This is the Gospel: A kids read Truth Story & Scripture Book (From She Reads Truth) Option G

I'm still in a quest to teach littles and elementary kids the gospel with clarity, scripture, simplicity, and the needed concepts present, as we continue through the book of Acts at my local church.  Today I stumbled on a book that I love, and I'm reviewing it, even though I don't have it in my hands yet!  Thanks to Vimeo I can see and hear the entire book online, and review it while my order ships!  This reader is engaging and animating as well, I'm considering showing the video in children's church this week before I have the book!  

Teaching tip: when I find videos of books read aloud by the author or others, I like knowing how long they are so I can estimate how long reading the book aloud will take.  This is a 6 minute book without any comments.  

But this is definitely a top contender in the teach children the good news clearly search.  

What I like about the book:

• this is a hardback book, a nice size, and in the two videos I saw, you can hear the quality of the thick pages as they turn, and now it will endure little hands independent use.  
• Trish Mahoney is an illustrator, she illustrates many of the books I have reviewed, and her illustrations are simple, clear, warm, and engaging.  The text is clear and uncluttered as well. (the older I get my vision changes and this is crucial for reading aloud with ease.)  
• The illustrations express emotions appropriately and clearly- I love this as how we feel is often a concept children need help processing. 
• A scripture verse and reference at the footer of EVERY page! Appropriate, sound, well-chosen verses.  Helpful- speaking the truth with the authority of God's Word.  Love it!  
• Concepts (Doctrine) that are essential are mentioned, defined appropriately, and brought to a child's level throughout the book.    One big concept that comes through is God loves us, God is good, holy, good creation, 
• But the vocabulary is not dumbed down- it is for 4/5 year olds because it uses the bible terms like gospel, serpent, sin, separation, punishment, savior, believed, death, defeated, saved, good news, etc.  Because it shares simple explanations with clarity, the vocabulary should be implied, rephrased enough, it will be learned by most children. 
• The gospel is fully explained from the creation of man, the fall, to Jesus' life, death, resurrection, ascension, and the Holy Spirit being with us, that we need to share the Good News, and King Jesus coming back!  (making this a winner in the connect to the book of Acts series and themes!)  
• For me it hits all the concepts I've been building in our preschool lessons:
• God created the world, people.  
• God loves us SO much.  
• People sinned, separating us from God. 
• God loves us SO much- He had a plan- that plan is Jesus. 
• Jesus is God and man.  Jesus lived, died, and rose again so that we may have eternal life, be with God forever, made right.  
• We want to be King of me!  and be in control.  But that doesn't work so well. 
• Jesus is Our King.  Jesus is working on His Kingdom, preparing it for those who believe in Him.  
• Jesus loves you and me!  and I love Jesus! 
• I need to turn to Jesus (and to please Him I should stop sinning). 
• The Holy Spirit is God- and He is my Helper- to help me live with Jesus as King of me.  
• This is the Good News!  
• God's Word tells me that after I believe- I should share the Good News!  
• This book includes tips for parents and how to lead their child to Christ (haven't seen this part yet.)
• But for all these reasons- the simplicity, the friendliness for children, the direct teaching, but in a child-friendly manner- this is a must-have book for me to continue what littles need- repetition of the Word of God to know, think, and apply to their own hearts, souls, and minds, and to be better equipped to share with others.  I suspect this book will help many a grownup feel more confident in sharing their faith as well!  

What I wonder about the book:

• How will three year olds do with this book?  I suspect my class who have been growing in their listening skills all spring, will listen well.  
• How did I not find this until now? It looks like it was first published in 2018 and reprinted last year.  I'm following SheReadsTruth now, and won't miss their other products.  

If you want to purchase this book, there are limited options since it's published by SheReadsTruth.  You can purchase it through their shop and if you use my referral code link you can get $5 off your order. If your order is over $50 shipping is free.  I earn points for every use of my referral code but have no idea how it works yet.  The other options I found were amazon and christianbook.  But I found a 30% off code for shereadstruth making it the best price I could find.  And then I ordered the This is Christmas partner book as well which wasn't sold anywhere but shereadstruth.  

