Sparking Everyday Discipleship

In this episode we look at the importance of helping our kids learn to listen and truly hear what people are saying. We also explore how to help them understand that we hear them and God hears them when they pray. July Giveaway: Enter the drawing by commenting below "Books that Spark," Episode 1 on my website: https://terriehellardbrown.com/books-that-spark-episode-1-expectations/ Two winners drawn on July 31, 2020: 1st prize - Praying the Scriptures for Your Children: Discover How to Pray God's Purpose for Their Lives by Jodie Berndt The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones The Jesus Storybook Bible Coloring Book for Kids: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones 2nd prize - ICB, Bedtime Devotions with Jesus Bible from Thomas Nelson Transcript:Welcome to Books that Spark, a podcast for parents and caregivers where we review books that spark imagination, emotion, questions, and conversations leading to teachable moments with our kids. Thank you for joining me today. I want to remind you that our giveaway is this Thursday, July 31st so, if you haven't already, please comment so I can enter you in the giveaway. You need to download the free course Parental Guidance Requested and comment. [Simply comment on my blog on my website for the first episode of Books that Spark to be entered into the drawing] That's it! Then, you'll be entered in the drawing. We'll have two winners. First prize includes Praying the Scriptures for Your Children, The Jesus Storybook Bible, and The Jesus Storybook Bible Coloring Book. Second prize is The Bedtime Devotions with Jesus Bible. You can find more information on my blog or in the show notes below. August on Books that Spark is going to be exciting! I have two interviews with two wonderful authors debuting new books. Deb Gruelle will be my guest on August 3rd and 10th. Jennifer Grant will be my guest on August 17th. You won't want to miss hearing about their new books and the stories behind them. The last two weeks of August, my husband and I will share with you about which Bible translations and Bible story books we recommend. Be sure to check out my website for freebies and items for purchase to bless your home and church. In addition, if you sign up for my mailing list, you'll get two freebies that are only available to those on the mailing list. First is a choice of three different phoneme books you can print, and the second is a list I compiled of over 100 picture book and board books that are written from a Christian worldview or don't contradict the Christian worldview. All are books that I've vetted. They are excellent in their story and illustrations. It's a great resource for building your child's library or for knowing great books for gifts. My goal is to help equip parents, teachers, and caregivers with the ability to have materials and have resources that will help us as we're discipling and teaching our children and as we're helping them to grow in their understanding of God and His purpose for their lives. And in addition to that, I also try to speak into your life as a parent, as a teacher, and as a caregiver. Because we need to be discipled too. So that is what I try to do with my website, my podcast, and my blog is to encourage you and help equip you so that you can help equip your children. Scripture says, "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry" in James 1:19, NLT. Today I want to share some books about listening and being heard. Part of the reason I'm so passionate about reading books together that spark conversations and questions is because we need to be communicating and sharing together with our families. Our children need to know that we value our relationship with them and respect them as people. We want to hear what they have to say and what they are thinking. We want them to be heard, and we want to be heard. As a part of parenting, children need to understand the importance of hearing and of really listening to what we're teaching them. It is part of being teachable and part of becoming life-long learners. If they do not learn how to listen, they are handicapping themselves. Through hearing each other, we show respect, we learn other perspectives, we learn how to reason and use critical thinking, and we aren't puffed up by our own self-importance. Listening and truly hearing what someone is saying is a huge skill we need to help our children master. And they need to see us model it as well. The first book I want to share is a fun, very cute book called Lacey Walker, Non-Stop Talker by Christianne C. Jones and illustrated by Richard Watson. Lacey Walker is an owl who loves to talk. The book says, "Lacey Walker was quite the little talker. She liked to talk and talk and talk." Everyone throughout her day asks her to stop talking and do what she needs to do and to listen. But she just keeps talking. Then one day, horror of horror

In this episode we look at some great Family Devotions. Below I've included some additional information about how to choose a devotional book for your children and some recommendations. Remember the drawing on July 31st. Be sure to download the Parental Guidance Requested course and comment on the first episode of Books that Spark to be entered in the drawing. Bonus Information: Choosing a Devotional for Your Kids: What to Consider 1. Bible translation used Many English translations of the Bible are available, and then there are paraphrases too. For children, we usually want to go with a good translation that is easy to understand. We will be covering this in more detail on a podcast in August, but my favorite translation is the New Living Translation (NLT). The most common in Children's Bibles is the International Children's Bible (ICB), and the other one that we think is really a good translation for kids is the Easy Reader Version (ERV). Some devotionals offer choices for translations which is nice. But it is definitely something you want to consider. 