MrsK Books: Believe: Kid's Edition by Randy Frazee

Monday, July 6, 2015

Believe: Kid's Edition by Randy Frazee

ISBN: 9780310746010

Publisher's Synopsis:

They know the story of the Bible, but do they know what it means? Adapted from the ground-breaking new Believe campaign from bestselling author and pastor Randy Frazee, the Believe: Kids’ Edition takes kids on a thematic tour through the Bible and shows them how to think, act, and be more like Jesus.

As children ages 8-12 walk through the three big categories of Christian life—beliefs, practices, and virtues—they’ll begin a journey that will take them closer to the heart of Jesus and deeper into the words of Scripture. They’ll learn what the Bible has to say about everything from the nature of God and the identity of Jesus, to prayer, worship, and the fruit of the Spirit. Foundational and faith-building, this book can be used by individuals or in conjunction with the all-church campaign.

MrsK's Review:
So why would I choose this selection? Given my passionate calling for linking children of all ages to great reads and inspirational journeys, this selection promised an opportunity for my grand-children's walk with our Lord. After all, any mother/grandmother is always on the look out for new "tools" that will help guide, direct, and plant seeds that will blossom as our young charges mature.

With excellent formatting, this Kids' Edition is uniquely designed for individualized study. For me, I celebrated the "key" components (question, idea, verse) outlined before each of the teachings. The bonus are the follow-up discussion questions, which can be discussed as a family or individually journaled by the child. The possibilities are endless (individual study, nightly family study, personal reflective-journalism with sharing, etc.). The concept is simple, plant the Word of God and let Him "garden" its fruition.

"...Believe is an action word.

That means God doesn't want you to just believe in your head that His Word is truth;

He wants you to believe it with your whole heart so that it changes

how you live your life and relate to your family and friends.

He wants to put the 'extra' in your 'ordinary'

so you can live an 'extraordinary' life in Christ.

The possibilities are limitless with God for those who simply BELIEVE!"

Organized into three categories (Think, Act, and Be), the reader is provided the opportunities to discover their "individualized" relationship with our God:

Think: "What do you believe?" How will you walk with God every day in every way? Going deeper to discover God, salvation, the Bible, church, humanity, compassion, stewardship, and eternity.
ACT: "What should I do?" What would Jesus do? Learning about worship, prayer, bible study, single-mindedness, total surrender, spiritual gifts, time, giving of resources, and sharing your faith.
BE: "Who am I becoming?" Recognizing the spiritual fruits and gifts within yourself and others... love, joy, peace, self-control, hope, patience, kindness/goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and humility.

As the reader completes their last discovery, there is a section for them to reconfirm their belief (this section re-enforces their decision to follow Christ as their personal Savior and accept the Word of God as truth).

Within the Epilogue section, parents and teachers have a chance to consider what their mentor-ship task entails. Discovering how "walking beside them day-to-day" will bring about application of God's word to their thinking.

"They will need someone to offer them grace when they fail or go backwards.

They will need someone to cheer them on when they get it right."

My journey with all the children God has brought into my life is an ongoing journey, this book is an outstanding resource for any of those moments in which these young hearts are under my charge...

It is exciting to have this "tool" within reach... at any moment when an opportunity comes "knocking,"

MrsK

Outstanding and Brilliantly Formatted!

Meet the Author:

As the senior minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, I have the privilege of teaching and leading in partnership with pastor and author, Max Lucado. Prior to coming to Oak Hills, I served as the teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church and spent 15 years as the senior pastor at Pantego Bible Church in Fort Worth Texas. God has filled my life with amazing experiences and for that I am grateful.

I’m also the author of several books, The Connecting Church, Making Room for Life, The Christian Life Profile Assessment, and Renovation of the Heart Student Edition. Currently I am most excited about my new book coming out in August of 2011, The Heart of the Story: God’s Masterful Design to Restore His People.

And as for the roles I cherish most in life, it’s husband to my incredible Rozanne, father to four remarkable children, and of course the unspeakable joy that comes with being a proud grandfather.
My prayer for you is not complicated. It’s real simple. I desire that you won’t let another day go by without taking hold of this precious life that God has made available for you. I hope you find what’s shared here full of practical ideas and the courage you need to seize the day.

"I received this book for free from Book Look Bloggers for this review."

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MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”

FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)