Do you want to craft a family of purpose and chase God together? That doesn’t just happen by accident. Living a lifestyle with the freedom to follow God’s call requires us to be intentional. Let me share the steps we took to order our family so we could make an impact on the world for Jesus.

6 Ways to Craft a Family of Purpose

Many years ago my husband John and I set up a framework for our family. Identifying our priorities and eliminating what didn’t fit helped us to establish a family life filled with meaning and purpose, one that included the space to follow God wherever He would lead. Stated another way, we formed (created) our family value system and framework before we filled (added things into our lives.) The idea of forming and filling isn’t something we came up with on our own. It came from the first pages of the Bible.

In the first three days of creation, God “formed.” He established supportive systems necessary for life and humankind‘s existence. He created the heavens and the earth. He separated the waters from the land. He built the framework that would sustain his creation. The last three days, God “filled.” He filled his creative world with plants, flowers, animals, and humankind.

Problems come when we fill our weekly and monthly schedules before we build a structure for them. We make decisions out of our emotions or desires without contemplating their impact on us or our family. But as I’ve experienced, this never works. Few good things ever happened by accident. As John and I consider the type of people we wanted to be in the type of children we wanted to raise, Six priorities rose to the top.

6 Ways to Craft a Family of Purpose

1. Attending Church

For us, church attendance has never been optional. God‘s Word is clear on this. We read in Hebrews 10:25  “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (NLT).

Attending church is important for our family and we are happy to set aside time to honor the Lord and gather with other believers.

2. Serving Others Together

We wanted our kids to learn how to serve, even from a young age. When I launched Hope Pregnancy Center, they helped remodel our ministry building by pulling up carpet and picking up trash. They folded baby clothes and stacked diapers. My daughter Leslie even babysat for a teen mom support group. At first I felt guilty. Other kids were outside playing or hanging out with friends, but I soon discovered that our kids were proud of their efforts, and it became easier for them to serve in other ways.

3. Reading the Bible and Praying Together

Every school Day morning we read from the Bible and a devotional book, then pray together. We do this first thing. I want to show my kids that reading the Bible is always a priority.

John and I also read the Bible and pray with each other in the mornings. We don’t succeed every day, but we do it most days. Our youngest children are often awake at that time, and though they know they can’t interrupt, they love watching us. Sometimes when I open my eyes after praying I find three little kids sitting at our feet, listening to every word. It is especially sweet when later, during their prayer time, I hear my words repeated as they pray for family members and concerns. Although having kids watch me while I pray sometimes feels awkward, I know it’s important.
It models for them what a healthy spiritual life can look like.

4. Eating Family Dinner Together

John and I decided our kids knowing each other and us was important, as well as face-to-face connection while eating a meal around the table. During family dinners we talk about our day and enjoy the conversation. We expect our kids to help out with these meals. Some of them help cook dinner, others set the table. Afterward our kids help clear the table and put away food, unload and load the dishwasher, wash pots and pans, wipe down the counters and sweep the floor. Together all these activities teach our children what being part of a family is all Out.

Reading at bedtime together one of my favorite times of the day is when I get the little kids settled in at night and it’s time to read. We turn off all electronics, the kids get ready for bed, and then we sit down together. Our adult kids still look back on reading time with fondness. We’ve never regretted the time we spent together within the pages of a book.

6. Supporting Everyone’s Talents and Activities Together.

Whenever one of our children is involved in an activity, we show up as a family to support them. This has included attending football games to watch our daughter in the marching band we’re going to statewide basketball games for our son. We want our children to know they are uniquely special and their whole family is cheering them on. These priorities lead to habits that fostered a more focused and settled spirit as a family.

I have no doubt that if John hadn’t stepped in and helped me learn to create white space and consider our family priorities and foundation, at least part of the foundation would’ve been built on sand. You can only be blown in so many different directions for so long without collapsing like a house of cards. Thankfully our family is now strongly structured and focused on the purposes God has for us together.

What causes you to add activities to your schedule? Do you worry about what others will think or fear that you’re not doing enough? Feelings of inadequacy and a desire to prove yourself can lead to disappointment. This week name one thing God is asked you to join him in but you have been unable to do because you haven’t had the time and space. How could you re-order your priorities and what activities or commitments could you give up to make room for God‘s calling on your life?

6 Ways to Craft a Family of Purpose

Want to learn more about how our family has made choices that support our goal of following God together? You might enjoy my book Walk It Out! Available now in my online shop: Walk It Out

Women often pack their lives with family, friends, and faithful service, yet still, end up feeling empty and unfulfilled. In Walk It Out, Tricia Goyer demonstrates to women that walking out the mandates of Scripture allows God to spark passion and mission within them.

Whether believers realize it or not, God intended for them to do what the Bible says: adopt the orphan, take the gospel into all the world, and care for the needy. These are mandates that point believers down the path of true living and eternal life.

Sometimes those steps are easy, but many times they require a move outside of what feels safe or secure. When women stop focusing on their own dreams and purposes and instead focus on God’s dreams and purposes, everything changes.