2. Perspective of the writer I recommend checking out the author. Devotionals are one person's take on the verses being discussed. If the person is from a far different belief system from your own, it can be troubling. One of the most popular devotionals on the market today was originally written with "automatic writing." This is a mystical, trance-like state that many are not comfortable with and feel it is not from God. Yet, it has become very popular, and now there is a children's version. Of course, most of us are concerned with whether the writer is charismatic or non-charismatic or anti-charismatic in their theology. 3. Focus of the devotional This is one of my pet peeves. I know we want the devotional to connect with our children, but I always want to make sure the central focus is on God and not on the child. We want the child's faith and understanding of God to grow, not just read ego-boosting nice thoughts. Yes, God loves us so much and knew us before we were born. But if that's all the devotional teaches, we may want to keep shopping. Think about: Do the devotionals lead to a response of worshiping and honoring God? Do they suggest affirmations about self? Are the scriptures used in context and chosen to glorify God or the child? 4. Need of your child Some devotionals are geared toward a certain topic and are usually shorter (not a full year). If your child is dealing with fear, you may want to get one that is specific to that issue. As an adult, I loved getting Champagne for the Soul when I was going through a lot of emotional turmoil. It was just what I needed, and it was recommended by a friend who thought it would bless me during that time. 5. Time per devotional reading Most children's devotionals state clearly what age child they are written for. Some even state the time for each day's devotional such as the 3-Minute Devotional for Boys. We need to consider our children's attention spans and abilities to read so that their Quiet Time becomes a cherished time, not an obligation they need to finish. 6. Personal devotional or family devotional The devotionals I covered in this podcast are for family devotionals done together with the parents and kids. However, many devotionals are for children to read on their own. A Few Recommended Individual Devotionals for Kids:Ages 6-10 Doodle Devotions for Kids by Nancy Taylor– for your artistic child who enjoys reading. Each devotional suggests reading about one-three chapters of scripture, and children use their own Bibles. Each devotional has a drawing suggestion. It's good for both girls and boys. She also has one that is specifically for girls. 60 devotions. Indescribable by Louie Giglio – This devotional combines science and the Bible. This one is also good for boys or girls, but it only has minimal scripture for each devotional. I like that it inspires awe for God and His creation, and it would be good for a child who is resistant to reading. He also has one called How Great Is Our God along the same lines. Plus, he offers lunchbox cards that are based on each of the devotions. 100 devotions. Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado – This devotional is dated for each day of the year. Lucado uses a lot of paraphrased verses, and each devotional is based on one verse, but he does have a section for reading the Bible and talks about the importance of reading the Bible. Each day's devotion ends with a suggestion of a response to the verse and devotional thought. He also has a version that is meant to be used for family devotions. 365 devotions. Gratitude Journal and Devotional for Kids: A daily journal for kids that includes gratitude prompts, Bible verses and a prayer journal ALL IN ONE! by Jessica Lewis – The title pretty much says it all. It's mostly a journal with prompts for journaling and prayer in response to a Bible verse. I would recommend this one for a child who is a thinker and enjoys writing. I

In this episode we look at some books that spark wonder and joy in life to help our kids embrace joy, peace, and develop resilience. July Giveaway: Enter the drawing by: 1. download the 12 mini lessons of the "Parental Guidance Requested Workshop" 2. Comment below "Books that Spark," Episode 1 that you downloaded them Two winners drawn on July 31, 2020: 1st prize - Praying the Scriptures for Your Children: Discover How to Pray God's Purpose for Their Lives by Jodie Berndt The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones The Jesus Storybook Bible Coloring Book for Kids: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones 2nd prize - ICB, Bedtime Devotions with Jesus Bible from Thomas Nelson Transcript: Welcome to Books that Spark, a podcast for parents and caregivers where we review books that spark imagination, emotion, questions, and conversations leading to teachable moments with our kids. Thank you for joining me today. I wanted to let you know that coming up in August, I'm really excited. I've been able to interview two wonderful authors who have books debuting in August. The first writer we're going to talk to is Deb Gruelle, and we'll be introducing her newest book coming out in August. The second one is Jennifer Grant who also has a book coming out. We are actually going to have her interview on the day that her book debuts which is August 17th, so you won't want to miss Books that Spark in August when we have two very special guests share their books with us. We had a great time talking about their books and what sparked the stories that they wrote. So be sure to join us in August when we have these interviews. Don't forget about our drawing for July. Remember our podcast comes out each Tuesday morning. And I'm so excited to tell you that if you sign up for my mailing list you get some freebies. I've created three different books of phonemes that you can download. You can choose from the three different books. One is a coloring book, and the other two are just picture books. And you can learn and practice and go through the phonemes of the English language with your children. I have a list when you sign up for free as well that is of over 100 picture books and board books that are excellent to read to your kids, really good stories with excellent illustrations that are either Christian in nature or do not go against the Christian worldview. So I was very picky, overly picky sometimes to create this list for