If Barby and I were able to claim a commission for books we have recommended over the years, the justification for doing so would hover around just two. One would be John Baillie’s Diary of Private Prayer for which Barby has had a standing order in every second hand bookshop in NZ (or, so it would seem!). The other would be Sally Lloyd-Jones’ The Jesus Storybook Bible. It is one of the wonders of the (publishing) world, of equal value among children and students and pastors […but then we’d have to pass on a commission of the commission to my grandmother and my niece (Rachael) who introduced us to these books first!].

But a third book is on the horizon. It is a follow-up from Sally Lloyd-Jones entitled Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing. It is a collection of 101 little devotionals – each able to be spoken in about 60 seconds – pitched at children. Once again a whole bunch of other people will be listening in – including preachers on the prowl for sermon illustrations!


In his Forward, Tim Keller acknowledges that ‘data-transmission to our children’ is important, but then says, “Somehow, however, the experiential side of a relationship with God is often neglected, so that by the time children are teens, they are woefully lopsided – long on information but short on experience of God’s presence.”

Here is a sample:

CHARGE!

What is sin? Sin is trying to get away from God who loves us – it’s wanting to go our own way without him. 

But the Bible says it’s not like simply wandering off the path and getting lost by mistake. It’s like a horse charging at full speed away from him. We want to get away from God that badly! We are like horses galloping headlong after the things we want. 

But God can stop runaway horses.
And lead them gently back.

“Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? … No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse galloping …’ JEREMIAH 8.6 (NLT) 

Here is a little video that sets the scene a bit for the book:

As I’ve read them through I love the brevity, the simplicity, the artistry, the reality, the profundity… And written with such a tenderness and a desire to direct children (especially) to the Bible. All this comes through in the opening ‘AUTHOR NOTE’ – which can be my concluding note:

These thoughts are to remind you of things that are true.

They aren’t meant to be read all at once – just one a day.

They come from the Bible – the place where God has told you all these magnificent things about how he loves you and how you can love him.

Sometimes I wrote for people who already know what it is to come home to God. Other times I wrote for people who are just finding out.

You listen to whatever God wants to say to you.

nice chatting

Paul