Tag: devotion

Posted in From The Altar, On The Reading Chair

The Apologetics Study Bible Review

Posted on by Lindsey Jane

I’ve had this Bible for several months. I’ve been using it in my personal devotion time to get a feel for it and see what I think about it. Now, I’m ready to give you my full review.

I have the hardcover version, but it also comes in a hardcover thumb-indexed version, an eBook version, a brown imitation leather version, and a navy imitation leather version.

The Bible translation is the Christian Standard Version, which I really like for personal devotion. If you’re unsure of how you’ll like a translation, you can always go to BibleGateway.com and read some passages in the version of your choice. It can help you get a feel for the version without committing to buying it.

Apologetics is the defense of the faith, answering those big questions we might have. This Bible not only explains the Bible in the footnotes sections, but it gives some answers to big questions through articles peppered throughout by Christian apologists.

There are several articles in the front of this Bible to explain some more general concepts. These are articles that cover more than just one specific area of Scripture.

Each book of the Bible has a rather lengthy introduction. It sets the scenes, explaining the context of the book. It also covers some topics related to that specific book. For example, Genesis covers the reliability of the book of Genesis and the relationship of Genesis to Ancient Myths. Clearly, these are only short articles. If you wanted a full study in those areas, there are plenty of complete books, but these articles are enough to at least touch on the topics before you move into your Bible study.

Throughout, there are full articles on various topics, written by a variety of authors. Again, they won’t cover the topics in depth, and related to each of these articles are entire books written about the topic. But they do give you some TL;DR answers to some hot topic issues— maybe even some issues you’ve never even considered.

My favorite feature of this Bible is the Twisted Scripture blocks. They are just small, quick explanations of how some people misuse Scripture. I found those bits to be extremely helpful in my reading. Again, these quick writings are in no way in-depth discussions on the topics, but they will help you as you read to not get lost in the weeds of heresy.

The footnotes are quite expansive. You’ve got two layers of footnotes. The first is the standard Bible footnotes. The second layer is the bigger layer, and they explain the issues of the Scriptures on a deeper level. In some books, they are quite expansive; in others, they are more minimal, depending on the Scripture.

There is a full and pretty awesome concordance in the back. It is pretty lengthy and includes a lot for a simple Bible concordance.

It also has some pretty awesome full-color maps in the back. (I’m a sucker for a good map.)

Now, this Bible is not for those outside of the Orthodox Christian faith. If you believe something that isn’t in-line with the rest of the church, this is going to step all over your toes. If you don’t believe what is in the Apostle’s Creed, this Bible is not for you. (And you probably need to read it anyway.) It doesn’t take stances that I would say are denominational; however, it doesn’t shy away from tough issues. And it just straight “calls it like it is” and doesn’t “beat around the bush” about it.

It calls out bad theology by name. I found that helpful in knowing exactly who or what they were talking about. Some books try not to call out the groups by name, and it can be confusing who or even what they are talking about.

So, be aware that if you believe something that isn’t in the Canon, you will likely be offended at some point in your reading.

Honestly, that candidness is what makes me like this study Bible so much. It is very clear in what it is telling you. I really appreciate this Bible. I love the CSB version, I have several Bibles in that version, and that is my preferred version for personal Bible study.

I recommend this Bible pretty highly. I know the nature of apologetics doesn’t appeal to everyone. There are some who choose to be inspired rather than challenged. This would make an excellent Bible for a teen, young adult, new Christian, or someone solid in their faith who isn’t quite sure what they believe or who wants to deepen their understanding of their faith. They do make a version for students, but I am unsure how it is different from this version. This Bible is for anyone who really wants to get down to answering the questions they may have. Again, this is a Bible. It is intended to be a help as you read and study your Bible. There are entire books on apologetics that you can read if you want, but I do think this Bible will help as you are studying God’s Word to answer some of those big questions. This Bible can be a help to different people across many life situations. While perhaps not the right choice for everyone, I really like it.

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Posted in From The Altar, On The Reading Chair

The Complete Jewish Study Bible Review

Posted on by Lindsey Jane

I have been very into various Bibles lately. There are just so many different study Bibles that capture my attention. Some capture my attention in a negative way. “Why would anyone make that study Bible?!” But most capture my attention in a positive way. So, I’ve been picking up a few here and there to read through, use in my own personal devotion time, and see what my thoughts are on these various study Bibles.

