Review: The Action Bible Anytime Devotions

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.  

David C Cook has given us another great tool to help teach our children God's word with The Action Bible Anytime Devotions. This is a highly colorful, graphic novel feel devotional book that is geared towards kids ages 8-12. There are 90 lessons and each one has been carefully constructed to help our children cope in this day and age. Some of the topics addressed are love, courage, hope, trust, kindness, faith, strength and service.  These devotions are written to reach the very core of some of the struggles that our children are facing today.  Each devotion prepares your child to do the following:

  Learn God's Word

Apply it to their life

Relate it to people from the Bible

Thing about how it helps you to grow

Talk to God

Share with others

Take it further by reading the Bible

Our youngest is almost 13, but has struggled with various learning issues during his life. He was able to read the devotions on his own and did sometimes, but mainly I read them out loud to him and then we discussed. I didn't want him to get too caught up in putting all his energy into the reading portion, but not necessarily comprehending what he was reading.   The very first devotion tugged at my heart because it talked about when you are lonely. This is something my son has struggled with for quite some time. He feels like he doesn't have that many friends nor can he get together with them like he'd like too. This gave us a good chance to discuss that issue further. It gave me the chance to remind him that even when he is feeling lonely God is always with him.  In the TAKE IT FURTHER section there is a suggested reading for The Action Bible, but you can easily look up the scripture in any Bible that you have.  

Some of the other devotions that were great for my son were:

When You're Anxious

When Lives Need To Change

When You Feel Angry

When You Feel Ignored

When You Get Tired Of The Rules

When Life Feels So Hard

When Plans Change

We've recently moved as well as had a major change in our homeschooling routine, so my child is really struggling with lots of emotions. I chose not to just start in the front and read, but look for those lessons that I thought would really be what my son might need to hear right now.  It's easy to look through the contents to look for a topic you'd like or even just flip through the book. In the top right hand corner is the top for each devotion and that makes it easy to find what you'd like to read about. For example When You Feel Angry was about kindness and When Lives Need To Change was about Hope.   This devotional book came at the perfect time to remind him that life isn't always easy, but that God is ALWAYS with us.  

One of the verses that we read and have been working on is James 1:19 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.  Another one was Mark 4:40-41 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him." 

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We had 52 crew members that received The Action Bible Anytime Devotions by David C Cook. I recommend checking out what some of the others reviewers thought and how their family used this great devotional.  

Review & Giveaway: beloved 365 Devotions FOR Young Women

Beloved  is a beautiful hardcover book that includes 365 devotions for young women.  At first glance the book is wonderfully feminine.  Beautiful colors and flowers in a size that is just perfect for a young ladies hands.  I personally love the color scheme and it drew me into reading this book for my own devotions each morning.  Each page also has a short area for taking notes about the specific lesson and a nice ribbon to use as a place holder. The devotions are also titled day 1, 2, 3, etc. so you aren't locked into a specific day or time of the year. Our young women today are facing so many obstacles  and need something that is specifically tailored to them. The young women of today are dealing with things that are often even hard for their moms to understand because technology is truly changing our world.

Each devotion is one page long, starting with a verse and then a biblical lesson.  The very first devotional brings up the thought that many think the Bible is a "guys book" when in reality God values women greatly.  As we move through the book we read lessons about stepping out of our comfort zone, dealing with favoritism, feeling like we are on the outside looking in, God seeing all that we do and many other lessons that we encounter in our daily lives.  We want our children to grow up reading the Bible, knowing God's word and living it throughout their lives. I think often young women struggle to see their place in the world and we want them to realize that they need to not follow the rules of the world, but rather the rules of the Lord.  beloved is a great devotional for the young lady in your life or even yourself. We women are often dealing with situations similar to those that our daughters are dealing with, but just with women our age.  This would make a great gift or just a new devotional to start the school year.

I have been fortunate enough to offer one of my readers their very own copy of beloved!! For your chance to win please enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.





“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Review: The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible & Giveaway

We have been delving into The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible by Doris Wynbeek Rikkers.  What better way to start our day than with one of over 40 stories that share God's presence and power! When I first saw the cover of this book the illustrations by Fernando Juarez jumped right off the page to me. Not only are the stories powerful, but the illustrations match.  We had 29 stories to choose from in the Old Testament and 16 in the New Testament.  

