It has been six years since we made the official declaration of love for Jesus. We were baptized at our church in Ocean City, New Jersey in September of 2014. In that six years, there have been ups and there have been downs but I have always felt so grateful to have the love of Jesus in my life. Whether I was helping a person in need or yelling at my children, Jesus loved me. It is comforting beyond measure to have that unconditional love from the One who holds it all. When I feel lost, I will always have Him to turn to. If I’m indecisive about anything at all, Jesus is the answer. There has never been anything more certain in my entire life.
When I planned this post for thankful week, I expected to focus on my own faith. A new faith that is still learning and constantly renewing. A faith that keeps me going day after day, regardless of what the contents of my day hold. Then, last week, my oldest daughter made the decision to be baptized. Our ten year old made the decision to be baptized quite a while ago but we don’t want to pressure our children whatsoever, so we waited patiently for our oldest to declare that she was ready. It was so heartwarming that she came to this decision all on her own. We are so very proud of her.
Her baptism made me think about the faith of our children. I didn’t know God as a child. I was baptized as a baby and then I don’t think I stepped foot in a church again until adulthood, spare a few weddings here and there. While I know that all things are in God’s time, I sometimes long for more time with Him. I ponder what my teenage years in particular would have looked like if I had the guidance of the Word. I would falter, just as I do now, but His love never would.
[We work in partnership with The Beginner’s Bible and were compensated to share coverage of their book series. All thoughts and opinions are those of our own and were not influenced in any way.]
So I think about how I am raising my children and how I can best serve them, how I can create a Godly upbringing for them but also in a way that appeals to a small child. As much as we rely on the Word as adults, big words and concepts just confuse the little ones and they are easily distracted. They need to learn about God in a fun, reassuring, and understandable way. This is why we’ve relied on The Beginner’s Bible brand for our younger children.
The Beginner’s Bible Gift Edition is a newer version of the classic The Beginner’s Bible that your parents may have read to you. Still with those vivid illustrations and easy-to-understand stories, The Beginner’s Bible gift edition is bound with a beautiful red cover with gold linings. It’s the perfect gift, less because it is a beautiful book of God’s Word, and more because it is a gift that lasts so far beyond one Christmas season.
For your very little ones, The Beginner’s Bible Little Lamb’s Christmas tells the Christmas story with an adorable lamb finger puppet and more vibrant pictures and simple text. My little girl is almost five and she adores this book. It makes her smile to make the little lamb wiggle and it makes me smile because I know that we’re making memories that will outlast all of this.
She is also a very big fan of The Beginner’s Bible A Christmas Celebration Sticker and Activity book because it’s packed with some really fun activities which outline the biblical Christmas story. I think this activity book couples perfectly with any telling of the Christmas story. It keeps them engaged and learning.
Speaking of learning, The Beginner’s Bible Learn Your Letters wipe away book, is another one that is wonderful for teaching young children. We were very excited for this one to come out! It is reminiscent of The Beginner’s Bible First 100 Bible Words that my daughter loves so much, except it allows them to start learning to write these letters! It’s a very cute board book that’s perfect for entertaining during travel as well!
The Beginner’s Bible I Can Read Jesus is Born feels like one of those milestone moments where you start to place their faith and understanding in their own hands. You can start off as a shared reading but after a few read-throughs, you should be able to hand off this book and allow them to read to you. It feels so metaphorical to me. “Here, it’s your turn” is so much more than it’s your turn to read. It is time for them to take active ownership in their faith. Faith is such a personal journey and they need to take their first steps when they are ready.
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My point in all of this is to say that I feel so blessed not only for my own faith but for the fact that my faith in adulthood has led to my children having a childhood that includes God. I will be eternally thankful for such a gift.
