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The Family Bible Devotional #1
The Family Bible Devotional: Stories from the Bible to Help Kids and Parents Engage and Love Scripture
As a Christian parent, you want your children to know and understand God’s Word. You want your family devotional time to be relevant and vibrant—an opportunity to explore and understand what God desires for your lives. The Family Bible Devotional cultivates conversations through 52 Bible readings, paired with engaging discussion questions and background information. Open this book, read the Scripture passages, and ask the questions to get your family exploring together what the Bible says.
- GenresFamily
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 9, 2018
163 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Sarah M. Wells
14 books48 followersSarah M. Wells is the author of Ordinary Time: Meditations from the In-Between (2024), American Honey: A Field Guide to Resisting Temptation (2021), The Family Bible Devotional Volume 2: Stories from the Gospels to Help Kids and Parents Love God and Love Others (2022), Between the Heron and the Moss (2020), The Family Bible Devotional: Stories from the Bible to Help Kids and Parents Engage and Love Scripture (2018), Pruning Burning Bushes (2012), and a chapbook of poems, Acquiesce (2009). Poems and essays by Wells have appeared recently in Ascent, Brevity, Full Grown People, Hippocampus Review, The Pinch, River Teeth, Under the Gum Tree, and elsewhere.
Sarah's poetry and essays has been honored with four Pushcart Prize nominations and six notable essay listings in the Best American Essays 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012.
Sarah is a freelance writer and content writer for Root & Vine News and God Hears Her, a publication of Our Daily Bread. She graduated from Ashland University with her MFA in nonfiction in 2015. She resides in Ashland, Ohio with her husband, Brandon, and their three children, Lydia, Elvis, and Henry.
Sarah's poetry and essays has been honored with four Pushcart Prize nominations and six notable essay listings in the Best American Essays 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012.
Sarah is a freelance writer and content writer for Root & Vine News and God Hears Her, a publication of Our Daily Bread. She graduated from Ashland University with her MFA in nonfiction in 2015. She resides in Ashland, Ohio with her husband, Brandon, and their three children, Lydia, Elvis, and Henry.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 1, 2018
[I received an advanced copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.]
"The Bible has endured centuries of criticism, wear and tear, translation, oral tradition, transcription, condemnation, misinterpretation, abuse, and praise. It is worthy of wrestling with." This sentiment, I think, is what makes this family devotional unique. While I am not a parent myself, as a lifelong church member, current Pastor's wife, and former church worker, I have seen my fair share of children and family resources, most of which censor or "dumb down" Scripture in an attempt to make it more accessible and palatable. The reality is, Scripture is not always either of those things, and this devotional makes a good effort to accept that, while also encouraging parents to forge ahead and engage the Bible with their families anyway.
There are many things I like about this book. Wells' format for each devotion is consistent and useful: she starts with a brief introduction, follows with a Scripture passage, asks discussion questions, and finishes with a prayer prompt, an activity suggestion, and some kind of additional factoid.
- The book does not stick to a chronological biblical order, rather, Old and New Testament stories are interwoven, often grouped thematically, with the introduction to each devotion sometimes calling back to the previous entry and how the stories tie together. I love that structure, as it helps children to develop connections between the stories of Jesus and the stories in the Old Testament.
- Also, kudos to Wells' for picking some passages that are not your typical "Children's Bible" stories. You'll read about David and Goliath, but actually go to the end of the passage where David beheads the giant. You'll read about Rahab the prostitute, David and Bathsheba, and Job and his friends. While this may mean that parents with younger children need to be somewhat selective in their reading, again, I appreciate the encouragement here for parents to really read the Bible in all it's messy glory, and know that it's ok for them and their kids to be a bit uncomfortable with parts of it. That kind of engagement and acceptance of our weird book of faith is definitely something we need to instill in kids at an early age.
- The Scripture passages vary in translations, which I think is a neat way to expose readers to different types of biblical interpretation.
- I so appreciate that in each set of discussion questions, the last question is "Is there anything that confuses you about this story? If so, it's okay!" as I think both children AND parents sometimes need permission to ask questions and voice their difficulties with Scripture.
- Some of the prayer prompts have families pray a Psalm or other piece of Scripture, which I love. Praying the Psalms is a great historical Christian practice that I think we don’t do enough of, and it’s a clever way to include even more Scripture in your families’ devotional time.
