Title: You Can Do It

Author: Tony Dungy

ISBN:   978-1416954613

Age:  5-10

SRP: 16.99 (hardback); 11.76 (ebook)

My Rating:     

My Review:  In You Can Do It author Tony Dungy reminds both adults and kids that God gave everyone an “it.” An “it” is the thing that God meant for you to do in life.  This book appears to be based on a true story from the author’s childhood. In this story; Linden, the author’s younger brother, is having a bad day that gets worse when he realize that his siblings and friends know what they want to be when they grow up and he does not. During the story, his father reminds him to trust God and his older brother prays for him.  Through a series of events that reminds me of how God works everything out for our good, Linden eventually discovers his “it.” There are several things that I love about this book, including the overall message and the beautiful depiction of an African American family; however, I do have two concerns with this book.  1) The “it” was not clear to the eight year old I was reading the book to.  At one point, she stopped me because “it did not make sense.”  2)  The book also gives an underline message that God will fulfill our dreams; however, God does not promise to give us what we dream or everything we ask for as a Christian.  Neither of these points are enough for me to not recommend this book;  Instead, I see both of these limitations as an opportunity to have a broader conversation (i.e., what does having faith looks like; who/what should we have faith in; discovering your God given purpose). That is all for now.  Continue to pray for me as I pray for you, Corine P.S. What great Christian children books have you read lately? You can learn more about me by visiting www.booksbycorine.com

Title: I Forgive You: Love We Can Hear, Ask For, and Give

Author: Nicole Lataif

ISBN:   978-0819837264

Age:  4-8

SRP: 10.95 (hardback)

 My Rating:     

 

 

Wherever you go

Whatever you do

Make forgiveness part of you.

The above is a nice message but it leads one to ask how to do you make forgiveness apart of you.

My Review:  In I Forgive You author Nicole Lataif introduces children to the basics of Christian forgiveness. This book is designed to reinforce the Biblical principle of forgiveness found in Ephesians 4:32 (for a movie designed with the same purpose in mind click here).

In I Forgive You, Nicole breaks down the concepts of forgiving in a manner that both children and adults can understand by providing examples of when to forgive, along with simple explanations of what happens when forgiveness is withheld.

While reading I Forgive You a child will learn that:

• We do a lot of things right, but when we don’t, God forgives us every time;
• We are called to forgive others as God forgives us;
• Forgiveness is a process that may take time and include consequences;
• True friendship has forgiveness;
• Holding grudges and feeding anger hurts us most;
• Choosing forgiveness brings us peace.

Overall I find this book a wonderful addition to any Christian home because forgiveness is one of the cornerstones of our faith.  However, it is also a very abstract concept that children (and adults) often-time struggle to understand.  The illustrations are just what I love to see in a book (bold, bright and multicultural).

That is all for now.

Continue to pray for me as I pray for you, Corine

P.S. What great Christian children books have you read lately? You can learn more about me by visiting www.booksbycorine.com

I was provided with a review copy of I Forgive You by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  This post contains affiliate links.

Title: The Blessings of Friendship Treasury

Author: Mary Engelbreit

ISBN:   978-0310745099

SRP: 17.95 (hardback)

My Rating:      

My Review: The Blessings of Friendship Treasury by Mary Engelbreit touched my heart with its sweet words and illustrations on friendship. This book covers several poems, quotes and Bible verses about friendship.  To accompany each is a vivid illustration.  Some of the quotes and poems are by Charles Dickens, Shel Silverstein, George MacDonald, William Butler Yeats, Henry David Thoreau and Shel Silverstein.

My favorite poem was ‘Hug O’ War’ by Shel Silverstein.   Because there is a nice variety in the length of the poems, I recommend that you read only a few pages at a time for children under eight.

Of my two complaints about this book, the first is the lack of diversity.  While this book includes some minority ethnicity, it is probably less than ten percent.  My other complaint is that this book does not include what I consider the most powerful Bible verse of friendship (John 15:15).  Despite these complaints, I think this book is a wonderful learning aid about what it means to be a friend.

That is all for now.

Continue to pray for me as I pray for you, Corine

P.S. What great Christian children books have you read lately? You can learn more about me by visiting www.booksbycorine.com

I was provided with a review copy of The Blessings of Friendship Treasury by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  This post contains affiliate links.