Easter Blocks: Beta Tester The One and Only King (Family Devotions for Holy Week)

 

What I loved about the blocks:

• Simplicity- a small book, simple reading, simple visual, easy to use. 
• Rhyming refrain and thinking question at the end of each day- Was Jesus a lamb or was He a King? And what kind of kingdom would this man bring?  I want to see the refrain put in the present tense- Is Jesus a servant or is He a King? And what kind of kingdom will this man bring?  because Jesus is alive preparing our kingdom in heaven!  (at the end it is changed to was and is-- and I guess since you are telling events from history past tense fits sort of?) 
• Teaching the about who Jesus is with the events of each day:
• Servant or King?
• Priest or King?
• Prophet or King?
• Outcast or King?
• Lamb or King?
• Dying or King?
• Son of God or King? 
• and what kind of kingdom would this man bring?  
• He was and is all of these things!
• Blocks with images to rotate each day, to enhance the daily event from holy week shared, and help us think about it more, as well as the blocks for littles to play with. 
• Flexibility in displaying this set.  Can keep the candle in the middle, can add flowers, stones, whatever the family wants. 
• Beautiful decorative visual- my daughter especially wanted to know as a little why we didn't have Easter decorations like we had Christmas decorations- and ended up with some 'egg' trees, decorative crocheted eggs, and symbols of life and spring- but Ressurection eggs are a little challenging to safely display- and now that she's 11 I've grown my resources and props for teaching and have a much better display- but this is a great holiday decor to really emphasize the meaning of Easter.  
• Short, simple readings for each of the 8 days of the last week of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.  

Children need engagement, connections, and a lot of different learning styles and opportunities to retain information with repetition, thinking, exploring, active play, movement, etc to learn at their very best.  So if your littles are getting restless, and action happens in the reading- pause and have them move- they can clap and jump for joy as Jesus arrives, they can mime/pretend to turn over tables and anger, they can pretend to pour perfume, lay down at a low table reclined to eat, paint blood on the door, walk along the road as Jesus tells the story, run in place, put a pretend crown on their head every time they hear the word, King.  Simple things to bring it together- or pause and sing a fun child song like Jesus loves me! as it applies to all the events of the week.  I teach my Sunday School littles the song that is pictured in my image above that I found at this website: it's to the tune of bingo- and we shout and raise our fists up and down as we say "Yes".   We love the name of Jesus!  

For older kids especially, questions are one of the best thinking tools to engage them in the important events that are the gospel!  I love 1 Corinthian 15 to help explain the full picture of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.  And that belief is the simple answer to this great gift.  

Potential ideas to engage your kids, plus changes/additions:

