"The Scriptures are shallow enough for a babe to come and drink without fear of drowning and deep enough for theologians to swim in without ever touching the bottom." - St. Jerome

The enemy would love for moms to believe the lie that they are ill-equipped to teach their children the Word of God. That they should leave such a weighty task to the trained professionals, like pastors or Sunday school teachers. 

But that's not what God says. 

As believers who are armed with the Holy Spirit (our Helper) and God's living and active Word, we are equipped to understand and to tell others the great news of the gospel (2 Peter 1:3)!

If you're new to reading the Bible with your kids, here are a few questions to help guide you as you read. I didn't make these up - there are lots of different versions of these - but this set of four questions is my favorite for getting to the heart of the matter. 

After you read, ask: 

1. What does this passage tell me about God? What does it say about who He is and what He has done?

2. What does this passage teach me about human beings (or myself)? What are we meant to be and what has gone wrong?

3. How does this passage point me to Jesus? How do I see the need for and the coming of a Savior?

4. How should I respond?

Whether you're reading a Psalm, an Old Testament prophecy, or a New Testament account of Christ's birth, these questions are so enlightening!

If you're interested in downloading and printing this free bookmark, just visit my shop. 

Children's Bibles.

Let's talk about children's Bibles. There is such a myriad of choices that I hope it will be helpful to share some of our family's favorites for different age groups. 

Differentiating between "The Bible" and "Children's Bible Storybooks"

First, I know some parents are hesitant to use children's Bibles because it "dumbs down" the stories. But I still believe there's a place for children's Bibles, and I believe we can differentiate between calling these children's Bible storybooks "the Bible." They are two different things. My children have no trouble understanding that these books tell the stories of the Bible, but that we spend time reading and memorizing the "real" Bible as well. 

The important thing is that you're exposing your children to God's Word. Children's Bible storybooks - especially those that are beautifully written and illustrated - have the ability to awaken a child's imagination and understanding about Jesus. They are able to give a zoomed out version of the story so it's easier to understand when reading or listening from an adult translation of the Bible. By reading about the work of Jesus on our behalf in a Bible or a children's Bible storybook, you are following the commands of Deuteronomy 6:4-9: storing up God's Word in your hearts, impressing them upon your children, and talking about them throughout your days. 

Our Favorite Children's Bible Storybooks

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones: ages 4 and up

Soon after The Jesus Storybook Bible was published in 2007, I read a copy as a newly married Bible college graduate and it opened my eyes to Biblical theology in a way I'd never seen. The way this storybook Bible connects the dots and points to Jesus throughout the Old Testament is breathtaking. It was such a gift, then, to read this to each of our children until we wore out copy after copy. I can't tell you how many of these we've given as baby shower gifts - partly for the child, but mostly for the parent. If you don't have a copy - no matter how old your children are - buy one. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes by Kenneth N. Taylor: ages 4 to 7

I actually purchased this for 30 cents at a thrift store and fell in love. I have the original edition, published in 1956, and the illustrations are exquisite. There's also a newer edition. This is a perfect Bible for our younger children (currently ages 3 and 5) who really enjoy the short stories and the questions at the end. It's straightforward but helpful. It also tackles the more obscure stories that the average children's Bible might stay away from.

The Tiny Truths Illustrated Bible by Joanna Rivard & Tim Penner: ages 4 to 8

I originally purchased this Bible because of its representation of diversity. Jesus was not white, and unfortunately is portrayed as white in many children's Bibles. This Bible shows darker skin tones across the board, which I appreciate. This includes 33 stories from the Old and New Testaments in clear language for kids. This is not the first children's Bible I would recommend as the stories are not as comprehensive as I wish they were and do not seem to explain theological concepts as much as other storybooks mentioned. But I still think it's a valuable resource to have in your library.

The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung, illustrated by Don Clark: ages 9 to 12

This is definitely more along the lines of a storybook than a Bible, but it's beautifully illustrated and helpful to read with older children in one or two sittings to see the Bible as grand narrative (which is so important!). I do believe it's a little vague for younger children. For example, Jesus is called "The Snake Crusher" throughout the book until page 114 when he is finally called Jesus. That was confusing for my children at first, so I definitely don't think this should replace anything in your library... but would make a good addition. There's also an animated short film by Crossway that accompanies this Bible that you can view for free here.