Do you know that Halloween is the number one day for evangelism in the United States?   I did not either.  Once I found out, I decided to celebrate this year (don’t worry, I won’t be dressing up as a witch or vampire).  I will be passing out candy, along with a unique gospel track designed by Memory Cross.

Memory Cross is a producer of interactive, origami style folding cards.  The Halloween cards compare the gift of candy to God’s gift of salvation.  I previously used Memory Cross to help my Sunday school class learn the books of the Bible.  Not only did the children enjoy it, most of their parents loved them too.

The Halloween cards are also designed to provide either online resources or have a space where you can stamp the name of your church. But don’t take my word for it; Memory Cross is willing to send you a free sample if you click here

So do you celebrate Halloween?  If so, how?  What do you think about using Halloween to evangelize?

Well that is all for now, please continue to pray for me and know I am praying for you.

Corine

You can learn more about me by visiting www.booksbycorine.com

Title: Raegan and RJ in Space: Colonizing the Galaxy for Christ

Author: Richard M. Collins

ISBN:   1479279056

My Rating:      

My Review: Raegan and RJ in Space: Colonizing the Galaxy for Christ is a Christian based space adventure comic book for kids (and adults).  What I love about this book is that it does not include any aliens, guns, or battles.  Because of these features, Raegan and RJ in Space: Colonizing the Galaxy for Christ is the perfect book for the comic lover in your life.

In Colonizing the Galaxy for Christ, five families leave New Hope, Tennessee and travel to the Alpha Centauri Star System in order to set up a new colony called New Hope on a new planet called New Bethlehem. On the way, the main characters, Raegan and RJ, have to complete several missions including saving the earth.

My only complaint with this book is that there are no conflict resolutions (i.e., the missions all go as planned and everyone gets along).  The author could have easily developed a mission that does not go as Raegan and RJ planned.  By not having conflict and having everyone get along, the author misses a chance to demonstrate the sovereignty of God. However, this book models for children the importance of respecting adults, praying and giving God glory for your success.  One thing that is an attention grabber is that the book includes bonus pictures of the ship layout and colony maps.

To find out more information on this series visit raeganandrjinspace.com

That is all for now.

Continue to pray for me as I pray for you, Corine

P.S. What great Christian children books have you read lately? You can learn more about me by visiting www.booksbycorine.com

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

Looking to cultivate a heart of giving in your child this Christmas season or at any time?  Consider my two books:  Why We Give Gifts at Christmas Time and Why I Give: An Activity Book.

Why We Give Gifts at Christmas Time is a Christian Children multi-cultural book that uses biblical passages to answer the question of why we give gifts at Christmas time if it is Jesus’ birthday. It contains over 10 different bible verses to reinforce the joys of giving at Christmas time and throughout the year.  Why We Give Gifts at Christmas Time is also available in Spanish – Por qué damos regalos en el Tiempo de Navidad

So far, Why We Give Gifts at Christmas Time has received positive reviews.

• Corine Hyman, Ph.D. has written an excellent educational book for children as Why We Give Gifts at Christmas Time will teach and inspire children of all ages. Kristie Ingerto for Readers’ Favorite
• “…this is a perfect book with Christmas just around the corner.” children’s author Aileen Stewart
• “For parents who have ever struggled with how to explain to their children why the kids are getting presents when it’s Jesus’s birthday, and not their own, this book helps facilitate that discussion in very simple terms. So simple, in fact, that Boo at almost-5-years-old totally gets it!” Chocolate Hair Vanialla Care – Rory
• “I recommend this book for classroom teaching and anyone who has children to buy this book.”
  Mymcbook

Two years after publishing Why We Give Gifts at Christmas Time, I was inspired to create an activity book to reinforce the concept of giving.  Why I Give: An Activity Book.   Why I Give: An Activity Book is a 50+ page, 12 day/lesson activity book in which your children will learn the real meaning of giving, not only at Christmas time but throughout the year. It includes coloring pages, puzzles, journal pages and ideas for homemade gifts.  It is an excellent workbook to accompany Why We Give Gifts at Christmas Time.  The copyright for Why I Give applies to all children in a family so it makes a perfect gift for families with several little ones.  It is available at http://www.booksbycorine.com/buy-the-books.html.  Why I Give normally sells for $4.99, but if you use the discount code Giving2014 you save 25%! 