• Scripture passages, verses for each reading referenced and perhaps quoted aspects. 
• Gospel Plan included at the end and a how to help your children process God's plan of salvation. 
• Strategies to help children listen- 
• holding a block and looking at the day's image, OR
• Servant: Palm Sunday:
•  St. Patrick day clover clappers are great to play palm branches to celebrate Jesus arrival
• cutting on green paper to make a palm leaf, 
• holding a toy donkey,
• throwing their jackets on the floor to prepare the way. 
• Priest: Temple Cleaning
• gold, an animal that could be a sacrifice or coins, 
• Outcast: Leper and Women with Perfume
• Bandaid to represent healing
• fancy perfume bottle, or a fancy bottle
• essential oil bottle (fragrance to smell)
• Prophet: Tree
• toy tree (lego or fisher price), 
• a fig or toy fruit
• withered plant
• Lamb-Passover-Last Supper
• a stuffed or toy lamb, 
• bread/cup,
• a play door think lego (or a playhouse with a door)
• Dying Man
•  a Jesus figure, a  thorny twig, a crown, 
• The God who tasted death
• Guard figure 
• glasses that have duct tape over them so it's dark or a sleep mask
• heavy fabric swatch, gauze or linen swatch,  or paper to tear in half
• act out the earthquake by shaking their bodies to the ground
• or a stone any element that connects to the events.  
• The King who lives forever
• Crown
• Women figures who find Jesus
• Run in place like the women ran to tell the disciples
• put a red dot on the inside of your palm to represent the marks from Jesus on the cross
• Finger Puppets or Toys to act out the events as you read:
• He Lives Finger Puppets best price oriental trading
• Christianbook or Mardel sell this playset which has enough people to be Jesus and the 12 Disciples (and save the boat for other events.) 
• Hallmark sells wooden He lives and Jesus and His Friends sets, as well as a stuffed toy Jesus.  
• You can also find sets to print on your own.  
• Coloring Pages or Worksheets- even a version of that day's block image to color and display near the tray, or on the wall, like a review page.  
• Simple craft or experiences ideas for each day:
• Entering Jerusalem:
• cut palm leaves, let littles cut with safety scissors, or glue gree tissue onto a piece of cardboard/cardstock. 
• Temple Cleansing:
• count coins, draw coins, trace coins, coin rubbings, and talk about size and value.  
• emotions- draw how faces look when celebrated as King, then when angry in the temple
• Outcast:
• add oil/perfume to the shape of a pitcher type outline, add smiley stickers to show how she did the 'right' thing by honoring Jesus
• Prophet (go to biblefunforkids for a definition of what a prophet is)
• draw healthy and withered trees or fruit 
• leave a piece of fruit out to 'wither' 
• Lamb/Passover/Last Supper
• cotton balls can be held as pretend lambs, can be glued to a hand-drawn cloud with black legs to be a lamb
• Passover- cut brown paper leaving an edge and across in an upside-down L making a spot to fold and be a door, then make a red strip for the top side (or white and color it) the size of the top to glue on the frame.  
• glue crumbs to cardboard, and drop purple juice onto the cardboard and discuss the symbols that Jesus taught to remember Him.  
• Dying Man
• Paper plates with the ruffle edge make easy crowns- make one that you add pieces of twig, paper, or toothpicks to as a crown of thorns, and another that you leave shapes from the middle part and color gold yellow as a crown.
• google printable crowns or DIY crown of thorns for many options at many age levels- paper folding, print, and cut, etc crowns for children of all ages. 
• easy tomb-disposable or real cup, with a circle or gray paper ball or real stone as the cover, use gauze to be the covers for the 'Jesus figure' your child makes
• King who lives forever
• Open the tomb and leave the linen behind, add an angel
• make gold pictures like heaven
• hearts- for the amount of love Jesus and God have for us- talk about it, make big, bigger, the biggest heart (sidewalk chalk pictures?) 
• add notes for parents about how to share the gospel, how to answer the question- why did Jesus die?  with scripture references
• add a clear gospel message with images for any non-believers who purchase this but don't have a personal relationship with God.
• Hook the listeners by giving the devotions a narrator's perspective and have this person tell about the events- could be one narrator all 8 days- or a person from the event each day.  But more united and connected for children to ask- what will ____ teach us today about Jesus? 
• Suggest tools like resurrection eggs to go alongside this- even making your own.  
• Add a banner, with images to turn over each day for easy review. 
• Song ideas for kids- Ho, ho, ho hosanna, Stop and Let me tell you (from CEF), traditional hymns, modern-day worship ideas- to add an experience. Youtube list?  

I cannot wait to see how this tool and resource grows for next year, and have a chance to use it in our home or in my kids' ministry.  

They have adventblocks for Christmas as well! at the bottom of this page, you can find a place to subscribe and pre-order Easter blocks as well!  

Netgalley Partner Review: Where Prayer Becomes Real by Kyle Strobel and John Coe

If you want to whisper the Word, you have to internalize it.  You need a relationship, a real connection with the Author.  That only comes through two-way communication, and God communicates with us, it is on each of us to respond and interact with God.  

Prayer is a challenge for many believers, myself included.  But this book caught my eye, when I read Ann Voskamp's words on her blog, "If you have ever longed for the practice of your faith to include an authentic, intimate prayer life or if you have longed for your life to become prayer, I highly recommend their words. . ." and "Kyle and John’s new book Where Prayer Becomes Real show you how to fearlessly draw near to a holy God, pray without ceasing (and without posturing), and delight in the experience of being fully known and fully loved. Each chapter ends with prayer projects or practices to help you see a difference in your prayer life, starting now."  

I completely agree- this book is a marvelous tool to support your prayer life.  It is challenging but so necessary.  

Thankful to partner with netgalley and read a digital copy.  

Easter Book Review: Are We Nearly There Yet? by Alison Brewis and Illustrated by Jenny Brake

 Have you heard of 10ofthose.com?  

Here is a link to their mission page.  They sell Christian resources, in the US they offer to ship for $1, and if you want it faster you can add UPS shipping options.  I've mainly paid attention to their children's resources as those fit my mission, but I have read and value many of the authors whose books they offer, and agree they choose quality books.  