The Gospel Story Bible by Marty Machowski: ages 8 to 12

This is the children's Bible I chose to use with my Morning Time plans. We use it much like a commentary. It summarizes the stories then sheds light on the gospel application. It also contains the Bible references at the top of each story, so you can read the stories from the Bible before reading in this book. Many mornings, we'll read from the real Bible, then just read the last paragraph or two from The Gospel Story Bible as it helps us process what we just read. It also has optional comprehension questions at the end of each story. This is a wonderful option for elementary ages.

As you can see, there is no perfect children's story Bible. All have something beautiful and rich to offer, but none are the infallible Word of God.

Our Favorite Children's Bibles

The Big Picture Interactive Bible (CSB) by Holman: ages 8 to 12

This is an actual Bible in the CSB version with illustrations and other features added to enhance children's understanding. This is the Bible we've purchased for our two oldest children when they first began reading. It includes easy-to-understand introductions for each book of the Bible, full-color maps, memory verse suggestions, and the "Christ Connection" feature that shows how Bible stories point to Christ. I really love how this is the unabridged Bible, and also keeps my children engaged.

The ESV Children's Bible by Crossway: ages 8 to 12

Similar to the previous Bible I mentioned, this is a complete Bible (ESV version) that contains added features: full-color illustrations, child-friendly maps, a dictionary, and Old and New Testament timelines. I believe the ESV is a little more difficult to understand than the CSB, but my son has this Bible and enjoys bringing it to church to be able to follow along with the sermon.

Bible Storybooks We Didn't Love

The Beginner's Bible - While readable by very early readers (there are only a few words on each page), the cheesy illustrations and dumbed down storylines were enough to choose something else.

Egermeier's Bible Story Book - This is a popular choice among homeschoolers, but one we really struggled through our first year of homeschooling. It wasn't all that different from reading directly from the Bible as it is very comprehensive, but I could feel my children losing interest quickly and knew we needed to shelve it for a later time.

A Note about Charlotte Mason

Finally, a note to the Charlotte Mason homeschoolers who may be reading this. Many adherents to Charlotte Mason's philosophy do not buy into the idea of a children's Bible, since Charlotte Mason herself said it was important to expose children to the beautiful language of the King James Version of the Bible from an early age. 

However, as I dug a little deeper, I found that Charlotte Mason also wrote about the impediment that archaic language can be to young children. This quote from Volume 2 is lengthy, but worth the read: 

"But the little English child is thrust out in the cold by an archaic mode of address, reverent in the ears of us older people, but forbidding, we may be sure, to the child. Then, for the Lord's Prayer, what a boon would be a truly reverent translation of it into the English of to-day! To us, who have learned to spell it out, the present form is dear, almost sacred; but we must not forget that it is after all only a translation, and is, perhaps, the most archaic piece of English in modern use: 'which art,' commonly rendered 'chart,' means nothing for a child. 'Hallowed' is the speech of a strange tongue to him - not much more to us; 'trespasses' is a semi-legal term, never likely to come into his every-day talk; and no explanation will make 'Thy' have the same force for him as 'your.' To make a child utter his prayers in a strange speech is to put up a barrier between him and his 'Almighty Lover.' Again, might we not venture to teach our children to say 'Dear God'? A parent, surely, can believe that no austerely reverential style can be so sweet in the Divine Father's ears as the appeal to 'dear God' for sympathy in joy and help in trouble, which flows naturally from the little child who is 'used to God.' Let children grow up aware of the constant, immediate, joy-giving, joy-taking Presence in the midst of them, and you may laugh at all assaults of 'infidelity,' which is foolishness to him who knows his God as - only far better than - he knows his father or mother, wife or child" (Vol. 2, pp. 56, 57). 

Wow. Those words speak so loudly. For me, it's hard to imagine that our only exposure to the Bible in the KJV would develop a deep love for God's Word in our children - though that is what some ardent followers of Charlotte Mason espouse. I want to present to my children the living, breathing, relevant, powerful Word of God in words that can be readily understood.