Both books have additional resources (flashcards, copywork pages, etc.) on my website www.booksbycorine.com

If you are looking for other books, check out my list of over 30 Christian Christmas Books for children.

That is all for now.

Continue to pray for me as I pray for you, Corine

P.S. What great Christian children books have you read lately? You can learn more about me by visiting www.booksbycorine.com

Everyone gets a case of the grumpies every now and then.  As an adult, I know the best cure for the grumpies is to recognize everything that God has blessed me with.  However, I found this principle difficult to teach to children, especially preschool children, until now.

In The Blessing Jar, the main character, Punky, is disappointed that her friend is sick and unable to play.  However, Punky’s Grammy has the perfect solution when she suggests that they go on an adventure and try to fill a Mason jar with things that remind them of God’s blessings.  So begins the adventure.  Little by little, Punky’s Blessing Jar begins to fill up.  By the end of the day, Punky has forgotten about how badly the day started and instead is focused on all the blessings of the day.

This book makes the perfect gift for a little boy or girl in your life.  It contains beautiful illustrations and is an oversized board book with a plush cover that makes it perfect for snuggling.  After reading this book, I would suggest that you make a blessing jar with your child.  It is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Step 1: Get a Mason jar (I would suggest the plastic kind).

Step 2: Pick a day to count your blessings.  Remind your child to place things in the jar that remind them of all that God has blessed them with.

Step 3: Review all the items at the end of the day.  I am sure you will be surprised by some of the things included in the jar.

This book is perfect for teaching children the importance of being thankful.

Helping children recognize the blessing that God has given them.

Shows children the wonders God has placed all around them.

That is all for now.

Continue to pray for me as I pray for you,

Corine

P.S. What great Christian children books have you read lately? You can learn more about me by visiting www.booksbycorine.com

I have never read a history book like this one and was thrilled with the chance to review it. If your child has ever said history is boring, or you are looking for ways to make history alive and relevant to your family’s lives today, I’d love for you to check out the American history curriculum by Amy Puetz and Golden Prairie Press. Who could resist the pull of stories such as:

• A famous explorer who hid in a barrel
• A group of American boys who stood up to a British general when his soldiers were bullying them
• A small fleet from a young navy who took on the pirates of the Barbary Coast
• A stranger who seemed to appear out of nowhere to save a Massachusetts town from an Indian raid

Heroes and Heroines of the Past: American History takes us on a journey from the Age of Discovery and the days of Leif Erikson and Christopher Columbus through the wars that shaped our nation to events such as the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, that continue to shape our nation today. Skillfully woven throughout the historic narrative are the stories of more than 70 heroes and heroines who risked, and sometimes gave, their lives for their faith in God and their love of freedom.

Some of the heroes you’ll recognize right away:

• Pocahontas
• John Winthrop
• George Washington
• Robert Fulton

Some of them you may not have met before:

• Ann Story
• Mrs. Pursley
• James Caldwell, the Fighting Parson
• Kapi’olani

And you’ll meet other heroes and heroines as well, brave men, women, and children whose deeds are remembered even after their names have been lost to history:

• The little pueblo prince
• The boys of Boston
• A small brave fleet
• The nurses of Pearl Harbor

This amazing history curriculum (available in ebook or paperback) includes 150 lessons (30 5-day weeks) covering more than 700 pages. If the curriculum stopped there, it would be a resource unlike any American history series I’ve ever read. But the curriculum goes beyond the history and the stories and includes lists of additional recommended reading and resources, an additional materials CD (with timelines, videos, printable historic board games, artwork, coloring pages, and more), nineteen historical skits, an audio CD of historic songs mentioned in the book, and an audio CD of speeches, sermons, poems, and documents mentioned in the curriculum. Think of the possibilities to use these to take history with you on road trips, to waiting rooms, and beyond.

One of my favorite resources, in addition to the stories, is the games and recipes section. Recipes are included like Abraham Lincoln’s favorite fricasseed chicken, colonial succotash, hardtack, and many more. Instructions are given for your kids to enjoy their own games of pitching pennies, Fox and Geese, I Have a Basket, and lots more.

There is so much to this history curriculum it is truly impossible to share it all with you today. There are Scripture verses included for memorization, copywork and dictation passages shared, writing prompts, and studies of historic artwork. Underlying it all is the steady theme of men, women, and children who stood strong through personal loss, clung to God’s Word, and faithfully fought to make their part of the world a better place.

