Book Review - God Helps Me Bible

The God Helps Me Bible is a very cute book of Bible stories for preschoolers and early readers.  The stories are easy-to-understand, and short enough for small attention spans.  The pictures are vibrant and engaging.  The stories have great application points, as each story ends by saying how God helped someone, and gives the reader a natural (though unstated) invitation to pray for God’s help and praise God for the help he has already provided. 

The 100 page hard cover book has spiral binding which makes it easy to hold the pages wide open for easy viewing.  The stories range from Genesis to Acts, though it does not cover Christ’s crucifixion or resurrection. 

This would be a great tool for teachers and parents!  Hats off to Juliet David and Clare Caddy for putting together such a great book.

31 Days of Prayers for our Children

I love this resource that I found on pinterest.  It's a collection of 31 simple prayers and Bible verses for families.  You can keep it on your computer, or they've formatted it into a little book that you can print to keep in your family's common areas. 

Strong Marriages

Prov. 31:12 "She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life."

As we have spoken so much about marriage at 24 Church lately, I have put much thought into my role as a wife and what I could do to make sure that I am honoring God as much as I can in that area of my life. I feel as if I go through seasons of focusing on my role as a wife, coasting for a while, then realizing I have slipped in areas that I didn't mean to, and trying to fix things again. What a pitiful scenario! My hope and prayer over the past few weeks has been that I will keep my marriage a priority. And Prov 31:12 came to mind.

All of a sudden I began to wonder how I might be harming Chris. The easy answer was "I'm not." But God was not satisfied with that answer. "What about a lack of respect," He asked. Again, I thought I was covered. But God began to reveal areas in my thought life that were more harmful that I realized they could be.

I have always known that respecting my husband is one of the most important things that I can do for him. And I thought that because I wasn't outright saying disrespectful things, that I was doing a great job. But God began to reveal to me that the seemingly small, harmless, disrespectful thoughts that we have about or towards our husbands are going to grow a root of bitterness toward him that may tear us apart in the future. "How can he go have fun with his friends while I'm at home with the kids?" "Why does he get to rest today? I never get a break or a nap." "I only ask him to do a few things around the house, and he can't even do those simple things." You get the picture. These are just a few generic examples of disrespectful thoughts that we could easily have on any given day without realizing the harm we could be causing our marriage.

Rom 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

We must capture these thoughts and renew our minds! Practice makes perfect. When these types of thoughts arise, we must recognize the pattern, and make the choice to change it. Practicing the right types of thoughts will have our hearts working towards more respect...and our mouth will follow. "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Matt 12:34b

This passage from "Real Marriage" (Mark Driscoll) really stuck out to me:  "If you married him, you must have seen something you appreciated and admired about him. We can develop new habits of biblical thinking by being thankful for our husbands' gifts and strengths, rather than being bitter about their weaknesses and shortcomings" p. 68

Take the time to observe your husband closely and journal or make a list of things you appreciate about him: working hard, staying faithful to you, spending time with your kids, being a friend, certain tasks he does, etc. Make the positive observations about your huband over the next few days or so, and share these reasons of why you love/repsect him in a special way that I will share later.

After I read Romans 12:2, I continued reading. In verses 9-13, I found an amazing picture of what our marriages could look like! Please read them...What if we made if one of our life's goals to do everything we can to make our marriages reflect these verses. Glory to God! What a beautiful thing!

Whether we like it or not, our lives and marriages are on display. Instead of being intimidated or embittered by that fact, we should find joy in this very serious priviledge that we have. God has given us an opportunity to shine His light on the subject of marriage. What an amazing gift, that if we focus on the marriages that we have been given, and do all scripture teaches on how to make them wonderful, God-honoring marriages, we will be doubly blessed. Our lives will be full, and our lives will help others' marriages as well. Praise God!

So here is the 2 part challenge :)

1. Write your hubby a love letter. Include the following:
-Resons we love/respect them from observations
-Rejoicing for joys and hopes in your lives/marraige over the past year(s)
-Praise/thankfulness for ways that you have grown and thrived from persevering through tribulation.

