He and I share a cup of coffee every morning.

A habit we started in the beginning and somehow never let go. One by one each child has joined us and now it's simply part of our family morning routine. Like showering and brushing your teeth. It's just what you do in our home.

So at some point, it seemed a rather natural time to gather for family devotions. We're all there together and it's before life really gets going with all its many pushes and pulls.

Each day begins about the same. A little before seven, someone will start grinding the coffee beans and soon after everyone gathers in our living room. Here we’ll chat about things we’ve been thinking about, current events, or upcoming plans for the day. After a second cup of coffee is poured, we’ll open our Bibles and my husband leads us in reading Scripture and prayer.

I'd say this family time is probably the highlight of our day.

Yet, for some reason, the last few months have become increasingly "hit and miss" - with more "miss" than hit. And I'm sorry for it. We've fallen off the wagon and I’ve wanted to know how to get back on. Back to where we began.

Now here it is a New Year and a good time for new beginnings.

So what can this wife do to help get our family back on track?

5 Ways A Mom Can Encourage Family Devotions

Communicate to my husband how much I enjoy this time together. So rather than blame him or nag at him, I just want him to know how deeply I appreciate his efforts to lead us in this way. I want to tell him that I miss it and how much it means to me – to all of us, really.

Remind the children how valuable our gathering is to growing together. It's easy to take even the best gifts for granted and young people growing up in a Christian home can forget what a blessing it is to be able to grow in the Lord together. They need to be reminded of this gift from time to time.

Wake up earlier so that I'm ready to get the morning – and my family - going. Ouch. I've no one to blame for this lapse but myself. I've never been the Ultimate Morning Person, so I'm sorry to say that getting up before I absolutely "have to" is a real challenge. I am convicted on this point.

Give my husband my full attention when he's reading or teaching (rather than letting my mind drift off to all the things I plan do that day - oops?). I want to be an encouragement to him, as well as an example to the children on how seriously I take this time - not that we don't laugh and have a lot of fun, but to truly take it to heart.

Teach our children to do the same. Their young faces should be eager to hear what The Lord has for them each day. What a difference it makes when we seek Him out right from the start! And what a blessing it would be to learn that at an early age (I know, because I’m still working on it).

So in this New Year, I'm resolved to wake up well before I can even smell the coffee and to make sure our children are also up and gathered (increasingly difficult with teens and their later hours!).

In the meanwhile, I'd better find myself an alarm clock and figure out how to use it! (Would that count as a prayer request?)

There. That's what I've resolved to do this New Year.

And you? Any that you'd like to share too?

Lisa Jacobson, Club31Women.com

*Lisa is now offering a free ebook to new subscribers: Raising Heavenly-Minded, Down-to-Earth Kids