This history curriculum is designed for 1st-6th grade. The sections that are more challenging or sensitive are written in two formats, one for younger students and one for older students, giving you the freedom to customize the material to fit your children’s needs and maturity.

Take a look at Heroes and Heroines of the Past: American History and lots of other great history resources from AmyPuetz.com. Share the legacies of these heroes and heroines of the past as you encourage and equip your children to leave a lasting legacy of their own.

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this curriculum in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Do you have any special traditions for Christmas Eve?

Here’s a lovely idea I found on Pinterest a few years ago: The Night Before Christmas Box. Inside it has:

A new pair of pyjamas

A new book

Packets of hot cocoa

Popcorn

A Christmas film.

Personally, I would miss out the Christmas film from the box. While a Christmas film one year might work out with timing, it might not another year. Children are sticklers for tradition and I wouldn’t want to start something I couldn’t continue. Then of course, depending on how many children you have and how old they are, it depends on whether you need two separate films and fitting them both into the evening.

I quite like the idea of starting it when they are young and them having a box each and then having a “snuggle time” with a bedtime story around the Christmas tree. As they get older, they won’t want to be read to, but I think the sitting around the Christmas tree together, silently reading their own books while munching their popcorn and sipping hot cocoa will be something they still want to do.

I really like how it not only makes a special Christmas Eve tradition, but also provides a little wind-down and a time-out from the heady excitement of Christmas being the next day before going off to bed.

It would then be nice to end the evening as you are now all together, with a Christmas devotional and prayer.

I can see lots of warm family memories being created with this simple activity!

~ Wendy Sparkes ~

P.S. I have lots of other activities on my Christmas Time! board on Pinterest, which you might like to check out!

CHRISTMAS!  The word evokes many feelings, depending on our experiences. For some, Christmas is a happy time, filled with beautiful memories and joyful expectations. For others, Christmas is a depressing time, a season one wants “to get over with” as quickly as possible because of bad memories associated with this time of year.

Having ministered to people for many years, I have come to the conclusion that depressing memories at Christmas time are most often related to problems of unforgiveness. Hurts from the past become more pronounced during the Christmas season, but the reason those hurts still affect us is that we have not let go of the bitterness associated with them. In short, we have not forgiven the people who have hurt us.

Why do most people have such a difficult time forgiving? I believe the main reason is that they do not understand what forgiveness really means. If you are one of those people, what follows may help you:

LET’S LOOK AT WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT:

• Forgiveness is NOT letting someone off the hook.
• Forgiveness is NOT condoning evil.
• Forgiven is NOT being a doormat.
• Forgiveness is NOT having to trust again the person who hurt you.
• Forgiveness is NOT a feeling.
• Forgiveness is NOT an option.

NOW LET’S LOOK AT WHAT FORGIVENESS IS:

• Forgiveness IS taking the person who hurt you off of your hook and placing him on God’s hook, then praying that God will have mercy on him.
• Forgiveness IS acknowledging that evil was done but choosing to bear the consequences of that evil without retaliation.
• Forgiveness IS taking charge of your emotions.
• Forgiveness IS setting boundaries with the person who hurt you, even, if necessary, refusing temporary or permanent interaction with that person. An example would be the case of a wife who physically separates herself from a husband who beats her.
• Forgiveness IS a decision.
• Forgiveness IS obedience to God’s commandment to forgive.

No matter how badly you have been hurt, choose to forgive. It’s the best thing you can do for your own well-being and for your family. Unforgiveness chains you emotionally to the person who hurt you. Forgiveness breaks that chain and sets you free.

What better time is there than the Christmas season to forgive those who have hurt us? The very essence of Christmas is the truth that God forgave humanity through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Who are we not to forgive when God has forgiven us?

So, this Christmas, forgive! And teach your children to forgive. But don’t just forgive. Ask to be forgiven. As the Word of God tells us, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All of us need not only to forgive but also to be forgiven. And as long as we are on this earth, it is never too late to forgive or to be forgiven.
___________________________________________
Copyright 2012-2017 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA.  All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reproduced without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may reach her at www.maryanndiorio.com or at www.maryanndiorioministries.com.