My Mom trusted the Lord after her Mom read to her a book entitled Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John.  She and my Grandmother introduced me to many books by this author that I enjoyed in my childhood/teens.  And 10ofthose actually have published some of those books and more through their company.  

They have also introduced me to new resources.  This week I discovered a new book about Easter and actually ordered a case of 50 copies- since it made this children's book only $2 a book, inexpensive enough to give every family at the chapel with littles a copy, as well as a few grandparents, and some left to offer to those who have community members that they are connecting with and developing relationships with.  

So I thought I'd review the appeal of this book-- the first appeal is that I could view the entire book online before purchase.  

What I like:

• Feel of the book: solid cover, glossy pages, the book cover is just smaller than my hand, a perfect size for kids to enjoy.  
• Illustrations are engaging, detailed, enhance the event described, the people are realistic yet appealing.  
• The story begins and ends with a family trip to Grandma's house to celebrate Easter.  But in the car, the real Easter story is shared.  
• The events of Jesus' life are shared with simple, yet connecting details, in rhyme, with fun, yet honest aspects brought out.  I love the theme of "are we nearly there yet?"  and the discussion of Jesus being recognized as King.  
• The gospel is simply shared that Jesus dying to forgive us.  
• Notes for parents at the end, as well as the places in the Bible where you can read the full events of history.  

What I wonder:

• if this book is given to an unbeliever how will it be accepted? understood? do you need a level of biblical education to fully grasp it?  
• How to use this book with older kids-- without a lot of thought I think it would be fun to add other key aspects of Jesus' travels- and even go into Acts with the question- are we there yet? is Jesus reigning King at this point?  Is He my reigning King?  
• Discussions about why the disciples thought the trip in Jerusalem went the way that it did- why were they surprised at the events?  How could people celebrate Jesus on Sunday and kill Him on Friday?  A discussion of how going along with the crowd can lead to big mistakes- and not a lot of thinking.  
• Should I only give this to families who have children 7 and younger?  

Good Book Company Partner Review: Do Great Things For God: Betsey Stockton by Laura Caputo-Wickham

 

What I like about the book:

• This biography is of a person whose desire was to become a missionary.  
• Her life story interwoven with trusting God, reading His Word, teaching children that Jesus is King so teaching the readers about the Good News and who God is.  
• The illustrations are well done and warm-appropriate images.  
• Scripture references are listed with the verses mentioned- and the fact that the Word of God is included.  
• I liked learning about Betsey Stockton, her story is new to me!
• I liked the connection that I got after reading Corrie ten Boom, now Betsey Stockton, and knowing that this is a series of stories of women for young children seeing how women have served God and done wonderful things.  

What I wonder about the book: 

• Will 4-8-year-olds know what it means to be enslaved?  Will they understand the concept of being free?  
• Does the book need to start by telling the readers that we are going back in time? or in history? to learn about someone who lived hundreds of years ago? It becomes evident in the five-month trip by boat to Hawaii.  

Thankful to partner with the GoodBook company and read an advanced pdf of the book.  

Good Books Partner Review: Do Great Things For God: Corrie Ten Boom

 

What I like about the book:

• The goal of the series- introducing spiritual heroes to younger children. Introducing biographies.  For educators, this means non-fiction text that is connected to our Christian worldview.  
• The illustrations are beautiful, well done, warm, and effectively communicate to the target age group of 4-8-year-olds.  
• Conversations can be had with the content learned about Corrie Ten-Boom's life.  
• Well-chosen content of her life shared appropriately.  
• Time-line of her life at the end of the book.  
• Verses mentioned are referenced on the page.  

What I wonder about the book:

• She lived in a "higgledy-piggledy house" I'm not sure why this descriptor is here- I looked it up and it means confused or disorder.  

Thankful to partner with GoodBooks and review a pdf of this book.  

Sample Pages:

Bethany House Partner Review: Love Centered Parenting by Crystal Paine

 

This is a parenting book that focuses on the parent's behavior rather than how to handle your child's behavior. And for that reason, it truly is a gold mine. The author's perspective is that she needs Jesus and a solid, growing relationship with Him, with her identity set on who she is in Him, in order to parent well.

So why did I give it four stars? I'm not sure the best audience for this book on parenting. I wasn't the best audience which is what clouds my judgment I suspect because my youngest is 11 and my oldest is 19. I wasn't the best audience because I relearned how to parent over a decade ago.

