​* THIS POST CONTAINS BOTH AFFILIATE AND PRODUCT LINKS,
​ALONG WITH LINKS TO THIRD PARTY WEBSITES AND VIDEOS MENTIONED IN THE POST.*

This Sunday starts what many commonly refer to as Holy Week. Simply put, Holy Week is the final days of Jesus' earthly ministry. This time includes his arrival into Jerusalem, the last meal with his followers, his arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection on Easter Sunday. It all kicks off this Sunday with Palm Sunday.

​If you are from a traditional church that utilizes the Liturgy and the church calendar, you might be familiar with Holy Week. But if you are new to the faith, church, or you attend a more non-traditional church, you might be wondering what Holy Week is and why it's such an important week.

You might also be wondering why I used terms like traditional and non-traditional church. Well, a traditional church might be a church associated with a denominational connection. These would be churched that refer to themselves as Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, of Catholic. A non-traditional church might consider themselves as non-denominational or independent. Traditional churches generally, maintain or follow a Liturgical or church calendar that marks specific seasons, celebrations, and/or sacred days throughout the year. Some non-traditional churches choose to step away from those "traditions." Whether traditional or non-traditional, what's most important is that the church stay faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ while maintaining Biblical teaching.

But what is Holy Week, and how do I share this with my kids?

That's a great question. As we've said, Holy Week marks the week between Palm Sunday, when Jesus enters Jerusalem to cheers and palms while riding the colt of a donkey. Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday is when he is raised from the tomb to life.

​Consider these two videos. The first, the video just above, is from the question and answer website of GotQuestions.com, an online resources that answers questions relating to the Bible, church, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and faith. They do a great job explaining Holy Week, also known as Passion Week.

The second, the video below, is from Phil Vischer's, What's In the Bible, video series. Phil is the co-creator of VeggieTales and What's In the Bible, a video series that teaches kids the Bible. In the video below, Phil and his friends talk about Easter and the importance of what Jesus did for us on the cross. The video is really helpful and great to watch with your kids.

Hopefully you now have a better understanding of what Holy Week is, and why we take time to reflect and celebrate the events of this week. If you still have questions I would suggest you reach out to your pastor, youth pastor, or kids pastor and ask them to help you better understand Holy Week.

If you are not connected with a church, feel free to email us here at Life in the Higham House. We would be happy to help you in any way we can. You can also leave a question in the comments below!

Be sure to join us starting this Sunday, as we begin Family Devotions for Holy Week! 

It's going to be a great week.

Happy Easter!

​- jay & amy

* THIS POST CONTAINS BOTH AFFILIATE AND PRODUCT LINKS,
​ALONG WITH LINKS TO THIRD PARTY WEBSITES AND VIDEOS MENTIONED IN THE POST.*

As parents, one of the greatest privileges we have is pointing our kids toward God. Amy and I often reflect on how deeply this responsibility shaped the way we tried to raise our children. One passage that guided our family again and again is Deuteronomy 6:4–9:

This passage gives parents our marching orders. We are called not only to teach our children about God, but to fill our everyday lives with conversations about Him. Faith is not meant to be a once-a-week topic reserved for church. It is something we talk about at the dinner table, in the car, during bedtime routines, and in ordinary moments of life.

But before we can teach our kids to love God, we have to answer a foundational question ourselves: How do WE love God?

One Sunday morning I asked this question to our church as we gathered for worship. Together we read what is often called The Great Commandment from Matthew 22:37–40:

Jesus makes it clear that loving God is the first and greatest commandment. But what does it actually mean to love God?

At its core, to love God is to worship Him. Loving God means responding to Him with awe, reverence, and devotion—with every part of who we are: our hearts, our souls, and our minds.

​When we understand love for God this way, worship becomes much bigger than what we do on a Sunday morning.

2. Worship Is Personal
Worship also happens in our personal lives. Prayer, reading Scripture, reflecting on God’s goodness, and thanking Him for His work in our lives are all ways we worship Him individually.

​When children see their parents praying, reading the Bible, and seeking God personally, they begin to understand that faith is not just something we do at church—it is part of our daily lives.

3. Worship Is Lived
Finally, worship is expressed through how we live. Our words, our work, our attitudes, and our actions can all reflect honor to God. Scripture reminds us in Romans 12:1 to present our lives as a “living sacrifice.”
​
In other words, our entire lives can become an act of worship.

​If we want our children to love God, they must first see us loving God.

They will notice what we prioritize. They will observe how we respond to challenges. They will see whether our faith shapes our daily decisions.

Deuteronomy reminds us that spiritual formation happens in the everyday rhythms of life—when we sit in our homes, when we walk along the way, when we lie down, and when we rise.

So this week, consider this question: Does my life reflect a life of worship?

As parents, we have the incredible opportunity to invite our children into a life centered on the Most High God. Together—in weekly worship, in quiet moments with the Lord, and in the way we live our lives—we can show them what it means to love and worship the one true and living God.

And that is how we teach our children to love Him.

— the higham family

1. What are some everyday moments in our home where we can naturally talk about God with our kids?
2. What spiritual habits (prayer, Bible reading, worship) do our children currently see modeled in our lives?
3. How can we make weekly corporate worship a meaningful priority for our family?
4. In what ways can our daily actions and attitudes demonstrate a life of worship to our children?
5. What is one small step we can take this week to more intentionally disciple our kids in loving God?