CSB Grace Bible For Kids Review & Giveaway

I want to share with you today the CSB Grace Bible for Kids!  This unique Bible was created in partnership with Holman Bibles, 2K/DENMARK and Cambridge University.  It is designed to specifically enhance readability for children with all levels and varieties of dyslexia and other reading challenges.  We received the blue LeatherTouch edition and it's beautiful.  I love the vibrancy of the blue and simplicity of the front cover.

Inside our Bible, The Ten Commandments

How does it do this?  The CSB Grace Bible for Kids features innovative typeface, layout and design principles.  These principles include added space between letters, words, lines and paragraphs as well as distinct letter forms.  I love that this Bible version helps include and encourage children with reading challenges to dive into God's word.  And while, my kids do not personally have reading challenges, I still appreciate this design and approach and I'm excited to add it into our Bible time.

Another sneak peek inside

It has some great visual maps as well!

Want to order your own CSB Grace Bible for Kids - check it out at CSBGraceBibles.com and order today!  Grace Bibles for adults are also available.  These would be fantastic Bibles for kids and make for a unique gift as well.

Giveaway:  Enter to win a CSB Grace Bible for Kids blue LeatherTouch edition!  Limited to US winners only.  And sorry guys, this giveaway is a quick one.  It ends 12/10.  Simply comment on this blog post and let me know who this Bible would be for, that's it!

And for the perfect gift for everyone on your list, be sure and check out the Holman Gift Guide.

Disclosure:  Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a Grace Bible for Kids for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

A's Senior Banquet

Our church celebrated the seniors on Wed night with a banquet.  It was so fun!  It was a time to honor them, fellowship, share a wonderful meal, play games and celebrate.  I'm so thankful for our church community and their investment in our family!

We had a reserved table

Our family table

B sat with some friends

Vanilla Cake - A's favorite

And a chocolate one too

The parents of all the seniors wrote letters to them.  Likewise, the seniors wrote letters to their parents.  There was a special time where we were able to read our letters to each other in front of everyone.  It was very powerful and I cherish that experience.

E's Baptism

E made the decision to get baptized last Sunday!  I'm so proud of her.  Our church had a potluck dinner and gathered together to celebrate all of those getting baptized (and there were a lot!).

Congrats E - we are so proud of you and look forward to watching you continue to grow in your faith!  For those of you who didn't know about it (sorry!), there will be a future video I can share with you when it is released 😉.

Prepare for Easter with Pure Flix

I am so excited for Easter!  It's a great time to reflect and remember the sacrifice of Jesus.  I have been so impressed with the incredible library of Easter films and resources offered by Pure Flix.

There are a plethora of encouraging and inspirational films including Risen, The Passion of the Christ, The Case for Christ, The Chosen, A.D. The Bible Continues, Penitent Thief, & so much more!  There are several sections (Enter Into Easter, Easter For Kids, Easter Biblical History and Biblical Epics) that make it easy to find something for everyone in your family, regardless of their age.  You can dig deeper in your understanding and knowledge of the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

David and I recently watched Risen, the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection told through the eyes of a Roman tribune, Clavius.  Clavius' life drastically changes after he investigates what happened after Jesus was crucified.  I do want to note that there is a warning for violent depictions of war, fighting, execution and aftermath of war and that warning is justified.  This film does a good job demonstrating the historical context.  I really enjoyed seeing the Resurrection story told through this unique perspective. 

Check out the movie trailer for Risen below to see more for yourself.

Are you looking for films to help your family prepare for Easter?  Sign up with Pure Flix today here!  With Pure Flix you can have faith in your entertainment and have access to the top Christian movies and television shows.

I'm excited for the kids to watch The Lion of Judah next.

Disclosure:  Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing my family with our own 3-month Pure Flix subscription for my review.  Opinions are 100% my own.

Backyard Bible Club Week

 

 

This week our chuch has been having Backyard Bible Clubs meet all throughout the city.  We are one of the host families and we are having a really fun time with all the kids that have come.  It's a great opportunity for everyone involved to grow in their faith and also a special time to have fun and meet new people.  I love that the older youth from our church run the clubs (A, B, and C are all at their own clubs).  My younger kids are having a blast and look forward to each evening.  Tonight is our last night - Super Hero Thursday 🦸

Playing Games on Monday

F & G getting ready for Tie Dye Tuesday!

Playing Drip Drip Drop on Wet and Wild Wednesday

A & C's Baptisms

 

A with friends.

A and C made the decision over the weekend to get baptized!  I'm so proud of them.  We brought a family dinner and met friends up at our church for the event.  It was such a special time of gathering together, watching baptisms and hanging out.  I'm so thankful for my kids and those dear to us.  God has truly blessed us with so many good friends throughout the years and I am grateful for each and every one.

David and C's youth pastor baptized C.

Likewise, David and A's youth pastor baptized her as well!

Congrats A and C - we look forward to watching you continue to grow in your faith!

Psalms for my Day from Christian Focus Review

{Disclaimer:  I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.}


I have a beautiful children's book to share with you today, Psalms for my Day published by Christian Focus.  This child's praise devotional is geared to be read to children ages 4-6 while children 7-11(and older) can read it themselves.

The younger kids with our new devotional.

A closer view of our hardcover 87 page book.

 Contents of the book

This devotional is inspired from the largest book in the Bible, the book of Psalms.  Psalms for my Day uses a new translation by Bible scholar Alec Motyer.  Motyer devised this translation by studying the original Hebrew words.  When original Hebrew is translated into English is sounds a bit different but I think it really makes us think more about the words and the meaning behind them.  I appreciate this deeper thought.

