Between Christmas and New Years Eve our home rarely sat quiet. Around noon the day after Christmas, my kids’ friends trickled into our house one-by-one with their newest video game or movie under their arms until our house looked like NASA and Best Buys combined.

While the boys set up Command Central on the dining room table and fought virtual enemies, shoulder-to-shoulder, through various computer controls, the girls clumped together, dreamy-eyed, watching their newest chick flicks on the living room floor.

My husband directed Command Central and kept the boys at bay, while I gladly placed the pizza orders and collected delivery money, stocked the ‘frig with soft drinks, and strategically placed platters of leftover Christmas cookies within their reach.

As the hours wore on and the all-nighter gang gained parental permission to stay and clear pick up times were agreed upon, we’d slip upstairs with our own new movies and keep our ears to the ground through the night.

It wasn’t always pleasant or easy hosting these all-nighters, whether planned or impromptu, but they were worth it. As Christian parents, these times allowed us many benefits: 

• Knowing where our kids were and who they spent time with—gaining insight into their social circles, their position in them, how they influenced others and how others influenced them.
• Appropriate atmosphere—we asked for appropriate behavior, language, and approved the types of games or movies allowed in the house.
• Ministry opportunities—for both our kids and us as parents. Many times our daughter’s late-night-discussions led to spiritual matters and she was able to lead a friend to Jesus or our son was able to bring a friend to church. My husband and I were able to show unconditional love to these kids and their parents, taking in some of them for extended periods of time during a family crisis.
• Bridging the gap—for single-parented kids. My husband was able to be the positive father figure for some of these fatherless kids and together, we showed them a constructive, loving, happy and enduring marriage was possible through Christ.  

We didn’t intentionally set out to minister to our kids’ friends, but we did intentionally create a welcoming atmosphere that allowed our kids and their friends to feel at home under our roof. Keeping God at the center of our marriage and family we can pull others toward a relationship with God simply by allowing them to see Him at work in our everyday lives and relationships. 

So, when’s your next all-nighter gonna be?