing everything. He prays his own little prayer every evening, which is enough for his age. He’s present. He’s learning. He’s growing.

Choosing the Right Manual

There are many devotionals available for use.

Select the one that aligns with your family values.

The beautiful thing about a guided manual is that the topics are already laid out:

Appreciating your parents

Honesty

Obedience

Not showing off

Having the right attitude

Being a blessing to others

Handling emotions

Gratitude

Responsibility

Friendship

All the areas in which we want our children to grow are presented in a child-friendly, Scripture-based way.

If you don’t have one yet, I truly recommend getting one. It transforms devotion from “random Bible reading” into intentional discipleship.

Final Thoughts: Start Somewhere

Maybe you already have devotion, but it’s not structured.

Maybe you’ve wanted to start, but you’re unsure how.

Maybe mornings don’t work (and that is perfectly okay).

Evenings may be your sweet spot, like mine.

Whatever the case, I hope this encourages you.

Because devotion is not about perfection.

It’s not about long prayers.

It’s not about forcing children to “be serious.”

It’s about building roots, deep, spiritual, unshakeable roots.

Roots that will carry them through life.

Roots that will guide them long after we are gone.

Roots that remind them they have a Father who never leaves.

I’m grateful for this journey with my boys.

And I hope it inspires you to begin your own, in your own way, at your own pace.

Check out this store for Manuals Redemption Store.

With Love,

Ayo ♡