by Kimberly | Aug 20, 2015 | Books, flowers, Kids r Readers 2, Shepherding Children
One of the big trends in birthday photos or memory books is to talk about the child’s favorite foods, words, people, toys, books, etc at each time they have a birthday. I wish I had the chalk-lettering skills to do one for my boys’ birthdays coming up, but I will leave that to the experts.
But, if I were to do a chalkboard letter sign for my younger toddler, his favorite word would be “mine.” And seriously, we didn’t teach him that word. Its not like my husband and I go around saying mine mine mine in the house. But, knowing we as his parents are sinners,I’m sure he did pick it up from us at some point along the way.
Mine is not a word we want said a lot in our home. I usually answer him back with something like that: “Bubs, nothing is yours. God gave us all things and all the things that we have are from him. He gave them to us to use and share. We need to be kind and share the gifts that we’ve been given.” I want him to learn a few things from this conversation (that happens at least 10 times a day):
1. God is the giver of all good gifts. James chapter 1 says that and many times in the Psalms it says that everything in the world is the Lord’s. We may have been given a gift from our parents, grandparents, friends, etc but ultimately all good things come from God.
2. God does want hearts full of gratitude. God desires our hearts to be overflowing with praise for all that He has done for us. And out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks! So, if we can train our children to be thankful, then as they get older, maybe a heart of thankfulness with take root in them by the power of the Holy Spirit and their little mouths will bubble forth with praise!
3. God does want us to be kind. Kindness is fruit of the Spirit, so that makes it something that God desires in us. Kindness is not something we naturally gravitate towards. No, we all naturally gravitate toward taking care of ourselves first. Kindness is showing special care and grace for someone else. Even in toddler world, that may mean sharing the last cookie or giving up a special toy because another friend wants to play with it.
There is a new book by Tommy Nelson that helps preschoolers not only learn a crucial life skill of counting, but also, more importantly, how to express their thankfulness. Count My Blessings 1-2-3 is a perfect little shapes book that is durable and fun and rhyme-y. My boys have loved this book series. When we read it together I can help them think of specific cases of each blessing (like friends).
If you would like to win a copy of this book for your toddler, all you have to do is tell me one thing that you are thankful for in being their mommy or daddy. That shouldn’t be that hard – and it will help continue to grow a spirit of thankfulness in you as their parent.
by Kimberly | Aug 13, 2015 | Bible, Books, Shepherding Children
When I was in college I served with Young Life, a great inter-denominational ministry that worked with middle school and high school students to build relationships with them and show them the glorious gospel. One of the main truths of Young Life that I still completely believe and affirm and try to practice today is “It is a sin to bore a kid with the gospel.” Jesus is not boring. Why should we bore a kid, a teenager, or an adult with the wonderful news of Jesus?
I’ve been hearing about a new book that Crossway was putting out by one of my favorite authors, Kevin DeYoung entitled The Biggest Story. I opened up my mailbox today and there was a brown package from Crossway and I definitely knew it was going to be a great mail day. I read three chapters of it sitting in the parking lot of Wendy’s while the boys were eating their junior frostys and I read the rest of it in the gym locker room before working out. Yes, it was that good.
It was witty.
It was full of adventure – cliffhangers mind you.
It was truth.
It was concise.
It was displaying the gloriousness of the gospel.
The pictures are so well done and fit in well with what is in the secular market right now (journals, etc).
It is not a Bible – but tells the beautiful story of the Bible to school-aged kids in a way that won’t bore them.
This is not a Bible. Its not even a The Message type Bible. It is a story. A true story. It shapes the readers mind around one single figure: Jesus. Just like in the Jesus Storybook Bible where Jesus is the hero of every story – and the whole Bible points to Him. Same way here. Kevin, in his masterful, comical, somewhat sarcastic, pastoral, daddy way – he skillfully weaves the truth of Jesus, the reality of sin, the fallenness of the human race, and the relationship that God will remedy one day – all into a lovely books that you need to get when it comes out the end of this month.
