I handed this (Created For Work) to my son when his school Bible study ran out early. The change in my ten-year-old is amazing!! He has always hated work of any kind and now he often pitches in and helps without being asked or complaining, and has put on himself the job of getting our 1 yr old twins up and fed! He isn’t perfect and I’m sure he’ll have seasons, but I’ll save this for a re-read for him later!

We purchased this for Christmas and have been using it for a family devotional.  We LOVED the author’s book “Keeping Holiday” and thought we would give this a try.  The kids really seem to be enjoying it and I like how every lesson has you looking up scriptures.  It gives the parents and kids the chance to get into the Word.  So many devotionals have the scripture already printed on the page and you never have to actually look anything up.  As a parent there is nothing better than having my family sitting around, each one with their bible, and digging into the Word of God!

Practical Happiness

So relevant in our self-centered society! Each of my sons and nephews have their own copy and I pray they will pass it on to their sons! Excellent material for devotions for teens.

Tell Me About Heaven

My favorite book for grieving children

When my youngest son Christian passed away, I was searching for a book that would be appropriate to read with my two older boys (7 and 9yo at the time).  This book fit perfectly!

We read one chapter together every night before bed, even though they begged for more.  I am so thankful for Randy Alcorn’s biblical perspective, the beautiful illustrations, and dealing with grief and death in a way that is sensitive to children  without sacrificing truth.

I have given this book away many times; not only for children, but for adults as well. It is comforting and points our grief and questions in the right direction- to Jesus!

The Big Picture Story Bible

I love this (The Big Picture Story Bible) book! I have a copy for myself whenever young ones are visiting and I need something to read. I have purchased 3 copies and will continue to purchase this book as I need any gifts for a young one. I appreciate the truth in the message from beginning to end. I have also given a copy to a child whose parent I have been evangelizing. The price is good and very well worth it.

Boyhood and Beyond

Boyhood and Beyond has become one of our family’s favorite books. We have read it as a read aloud several times and both the boys and girls have enjoyed it. There is something to be learned by everyone in this book (even the adults). We liked this book so much that we have bought several to give as gifts. Everyone we have given one to has been as pleased as we were.

Boyhood and Beyond

My husband enjoyed using it for family reading

Boyhood and Beyond is a wonderful resource for young men ages 7 and up. My husband enjoyed it so much that he used it for family reading and discussion. Practical Happiness is just as wonderful. We can’t wait to get Created for Work. I heartily recommend anything that Bob Schultz has written. You won’t regret the investment of time or money.

Claudia

Tivoli, NY

Balancing the Sword

Balancing the Sword is for a serious fill in the blank kind of kid or adult.  It overwhelmed even my most dedicated workbook oriented child.  I think it is very thorough, but there is so much out there I think is better.

Find out why Balancing the Sword received 5 stars from 4 other reviewers. Additional Balancing the Sword reviews here.

The Big Picture Story Bible

“Who’s the main character in the book of Joshua?” I asked the girls I teach on Wednesday nights.  It was a trick question, and most of them caught it. While a few said, “Joshua,” most answered, “God!” In our Bible survey course we’d already discussed how GOD is the main character in every part of the Bible, even in Esther where He is not mentioned by name at all.

One of my purposes in teaching this class is that the girls will begin to see the big picture of what God is doing throughout time. It’s easy for children to gain a decent familiarity with Bible stories and still lack a cohesive idea of how it all fits together.  Sunday school materials, especially for the younger crowd, often don’t help here, emphasizing discreet Bible stories but not showing man’s need for redemption, or explain what God was doing in the Old and New Testaments to call out and redeem a people for Himself. As I wrote in an earlier post, some books and S.S. curricula are even omitting the Fall and man’s sinful nature, as if this is too difficult or troubling for four year olds to grasp!

I don’t think my children are that unique, and none of them have had any trouble recognizing their own sinfulness. Rather than be discouraged by the fact that they do wrong things, even little ones can be encouraged that there is a solution for their dark hearts. And without knowledge of our sin, we have no need for a Savior. In addition, in Children’s Bible story books, sometimes truth is sacrificed in order to create an easy to understand text.

Enter The BIG PICTURE Story Bible. This book is unlike any other Bible story book I have even seen! Rather than just retelling lots of wonderful Bible stories, the author here, in simple words, shows God’s redemptive plan from Genesis to Revelation. Yes, you will read of Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, David, Lazarus, Nicodemus, and John, but throughout you will see God shining as the main character. You will read of how God kept his promises over and over and how Jesus fulfilled everything that God had written about and planned from long ago.

As wonderful as the text is, the pictures are just as compelling. Bold and colorful, they have lots of kid appeal without resorting to sentimentality. (The angels who announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds almost look frightening! But not enough to upset your three year old.)  I love what the end cover says about the author:  As a church-planting pastor and father of five, David Helm joined his confidence in God’s Word and his respect for the spiritual capacity of children to write this book.

Don’t sell your young children short spiritually. Read them God’s Word straight up, but when you look for Bible story books be selective. The BIG PICTURE Story Bible is a great addition to any family’s library!

The Big Picture Story Bible is available at Timberdoodle.com.

Bartholomew's Passage

Not as good as Jotham’s Journey

When our family had such a great experience using Jotham’s Journey, we read Bartholomew’s Passage the next year. The sequel is definitely not as good as the first! The storyline is much weaker, and there were a number of times where some quick editing of the lesson had to be done as we did not agree with the theology being presented. After finishing the book, we decided this was nice to go through once but not a book to keep in our family library. If you choose to use the book, keep in mind that you will need to preview the lesson portions and edit out liberal theology.