Getting Closer to God with Psalms for my Day {A Homeschool Review Crew Review}

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

When I was given the opportunity to review a lovely child's praise devotional from Christian Focus, I jumped at the chance. I thought it would be a great opportunity for Hannah to start having her own time with the Lord to start her day. She has been reading Psalms for my Day each morning, and sometimes at night as well. 

This 88-page, hardcover picture book contains passages of Psalms translated from the Hebrew by Dr. Alec Motyer, devotional thoughts written in a way a child can comprehend, along with a short, relevant prayer written by Carine MacKenzie, and beautiful, full color illustrations by Catherine Pape. 

After the table of contents and endorsements, this book introduces the Book of Psalms, explaining how the psalms were written to be songs of praise to God. You will also find an explanation of the translation of the Bible passages found throughout the book. Alec Motyer was a Bible scholar, and he used the original Hebrew so we can have a feel for what they really meant in the original language of the writers.

Following this introduction, there are 31 daily devotions, each from a different psalm, though of course, this is only a fraction of the psalms that are in the Bible. Though all of the psalms are important, I was thrilled to that there were several of the psalms that I was quite familiar with, such as Psalms 1, 8, 23, 46, 100, and 150. Sometimes the entire psalm was included, other times only portions of it. 

Each devotion follows the same format and spans the full double-page spread. First you read the passage from the day's psalm, then there is the short devotional, and finally you finish with a prayer which is usually 1-3 sentences in length.

Bible Passage for Psalm 8: 1-9

Devotional section

Prayer

And here's a look at the full double-page spread.

Here's a look at a couple more:

As you can see, each devotional focuses on a specific aspect of God. Besides the ones seen here, you will find such aspects as the Suffering Saviour, the King of Kings, God's Holiness, Our Strong God, Worthy God, and so much more. 

Also interspersed throughout the book are pages of quotes from Alec Motyer and double-page spreads of illustrations of God's creation. 

Finally, at the back of the book you will find a short, one-page glossary of new words that may be unfamiliar to the reader.

I did want to note that you may find the wording of the Bible passages to be a bit confusing at times, especially if trying to read it out loud. And I would say it could be more of an issue if you already know the passage well. However, as I have noticed at other times when reading other translations, having to read the Bible in other versions really makes me think about what I am reading, instead of just zinging through what is already in my head. So, even if it seems weird at first, definitely give it a chance, and remember that Dr. Motyer wanted to look at what the original Hebrew words really meant with his translation. 

I think Psalms for my Day is a wonderful book for young children to be able to start digging into God's Word. Children who are 7-11 years old, should be able to read this independently. You can also choose to read it to younger children (ages 4-6). In fact, I have decided that I would like to start adding a Bible time back into our day, and I plan to read this to the younger children. 

And I just wanted to mention the illustrations one last time. They really are lovely and add quite a bit to the devotional. And I love the extra illustrations added in between some of the devotionals. 

I highly recommend this book for your Bible time or for older elementary children who would like to have their own personal time with the Lord.

You can find Christian Focus on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Don't forget to click on the banner below to see what my fellow Crew Mates had to say about this book or one of these two other books we were able to choose from: 

30 Prophecies: One Story 

Not If, But When

Drawing Closer to God with a Devotional for Young Women {A TOS Review}

At the beginning of the year I started on a journey of reading through the Bible in three years in an attempt to get into the Word of God more consistently. It was also my desire to have my older girls, Tabitha and Amelia join me, so they could get into the routine at an earlier age than I did. This is definitely a habit I want to instill in the children. Unfortunately, even though we are only reading a chapter a day, they still fell behind and weren't able to catch up. I realized this expectation was still a bit much for them at 10 and 11 years old. However, I still want them to have a desire to wake up each morning and start their day with God. So, when I had the opportunity to review the devotional titled Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan, I decided to have Tabitha give it a try. 

This lovely 384 -page, hardcover devotional is designed for young ladies from the ages of 13 to 18. Even though Tabitha is only 11 1/2, I thought it would be suitable for her, and I was glad she agreed to give it a shot.   

