The Talk Box
Start talking with your
family about God's Word!
Start Here
The Talk Box includes multiple conversations set out in different sets and packs. Click below to access each pack.
Here's The Plan
HERE’S THE PLAN:
- Commit as a family to focus on God’s Word.
- Begin with the Family Convo cards, designed in four sets, to be used over the course of about 7
weeks.
- Scan the QR Code for additional resources,
including the Family Talk Podcast sessions.
- Share a Family Talk Box with friends.
- And Don’t Forget to Talk!
WAYS TO SET SOME FAMILY RHYTHMS
- Morning– Repeat a Good Morning song, family Motto, and Bible Verse.
- Mealtime– Establish a consistency of saying ‘Thank you’ Prayers.
- Car time – Share Highs & Lows from the day. and then listen & ask questions about their feelings.
- Bedtime– Bless your child.
Conversations
Prayers & Blessings
Talk Box Family
Dear God, thank you for the Bible and your true words. Help us to learn from the stories you have given us. And help us to follow Jesus as our family lives out our own story! We love you, Lord. Thank you for being a part of our family every day. Amen.
Bless the children:
Affirm your child daily by repeating a phrase that is just for them! Ex. You are an amazing person! You are God’s gift, and I am so thankful. You make the world better. Thanks for being you!
Learn together:
Complement a kind action you saw in your child today. Talk about a Bible story where someone showed kindness. Share how your child’s kindness is a part of the story God is writing for your family.
Read More: (All verses from New Living Translation)
John 17:17
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
Psalm 119:160
The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.
Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
John 8:31-32
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Dear God, thank you for the way you have made our family. You have given us each other to love. Help us to treat one another with kindness. We trust you to guide our family as we learn more about you and your love for us. Amen.
Bless the children:
Name a character trait that you see demonstrated in your child. Complement them with a specific example of when you see that quality in action.
Learn together:
What are you learning as you pay attention to the different personalities God has created within your family?
Read More: (All verses from New Living Translation)
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Psalm 139:14
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
Ephesians 4:24
Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy
1 John 3:2
Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
Family prayer:
Dear God, We thank you for loving us and taking care of us. We praise you for the way you gave your son, Jesus, to show us how to love others. Help us show others our love for Jesus by being kind and making good choices. Amen
Bless the children:
Give each child individual attention by playing a game, taking a walk, going to get a treat, taking them lunch at school, or reading their favorite story. As you have this one-on-one time, tell them you love them, several times. And then tell them what makes you smile the biggest about them!
Learn together:
How do each of you express love and how do you receive love? Understand each other’s Love Language by checking out this helpful guide: https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/love-language
Read More: (All verses from New Living Translation)
Philippians 2:3
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
John 13:34
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
John 3:16
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 11-13
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.[c] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
Family prayer:
Dear God, thank you for the Bible and your true words. Help us to learn from the stories you have given us. And help us to follow Jesus as our family lives out our own story! We love you, Lord. Thank you for being a part of our family every day. Amen.
Bless the children:
Affirm your child daily by repeating a phrase that is just for them! Ex. You are an amazing person! You are God’s gift, and I am so thankful. You make the world better. Thanks for being you!
Learn together:
Complement a kind action you saw in your child today. Talk about a Bible story where someone showed kindness. Share how your child’s kindness is a part of the story God is writing for your family.
Read More: (All verses from New Living Translation)
John 17:17
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
Psalm 119:160
The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.
Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
John 8:31-32
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Family prayer:
Dear God, thank you for being our friend and for always being with us. Help us to know how to share your friendship with our own friends. Thank you for choosing to be our good friend. Amen.
Bless the children:
As you tell your child goodnight, affirm who they are and then claim God’s presence with them.
Ex. “You are my child, God’s gift to our family. May the Lord bless you and keep you. And may His face shine upon you.”
Learn together:
What friends are life-giving to your family? Who can you invite to dinner just because your family enjoys their company?
Read More: (All verses from New Living Translation)
John 15:13
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
2 Timothy 1:9
For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.
Genesis 28:15
What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”
Talk Box Advent Expanision
Advent season is a time of anticipation and preparation. Christmas is the time we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. As we celebrate, we also remember how God’s people waited, hoped, and prayed for the Messiah. We hope this Tradition to Remember will be a welcomed time in your family’s life, during the Advent season.
Remember: Jesus Brings us Hope
Remember to keep this as simple as possible. Gather your family for time to focus on Jesus and the gift He is to us. Then, light the first candle of your Advent Wreath (traditionally a purple candle) and use the following conversation guide.
Say it: Remember - Jesus brings us Hope
Read it: Isaiah 7:14
Tell it: The word Hope means to look forward to something that will happen soon. When we Hope, we are anticipating, expecting, or longing for something good. Long before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah began to talk about Jesus coming to earth. He knew God would send the Messiah. This message that Isaiah shared was full of Hope. One of the names given to Jesus was Immanuel. Immanuel means “God with us”. Jesus came to be with the people on earth. He brought Hope by showing them how to love and care for each other.