2. Love and repsect your husband in a few ways that you have been afraid to, have fought against, or simply not known to be important. Make some changes he will clearly see to be for him. Here are 6 areas to make some of these changes:  Appreance, Home Management, Intimacy, Words, Daily habits/routines, and Spiritual needs/prayer

May God be glorified in each of our lives. I know that our marriages are one of the ways He can be made known to us in great and mighty ways!

Love,

Erin

Parenting with Scripture - Filling Children's Minds with God's Truth

Have you read Parenting With Scripture: A Topical Guide for Teachable Moments by Kara G. Durbin .  It's power-packed with great scriptures and application ideas for your family.  I started using this book when my kids were 3ish, and I'm still using it with my oldest child who is 10.

This week, I decided to start putting a scripture on our chalkboard each week.  I think we'll use it as our focus verse - trying to memorize it and put it into action each day.  This week is a 1 Thessalonians verse about 'no paybacks' and 'being kind'.   We'll need a lot of practice on this one...

It's $11 on amazon, and you will definitely get double that amount of wisdom out of this little book!

Lent 2012 - 40 Days of Beautiful Reflections

The Lenten season starts Wednesday 2/22/12.  Instead of giving something up for Lent, you might consider a commtiment to find quiet space each day to reflect on God's goodness, mightiness and love.  Check out this 40-day reading that my talented friend Emily Huff has written.  Each day has 2 pages of quotes and scriptures.  It's only $5 to get your own paperback copy to keep at your bedside or near your favorite chair.  Here's the intro to the book:

This collection of quotes that I have gathered over the last year is called “FORTY3”
because it is the third one of these that I have compiled and it is meant to be read over
a period of 40 days. These quotes are from some of the books, websites or blogs I have
been reading this year, and they reflect some of the truths that I want to sink deeper
into my heart. As one friend put it, these are like literary “speed bumps” that I hope
will help me slow down each day.

Eugene Peterson writes, “forty is a stock biblical word that has hope at its core. Forty
days is a period of testing the reality of one’s life—examining it for truth and for
authenticity. The forty days in Noah’s ark was used to cleanse centuries of moral
pollution. The forty years in the wilderness was used to train the Israelites to live by
faith in the promises of God. The forty days of Jesus’ temptation was used to explore
his calling and test his commitment. The forty days of Jesus’ appearances after his
death was used to verify his resurrection and characterize the new life of God’s
kingdom. In each case, the number forty works eschatologically: The last day, the
fortieth day, shapes the content of the preceding thirty-nine days. Each of the thirtynine
days experiences eschatological pressure- the days become a womb, pregnant
with new beginnings. If the span of forty days does its proper work, life begins in a
new way. (Conversations; The Message with its Translator, page 1416-1417)

As I shared in the last two compilations:
The number 40 holds particular significance in the Bible and refers to a precise
number, not just a long period of time…. A 40-something time period, whether days,
months, or years is ALWAYS a period of testing, trial, probation, or chastisement (but
not judgment) and ends with a period of restoration, revival or renewal. Thankfully,
God is consistent, so the meaning of a number in Genesis remains the same all the
way to the book of Revelation. Sometimes the spiritual significance is not revealed
directly, but in the case of "40" and its many examples throughout the Bible, we can
be certain of its importance and significance. (from Wikianswers.com)

One other reason that I wanted to call this collection “40” is because Psalm 40 speaks
to me in this season of life for many reasons. U2 has put it to music in their classic
song:
40
I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry.
He brought me right out of the pit,
out of my miry clay.
I will sing a new song,
How long to sing this song?
He set my feet upon a rock,
and made my footsteps heard.
Many will see,
Many will see and fear.
I will sing, sing a new song.
How long to sing this song?

So whatever season you are in, may these words bring you restoration, revival and
renewal. May God’s love be more real to you as you soak these words up over the
next 40 days. As the picture on the cover says, may this be a time in which you make
space to be listening for hope.