 Psalm 1: God's Teaching

Each of the 31 devotionals in this book are short with a two page layout.  Each includes a short prayer and is accompanied by beautiful color illustrations by Catherine Pape.  This devotional encourages children to dive into and explore the book of Psalms for themselves.

Psalm 27: God's House

There are a few two page layouts for illustrations thrown in as well.

Psalm 50: Praising God

The end has a small glossary of new words with a brief definition.

Carine MacKenzie did a great job combining Alec Motyer's translation and thoughts with Catherine Pape's breathtaking illustrations.  The devotions are short so it's easier to read them and discuss them with younger children without losing their focus.  I really appreciate the short prayer included with each devotion as it helps children connect each one to themselves and to God.  D and E can both read this to themselves independently during devotional time while I have to read it to the younger boys to discuss.  The older girls can also read it aloud to the boys if we are spending devotional time together which is super fun.  If you are looking for a children's praise devotional or wanting the kids to dig a bit deeper into the Psalms, Psalms for my Day is definitely worth checking out.

 D reading the devotional to the other kids.

Be sure to click on the banner below to visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read even more reviews of Psalms for my Day along with a few other books from Christian Focus.

You can engage with Christian Focus on social media @:

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B's Baptism

I'm so proud of B!  She made the decision to get baptized today.  Our church had a picnic and baptism event and it was so fun.  When we arrived home, we had new flowers blooming in our yard - so excited for new life!

David got to baptize her.

Coming out of the water...

Yay

David was able to say a prayer over her!

The youth were there to give her hugs and support her.

Me and B

 David and B

 Some dear friends were able to celebrate with us!

New flowers in our yard

Christmas Memories & DVD Giveaway

Well, it's the most wonderful time of the year!  I love the Christmas season.  I know it can be difficult with long lines at stores and more traffic on the road but this time of year truly seems magical.  Our family has been partaking in two different advents this year.  We have been following the Jesus Storybook Bible advent printables for our reading time and then the kids take turns opening their Tsum Tsum advent calendar which contains fun Tsum Tsum surprises every day.  I love taking time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and the birth of our Savior.

 Jesus Storybook Bible reading for today

 Our Tsum Tsum Advent Calendar

I am excited to tell you about two inspirational films that were released on DVD today, December 20th!  The first one is Hillsong - Let Hope Rise which was a huge hit when it came out in theaters this past September.  This DVD would make a great gift to continue the worship experience with everyone this holiday season.  And the second is GREATER which is an inspirational movie based on the life of Brandon Burlsworth.  It follows his dream of playing football for the Arkansas Razorbacks.  Nothing about football came easy to Brandon, except his desire to play the game.  He was uncoordinated, ridiculed and written off by many coaches and teammates; yet, he continued to work harder than anyone.  Eventually his determination paid off and he was given the opportunity to walk-on and play football for the Razorbacks - becoming a great.  You can read more about GREATER here.  Both of these films highlight how God can enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Watch more about Hillsong - Let Hope Rise and Greater below.





Ready for a giveaway?  One of you will win both DVDs!!  How awesome is that?  Just enter the form below and good luck.

One of you will win these!

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Disclosure:  I received my own copies of GREATER and Hillsong - Let Hope Rise in exchange for this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Getaway with God Blog Tour & Giveaway

I have a fun book to tell you about, Getaway with God by Letitia Suk.  I have never really thought about having a practical how-to guide for taking a personal retreat with the Lord but that is what this book is and it's great!  Both women that are new in their faith and seasoned believers will all benefit from Suk's experiences and practical advice for having a personal retreat.  It really resonated with me how personal retreats can be for different reasons at different seasons in life.  I personally feel that a resting and relaxing retreat with the Lord is something that I need physically, spiritually, and emotionally at this point in my life.  After reading this book, I am empowered and encouraged to start planning my own getaway with God - it has been far too long!

More About the book: 
What if a simple day away could transform your life?
Does spending time with God sound like just one more thing to check off an ever-increasing to-do list?  How are you supposed to fit in anything that threatens to be more time-consuming?  Too often there’s simply no room to experience the intimacy, grace, and peace that God offers us.  Getaway with God does more than invite you to step away from life’s pressures to take a personal retreat.  It shows you exactly why you must–for your sake and for your family’s.
With grace and warmth, Letitia Suk provides step-by-step guidance and the necessary tools to enable any woman on any budget to plan time away, whether it’s a quick, half-day break or a weeklong time of restoration.  You’ll find detailed steps for preparation, including descriptions of different kinds of retreats and how to choose the best one for you, and you’ll learn ways to bring the renewal you experience home with you.  Practical appendixes identify retreat centers nationwide and provide exercises and prayers to kick-start your getaway with God.  No matter what your season in life, the time for retreat is now!

About the author: 

Letitia Suk is an author and life coach who is passionate about helping women create a purposeful life and experience the fullness God offers.  She writes about intentionality in the day-to-day — family life, spirituality, holidays and friendships.  Suk received her Personal Life Coach certification from the Coach Training Alliance in 2003.  She has served as a hospital chaplain for nearly a decade and is a sought-after speaker for women’s events and retreats.  Suk has had more than 100 articles appear in various print publications and is the author of Rhythms of Renewal and Getaway with God: The Everywoman’s Guide to Personal Retreat.  Suk lives in the Chicago area with her husband, Tom. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.

To keep up with Letitia Suk, visit www.letitiasuk.com. You can also follow her on Facebook (Letitia.Suk.Author) and Twitter (@LetitiaSuk).

Get ready for your own getaway with God by entering to win a travel bag set from Letitia.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Getaway with God
• A Vera Bradley XL Duffel Travel Bag
• A Vera Bradley Cosmetic Trio

Enter right now by clicking the icon below, and hurry!  This giveaway ends on December 16.  The winner will be announced December 19 on the Litfuse blog.