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July 8, 2019 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

5 Grand Ways Kids Can Love Their Grandparents

This summer as your kids are searching for something to beat the boredom, it’s a great opportunity to teach your kids how to love their grandparents.

Did you know? 10% of American children live with one or more grandparents.

1. Send them a letter.

Even if they live nearby and even though it may cost mere cents, it’s still a grand gesture to send some snail mail. Toddlers can draw pictures (& moms can translate the picture if necessary.) Thanking them for their love and respecting their stories is always a beautiful thing to give elders.

2. Ask them questions.

Asking anyone questions implies that you value their knowledge and expertise. The elders in our community have valuable advice to give us! Your kids can get a good list of questions going. Pose this to your youngsters: “What 3 questions would you ask someone that’s been alive for __ years?”

What 3 questions would you ask someone that’s been alive for 70+ years? @TriciaGoyer

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3. Offer to help.

If distance is not too big an obstacle, how might you be able to help around the house? Kids can love their grandparents through service–can they pick up leaves? Mow the lawn? Dust off that one bookshelf? Paint a wall? Run some errands?

4. Make something with them.

Baking, carpentry, fishing, even writing can be great ways to show respect and love for your grandparents. Who knows?! You might finally get your hands on that heirloom recipe you’ve had your eye on!

5. Walk them through your family’s photo album.

If you’ve got access to recent photos, walk them through your favorites from the past year. Remind them of that performance their grandkid starred in, those report cards, soccer trophies, and science projects. Grandparents love to discover new ways to brag.

What are some ways your kids love their grandparents?

In my book Walk It Out I share how God helped me walk out love for my own grandmother by bringing her to live in our home instead of allowing her to spend her golden years alone in a nursing home. The truth is, it’s been a huge blessing to our family and my children continue to learn from her wisdom daily. To learn more visit Walk It Out.

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March 7, 2019 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

3 Ways Children Teach Us To Pray – Kari Patterson

Do you want to pray more childlike? There is much we can learn from the prayers of a child. Kari Patterson shares 3 key characteristics to enrich our prayers

As I type these words, my daughter is snuggled up next to me with her head resting on my stomach. She’s been mostly quiet, but throughout the past few minutes she’s softly spoken a thought: “I loved seeing the ducks today.” A question: “When am I going to Madison’s house?” A praise: “I love you, Mommy. You’re the best mommy in the world.”

In just minutes she has shared her heart, sought clarity about the future, and expressed authentic praise—sounds like a pretty solid understanding of prayer to me. No wonder Jesus told us we must change to become childlike (Matt. 18:3). He wasn’t just being cute. He was giving us an important spiritual secret!

So . . . what is a childlike? Three key characteristics come to mind that would enrich our communion with God:

First, children are completely self-absorbed.

When my son bursts into my bedroom each morning, he’s already in midsentence, all his thoughts about dinosaurs and the ice age and Beethoven’s fifth symphony spilling out into space.

He doesn’t stop and think, “Wait, I can only talk to her about adult things, not these silly things on my mind.” Of course not. I want to hear what’s on his mind. Those things will probably change as he matures, but the only way to build a relationship is to begin where we are now.

The future-you cannot approach God. Only the you who you are today can.

To pray genuinely, to connect with the heart of our Father, we must simply begin with where we are now. The biggest obstacle to intimacy is waiting until we feel prayerful or spiritual or trying to get our thoughts neat and tidy before we begin. In Paul Miller’s life-giving and supremely practical book, A Praying Life, he explains, “If you don’t begin with where you are, then where you are will sneak in the back door. Your mind will wander to where you are weary.” [Paul Miller, A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2009), 33.]

Isn’t this true? If your mind wanders to your son’s struggles in school, start there! If your mind drifts to financial anxieties, start there! There is really no sense in trying to pretend with God. He already knows all our thoughts, so any attempts to mask our fears or selfishness are silly and sort of offensive, if you think about it. Who are we to think we can fool Him? Jesus calls this hypocrisy. Instead, let’s come to Him like a child approaches her loving father.

Second, children express all their thoughts out loud.

Anyone with children is familiar with the common scenario of having a small (or not so small) child blurt out some embarrassing comment in public: “Why does that lady have such a big tummy?” “Mommy, my bottom itches!” As we mature, we learn to keep these thoughts to ourselves, but praying out loud definitely helps us cultivate a childlike attitude in prayer in several ways.

For one, praying aloud encourages us to express our innermost selves to God freely, which cultivates intimacy. While we’re wise to filter our words for people, the one place we’re encouraged to “pour out our hearts” is with God. It’s foolish to vent our feelings to others, but it’s godly to vent them to God. He’s the only one who is never tainted by our mixed bag of emotions. It’s not gossip when you’re talking to God!

We’re wise to go to the throne before we go to the phone.

Praying out loud also keeps our mind from wandering (as much). Let’s face it: We’re praying one minute and making a mental grocery list the next. We’re hopelessly distractible. It’s much easier to focus when audible words are coming out of our mouths. It also helps give perspective to what we’re praying. Some things seem one way in our minds, but when they’re spoken into the air, we can see them more clearly. This is especially true concerning confession.

It’s easy to think a confessional thought about something we’ve done; it’s quite another thing to say it out loud.

Children are frank about their faults.

