Time again for our Kids’ Question of the Week blog series, brought to you by children’s author Kathryn Slattery and her new book If I Could Ask God Anything. Come back each week for more resources to help answer your children’s faith & God questions!
This week, we are starting a brand new series for September: All about THE BIBLE! Stay tuned for the next five weeks to get all your Bible questions answered!

The Bible is the most important book in the world. Why?

Because the Bible is the true, inspired Holy Word of God.

The apostle Paul described the Bible as “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). God breathed through the human beings who wrote the Bible. This is what makes the Bible different form all other books.

Did you know that when you pick up a Bible, you are holding more than one book? You are actually holding a whole library! This is because the Bible contains sixty-six books, written by forty different people, over a period of about two thousand years
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In the Bible you will discover an amazing collection of real, true-life stories about kings and queens and angels and giants. You will read real, true-life stories of adventure and love, plus poetry, songs, prayers, and letters – even predictions about the future! Best of all, you will read the real, true-life story of Jesus, whom God sent to earth to save the world. Talk about exciting!

Remember, the Bible is not a dry, boring book. It is the living Word of God! When you read the Bible, you get to know God better. This is because God is able to actually speak to you through the Bible. Isn’t that amazing?
The Bible also answers the really big questions about life on earth…
Who am I?
Why am I here?
What will happen to me when I die?

The Bible is God’s special love letter to you.

If I Could Ask God Anything

Kathryn Slattery is a long-time Contributing Editor for Guideposts magazine, and the author of several books including If I Could Ask God Anything: Awesome Bible Answers for Curious Kids, the memoir Lost & Found: One Daughter’s Story of Amazing Grace, The Gospel for Kids, Grandma, I’ll Miss You: A Child’s Story about Death and New Life, and The Grace to Grow: The Power of Christian Faith in Emotional Healing. Learn more about her work at her website and on Facebook.

As you read Kathryn’s questions and answers for children, we want to know: What questions do your kids have about God, and how do YOU answer them?

Our Tommy Mommy, Sami Cone, is back to share her thoughts with you today! We hope you are enjoying her posts each week! She’ll be back every week, but you can also check her out here or on Twitter!

I’d like to take a moment and discuss your kids’ routine.

What’s that? You don’t know what a routine is? You know, the way you conduct your life on a semi-regular basis…

Still not ringing a bell? Well no wonder you’re exhausted!

As moms, we’re all busy. But add wife, friend, daughter, sister, volunteer, worker, tear-wiper, lunch-maker, house-cleaner and so much more and it’s a wonder you have time to brush your teeth! (You did brush your teeth today, didn’t you?)

Is this the way you want your kids to remember you – running from activity to activity? Is that the life you want for your child…running with you from activity to activity?

It’s easy to schedule doctor’s appointments, haircuts, piano lessons and baseball games. But if that is how you’re spending the majority of your time, then that is what your kids will learn to value. It may seem crazy to schedule such mundane activities as devotions, walks around the neighborhood or play time with your kids, but until these activities become habits, that’s exactly what you need to do.

One important lesson I’ve learned is that I’d much rather have a schedule in place and deviate from it once in awhile than live in a state of constant chaos without any reference point. Not only do children find security in knowing what lies ahead, but your entire family will benefit from a shared schedule that reflects your family’s collective mission.

So what are you waiting for? Start with defining that mission!

Come up with family goals. Decide what’s really important and pursue it with everything you have. At the same time, cut out any activity that doesn’t help you reach that goal. When you pursue your God-given passions with a plan, you’ll find a greater sense of peace and purpose than you ever imagined possible.

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Things have been a bit hectic this week, so we apologize for the delay! Here’s is another video treat for you and the kiddos: The Story of Rachel! This week’s story also comes from Volume 1 of the Read and Share DVD Series. You can find out more and pick up a copy at your local Christian Bookstore or here.

Stay tuned for more Read and Share stories each week!

Time again for our Kids’ Question of the Week blog series, brought to you by children’s author Kathryn Slattery and her new book If I Could Ask God Anything. Come back each week for more resources to help answer your children’s faith & God questions!

When the Holy Spirit lives in your heart others can tell!
This is because the Holy Spirit changes you. The Holy Spirit produces outward, visible signs that He is living in you and helping you become more like Jesus.

