Wake up Grateful!

Children's Book Review: Brick Builders Illustrated Bible

Book Description:

The Brick Builder’s Illustrated Bible uses the popularity of brick-building pieces to engage children with the Word of God. With bold, colorful illustrations by Antony Evans and child-friendly text, over 35 beloved stories from the Old and New Testaments come to life. Readers will travel from Genesis to Revelation as they read stories like Creation, Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, the Birth of Jesus, and Jesus Walks on Water. And each story contains a “Building Block” takeaway for kids to help them apply the biblical principal to their own lives. What better way to bring the family together than with the Brick Builder’s Illustrated Bible, perfect for readers of all ages.

My Review:

My grandkids love building with Legos. When I saw this book, I had to see what it was about. From beginning to end, the bright, bold illustrations blew me away. I love the designs of the characters and the expressions on their faces. They fit perfectly with the well done Bible stories. My favorite feature in the book is the take-away. After each story is a section called "Building Block," a call to action that echoes the wisdom in the story. This would make a great gift for any child who likes to build. You could also use it in Sunday School to emphasize a lesson or in family devotion time. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zonderkidz. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Walk in Love

Philemon 1:7
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Ephesians 5:1-2
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

An array of colors hung on the wall in front of us. The rainbow reached from beautiful blues to passionate pinks and purples. Excited to experience a relaxing pedicure, we ladies perused the polishes. We wanted our toenails to be the loveliest shade of summer as they peeked from our sandals.

Every year my youngest daughter gifts myself and her sisters with pedicures for our birthdays. We have so much fun picking out the colors, admiring each other's toes, and laughing and talking together. The love we share makes the whole experience wonderful.

"Living in love is the color we bring to the world." -Didi Bacon

Our pastor, Didi, preached about a humble love we, as believers and followers of Christ, show the world. We are called to spread the most important color in the world—love. Share a smile, stand up for someone who's been hurt, offer help, give money, share a hug, talk to a friend about grace and faith, sit quietly beside the one who grieves, have the hard conversations. Jesus loves us more than we understand. He wants us to pour that love into other people. We need to see others the way God sees them and move beyond ourselves to love people.

Flower Friday: Black-eyed Susans

Every summer for as long as I can remember, Black-eyed Susans bloomed on my birthday. Seeing the beautiful sunshine-filled flowers reminds me how much God loves me. These lovely posies bloom in gardens and meadows. I remember seeing them in the fields and ditches and feeling blessed to have such lovely birthday bouquets.

Raise a Hallelujah!

Historical Fiction Review: Yours Truly, Thomas by Rachel Fordham

Book Description:

For three years, Penny Ercanbeck has been opening other people's mail.

Dead ends are a reality for clerks at the dead letter office, and she dreams of something more--a bit of intrigue, perhaps a taste of romance. When she comes across a letter from a brokenhearted man to his one true love, it becomes her mission to place this lost letter into the hands of its intended recipient.

But when Penny's undertaking leads her to the intriguing man who touched her soul with his words, everything grows more complicated. She wants to find the rightful owner of the letter, and yet . . . she finds herself caring--perhaps too much--for the one who wrote it.

My Review:
I'm picky about the historical fiction I read. I admit I was drawn to this book because the main character's name is Penny, like me. Yours Truly, Thomas is a wonderful story of forgiveness of self and others. Guilt is such a difficult burden to bear. Fordham's story of love and adventure creates a beautiful backdrop for a difficult journey. If you enjoy Hallmark's series and movies, Signed, Sealed, Delivered, you'll love this story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 5 stars.

Children's Book Review: Seek and Explore Devotions for Kids by Yvonne H. Van Ee, PhD & Michael Williams, PhD

Book Description:

The Seek and Explore Book of Devotions is a full-color, interactive journey through every book of the Bible—365 days (plus one for leap day!) of reading and hands-on activities, like journaling, crosswords, word searches, puzzles, and more. During each week, your child will learn about one or two books of the Bible in short, easy-to-handle activities. Whether reading, writing, drawing, crafting, moving, or going out into the world, kids will learn about the Bible, God, and themselves. By the end of this interactive journey, your child will have a better understanding of the Bible as the story of God’s people and his love for them. Perfect for a child to use on his own, as a family, in a classroom, or even in a Sunday school setting, this devotional is unique and engaging for ages 6–10.

My Review:
I like the premise of Seek and Explore. The illustrations are engaging and fun. The devotional activities are varied. I'm not convinced a six to eight-year old would be able to use this book to the full extent. But with an adult or as a family, this would be a great addition to devotion time. For independent use, nine to twelve might be a better target age. The activities look enjoyable and will help the child have a better understanding of the scripture. I especially like the devos that are more like a puzzle than the writing activities. I can also see this as a good home school tool to prompt Bible discussion. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zonderkidz. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.