That is, kids call spades, spades; they haven’t learned the deceptive art of dressing up difficult situations with sophisticated words. A critical component of childlike prayer is confession, and the English word confess is a translation of the Greek word homologeo, which literally means “to say the same.” That is, we agree to say the same about something that God says about it. In other words, I’ll call it what He calls it.

This is powerful in prayer! Often in our adult sophistication we become brilliant wordsmiths and create clever names for our sin. We love to rename it to make it sound better. For example: an affair. An affair is a special event I attend with my spouse. The correct word for having sex with someone else’s spouse is adultery.

God our Father has names for things. He is clear. When I say, “I’m just struggling with feeling like no one appreciates all the hard work I do. I really deserve some recognition,” that is called pride. When I say, “I’m just struggling because she has this big beautiful house while we’re just barely making ends meet,” that is called envy.

Why is this critical? Because until we name it, we can’t ditch it! We can’t repent of a “struggle.” We can only repent of sin. As long as we dress it up in flowery language, we’ll never be rid of it. God doesn’t command us to call sin, sin because He wants to rub our faces in it. He has no interest in humiliating us; He wants to free us.

He knows that as long as we call it something lovely, such as an “affair,” we won’t understand the seriousness of sin—that it takes us far, far away from Him. Remember, this isn’t a game. Sin isn’t cute.

I don’t want to cuddle up with what Christ died to free me from. Sin only leads to death. It only leads to destruction, bondage, grief. He wants me, His child, to be free.

We deal frankly, confess openly, speak honestly, refusing to go through religious motions or hide our true selves. We come just as we are, runny-nosed, self-absorbed children in need of the Father’s love and care. Let’s learn from those littles all around us and come to God with candor, as His kids.

Excerpted from Sacred Mundane: How to Find Freedom, Purpose, and Joy (Kregel Publications) ©2017.

3 Ways Children Teach Us How to Pray from @KariPatterson on @TriciaGoyer #parenting #prayer

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More about Sacred Mundane:

What if the key to changing your life—and yourself—is already in your hand?

What if breakthrough and extraordinary growth are waiting for you within the ordinary days you’re living right now?

In Sacred Mundane, Kari Patterson pulls open the dusty blinds to let the light of truth shine in. Even the most unremarkable life is an opportunity to see, know, love, and be utterly transformed by a God who knows no bounds and who upsets every expectation. He eagerly awaits your invitation to fill your world with mundane miracles and holy habits.

Through her entertaining narrative, candid real-life stories, Bible study, and practical instruction, Kari will take you by the hand to discover the beautiful sacredness in the life you already lead.

If you long to grow in God and make a real difference in your world—no matter how small—Sacred Mundane contains everything you need to glean the truth hidden within your everyday existence. Dive in, and learn how to find freedom, purpose, and joy.

Purchase a copy here:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | CBD

Kari Patterson author of The Sacred Mundane

Kari Patterson shows readers the truth: in each unremarkable life lies an opportunity to see, know, love, and be utterly transformed by a God who meets everyone right where they are. Instead of stepping away from real life to find God, Patterson equips women with a six-step practice to move further in and meet Him in the humdrum moments of everyday existence.

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Just as we learn to come like a child to the Lord in prayer, we can also teach our children to pray in earnest to their heavenly father. I’m excited to share with you my Mommy & Me prayer journal!

It’s available HERE on Amazon. This journal is for little kids to write their prayers … or draw them! There is also a place for Moms to add their prayers, too. It makes a lovely keepsake! Here are the cover and sample pages:

Inside pages from new book *Mommy & Me Prayers: a Keepsake Journal*

My greatest joy would be for mothers and their children to spend time praying together. You can also grab Daddy & Me Prayers, and in the next few weeks I’ll be releasing, Grandma & Me Prayers, and Grandpa & Me Prayers, too. I’ll keep you posted!

May you and your children be blessed as you pray together!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Read full privacy policy here.

February 21, 2017 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

How to Start a Teen MOPS Group

I get emails all the time from people asking how they can start a Teen MOPS group. Well, here’s some info.

How to start a Teen MOPS group:

If you’ve followed me for any time on Facebook or Twitter, you’ve heard me talk about Teen MOPS. Teen MOPS is a support group for teenage mothers. It’s part of MOPS International.
Basically Teen MOPS is a support group for our youngest moms. I started a Teen MOPS group in Kalispell, Montana, in 2000. After moving to Little Rock last year, I started a group here, too.
If you’d like to find out how to start a Teen MOPS group, go here.
Teen MOPS groups are run similarly to MOPS groups. There is food, a game, a short devotion, a speaker or activity, and discussion groups. Groups can meeting weekly or bi-weekly. Our group here in Little Rock runs weekly. We do this because it was hard for young moms to remember which week as “on” and which was “off.” Our meetings start at 6:30 with dinner. The meeting itself starts at 7:00 and ends at 8:30. (You can get a better idea about our meetings from the free curriculum that is mentioned below.) We have leaders’ meetings every other month.
Teen MOPS is run by volunteer leaders. They can be women with young kids or older kids. We’ve had volunteers that don’t have kids yet. Volunteers can be retired women or women in college. We even have high schoolers who help with child care and other needs we have. I got involved in Teen MOPS because I was a teen mom . . . but you don’t have to be a former teen mom to volunteer. Women who volunteer do so for various reasons. You just need to come to the meetings with an open heart and outstretched arms.
At our meetings we provide a dinner for our moms. We provide childcare and we have a “baby store.” Young moms earn MOPS dollars for coming, bringing a friend, going to doctor visits, etc. Every meeting they can take home diapers or clothes.
After I started a Teen MOPS group I realized there was a need for a book just for them. That’s why I wrote Teen Mom:You’re Stronger Than You Think.
I also wrote a leader handbook as well as a free companion workbook and group guide!
Contact MOPS International for information about a charter.
Talk to your church or a local crisis pregnancy about starting the group. Pick a meeting space.
Set a schedule and write out your mission and goals.
Talk to folks about volunteering. To get the word out I posted announcements in bulletins, talked on local Christian radio, and spoke at local groups. Local MOPS groups also give awesome help and support! I’ve gotten some great volunteers from these groups.
Get funding. Local churches can help. Small groups or other community groups can help too. (I run our group on less than $100 a month. We get people to donate food, donate childcare, donate doorprizes, etc. I also get folks to buy and donate copies of Life Interrupted to our group.)
Make a brochure and send it out. I send it to hospitals, doctors, social service agencies, schools, churches, etc.
Plan the meetings. Teen MOPS groups usually run on a school year schedule from September–May.
Advertise. Put up posters. Send press releases about your group to newspapers and community calendars.
Pray. (Actually pray with each step!)
Be patient. When Teen MOPS starts it may take a while to grow a group. We often start with two-to-five girls each meeting.
Love on the girls. You can plan and plan but your love is what will keep them coming back!

Interested in starting your own #TeenMOPS group? #teenpregnancy Get tips from @TriciaGoyer:

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Well, that’s a quick overview. Feel free to write me if you have other questions! It’s an amazing ministry. I’d love to see a Teen MOPS group in every town!

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September 29, 2016 by Tricia Goyer 3 Comments

Teaching Your Children How to Pray + Printable

Today I want to talk about teaching your children how to pray. We certainly spend a lot of time teaching them how to put their clothes away, the toothpaste cap back on, and saying please and thank you. But, the Lord would also want us to teach them how to talk to Him.

“Lord, I just thank you for this wonderful day today, and I pray we’d have a wonderful day tomorrow. Amen.”

This typical bedtime prayer was repeated often when I tucked my children into bed at night. After several nights in a row, I asked them if they had anything else they wanted to talk to God about. If I made suggestions, they were very open to adding them, but they rarely initiated a deeper conversation with their Maker.

I contemplated that perhaps we need to be teaching them about prayer. We certainly spend a lot of time teaching them how to put their clothes away, the toothpaste cap back on, and saying please and thank you. Scripture supports this idea of learning to pray. The disciples said in Luke 1:11b, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

Jesus then proceeded to teach them the Lord’s prayer. This model prayer includes several elements. As a teen I learned at church camp the acrostic A-C-T-S which is taken from the basics found within the Lord’s prayer. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. These were big words for my then 5-year-old daughter, twin 8-year-olds, and 11-year-old son. I asked God to help me teach them to pray in a way that would go deeper than their surface prayers for a good day, but at the same time not be insincere, fancy words they repeated with little understanding. We tried to break it down this way:

5 Topics To Use When Teaching Your Children How to Pray

Adoration.

How could they praise God each day in a way that wouldn’t get rote or mechanical? I got a piece of construction paper, and we spent one-night brainstorming things about God that were good. Powerful, Loving, Awesome, Holy. They had fun coming up with words about God. Then I asked them some of the names for God found in the Bible. With a little coaxing, they thought of Rock, Shepherd, Jesus, King of Kings. Soon we had filled the page with different ideas. I bought a cute white frame and hung the list up in their room. At bedtime, they could each pick one of the things on the list to begin their prayer.

Confession.

This part turned out to be the most surprising. None of them could recall any bad thing they had done that day. I was floored. I had a long list for each of them fresh on my mind. I tried to hold back as long as I could. I turned to one of them, “What about hitting your sister today?” “Oh, yeah.” Then on to the next child, “Remember how you threw that fit and got in trouble this morning?” “I had forgotten about that.” They were all very willing to confess their sins to God and even excited that they had something for this part of prayer. They just needed some training and direction.

Thanksgiving.

This one comes most naturally when children pray. They were always grateful for the “wonderful day.” Now we tried to be more specific. What are we thankful for? Yes, we had trips to the park, friends over, and new toys to thank God for. However, we talked about some basic things that we often take for granted. Freedom to worship, our own copy of God’s Word, clean water, food, eyes to see, legs to run. Their tender hearts were telling their Creator that they had much to appreciate. They don’t always remember these blessings in day to day life when surrounded by ads and commercials tempting them to want more. However, at night when their hearts are soft, they often recognize God’s provision when a loving parent reminds them of all He has done.

Supplication.

Big word. I told them we were basically just asking God for things. We can ask for things we need or want, but we also want to pray for others. A friend of mine shared a great system that she used to help her kids remember what they were praying for each day. We made another poster for the wall which I want to share with you to help you in teaching your children how to pray.

Download the free printable HERE.

Daily Topics For Teaching Your Children How to Pray

Monday – Missionaries. Here we wrote the name of two specific families we know and support. We prayed for their children and tried to remember to share any details about their families we got in regular prayer updates in their emails or letters.