The Complete Jewish Study Bible caught my attention. I grabbed a copy of the hardcover edition, but there are fancierleatherversions. This hardcover is a shiny, glossy cover, but it is really good quality. Just for aesthetics, I like the color and the intricate stained glass patterns they use throughout.

And guys- two sewn in bookmarks! That makes me really happy. I’m still waiting for a Bible to come with three. One for the Old Testament reading, one for the Psalms, and one for the New Testament reading. The Pastor wants 4- Old Testament, Psalms, Gospel, and Letters. The font is easy to read and in single column format. The margins are very narrow and not really suitable for writing in.

This Study Bible is packed full of useful study tools and information. I’m not the intended audience for this Bible. However, I have really liked this Bible. It has helped me see God’s Word in a new light. It has given more life and deeper meaning to things I’ve been reading my entire life. It has been a challenge to use, but it has made me slow down and really study the Word and not just breeze right through it. This won’t be the Bible for everyone, and I will get to that later, but it is an excellent study Bible.

The first issue to note is that this Bible is not in our typical English order. It still begins with Genesis and ends with Revelation, but it is not in the same order in between. You have the Torah first (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). Then you have all the prophets together (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel [1st and 2nd], Kings [1st and 2nd], Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). Followed by the Writings (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles [1st and 2nd]). In the New Testament, you have the Gospel first (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), followed by Acts, then you have the letters broken into three categories; Letters to Communities (Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians), Pastoral Letters (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon), and Messianic Letters (Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude). And then you end with Revelation. If you’re not used to this, you’ll have to just use the table of contents as you acclimate to the order of the books.

Next, you’ll likely notice that you don’t recognize the names of the Bible. The aim of this particular translation was to restore the Jewishness of the Bible. So the names of the books have been taken back to their Hebrew names. No worries, though. The English names appear on the right hand pages with the Jewish names on the left.

I also found I didn’t know any of the people or places in the Bible! Those got put in Hebrew, as well. I actually really appreciated this. It made me read it a little outside of my language. It also had me noticing who was doing what a little bit more. And fortunately, they included a handy Glossary of Hebrew (with pronunciations!) to English. So, I could look them up as much as I needed to.

Each book of the Bible has a great introduction to bring you into the book, including an outline. It also goes ahead and tells you the main names and places in English so you don’t have to look them all up straight out of the gate.

The Complete Jewish Bible also contains a great amount of introductory material. It tells why they translated it the way they did. It goes into translation issues. It brings up the vision and potential audience of the translation. They go into detail on why the Bible is God’s Word to humanity. It explains poetry, law, legalism, and more. It fully outlines the prophesy of the Messiah and how Jesus is the fulfillment of that prophesy. The introduction is almost a full book of great information to help as you study God’s word.

Now, this Bible is not going to be for everyone. There are plenty of people who are about calf-deep in their walk into the river of God’s Word and this will just make them almost drown. If you were just stepping in and knew nothing of the Bible, this would be a fine place to start. No worries there at all. But there are people who are not yet fluent in the Bible but are getting there. This is going to overwhelm those people. People completely non-fluent in Scripture and people very fluent in Scripture will find something amazing here. But those middle people may need to get a little more comfortable with The Word before diving into something like this. I’d hate for anything meant for good to be a stumbling block. This Bible is very much of the scholarly side of things. This is not about life application or practical application of doctrine. This Bible helps you understand the world into which Jesus came into and the world the Jewish people came from. It brings you back into those Hebrew roots so you are better able to read the stories and the words more in their context. It is an extremely eye opening experience.

This Bible is packed full of even more features than I’ve listed. Articles from Jewish scholars. Information of Jewish customs. There is just so much here. It also has footnotes that describe the culture of what is going on within the Scriptures.

I will definitely be hanging onto this Bible. It makes the Scripture new and fresh. It brings to life deeper meanings. It brings more understanding of Jewish faith and culture. And all along the way, you can see Jesus woven throughout. It just highlights those threads of grace so we see the shadow of the cross stretching across the entire span of man’s history.