After a short, one-page introduction, the author, Lindsay A. Franklin, shares 365 daily devotions which are also no longer than one page in length. Each day's reading begins with a short Bible passage from the NIV Bible. These passages range from one to three verses in length. This is then followed by a short, two to three paragraph devotional reading which focuses on topics that young ladies will find relevant in today's world. Each page concludes with four blank lines which are meant to be used for journaling or a short prayer to reflect on the day's reading. 

Here's a look at a couple of the pages.

The devotions begin by letting the reader know she is very much important in God's plan. Even though the Bible is inundated by stories of men, there are many women who are also important, women whose stories can inspire us, teach us, and show just how much we are valued, or beloved. After several days of looking at Song of Songs, Genesis, and then Proverbs where the reader takes a quick look at what an ideal (or nobel, or virtuous, or excellent) woman should look like, the reader will make her way through the Bible from Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers in the Pentateuch, into the historical books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings, 1st and 2nd Chronicles, and Esther, before heading to the New Testament. At the end of the year, Tabitha will have read the stories of approximately sixty women from the Bible. 

As the reader goes through this devotional, she will find herself focusing on the story of one Biblical woman or girl at a time, sometimes for several days. The author focuses on one to three verses at a time, digging into the story and pulling out details that are made relevant to the reader. Sometimes there will be a day in the midst of a story where related Scripture is looked at, such as looking at verses from Micah when reading about Miriam, or looking at significant verses from Matthew, Hebrews, and James when learning about Rahab while in the book of Judges.

Let's look at a couple of the women that Tabitha and I have read about.

When looking at Eve, young ladies will be reminded that they are not defined by their mistakes because God sees beyond them and cares for them. From the story of Abigail, which is focused on for two weeks, young ladies are reminded that they should turn their anger over to God, not seek revenge, pursue peace, fill their lives with relationships with those who love God, but have room for those who we can share God with as well, and celebrate the good things that happen in life, along with quite a few other lessons. 

And that is just two examples of the women that are focused on in this devotional. Young ladies will also read about Noah's wife, Sarah, Hagar, Miriam, Ruth, Bathsheba, Tamar, the Queen of Sheba, Jezebel, the Shunamite woman, Mary the mother of Jesus, the Samaritan woman, Martha, Eunice, and so many more.  Each of these women's stories has something to teach young women.

Parents should be aware that  because of the wide age range this devotional is designed for, they may deem some material inappropriate for their child.  For instance, three weeks are spent on the story of David and his many missteps. This includes the stories of Bathsheba, and the mention of the difference of sex in marriage and outside of marriage, and the story of Tamar who was raped by her half-brother. In light of this, I would definitely say that this devotional is not appropriate for younger girls. It deals quite frankly with such topics in a way that is biblically sound, but still not needed for younger children to know. 

That said, this is a wonderful devotional for a teenage young lady, and even older women. I know I have gotten some interesting tidbits out of these stories, and the author has a way of making these stories relevant to our day and age, even talking in language that young women can relate to.

Tabitha has been reading this devotional by herself in the morning, and sometimes, if she is in a rush, she will also reread that days' reading before going to bed at night. She has been enjoying learning about different women in the Bible and how the characteristics apply to everyday life.

I have also been reading some of the devotional. Mostly so I could be able to write an informative review. However, I am getting quite a bit out of this book, and think I will continue reading daily. I started reading toward the middle of the book, as that is where my personal daily readings have been, in the book of 1 Samuel. That was how I happened to notice all this detail about the women in David's life.

I love the simple beauty of the devotional, and how it is so feminine with soft pinks and floral designs. I also appreciate that the devotions are not dated, but numbered, so a young lady can start at any time of the year. And if a day is missed here or there, it isn't going to throw her off track. 

I definitely recommend this devotional for the young ladies in your life. This would be a lovely gift for Christmas, to start the new year with these devotions, or even on someone's birthday or other special occasion. Personally, I would definitely wait at least until the teen years. I know I am debating if I really want Tabitha to continue into some of the details of these stories mentioned above. 