- The activity prompts vary from simple family games to getting out in the church and community to make a donation, cook a meal, or visit someone less fortunate. Cultivating ways that faith is active is a wonderful way to make “devotion time” more of a lifestyle than a brief pause in your day or week.
This book is surely not perfect. Sometimes the themes that Wells’ focuses on from the biblical passage seem like a bit of a reach. Other times I think the conclusions are a bit oversimplified, but to be fair, that’s part of the struggle of writing a book meant for families with children. Overall, I think my only true complaint is in the exclusively male-gendered language when referring to God. In recent years I have become more and more sensitive to such language, and thus crave resources that make a point to use gender neutral or at least attempt to vary the gendered expressions for God. It may seem a small thing, but, again, when cultivating the faith of children, exclusively referring to God as male can lead to misperceptions about the nature of God, and about the sanctity of all people regardless of gender.
Overall, I think this is a great resource if you're looking for some structure in how to kick-start discussions with your kiddos about God and the Bible, and I would recommend for families and churches alike.
"The Bible has endured centuries of criticism, wear and tear, translation, oral tradition, transcription, condemnation, misinterpretation, abuse, and praise. It is worthy of wrestling with." This sentiment, I think, is what makes this family devotional unique. While I am not a parent myself, as a lifelong church member, current Pastor's wife, and former church worker, I have seen my fair share of children and family resources, most of which censor or "dumb down" Scripture in an attempt to make it more accessible and palatable. The reality is, Scripture is not always either of those things, and this devotional makes a good effort to accept that, while also encouraging parents to forge ahead and engage the Bible with their families anyway.
There are many things I like about this book. Wells' format for each devotion is consistent and useful: she starts with a brief introduction, follows with a Scripture passage, asks discussion questions, and finishes with a prayer prompt, an activity suggestion, and some kind of additional factoid.
- The book does not stick to a chronological biblical order, rather, Old and New Testament stories are interwoven, often grouped thematically, with the introduction to each devotion sometimes calling back to the previous entry and how the stories tie together. I love that structure, as it helps children to develop connections between the stories of Jesus and the stories in the Old Testament.
- Also, kudos to Wells' for picking some passages that are not your typical "Children's Bible" stories. You'll read about David and Goliath, but actually go to the end of the passage where David beheads the giant. You'll read about Rahab the prostitute, David and Bathsheba, and Job and his friends. While this may mean that parents with younger children need to be somewhat selective in their reading, again, I appreciate the encouragement here for parents to really read the Bible in all it's messy glory, and know that it's ok for them and their kids to be a bit uncomfortable with parts of it. That kind of engagement and acceptance of our weird book of faith is definitely something we need to instill in kids at an early age.
- The Scripture passages vary in translations, which I think is a neat way to expose readers to different types of biblical interpretation.
- I so appreciate that in each set of discussion questions, the last question is "Is there anything that confuses you about this story? If so, it's okay!" as I think both children AND parents sometimes need permission to ask questions and voice their difficulties with Scripture.
- Some of the prayer prompts have families pray a Psalm or other piece of Scripture, which I love. Praying the Psalms is a great historical Christian practice that I think we don’t do enough of, and it’s a clever way to include even more Scripture in your families’ devotional time.
- The activity prompts vary from simple family games to getting out in the church and community to make a donation, cook a meal, or visit someone less fortunate. Cultivating ways that faith is active is a wonderful way to make “devotion time” more of a lifestyle than a brief pause in your day or week.
This book is surely not perfect. Sometimes the themes that Wells’ focuses on from the biblical passage seem like a bit of a reach. Other times I think the conclusions are a bit oversimplified, but to be fair, that’s part of the struggle of writing a book meant for families with children. Overall, I think my only true complaint is in the exclusively male-gendered language when referring to God. In recent years I have become more and more sensitive to such language, and thus crave resources that make a point to use gender neutral or at least attempt to vary the gendered expressions for God. It may seem a small thing, but, again, when cultivating the faith of children, exclusively referring to God as male can lead to misperceptions about the nature of God, and about the sanctity of all people regardless of gender.
Overall, I think this is a great resource if you're looking for some structure in how to kick-start discussions with your kiddos about God and the Bible, and I would recommend for families and churches alike.
August 1, 2018
We have loved exploring this devotional book with our two kids, ages 9 and 6. Finding a devotional resource that speaks to the whole family was a challenging thing, but this book is a wonderful guide to breaking down key stories of the Bible. My kids always have questions and it was so encouraging to have something that prompts those questions and draws out heartfelt responses.