Tuesday – Teachers. Each child prayed for their own school teacher. We also put the names of their piano teacher, Sunday school teacher, or coaches. If they didn’t know what to pray, we asked God to give their teachers wisdom and endurance.

Wednesday – Widows and orphans. We prayed for specific ones we knew. We prayed for Great-Grandma, a woman at church, and for little Alex and Robelina who we support through an organization that provides opportunities to sponsor needy children. Our son got to meet Alex last year on a mission trip to Guatemala. It was incredible for him to meet the boy we had prayed for on so many Wednesdays.

Thursday – Those who don’t know Jesus personally. Each child had plenty of people who were school friends, neighbors, or extended family members that they hope they will get to see in heaven one day. It made the celebration that much sweeter when we saw a Japanese family we had been praying for in our neighborhood come to know Christ.

Friday – Friends, and Family. We listed out the cousins, aunts & uncles, grandparents, and each child picked one or two special friends. Living in Ohio with my family in Texas and my husband’s family in Canada, praying for family helps my kids feel more connected with people they may only get to see once a year.

After we implemented our new approach to prayer, we found our kids’ prayer lives growing stronger. It wasn’t a perfect system. However, they are learning that prayer is talking with God about anything and everything. They are remembering who He is, where they fall short, what they are thankful for, and asking for God’s help for others. Even without looking at the lists on the wall, we’ve moved past talking generically about a “wonderful day” to a deeper connection with Christ. We’re still working on that toothpaste cap though.

Melissa Spoelstra is a popular women’s conference speaker, Bible teacher, and writer who is madly in love with Jesus and passionate about helping women of all ages to seek Christ and know Him more intimately through serious Bible study. She is the author of several Bible studies and Total Family Makeover: 8 Steps to Making Disciples at Home.

Spoelstra describes herself as a small-town girl from East Texas, but now resides Dublin, Ohio, with her church planter/pastor husband of 20 years and their four children.

To keep up with Melissa Spoelstra, visit melissaspoelstra.com. You can also follow her on Facebook (AuthorMelissaSpolestra) and Twitter (@MelSpoelstra).

August 30, 2016 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Tips for Reading Aloud to Your Kids

Enjoy these 19 tips for reading aloud to your kids from Tricia Goyer and her friends.

One of my favorite times of the day is when I get the kids settled in a night and it’s time to read. Currently, we’re reading Little House on the Prairie. And recently we just finished Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avelona.

Bedtime reading has been a tradition that we’ve done for the last 20+ years. We make sure all electronics are turned off, the kids get ready for bed, and we sit down as a family to read. Currently–since we have an age range of 5-16-years-old–I read to the younger kids and John reads to the older ones. It’s amazing how many wonderful books we get to share as a family!

Do you like to read aloud? Here are some ideas and tips for reading aloud to your kids from some of my friends.

Tips for Reading Aloud to your Kids

*When my kids are still preschoolers, so sometimes we do read-alouds while they play with blocks or other things. It’s worked out really well for us because it means I don’t have to read only what will hold their interest in every moment, but they still love it and ask to read more. We made it all the way through the Little House on the Prairie series that way. It started while I was still nursing my younger child and the habit just stuck. —Alicia Wright

*We read aloud all the way through high school. I was very dynamic and animated, always using appropriate voices. When they were old enough (strong readers), the kids joined in the reading. We saved fiction books for read-aloud. We also supplemented with audiobooks (read by the author are the best!). When the kiddos were really young I would allow coloring in a Dover color book that matched our story. Some kept this up as they got older, some began notes. We always ended with comprehension questions and discussions. Lastly, we listen to a lot of audiobooks: in the car, while doing chores, in the shower, etc. I’ve noticed that the kiddos quiet down even if it’s my audiobook. —Kim Garroutte

*I, or the kids, fall asleep when I read out loud. If they fall asleep, it’s always in a good spot and I want to read ahead. Books on tape seemed to work best for us! While in the car, while sorting out a playroom, while resting, or practicing patient sitting. —Angie Wright

*Bath time was a big read-aloud time for us, especially as they got older. Just so relaxing at the end of the day. But that was one kid at a time. —Carla Foote

*We read a lot. Mine are now 16 and 18. But we still listen to books in the car. We listened to audiobooks when they were little too. Also, I read to them a lot. You cannot read too much. One of our favorite memories was abandoning school one day and reading all of our Christmas books. When the kids were little, one couldn’t sit. So I would read picture books. My son would sit in my lap. My daughter would play and come over and look at pics. She was hearing it but needed to move and be active. I read at their level and above their level. I even took books to the hospital to read when they were born. Yep. We’re all bookaholics. Mem Fox has a great book on how to read to children. Love her! —Leanna Ellis

*I used different voices for each character. I read with enthusiasm and made eye contact as much as possible. Then we talked about what we read. Get them engaged. —Mary Ann Hake

*My grandson likes to sit on my lap when I read to him. Sometimes it is paper books and sometimes digital. When my own kids were little I would sit with them and read, or if they were sick or tired, they would lie in bed and I would read. I read through the Lion, Witch and Wardrobe when my daughter had surgery. We tried audiobooks in the car once but that doesn’t work for me. I can’t concentrate. I do yawn a lot when reading aloud, too, but I try to keep invested in the story and let the child participate as much as possible. They generally know the story pretty well with only a few readings and can provide answers. In Goodnight Moon, we’d look for the mouse on each page and things like that. Depends on the age of your child of course. —Sandie Stevens Petit