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Posted in Around The Church, From The Altar, With The Kids

Lent 2018

Posted on by Lindsey Jane

If you’re looking for my annual Lent family devotions, they are in book form this year! I was coming up with a way to make the family devotional more user-friendly. Scrolling through an entire week of blog posts is a bit messy. It is free, but it is messy. Then, I had this idea to add a personal devotional for moms to the front. In pitching the idea to The Pastor, we kind of thought, “Why just moms?” So, I enlisted his help in getting both a full 40-day devotional for all people and a 40-day family devotional written. We then put it on Kindle for ease-of-use. (It is also available in paperback if you’re not a digital person.)

The entire thing is really cohesive: The personal devotions and family devotions tie into each other, so you’ll all be walking the same spiritual path together. And as usual, the family devotional includes activities to do! Fun!

The theme of this year’s Lenten devotional is Refocus. Lent is a great time to look over everything and evaluate if you’re living the way you think you should be living. “Does my life reflect Christ?” It’ll challenge you to reevaluate where you put your time and money. It will ask you to reevaluate your priorities and commitments. Basically, it is going to step all over your toes and probably make you uncomfortable and you might even hate me for it. Or… you might refocus your life on the cross and do big Jesus-work this coming year. I think it’s worth the risk.

If you want a free devotional, all my previous years of Lent family devotions are still available here on the blog. Since Lent is always 40 days, always starting on Ash Wednesday and always ending on Easter, any of these can be used any year.

Lent Family Devotional 2017 – This family devotional looks into the life and ministry of Jesus.

40 Holy People – This is a Lenten devotional looking at the lives of those who have followed Christ with great courage and wisdom.

Fruit of the Spirit Family Devotional – This is not a Lenten devotional, but you can use it during Lent if you’d like. It is 9 weeks, so it is a little longer than Lent.

Click here to buy this year’s Lent devotional on Amazon.  My hope and prayer is for families to come together around a table and talk about Jesus. So, whatever you chose to do this Lent, be it using Refocus, using one of the free devotions on my blog, using another devotional book, or just reading through a book of the Bible together after dinner— make sure that you don’t miss Jesus during this season. Let the season bring you closer to Him and closer to your family.

Posted in From The Altar, Out Of My Head

Word Before World

Posted on by Lindsey Jane

I’m scrolling through Instagram when I wake up this morning and come across a hashtag that gets my mind rolling. #wordbeforeworld . Now, this isn’t the first time I had seen the hashtag. I have seen @wellwateredwomen posting it for several days now. But it was the first time I stopped and took note.

What is the first thing I do when I wake up? Usually grumble about the kids already being awake and lament how late I stayed up the night before. But the first thing I usually choose to do after pulling myself out of bed and getting ready for the day is grab my iPad and start checking social media. I choose to plunge into the world first. Always. The Word part normally comes when I’ve done everything else I need to do for the day. Sure, we get into the Word every morning during Morning Basket time, so I guess I could count that. But before I even do morning basket, I’m checking my social media accounts.

Of course, my mind went to Deuteronomy chapter 6. The people of God are being told not to forget who they are and what God has done for them. They are to teach their children, talk of them in their house, talk of God’s commands walking around going about their day. They are to write them on the doorposts of their houses. And they are to think of them when they lie down and when they rise up.

It got me thinking of the giving of the first fruits, something we remind ourselves when we tithe. We give God the first of what he has given to us. So, what is more valuable than our time? The days, hours, and minutes we have? Why wouldn’t we give the first of our time each day, too?

Essentially, when I choose social media before getting into the Word of God, I’m stating my priorities for the day. Connection, news, self-image- all those things we tie up in social media- I’m saying those are the most important for me. I’m saying that my FOMO (fear of missing out) on the world is more important than my FOMO on God.

I’m not saying there is anything wrong with social media. I think we, as Christians, need to remain engaged in social media as a way to influence our culture. But as all our youth pastor’s warned us, we need to be careful of how we let it shape us. So, I’m not saying we should all pull away from social media. I think a host of evangelism can be done through a screen in our culture.

