The Gospel Option H: Tales from the Truth: The Prisoners, The Earthquake, and the Midnight Song. By Bob Hartman

So I reviewed this book on June 1, 2020.  But I was able to read it aloud to children ages 2-6 in our series on the book of Acts a few weeks ago.  And I fell in love even more with this particular book because it hooks the kids with visuals, and repetition into the clear gospel message or the Good News from the book of Acts.  So I used the copy of the book images from thegoodbook website that can be purchased, they are still free today!

As we've studied Acts, once we taught the ascension of Jesus to prepare His Kingdom, Pentecost, and the birth of the Church, Peter and the Lame man walking, Peter and Cornelius dream, focused on the Holy Spirit's arrival for a season, then introduced Saul-Paul, and the Good News shared in jail, with this book.  

This book not only teaches the story from the book of Acts 16.  If you click on that link, you can hear the author Bob Hartman read it, and oh my, he does it so well, better than me?  well he does skip parts, but he's so good, you want to hear the whole book!  It ends with "you can tell people about Jesus too!"  and I had not emphasized this aspect of the book when I reviewed it a year ago.  But I tell you, as one who has spent the past five months teaching ages 2-6 children about the book of Acts (with a month off talking about Easter).  This book was the perfect transition to the real message for all of us, that comes throughout the book of Acts, sharing the Good News- the Gospel!  

It brings images to the gospel story, and a beautiful rhyming, easy to memorize phrase that makes the message of Good News, easy to repeat. On this first image below- I added a crown image because when I teach the littles, we talk about King Jesus or Jesus Our King, all the time- and we put our hands on our head with our fingers up to make a crown, and have an action to go with it.  Kids are active learners.  We also put our hands together and make wings that fly for the Holy Spirit (dove) symbol.    

This image reappears throughout the book- mostly with the phrase above, but toward the end, it also has the verse from Acts 16:31

So you can get the full idea.... here are some clips I pulled out of the book images, that thegoodbook company sells for those in ministry.  

Did that help you catch a pattern?  Do you think after seeing this throughout the book, and the teacher commenting on the images, little children would have a good ability to explain that the good news is: Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rose again so that we can have eternal life, and sent us the Holy Spirit to be our Helper?  I'm telling you.  With this as my jumping off point, and then several of the other gospel books that I have shared on the blog, my 2-6 year old kids who have attended little church or children's church.  Know the Gospel well.   I share what I built from this set of images to repeat and play games with in my next post!

So thankful to partner with the goodbook company and review their books, I had been buying them regularly and still do!  Happy 30th anniversary Good Book Company, your books are some of my very favorite ways to teach the truth to littles!  

Waterbrook Partner Review: No Journey Too Far by Carrie Turnasky

Sequel to No Ocean Too Wide by Carrie Turnasky 

I loved the first book and learning all about English home children who were moved to Canada and adopted or indentured to families willing to take them in. I remember thinking I can't wait for the next book. I enjoyed this book greatly. It starts 10 years later which wasn't quite what I had expected, but the story continued, I learned more about the home children, and it was satisfying to really learn about the struggles and strains of four specific children as they were recalled and shared from their young adult perspective. We learn more of all the McAllister's but the focus of the book is on Garth and Grace McAllister, and Emma and Rob other home children who came alongside Garth in his indentured servant life.

I like that the author was intentional and focused on Psalm 9:9-10 and integrated this concept throughout the book. Love is the crucial theme that overcomes so much and affects our very being and existence. Lack of love and acceptance can impact a person's life greatly, but the love of God can impact it beyond even person to person or family love. I appreciate this theme's development across the book, and the central focus on faith, spiritual development, and learning to appreciate God.

Thankful to partner with Waterbrook Publishing and read an advanced copy of this sequel. It is a pleasurable read.

Partner Review: thegoodbookcompany- Big Questions Series by Chris Morphew

Hear the Author share

Chris Morphew is a new author to me, but he is obviously an elementary educator, and I learned he lives in Australia.  These books are written by a man who knows kids well and should have a great appeal.  

What I like about the books:

• Using many engagement and teaching techniques, the author explains the answer to a common question.  Strategies like: story-telling, metaphors, questions, thinking aloud, and biblical connections and explanations. 
• I found the books easy to read, informative, great thinking aloud about potential questions, misconceptions, and wonders.  
• And there are illustrations of each chapter's title throughout the book.  Done in fun, engaging ways.  
• Each book is only around 80 pages of reading, which is well spaced, with breaks in sections, and makes an easy-to-follow read.  

What I wonder about the books?

• These are non-fiction biblical-centered books, so there is a certain reader that will love this style, but I doubt these books will appeal to every child that they are geared toward.  My 11-year-old girl looked at them and did not pick one up to read.  
• Are these more appealing to adults than their intended audience?  
• Will well-intending adults insist that kids read these? and forgot that there are multiple ways to discover the answer to these questions? 
• Could the style, the chapter divisions, and perspectives, be built into a more graphic novel, with a wider appeal?  how about a Bible study and more book-driven investigation?  

Thankful to partner with thegoodbook company and review this new tool for tween kids.  