A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
by MaryAnn Diorio

For a heartwarming, compelling story on the power of forgiveness, you may wish to read my moving story titled A Christmas Homecoming.  It is available in electronic format for your Kindle, Nook, or iPad and in AudioBook format.

VIEW TRAILER HERE!

Click here for e-Book Format.
Click here for AudioBook Format.

To view the beautiful book trailer of A Christmas Homecoming, click here.

Last, but not least, may you forge happy memories this Christmas season as the power of forgiveness sets you free!
______________________________________________________________________
Dr. MaryAnn Diorio writes compelling fiction that deals with the deepest issues of the human heart. She is former Adjunct Online Professor of Fiction Writing for Regent University and coaches writers on their journey to publication. MaryAnn and her husband Dominic are the blessed parents of two amazing adult daughters and a fantastic son-in-law. They are grandparents to five rambunctious grandchildren. Find out more about MaryAnn at www.maryanndiorio.com/ and at www.maryanndiorioministries.com.

During this time of Advent, I can’t help but think of Mary. As a mother, I relate more to her now than when I read the Christmas story as a child. Perhaps that’s why Mary, Did You Know? is one of my favorite Christmas hymns.

Mary, Did You Know? is an insightful song. Every mother has hopes and dreams for her children. She imagines their future. Mary could not have known what her Child’s future looked like, but she knew her Child wasn’t like any other baby that had been born or would be born after.

We read in the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke that after the shepherds ran off to tell everyone what they had seen, Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” What mother doesn’t ponder the actions of her children or events her children are involved in? She knew something amazing had just transpired.

Fast forwarding years later, we find Mary is frantic when twelve-year-old Jesus is lost on the way back from Jerusalem after Passover. She and Joseph search for him and the first thing she does when she sees Him–in typical mother fashion–is scold Him for treating them so badly and telling Jesus how distressed they were.

Like any dedicated mother, Mary followed her Son’s ministry and was with Him even until His earthly death. How her heart must have broken watching the way He was tortured and killed. For while Jesus was the Savior of the world, He was also: the Baby she carried, the Child she nurtured, and the Man she had to let go of in order to see God’s promise fulfilled.

This Advent season, I encourage you to consider Mary. Think of the wonderful Gift she brought into this world and shared with this world by accepting God’s plan for her life. May the Gift of Christmas fill you with hope, joy, and peace.

Then Mary said, “I am willing to be used of the Lord. Let it happen to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)

I’m usually an optimistic person, but lately it’s become more and more difficult for me to muster any level of optimism as I read the newspaper or watch the evening news. Even my Facebook and Twitter feeds are not immune to the avalanche of bad news. Headlines and links are posted as the events occur—the worse the news, the quicker the post. Frankly, it can just plain wear me down.

But no matter how dark our world becomes, regardless of the crisis—political, economic, or natural disaster—hope glimmers and grows at Christmas. In fact, our gloomy world seems to glow the whole month of December.

The rest of the year the world is a dark place, and getting darker each day. Hopelessness feeds on current events, broken relationships, and pervasive immorality. But this isn’t a new phenomenon. Prior to the birth of Christ, the world had sunk into the darkness of despair. Immorality and idolatry infiltrated almost every area of civilization. Even in Israel, the religious leaders had made an idol of their rituals, substituting unrelenting legalism for a relationship with the true God.

“Then, over the skies of Bethlehem, angels broke through the darkness of their hopelessness and bathed a group of shepherds in a great light. A heavenly host praised God and proclaimed hope: ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'” (Luke 2:10-11 NIV).

The angels’ message declared the arrival of God’s Son, the One who would identify Himself as the Light of the World. God had not forgotten His people. In the fullness of time He broke into our dark world and shone the light of hope and restoration.

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2 NIV).

So as I decorate my house with Christmas lights, I’m reminded there is no darkness that cannot be dispelled by the light of God’s presence. As I sing familiar Christmas carols, I remember that the Light of the World was heralded by angels.  And as I decorate my Christmas tree, I welcome the assurance that even the darkest sin was paid for when God’s Son hung on a different kind of tree.

This Christmas, step into the Light…and bring the children in your life with you.

When my daughter’s husband encouraged us to write a Christmas book for children, we accepted the challenge. My first thought was, “How can we make it different from other books that are already out there?” Christmas books are in high demand around the holidays, and publishing companies continue to offer contracts to authors who can create something original. But since there are countless Christmas books already on the market, I knew this would be a tall order.