I am saying that I found myself guilty this morning. I realized I’ve not been putting first things first. I’ve been putting them last. When there is time. At the bottom of the to-do list. And those priorities will never stand. The Word will never shape me because I’m not letting it take the rightful place in my life. That is not anyone’s fault but mine.

I had thought of New Year’s Resolutions in abstract terms. I knew I needed more discipline in my spiritual life and my physical life, so I was just going to abstractly focus on discipline. I now realize an abstract one word focus isn’t going to get me where I need to be. Sure, it will help me think of where I need to be. But I need action steps. I need firm commitments to being disciplined.

So, with discipline as my word of the year, my first practical step is going to be Word before World. That is my first firm commitment to the process of being disciplined. Word before World. I will seek Him first.

Posted in From The Altar, On The Reading Chair

She Reads Truth Review

Posted on by Lindsey Jane


If you follow the Notes From The Parsonage Facebook page, you may have already heard about She Reads Truth. I had signed up for their Auto-Ship program for their Devotion books. They release a new one each month, and most of the book is just Scripture. It makes devotional reading very easy to do on a daily basis because it is all right there. You can also scribble notes and prayers right there on the pages on not feel bad about “messing up” your Bible. (Not that I am at all averse to writing in my Bible.) The books are beautifully done. They contain beautiful art, scripture memorization cards, some have recipes, reflection questions, and charts. It is a very Bible centered devotion.

Now, they also have an app. You can download the memory verses each week to use as a screen saver on your phone or tablet. I have found this particularly helpful in keeping the memory verse in front of me throughout the week. You can also purchase the devotions in digital form for significantly cheaper through the app. (The AutoShip program of the books is $29 a month with shipping. Each book on the app is $1.99 to $2.99 each. They even have some shorter books for free.) The app also has a Bible on it, if you don’t already have a Bible app you like.


I have really enjoyed the books. They have Scripture reading from the Old and New Testament each day, which I really enjoy. They connect the Scriptures very well. I have been very blessed in my personal devotion time with this resource and I absolutely highly recommend it. They also offer a He Reads Truth version for men. I haven’t purchased any of these, personally. (The Pastor uses the Ancient Christian Devotional books for his daily reading.) All Scripture used for She Reads Truth is Holman Christian Standard translation. 


When She Reads Truth announced they were releasing a Bible, I preordered it immediately. I had a hard time choosing my cover and options, because they all looked so beautiful. I settled on the Gray Linen Indexed version. I have never owned an indexed Bible, so I thought I would give that a try. Now that it has come in, I can give you an overview!


It comes in a very sturdy box to match. The linen cover is very nice, like an old book. The indexed tabs have 3 books per tab.


The first thing you come to in the Bible is a “How To Read The Bible” article. It is extremely helpful. I often have people ask me just this question. This lays it our very succinctly. There are also study guides in the front of each book. They have a reading plan for that book that includes references to other places in the Bible for a deeper, fuller understanding.



Next, you come to an article called “This Is The Gospel”. As a Wesley-Armenian, I often have a difficult time finding theologically appropriate study materials. So, I was a little hesitant to read this article. I was sure they would disappoint me theologically and then I might not enjoy it as much. However, that was not the case. She Reads Truth is very based on Scripture, so theologically, they were right on track. It is sad when you are delightfully surprised to not find heresy in your Bible. But I was.


Each book of the Bible has the key verse of the book illustrated beautifully to begin the book. There is an intro page for each book, giving you the background and setting of the book to give you some context for the writing. Each book also contains a timeline, map, or chart that is helpful in reading that book. Genesis has a timeline. Exodus has a map. Leviticus has a diagram of the tabernacle. You get the picture. And as I said before, each book has a reading plan, complete with additional verses from other books. It is broken down into 5 days per week. The number of weeks depends on the book.



I love the formatting. Single column with a slight margin. This margin might be wide enough to do Bible journaling in, but I will reserve it for notes. There are also very clear footnotes at the bottom of each page. They aren’t tiny and hard to read. The paper is really thin. Thinner than most Bible paper. I’m sure you can tell from the photos that the paper is thin, since you can see through the page to what is printed on the other side. I found that gel highlighters work best for this paper, since they don’t show through at all. However, for margin notes, you’re going to have to deal with being able to see through it. You could use a pencil, but I am not a pencil person. 


