I love reading to my kids. Buying books for them is my one vice. I so want them to love to read and to turn to books for entertainment before anything else! As trite as it sounds the book I want them to love the most is the Bible. As a child the Bible can be a daunting and overwhelming book. I want to introduce the Bible to them early so they will always love it!

Here’s a few of my Bible-reading-and-loving tips for kids:

1. Start them early

The church I interned at in college did a lesson in the BABY class at church. It consisted of songs like The B-I-B-L-E while passing a Bible around to let the kids slobber on it. They encouraged the kids to hug the Bible. It sounds weird but it was showing the kids that the Bible is a special book worthy of our love!

{See more about this here: Teach Your Children To Love The Bible and Baby Bedtime Routine}

2. Use Storybooks

I usually dislike Bible storybooks. They never tell the whole story, they have terrible illustrations and gloss over important themes. But when your kids are super little, you just can’t read them the full account of Joseph from Genesis! It’s confusing and honestly, a little boring! You need storybooks! You just need to make sure they are books that teach the Bible and not just tell a story. Here are some of my favorites:

The Jesus Storybook Bibleis by far THE best storybook for kids. If you don’t own this book, you really need to buy it.  I have written about it many many times (and even interviewed the author, Sally Lloyd Jones!) because it has really helped me grow in my understanding of the Lord! It’s full of great illustrations and even better–stories that lift up Jesus’ name and glory.

The Beginning Reader’s Bible is actually text taken from the International Children’s Bible. It’s just a few verses spliced together (so to speak) to tell the whole story but in a shortened version. My kids love this book and it’s got some really fantastic full color pictures, too.

I’m also really interested in The Story for Little Onesand The Story for Children which are similar to the Beginning Reader’s Bible, only taken from the New International Reader’s Version. Anyone read them yet?

3. Get them a Real Bible

My daughter is in kindergarten and her Christmas present this year is going to be a “real” Bible. The full blown version with her name printed on it! We have a few other Bibles around the house she considers her own  (The Adventure Bible and a Backpack Bible) and she loves to hold them, pretend to read them and have me read from them. I want her to know the real words and see the sheer volume of God’s Words to us.

When buying a “real” Bible, consider two things:

First, decide on the version. Translations of the Bible are (sadly) highly-controversial. But my main goal is to get my kids to know, love, memorize and understand the Bible. So, I like the NIRV because it’s on a 3rd grade reading level, as opposed to the NIV which is a 7th grade reading level or the NASB which is on an 11th grade reading level! (See more reading levels.)

Second, consider the layout. Kids Bibles love to add all sorts of fun and exciting charts, pictures and sidebars. But as beginning readers, especially, books need to be laid out simply. Don’t buy a Bible with columns (which MOST Bibles are!) which can be confusing to read. Instead find one that fills the whole page, just like a real book.

Once you get a Bible, whether it be a huggable one, a storybook or one with all 66 books, the most important thing to do is read it! Keep them within reach–by the bed, next to the couch or on the kitchen table. Make it easy (and normal) to reach for the Bible and read!

 

 

What’s that saying about being a leader? Something about looking behind you and making sure someone is actually following you? I think about that a lot with my kids. Am I someone they can follow?

The only way I’ll be the type of person worthy of following is like Paul, I follow Jesus:

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

My kids are only going to go as far with Christ as I’ve gone. They aren’t going to know to pray, if I don’t pray. They aren’t going to know God’s Word if I don’t know it. So, I have to stay connected to God through His Word.

I find that when I’m out of practice in reading God’s Word, my parenting skills go downhill. But when I stay buried in His Word, I am more in tune with Him and His Spirit. You’ll also find your children wanting to copy you in this discipline!

For me, I always want to read the Bible. It interests me. It’s just that I never know WHAT to read!

So, today I’m going to share some devotionals, some helpful site and other ideas to get you into God’s Word! I am by no means a holy, Bible expert. I’m just a busy mom like you. And these are some of the things that have helped me–resources that are quick, easy and have encouraged me in my walk with the Lord.

1. Treasured: Knowing God by the Things He Keeps by Leigh McLeroy.

I actually got this book as a review for my personal blog a long time ago. And I was so pleasantly surprised when I started reading it. It’s like a love letter from God every time I read it. It’s easy chapters, lots of scripture and some beautiful personal examples. I keep this one with my morning-Bible-study stuff and read it whenever I’m in between books.

2. Savoring Living Water

This is a new ebook by my friends Katie Orr and Lara Williams wrote. I’ve been going through it this week and really like it. It basically teaches you how to have a productive quiet time.

It’s easy to spend time with God and the Bible and then walk away and forget about it the rest of the day. This book leads you into doing exactly what the title says, savoring God’s Living Water!

3.Take Flight!

Robin Jones Gunn is one of my heroes. And this book is such a simple heart-fill-up. It starts off with a story by Robin, then a mini-devotional from Cindy Hannan. And again, this book lives up to it’s name. There are so many times I’ve sat down to read it and my heart has taken flight!

4. Maximize Your Mornings at Inspired To Action

I started getting up before my family every morning almost 2 years ago. I read my Bible, take a shower and sometimes just check twitter and facebook. But the point is I’m up before my kids. And that is really what has enabled me to spend time with God on a regular basis.

Check out the whole Maximize Your Morning ebook and you will be inspired to action!

5. Maximize Your Mornings: The Challenge

To really get you going, you can be a part of of the seasonal Maximize Your Mornings Challenges. You can hook up with a twitter, facebook or email accountability group. It has really been the kick-in-the-pants I need to continue to get up everyday.

6. The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian

I mentioned Stormie’s The Power of a Praying Wife on Day 1 of this series. And I’m telling you, if you got up every morning and read one chapter from each of these books, you would feel empowered! It’s such a great focus as  a wife and mom. Plus they are FULL of scripture. It will encourage you to crack open the Bible and see what other promises God has for you!

7. The Bible in 90 Days

*gulp* I started this in July and did not stick with it. But I am so excited about the next challenge coming up. It is the coolest thing to read about 12 pages a day in order! You read things you’ve never read before, you understand it a little more because you’re reading it in order. I highly recommend it. And hope you are not discouraged by my failure!

8. Sermons

Whenever I’m not sure what to read or study, I like to go back to the sermon my pastor preached the Sunday before. I’ll look up each of the scriptures he used and the passages around them. Then journal about the application given. It’s like meditating on the sermon for the whole week!

9. Topical Non-Devotional Books
I read The Hole in Our Gospelby Richard Stearns last year and it changed something inside of me. Stearns is the President of World Vision and the book tells his story from big-wig CEO of fancy-shmancy companies to sitting in a hut in Rwanda with two orphans. And the heart change that came after.

You can’t take these kind of books as equal to the Bible. But they will encourage you, show you new aspects of scripture and the Christian life you haven’t considered before. You can use these books as sounding boards to your own study!

10. What’s your favorite way to study the Bible?

 

 

linked to Top Ten {Tuesday} at ohAmanda

photo source: Sharon D Pruitt

When my husband reads bedtime stories to my son, he usually picks between two books, God Loves Me More Than That or The Big Red Tractor and the Little Village. Sometimes its because they are both are short and have great modern illustrations. Or it might be because they are both focused on boys. But really, it’s because of the message.

{read my full post at the MOB Society…}

photo by bidari