Take your kids to church.

Make the effort. Wake them up early. Fool with the belts and the buckles and the fancy hair bows. Endure the sleepy, grumpy faces and the misplaced shoes. Run around like a mad woman gathering everybody’s everything, whatever it takes to get out the door on time.

Hop to the car with a shoe in one hand and your make-up bag in the other. Give those babies a pop-tart and some milk and let ‘em eat it in the car. If it’s raining, get wet. If it's cold, get a jacket. If you’re tired, go tired. But take those babies to church. You know why?

Because Jesus is there.

He’s there. And He’ll meet them there. And you too, Mama and Daddy.

Jesus will be in the sweet smile of their Sunday School teacher as she welcomes them into their room. He’ll be there in the goldfish and the apple juice and the filling of their little bellies and hearts. He’ll be there in the hug from a sweet friend and the encouraging smile that assures you that they “just barely made it” too. He’ll be in the sacred words read from the Bible speaking truth to their little impressionable hearts.

Take your kids to church.

Jesus will be there in the worship and the raised hands and the watery eyes and whispers of praise.

Carry all of their Bibles and drawings and toilet paper tube creations. Sit with them in worship. Open your Bible and open theirs. Show them how to find the Scripture the pastor is preaching from. Show them how to worship. Explain to them why He’s worthy of worship. Let them see you laugh and cry and praise and study. Forgive their wiggles and the rustling of papers and know that they’re listening even when it seems like they aren’t.

Ask them questions and answer the ones they ask you. Introduce them to Jesus. Tell them of His greatness. His power, His faithfulness. Tell them with your words and show them with your life. Tell them what He’s done for you and how you’ve been changed by His grace, forgiveness, and goodness and love. Tell them how they too can be changed. Point them to Jesus—over and over and over again.

Take your kids to church.

They’ll love it there. It’s the only place where they can go and just be themselves. They don’t have to “be” good enough or smart enough or athletic enough. They don’t have to strive for approval. They just get to go and hear how much God loves them, just because of who they are. He created them; therefore, they have value. And they’re wanted. Their worth isn’t based on the grades they make or their ability to throw a curveball. It’s not dependent on their performance or skill level. Our kids need a little more of that, don’t you think? A little more grace and a little less pressure. A little more love and a few less demands.

Take your kids to church.

Before you take them to the ballfield or the dance studio or the gym, take them to church. Before you take them on vacation or to grandma’s or to the backyard to play, take them to church. Let them know why going to church is a priority. Show them it has eternal value. Let them see you set aside schedules and extracurricular activities, work and busy-ness, to be present with the Lord with His people in His house. I promise you won’t regret it.

I promise it won’t return back void. I promise it’s worth it.

Please, take your kids to church.