When a picture book incorporates educational elements, it has more appeal, so we decided to go with an alphabet book. We also write in rhythm and rhyme which makes it appeal to both the reader and the listener (if it is done right!) So we were about to settle on a rhyming alphabet Christmas book when I decided it needed another feature to make it unique. I had never seen a rhyming alphabet Christmas book that tells the Christmas story in chronological order, so  that was our vision. As we began searching the Scriptures to keep the story accurate, we were excited to discover that many of the Bible verses included the alphabet “word” we were going to highlight on each page–so we added Bible verses as well. So now our goal was to write a rhyming alphabet Christmas storybook with Bible verses.

Needless to say, this was a difficult project. But the hard part is what makes it fun. With every letter, word, and Bible verse we found to move the story forward, we were filled with childlike excitement. Once it was completed, Tyndale offered us a contract. We worked with the editor to make some improvements, and in 2015, the picture book hit shelves. Last year, they published a board book edition which was a delight to parents with toddlers.

When I was being interviewed on a radio program about the book, the host asked me why we chose M is for Manger as the title. My response: “Because that’s where you find Jesus.”

No matter how you share the Christmas story with the children in your lives, may you enjoy God’s timeless miracle, and may you all find Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

Crystal

Have you ever given someone special a gift that you thought would delight them only to have them look at it questioningly, set it aside, and reach for the next one? Ouch!

I sometimes wonder how God feels as he offers Jesus to us.

His desire is for us – to draw us close so we can get to know Him and the great love He has for us – sharing in His pleasure.

He formed this whole world with His words, out of His thoughts and wisdom, so we could know Him as we explore it. Then, He wanted to do more, so He sent Jesus, His Son as a deeper more personal illustration of His love and character. This is the most precious gift – offering salvation and personal relationship with Him.

What will we do with this gift?

Will we reject it and say, “no thank you”? Will we keep it, unopened – unaccessed, in the pretty gift box at a safe distance? Or, will we receive it, availing ourselves of all it contains?

If we receive Him, will we put him on a shelf in our life as an interesting and sometimes useful ornament? One we can go to and look at when want to see something pure and holy? Or pray to in our hour of greatest need?

Or, will we clear the worldly debris from our hearts and enthrone Him there? If we do, will it be a throne room with a door that we only open on occasion, when we feel too dirty and want to spend a little time getting cleaned up so we feel better, and then go out and close the door again?

Or will we move our couch and our beds into the throne room and live there with Him?

I love Joshua’s heart in the Exodus 33:11, “… Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” Joshua would not leave the tabernacle where the presence of God dwelt.

The offer is here, the gift has been given, the way has been made. What we do with the offering is our choice. I pray we will fully receive the gift of Christ Jesus into our lives today and every day, to the point where we truly “abide” with Him.

Thank You so much Father God for Your indescribable gift!

Have a truly blessed Christmas~

Kristie Wilde

Seeing Christ in Christmas

In three days, we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Historically, we know that Jesus was not actually born on December 25. Nevertheless, this is the traditional day for us to celebrate the greatest gift of all, the gift of the Messiah.

As Christmas day draws near, I know that it is easy to get caught up in the stress of having to finish last minute Christmas shopping or having to travel long distances to see family. In these final days leading up to Christmas, though, I encourage you to slow down and focus on the significance of God’s gift of his son to a broken world.

How do we see Christ in Christmas? Dr. Warren Gage has written a free devotional e-Book, “Seeing Christ in Christmas,” that I recommend. It is available at this link: http://christmasebook.alexandrianforum.org

Dr. Gage answers the following questions, among many:

How did the wise men know that the appearance of a star signaled the long-awaited birth of the Messiah, the “child born king of the Jews?” What was the prophetic meaning of the sign from heaven given to the shepherds of Bethlehem? Finally, is it possible that the Christmas story anticipates the story of Jesus’ resurrection in a beautiful way?