There are also various devotions found throughout the Bible. They are a single page, two columns, and easy to find.


In the back of the Bible, there is a list of the key verses for each book. There is also a genre guide, telling you how the Scripture is broken up. Each genre is color coded and you’ll find that those colors are also on the title page for each book. Then you’ll find the apostle’s creed. (It includes that Jesus descended into hell, but excludes the word Catholic.) Next there is a Bible in a year reading plan check list. It also lists a memory verse for each month. A topical index is next, followed by some maps they didn’t put in earlier, and a chart with weights and measures. (Ever wonder how much is a shekel or a cubit? Chart!)


Another awesome feature is that this Bible has TWO satin bookmarks! So you can hold your place in two places at once! 


All in all, I am loving this Bible! I cannot wait to dive into it and use it on a daily basis. I think it is a wonderful resource and could be very helpful if you’re looking for something to help you get into God’s Word more regularly and with passion. They clearly put a lot of thought and attention to detail in their devotional plans and their new Bible. 


**This post contains affiliate links. I am not endorsed or sponsored by She Reads Truth, just a customer. **

Posted in From The Altar, With The Kids

Lenten Family Devotion Week Seven 

Posted on by Lindsey Jane

What you’ll need this week: This week, we’re making a wreath, adding a bit each day. For the wreath, you can pick up a twig wreath at a craft store very inexpensively. You can decide if you’ll just make one wreath for the family or if each person will make their own. (They can always gift them to Grandma on Easter.) You’ll need to attach the items each day. Hot glue works, but using floral wire to tie things on and in works better. In addition to the wreath, you’ll need: 
– Something gold (like garland or a sprig of gold)

– Feathers (or birds, whatever you happen to find and like)

– Something purple (it can be a flower, ribbon, fabric- it is up to you)

– Something black (flower, ribbon, do-dad, whatever you like)

– Something linen (ribbon, scrap of fabric, flower, butterfly)

– Something white (flower, ribbon, butterfly, lily, etc.)

Day Thirty-Seven: Monday: Betrayal & Arrest

Read John 18:1-14

OR

Jesus Is Arrested, p.210-211 in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook

OR

A Dark Night In The Garden, p.294-301 in The Jesus Storybook Bible

Discussion:

– Judas saw all the same miracles that Jesus performed as the rest of the disciples. Why do you think he would betray Jesus?

– Peter the bold stepping up again and cutting off a dude’s ear! Why do you think Jesus rebuked him?

Activity:

– Today, we’re adding some gold to our wreath to represent the betrayal of Jesus.

Day Thirty-Eight: Tuesday: Peter’s Denial

Read John 13:36-38; 18:15-18; 18:25-27

OR

Peter Denies Jesus, p. 212-213 in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook

Discussion:

– Why did Peter deny Jesus?

– What do you think went through Peter’s head as the rooster crowed?

– Do you ever try to hide your faith?

Activity:

– Adding to our wreath some feathers to signify the rooster crowing at the betrayal of Christ.

Day Thirty-Nine: Wednesday: Jesus’ Trial

Read John 18:28-40; 19:1-6 and Luke 23:1-25

Discuss:

– Did Pilate want to punish Jesus? Why did he agree to it?

– Why would the people choose Barabbas’ release over releasing Jesus?

– Was any of this fair?

Activity:

– Today, we are adding purple to our wreath, like the robe used to mock Jesus.

Day Forty: Thursday: Crucifixation

Read John 19:16-37 and Luke 23:26-49

OR

The Sun Stops Shining, p. 302-307 in The Jesus Storybook Bible

OR

Good Friday, p.214-219 in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook

Discussion:

– Take some time to discuss the impact of the crucifixion on your hearts today. What does the death of Christ mean? If you need a big word to focus on, Justification and Atonement are good ones to explore.

Activity:

– Though Good Friday is tomorrow, we’re taking time today to reflect on what is coming. Today, we’ll be adding black, the color of mourning, to our wreath.

Day Forty-One: Friday: Burial of Jesus

Read John 19:38-42 and Luke 23:50-56

OR

The Sun Stops Shining, p. 308-309 in The Jesus Storybook Bible

Discuss:

– What do you think the soul of Jesus was doing while his body was being buried?