A few of our favorites were The Spirit of God Brings Wisdom and Understanding-Based on the story found in Genesis 40.  This starts out with a verse from Job 32:8 But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty that gives them understanding.  We then read about the story of Joseph and how he interpreted the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker while he was jail.  The next story, God's Spirit Inspires a Leader, is based on Genesis 41. It continues the story of how Joseph interpreted the dreams of the Pharoah.  The verse included here is from Genesis 41:38 So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" 

In the New Testament we enjoyed A Joy-Filled Father, a story based from Luke 1:57-80 The verse given to us here his: His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.  Here we learned of Zechariah being told by an angel that his wife, Elizabeth, would have a child. He didn't believe the angel and suddenly couldn't speak. When the baby was born Elizabeth said his name was John. Friends and relatives couldn't believe they were naming him John because there were no other John's in the family. Zechariah wrote that his name was John and immediately regained his voice. 

I think maybe my favorite part of the book is at the end where The Spirit Today is talked about.  Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Psalm 51:10-11. Here we learn that the Bible tells us that God's Spirit is everywhere.  From the depths of the ocean floor to the heavens.  This spirit is with us all day and night.  He is out comforter who makes us feel safe.  When God asks us to do things for him we need not be afraid. His spirit is with us and will always be with us.  When we invite Jesus into our hearts his spirit will follow. We then have the ability to do great things for God.  

This book and many others are published by Zonderkids.com They publish wonderful books that we can use to teach our children biblical principals for life.  

I am fortunate enough to be able to offer a giveaway for this wondering book!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller/FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Review: Bible Study Guide For All Ages

Over the years we have used many programs for our Bible time. Some we liked and some we didn't, but the thing I noticed about most was that there didn't seem to be a continuous building in the program. I think most had the plan to do so, but it didn't feel that way to me. Issac also enjoys more interactive work, so when I read about the Bible Study Guide For All Ages it seemed a good fit for Issac.  I chose the Intermediate (3rd & 4th grade) for Issac to try as well as the  Wall Maps and Timeline set.  The Intermediate set is suggested for 3rd & 4th grade, but after comparing the amount of writing to that in the Advanced set I felt it was a better fit for Issac.  I think I was most excited for Issac to see the Wall Maps and Timeline Set because he greatly prefers more interactive work. Thankfully we had a wall with enough space to put up the maps and timeline because it does take up a fairly large area on the wall.  I have to say it was pretty exciting opening up the box with all the goodies in it! We received the following: 
** Intermediate Student Pages ** Intermediate Teacher Key ** Bible Book Summary Cards ** Wall Maps & Timeline ** Label Set

The first day I spent pretty much going over the materials that we received in the mail and reading the website again about how the program works.  I also scouted out the best place to put the maps and timeline. I wanted them to be easily accessible and they are pretty large, so I needed a good spot.  The maps are 38"s*25"s, 19"s*25"s and 19"s*25"s.  The Time Line is 76"s*25"s.  I was able to take a wall in the living room and put the time line up and the maps underneath.  There are certain labels that need to be put on the timeline before the first lesson, so I went ahead and put those on. We are currently in the process of packing up our house for a move, so all I had was tape to put the labels on with it.  It's recommended that you use a reusable adhesive putty, but I just couldn't find mine. I then looked through some of the information in the teacher's guide as well as skimmed the instructions for the Bible Book Summary Cards.   Issac seemed pretty excited to try out the new program. I think it helped to have the large time line and maps on the wall :) When you have maps and a timeline that large you can't help but see them multiple times a day. I found that even in the first few days he was looking at them trying to figure out what was what. That's always a positive sign for me when I catch him looking at items without me telling him too! :) 
Each lesson starts with the "Remember It" section. This is basically a review section and by reviewing at the start of each lesson it's really setting up a firm foundation for learning.  The next session is the "Memory Workout" section.  This area is for teaching general Bible information such as the 12 Sons, Books of the Bible, etc.  This section also goes hand-in-hand with the Bible Book Summary Cards. Those teach basic content and themes in the Bible as well.  The "Guess What" section teaches definitions and historical information that helps the student better understand. After doing these sections the student flips to the back side of the lesson where they move on to the "Discover the Bible" section. Here is where the student delves into the Bible.  The student can read to themselves or the parent/teacher can read the Bible text. I chose to read the Bible aloud to Issac, so that we could both be involved in the lesson.  As the Bible is read there are activities to further that learning. One of my favorite parts of the program is the timeline.  To me being able to post those labels on the timeline helps me to further understand what I'm learning. Issac is the same way, so we both found that part of the learning to be extra fun.  The timeline and map activities are alternated in the program, so that your child is getting to do both without feeling like they are doing too much in one lesson. If you don't have the large wall timeline/maps that we have there is information on the inside of the student guide about free time lines you can print to use.  A fun little section called "Get Active" has been added that gives the student a little different activity each time. And last, but certainly not least is the "Apply It" section. Without learning how to apply the knowledge it doesn't do much for our kids.  The students reread the verses and learn how to apply them to their daily lives. There is so much information packed into each lesson, but it's not overwhelming.  I dare say it seems the perfect setup for learning!
We have spent quite a bit of time in Genesis with this review! My youngest needs LOTS of review and the Bible Book Summary Cards that are used in this program are great for him. There is information about Genesis and then review questions that can be gone over daily. This is the type of review that truly is helpful for Issac! Here is a neat little video that gives more information on these cards. These cards come in three different sizes, but I have found that the small size for us is perfect! I'm amazed at what I'm learning just from reading these cards.  
The range of questions and activities in the lessons has really been a good fit for Issac. He struggles with writing even at his age, but by choosing the Intermediate (3rd & 4th grade) he's still learning so much and doesn't feel stressed when doing the lessons. To me the grade level isn't as important as him enjoying doing the lessons and learning. Learning what the Bible says is truly the biggest gift we can give our kids!