You can find Zondervan on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Don't forget to click on the banner below to see what my fellow Crew Mates have to say about Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women.

Jesus Today: Devotions For Kids {Review and Giveaway}

It is very important to me that we have our Bible time before we start of school time. This was not something that I grew up with, but it is something I feel is imperative to get our day focused on the Lord. It has become a vital part of our daily routine. We have used different studies and devotionals in the past, but I was on the look out for a new one as we had just completed one. It seemed to be perfect timing when I received an email about reviewing Jesus Today: Devotions for Kids.

This 368 page, hard-cover devotional by Sarah Young is a great devotional for families to read together, or it can be read independently by slightly older children (recommended age range is 6-10 years old). As I mentioned, we have been reading it together during our morning Bible time. Each day, for 150 days, you will read a devotion that is written as if Jesus is speaking directly to you. Then there are 2-4 relevant verses. It is a lovely way to get your minds focused on the Lord.

About Jesus Today: Devotions for Kids

Jesus is the Friend who is always with you.  Jesus Today: Devotions for Kids will pour this powerful truth into your children's hearts as they learn that He knows everything about them and loves them more than they can imagine.  Each devotion is based on Scripture and is written as though Jesus is speaking directly to you, assuring that He is in control, that He is good, and that an amazing future awaits all who put their hope in Him.  Adapted from the ECPA 2013 Christian Book of the Year-winner Jesus Today, this devotional has the same themes as the adult version, as well as written-out scriptures.  It is a great choice for families to read and discuss during devotional time together.  

Hardcover: 368 pages

Age Range: 6-10 years 

I have to admit, at first I felt funny reading the daily reading because when I said the words "I" or "my," it sounded as if I was the one promising these thing to the children, and not Jesus. I just had to remind the children (and thus myself) that they needed to think that it is Jesus that is talking to them. I would think this would feel more like Jesus was talking to the child if they were reading it themselves. This is a lovely devotional that helps a child put their hope in Jesus. I definitely recommend this Jesus Today: Devotions For Kids by Sarah Young.

About Sarah Young: 

Sarah Young's devotional writings are personal reflections from her daily quiet time of Bible reading, praying and writing in prayer journals.  With sales of more than 14 million books worldwide, Jesus Calling has appeared on all major bestseller lists.  Sarah's writings include Jesus Calling, Jesus Today, Jesus Lives, Dear Jesus, Jesus Calling for Little Ones, Jesus Calling Bible Storybook, Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids, and Peace in His Presence -- each encouraging readers in their journey toward intimacy with Christ.  Sarah and her husband were missionaries in Japan and Australia for many years.  They currently live in the United States.  

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Now for some great news. I have been given the opportunity to offer a giveaway for 1 lucky person to win their own copy of Jesus Today: Devotions for Kids

All you need to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below. 

There are only 2 simple mandatory entries, with the remainder of the entries being optional. 

Remember, you do not have to do the extra entries, but they will increase your odds of winning. 

This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and over. 

The giveaway runs February 2nd through February 10th.

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

 By entering the giveaway, you understand and agree that your contact information will be shared with the sponsor.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

The Plans I Have For You Devotional and Journal {Review and Giveaway}

We had the opportunity to review a new kids' devotional and journal set from Zondervan called The Plans I Have For You written by Amy Parker and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton.

I wanted my daughter to start having her own personal devotion time in addition to our family Bible time that we have every day prior to starting school. When I was growing up, this was not a part of my life, but I know how important it is to have time alone with the Lord and I figured, at almost 9 years old, she was old enough to start making it a habit. I admit, it is taking time to figure out the best time of day for her to read her devotional, but we are going to persevere. I thought this would be a great devotional to help her get into that routine.