It also gives you permission to explore these stories in multiple ways. Much like every person learns in different ways, I was impressed that there were sections that suggested an activity, prompting a prayer, question guides and even extra facts or special ideas about the passage that was highlighted.
My kids are asking and reminding us to read it with them before we have a chance to get it out before bedtime. Even though this pulls the kids in, it's by no means watered down or shallow for adults. With my busy mom-life and work-life, it's built into accessible and manageable segments that also speak to me and my husband's hearts. Being able to share that with the kids is really special.
It also gives you permission to explore these stories in multiple ways. Much like every person learns in different ways, I was impressed that there were sections that suggested an activity, prompting a prayer, question guides and even extra facts or special ideas about the passage that was highlighted.
My kids are asking and reminding us to read it with them before we have a chance to get it out before bedtime. Even though this pulls the kids in, it's by no means watered down or shallow for adults. With my busy mom-life and work-life, it's built into accessible and manageable segments that also speak to me and my husband's hearts. Being able to share that with the kids is really special.
July 25, 2018
[I received a print copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion is my own.]
Ever since I became a parent almost seven years ago, I've thought about my daughter's spiritual formation, and been on the lookout for practical resources for teaching her about the Bible. There are many potential problems that come with teaching one's child about scripture, after all. If I'm not sure why God would allow bears to maul children because they ridiculed Elisha for his baldness in 2 Kings, for example, how can I teach my child about this disturbing passage and others like it? There are things in the Bible that defy easy explanation, that would violate the very innocence in our children we're trying to preserve as long as we can, and that stir up more questions as answers.
I say all of this in view of Sarah M. Wells' book, "The Family Devotional: Stories from the Bible to Help Kids & Parents Engage & Love Scripture," which offers a practical way to approach the Bible with children. Granted, Wells does not approach the bears-mauling-the-children bit, but I'm not sure she needs to either—instead she offers a simple, effective way of wading into the waters of the Word with little ones. The book is for families to read together, ideally at bedtime or mealtime, and there are around 50 readings total, with each one spanning 4-5 pages. She rightly dodges books like Revelation and Song of Solomon, which would probably perplex children who know nothing of eschatology or sex, and instead primarily opts to cover core elements of the Bible that serve to teach children about who God is, who He wants to be to us, and who He wants us to be.
I recommend this book because it offers bite-sized morsels of scripture for parents and children to process together, and thereby encourages familial bonding, makes the exploration of the Bible practical and palatable for all ages, and gives both parents and children alike opportunities to develop spiritually. I wish the book were longer, but that's a minor complaint. 50+ readings is probably a reasonable amount for a busy family to plow through in a year's time or thereabouts anyway. Maybe in the sequel there will be a study about the children being mauled by bears? *Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed ...*
Ever since I became a parent almost seven years ago, I've thought about my daughter's spiritual formation, and been on the lookout for practical resources for teaching her about the Bible. There are many potential problems that come with teaching one's child about scripture, after all. If I'm not sure why God would allow bears to maul children because they ridiculed Elisha for his baldness in 2 Kings, for example, how can I teach my child about this disturbing passage and others like it? There are things in the Bible that defy easy explanation, that would violate the very innocence in our children we're trying to preserve as long as we can, and that stir up more questions as answers.
I say all of this in view of Sarah M. Wells' book, "The Family Devotional: Stories from the Bible to Help Kids & Parents Engage & Love Scripture," which offers a practical way to approach the Bible with children. Granted, Wells does not approach the bears-mauling-the-children bit, but I'm not sure she needs to either—instead she offers a simple, effective way of wading into the waters of the Word with little ones. The book is for families to read together, ideally at bedtime or mealtime, and there are around 50 readings total, with each one spanning 4-5 pages. She rightly dodges books like Revelation and Song of Solomon, which would probably perplex children who know nothing of eschatology or sex, and instead primarily opts to cover core elements of the Bible that serve to teach children about who God is, who He wants to be to us, and who He wants us to be.
