I originally wrote this article in 2011. I’m so grateful the Lord has answered my fervent prayers for my own growth!
AND …don’t miss the GIANT homeschool giveaway at the end of this post!
It’s a question I approach with extreme caution: “Where do your kids go to school?”…. [Read more…]
I want to thank Anne Marie Gosnell for providing a copy of Walk This Way: Ethics and Sanctification Lessons for Kids in return for my honest opinion.
Children think in very concrete ways. One of my favorite ways to teach the Bible to groups of younger children has always been through skits, object lessons, and creative storytelling.
When I was teaching Ephesians 6:10-20 (The Whole Armor of God) to my kids, we would pretend to be valiant knights, dressing up in the armor of God. We did it over and over again, putting on each separate piece of armor, until they had memorized each aspect of their armor. Later, when the boys would face a difficult situation–there are a lot of difficulties when you’re five!–we’d pull out our Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We’d talk about why it’s important to stay in Scripture and to memorize verses. Then we’d talk about what the Bible says about the difficulty that was occurring at that moment.
Through all that stress and instability, my parents both did something I really valued–they spent time with us, out and about, doing things. Not only that, they spent time with us in the house doing things together. We made a lot of memories and those family activities helped shape who I am today.
When my husband and I married, it was important to me that we continue making memories with our family. We’ve worked hard to connect with our kids through screen free activities. Now that two of our children have grown, and the other two are looking decidedly like men (and shaving!), I am so grateful we’ve spent time together free from technology for at least a little while….. [Read more…]
On October 31st, 1517, a German monk by the name of Martin Luther protested the Roman Catholic practice of selling plenary indulgences (a slip of paper that excused the purchaser from paying the debt owed for all of their sins) by writing out a list of 95 concerns. In Latin. This monk, who was also a priest, a district vicar, and a professor, happened to be a student of Scripture and a brilliant man. He took his list to a printer to have copies made and then nailed it to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church.
HEY! There are freebies and a giveaway in this post!…. [Read more…]
Christian history is one of my very favorite things to study personally, as well. I’ve made you a great, big, ENORMOUS list of Christian history books. They’re sectioned by age range, and then by historical time period. We’ve used these resources ourselves, and I highly recommend them!
I’d also be honored if you’d take a look at my youth biography, When Lightning Struck! The Story of Martin Luther. It’s perfect for middle school and high school students, and a great read aloud for 3-5th grade as well. You can download FREE resources, like a discussion guide and a 12-week unit study, and learn more about the book at the above link.…. [Read more…]