– How do you think His followers felt?

Activity:

– Today, we’re adding linen to our wreath, to represent the linen they wrapped Jesus in.

Day Forty-Two: Saturday: Resurrection

We’ve made it through. Today, is the last day of Lent. While today is the day the world waited. Tomorrow will be Easter, and look forward to his Resurrection.

Read John 20:1-10 and Luke 24:1-40

OR

Easter Sunday, p.220-223 in Jesus Calling Storybook Bible

OR

God’s Wonderful Surprise, p.310-317 in The Jesus Storybook Bible

Discussion:

– Do you find it interesting the Jesus first appeared to women?

– When they first realized the body was gone, what do you think they thought happened?

– What does the Resurrection mean for us?

– What have you learned about Justification, Atonement, and Redemption?

Activity:

– Today, we finish our wreath. We add white, the color of the resurrection. And now your Easter wreath is complete. Hang it up or plan to gift it to someone special tomorrow, to remind them of the hope of Easter.

Posted in From The Altar, With The Kids

Lenten Family Devotion Week Six

Posted on by Lindsey Jane

This week you will need: 
Day Thirty-one: toilet paper

Day Thirty-two: old magazines, catalogues, newspapers, etc., white school glue, scissors, card stock

Day Thirty-four: canvas or canvas board and paint

Day Thirty-five: copies of the coloring page

Day Thirty-six: large piece of chip board, paint, drill, twine

Day Thirty-One: Monday: Lazarus

Read John 11:1-44

OR

Jesus Heals the Sick: Lazarus Is Raised!, p.194-195 in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook

Discussion:

– What do you make of verse 4?

– Why dis Mary and Martha blame Jesus for the death of their brother?

– More paradox! What paradox do we find in this passage?

– Did you know John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible?

– What do you think this experience was like for Lazarus?

Activity:

– Wrapping The Dead: Split into teams. However many teams your family wants to make. You need at least two people per team. Each team gets a roll of toilet paper. On your mark, get set, go! First team to completely wrap one member and have that person play dead on the floor wins! When all Lazaruses are dead, yell, “Come forth!” And have all the Lazaruses jump up alive again!

Day Thirty-Two: Tuesday: Zacchaeus

Read Luke 19:1-10

OR

The Man Who Didn’t Have Any Friends (None), p.264-271 in The Jesus Storybook Bible

OR

Zacchaeus Meets Jesus, p.196-197 in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook

Discussion:

– Did Zacchaeus’ money grant him access to Jesus?

– How did meeting Jesus change Zacchaeus’ life?

– Has salvation come to your house?

Activity:

– A Tree Made of Trash: Gather your supplies. Old newspapers, magazines, catalogues, etc. Plus you’ll need glue, scissors, and card stock. On the card stock, you’re going to glue your pieces to make your tree. To make a tree trunk and branches, take a piece of scrap paper from a magazine or whatever, brush glue on the piece, roll it as tight as you can. Glue the roll onto your card stock. Once you have your trunk all made with as many rolls of paper as you need, cut leaf shapes out of scrap paper and glue them to the tree. If you want, find a man and cut him out and glue him in the tree. After this dries, hang it with the rest of your Lenten art.

Day Thirty-Three: Wednesday: Triumphant Entry

Read John 12:12-19

OR

Palm Sunday, p.204-205 in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook

Discussion:

– Why were the people praising Jesus?

– Why a donkey?

Activity:

– Palm Parade!: Grab some palm branches and have a parade through your house, your yard, your neighborhood- whatever works. Praise God for the good things He has done! If you don’t have palm branches, make do by grabbing other branches or flowers or even just waving scarves.

– Read the following Poem:

The Donkey

BY G. K. CHESTERTON

When fishes flew and forests walked

And figs grew upon thorn,

Some moment when the moon was blood

Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry

And ears like errant wings,

The devil’s walking parody

On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,

Of ancient crooked will;

Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,

I keep my secret still. 