This book is so great.  It's a nice, sturdy notebook that has all the labels 3 hole punched and organized by lessons. 

Here is a page of labels that shows them listed by lesson and are easy to cut. 

This is one of the "keys" that are included in the book. Shows where all labels should be for this particular map.  

One of our first lessons was completed while spending the day at our new house working. Issac took a piece of wood and made a desk for himself to work on his lesson.  

I have really enjoyed working in the Intermediate (3rd & 4th grade) lessons of the Bible Study Guide For All Ages with Issac over these last few weeks. I feel that we are both learning together and I always enjoy those times. He's remembering things that I wasn't sure he would and is really enjoying the large maps and timeline. If I had one complaint about this program it would be that our papers fell apart and I had to staple them back together again. Issac can be super hard on papers and we often have to tape, staple or hole punch things to keep them together. There are a total of four units and 416 lessons with this program! Having them divided up by Beginner (3-K), Primary (1st & 2nd grade), Intermediate (3rd & 4th grade) and Advanced (5th & 6th grade) gives families lots of options.  This program isn't strictly for families.  It's a wonderful tool for churches and youth groups. They have a great FAQ section to help make your decisions easier.  The crew reviewed lots of different lessons this time. Some have previously used this program at church or in their home and wanted to continue where they stopped. Some are using it with just one child, like I did, and others are using it with multiple students on multiple levels. Head over and read what everyone thought.  

You can also read and learn more about the Bible Study Guide For All Ages on their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.  

Review: When God Says go

When God Says go by Elizabeth Laing Thompson is a wonderful book of people in the Bible and how they followed God's call. We often say that we are following God, that we are open to anything he calls us to do, but are we truly? Often times we aren't even sure if we know what God is calling us to do. In this book we learn about the following people, their stories and even how we can relate them to our own lives.  

At the end of each chapter there is a "Let's Go Deeper" page. This includes further verses to read as well as journal prompts and a prayer prompt. This is a great book to read alone or even to read along in a group setting. I felt like the chapters were chosen to reach out to us all. How many times have we thought that God's call is too scary? When his call is unclear? When the call isn't glamorous? These are some of the samples of what is in this book that can help us to a deeper understanding of just what is God's call for us.  

**"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."

Review: The Prayer MAP FOR WOMEN

I've really enjoyed using The Prayer MAP For WOMEN-A CREATIVE JOURNAL.  The layout is the same for each day which is nice to be able to see growth! There is a place to start a prayer, what you are thankful for, worried about, people you are praying for, what is happening in your life, what you need as well as other things that are on your heart. There is a little dotted line that leads you through each section, but you could easily do them out of order as well. It's nice having the date as well to be able to go back later and see how God has answered your prayers and needs. One of my favorite parts is the verse for each day. One of my favorites is:

Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you.  Psalm 5:2

This is a great tool to use daily in your quiet time. The verses could be used as jumping spots for your daily reading as well. If you have children they have one available for girls as well as boys.  I highly recommend this book!

**"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."

Scripture Typer

I was reading a blog about teaching character.  There is tons of great information there,   Teaching Character.  One thing that jumped out at me for myself and the two older children was Scripture Typer.  I think this will help the kids work on their verses each week in a whole new way.  I'm really excited to try it out myself this weekend and get the kids started using it Monday.