Repeat it: Jesus brings us Hope
Talk about it: What is something you are hoping for this Christmas? Name things that are good for your family. How can you share the Hope Jesus brings with those you will be with this Christmas?
Remember it: Jesus brings us Hope
Pray: Thank you, God, for your son, Jesus. He is your gift to us. He brought Hope to people long ago and brings Hope for us today. Help us to keep the hope of Jesus in our home this Christmas season. Amen.
Week 2 – Remember: Jesus Brings us Peace
Gather your family for time to focus on Jesus and the gift He is to us. Light the first candle as you repeat: Jesus brings us Hope. Then, light the second candle of your Advent Wreath (traditionally purple) and use the following conversation guide.
Say it: Remember - Jesus Brings us Peace
Read it: Isaiah 9:6
Tell it: Jesus has several names to describe him. One of those was Immanuel, that means, “God with us.” This verse lists other names. One of those is Prince of Peace. In the Hebrew language that Jesus spoke, they would say “shalom” as a greeting to each other. “Shalom” means “peace”. The type of Peace Jesus brings is a calming sense of completeness. The gift Jesus brings to us completes God’s plan for salvation. When we trust Jesus to forgive us of our sins, He brings us a sweet peace with eternal life with God.
Repeat it: Jesus Brings us Peace
Talk about it: Turn to each other and say, “Shalom!” This greeting expresses your desire for each person to have a calm, peaceful day. Families can have peace in their homes when they help each other. What can you do to work together so your family can have a peaceful day? Name some things that bring peace to your family life? What noises, distractions, or busyness keep you from having peace? Name some friends who you can help this week to bring them some peace.
Remember it: Jesus Brings us Peace
Pray: Thank you, God, for the wonderful gift of your son, Jesus, who came to be the Prince of Peace. We thank you that he forgives us from our sin and gives us life. Help us to trust Jesus to make our life complete. And help us to show the peace of Jesus to one another. Amen.
Week 3 – Remember: Jesus Brings us Love
Gather your family for time to focus on Jesus and the gift He is to us. Light the first candle as you repeat: Jesus brings us Hope. Light the second candle and repeat: Jesus brings us Peace. Then, light the third candle of your Advent Wreath (traditionally purple) and use the following conversation guide.
Say it: Remember - Jesus Brings us Love
Read it: John 3:16
Tell it: Jesus brings us love from God. This verse tells us that Jesus came because God loves us so much. God wants all of us to live forever with Him. The book of John tells us all about God’s love for us and His plan for us to believe that Jesus is His Son. God also tells us love one another from the love that He shares with us.
Repeat it: Jesus Brings us Love
Talk about it: Who are the people that you love the most? How do you know that people love you? Share a group hug and say “I love you” to each one. How do we know God loves us? Because God loves us, how can we show other people that we love them?
Remember it: Jesus Brings us Love
Pray: Thank you, God, for the gift of your son, Jesus, who came because you love us so much and want to spend forever with us. Help us to show your love to one another by being encouraging, kind, and helpful. Amen.
Week 4 – Remember: Jesus Brings us Joy
Gather your family for time to focus on Jesus and the gifts He brings. As you light the first three Advent candles, repeat: Jesus brings us Hope; Jesus brings us Peace; Jesus brings us Love. Then, light the fourth candle of your Advent Wreath (traditionally a pink candle) and use the following conversation guide.
Say it: Remember - Jesus Brings us Joy
Read it: Luke 2:10-11
Tell it: The fourth candle is Joy. Luke tells the story of Jesus’ birth and how the angles share this “good news of great joy” to the shepherds. Finally, the Messiah, God’s Son, who they had been waiting for, had come. This was joyful news! The Bible tells us that thousands of angels filled the sky, rejoicing and praising God because Jesus had been born. The Bible also tells how the shepherds went to find Baby Jesus and then ran to tell everyone this joyful news!
Repeat it: Jesus Brings us Joy
Talk about it: Joy means to be full of happiness or delight. What are some things that bring you Joy? Why did were the angels full of “great joy” when they shared Jesus’ birth with the shepherds? How can you experience more joy during this Christmas season?
Remember it: Jesus Brings us Joy
Pray: Thank you, God, for the gift of your son, Jesus who came to be our Savior. Help us to experience the joy Jesus brings. And then help us to share the joy of Jesus and his good news with one another. Amen.
Christmas Day - Remember: Jesus Brings us Light
Gather your family for this last time of Advent to focus on the birth and gift of Jesus. As you light the first three Advent candles, repeat: Jesus brings us Hope; Jesus brings us Peace; Jesus brings us Love. Light the fourth candle and repeat: Jesus brings us Joy. Then, finally, light the last candle of your Advent Wreath (traditionally a white candle in the middle, called the Christ Candle) and use the following conversation guide.