Here is a little information about each of the 2 books in the set:

About The Plans I Have For You Devotional: 

The devotional is an illustrated 90-day devotional written by bestselling children's book author Amy Parker and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, teaching and inspiring kids to dream about their future, to focus on faith, love, and joy, and recognize that God has a plan and purpose for each and every one of us.  

Hardcover; 160 pages

Age Range: 8-12 years

About The Plans I Have For You Journal:

The journal prompts creative thinking and exploration of the talents and personalities that make us special, and then helps explore how God may use our unique traits to spread love and joy and make the world a better place. 

Stationery; 208 pages 

Age Range: 11-14 years 

Let's take a look inside the devotional.

There are 6 sections or "sectors" as they are called in the book. 

1. I've Got Big Plans for YOU!
2. I've Given YOU a Purpose
3. I Don't Do Things Small
4. There's Nothing YOU Can't Do!
5. Find That ONE Thing
6. What I Created YOU to Do

The pages are bright and colorful, and along with the various fonts it is quite eye-catching. The reader will spend time reading a short Bible passage, usually 1 or 2 verses long. Then the devotional shares some insight in a way that a child/preteen can understand. 

The child can then use the journal to record their thoughts and insights.

The journal's illustrations and fonts are in shades of blue and white throughout the book. There is room for the child to write and occasionally for them to draw pictures. Each day's devotion in the devotional has a corresponding journal entry. 

I like the way the devotional talks to the child to encourage them on their walk with the Lord. Though Tabitha was in the right age-range to be able to use the devotional, she was a little young for the recommended age-range for the journal. However, even though there are times she struggles with what she should be writing, she appears to be enjoying it and getting something out of it. Here, let me share what she has to say about the journal and devotional.

Tabitha: I like that it doesn't have to be specific writing and you can write whatever you feel like. And that we can draw pictures in it too, because I like drawing. And the devotional is a lot of fun. I love learning about God and how he is always with me. And a lot of other Bible stories, like one was Moses, one was how God had plans for Moses.  There are 6 sectors for you to learn about all the plans, and you're not too small, and God's given you a purpose. 

There are a couple of things I wanted to mention. As I stated above, Tabitha was a little young for the journal. The age ranges of the two books do sort of overlap, as the devotional is for children ages 8-12 and the journal is for children 11-14. To me, this seems a bit weird, because the older children can understand the journal better, but they have become a bit old for the actual devotional. And on the flip-side the younger children can read the devotional, but aren't quite ready for the journal. Younger children will most probably need more direction in filling out the journal.

The other thing I wanted to note is that it was difficult at times to tell which pages in the journal were supposed to go with the specific pages in the devotional. In the devotional itself, you can tell where a new day's devotion is supposed to start because the title is in a larger, bolder font.  I think it would have been easier to follow the journal if each new entry was labeled as being a new day, or if it had the same title as the corresponding devotion.

Even though we had a couple of concerns, we still recommend The Plans I Have For You devotional and journal. It is a great way for a child to have a time to focus on God and how He is working in their life.

About author Amy Parker:

Amy Parker has sold more than thirty books for children, teens, and adults.  She has also collaborated with authors ranging from New York Times bestsellers to her very own son.  Two of these collaborations are recipients of Christian retailing's Best Awards, and she has also won three Mom's Choice Awards.  But Amy's greatest reward is being a wife to Daniel and a mom to their amazing sons, Michael and Ethan. 

About illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton:

Vanessa Brantley-Newton is a self-taught illustrator, doll maker, and crafter.  Her passion for children's books began when she came across The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats as a child in the 1960s.  Growing up in a musical family who love to sing, Vanessa's illustrations are as fun and whimsical as a beautiful melody.  Vanessa currently makes her nest in Charlotte, NC with her husband of 20 years, their daughter, and a very rambunctious cat named Stripes. 

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The Plans I Have For You Devotional Official Website 

The Plans I Have For You Journal Official Website 

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Now for some great news. I have been given the opportunity to offer a giveaway for 1 lucky person to win The Plans I Have For You Devotional and Journal Set.

All you need to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below. 