Book Review: A Darkly Hidden Truth

I just finished reading a good historical fiction novel that is full of Catholic history and English culture:  A Darkly Hidden Truth (The Monastery Murders) by Donna Fletcher Crow.  It’s a suspense novel with many twist and turns.  The characters are well-developed and the stories rich with the blessings and struggles in friendship, marriage, family and community.  I appreciated reading about the main character’s struggle to determine her life calling in vocation and marriage.  I loved reading the wisdom from saints of long ago.  And I was inspired by the Catholic liturgy and rituals.  It paints a picture of life inside of a monastery – from the beauty to the visions to the practices and missions.  It is somewhat reminiscent of The DaVinchi Code.  t’s not always a fast-paced mystery thriller, but if you want to explore history while reading, you’ll enjoy this book.  It could also be a good homeschool reading for history and religion.  Happy reading!

Disclosure:  I was given a copy of this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review of the book.

Book Review: Straight to the Heart Study on Acts

I’ve been totally enjoying the reading of the Acts Bible Study from the Straight to the Heart series by Phil Moore.  There are 60 “bite size readings”, with each being 5-10 minutes long. The writing is bold, unique and filled with scripture.  I really enjoy reading the background of the scripture passages, as well as the practical applications he includes in each reading.  I’ve found myself taking notes and thinking of quotes to share via facebook, twitter and email.   The readings are empowering and inspirational – designed to reawaken believers to the power of Christ yearning to work through us in our daily lives.

Here is how Phil introduces the book of Acts:  “In 30AD, Jesus of Nazareth looked to have been an utter failure. If you don’t understand that, then you will miss the message of the book of Acts. It is a record of survival through adversity, triumph against all odds, and victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. It is the story of a group of ordinary people who turned the tide of history through the power of their extraordinary God.”  His theme is that Acts wasn’t just written as a tale of the early church, but as a challenge for churches today.

Click here to see all the titles in this series, and download preview pages from the books.

I would highly recommend this as a devotional, a Bible study help, or just something to read.  It would also work for a group Bible study or small group, with members reading the entire chapter of scripture during the week, and one teacher leading the group through Phil’s text.  It’s for men, women or mature teens.  I look forward to checking out the other books in the series!

Book Review - Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship and Life Together by Mark & Grace Driscoll

Mark and Grace Driscoll have just released a book together called Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together.  It is a refreshing, light-hearted, practical resource for building and maintaining strong marriages.  The couple humbly and openly shares pieces of their marital journey so readers can learn from their mistakes and find hope for growing strong marriages. 

They focus a lot on the importance of spouses grounding their relationship on a spirit of friendship.  They talk about humility and serving your spouse instead of demanding that your spouse meet your needs and desires.  They each write a chapter for their gender about being a dynamic husband or wife.  They talk a lot about intimacy and sexuality, and how to strengthen that aspect of your marriage.  The sex section even includes a chapter titled “What Can We?“ where they explore common questions related to sexuality and respond with answers to these three questions:  is it legal for Christians?  Is it helpful?  Is it enslaving?  They close with very practical and enlightening questions to help re-engineer your marriage.  The questions are very powerful and primed to help couples start a cycle of change. 

It is a great book for couples that are engaged, newly married, or even married for decades.  It’s great for pre-marital and marriage counselors, as well as pastors.  It would make a great small group study.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.  

Refuge on Crescent Hill - Book Review

I just finished reading Refuge on Crescent Hill,  by Melanie Dobson.  It is a captivating tale of faith, family, service, mystery and suspense.

In regards to faith, characters wrestle with salvation, grace, fear, forgiveness, and mission.  The characters are easy to relate to, and the simple messages of faith easily slip into your conscience to influence thinking and actions for good.

The mystery is the search for family jewels, slaves in the Underground Railway, strangers snooping in the mansion, and secret life missions.

Helping others is a theme throughout the book – from police officers helping on and off the clock, to documenting historical records, to preserving history, to helping women in crisis; the book subtly reminds readers of our calling and duty to help others.

It only took me a few days to read it, because I didn’t want to put the book down.  It’s an inspirational, thoughtful, and light-hearted read that readers will enjoy!  WIth so many real-life situations throughout the book, it would also be a great book for a book club to explore

Book Review: Noah's Ark Storybook and Wall Clings

My 6 year old son and I just read and completed The Story of Noah’s Ark:  Storybook and Wall Clings written by Lori C. Froeb and illustrated by Luana Rinaldo.  It was wonderful!  The text is written at a 1^st-2^nd grade level, so early readers can read many of the words.  It captures the full Bible story and it’s lessons in a manner that children can easily understand.