My real wonder about fit is that Crystal's starting point of change rests in her own view of herself, her insecurity, and her recognition that she was believing lies about herself and that was making her parenting motivation about her, not about her children's growth. Not all will relate to her anxiety, fear, and insecurity, so that's what gives me pause in the book recommendation. My fear would be that people who don't connect with her weakness and discoveries might miss the conclusions that it brought her to, and that ALL believers should keep in mind as they parent a newborn or an adult child.

That being said, I've tried to read new parenting books that are different, highly recommended, and faith-based once or twice a year, because parenting is one aspect of life where failure is consistent, yet I learn and grow, but I always have more to learn, and I always need more perspective, focus, and reminders of how to think about the heart, and approach others in love, and not react out of my own emotions. I enjoyed the book a lot. I read it in days which isn't something that I often have done in this past year. I learned. I grew. I am reminded, humbled, and it was a good book for me.

So as I'm not fully sure the best people to read this book, I can share things to note before choosing this book:

*This book is an encouragement to parent out of your love for the Lord Jesus, His love for you that really fuels your life, and your trust in the Holy Spirit.

*half of the book shared Crystal's stories and self-discovery when she hit rock bottom in her parenting journey and realized she had been parenting out of fear, not faith, that she's been worried about how her children made her look, not how their behavior showed their hearts.

So it's her process and discovery that to parent out of love- you need to have an identity in Christ. A secure developed, humble, daily even second by second faith and interaction with the Holy Spirit. (this is the part of the book that many will clearly appreciate and benefit from.)

*the second half of the book is strategies to keep in mind for leading with love and leaning in to love first. These are vital, important truths. Our love comes from God. From the heavenly Father, and He helps us give our children what they need to launch into life. This vital message is clear, talks through failures and successes that Crystal Paine has processed in her parenting experience, and gives a great perspective for parents to process, remember, and tattoo into their mindset.

I've said since I became a mom to one child-- parenting is the most sanctifying experience of my life and faith- and as the parent of a 19, 15, 11-year-olds, as well as four-plus years pouring into another child from ages 5-10, it still is!!

I suspect that my discovery of being sure I parented this way started a few years before Crystal's when I re-learned how to parent a child from a hard place who spent over 4 years in our home as our child. Only Love Today by Rachel Macy Stafford reminds me of some of the thoughts shared in the book. Connected parenting by Karyn Purvis was the first clear model. Connect first then redirect was a mantra I learned. Time-In, not time-out. Find the why behind the behavior. Perspectives I've been following almost a decade.

I sought out this book to review after a conversation with a group of friends about the subtitle of the book. We all liked Love Centered Parenting. But the subtitle of "a no-fail guide to launching your kids" was a stumbling block for many. Nothing in life is no-fail. But having followed Crystal's blog for well over 10 years, maybe 15? I didn't think she would allow this to be a subtitle that didn't fit the book.

I even asked her on Instagram what she meant by it. Here's what she said: "well, I’d need a whole book to clearly explain that! 😉 But, the premise of the book is that walking with your kids and loving them well — as I outline in the book — isn’t ultimately about their choices and decisions or how they turn out, but about pouring into them with the love we have been given by God. It’s about leaning in and loving, listening well, leading with humility, and letting go. ❤️"

Well having read the book, I get it better. I'm not sure I would have chosen those words but I will say that the book is more about how the parent acts in order to launch kids into adult life. And since ultimately in parenting, I can only control myself in a healthy way, and I need to parent with the intention that I am parenting people who will be adults out in the world without me, and I would really love it if they were also people that I truly enjoy, want to spend time with, and who love and want to stay involved in my life, beyond the years they live in my home.

One of my favorite discoveries the author mentions is: as parents, we are NOT parenting for first-time obedience as our main parenting goal. I've felt this way for a long time, but haven't been able to articulate my reasoning as she does. I like parenting as a relationship, not for rules.

I love how she ends the chapters with key thoughts/points. I love the authors she has chosen to quote and her quotes are some of my favorite perspectives. I love her heart and fully agree with her strategies and perspective.  I love the wealth of bible verses and intentional scripture included in the book, in the appendix, etc.  Appropriate and key life concepts.  

So I suppose for me maybe this book is a five-star book. I'll think about this.

Thankful to Netgalley, Baker books, and Bethany House Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book and review it. Go pre-order it-- I can suggest that you buy it or have your library order it! Releases March 16, 2021