*I act out the part with voice changes. Loved reading Dr. Seuss when they were small. I read them so often they would quote some of the books with me by heart! I homeschooled and one granddaughter was reading by age four. They love books! —Amy Speer

*I would point to each word as I read. I’d also read through the book first and then go back through and have the child repeat each word after I said it. —Tina Marie Watson

*My grandkids are in Florida, and I’m in Missouri. We Skype several days a week and I read them stories over Skype. They have even gotten prizes from our local library for all the books that we read together from the summer reading program. —Susan Shipley Stitch

19 tips for reading aloud to your kids ones via @triciagoyer

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*First of all, make sure the books are good read-alouds. Funny characters, lots of action, etc. Make each voice very distinct and animated. Use inflection and vary the pace. —Brenda Roskos

*When I read aloud, I make sure to enunciate clearly, especially when they are little. I use character voices, and sometimes I even pause for dramatic effect to make the story more “real” to my child. When they are able, I let them have a turn. Mistakes happen and we repeat without condemnation when necessary. —Lori Glitter Klein

*I love cuddle reads with everyone packed on one chair or bed. I am a bit sad but also glad when one of the older grands take over the reading. —Elizabeth Melvin

*When they were little and I was sick of reading the same books over and over I kept two boxes, one for books we had recently read and one for books we hadn’t recently read. We didn’t go back and repeat books until we had gone through all of them. —Alana Terry

*I read aloud to my husband! Not all the time but we enjoyed several reads that way. I am just as animated and dramatic as I was when I read to my now three adult kids and two grands! I love to read aloud! —Susan Chamberlain Shipe

*I read in a heavy English accent, the kids always rolled laughing. —Angela Mininger

*I read aloud outside my kids’ rooms at night … long after they were able to read for themselves. We got through all but one of the Narnia books that way, as well as some others. —Stephanie Nickel

*When the kids were young, I started reading every evening. We read chapter books. We didn’t have electronics or even a TV. So the kids would embroider or crochet and I would read. Younger kids might be playing with Legos, but everyone was quiet and listened. These were not kid’s books really, although some were. We read every Rod and Staff book, Little House books, lots of historical fiction, The Hiding Place, Jeannette Oke novels, A Christmas Carol, etc. I think it helped not having a TV. We went through a ton of books!! Now you know what started Martha on this path of loving to read! —Joyce Vogel

*Read with enthusiasm, pull them into the story! —Victoria Durall

What tips do YOU have for reading aloud to your kids or grandkids?

You might also like: How to Create a Happy Bedtime Routine For Your Kids.

January 23, 2015 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Pro-life for Kids: Ideas for Teaching the Sanctity of Life

The little feet pin glinted on the woman’s lapel. The feet and toes were tiny. It was as if a fairy had landed upon her blouse, left gold footprints, and fluttered away. I pointed to the pin. “That’s so cute.”

The older woman smiled. “Those are the size of the feet of a 12-week-old fetus.”

A fist of pain hit my gut, and I looked away before she saw the agony in my face. Why hadn’t anyone told me?

I was 16 at the time, and a year prior I’d had an abortion. The lady at the clinic told me there was “just a blob of tissue” inside me.

Lies. All lies.

When I had my own children I wanted them to know the truth about the development and sanctity of unborn babies. I checked out books at the library on fetal development. I let my children hold a tiny model of a developing baby at a display at the fair. I wanted them to make better decisions than I had, to be a voice for life, and be able to counsel friends facing tough decisions—such as whether to carry a child when facing an unplanned pregnancy.

It’s never too early to teach our children. Here are numerous ideas for parents on how to teach children at each stage of development about the sanctity of pre-born life.

It’s never too early to teach our kids about the sanctity of life @TriciaGoyer

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Starting from infancy, build a foundation of truth.

Parents are a child’s first teachers, and the messages we share with them from an early age impacts how they see and experience life. My friend Wendy painted each of her children’s names on their bedroom walls, followed by, “Before you were born I knew you. Jeremiah 1:5.”

“This saying was the first thing my youngest daughter looked at as she lay on her changing table getting her diaper changed,” says Wendy. “Now she looks at this saying above her desk as she colors in her coloring books or practices writing her name. To help her, I point to her name on the wall, ‘Alexa, A-L-E-X-A, before you were born God knew you.’”

Training toddlers opens up their eyes to God’s creation.

Parents guide toddlers in understanding the world. They are awed by nature, animals, and newborn babies. It’s our job to foster this awe, and teach that it is God who created everything.

Read a child’s Bible story of creation and teach your toddler that all life comes from God.
Sing, “He’s got the whole world in His hands,” and name people in your family from the youngest to the oldest. Describe how God cared for each of these people from the first moment in their mommy’s tummy.
Next time you are at a clothing store, show your toddler the different sizes of baby clothes. Teach how a baby starts so small that we can’t see it, to being big enough to fit into those clothes.
If you have a pregnant friend or family member, ask her to share a photo of an ultrasound. If you have an ultrasound photo of your child, share that and rejoice over the different parts they see.
Have your child draw a picture of their room and discuss that inside their mommy’s tummy was their first room. Have the toddler draw a picture of what he or she might have looked like inside mommy’s tummy.

Elementary school is an age of discovery.

In elementary school children begin to understand that the way they view the world is often different from how others view it. Teach your children that you follow what God says in the Bible, even when others don’t agree.

