Habits of a Child's Heart: Raising Your Kids with the Spiritual Disciplines

by Valerie E. Hess

Book Overview

Teach your children the basics of the spiritual disciplines. Broken down into bite-sized, age-specific exercises, the foundations of the Christian life will become lifetime habits. Practice the spiritual disciplines as a family by: Serving others in a practical way Simplifying schedules and possessions Developing new habits of worship Meditating on specific Bible passages

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1576834271
• ISBN13: 9781576834275
• Release Date: March 2004
• Publisher: NavPress Publishing Group
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.6" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Because childlike faith matters...

I love reading about methods that have withstood the test of time for the Christian journey. The spiritual disciplines are a methodolgy that has withstood the test of "how to find a richer life with God" since the time Jesus lived on earth. Certainly if Jesus needed to practice times of solitude, silence, fasting, simplicity, worship, service....and so on, we need to position ourselves in the same way. What I love about "Habits of a Child's Heart" is that Valerie and Marti believe children are not exempt from the richness of a deep connection with God. Their book is not only rare in it's class, its proof that children can and need to have a plan for transformation that includes the spiritual holy habits. The proof that this works is in the pudding of what I have experienced with the children at my own church. I saw many of them taste God through these simple yet tangible ways of fiinding God's heart. The book covers explaining, teaching, and practicing each of the 12 mentioned dsiciplines and breaks the teaching down into early childhood, middle and adolescent categories. Two added goodies come at the conclusion of the book with an epilogue that includes a very helpful chart of the balanced life. Following that in the appendix is a master calendar that is so helpful for a person who seeks to have balance in a muti-task culture. This book is a treasured resource for parents who want to teach a balanced and intentional journey of discipleship to their children as well as for Sunday school or private school teachers and administrators. It can be used as a resource, devotional tool, supplement to cirriculum and even a nice way to introduce the disciplines to a church at large. I highly reccommend it!

Habits of a Child's Heart Review

This book is incredibly insightful for those with or without children. As an adult who does not have children, but who looks forward to the day when I can share this book with them, I appreciated the way Valerie and Marty presented the material to reach adults and children alike. Anyone who has the privilege of raising a child or working with children, and is looking for thought-provoking and wholesome ways to communicate the spiritual disciplines with them, will greatly benefit from this book. Teaching these habits to the young is a powerful way to lay a foundation that cannot be shaken.