That said, I am not making the jump that Charlotte Mason would have loved children's Bibles. But I do think this gives us the freedom as Charlotte Mason educators to employ a translation that makes sense for our families. That may not be KJV. In our home, we read regularly from the NIV or the ESV and memorize from both. The NIV tends to be easier to understand, but the ESV is what our church uses. Then usually before bedtime, we'll read a story or two from a children's Bible storybook.

What version of the Bible do you read with your children? What children's Bible is your favorite? 

Showing them Jesus.

A few times through the years, I've been asked to share what resources we use to help point our kids to Jesus. By no means is this an exhaustive list. It's simply a handful of books and music we've found helpful in helping us point our kids to the hope we have in Christ.

As much as these resources are helpful, they are simply resources. They don't replace daily conversations about Jesus that must happen for our kids to really understand our faith. In our house, we confess our sin to each other often and ask one another for forgiveness. We allow the kids to see us reading our Bibles and if they interrupt, we just read it aloud to them. We encourage them to join us in the worship service, if they're able to somewhat participate (mostly just Liam at this point). We sing worship songs in the car. Our faith in Jesus is personal, but not private. It's to be shared, and our greatest audience is our tiniest disciples.

If you have questions about something I've recommended, please leave it in the comments section and I'll be happy to go into more detail about it.



Kids' Bibles:
The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The Rhyme Bible Storybook by L. J. Sattgast
The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden by Kevin DeYoung
The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes by Kenneth N. Taylor

Some Favorite Books:
The Garden, The Curtain, and the Cross by Carl Laverton
The Storm That Stopped by Alison Mitchell
Found: Psalm 23 by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Just Because You're Mine by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Kids' Devotionals:
Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The Ology by Marty Machowski

Catechism:
For those who are unfamiliar with the purpose of a catechism or how you use it, these are simple questions and answers about God that we can teach our children that will form a framework for their theology. The questions and answers contain core doctrine for our faith. So when we read a Bible story, they might remember from the catechism, "Who is God?" "God is the creator of everyone and everything!" It has become an important part in our week - every Friday morning - to rehearse a new catechism question and answer with our kids. The New City Catechism has made this simple with a free app that includes the questions and answers as well as kid-friendly songs to help us all hide these truths in our hearts.

The New City Catechism by the Gospel Coalition
The New City Catechism Devotional by the Gospel Coalition

Music/Audio:
The Jesus Calling Bible Storybook Audio by Sarah Young
Hide 'Em In Your Heart by Steve Green
Hide the Word by Steve Green
Only Jesus by Austin Stone Worship: Kids

Scripture memory with your iPhone.

I know I've mentioned the Fighter Verses app on the blog before, but I had to mention it again. Because I've found a way to actually use it. Memorizing Scripture is an area I constantly struggle in but continually need. I have a feeling I'm not alone in that?

Here's what to do:
1. Download Fighter Verses on your smartphone.
2. Choose a verse you want to memorize, then scroll down until you find "Use Verse as Lock Screen" and click on the link.
3. From there, you can choose what color background you want.
4. Follow the prompts on the screen to set the verse as your lock screen wallpaper so that every time you go to use your phone, it pops up.

Each time I turn on the screen of my phone (many times a day, of course), I make myself pause and recite the verse in my head or aloud, including the reference. Depending on the length of the verse, sometimes I only need it on my screen for a day or two - sometimes for longer. Once I've memorized that verse, I go back to the app, pick a new verse with a new color background and start the process over again.

It's been so life-giving to be able to memorize multiple passages a week and to have them constantly playing in my head throughout the day. It's incredible how God's Word comes alive when we actually meditate on it and claim His promises.

Devotions.

Let me be the first to admit that having a daily quiet time in this season of life feels nearly impossible some days. Let me also be the first to say it's never been more essential.

A "quiet time" is a Christian colloquialism that may not make much sense to people who haven't grown up in the church. Essentially, it's a time set aside each day to be still before the Lord, to read the Bible, to pray, and to ask God to quiet your heart enough to hear Him speak. I guess I'd prefer to call them "devotions" as "quiet times" with a toddler around are not always quiet.

