Revelation 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.”
Picture of our Family Discussion:
Day #6 Date: Tuesday September 15, 2026
Mrs. Smith *Social Pathologist MS (Weekly Blogger @AmenWeekly.com)
*Blogger of 75 -Day Hard as a Spiritual Journey *49-Year old *Mom of 4 *CEO & Social-Behavioral Skills Trainer @ Sweet Home California (Proverbs 22:6) *Retired Home School Mom *CFO & 1st Lady @ AeroComInc.com
Day #6: 75 Day Hard & Family Bible Discussion Rescheduled & Postponed Testimony
I discussed in my previous Blog (Titled: Day #4: 75-Day Hard & Church? or Family Bible Study Discussion? Testimony) that my husband and I really can not go back to routine, weekly church no matter how good the sermon is because of the deep connections and memories we have formed through pastoring our own 4 children in a weekly family Bible study discussion.
Problem: There are at least three problems that have come up over the last 5 years of trying to lead our weekly family Bible study discussion with all 6 of us present. They include 1) busy schedules 2) unenthusiastic teenage attitudes and 3) with the bad attitudes comes excuses. Sometimes these issues make me want to throw in the towel and go to church (& have a pastor handle it for me) like the rest of the believers in America but I keep persisting because I have seen the rewards of my persistence in the short term!
I am also confident of our children’s long-term blessings in their careers and family life because of the Bible’s promises. Just studying Revelation Chapter 1 alone this week our Pastor has pointed out that there is a special blessing, specifically, for everyone who reads Revelation. Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.” So for our family to continue being blessed as well as future blessings I keep persisting with our weekly family bible discussion!
Problem 1: It really is a logistical nightmare hosting our weekly family Bible study discussion. Honestly, the only way we have continued is by the Holy Spirit’s power coming in week after week to help us reschedule (probably 20% of the time) and still follow through with our discussion! I think after 5 years we have only had to skip a week or overlap two discussions (2 chapters) together less than a handful of times!
Finding time (60 minutes weekly) to meet with our entire family of 6 is Hard! All six of us are active with various responsibilities and activities. The biggest scheduling obstacle so far was when our oldest daughter was away in college. We had her join us via FaceTime each week but with her classes, sorority and work schedule that left us with only about 2 nights available. That meant the remaining 5 of us had to be available on those two nights when we were all involved in sports, Wednesday night youth church groups, parenting meetings for school & sports, line dancing classes, our daughter #2’s, work schedule, ect.
Seriously, to God be the glory because if it was just me persisting (through my own work and effort) this would have never happened! God was using my persistence but letting the Holy Spirit make it happen miraculously through his control of weather, sickness, canceled apts you name it!
We have had evenings or afternoons when tennis and/or baseball have gotten rained out! Emily or Julia have gotten out of work shifts early, all kinds of ways we/the Holy Spirit have carved out the extra time!! Some weeks when I looked at the schedule, I honestly thought the odds of having our family Bible study discussion were very low and probably never going to happen because we literally did not have a 1 hour time slot available but it did! God made a way!
Currently, this Fall, we have 3 different schools (1 college & 2 different high schools), 8 jobs between 5 of us, 2 high school sports schedules (football & tennis) and one weekly young adult bible study commitment. We only have two evenings open and even those can be limited depending on our son’s In N Out work schedule and our daughter’s Sip & Paint work gigs.
Solution:
Over the weekend I have to collect everyone’s schedule for the following week and decide when we should do our discussion. Some of our kids will not give us their schedule after multiple attempts of me reminding them😡but that is another blog story!
Currently, I start with the college students who are away and not living in our home so they can schedule ahead to join us via FaceTime. Originally the discussion schedule was built around Emily, our oldest, until this past August when she moved home because she graduated.
This school year, however, Julia (our second child & daughter) has recently moved out to go to college so I start by looking at her schedule. It is tricky because she has lots of night classes and work gigs. Once I have her schedule I find an open night and text our family group text and let them know the day and time we are shooting to meet up. I remind them of the homework we will be discussing.
The homework has always been the same. Read the assigned one chapter of the Bible with footnotes. Recently, we have been allowing the kids to watch Eric Geiger’s sermon (from Mariners church Irvine) either in person or via YouTube in addition to or instead of doing the chapter reading & footnotes. Then everyone is required to answer the same two simple questions.