Here is a small excerpt:

“Why did the host of angels appear to a group of lowly shepherds to announce the birth of the Christ and not to the kings of the earth? We’re so familiar with the Christmas story that we miss how startling this part of it is supposed to be. In ancient Israel, shepherds were not given any regard by polite society. In fact, they were generally despised. Because their occupation kept them constantly attending to their flocks, they could not keep the laws of purity or observe the same sacred days and temple rituals as other Jews. As a result, they were considered unclean and unworthy. The fact that God chose to announce the gospel message of the birth of the Savior to a group of disregarded shepherds rather than to the religious leaders, the Herodians, or the Romans located in Jerusalem just a few short miles away from Bethlehem teaches us a profound lesson about the heart of Father God for his people.”

This free gift and many others can be downloaded from The Alexandrian Forum (www.AlexandrianForum.org), which exists to bring an affordable seminary education to those who cannot afford to pay the high cost of tuition and a free seminary education to pastors and elders!

Merry Christmas and God Bless!

On Sale Now!

Copyright: regina555 / 123RF Stock Photo

Enjoy this holy day with your family and friends. Remember Jesus the Christ Child left his throne in heaven to show us how much he loves us.

A picture for children to color:

Copyright: regina555 / 123RF Stock Photo

In the Afterglow of Christmas, as we enjoy the gifts we have received, it is the time to nurture a thankful heart, both in our own hearts, as well as teaching it to our children.

As a child after a birthday or Christmas, Mum made sure we sat down with writing paper and wrote a thank you. And she led by example. She would be writing her thank you notes too.

If we were going to be away with family soon after Christmas, then when we were packing, she would check that we had packed writing paper.

She didn’t always require us to write a “Thank You.”

If we were going to see the relative who had given the gift, then we could go up to them and say “thank you” but we had to say what the gift actually was, not just a “Thank you for my present,” but a “Thank you for the (books) you gave me for Christmas.”

So as soon as we were old enough to write our own lists, on Christmas Day, as we opened a gift, we then wrote down what it was we had been given and by whom. Then later when we were writing a letter or just saying “Thank You” we could check the list to see what we had been given. All 4 of us still do that even today.

When we were writing a “Thank You” letter to relatives as we reached preteens, Mum insisted we needed to write something more than just “Thank you for the present” and to say something a bit more like how we were enjoying the present/going to spend the gift, and to add something that we had done over Christmas.

I remember one year receiving something that was not quite suitable for me. I can’t remember exactly what it was, but I think I was a bit old for it. I do remember going to Mum and asking what I wrote in the letter, because I couldn’t honestly say I liked it/was going to use it. Mum replied with “Just say ‘thank you for the (gift name)’ because you can be thankful that they were thoughtful enough to remember you at Christmas and buy you a gift. Then just write about the things you have done over Christmas.”

Her words of wisdom have always stayed with me.

Nowadays with the internet and mobile phones (or cell phones as they are called in the US) we have lots of different ways to say “Thank You.”

I personally don’t mind if I receive a written note (I love the ones I get from my nephews and have kept all of them) a verbal thank you or a text/email/FB message.

With the graphics available today, a simple online message can be prettied up to make it look special, and would possibly enthuse the teens in your family to get down to sending a “Thank You.” Because, let’s face it, having to take time out to say “Thank You” when you would rather be enjoying the gift of spending holiday time with the family can be a chore. But in saying “Thank You” we are taking the time to be grateful for the gift as well as for the person who gave the gift.

My sister, with her boys started off writing their “Thank You” notes herself. When they were able they then signed their name at the end. Now they are able to write independently so at 6 and 7 they are now writing “Dear Auntie Wendy, Thank you for my (gift name) love from (nephew’s name).” It means a lot of work for my sister, firstly writing the notes, and now sitting with them as they write their own, but she firmly believes now is the time to be teaching them the gift of thankfulness. (I agree with her!)

Did you write “Thank You” notes as a child? Do you still do it now? Do you encourage your children to do it?

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV

~ Wendy Sparkes ~

God has a lot to say about money and the way we manage it.  According to my Concordance, the word “money” appears 148 times in the Bible. Jesus talks about money more than He talks about hell. Why? Because how we handle money could determine whether or not we go to heaven or hell.

As parents and grandparents, we have a responsibility to teach our children how to be good stewards of God’s money.

Here are seven basic principles that I have discovered by searching God’s Word regarding money:

1) Everything we own belongs to God, including our money.  We are simply stewards of God’s belongings.

2) Always pay God first. The first ten percent of our gross earnings must be invested into God’s Kingdom.  This investment is called the tithe.  Consider this as an obligatory bill.  God uses the tithe as seed for our future provision.

