Our Featured Treasured Product: A Review of God’s Story 365
(Special Promotion: Go to the link and type in “friends” for 20% off!)
Ok, I admit it: I regularly feel like I don’t know what I am doing in parenting. ?
Join the club!
Ha! ? Well, something that has been on my mind a lot recently is – how do I teach my girls to know about God and grow in a relationship with Him?
Great question, my friend! I mean, I’m not usually prone to worrying, but when I worry, it is about this!!
I’m glad to know I’m not alone on that. I heard Jennie Allen speak about how key it is for moms to model a relationship with God to their kids, and it was so inspiring…but what does that actually look like?
Hmmm… I have a feeling it is going to be a little different for every mother. But I wonder if there are some key principles to hold on to?
I’m with ya. So what are you thinking?
Maybe we could look at it from the perspective of God teaching us. How does He shepherd our hearts? He asks us to spend time with Him, talk to Him, read His Word, and think about how His Word changes us. I mean it sounds simple right?! ?
Ok, when you break it down like that it doesn’t feel as daunting. And a tool that comes to mind is that calendar, God’s Story 365, that we’ve been reading with our kids.
You know, I think it helps with all three of these principles! My boys have really been enjoying how the story is put so simply.
I agree. I mean, my girls are only 2 and 4 so some of it is over their heads but I like the idea that it’s at least starting the discussion about God and the Bible.
Yeah, honestly, we don’t really do this yet with Peter since he is still too young. But the bigger boys are into it! When they answer the discussion questions at the end of the story, they really have to think. I can tell that it’s really impacting Jesse, who is finishing Kindergarten (how is that possible??).
That’s amazing. When do you read it with your kids? We just keep it on our kitchen table and when we have five minutes of calmness, I try to break it out. Usually that happens at breakfast or lunch, although I can’t guarantee it’s calm then! ?
Well, since Jesse is at school all day, we are doing it as part of the bedtime routine. My hubby and I are taking turns reading the little story part and then the opposite one of us answer the questions with the boys.
Wow, I admire that you read it before bed. I haven’t found reading anything too meaningful at bedtime that has worked for us right now but you inspire me to think about that! Often my mission is just to get them in bed without too many meltdowns. ?
Yes, well, on nights when they are super tired, we do skip it, but one nice thing about the calendar is that it doesn’t have dates on it to make you feel like you are behind or under pressure. It just has the page numbers, so there’s a lot of flexibility with it!
I know, that is freeing for sure!
I also like how it breaks the Bible down into smaller stories. Each day you read part of that story and then after 4 or 5 days of the story, it directs you to read the actual Bible to wrap up the story. The boys have started fighting over whose Bible we read it out of! And, no, we don’t encourage fighting, but that is pretty cute, right?
That’s one thing I would let them fight about. ? Well, honestly, we haven’t taken that next step to read the story out of the Bible but I love that you do. I’m inspired to try that because it seems like a pretty simple step.
You do what works for you though!
I like that. I’m realizing maybe it’s not as hard as I’ve been making it out to be. Maybe our role is just to provide the opportunities to talk about God and show them what a relationship with God looks like…
I think so. Speaking of talking about God, after we talk about the questions we try to pray together. Lately the boys have been taking turns starting the prayer and it is precious! So that really is teaching them how to just talk to God like He is their friend! It is so sweet!
I do love listening to Sophie pray. Her little heart is so sincere and truly believes what she is asking God for. Every time she prays I think to myself how I want faith like my child!
Who’s shepherding who, here? ? Just when we thought we’re teaching them, these little ones end up teaching us! ? ? ?
Amen to that. We think we have some huge responsibility to shepherd our children’s hearts and then what ends up happening is when we step out in faith and try something new, they grow and we do too!
You know, that is what I am learning right now in motherhood. I may not shepherd their hearts perfectly, but that is not my job, it’s God’s. He is at work in each of us, drawing us to Him and all we need to do is keep following His lead.
You mean like our Shepherd?!? ? ?
What We Love about God’s Story 365, our Featured Treasured Product:
- Is easily adaptable for different ages
- Is easily adaptable for start date because there are not dates on the calendar
- Takes kids through the entire Bible from start to finish
- Has ways to extend and apply thinking
- Has beautiful, engaging artwork
- Begins the conversation about God
(Special Promotion: Go to God’s Story 365 – Type in “friends” for 20% off.)
Soaking in the Truth
Scripture to encourage you:
- “Jesus said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3,4, Amplified Version)
- “Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17, The Message)
- “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, NIV)
Music to inspire you (and your kids):
- “Walk in His Ways” by Seeds Family Worship
- “Teach Them” by Seeds Family Worship
- “Hide ‘Em In Your Heart” by Steve Green
Readings and Resources to come alongside of you:
Related Posts on Texting The Truth:
- Unscrambling Easter: Teaching Kids the Importance without the Pressure
- Check out our Spiritual Resources in our Treasured Products for more ideas