you. I also tried to go with writers maybe you haven't heard of before. I did not include Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss, and I do note that in the intro on the list that those are excellent books and you can pretty much trust any of those. But the books that I did read may be books you've never heard of or writers that you've never heard of. I hope this can be beneficial for you and your family as your shopping for books in building your child's library. In addition to that, I've decided to make one of my stories available on my website. If you go to my new website, terriehellardbrown.com, you'll see that I have quite a few free things that you can download there. I'm adding new things all the time. I've developed in one of the classes I did in Parental Guidance Requested and that I teach in my workshops I have a freebie that is a passport you can download and make for your children and read different books from different countries, stories, fairy tales, and legends from different countries and learning to count in different languages and these kinds of things. So I have that resource that will be available soon on my website. I'm also developing some other materials, some cost, some are free, but those are all available on my website. Please go take a look and download what you can use. And just send me a little note. Let me know if you do use the different items with your church, with your homeschooling group or whatever, and let me know how you used it. That would mean a lot to me. Some of the things are plays, monologues, and dialogues that you can use in your church services or in your schools. My goal is to help equip parents, teachers, and caregivers with the ability to have materials and have resources that will help us as we're discipling and teaching our children and helping them to grow in their understanding of God and His purpose for their lives. And in addition to that, I also try to speak into your life as a parent, as a teacher, and as a caregiver. Because we need to be discipled too. So that is what I try to do with my website, my podcast, and my blog is to encourage you and help equip you so that you can help equip your children. I want to share with you a feel-good story that I love. This book is called My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray, illustrated by Raul Colon. This is one of those books you cherish and that you enjoy sharing again and again whether you're the parent or the child. It's such a beautiful story of a relationship between a mom a

What is "Books that Spark" all about? We review books that spark imagination, emotion, questions, and discussion creating teachable moments that lead to meaningful conversations with our children. In this episode: How do we balance seeking to do our best and seeing goals met with perfectionism and unrealistic expectations? Experts often tell us that children rise to our high expectations. When does that go from being healthy motivation to pressure causing our children to be people-pleasers or to shut down and give up? One of the keys is recognizing who our children truly are and who God intended them to be. Books Discussed: Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman Other Links: https://www.terriehellardbrown.com/ Deuteronomy 11:18-21 Enter the drawing by: 1. download the 12 mini lessons of the "Parental Guidance Requested Workshop" 2. Comment below "Books that Spark," Episode 1 that you downloaded them Two winners drawn on July 31, 2020: 1st prize - Praying the Scriptures for Your Children: Discover How to Pray God's Purpose for Their Lives by Jodie Berndt The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones The Jesus Storybook Bible Coloring Book for Kids: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones 2nd prize - ICB, Bedtime Devotions with Jesus Bible from Thomas Nelson Transcript: Transcript: Hi, and welcome to Books that Spark. I'm Terrie Hellard-Brown, your host. I'm so glad you joined us today. This is my first episode of Books that Spark, and I have a treat for you. With this first podcast, I've also opened a 12 mini-lesson course called Parental Guidance Requested with parenting tips for getting the most out of your reading and discipleship time with your kids. If you download those 12 lessons and comment on this episode that you've got them, you will be entered into a drawing for some free resources. I'll have two winners. First prize is Praying the Scriptures for Your Children, The Jesus Storybook Bible and The Storybook Bible Coloring Book. Second prize is Bedtime Devotions with Jesus Bible. So, download the episodes today and comment before the end of July, 2020, and we'll enter you in the drawing. The drawing will be held on July 31st, 2020. So, what is Books that Spark all about? It began as an idea while I was at a speaker's conference last year. I was talking about blogging and writing books, and I mentioned how I love talking about great picture books. One of the moms there begged me to create a list of the best picture books that I would recommend. Well, as I began to think and pray about that; the notion of starting a podcast kept coming to my mind. And pretty soon I couldn't shake the idea. I would think about it all the time and started developing ideas for episodes and just got really excited about the possibilities. So here I am jumping in and giving this a try. I hope you enjoy it and feel that it's beneficial to you and your family. I hope you discover some great books that maybe you hadn't heard of before as we go through the episodes in this podcast. Sometimes this will just be me sharing with you from my heart like today, and other times I'll have guests. And I have a couple authors coming next month to share with you from their hearts and share with you about their books. So, it should be a good time and good information, and I hope you enjoy it. Sometimes I will just be sharing with you some very silly, funny books because there's a lot of excellent ones out there that can make your family laugh and have a great time together. If you go to my website and sign up for my mailing list, you'll get notifications for this podcast as well as my blog. And