Here is just one example of how you can use this (if you are a parent):
One of my greatest hopes for you (if you have a family) is that you will figure out what family devotions looks like for you. Right now, for us, we read part of a Bible book for toddlers and pray with our older son before going to bed. It literally takes 2 minutes. But, that will change as both of boys get older. If you have grade-school kids I think this would be a perfect book to read with them and talk about the implications and truth that it shares. I would also pair it with a Bible story, from the actual Bible. Crossway has a great children’s Bible that I just did a review on. I would take the time to read the chapter that you are covering that day in The Biggest Story and pick just one of the stories that it talks about and read that story out of the Bible. Then just ask your kids questions about that. Pray with them. Turn their hearts to their need of Jesus and the great gospel.
Two disclaimers about this book as I was reading it.
1. DeYoung says that Adam ate from the only tree. Well, of course he did. It caught me off guard that he didn’t say Eve ate it (which she did). I know he knows that. My only thought it that either he is stressing male leadership and that Adam sinned or the Adam being the head of the human race side of things. Either way, no biggie, just wanted to share.
2. Also, most books you’ll read, especially around Christmas time is that Jesus is the greatest gift. In The Biggest Story, DeYoung says that the Holy Spirit is best present of all time. He so strongly talks about the Trinity (yay!) and having read J D Greear’s book Jesus Continued I can see why he would say this.
All together, I would give this book to absolutely anyone. I can’t wait to read it with my children more and have them understand it. I want to get another copy of the book just to cut out the pictures and frame them. I want my home to be filled with more books like this – the books that point to the magnificent gospel!
by Kimberly | Aug 12, 2015 | Bible, Books, illustrated faith
As a wife and a mom (and basically as a human being), I experience many different emotions every single day.
Love.
Joy.
Irritability.
Fear.
Impatience.
Sadness.
Anger.
Bitterness.
Things are out of control.
Competitiveness.
And the list could go on, but you get the picture.
God created us as whole beings, therefore emotions themselves aren’t evil. But, they have been affected by the fall – when sin entered the picture long ago we have a different bent on emotions. But, the good news is we have been given something to help with our emotions.
We have been given the Bible, especially the book of Psalms. The Psalms to me is probably the most helpful book in the entire world when knowing how to deal with my emotions. One of my friends told me early this year that one of the best disciplines I could would be to journal through the psalms, praying through them, crying out to God using his very word to direct my thoughts. This practice has been so helpful in turning my thoughts and emotions back to God. This practice doesn’t necessarily have to go with hard times when our hearts are torn. But, it can help us specifically praise the One who deserves all the credit when things are going well in our lives.
Crossway recently came out with a Psalter that is amazing. My sweet husband just gifted it to me. He placed an order with random other household goods from amazon that he knew I would open. I found the psalter. I called him hoping I hadn’t ruined a surprise – he said no, just thought it would be a happy. It so was! I’d been wanting it forever! It is the perfect compact size to carry with me everywhere. It has thick pages perfect for people like me who like to write in their Bibles. And it is only the Psalms – which is perfect for reading and re-reading.
Another book has recently come out that has been helpful as I’ve started reading it. And this post has also been encouraging. IF you want a prayer journal that a wife can pray for her husband through certain books of the Bible, you can find one here on the blog for free that I wrote for the book of Nehemiah or the one I wrote for Ephesians.
One of the best parts about the psalms and the most instructive is how the writers deal with their emotions. They aren’t afraid to tell us what they are really feeling: doubt, fear, worry, anxiety, questioning, joy, praise, adoration, etc. But, even when they are struggling in their faith – they always come back to the understanding that God is in control. He is most glorious. He is in charge of all things. And that is why they praise. They know that every situation will be handled by the Great BIG GOD who is gently leading and guiding them through all things.
I never want to shy away from my emotions. I do want to run to my God who knows me and knows how all of it is going to turn out. And you don’t have to not share your emotions with others. Christians should not be a stoic people. (I mean, clearly, the Psalms is anything but stoic.) But, with our sharing, let us always return to the hope of Christ. May we always take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
by Kimberly | Aug 10, 2015 | Books
There is a new type of book on the market now: an adult coloring book. I’m not talking about a rated R coloring book – I’m talking about a coloring book that will appeal to adults. Hobbies are so good and with the influx of binge watching tv shows on Netflix it makes us feel better if we are doing something as we watch them. Like we aren’t really being lazy. A friend of mine is putting together a coloring book that I can’t wait to get my hands on. Any time I can be creative – it is a good day.
