Our Kids and Mental Health Devotions Collection

October 11, 2023

A lot of us are concerned about kids—our own children, our grandchildren, and the kids in our families and communities. The normal ups and downs for young people can be a lot for kids, parents, and those who help and work with kids.The COVID-19 pandemic era added new challenges on top of growing stresses about social media and other national and global news stories, conflicts, and disasters. Even before, in the decade earlier, feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness- as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviors- increased by about 40% among children and teens in the United States Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.

It’s comforting to know God helps us in dealing with our anxiety and stress well. “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NIV). We too can set some examples of positive physical, mental, and spiritual health to equip our kids.

Reading the Bible and doing devotions together can improve the spiritual health of your family. In 2023, KC devotions focused on children’s mental health and spiritual formation and presented devotions and parent blogs helping parents and children deal with big feelings, like fear, grief, worry, lament, and loneliness. These devotions started under the theme of “Psalms and the Big Feelings”, and writers broadened their focus and found other scriptures, so the theme grew to become “The Bible and Big Feelings.”

Check out this list of devotions and parent blogs, and a special thanks to all the writers for their words and work. We also were blessed with a therapist reviewing all the pieces and adding some additional perspectives.

God’s Faithfulness/ Our Stress

God Gives Relief. Bring your worries to God.

Helping Children Deal with Stress. Psalm 34: 4-6 tells us that God cares about our distress and provides comfort and relief from our troubles. (Parent blog)

God is Our Home Free Zone. God is our safe space.

Safe Spaces and Soul Care. We can seek refuge in God. (Parent blog)

Great Joy, Deep Roots. Praising God helps us grow deep roots of faith.

Psalm 92: Deep Rooted Faith. Psalm 92 highlights the deep-rooted faith we grow when believers praise God together. (Parent blog)

God’s Promises/ Our Fear

Sorting Out Our Fears God created each of us with an important safety system.

Helping Children Learn to Manage Fear. It is important to help children label their emotions and identify what their brain is alerting them to. (Parent Blog)

Don’t Be Afraid. God promises that he will always be with us.

Kids’ Fears and God’s Promises. Faith in God and in his promises to us can help us overcome fear. (Parent Blog)

God’s Help/ Our Anxiety

Anxious about What’s Next. What do I do when I don't know how things will turn out?

Dealing with Anxiety. God helps us in dealing with anxiety. (Parent Blog)

I’m Worried. Jesus can do something spectacular in our hearts when we give all of our cares and worries to him.

When Kids Worry. Try these methods to help your kids keep their eyes on Jesus, even when they’re worried. (Parent Blog)

God’s Comfort/ Our Grief and Struggles

Walking Through Grief. God assures you that he cares about and understands your pain.

Children and Grief. Everyone grieves differently, and this is true for children as well. (Parent Blog)

Life is Both Hard and Good. When life is hard, God is still there for us.

Finding Treasures in Tough Times 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 reminds us, God is with us in those hard times. (Parent Blog)

God’s Presence/ Our Loneliness

Never Alone: God’s Promise to Us. God promised that he is with us.

Lonely But Not Alone. I can be alone but never lonely, because God is always with me.

Check out all the weekly devotions at https://kidscorner.net/devotions and the Kids Corner parent blog at https://kidscorner.net/parent-blog

Check out the Kids Corner ebooks collection with more ideas:

God's Got You Covered: Stories and Advice about Divorce. Using biblical teaching, Kids Corner episodes, and activities, this ebook helps kids and parents talk about divorce.

Power Tools: Take a Stand Against Bullying. This booklet can help you talk about bullying with your family and friends.

Faith Practices for Families: Prayer. Explore the why, when, and how to pray with your family. We hope these resources will add to your daily prayer practice and inspire you and your family to draw near to God.

Faith Practices for Families: Reading the Bible. Create a plan and a space for Bible reading in your family’s weekly routines. It’s our hope that you find this guide practical and relevant. Please refer back to it as you look for new ways to read the Bible together.

Faith Practices for Families: Serving Others. Explore how to create a plan and a space for acts of service in your family's weekly routines. Let this guide inspire and equip you to become God's hands and feet on earth.