The illustrations are delightful – the big chunky animals have animated expressions, and almost seem to invite you to play along with them!  The playful tigers, swinging monkeys, cheerful bumblebees, spotted puppies, hungry piglets and flitting butterflies are sure to capture your child’s imagination!

The book comes with two pages of wall clings which stick to clean walls, but peel right off, so they can retell the story.  My son actually wanted to split his pictures between his bedroom and the playroom, and there were still plenty of stickers for both rooms!

Research says that we learn from reading/listening, but we learn much more when an element of play, discovery or re-teaching is added to the reading.  This storybook with wall clings does just that – it invites children to continue discovering the Bible story long after the last pages are read.

This is a great gift for young children (ages 0-7).  Infants could enjoy the bright pictures in their nursery, toddlers will enjoy naming the diverse animals, and older children will enjoy ‘playing school’ while telling the story to their friends.  I would recommend the book for families, for homeschoolers, for Christian educators, and for Sunday Schools.  I hope they’ll publish more Bible stories with wall clings – I’d love to give them as gifts for years to come!

Christian Fiction - Karen Kingsbury's series on the Baxter Family

I love to read, and I'm always on the hunt for good books - books that are entertaining, but also books that fill my mind with good things.

Karen Kingsbury has written a great christian fiction series about the Baxter family.  The stories revolve around the Christian Kids Theater.  Each book has lessons regarding faith, family, character, community...  If you're looking for quality christian fiction, check these out:
Redemption series - The first series featuring the Baxter family.
Redemption, 2002
Remember, 2003
Return, 2003
Rejoice, 2004
Reunion, 2004
Firstborn series - the second series featuring the Baxter family.
Fame, 2005
Forgiven, 2005
Found, 2006
Family, 2006
Forever, 2007
Sunrise series
The third series featuring the Baxter family.
Sunrise, 2007
Summer, 2007
Someday, 2008
Sunset, 2008

Repost: The Joy of Prayer Walks

I love Lindsey's post titled Basking in Beauty – the Joy of Prayer Walks from Passionate Homemaking.
She's right about the importance of mom's getting away to exercise and pray!  And she's smart about the way she has creatively solved the challenge of finding a time to do both things at once.

Book Review: "A Reluctant Queen: The Story of Esther"

I totally enjoyed reading A Reluctant Queen: The Story of Esther, by Joan Wolf.  It is not the straight-up Bible story you might expect to hear, because Wolf has taken liberties to weave it into a fictional tale.  But if you looking for an opportunity to get into the mind and heart of Queen Esther, you will very much enjoy Wolf’s rendition of this classic tale.  She did a great job capturing the Persian culture, complete with the traditions, home life, rituals, religions, gender roles, aristocracy and racial tensions.   I feel like I have a more complete understanding of Esther’s story after reading this novel.  It is enlightening in regards to the huge sacrifice Esther made to enter the king’s competition, the ever-present struggle between following culture or following God, and the courageous counter-culture choices Esther made to save the Jewish people.  And as always, Esther’s story reminds me that we have been designed, fashioned and created for “such a time as this”, but it’s our choice to stand up and follow the calling God places before us.  I love reading Christian fiction like this book because I find more reminder’s of God’s truth entering my mind and heart throughout the day, as I ponder on the text.  I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

Disclaimer: The publisher sent me a copy of this book in exchange for providing my honest review of the product.  I was not required to give positive feedback, but was asked for my honest opinions.

Encouragement for parents

"A father's instruction and a mother's teaching are a graceful garland for your child's head and pendants for his neck."  (paraphrased from Proverbs 1:8-9)

Be diligent in your parenting.  Pray for your child.  Love your child.  Hug your child.  Teach your child.  Model good behavior for your child.  Encourage your child.

You are weaving a graceful garland to crown your child's head.
You are part of a lovely necklace which will adorn your child's neck.
God is using you to help your child grow to be more like him each day.
The path will sometimes seem overwhelming and dark, but be faithful to your calling.
Endure the road before you, and you will, in time, see God's glorious work revealed.

Blessings,

 

Memorizing Scripture - Fighter Verses from John Piper's Desiring God

If your family wants to practice memorizing scripture, check out these new Fighter Verses

from Desiring God.