I recommend this book because it offers bite-sized morsels of scripture for parents and children to process together, and thereby encourages familial bonding, makes the exploration of the Bible practical and palatable for all ages, and gives both parents and children alike opportunities to develop spiritually. I wish the book were longer, but that's a minor complaint. 50+ readings is probably a reasonable amount for a busy family to plow through in a year's time or thereabouts anyway. Maybe in the sequel there will be a study about the children being mauled by bears? *Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed ...*
July 12, 2018
Oh, how I wish I'd had this resource when my kids were young. Sarah Wells has developed a well-planned, engaging devotional that is sure to foster family conversations and laughter. As an elementary educator, I appreciate that she has included a variety of hands-on activities that appeal to different kinds of learners. Busy parents will appreciate the low to no-prep ideas! The lessons follow a natural progression of related concepts rather than a strict chronological or book by book (of the Bible) order. In so doing, a feeling of discovery abounds. The lessons can easily be adapted to fit the needs of different family schedules and personalities. I personally enjoyed the interesting background information at the end of each lesson. The Family Bible Devotional is sure to become a treasured resource along with the memories created from its use.
July 31, 2018
I am not going to lie, I am just terrible at devotionals. I tend to try one for a while with good intentions and fail at finishing it or even consistently keeping up with the daily teachings. I found that this was not the case with Sarah's lovely writing and story like approach to teaching us about God's word. I loved the way each devotional is structured along with the hands-on approach with activities along with the freedom and prompts to ask questions. Kids are good at asking questions and I love that it makes us view these stories from a different angle.
I was a little worried that my toddler (3) would not be able to participate at first, but I quickly learned that he was almost always able to engage and understand the story, and he loves to participate in the activities. I also know that we will be able to read this to him often as he grows and develops his relationship with God. We do this almost every night at dinner time and many times the conversations we have had with our son have brought me to tears. Thank you, Sarah, for writing such a great resource for our family.
I was a little worried that my toddler (3) would not be able to participate at first, but I quickly learned that he was almost always able to engage and understand the story, and he loves to participate in the activities. I also know that we will be able to read this to him often as he grows and develops his relationship with God. We do this almost every night at dinner time and many times the conversations we have had with our son have brought me to tears. Thank you, Sarah, for writing such a great resource for our family.
July 30, 2018
I'll be honest: Scripture feels daunting to navigate for myself, much less my small children. As a parent of young children, I'm trying to bring our children to faith through meaningful faith experiences. This book, The Family Bible Devotional, is exactly what I have been looking for as our children grow. Sarah Wells understands the value of story in teaching greater truths and in wrestling with tough things. The questions bring insight to scripture, and the activities are engaging and fun for the children. Most of all, I love the way that she begins the book with a double-dose of grace for the parents to use it in a way that fits their life, no pressure.
When you buy this book, you'll enjoy it for many years to come and I suspect you'll come back to these devotionals over and again.
When you buy this book, you'll enjoy it for many years to come and I suspect you'll come back to these devotionals over and again.
July 26, 2018
The Family Bible Devotional offers a refreshing way to explore the Word of God as a family, challenging adults and children alike. While maintaining scripture as narrative, each devotional features a story that enables families to dive deeper through open-ended prompts for questions, discussion, prayer, exploration, and hands-on activities. Children can truly be active learners throughout each study! Meanwhile parents will equally be stretched as each devotional is sure to engender interesting and thought-provoking questions. The author keeps scripture fresh to the reader through using different versions/paraphrase of the Bible and weaving together Old and New Testament encounters. I appreciate that the author encourages readers to use what works out of the devotional for their particular family and lifestyle. The book has the capacity to shed new insights about God and the Word throughout multiple life seasons.
July 29, 2018
This devotional has been a game changer for our family. I often struggle with how to present Biblical truths to my children (ages 4 & 6) and Sarah does a fantastic job of weaving Scripture together with discussion points. I love how prayer prompts and activities are also included in order to deepen the truths that we are teaching our children. My 6 year old paid attention the entire time (which is an amazing feat!) and while my 4 year old didn't pay as much attention, he did enjoy the discussion and activities.
June 18, 2018
The Family Devotional Bible is a wonderful resource for families that want to be having time together to read, discuss, and reflect on Bible stories but want to have some support in coming up with questions or activities to enhance the experience.