There are only 2 simple mandatory entries, with the remainder of the entries being optional. 

Remember, you do not have to do the extra entries, but they will increase your odds of winning. 

This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and over. 

The giveaway runs January 22nd through January 29th 2016.

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

 By entering the giveaway, you understand and agree that your contact information will be shared with the sponsor.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Putting on the Spirit Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms Review

Are you like me, knowing how important it is to spend time each day in the Word, focusing on God and renewing your spirit, but struggling to find time to do so?  Do you rush about each day trying to get stuff done for your family, but neglect your time with the Lord? I would love to introduce you to Katie Hornor's new 28-Day devotional, Putting On The Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms available for Kindle.

Katie's focus in this study is the Fruit of the Spirit and taking off our "Super Mom" capes to put on the Spirit, because in our own strength we will fail. She does this in short devotions that take approximately ten minutes, figuring that all moms have ten minutes they can find in the day to spend with the Lord. Personally, I like to fit my devotions in before the children wake up in the morning, but everyone is encouraged to find a time that works for them. 

This devotional is 25 short pages but it sure packs a whole lot of punch for your spiritual life. Each Fruit of the Spirit is focused on for 2-5 days, with the average being 3 days. Three days to really look at each Fruit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness (or kindness), goodness, faith, meekness and temperance) and how to let it shine in our busy lives. 

Each day we read and pray over different verses that are relevant to the Fruit we are focusing on. Sometimes we are writing out verses word for word, sometimes we are paraphrasing, other times we are picking out a verse from a passage to summarize the message. But each day we reflect in some way to internalize what we are learning. I love that Katie uses various ways to really dig into God's word and into our hearts. I do have to admit there were a couple of times it took me more than ten minutes to finish the devotion because there was more reading and writing than on other days. This, however, was not a huge deal. Each day there was encouragement and challenge. Challenge in answering some questions while digging deep into my heart, and the challenge of remembering to live out what I was learning. 

I love that I am learning so much about each aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit. Additionally, Katie shared something I have never thought about. For the last day of the devotional she puts the whole fruit together. She makes the point of showing that we are not looking at a fruit basket of different kinds of fruit, but different sections of the same fruit, likening it to a fruit such as an orange where it is not whole without all the pieces being together. We can't pick and choose which part of the Fruit of the Spirit should be in our lives. It definitely gave me something to think about.

As a member of the Launch Team I was given a pdf copy of this book. I downloaded the devotional, printed it out and made it into a little booklet because I really don't like reading it from a computer screen.  I was able to sit with my book and enjoy my time with the Lord. Additionally, we are given the choice to answer the questions in a notebook or to download the FREE workbook, available at Paradise Praises, Katie's blog where she shares about marriage, motherhood and ministry. In this workbook, Katie has given us plenty of room to answer questions, write out verses, lists and/or prayers depending on the day.

So, if you would like to lay down your Super Mom cape and put on the Spirit I would really recommend Putting On the Spirit. You can really get a lot out of a little time in your busy life. 

Find out more about the book, its availability and read some more reviews over at Paradise Praises. You can connect with Katie on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. She also blogs about homeschooling over at Educando En El Hogar in Spanish. Not only can you get Putting on the Spirit in English, but it is also available in Spanish. 

And here is the best news. It is free for Kindle today!! After that it will be 99 cents through Friday December 13th, after which it will be available for its regular price of $4.99. The companion workbook will remain free though. 

Would you like get to know Katie a bit better. Here is some information from the back of the book:

"Katie and her husband Tap have been missionaries in Mexico since 2007. They homeschool their four children and minister through church planting, Bible training, bookstore ministry, and homeschool curriculum development.

Katie is a teacher at heart, and by trade, and loves to encourage women in their God-given roles through speaking, writing and blogging. She is the author of this and two other ebooks (at the date of this printing) as well as the Lemonhass homeschool curriculum for Spanish Speaking families."

Disclosure: I received a pdf copy of Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms as a member of the Launch Team. I received no further compensation and this in no way influenced my review.