Fools! For I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

 There was a shout about my ears,

 And palms before my feet.
Day Thirty-Four: Thursday: The Lord’s Supper

Read Mark 14:12-25

OR

The Last Supper, p.206-209 in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook

OR

The Servant King, p.286-293 in The Jesus Storybook Bible

Discussion:

– What was Passover?

– Does this bread and wine sound familiar to you?

– Did you know that in the early church, there were rumors that Christians were can I like cannibals because of this sacrament?

Activity:

– The Last Supper Painting: Check out the image of the Last Supper. Recreate it in your own way. I suggest providing good art supplies for this one. Canvas and paint. You could also do canvas board, if you choose. Younger ones may prefer to just draw the bread and the cup. When the masterpieces are complete, hang them with the rest of your Lenten art.

Day Thirty-Five: Friday: Jesus Washes Feet

Read John 13:1-20

OR

The Servant King, p.286-293 in The Jesus Storybook Bible

OR

The Last Supper, p.206-209 in Jesus Calling Bible Storybook

Discussion:

– Jesus knows that Judas is going to betray Him, yet He washes his feet along with the rest of the disciples. Discuss.

– What is the significance of Jesus washing the feet of everyone else?

– What dumb things does Peter say this time?

– Paradox! What is the paradox in this passage?

Activity:

– Since we already washed feet, we won’t repeat. Unless you skipped it then. If you skipped it, by all means have a foot washing. For the rest of us, here is a coloring page.

Day Thirty-Six: Saturday: Holy Spirit

Read John 14:15-31

Discussion:

– Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”, would you say that is true?

– Jesus is telling His disciples He is going to die, yet He also tells them not to be afraid- why?

– Who is The Ruler of This World?

– If Jesus is leaving, how will the disciples not be orphans?

Activity:

– Holy Spirit, You Are Welcome Here Sign: We’re going to make a sign! You’ll need a large piece of chip board. Grab the paint, let’s get to work. Paint the background. You can paint it white. You can let each child paint a portion of the background. In our house, we’re just making one sign. If you want, you can let each child make a smaller version. It is up to you. Once the background is painted and dried, paint the letters. “Holy Spirit, You are welcome here!” You can do part in cursive and part in script. You can use stencils if you are uncomfortable painting the letters. You can use a pencil or chalk pencil to write the letters before you commit to paint. Leave some room at the top for the holes to hang it. Once your letters are painted and dry, grab your drill and drill two holes in the top large enough for twine to pass through, but not so large a knotted piece of the twine will pass through. Cut a piece of twine, feed it through the holes, and tie a knot in each end. Now you can hang the sign! If you’re wanting to hang it outside, you’ll want to either rub it with some furniture wax, which will distress it, but protect it. Or you can spray acrylic fixative spray on it for a clear finish. Or hang it as is inside the house.

Posted in From The Altar, With The Kids

Lenten Family Devotional 2017 

Posted on by Lindsey Jane


Lent is coming! It sneaks up on me every year. This year, the focus of our study will be the ministry of Christ. If you’d rather, skip back to 40 Holy People and study that one if it fits your crew better. Or head on back to the Lenten Reading for Kids schedule if you’d prefer that one. If you’re new to my family devotionals, let me tell you how they work and give you some tips.

Lent is a 40-day season, not including Sundays. It is the season that stretches from Ash Wednesday (which is March 1st this year) to Easter Sunday. This year, I have two pre-Lent devotions and then 40 days of devotions for the Lenten season. These are intended to be done as a family. Everyone. All together. Now, I add some optional activities into my devotions. Use them. Don’t use them. You make this work for you and your family.

For Lent, you’ll have one reading each day except for Sunday. Use them as a springboard to talk to your kids about the life of Christ. I’ve also included some questions to get discussion going. Expect to get as much out of this as your kids get. This isn’t just for them; this is for your entire family. You may want to look ahead each week and see if there are any items you’ll need for activities that week. I will add a quick “need” list at the beginning of each week, but if you’re picking and choosing activities, you’ll need to adjust that to fit you.

Who reads? That is up to you. In our house, I am usually the devotional reader, and the Pastor usually handles a lot of the questions. Although, we do sometimes alternate kids reading. It really just depends on our particular time constraints and if the kids are acting particularly cooperative that season. It varies.