Each story has:
1) Set Up, where context is given to frame the reading, often with a teaser regarding what is going to be read;
2) The biblical text;
3) Talk About It and Let's Talk About It: here is where you will find both general warm-up questions to get the children comfortable talking when there's not a right or wrong answer as well as some more specific and thoughtful questions;
4) Closing Thought: there's a summary with some additional reflections to reinforce the text and insights from conversation;
5) Prayer Prompt: this could include guided suggestions, a prayer from the Bible that can be read, and so on;
6) Activity: hands-on suggestions for activities or crafts the family can do together;
7) Pop Out: some insight to something related to what was read (for instance, in the section Jesus on the Cross, the Pop Out teaches about the four gospels and their four audiences; in the section Jacob's Giant Family, the Pop Out shares why it was important to have sons in biblical times
While the stories begin matching up with the ordering in the Bible, with multiple stories from Genesis, that format is not continued throughout. We go from Genesis to John, then back to Genesis, then Luke, and so on. This can be helpful for families who want to be reading from both the Old and New Testaments without having to flip back and forth.
After going through this devotional, I expect families would feel confident to read straight from the Bible and, using this as a model, be able to come up with questions and activities as their own, even if they'd initially been intimidated.
Each story has:
1) Set Up, where context is given to frame the reading, often with a teaser regarding what is going to be read;
2) The biblical text;
3) Talk About It and Let's Talk About It: here is where you will find both general warm-up questions to get the children comfortable talking when there's not a right or wrong answer as well as some more specific and thoughtful questions;
4) Closing Thought: there's a summary with some additional reflections to reinforce the text and insights from conversation;
5) Prayer Prompt: this could include guided suggestions, a prayer from the Bible that can be read, and so on;
6) Activity: hands-on suggestions for activities or crafts the family can do together;
7) Pop Out: some insight to something related to what was read (for instance, in the section Jesus on the Cross, the Pop Out teaches about the four gospels and their four audiences; in the section Jacob's Giant Family, the Pop Out shares why it was important to have sons in biblical times
While the stories begin matching up with the ordering in the Bible, with multiple stories from Genesis, that format is not continued throughout. We go from Genesis to John, then back to Genesis, then Luke, and so on. This can be helpful for families who want to be reading from both the Old and New Testaments without having to flip back and forth.
After going through this devotional, I expect families would feel confident to read straight from the Bible and, using this as a model, be able to come up with questions and activities as their own, even if they'd initially been intimidated.
May 23, 2018
Our family is still working through this one. So far, we really like it. It has opened us to some really great family conversations, giving us the ability to explain things to our three daughters. Would recommend to other families.
March 29, 2018
Love the way this book is set up. It is a wonderful way to study the Bible as a family.
July 24, 2018
I reserve the right to think that the book I wrote is pretty good. :)
April 22, 2023
The Family Bible Devotional is a hearty resource which consists of 52 bible readings, discussion questions, and background information, and prayer prompts. I love the premise of encouraging parents to open the bible alongside children to explore together as a family what the Bible says. This is one sure way to cultivate a vibrant faith in the lives of your children - by living it and setting an example in front of them. The format of each devotion is very helpful for teaching children a learning format for bible study. One thing I wasn't sure about in reviewing the book, was that it wasn't chronological, although it was thematically structured. There are pros and cons to this, as scripture is a story of the promise to God's chosen people & the blessing of Christ - so the story arc is very important. Sometimes things get missed when we only focus on themes or takeaways over context, original audience, and languages. This is a great jumping off point but I wouldn't use it as my only resource of a family devotion. You can simply just read scripture direct from the pages aloud to your kids! No need to add the fluff and leave out important details. Instead, model true bible study and devotion with the bible itself. I appreciate the sentiment of this devotional, but perhaps because of that - the title is misleading. It could have been "52 weeks of bible devotions" or focusing on a theme; By stating its a "bible devotional" one would expect (or I would presume) to follow the story arc of scripture, much in the same way that "The Story" does - even so far as filling in the gaps to explain what happens here and there and why the full story isn't included. If you have read The Story, you will know what I mean by that. Perhaps I had the wrong expectation for the format, although I do feel the title is misleading. If you open this with the understanding that it is a supplement and not a substitute for reading the scriptures as a family, then that is preferable! Overall a good resource, just missed the mark I expected based on the title and description.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to review.
September 30, 2018
So many devotionals are great about going through Scripture, but this one really stands out in it's ability to make God's Word come alive to us. Many times I have felt almost bored re-reading Bible stories to my kids (terrible, I know)... but this devotional has such a way of opening hearts and minds to Scripture! The questions are really thought-provoking, and Sarah gives eye-opening context to situations that help me (and the kids) understand more fully what was going on in Scripture. I love the activities- what an amazing way to put words into action! I highly recommend this devotional to families... and individuals! Of note, I was given a promotional copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I am so thankful to have found out about it and I hope you are incredibly blessed by it too!
