Families Together Devotion: Come in and Go Out

Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
(Psalm 127:1)

I have 5 kids ranging in age from 5 years old to 18 years old. As you can imagine, our house is a busy one. Okay, more like kind of chaotic sometimes. There are certain phrases I feel like I say over and over:

“Hang up your coat.”

“Put your dishes in the sink, please.”

“Laundry!”

“Shut the door!”

We have 3 potato chip eating cats – no idea why these cats love potato chips, but they do! – who need to live indoors, so I am forever reminding people to shut the doors. There is plenty of “come in” and “go out” that happens in a busy house like ours.

Every family has come in and go out as part of family life together, and this is the way God created it to be. Nourish and encourage this in your family.

Come in – Come in to your family to rest. Life is hard out in the world. Each family member goes a separate way throughout their busy day. When you come back together as a family, make it a time to support each other and build one another up before you go back out again. This needs to be intentional. Create calm moments. Share highs and lows. Ask questions. Do less. Talk more. Share times of devotions, Bible readings and prayer together. Talk about how God is working in your day and in your life. Make home a safe haven of Christian love.

Go out – As you go out into the world again, head out knowing you have a family who is your team! We tell our kids, “The Borgstede Team has your back.” We love the movie The Princess Bride and when we leave the house we say to each other a quote from the movie, “Have fun storming the castle!” which is our family’s inside joke way of saying, “I love you.” Create your own family sayings and simple traditions. It’s okay if it’s silly. Your teens will probably roll their eyes but it doesn’t mean they don’t secretly love it. Take reminders with you – tuck Bible memory verses into pockets and backpacks. Text prayers and encouragement throughout the day or put notes in lunchboxes.

What are some creative ways you have found to keep your family connected? How do you come in together and go out refreshed?