Read Before You Were Born, by Joan Lowery Nixon. The first line says, “Long before the rocks shook and pushed upward to become mountains, God dreamed of you.” Teach that even though others believe that man was formed from nothing, the truth is the we were first formed in God’s mind…even before our bodies were formed in our Mommy’s uterus.
Have a Korean birthday party. To believe in the sanctity of life is to affirm that life begins at conception, and many cultures (including Korea) celebrate this in a special way. “My daughter has a Korean boy in her class who just had a birthday,” says Loring, a missionary mom in Uganda. “She learned in Korea they count the nine months in utero as the beginning of their age. So her friend just turned nine years old and nine months.”Remind your child of their “true” age on their birthday … or acknowledge the special day nine months prior to their next birthday.
Work with your child to memorize Psalm 139:14: “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” Then discuss all the parts of our body and how they work. (Eat a cookie, listen to the noises outside the front door, touch various surfaces around your house.) Then look at The Human Body Book and DVD.) Fetal development is described in detail. Relate how the parts of our body were already being formed even before our mommies knew about us.
Write your a list of interesting facts about babies within the womb such as: By week eight every organ is in place and growing, and at week twelve an embryo has fingernails.
Read Horton Hears a Who, by Dr. Seuss. The story is about an elephant named Horton who hears a noise and discovers there’s a colony of “Who’s” living in a dust speck. He rescues them and receives mocking from a kangaroo who thinks Horton is a fool for trying to save something that doesn’t exist. One great line from this book says:

“Should I put this speck down? … If I do, these small persons may come to great harm. I can’t put it down. And I won’t! After all, A person’s a person. No matter how small.”

Have your child describe how this is true for preborn babies, too.
Buy a puzzle and begin putting it together. Discuss how even while the pieces are being put together, God sees the complete picture—body, soul and spirit. Even when a child is born we only see a glimpse of their personality. The changes and growth continue through adulthood.
Give your older child a note card with Jeremiah 1:5, “I chose you before I gave you life.” In the card write a prayer of thanksgiving to God about his/her life—especially speaking of when that child was in the womb. Ask your child to write a similar note to someone who needs to hear that message.
Print up and read through the brochure “The First Nine Months.”
Discuss abortion. Compare abortion with adoption. For example: Unselfish love and sacrifice for child versus covering up sin and mistakes … Ending a life versus providing a gift to another.
Role-play with your child how to give advice to a friend who finds herself facing an unplanned pregnancy. What hope do you have to offer? What facts does your friend need to hear?

As you can see, a parent’s role transforms from introducing your children to their place in God’s creation, to helping them understand that what they believe can impact others. Pre-born life is important and it’s beautiful. Who better than children of all ages to acknowledge and proclaim that?

Download the printable and keep it handy for ideas how to teach your kids about the precious gift of life!

Read the orginal post over at MomLifeToday.com!

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January 21, 2015 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Great Read Alouds for K-2nd Grade {+ Printable!}

I LOVE reading aloud to my kids. And they love it, too! According to Jim Trelease, author of Read-Aloud Handbook, reading aloud is not only fun, it gives your child a huge advantage when it comes to learning. Children who start school with a larger vocabulary tend to do better than the child with a low vocabulary. And how do children learn and expand their vocabulary? By hearing words used at home! Often, our conversation speech is “verbal shorthand,” whereas books offer complete sentences and more complex language. Trelease points out that:

Reading aloud also increases a child’s attention span. Finally, reading aloud to your child is a commercial for reading. When you read aloud, you’re whetting a child’s appetite for reading . . . .A child who has been read to will want to learn to read herself. She will want to do what she sees her parents doing. But if a child never sees anyone pick up a book, she isn’t going to have that desire.

Learn more about the benefits of reading to your kids here.

With that in mind, I started compiling a list of my favorite books to read to my children and my Facebook followers to share their go-to reads. Here’s my list of great read alouds for K-2nd grade:

Happy Hollisters by Jerry West

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice

Five Little Peppers by Margaret Sidney

Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Hope

Box Car Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

That’s Nat! by Dandi Daley Mackall and Lys Blakeslee

Meghan Rose by Lori Z. Scott

Adventures of Lily Lapp by Mary Ann Kinsigner and Suzanne Woods Fisher

Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor

Superstition Mountain Mysteries by Elise Broach

Stuart Little by E. B. White

Grandma’s Attic by Arleta Richardson

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

Amelia Bedelia by Herman Parish and Lynne Avril

Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant

We Are In a Book by Mo Williems

Just in Case You Ever Wonder by Max Lucado

The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt and Tim Jonke

Imagination Station by Paul McCusker and Marianne Hering

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Download the Great Read Alouds Checklist for more great books and to keep track of what you’ve read and what you should check out!

@TriciaGoyer shares her favorite read alouds for K-2nd grade here:

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January 20, 2015 by Tricia Goyer 20 Comments

7 Ways to Teach Your Toddler About Jesus

by Anne Garboczi Evans

Hi, I’m Anne and I’m the mother of a talkative little two-year-old named Joe-Joe. And the older he grows, the more he wants to know. Growing up the second of four kids, I always thought of kids’ learning things as osmosis. You hang around smart people who have bookshelves full of interesting books and you end up educated—and entertained, and fed, and owning a driver’s license, right?