Say it: Remember - Jesus Brings us Light
Read it: Luke 2:12, 16-17; John 1:4-5
Tell it: Merry Christmas! Christmas Day is when we celebrate the arrival of Jesus. God’s gift to us is Jesus! The shepherds were filled with excitement. After going to Bethlehem and finding Baby Jesus, just like the angels had told them, they then told everyone about this great news! Jesus’ birth changes everything about living life. Because he brings us hope, peace, love, and joy, we can live a full life of purpose.
Repeat it: Jesus Brings us Light
Talk about it: What about Christmas makes you so excited you want to tell everyone you see? Why were the shepherds so excited to tell everyone about Jesus? Who can you share the good news of Jesus with this season?
Remember it: Jesus Brings us Light
Pray: Thank you, God, for the gift of your son, Jesus, who chose to come and be born as a baby. Help us as we find ways to share the good news of Jesus with others. May we share the gifts of hope, peace, love, joy, and light with our family and friends. Amen.
Talk Box Winter Challenge
It is a brand-new year and one of our focuses for 2023 is to strengthen our faith and learn what it is that we believe. We want to challenge you to set a goal for this new year to make Family Talk Time and prayer time a part of your rhythm.
In this Winter Challenge Expansion Pack you will find tips and conversation starters to have Family Talk Time with your children.
Goal: Come together after mealtime or before bedtime. This can start as just a few minutes of togetherness, one time a week, and grow as it becomes part of your rhythm.
(*Tip: Have a quiet activity for younger children as they listen. For example: magnetic tiles, colored pom poms with a spoon and bowl, a small container of legos)
Read It: John 1:1-3 (CEV) *Bold print for very young children
In the beginning was the one who is called the Word.
The Word was with Godand was truly God.
From the very beginning the Word was with God.
And with this Word, God created all things.
Nothing was made without the Word.
Talk About It: God has always been. God, His Son – Jesus, and The Holy Spirit existed before anything. Everything God created was out of love. God created YOU! Name some other things that God created.
Say It: God created all things.
As you are sending your child to bed, or tucking them in, speak a blessing over them and pray together.
Say: God created (child’s name). God created all things out of love. Thank you, God, for creating (your child’s name).
Read It: John 1:1-3 (CEV) *Bold print for very young children
In the beginning was the one who is called the Word.
The Word was with Godand was truly God.
From the very beginning the Word was with God.
And with this Word, God created all things.
Nothing was made without the Word.
Play: High/Low. Take turns around the table and share a favorite part of the day (High) and a not-so-favorite part (Low) of the day. Name something that God created that blessed you today.
Read It: John 1:1-3 (CEV) *Bold print for very young children
In the beginning was the one who is called the Word.
The Word was with Godand was truly God.
From the very beginning the Word was with God.
And with this Word, God created all things.
Nothing was made without the Word.
=Read it: John 1:1-3 (CEV) *Bold print for very young children
In the beginning was the one who is called the Word.
The Word was with God and was truly God.
From the very beginning the Word was with God.
And with this Word, God created all things.
Nothing was made without the Word
Play: Creation Guessing Game. Take turns thinking of something God created. Say, “I’m thinking of something God created.” Have your children take turns asking questions about what it could be. When they guess correctly, say together, “Thank you God for creating ________.”
Talk Box Easter Season
Jesus' resurrection Story cards
Telling the story of Jesus' life, death and resurrection can be overwhelming for young children. Breaking down this large story with very big concepts into small pieces can be done by using 5 scripture verses and phrases. The story cards help to make the story interactive. After telling the story several times, allow your child to tell the story back to you.
The full story of Jesus' resurrection can be found in Mark 11 - 16
"Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Mark 11:9
Hosanna is a word that is used to praise Jesus. The people of Jerusalem were so excited that Jesus came to their town. They shouted "Hosanna!" Bible Truth: We praise Jesus because He is God's Son.
"Jesus said to his followers, 'Sit here while I pray.' " Mark 14:32
Gethsemane is the name of the garden where Jesus went to have some quiet time and pray. Bible Truth: Jesus prayed to God often. We can also pray to God.
"They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha and placed him on a cross." Mark 15:22
God loves us so much. He has a plan for each one of us. We get to be a part His Big Story! Bible Truth: It was God's plan for Jesus to give up His life for us on the cross.
"They took down the body and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb." Mark 15:46
A tomb was kind of like a cave. There was no door so a really big rock was moved in front of the opening to keep it closed. Bible Truth: The day Jesus was put in the tomb was a very sad day.
"As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe. He said, 'Don't be afraid. You are looking for Jesus. He has risen! He is not here!" Mark 16:1, 4-6
Resurrection means that Jesus is alive again! When friends of Jesus went to visit the tomb, they saw the large stone had been moved. An angel told the friends Jesus was not here. He is risen - He is risen indeed! Bible Truth: We can be happy because Jesus is alive!