“James! (James!) A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1 NIV). I chanted the opening words of the book of James with my mom as we drove to my kindergarten class. The drive was about fifteen minutes, if I remember right. We could get through almost half the book in that time. With a mix of songs, funny actions, and theatrical speech renditions, my mom and my five-year-old self could finish the whole book of James in two drives. 

Do you want state prayer alerts?

View Comments (0)

That was seventeen years ago. While I don’t have every word down to a tee, I often repeat many of the “James songs” in my head as I go through work or get ready for the day. The musical verses I learned from that book give me such peace as they were fed to me while my mind was first growing. “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7–8).

While memorizing scripture provides peace, it arms me with more than that: the Word of truth. I am ready to act. It is because I have these words stored away in my heart that I can be patient and stand firm until the Lord comes again. 

This is the strength that is so valuable for parents to share with their children—and, while a challenge sometimes, it is feasible. Across America, we know that children love to memorize songs, movie references, and stories! So, teach them the Word of God and memorize it with them. Not only does this grow the relationship between a parent and a child, but the purpose of Christ spreads throughout the family’s actions. 

Growing up, reading the Bible happened in my house as a family and usually at a meal, whether we read aloud or to ourselves. My parents found ways to help my brother and me cherish that time. Every morning, my brother and I would race over to the window just to watch the sunrise. Once it rose, it was time to head to Bible reading and a hot morning drink. As we grew older and time in the morning became fleeting, we used our school drives to memorize new verses and sing praise songs. When I walked into high school each day, I had the armor of God with me, both to set my heart in the right place as well as to know what is true.  

Not only did this teach me to hold fast to the Word of God, but it led me to trust my parents. I knew that they depended on His Word each day because I saw the outcome of our Bible studies. When my parents sinned, they would turn to the Word of God, acknowledging their ways and worshipping Him again. When I asked for advice or wisdom, they would pull from what we had studied as a family and rely on that truth with me. As they stood on the Word of God, so did I. 

This drew my family towards Scripture, giving us an anthem to live by. When God’s Word was written on the tablets of our hearts (Proverbs 3:3), we were able to hold each other accountable and to worship God together. Friends without Christ watched and saw Him changing our family through His Word.

“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25).

I urge you to be active in God’s Word with your family. Preorder a copy of IFA’s One Year Pray for America Bible and give your family the gift of Scripture in 2026. Furthermore, pray with me that the Church in America and across the world will study the Word of God as a family and with their kids. Pray that the world would watch, seek after Christ, and find Him. 

Will you be reading the Bible with your family in 2026? Share this article to encourage others to give the gift of Scripture this holiday season!

IFA contributing writer Kate Stimson is a Patrick Henry College graduate of the class of 2025 with a degree in journalism and a minor in literature. As a missionary in training with Josiah Venture, her job is to write stories about missionaries and the work that God is doing across Central and Eastern Europe. You can find out more about her work here: https://www.josiahventure.com/people/kate-stimson/. Photo Credit: Balazs Toth/Canva Teams.