 

They have a list of great power-packed scriptures to memorize, and you can also buy pre-made products to save prep time! 

Jesus Storybook Bible - WOW!

A sweet family friend gave my son the Jesus Storybook Bible Deluxe Edition for his 6th birthday.  We have been LOVING it this week.  The pictures are engaging and the storytelling on the CD is fabulous.  Every story leads back to the point of God's great love for his children, and how Jesus came to rescue us from evil and deliver us back to forever friendship with him.  We can't wait to get back into the car to listen to it!

Nun's Twenty Third Psalm

I first stumbled upon this poem a decade ago. When I'm in the busy seasons of life, I like to ponder these thoughts because the message balances my soul, and gives me a spirit of tranquility that transcends to the core of my being. I definitely still struggle, but I know where I want my heart to be...

The Lord is my pace-setter, I shall not rush.
He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals,
He provides me with images of stillness, which restore my serenity.
He leads me in ways of efficiency through calmness of mind.
And His guidance is peace.
Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day,
I will not fret, for His presence is here.
His timelessness, his all-importance will keep me in the balance.
He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity
By anointing my mind with His oils of tranquillity.
My cup of joyous energy overflows.
Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruit of my hours, for
I shall walk in the place of my Lord and dwell in His House forever.

written by the nuns at All Saints Convent in Maryland

When God Wants an Important Thing Done in this World

“When God wants an important thing done in this world or a wrong righted, He goes about it in a very singular way. He doesn’t release thunderbolts or stir up earthquakes. God simply has a tiny baby born, perhaps of a very humble home, perhaps of a very humble mother. And God puts the idea or purpose into the mother’s heart. And she puts it in the baby’s mind, and then – God waits. The great events of this world are not battles and elections and earthquakes and thunderbolts. The great events are babies, for each child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged with humanity, but is still expecting goodwill to become incarnate in each human life.”

Edmond McDonald

This quote is a great reminder to me when I'm in the middle of struggles with the personalities and passions of my children.  God designed them just the way they are!

Yes, they have sin natures, and it's my job to humbly point them towards God's ways as I shape their character. 

But sometimes I get frustrated just because they're different than me, and they get in my way.  Whether they're being too messy, or their collection of lego planes has overtaken an entire room, or they play the drums at the volume of thunder.  God has plans for those unique personalities and passions, and I need to let them experiment and grow.  And I can't wait to see how God uses these kiddos in our family.  It will be fun to watch!

Unplugging to Rest

These reflections on the importance of Sabbath rest are from my brother-in-law.  I thought you might also appreciate them:

Dear Church Family,



I am currently on our family summer vacation at the beach, and I am wondering why I sometimes struggle to really enjoy vacation and unplug. Working without stopping has become our hallmark as Americans. We are among the most “productive” workers in the world. We don’t leave our post. We just work.


For others, the constant drive is social networking. We stay connected at all hours. I think that sometimes it is fear that fuels our “connectedness.” Maybe we think we’re more valuable as people and workers because we don’t unplug. Everyone can count on us to be there. If we weren’t there, everything would most certainly fall apart, or so we think. I believe our “productivity” costs us a lot in terms of our health, our lives, our families and our worship. From my viewpoint, we are a people who desperately need periods of time to unplug.


Genesis tells us that God rested on the seventh day. God didn’t need rest—we need rest. He provided an example for us. For many of us, taking time off takes faith. We need to trust that the company will go on without us. We will remain valued. People’s needs will be met. Others will answer the call. At the core, it is faith that God is sufficient and can take care of all of my needs.


When I stop and unplug, I find myself enjoying God and my family more. I am more thankful for the little things that He provides, things that I have been too busy to notice. God knows that we need to slow down and experience life. God gave us five senses to enjoy Him and what He has created for us. When I stop long enough to take it all in, I have a deeper gratitude for all of those things. I thank God and worship Him.


Hunter Murray
Elder

Pray for Your Husband Daily

I love this challenge from Courtney to pray for our husbands daily.  Check out the simple list she has compiled that reminds us to pray.  And while you're on her blog, take some time to look through her other inspirting posts.