Boy was I in for a surprise the day I became a mom. Empty stomachs don’t fill themselves, neither do dirty diapers have the decency to throw themselves in the trash. But it gets even more intimidating as your child begins to walk and talk. As a stay-at-home mom, a majority of what my child intakes is what I output. He speaks English because I speak English to him. He likes avocados because I buy them at the store. He doesn’t know who “Sponge Bob” is because I purposefully haven’t let him see it.

As a Christian, the most important thing I want to teach my child is Jesus’ love. But how do I ensure my child intakes Jesus? Will he learn by osmosis from seeing my faith played out in everyday life? I hope my faith makes enough of a difference in my everyday walk that he does see it. But I also want to be intentional. Being the over-achiever I am, I contemplated spending hours going over creeds and catechisms—with my two-year-old. That didn’t happen. But I did find some great ideas that fit nicely into a busy day.

@garboczievans shares 7 ways to teach your toddler about Jesus on @TriciaGoyer’s blog

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1) Talk about Creation:

When you’re out on an evening walk and the moon is just slipping up into the night sky, ask your son, “Who made the moon?” Then tell him that God did.

Ask your daughter, “Who made the trees? Who made the flowers?”
It gets to be a fun exercise when your child starts asking, “Did God make the stroller?”

No, no, honey, that was Graco.

2) Read:

Invest in some quality children’s Bible stories that are age-appropriate. I find that my toddler likes individual stories with tons of pictures and not many words a lot better than the 101 Bible story books.

Marsha Lambert wrote an excellent Bible story series called the “Me Too!” books that is the simplest I’ve found. Alice in Bibleland is also fun if your child has a slightly longer attention span. And they rhyme, which my son loves.

The Toddler Beginner Bible is also great for young children, and that company makes more advanced Bible story books, too, so the Beginner Bible can grow with your child. I also love to go to my local used book store or thrift shop and just see what they have on the shelf.

3) Imaginative Play:

My son loves to play; what kid doesn’t? Acting out Bible stories with his toys will entertain him for hours. You can make the plastic whale swallow the Fisher Price people for “Jonah and the Whale.” Or you can build Jericho with Mega Blocks and then make the walls come tumbling down. Imaginative play isn’t only a wonderful way to teach your toddler about God; it’s also great for his brain.

4) Movies:

I know, I know. You aren’t supposed to let your kids watch any TV until they’re at least 26 years old, maybe 30. But we all do sometimes. The Beginner’s Bible cartoons are online on Youtube.

My son is always asking to watch “The Stone,” by which he means the Beginner’s Bible Easter Story. A few nights ago, Joe-Joe told me, “I want to watch the Stone. I think it’s about Jesus.”

Way to melt a Mama’s heart. But yes, your toddler will be so excited to be allowed to watch TV, he won’t realize you’re feeding them a steady diet of educational Bible stories rather than “Sponge Bob.”

5) Pray:

The only way to teach your child to pray is to do it. Pray with them at meal times, bed time, when they scrape a knee, when they feel lonely, when they’re hysterically happy over a new toy. Teach them how to pray for comfort, ask for blessings, rejoice in God’s provision, or just tell God about their day.

A few weeks ago, my husband had to work late and I was putting our son to bed. We spent about ten minutes just rocking in the rocking chair in the dark as Joe-Joe told Jesus all his favorite animals and why he liked each one. It was beautiful.

At first, Joe-Joe got real quiet, like he felt awkward just telling Jesus things rather than just thanking Him for the meal. But then he got more comfortable. “I like piggies, Jesus,” Joe-Joe said, “And cows. And bears.”
And that’s the point, to teach your child to be comfortable telling Jesus everything.

6) Enlist Others:

The Christian walk isn’t meant to be walked alone. Let other Christians speak into your child’s life and show him glimpses of God through their faith. Take your child to an excellent Sunday School, sign him up for Bible camp, AWANA, or a kids’ Bible study (Community Bible Study has a wonderful kids program during the mornings while the moms also have a Bible Study. And it’s available all over the world. I’d definitely suggest looking into it if you’re not working full time.)

7) Sharing the Gospel:

Of course, when your toddler is a little older you want to share the gospel with him and teach him how to ask Jesus into his heart. But before that, you can just talk about being Jesus’ friend.

A few months ago, I tried to tell my son that Jesus died on the cross and rose again for us. But Joe-Joe had no concept of death or resurrection. Then Joe-Joe saw the picture of a crown of thorns. I showed him how the thorns poked Jesus’ forehead.

My two-year-old started crying. “Jesus got hurt. Jesus got hurt,” Joe-Joe said through sobs.

“Yes, Jesus got hurt for you and me,” I said, “because He loves us.”

“But they hurting him. They hurting him,” Joe-Joe kept wailing.
“Yes, but He’s all better now,” I said.

“Oh,” Joe-Joe brightened. He might not understand death and resurrection, but he understands “get hurt” and “get better.” And he’s always telling Jesus, “I want to be your friend.”

The most wonderful thing about teaching your child about Jesus is that you grow closer to Jesus, too. I’ve never thought so much about God’s mercy when we sin as on the 50th time reading “Jonah and the Whale” when I thought, you know, Jonah fully expected to drown when he was thrown off that ship. He thought he was going to get punished for his rebellion against God. But instead, God sent him a private vessel to bring him to shore—a whale.