September 15, 2020
The Family Bible Devotional is one of the first devotionals I have found that actually leads families in reading the Bible together. My family has really enjoyed this book because it has a good balance of supporting information that all puts the emphasis back on reading the Bible together. There is just enough text to facilitate engagement with scripture well while leaving the majority of the time to actually read the Bible.
March 22, 2020
A good book for young people to read on their own, or parents to read family members to expose them to stories of the Bible in everyday language with helpful questions to ask and important thoughts at end of each story.
April 23, 2021
This is a biblically inaccurate disappointment. I absolutely do not recommend this book. I was so excited to find this book and to be able to read it each day with my children. I was shocked by the inaccuracy, however.
January 25, 2022
We are fans of this one for two big reasons: 1. The scripture is printed in the book and is a large chunk in a translation that is easily read
2. It has discussion questions
The scripture and questions are the bulk of the devos and we are getting great discussion from it.
2. It has discussion questions
The scripture and questions are the bulk of the devos and we are getting great discussion from it.
May 6, 2022
Good family devotion
Read this every night with my family. Unlike most devotions this one has longer sections if verse to read, which i like. Works great with older kids maybe not as well with younger ones. Highly recommend.
Read this every night with my family. Unlike most devotions this one has longer sections if verse to read, which i like. Works great with older kids maybe not as well with younger ones. Highly recommend.
October 24, 2023
Highly recommend. I love the set up. Stories, background, activities etc.
August 15, 2018
The Family Bible Devotional by Sarah M. Wells, Discovery House Publishers
So excited about this title It will be released on August 1, 2018. You can pre order NOW! #Amazon #NetGalley #BarnesAndNoble
I would recommend this book for families that educate at home, use as devotional material and activities. Also for new parents who do not have or have not had experience working with children before, or who do not have creative ideas to leave important concepts in their memory. It can also be useful for someone in charge of children from a small group that meets weekly. If you do not educate at home and you feel that you do not have time to prepare something to teach your children, if your life is too busy you can also benefit from
its content.
I love God, I love the Bible, I love my Family and I really enjoy to read so I knew this book was for me!
This is the first book I read by Sarah M. Wells. I had the honor to receive a copy in advance to give an honest review, and what a blessing it was!
I tend to read authors who are already "preferred" to me. However, from time to time I like to add a book by an author that I still do not read or know, I've had pleasant surprises doing it! (I admit: I have also had some disappointments). If you are like me, I invite you not to engage with just some authors, but also to give opportunities to new ones for you in your regular readings.
The title is precisely what you will find in the book, biblical devotionals for the family. As a mom and teacher, working with children in a regular basis, I truly value when I find good material for them. I know several devotionals and each one has a unique touch. The goal of this one is to cultivate healthy conversations between parents and children about the Bible stories. The goal is to understand how to see ourselves as part of God's story and how we can relate and engage with Him. It is intended for families who want to be intentional in giving a biblical vision to their children of life and want to do it in a practical and memorable way.
I think this book it is useful for families with children in elementary school (although the children who are in secondary school can also benefit from it, they will do it more by being patient and learning with their younger siblings). At the time of receiving this book, my son is 11 years old and my girl 7 and they found the book enjoyable, we are going to keep going through the pages this year. Something I value from the author is her sincerity to admit that she likes to read, and not so much "to do activities" with children (as most moms), so if you are like that. You will feel identified and can expect achievable activities, simple and always related to the subject.
If you find this an extensive book, I would recommend that you do not hurry in your reading and that if it takes you even more than a year to read it, do so. Do it to enjoy and not as a mandatory item more in your list of duties I think it's very important to "try" a book with your own children, which she did. You can read one of the 52 stories each week and the ones you have very busy according to your schedule and activities and continue quietly next week.
What you can expect from the book is that each story is divided into these parts: A story preparation section, the Bible reading section, the talking section, the concluding thinking section, invitation to prayer and an activity.
I like to read books by real mothers, who know how children are, how much it costs to maintain their attention and interest, and that they provide real and useful tools for the home, honoring God with their words.
If you are a person who has a lot of time in the gospel and a lot of time working with children, you are a teacher or very easily in creative ideas, or you have given many Bible classes to children you might think you do not have much again, but even so you can benefit from how the author organized the ideas and activities, to refresh yours and enjoy your reading.
So glad to find Sarah. A pleasure to have known her through her words (they are as pretty as she is!)