These outward signs of the Holy Spirit at work in your life are sometimes called “fruit.” They are called fruit, because fruit is an outward sign of a healthy, living plant. Fruit is beautiful to look at. Fruit is delicious to eat. Fruit nourishes the body.

The fruit that the Holy Spirit produces is an outward sign of a healthy soul.

What are some examples of the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

The apostle Paul wrote: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22 – 23)

If I Could Ask God Anything

Kathryn Slattery is a long-time Contributing Editor for Guideposts magazine, and the author of several books including If I Could Ask God Anything: Awesome Bible Answers for Curious Kids, the memoir Lost & Found: One Daughter’s Story of Amazing Grace, The Gospel for Kids, Grandma, I’ll Miss You: A Child’s Story about Death and New Life, and The Grace to Grow: The Power of Christian Faith in Emotional Healing. Learn more about her work at her website and on Facebook.

As you read Kathryn’s questions and answers for children, we want to know: What questions do your kids have about God, and how do YOU answer them?

Our Tommy Mommy, Sami Cone, is back to share her thoughts with you today! We hope you are enjoying her posts each week! She’ll be back every week, but you can also check her out here or on Twitter!

Think about it: Prayer is a conversation with someone you can’t see.

It’s a concept so big that it’s hard for most adults to comprehend, much less our children.

Even at that, prayer can be intimidating. As a new Christian, I would refrain from praying in large groups for fear of saying something wrong or foolish.

However, as I found true freedom in Christ, I learned prayer was less about what I said and much more about how I said it. God already knows what we’re thinking and feeling – He just wants to have a conversation with us. So if we approach Him out of duty, whatever we say seems less meaningful. But when we come to God in reckless abandon, humble confession or simply sheer joy, he delights in our heart and somehow gives us the words to say even when we can’t find the right ones on our own.

For years, I started every prayer with “daddy” because it made talking to God less intimidating and more personal. And humanizing God isn’t wrong – after all, He sent His son Jesus to live on earth so we could identify with Him… and He with us.

Giving our kids tangible ways to talk to a seemingly intangible God makes prayer personal for them. Here are just a few ways to get them started until they feel comfortable enough to venture out on their own prayer path:

1. Pray/Sing God’s Word back to Him

   One of the best ways to pray, regardless of whether you’re young or old, is to pray and/or sing God’s Word back to Him. A great resource for this is 100 Prayers, 100 Praise Songs by Stephen Elkins or by putting scripture to music.

2. Pray over Pictures

   Put pictures of family and your kids’ friends in their room on a bulletin board or on your fridge. Find a regular time to pray over them every day.

3. Prayer Cards

   Take index cards and write categories on them for each day of the week for you and your family to pray over together. Here is just an example of what your week could look like:
   Sunday: church/missions
   Monday: Parents’ co-workers/neighbors
   Tuesday: Mommy’s Extended Family
   Wednesday: Daddy’s Extended Family
   Thursday: School friends/teachers
   Friday: Mentors
   Saturday: Friends who aren’t saved

What ways do you use to pray with your kids?

Happy Monday, everyone! We hope you are having a great morning. Here’s something to brighten your day–another story from our Read and Share series! This week’s story also comes from Volume 1 of the Read and Share DVD Series. You can find out more and pick up a copy at your local Christian Bookstore or here.

Stay tuned for more sweet looks at Read and Share stories!

Today we have a very special treat for you! Jessica Wolstenholm is here to share with you. Jessica serves as Sr. Brand Manager at Creative Trust in Nashville, TN. She blogs regularly at www.thepregnancycompanion.com. Her passion for encouraging women through pregnancy comes after struggling for several years through infertility and multiple pregnancy losses.  She resides in Nolensville, TN with her husband and little girl.

The establishment of our family did not come without a fight. After being diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and with it infertility, after two miscarriages and countless pregnancy tests we were blessed with our little girl. I was completely convinced that I would have a boy first – probably because I spent so much time studying the story of Hannah’s infertility and Samuel’s birth. To my great surprise we were given the gift of a sweet, baby girl and now I could not imagine life without princesses and dress up clothes.

Being a mother to a little girl comes with a weight of responsibility unlike anything I have ever experienced. Knowing that you are responsible to shape the life of a girl who will one day be a woman – who will one day be a lot like you – can easily make you walk in insecurity all the days of your mothering life. This past mother’s day I began to feel this great weight as I realized something so wonderful yet at the same time so scary. Being a mother to a little girl means making sure she grows up to be just like you only better – more beautiful, more generous and more loving of others. Actually, the list could go on and on. Take every one of my qualities – both good and bad – and I want to make sure my daughter gets the best of the best and even better than that.