If you miss a day, skip it. Don’t try to pile a bunch into one day. Just skip it and move to the next. It’ll be okay. Really.

I write these for my family and then make them available to you. Adjust them as you need, and make them fit you. If you need something short and sweet, just do the readings. If you’ve got littles, use a storybook Bible to read the stories. Do the devotions in the evening, and then let them do the activities the following day. Whatever works for you is what will be best.

I’ve included the Scripture passages, but also added the applicable pages from The Jesus Storybook Bible and Jesus Calling Bible Storybook. If you have younger kids, you may choose to read from a Bible storybook instead of the Bible text when you can (All the readings aren’t found in both Storybooks.), or you may just want to look them up so that the kids can have illustrations to go with the story. If you have another Storybook you love, use it. I simply chose the two that are the most used in our house.

My prayer is that this Lenten devotion brings your family closer to one another and closer to God during this season. I hope you grow as a family in your walk with Jesus, and I sincerely hope this Lenten season is meaningful for you and your children.

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Week Seven

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Posted in From The Altar, Out Of My Head, With The Kids

Epiphany Family Devotion

Posted on by Lindsey Jane

We celebrate Christmas for 12 days and then comes this day we call Ephipany. Some people call it Three Kings Day. We tend to think of the kings, be they three or not, and think about the gifts they brought Jesus. They brought significant gifts, as we will read. But the gifts aren’t exactly what we are celebrating on this day.  

Read Matthew 2:1-12

We aren’t sure where the kings were from, simply that they were from the east. These were not Jewish men. They were Gentiles, simply meaning, they were from outside Israel. These wise men followed a star to Jesus. We don’t know exactly when they came. We don’t know their names. We just know they heard a prophesy, saw a star, and came to Jesus with gifts.

Now, the gifts themselves were significant. Not traditional baby gifts, by any means. What kind of gifts would you give a baby? (Pause for discussion.) The wise men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. What strange gifts. Gold for a king. Frankincense for a priest. Myrrh for a dead man. But the gifts aren’t what is important here. What they reveal about the giver is what we celebrate on Epiphany.

Epiphany is defined as being a moment of sudden revelation or insight. It is from a Greek word that means Reveal. At Epiphany, we see Jesus being revealed to people outside of Israel. Epiphany is about Jesus being revealed to the Gentiles, the world. He isn’t just going to be the king, priest, and savior of Israel. He is going to be king, priest,, and savior of all men. The gifts given reveal to us that the Kings, the Wise Men, knew who Jesus was and that He had come to save mankind, not just the nation of Israel.

So, today, we celebrate! Not only has Jesus been born, He has been revealed to the whole world. Not only did Jesus come to save His own people, the people of Israel, He came to save all mankind. He came as a King, Priest, and Savior for the whole world! Rejoice!

Posted in From The Altar, Under Our Roof, With The Kids

Christmas Day Devotion

Posted on by Lindsey Jane

It is finally here! Christmas!

Today, we celebrate the Jesus was indeed born to redeem us. He has come, and He offers us life in Himself. He has come, and He offers us hope in His name.

Our rescue has arrived! Our Redeemer has come!

We lit the candles of expectation, preparation, celebration, and incarnation! Today, we light the last candle, the Christ candle. The Christ candle is traditionally white, and in the center. Our Messiah has come. He is our light. He is our source of hope. He is at the center.

Today, as we celebrate the Savior’s birth, let’s remember that He offers to us the love of the heavenly Father. He who is the delight of the eternal Father came so that we too might be adopted into His eternal family. He wants to make us sons and daughters of His Father. He loves us that much.

While the Gospel compels us to share this message with those who do not yet know it, it also compels us as people who do already realize its wonder to rejoice and shout with gladness. Christ, our Savior, is born!

Christ has indeed come, and Christ will indeed come again! That’s good news!

Scripture Reading:

        Luke 2:1-20

Optional Activities:

·        Enjoy the day!

·        Remember that today is the first day of Christmas. Check back in for personal devotions through the 12 days of Christmas leading to Epiphany.

·        Take advantage of the next 12 days to do all the Christmas things you didn’t get around to the previous weeks. It is still Christmas! Bake the cookies. Make the gingerbread houses. Do the crafts. There is still more time in this season.