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Monday, September 28, 2015

Finding your way back to God.

It never ceases to amaze me at new and creative ways to look at the same scripture. I am not conveying scripture has different meanings depending on how you look at it but the way in which it is taught or expounded upon.
Dave Ferguson and Jon Ferguson, click here for more info on the authors, have done a good job of taking the parable of the prodigal son and exposing 5 "awakenings" from this text. They explore the awakening of longing, regret, need, love, and life directly from the parable. But what really impacts the participant is the real life stories of prodigals just like you and i who openly share their stories of rejection, abuse, and disrespect of God and life in general. They share as if we are in a chair a crossed the table from them. These real life stories are examples of the same heart behind the prodigal son and serve as a sort of reinforcement as we can relay with the comments of the speakers.
Dave and Jon do a good job of clarification and leave us with a challenge as we wrap up each session.
I received my copy from my friends at blogging for books for this honest review. I would recommend picking up a DVD, participants guide and leader guide for your small group now or for your own personal use.     Don't forget to ask for it by name,http://images.randomhouse.com/cover/9781601426758?width=125&alt=no_cover_b4b.gif

Monday, September 14, 2015

My first Hands-on Bible

I have been waiting for a Bible that would be good for preschoolers and I just found one. It seems that usually the Bibles that are for younger kids abandon the scriptures and make for a nice little story book. Of course at the preschool age kids are not yet able to read on their own so pictures are of great importance. A picture is worth a thousand words, right?My First Hands-On Bible
I must admit a bit of skepticism when it comes to story book theology because we don't want our kids growing up thinking these are just Bible "stories". My first hands-on Bible does a decent job of balancing the accuracy with simplified terminology as you would expect from the New Living Translation. As I went through the well known stories of scripture and some lesser known I appreciated seeing the words of God coming through. They have also added hands on activities throughout the stories and a way to tie the story to Christ. Imagine the fun of reading about creation while your child covers their eyes in an attempt to imagine what formless and void would look like. Turning the lights off and on while discussing God's command, "Let their be light". The pages are full of fun ideas and colorful pictures. The artwork is well done and obviously animated unlike many of the comics and videos we see today where they look like real people. Make sure your children know these are real events in history and things to come.
The Bible itself is a soft cover well designed but still will wear out a bit quicker than a nice hardcover. It is much thinner than I expected at about 1" but is better for small hands that way.
This Bible may have an advantage over your adult Bible because of the pictures and activities that bring the Word of God to life for your preschooler. I am sure this is a Bible you will both enjoy.
I received a complimentary copy of My first hands-on Bible from my friends at Tyndale House Publishers.
Till next time
P.M.