We have several princess books but one in particular (it’s not a Tommy Nelson book so I’m not even sure why we own it) has pretty rough illustrations. The princesses don’t really look like princesses at all, but rather like regular girls. Even still, my daughter knows exactly which one is about to land the prince. To her, being a princess is not about being the prettiest. This is why I love the Gigi: God’s Little Princess books so much. Gigi is simply a precious, everyday girl. She experiences adventure and excitement and it has nothing to do with how pretty she is. Because of the love of Christ and her position in Him, she can go through life as a royal member of God’s family. More than anything for my daughter I long for her to grow up to fully understand the love of God and the confidence she can have in Him. Everything else will fall in line after that.

Some of the practical ways I am purposing to instill my best qualities in my daughter:
1. Introducing her to Jesus as early as possible. She may not completely understand who Jesus is but I believe in the power of her just saying His name.
2. Keeping a peaceful home. Although I grew up in an Italian family who loved to express themselves, we do not yell in our house. We do our very best to keep peace within our home.
3. Showing her that relationships are vital in life – beginning with a healthy marriage but also including family and friends that we support and serve.
4. Modeling discipline (this is where the “only better” part comes in). This is a growth area for me but I am even more motivated to be more disciplined because little eyes are watching me now.

This past spring we experienced our third pregnancy loss in which we lost twins; one through miscarriage and one through an ectopic pregnancy that left my fertility even more damaged. As we continue to believe God for another child I am thankful for the truth of who I am in Christ. It would be easy to believe a lie that my plight is somehow the consequence of my inadequacies. But just as I want my daughter to know the truth, my heavenly father longs for me to understand His love – even in the midst of my own trials.

Becoming a mother has been a journey that’s brought me right back into the arms of God because I more deeply understand His heart for me as I begin to understand my heart for my daughter and even the child we are still contending for. Through His grace I can walk confidently as a mother and as a role model for my little girl so she can grow up to be just like me, only better.

Here to share with you today is creator of Printoons, Paula Alflen. Printoons are little cartoons drawn by your child on top of their own precious fingerprint. Learn more about Printoons products offered by Tommy here and here. Paula will be back on the blog here and there to share more about her family!

Most of us had days growing up when we actually did “nothing.” We would be gone for six hours and when we got home for dinner our parents would ask us what we did all day. Our reply would be, “nothing.” Oh how misguided we were! I have determined that doing “nothing” is actually a skill these days, because many kids do not know how to do it. There are fewer children that can make necklace chains out of dandelions, paint rocks to look like animals, whistle with a blade of grass between their thumbs, catch fireflies in a jar to make a lantern, form beautiful pies out of mud, construct teepees with sticks, etc. I am sure you could add a few more memories to this list.

Ask yourself if your own children have these creative, unscheduled opportunities.

Many of our kids are growing up to be “human doings” instead of “human beings.” We as parents want them to excel in so many things, to have every opportunity that we didn’t have. Our kids are stressed and over-scheduled participating in dance, sports, tutoring, clubs, pageants, groups, camps, etc. I have seen kids panic when they have a day with “nothing to do.” They do not know how to entertain themselves.

Our children need to know that their value is not about having a lot of talent, intelligence or beauty.

Our job is to help our kids learn to be themselves, loved and cherished for their existence. Their value needs to be separate from their performance. They need to know their family, friends, and God all love them because they are a wonderful soul. Our job is not to make our kids into what we want them to be, but to help them find out who they are. Watch what your kids do when they have unscheduled time, often this will give you great insight into their true talents and interests.

Our children need the gift of time and space, days of just doing “nothing” so their beautiful soul can shine through.

Paula Alflen is the creator of Printoons (little cartoons drawn by your child on top of their own precious fingerprint). Since no two fingerprints have ever been found exactly alike, Paula brings the message of the fingerprint to children emphasizing that God made each of us special and that He knows and loves us intimately. “I want all kids to know that God has a plan for them and that the world needs them just the way they are. We are all meant to be unique individuals.” The new vocation was born from her career as a Registered Dietitian specializing in Eating Disorders. “My patients were striving to be perfect, to be like someone else. I am grateful to be working with Thomas Nelson, to teach children at a young age that they need to see themselves as God sees them, not as the world judges them. The fingerprint is the perfect teaching tool, it is a miracle.”