These times aren't always life changing in big ways. Reading my Bible doesn't always bring me to tears or reveal huge and enlightening truths that I've never pondered before. Some days, opening my Bible is simply an act of obedience, as my affections for God feel weak.

But when I miss them, I miss what God has chosen to teach me that day. I miss the encouragement and the joy that comes from being close to my Creator. And I feel it. I feel it deep down in my bones. My patience with Liam runs thin, and my patience with myself runs thinner. I get so overwhelmed by another email, another spill, another load of laundry, another purse to sew. There's little room for gratitude and plenty of room for comparison and exhaustion. Just as eating gives life to my body, reading God's Word gives life to my soul.

Recently, it's felt most practical to open my Bible as soon as I open my eyes, and to focus on a short passage that I dwell on throughout the day. A few weeks ago, this one jumped off the page (from Psalm 119):

Don't you need this, too? For Him to turn your eyes from what is worthless (vain, empty, void) and give you life walking in His Ways? I do. Every day, I do.

B&H Publishing recently gave me a copy of their new study Bible for women, and I am so thankful for it. (If you're a blogger, you can even request a review copy for yourself.) The study notes are so helpful for new believers and seasoned believers alike, and they don't shy away from delving into controversial topics or mining the depths of theologically rich passages. It's not a women's study Bible that adds a lot of fluff between the pages. 

So maybe you've never done devotions on your own and you're wondering where to begin? Here are a few thoughts... 

Do it daily. I read somewhere that it takes two weeks to form a habit (and perhaps two weeks to break one, if I remember correctly). Purpose to sit down at the same time, in the same place for two weeks and open God's Word. Pray He reveals truth to you as you read. It will change your life. 

Set the tone. Have everything set up and ready to go. For me, it's a Bible, sometimes a journal, a devotional book (I actually love reading Liam's devotional book ), and a pen. If I'm alone in the house or Liam is asleep, it also includes something hot to drink, a candle, and some worship music. Right now, I'm loving Sovereign Grace Music, Phil Wickham, Rend Collective Experiment, or All Sons & Daughters. And if I'm really dreaming in color, my living room is clean. I'm not distracted by books scattered on the floor or a half empty bottle between the couch cushions. 

Become part of a Bible study, or start one of your own. This past year, I was involved in a weekly women's Bible study at my church and it helped keep me accountable to studying the Bible each day, keep me close to other Christian women my age, and it was just encouraging to talk about the Lord with others who love Him, too. Highly recommend.

The Gospel Transformation Bible.

Have you heard about this new Bible, friends?

It's the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible that Crossway is releasing at the end of this month. It emphasizes the truth that all of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - points to the Gospel. To the culmination of God's redemptive work in Jesus' death and resurrection and how it transforms our lives. Even as a longtime Christian with a Bible degree under my belt, it's a perspective that's shockingly new to me.

Maybe you're thinking, "Well, that seems pretty obvious. Of course it points to Jesus." But when you're reading through a book in the Old Testament like Judges, you wonder, how does this point to the Gospel? To grace? To Jesus? It all seems to be about rules. But if we're missing the truth that the Bible points to the redemptive purposes of God in Christ in every book, we're missing the whole point.

As the Crossway website articulates much more clearly, "This specially prepared material outlines passage-by-passage God's redemptive purposes of grace that echo all through Scripture and culminate in Christ. The notes not only explain but also apply the text in a grace-centered way. Focusing on heart transformation rather than mere behavior modification, their points of application emphasize the Hows and Whys of practical application to daily living - in short, how the gospel transforms us from the inside out."

YES.

This isn't a new version of the Bible. Nothing has been added to the English Standard Version of the text. But the addition comes in helpful study notes written by Bible scholars and trusted pastors who all believe that the entirety of the Bible points to the Gospel of grace. I'm proud to say that one of these pastors is our former pastor in Nashville, Ray Ortlund, who was the contributor to the book of Proverbs.

Consider this at the top of my Christmas wish list.

PS - There are lots of different covers available here.