How to Read the (Actual) Bible with Children

Three years ago, Colleen Vermeulen and her husband decided to do something radical: read “the real Bible with all its words” daily with their young children. Following a pattern based loosely on the Liturgy of the Hours, their family prayer time is now grounded in Scripture and is feeding the kids’ growing relationships with Jesus. Listen to this episode to hear how they did this and why. Colleen gives four practical tips for reading the Bible with children and shares advice on everything from facing the fidgets to helping kids hear God speak to them.

Colleen Reiss Vermeulen is executive director and instructor at the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan and teaches occasional classes for Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life. The mother of four also serves in the US Army Reserve. She wrote several book introductions and reflections for the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible. Learn more or contact her at cbsmich.org or practicalevangelization.wordpress.com.

Take Colleen’s favorite Scripture to your next Holy Hour

Pray: Come, Holy Spirit, open my heart and mind to hear your word today.

Read the Word: 1 John 3:1–2

(Read it in your own Bible to get the context, and so you can make notes)

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

Ponder the Word: Read several times, lingering where it touches your heart. What catches your attention? What do you hear the Lord saying to you?

Pray with the Word: Bring to the Lord what you have heard, and talk to him about it. Ask for his grace. Thank him for his loving care.

Live the Word: How does what you read touch your life? What can you do this week to put it into practice?