That’s not the type of book I’m talking about. I’m talking about books with lots of words in them – books that will change your life? Your job? Your hobby? Your mind? Books that will enlighten you and make you laugh. Books that will challenge you and cause you to cry. These are the books that you need to be reading.
One such book is Packer on the Christian Life by Sam Storms – the latest in the series put out by Crossway Books. Not intended to be biographical mainly, these books only share a snippet on the persons actual life – but it is still informative, especially if you like biographies. But, more importantly this book, and this series, allows us to know where we’ve come from. Packer is one of the top 5 most influential evangelical theologians in the last 100 years. His books like Knowing God and Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God would probably be his two most famous books. These two books have influenced thousands of readers and have influenced pastors that lead thousands every Sunday.
I love how Storms doesn’t shy away from any controversial theology that may have come across the mind of Packer or how he had to deal with heresy. Packer has always (yes, even now, as he is still alive) come back to the Word. I love how he stands firmly on Scripture. Yes, we will always differ with people on some theology, none of us are perfect. As a friend said yesterday, when we get to heaven all of it will be right according to God.
So why should we read books?
1. To engage our hearts, minds, and souls. If the books you are reading don’t do this in some way – pick a new book.
2. To learn from the past. This is why I love biographies so much, or series like this one by Crossway. I want to learn from people who have lived before me. I want to see the God they knew. I want to experience their world.
3. To impact the future. I think one of the greatest disciplines any leader can have is to read. One of the things I love about my pastor is that each Sunday night he gives away books. Maybe only one or two, but he wants to put good books in the hands of the people of his congregation, so they can do all three of these things I’ve just listed.
What are you reading?
by Kimberly | Aug 8, 2015 | Books
Before I was married, I loved going to farmers markets. I love going to them with my husband, too. But with popular farmers markets these days, trying to maintain two toddlers by myself is not something I enjoy. My husband usually works on Saturdays so I would have to take them with, so I just am putting my farmers market love to the side right now. I’m loving all the summer instalove with the markets around the country. Especially the berries, tomatoes, and flowers.
Anna Jones’ new book a modern way to eat is delightful and brings new recipes to mind for the vegetarian. Being a vegetarian isn’t about only eating salads or being hungry all the time. He new cookbook brings variety to the vegetarian palate – many things that you can get at your local farmers market.
There are many new recipes that I want to try – blueberry pie oatmeal, huevos rancheros (secret: I’ve never made them or had them at restaurants – even though I love everything that is in them). SIlly me! Her cucumber satay crunch salad and raw thai citrus crunch salad both bring a new twist on the plain salad.
One thing that let me down in this book was that it wasn’t about ingredients I already had on hand. I don’t want to have to go buy a ton of new things (budgetary reasons) to use a cookbook. But, for now, I’ll try the recipes that I have the ingredients on hand – and then splurge every now and then to try new tastes.
Thanks Books for Blogging for the cookbook – and all opinions are my own.
by Kimberly | Aug 2, 2015 | Bible, Books, Shepherding Children, Uncategorized
How many of you have more than 10 Bibles in your home? That would definitely define our home – we have so many, and many in boxes. The ones in boxes are probably from our childhood. They are tucked away to help us remember what the Lord has done in our lives by the help of His word. That is actually why I encourage note taking, prayer highlighting, etc in your Bible.
One of the ways to teach children, especially starting in the toddler years, even before they can read, to love their Bibles (the very Word of God) is by getting a little Bible made just for them. The new Tommy Nelson Bible,the Just for Me Bible, complete with round board book edges and a bridge red handle, is a perfect example.
You can teach your toddler to look in the Bible. You can teach them to take their Bibles to church. You can teach them to turn in their Bibles when the pastor instructs the adults to turn in their Bibles. They may not even be able to read yet and yet they will be learning a valuable discipline of loving the Word of God.
If you would like to win one of these for your toddler: tell me what was your favorite Bible story when you were little.
Thanks Tommy Nelson for the book: all thoughts are my own.
