Jesus Calling

Our church passed out these amazing devotionals at the beginning of the year.  My husband and I have been reading them.  They're short, one page per day.  But this author is amazing!  She writes them based on scipture but in Jesus' words, so it's like he's speaking right to you........so good!! 

I went on Amazon to order one for someone else and found that she has a version for kids.........I'm so excited!!  Something I have tried to be "intentional" (this word is kind of the theme of this blog, in case you hadn't already figured that out) about with my kiddos is fostering and encouraging in them their own personal relationship with Jesus ever since they asked him into their hearts at ages 4 and 5.  When you grow up in church and around "christianese" your whole life as I was, sometimes it's hard to figure out who Jesus is to you.  You know what he is to your pastor and parents and teachers (yes I went to christian school too), but it takes a while for it to become personal to you, when he's already such part of your life for as long as you can remember.

I am so thankful he was pretty much always a part of my life.  I do however, want to do whatever I can to make it easier for him to become real and personal to my kiddos:)  We talk a lot with them about how going to church doesn't make you a christian.  That it's the personal, everyday talking with him spending time in your Bibles that creates that "relationship."

Our kids spend time by themselves, at bedtime reading their Bibles.........they started that on their own, isn't that so cool!?  I'm very proud of them for that and pray that what they're reading sinks deep into their hearts.  Although at one point we had to steer Isaac away from Leviticus:)  He kept coming in our room to ask what certain words meant!  Yikes, if you've ever read Leviticus you'll know what I'm talking about!:)  Although it lent to some great conversations that's for sure:)

Even if your kids are younger, you can read to them or get them those fabulous children's Bibles that have the pictures with the stories.  Emma loved hers for years.

I encourage you to help your kiddos make Jesus personal today.  Motherhood is one of our highest callings and leading our kiddos to Jesus and all his fabulousness is the best thing ever!
The name of the book I ordered for my kids is Jesus Calling:  365 Devotions for Kids by Sarah Young.