3) Always pay yourself second. The second ten percent of our gross income must be invested into personal savings. Consider this also as an obligatory bill.

4) Put your savings into investments that give the best return.  The miracle of compound interest has created many a millionaire. And the more money we have, the more we can donate to spreading the Gospel.

5) Never spend more than you earn. In fact, spend less. Live within your means and practice delayed gratification.

6) Develop a giving attitude.  God has set a law into motion called the Law of Sowing and Reaping.  The more we sow, the more we will reap.  Teach your children to give generously to worthwhile causes, particularly those that spread the Gospel and help the poor.

7) Always use money and love people. Never love money and use people.

Remember: It is not money that is the problem. Money is neutral. It is our attitude toward money that can be the problem.

The question continually to ask ourselves is this: Do I have money or does money have me?

By teaching your children these seven principles, you will be helping them to set a solid foundation for wise money management God’s way.

___________________________________________
Copyright 2017 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA.  All Rights Reserved.

Dr. MaryAnn Diorio is a widely published, award-winning author of fiction for children and adults. Her latest children’s picture book, The Dandelion Patch, won the designation of “Best Book of Juvenile Fiction” in the 2017 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards Contest. The Dandelion Patch is available on Amazon as are all of MaryAnn’s children’s books. To see a complete list, please click here.

To learn more about Dr. MaryAnn and her writing, please visit her at www.maryanndiorio.com.

Before leaping into the New Year pause and consider your dreams for your child to grow to be a boy or girl of great character, filled with the Fruit of the Spirit. Review the list and consider what ones your child exhibits and what ones need some work. That fruit consists of great qualities (Galatians 5:22-23):

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control

Ah, that’s an inspiring list! To achieve that, a child needs to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:13). In fact walking in the spirit comes earlier in the same chapter of the Bible.

Think of how a child’s time spent in games spills out in their words and actions. Their time investment shapes their hearts and minds. So, too, time invested with God will be reflected in their words and actions and change their hearts. If you put nothing into faith development, then faith will not develop. Here are a few ideas to help your child walk with God more:

Decorate and fill a spiritual treasure box. Encourage your child to fill it with items that reflect what they learn from the Bible:

• Lock of hair or feather because God cares for them even more than the birds (Matthew 10:29-31)
• Colorful object as a reminder of the rainbow in Genesis 9:13-17
• Trace their hand for them to write actions to do to serve others (Matthew 20:26 and Galatians 5:13)
• A photo of your child with paper hands hugging it as a reminder that God loves him or her.

Put up a prayer board to write prayers and add how God answers each one

Pray before leaving home each day for God’s protection. Praise God in prayer each evening to thank Him for blessings sent and for being with them during struggles.

Study a Bible passage each week and do activities related to the passage (books like 52 Weekly Devotions for Busy Families make it easy and fun). Make it fun and be enthusiastic.

Invest time in God to nurture faith in children, build character, and instill a biblical worldview. Make a commitment to schedule daily time with your child and God. It won’t simply happen. It takes work, but it will be worth the effort.

Blessings,

Karen Whiting     

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. I Chronicles 16:34

Our houses overflowed with gifts in celebration of the Greatest Gift, but the Lord loads us up with gifts, blessings, benefits, every day. I once heard a pitcher say no matter the outcome of the game, the sun would come up in the morning, his mama loved him, and God loved him. He was able to give thanks even in a losing situation. He wasn’t thankful for his bad pitches, but he found at least three other constants in his life for which he could be thankful. 

Each day is a gift. We can teach our children to be thankful by encouraging them and ourselves to count those gifts every day. Depending on the age of your children, they might draw a picture, or create a sticky note for the fridge, or keep a journal. Each day when the family is together, whether supper or family devotions allow each person to share one thing that they were most thankful for that day. It may be red scribbles the child describes as a red bird in the snow. It could be a sticky note that says, “I love Grandpa.” It may be a paragraph in a journal that describes the learning process of working on a car with Dad and the skinned and bleeding knuckles that go with the job or a photo of a completed quilt or dress, but not mention all the times seams had to be ripped out and started over and oh, the needle pricks.

As we enter into this new year, may we enter with grateful hearts and eyes wide open to see all the reasons to give God praise – daily.