Recently, I wrote about two thoughts for Bible Curriculum written by Tim Challies. The first Epic http://epicchristianhistory.com/ and the second Visual Theology https://www.challies.com/. Today, I would like to highlight some very useful additions for devotional reading that I have used over the years. There is more, but I have chosen a few to share.

Dandi Daely Mackall has creatively woven fascinating animal facts with scriptural truths. It kept the attention of my kids simply because we learned about many unique parts of the animal world, and it was just the right amount of time to sit, listen, discuss and pray. Well worth the purchase many years ago.

If theology is an overwhelming word, then this book is a wonderful place to begin. Marty Machowski uses a lovely story to introduce theological concepts that younger and older children will be able to understand. It is also a wonderful conversation starter and will only deeper their knowledge and encourage your faith. The artwork is outstanding and his writing is sound and eloquent. Take your time reading through, don’t rush. You can use this book many times through the years and then pass it along to a younger family!

Trying to answer tough questions can be frustrating and challenging.
Bryan Osbourne and Bodie Hodge have managed to organize these challenging questions with answers that open the door to what the Bible says very well. Preparing our kids and refining our faith is never a waste of time. This is a valuable book to keep coming back to for reference. Keep it out where the family can easily see it so they can find the answers they need on their own. I highly recommend this resource.

This book is just beautiful! I love books that take Biblical truth and weaves the story along with artwork that captivates, this book does all of that so well. You can cozy up with your child before bed and continue reading nightly or make it your morning routine. It will allow a starting point to read the Bible to your children and make it attainable. Kevin DeYoung allows parents to share the story of God’s love for His creation from the garden of Eden all the way to the end, sharing just how redemption was His plan all along. I am so glad I found this book. It can stay on your coffee table permanently!

The first time I saw this book at our church bookstore, I knew it would join my library. I opened to the table of contents and was hooked. As I kept reading, Champ Thornton chose to speak to me (the adult) first and explain his heart in writing this book, for his children and future generations. That captivated my interest. I continued turning the pages and was reminded what the definition of radical means. What makes this book unique is that you don’t have to read beginning to end. Whatever chapter you chose can be a fresh starting point for that particular day. He introduces extraordinary men and women from history that lived a radical life for Christ and introduces unique biblical facts and insightful information about understanding the Bible. My favourite line is right at the beginning when Thornton quotes Michael Williams, “God made it, we broke it, Jesus fixes it.” That ushers you into the gospel right away, the good news about what Christ has done for us. I enjoyed this book so much that I incorporated it into a grade 5-8 classroom setting as our devotional time. It provided great discussion and the students were thoroughly engaged. Such a wonderful recource!

Dale Mason has taken 52 quick chapters to demonstrate the big picture of the Bible. When you are short on time, 10 minutes is very manageable. Each chapter provides a historical date, overview of the passage in focus, key verse, links to other scripture and a wrap up prayer. It is wonderful to have a prayer written out sometimes because often we are at a loss for words. At the end of the book there is a Bible reading plan you can follow with space to check what you have completed. I am glad to have this book in our home.

This book has been in our home for many years. It arrived from one of the initial homeschool curriculum purchases through Sonlight www.sonlight.com. 

I remember those days well. The Sonlight box would arrive and everyone would have their own grade specific curriculum. Off they would go and look over the new books. I will be honest, I don’t see the excitement for newly arrived curriculum like I used to! That’s ok, they still have to do the work! This book shares stories for children about others throughout history that help share the good news about the love of Christ. The first story is about Mary Magdalene, the first woman Jesus appeared to after he rose from the grave. Cornelia Lehn continues to share stories from the Bible, early missionaries, Europe, India, China, Southeast Asia, Japan, Taiwan, Africa, Latin America and North America. It is a wonderful reminder that God has no boundries and will use anyone to share the good news! She concludes her book saying, “Some day people from all cultures and races and nations will sing praise to God together and rejoice in the love of Christ, their Savior.” What better way to learn about the love of Christ than through brave men and women that have gone before us. Although one of the older books on my shelf, a great resource!

I trust these brief overviews will be helpful as you build your own library!