Goodbooks Partner Review: FIve Things to Pray for Your Parents by Chelsea Stanley

This book is humbling to read. As a parent myself praying for my parents and my husband's parents as we are blessed to have four living parents in their late 70s and 80s. Blessed to have seen grandmothers of mine live long lives. This book is 21 sets of scripture to pray through with topics. You can choose a circumstance or situation. Or go in order. Simple and profound encouragement to my prayer life.

Thinking about how much each day, each hour, each minute we choose to follow the Lord Our God and this side of eternity we have not arrived fully and sin can easy entangle us. And we need to maintain a mindset focused on Jesus Christ. Achieved through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reading this book inspires me to investigate the other books by different authors for different areas of prayer. The Word is powerful. Having concepts clearly presented and thinking aloud from the author is so helpful.

Thankful to partner with the good book company and read an early copy.

Waterbrook Partner: I Love Jesus But I Want to Die by Sarah Robinson

 I have walked with many who struggle with severe depression, I have parented a suicidal child, I know that mental health struggles and exist even in people who have a deep and strong faith.  So when I saw this book available as a launch team option, I knew I wanted to read a believer's perspective on a very real struggle. 

  

I am encouraged by this book that the author reveals her real experiences, sharing the extreme examples of her self-harm, and suicidal tendencies in a different style and font, so that if you might be triggered you can skip that section and the details that don't need to be glorified of how extreme her behaviors and actions were when her brain was unbalanced and she was deeply depressed.  

I've read lots of research on trauma, on how our brains work, and how how to help heal those who have endured trauma, and have found that the proven strategies that are found to work, are founded in unconditional love, support, relationship, and connection.  But depression and anxiety can't all be managed with other people supporting and loving you, sometimes there is a need for medication and other strategies to help the brain function and the author reminds us of that, as well as how shame impacts our own self-talk and beliefs about who we are.  She references well-known research in the field.  

In this book, Sarah Robinson shares her experiences with those who lacked knowledge and awareness of mental illness, and their platitudes that hurt, but the love and acceptance that was real, and overarching.  She shares scripture throughout her story and truths to help recognize how God feels about the human beings He created.  

I appreciated her input on neuroplasticity, that as we "rewire our perceptions of God to better line up with the truth of who He is."  It makes so much sense and fits with all I have learned about how we can re-wire a brain through real relationship, which is exactly what I have experienced as I've grown to know God personally.  

I have found this book an excellent resource to inform my practice and draw closer to God, and a healthy mindset focusing on the fact that He created me and calls me "Beloved."  I have found this book to be something I can recommend to others struggling with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.  I think this book would be excellent for leaders in the local church to read and learn how to be most effective when someone struggling with issues like these, seeks out their love, support, and help.  

Thankful to partner with Waterbrook Publishing and read an advance copy. 

Bethany House Partner Review: Don't Miss Out: Daring to believe life is better with the Holy Spirit by Jeannie Cunnion

 

Releasing May 11, 2021 

I enjoyed this book a lot.  I know about the Holy Spirit, but reviewing who the Holy Spirit is, and how he works in my life, and how I can trust him was just what I needed.  I appreciate how the author wove scripture, life, and other teachings on the Holy Spirit throughout the whole book.  

I also appreciated the way each chapter ended with a 'last but not least' section that had a question or two to reflect on, and a response.  Simple yet pulled together my thoughts and left me challenged with each chapter I read.  

The book has 30 succinct and easy-to-read chapters, that left me wanting to read on.  I found the book theologically accurate, helped me pursue a mindset the reflects who the Holy Spirit is in all his facets, and how much I miss when I don't allow him to work in my heart, mind, and soul.  I highlighted many concepts. 

I appreciated the author's self-reflection, honesty, and even sense of humor in her transparent sharing of her experience and growth. Thankful to partner with NetGalley and Bethany House publishers and read an advanced copy.  

Bethany House Partner Review: Bible Promises and Prayers for Children

 This book is a cute little hardback book on praying for and with your children. There are 31 days to pray through. Each day begins with a thought for the parents to read, followed by scripture verses, then a sample prayer to insert your child's name into, and then a page to share with your child that contains: ask, pray, declare, do. This aspect connects to what the parents have read.

Some observations:

1) I must admit that I didn't realize this was a 'chosen' book from Baker publishing, meaning it is their charismatic division. And I suspect because of this theological foundation, I may be missing some of the implied concepts- especially around some of their buzzwords like a declaration.

2) the book to be used with your children seems to only be applicable to children who are already believers and walking with the Lord, the premise behind the shared page, thoughts, and prayers seem to be for those who are walking in faith, which may not be the experience of all the readers who use this tool.

3) I like that each day has scripture verses to connect to the concept discussed, but I am not sure that all of the verses are accurate to the concepts when taken in the context of the passages.

4) The child's page has a declare statement- and while this is something I have taught and has been a central doctrine in my faith, as it seems to be in the author's lives, I like it. I find it very valuable for children, especially those from a hard place/trauma, when we had a child like this in our family for five years, I really developed this type of statement for him to change the lies in his head to truth statements, and it was key for him to repeat, recite, repeat them to help him change his mindset and behavior. I think that whether your faith is charismatic or not, this perspective is valuable in the world and culture we live in, that tries to subtly spread lies and twist our thinking toward sin instead of God's truth.

Thankful to partner with Bethany House Publishers- a division of Baker books and review a copy of this book. I haven't finished it all but wanted to start to share my thoughts as I continue to read through the 31 days.