when you do, you will be able to download for free a list of picture books and board books that I recommend to help build your child's library. There are over a hundred books on that list that you can check out and find out about through the list. (You will also get to choose from three free print-on-demand phoneme books you can make for your kids). So, if you sign up today, you can find the link in the show notes below. Then you can receive that for free. Today I want to talk about giving ourselves grace and our kids' grace. We tend to be hard on ourselves as parents wanting to be perfect in all that we do, and we can fall into the trap of perfectionism. But I've found, as a recovering perfectionist, that in reality, perfectionism is me trying to be God in my own life because we know that the only one who is truly perfect as God and our attempts at it are not truly perfect; they're perfectionism. And we can also be hard on our kids trying to encourage them to do their best, but instead putting expectations on them as well. So, we have to figure out what is the balance there. I'm a visual person, and I will never forget the most effective sermon I ever saw on expectations. It was done by Andy Stanley at North Point Community Chur

Research shows that reading aloud to children of all ages makes a difference in their lives. Books recommended for parents and teachers: Reading Picture Books with Children: How to Shake Up Story Time and Get Kids Talking about What They See by Megan Dowd Lambert Jim Trelease's Read-Aloud Handbook: Eighth Edition by Jim Trelease, Cyndi Giorgis The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie Honey for a Child's Heart: The Imaginative Use of Books in Family Life by Gladys Hunt Quotes from the books shared in the class: "As a reader, a mother, and a teacher, I know that we carry picture books about with us, not just as physical objects in our hands with pages that we turn, but as remembered experiences with stories and art, and with each other. I pick up a single picture book, and I recall not only the specific story and art on its pages but also the myriad insights that it provoked through Whole Book Approach readings that invited children to read words, pictures, and design along with me." (Lambert, xii) "During Whole Book Approach story times, children's active participation in making meaning of all they see and hear during a picture book reading takes precedence over moving through the pages at the pace of the adult's oral reading of the text…the Whole Book Approach simply stresses inviting children to react to the whole book—its art, design, production, paratextual and textual elements—in ways that feel natural and enriching to them and to you as the adult reader." (Lambert, x) "Children can read pictures." (dePaola, SCBWI Masterclass) "...in fact, a truly great picture book could be wordless. So the pictures actually move the story along and move the narrative along…Once the child has had the story read to them, they can remember the story just by looking at the pictures." (dePaola, SCBWI Masterclass) "A good book is a magic gateway into a wider world of wonder, beauty, delight, and adventure. Books are experiences that make us grow, that add something to our inner stature." (Hunt, p. "I am frankly excited by the potential of books to build a whole, healthy, spiritually alert child who has the capacity to enjoy all the possibilities of life." (Hunt, p. "Whenever I'm asked, 'Why should I read aloud to my child or my students.' (regardless of the child's age), it provides me with an opportunity to share why reading aloud is so important, for both reader and listener. The educational values of reading aloud are well documented: introducing vocabulary, modeling fluency, demonstrating expressive reading, developing comprehension, and assisting children in making connections. There is also the personal value of listening to a book read aloud. That experience may generate vivid memories of a story associated with a person, time, or place—a memory often remaining with us for years." (Trelease, p. 7) "We read to children for all the same reasons we talk with them: to reassure, to entertain, to bond, to inform or explain, to arouse curiosity, and to inspire. But in reading aloud, we also build vocabulary, condition the child's brain to associate reading with pleasure, create background knowledge, provide a reading role model, and instill the desire to read." (Trelease, p. 14) "Happily ever after is hardly a myth for those who believe in the promise of eternal joy in heaven." (McKenzie, p. 96) "If we tell them enough stories, they will have encountered hard questions and practiced living through so many trials, hardships, and unexpected situations that, God willing, they will have what they need to become the heroes of their own stories." (McKenzie, p. 92) "[Story] has been the vehicle for truth for as long as the human race can remember." (Katherine Paterson quoted by McKenzie, p. 93) "Reading aloud with our kids is indeed the best use of our time and energy as parents. It's more important that just about anything else we can do." (McKenzie, p. 56) Storytelling videos: https://youtu.be/q10UgcjGAyE https://youtu.be/mOA8mUflH-Q One of my favorite storytellers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTQ3FvVFuGk Learn more about Workshops and my Mailing List: terriehellardbrown.com Other books mentioned in this episode: Transcript:Welcome to parental guidance requested from books that spark. These 12 mini-lessons are based on a workshop I offer for parents and teachers who want to make Storytime and discipleship come alive for their children. Today, we will be discussing creative ways to use picture books with your children. I want to discuss ways to read books with your children that will give variety and opportunities for learning together. We will be looking at a few important books that you may want to read that are about reading with your children. One is Reading Picture Books with Children: How to Shake up Storytime and Get Kids Talking About What They See by Megan Lambert. Another is Jim Trelease's Read-Aloud Handbook: Eighth Edition by Jim Trelease and Cyndi Giorgis.