And hearing my son prattle on to Jesus about his day, makes me think about how I can just talk to God, tell Him about my day, and He cares.
So start teaching your child about Jesus at an early age. There’s no such thing as too young to be told that, “Jesus loves you.”

There’s no such thing as too young to be told “Jesus loves you!” @garboczievans

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Anne Garboczi Evans is a military spouse, mental health counselor, author, and mama to an opinionated little toddler named “Joe-Joe.” Anne and her husband are getting licensed as foster care parents in Colorado, so soon their house will be exploding with little voices, little feet, and diapers, diapers everywhere. But not to worry, three-year-old Joe-Joe insists he’s taking over feeding and diapering duty. Anne’s trying not to imagine what their carpet would look like if that actually happened.

To find out more about Anne’s books, follow her foster care journey, and read lots and lots of “Joe-Joe” updates, like her Facebook page.

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October 24, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 61 Comments

44 Mom Blogs You Don’t Want to Miss (Plus a Giveaway!)

44 Mom Blogs You Don’t Want to Miss

There is a new type of world changers these days. They are women who serve God, serve their families, and use their words to impact the world for Jesus Christ.

Having been a blogger for eight years, I’ve built amazing friendships with other mommy bloggers. Below is a list I compiled of Mommy Bloggers that you don’t want to miss. Take time to check out their blogs and connect with these amazing women!

Don’t miss the chance to win a surprise set of 10 books!

Visit a few (or all of the blogs) and share which ones you stopped by and something you learned in the comment section and enter the Rafflecopter below!

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@TriciaGoyer shares 44 mom blogs you won’t want to miss! Check them out and you could win #books!

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October 3, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 5 Comments

A New Family Favorite (& Giveaway!)

A New Family Favorite

We have no less than a dozen Bible story books and our kids love to read them. Bella, Casey and Alyssa were excited when the Treasury of Bible Stories arrived. And they were even more excited when I started to read.

Rhyming books are always fun. We love Dr. Suess and we love rhymes. What a joy to find a Bible Story book with fun rhymes that catch a child’s interest!

There are twenty stories in the book, and when I asked my children which we should read first my four-year-old choose Jesus’ birth and Jesus baptism. This brought up wonderful conversation and the charming illustrations captured their attention too. There are Bible references to go with each story, which is perfect for families to read together–especially for older children who are enjoying the book with younger siblings.

The stories are told in a whimsical way, which is a wonderful first introduction to the Bible for younger children. The meter changes between the stories (and sometimes within the story). It’s no Dr. Suess, but my children still enjoyed it all the same!

My kids LOVED this book. You will too. @TriciaGoyer

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I recommend Treasury of Bible Stories so much, I want to gift one of my readers a copy!

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August 19, 2014 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Back-to-School Life Management Secrets for Moms

Secret #1 – Write in the Morning

Julia Cameron, best-selling author, has a great suggestion with how to start every morning. She explains, “‘Morning Pages’ are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages – they are not high art. They are not even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page…and then do three more pages tomorrow.”

This free-hand writing in the morning can allow cloudy thoughts to clear up and out to allow for more brain-space in the rest of your day.

Secret #2 – Get Your Space Organized

Trying to find that one pair of shoes in a massive pile of everyone else’s shoes can rack up to hours of your life. This also applies to the 3 minutes spent in the shower trying to place all the shampoo bottles carefully back on the shelf so they don’t get knocked over again…

Giving your belongings a good organizing from time-to-time can be a gift to yourself and those around you. You may find you really do have time to read your children those 3 extra books at bedtime.

Take a couple days to just notice all the little things in your space that bother you. Make a list and then take action on them! (Pro-tip: Pinterest always has great ideas for home organization tips and tricks.)

Use cabinet knobs to hang extra shower caddies. Works for tub toy baskets too! - TriciaGoyer.com — Use cabinet knobs to hang extra shower caddies. Works for tub toy baskets too! – from The Family Handyman

quickinstall clothing rack — Quickly install a clothing rack for winter coats and more in the basement rafters. – from The Family Handyman

Secret #3 – Delegate it!

Take a lesson from the best entrepreneurs out there. Delegate it. (But don’t abdicate!) As a mom, it’s often possible for me to delegate house chores, scheduling, and even finances! Here are a few online apps that can help get you started.

Delegate the Chores!

My Job Chart & ChoreMonster are two great online app support tools for parents to delegate managing household chores, track rewards, and even parental follow-through on reward delivery!

Delegate the scheduling and to-do list management!

Every family has different needs. Google Calendars work for some. Paper calendars work for others. maybe even Cozi.com would be a good place for you to start…

Delegate the babysitting & Start a babysitting co-op!

Get a small network of other parents and start sharing the childcare. You could create a shared Google Doc, start a Facebook group, or create an account on Sit4Sit. If you recruit enough families to your network, finding a babysitter could be a cinch.

Wisebread.com also has a great list of ideas and resources in their article, “How to Save on Babysitting Without Ending Up in the Local News.“

Whatever method you choose, make sure it’s working for you and not the other way around.

That’s the big secret really. (and it’s not even a secret!)

Life Management: Make sure it’s working for you and not the other way around. @TriciaGoyer

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Pssst! If you really want to get serious about how your financial resources are spent, LifeHacker.com has great Financial Bootcamp ideas.

Tricia Goyer Books On Sale! — click here for more info!

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