Category: Family Devotionals

Every year about this time, I try to find this recipe for someone it seems. It was a tradition in our house when our daughter was little. Even though we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus every week, it doesn’t hurt to take advantage of an occasion like Easter to reinforce important Bible lessons.

Resurrection Cookies are a great way to review the story of Jesus’ death with your children. I got the recipe from one of my neighbors years ago and suspect it is one of those that has been passed around all over the country. I would love to credit the inventor, but have no idea who that would be.

You will need a Bible, preferably an NIrV version for younger children. Preheat the oven to 300* and make sure it has reached 300* before you start cooking. Your bowl and beaters need to be grease free for this to work well. We have used pasteurized egg whites and they work fine although it is more difficult to keep the yolk out of the whites. It is best to do this right before the children go to bed, but aren’t so sleepy they won’t enjoy it. It can take up to thirty minutes at night and about five or ten minutes the next morning.
For ingredients you will need: 1 cup of whole pecans, 1 teaspoon of vinegar (apple cider vinegar), 2 egg whites, 1 cup sugar and a pinch of salt. I am numbering each step with its scripture to make the recipe easier to follow with your children.

Continue reading Fun Activity To Teach Kids About the Crucifixion & Resurrection

Spring is a great time to have fun with your kids and teach them some of the parables of Jesus at the same time. Parables are great. They were short stories told by Jesus that helped people understand more difficult spiritual concepts by using things they encountered in their every day lives.

Because Israel in the time of Jesus still had many people who spent time or lived in more rural areas, many of the parables deal with livestock or growing things. Unfortunately our children, who tend to live in more suburban and urban areas may not have a lot of experience with either farm animals or growing plants. When they hear some of the parables and their meaning, they may understand it a little by the words, but they don’t have that core understanding the culture of the time gave the initial listeners.

Continue reading Kids, Spring and the Parables of Jesus

If your child has entered the school years, you are probably well aware how much attention teachers give to reading and reading comprehension. Your family has probably been encouraged to listen to your child read, ask questions and probably even enrolled your child in some sort of reading incentive program to encourage your child to practice reading on a regular basis.

For some reason though, churches and families are often not as passionate about helping their children learn how to read and understand the Bible. In fact, many children raised in Christian homes get little if any training on how to read and understand the Scriptures.

Even simple versions of the Bible, like the NIrV (written on a  third grade reading level), can be difficult to understand. The style of the writing is suited to ancient cultures with ways of saying things that are very different front the way we communicate ideas – even if the words used are simple English words. The way things are said may still sound like a foreign language or a tongue or brain twister of sorts.

Continue reading Seven Tips for Reading the Bible With Kids