Time again for our Kids’ Question of the Week blog series, brought to you by children’s author Kathryn Slattery and her new book If I Could Ask God Anything. Come back each week for more resources to help answer your children’s faith & God questions!

The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to help you think and act like Jesus.

The way that Jesus thinks and acts can be summed up in one word: love. Why is this? Because God is love (1 John 4:8).

The word love means “to care for.” The word love is used in a lot of different ways. You can love riding your bike. You can love chocolate-chip cookie dough ice cream. You can love your dog. You can love your friend. You can love your grandma and grandpa.

Christian love is caring for another human being as much as you care for yourself. The apostle Paul described Christian love this way:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4 –

The apostle Paul believed that of all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the greatest gift is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

If I Could Ask God Anything

Kathryn Slattery is a long-time Contributing Editor for Guideposts magazine, and the author of several books including If I Could Ask God Anything: Awesome Bible Answers for Curious Kids, the memoir Lost & Found: One Daughter’s Story of Amazing Grace, The Gospel for Kids, Grandma, I’ll Miss You: A Child’s Story about Death and New Life, and The Grace to Grow: The Power of Christian Faith in Emotional Healing. Learn more about her work at her website and on Facebook.

As you read Kathryn’s questions and answers for children, we want to know: What questions do your kids have about God, and how do YOU answer them?

Our Tommy Mommy, Sami Cone, is back to share her thoughts with you once again! She’ll be on the Tommy blog here and there, but you can also check her out here or on Twitter!

Remember that feeling you get after you’ve just had your hair done? You know the one. You waited way too long to get your hair cut and now you’ve found someone who seems to be able to bring out the best in you, all by just a few snips of the scissors. You walk out of the salon feeling like a queen, if for no other reason than the fact you’ve just gotten an hour to yourself without anyone else making any demands of you or your time!

For me, haircuts are one way I feel like I can help contribute to our family budget. I’ve been told you should get your haircut every 6-8 weeks, but it’s not uncommon for me to go six months without one, just to try to cut down on our monthly expenses. I wouldn’t consider myself unkempt, but as a mom of two young kids, I can’t say I’m great at making personal upkeep my number one priority.

Isn’t the dichotomy interesting? When I do make it to the hairdresser, I feel so refreshed afterward that I swear I’ll keep up with my regimen. But when I get to that six month mark of wearing sweat pants and ponytails, I’m able to rationalize equally well that my appearance really isn’t that important and has no effect on who I am or what I do.

The truth is, our entire self is a reflection of who we are and what we believe. While I agree that either extreme is unhealthy, God desires for us to take care of ourselves, for our own benefit and for our children.

It’s very easy for us to build up our children and praise them based on their appearances rather than internal characteristics. While it’s hard to deny how cute most pre-schoolers are, I certainly don’t want my kids’ entire self-worth to be based on something as fleeting as beauty.

Much like Gigi, my daughter has unruly curls and is tall for her young age. I’ve so appreciated getting to walk my daughter though Gigi’s journey in books like “God’s Little Princess” where she can learn it’s fun to dress up and be a girly girl while also going to bed every night confident in knowing her happiness and security is wrapped up in something much bigger than tiaras and tutus.

Here are just a couple ways to instill that same sense of true beauty in your own kids:

1. Start with the Inside
   Start and end your family’s day in God’s Word. Help your kids get the focus off of themselves and onto God and others. Teach them that setting their mind and heart on things above will create an inner glow that others can’t help but notice. (Even if they do have crazy hair and awkward braces!)
2. Start a Journey of Self-Discovery
   Our outward appearance should not be looked at as a distraction, but rather as an enhancement of our spiritual selves. Help your children pinpoint a way in which God made them unique and let that influence how they dress and present themselves to the world. When your kids are comfortable in their own skin, clothes and accessories become more of an after-thought.

Remind your kids that their clothes and appearance should be an external reflection of the internal light God has birthed within them. When everything is working together, our spiritual self and our physical self should marry and become one amazingly beautiful and confident entity. While this will look different on everyone, one standard remains the same for us all:
“The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7b

Consider this:
Listen to the words your kids use to describe your family and their friends; this will help you discern whether they are more concerned with looks or substance.