1) What did you learn from the reading & footnotes or Eric Geiger’s sermon (Mariners Church Irvine) this week? and
2) How are you going to use the information in your life right now? They can also answer how have you used the information, previously, in your life? Usually my husband and I are the only ones with enough Bible/life experience to give these testimonies (because our children are young and have not had as much experience as us) but this gets them thinking about using the Bible in their everyday life. Plus, I know, as a Social Pathologist, that they will develop socially/spiritually from the exposure of the bible discussion and they will begin to use The Word in their daily lives which is the long-term goal! In Social Pathology we expose children to all kinds of social activities and watch how their social skills emerge. Having bible study discussions at home allows us to see firsthand their various growth levels in their spiritual development!
It is preferred that the kids write her/his answers on paper or at least type her/his answers on her/his phone. Often times the kids don’t do the homework like what happened on Blog Day#4 (which was Sunday) so that is how it got pushed to today in the first place!
Example: If you read my Blog for Day #4 (from 2 days ago which was Sunday) you know we had to reschedule our discussion for Revelation Chapter 1 to tonight, Tuesday night. This is because ¾ of our children had conflicts on Monday night. Emily went to Magic Mountain all day and didn’t get back until late. Julia had 9 hours of college art classes on Monday including Monday night. Plus, Sarah had a tennis match and was busy studying for an Algebra test. So tonight, Tuesday, was our scheduled Make-up Family Bible Study Discussion for Revelation Chapter 1!
Sadly, Julia’s internet is awful in her dorm and so she ended up with internet problems and an overwhelming amount of homework tonight. So we again had to push our discussion to this Friday night 9/18. I will be journaling about that in Blog Day #9 (God-willing) of my 75 Day Hard as a spiritual journey.!
Problem 2: The other problem is eye-rolling, unenthusiastic teenagers who are not wanting to meet and most probably have not completed her/his homework.
Problem 3: Now, the truth is, I really don’t know if our teenagers excuses are legitimate or bologne sandwiches (BS) but I do know most of the time their attitude is that they don’t really want to do the discussion anyway. Teenagers are moody! Overall, time only tells if the excuse is legitimate or if they are full of bologne! The Bible says, the truth always comes out! In Luke 8:17 Jesus said, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, & nothing concealed that will not be made known & brought to light.”
Solution: The solution is social-behavior modification training. As parents (just like God) we state the law or demand clearly and directly. “We are having the discussion at this time.” Let them know what will happen if they follow through with doing their homework and are at the discussion on time and what will happen if they don’t follow through with the demand. I have not been giving rewards as far as our family bible study discussion goes because we have 3 adult children but as I am writing this I’m thinking I should be giving a dessert reward to our youngest since I did rewards with our older kids when they were her age. It might help a bit with her attitude!
Just being as consistent as possible because teenagers are moody! They will likely look back and say, “Remember when mom made us do that bible study?” Also just us (their parents) being persistent at having the bible study discussion week after week and letting the Holy Spirit work it out meets each child/adult child individually where they are!
Honestly, many times, (at least it feels like it to me), we are having to force everyone down stairs to have the discussion but my husband and I just keep going and leading the discussion! We always end up getting something out of it! It’s like working out! Just talking to our kids in a family bible study discussion setting grows our relationships with God and each other. Looking to the future I don’t want our family relationship about getting together at Holidays for meals and fighting about politics or gossiping:( My dream/goal is that we genuinely love each other and talk to each other regularly and know each other well in this life and the next! The weekly family Bible study discussion creates that possibility!
The Blessing By: Kari Jobe
-Mrs. Smith *Social Pathologist MS (Weekly Blogger @AmenWeekly.com)
Day #6 of my 75 Day Hard! 9/15/2026!
*75 Day Hard Challenge as a Spiritual Journey Goal: To buffet my body (1 Corinthians 9:27) and get even stronger (mentally, spiritually <3, & physically) through a modified 75-Day Hard which will have me living even more of my very best life by the time I turn 50 this February 2027! Philippians 4:13 “I kick & I stretch and I kick;)”