So excited about this title It will be released on August 1, 2018. You can pre order NOW! #Amazon #NetGalley #BarnesAndNoble
I would recommend this book for families that educate at home, use as devotional material and activities. Also for new parents who do not have or have not had experience working with children before, or who do not have creative ideas to leave important concepts in their memory. It can also be useful for someone in charge of children from a small group that meets weekly. If you do not educate at home and you feel that you do not have time to prepare something to teach your children, if your life is too busy you can also benefit from
its content.
I love God, I love the Bible, I love my Family and I really enjoy to read so I knew this book was for me!
This is the first book I read by Sarah M. Wells. I had the honor to receive a copy in advance to give an honest review, and what a blessing it was!
I tend to read authors who are already "preferred" to me. However, from time to time I like to add a book by an author that I still do not read or know, I've had pleasant surprises doing it! (I admit: I have also had some disappointments). If you are like me, I invite you not to engage with just some authors, but also to give opportunities to new ones for you in your regular readings.
The title is precisely what you will find in the book, biblical devotionals for the family. As a mom and teacher, working with children in a regular basis, I truly value when I find good material for them. I know several devotionals and each one has a unique touch. The goal of this one is to cultivate healthy conversations between parents and children about the Bible stories. The goal is to understand how to see ourselves as part of God's story and how we can relate and engage with Him. It is intended for families who want to be intentional in giving a biblical vision to their children of life and want to do it in a practical and memorable way.
I think this book it is useful for families with children in elementary school (although the children who are in secondary school can also benefit from it, they will do it more by being patient and learning with their younger siblings). At the time of receiving this book, my son is 11 years old and my girl 7 and they found the book enjoyable, we are going to keep going through the pages this year. Something I value from the author is her sincerity to admit that she likes to read, and not so much "to do activities" with children (as most moms), so if you are like that. You will feel identified and can expect achievable activities, simple and always related to the subject.
If you find this an extensive book, I would recommend that you do not hurry in your reading and that if it takes you even more than a year to read it, do so. Do it to enjoy and not as a mandatory item more in your list of duties I think it's very important to "try" a book with your own children, which she did. You can read one of the 52 stories each week and the ones you have very busy according to your schedule and activities and continue quietly next week.
What you can expect from the book is that each story is divided into these parts: A story preparation section, the Bible reading section, the talking section, the concluding thinking section, invitation to prayer and an activity.
I like to read books by real mothers, who know how children are, how much it costs to maintain their attention and interest, and that they provide real and useful tools for the home, honoring God with their words.
If you are a person who has a lot of time in the gospel and a lot of time working with children, you are a teacher or very easily in creative ideas, or you have given many Bible classes to children you might think you do not have much again, but even so you can benefit from how the author organized the ideas and activities, to refresh yours and enjoy your reading.
So glad to find Sarah. A pleasure to have known her through her words (they are as pretty as she is!)
August 25, 2018
This was a beautifully written book. I have enjoyed going through it with my daughters, we are still going through some of the book. This book it helps create a healthy balance to talk to your children, answering questions I will read this book again with my children next year to! I received this book for free from net galley in exchange for a fair and honest review!
January 3, 2019
The Family Bible Devotional
By: Sarah M. Wells
This family devotional is epic. It has everything you need for you and your family to explore and experience Gods Word together. There are different sections to each reading. “Setting up the Story” section gives you some context to what you are about to read. The passage is shared next to read together followed by a “Talk About It” section that provides questions to explore the text and initiate conversation. “Closing Though” brings everything talked about and read together as it sums things up. A prayer prompt is next. One to two activities that relate to the story is shared. The last thing shared is some fun thoughts or facts that are related to the passage. Wow! That is a lot to get from a devotional. As a parent, I can struggle to get all these things thought and planned for my family so I am so grateful this book is an all-in-one wonder!
By: Sarah M. Wells
This family devotional is epic. It has everything you need for you and your family to explore and experience Gods Word together. There are different sections to each reading. “Setting up the Story” section gives you some context to what you are about to read. The passage is shared next to read together followed by a “Talk About It” section that provides questions to explore the text and initiate conversation. “Closing Though” brings everything talked about and read together as it sums things up. A prayer prompt is next. One to two activities that relate to the story is shared. The last thing shared is some fun thoughts or facts that are related to the passage. Wow! That is a lot to get from a devotional. As a parent, I can struggle to get all these things thought and planned for my family so I am so grateful this book is an all-in-one wonder!
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