**note: I wrote this post last weekend…when this post publishes I will be heading to the hospital to be induced for the birth of our 4th! yippee!!**

I had some great feedback from my “No Excuses” post last week.

One person shared that she has to show extreme restraint when using her iPhone for quiet time. The temptation to check an incoming email is great when it’s right in your hand…TOTALLY agree.

Another person wrote that they are trying to stay off the phone. She has not considered how to make the phone more edifying…Great point!  She also said that when she pulls out her phone during the day it is a magnet for requests from her kids for “games, movies, music”…completely understand!

So during one of my sleepless nights as a 38-week pregnant mom, I thought of these scenarios in which we can use our phones to help us stay focused on God during our day while sharing our faith with our kids.

SCENARIO #1: READ & MEDITATE ON GOD’S WORD WITH YOUR KIDS

When you stop the car and grab your phone to check email real quick or Facebook or whatever, take a second to pull up the YouVersion app. Open up a Psalm you might have read that morning (I’m in the midst of the “Run to Him” study of Psalms).

Read aloud the Psalm to your kids. Or if you really want to get their attention, have the app read the verse aloud for you…you could do that while you are driving!

OR pull up one of the scenes from the Jesus film to show to your kiddos on the Bible.is app. 

SCENARIO #2: MEMORIZE & REVIEW SCRIPTURE WITH YOUR KIDS

You have decided to memorize a verse (or a chunk of verses). Use the Bible Memory Verses app. 

Put in the Scripture reference and it will create fill-in-the-blank quizzes for you. Have your kids help you fill-in-the-blanks while you eat lunch or sit on the couch after naps. Kids are amazing at memorizing…don’t underestimate their ability to join you!

SCENARIO #3: WORSHIP TOGETHER

It’s the 5 ‘o clock maddening hour. Your 4-year-old just hit your 2-year-old again…for no reason. You are attempting to stay calm in the midst of chaos and come up with a delicious dinner that everyone will actually eat.

 Open the Pandora app on your phone and play some upbeat Hillsong worship music. Or even the Veggie Tales station (if you can stand it!). Or open your iTunes and play a Seeds Family Worship CD you have downloaded.

SCENARIO #4: ENCOURAGE A FRIEND

You just got a text from a friend that she received bad news from the doctor. Pull up the Bible Promises app that lists 500 Bible verses by topic.

Copy & paste or text directly the verse to your friend to encourage her. Share with your kids the verse and that it’s good to lift one another up when we are going through difficult times.

SCENARIO #5: BE FULLY PRESENT & EXPRESS GRATITUDE 

You are in the backyard and you witness a beautiful sunset. You want to add it to your “gifts list”. Pull up the 1000 gifts app. Take a picture of the sunset and make a note of God’s beauty. Show your kids and verbalize gratitude with them.

I love spending time with God each morning and getting myself “centered” before the day begins. Unfortunately, that time isn’t enough to keep me focused on God all day. I’m hopeful that using some of these techniques I can use my phone to refocus my mundane moments.

AND I can model to my kids how to live a life of staying in rhythm with God. Not just during a quiet time or on Sunday mornings.

**another note: Don’t forget that each time the font is blue, you can click on that word to link to additional content/website/etc. For example, in this post you can click on each app title mentioned and it will take you to the itunes store to look at that specific app.