Grandmas Do Make a Difference - Point Our Grandchildren to Jesus

  

As we are about to start the new year, I thought I'd take a minute to remind us, the things we say and do with our grandchildren do make a difference. This is absolutely true. Grandmas (and grandpas, too) most certainly are able to make a difference, so for the next few days, I’m going to share with you some of the ways we are able to make a real, lasting and important difference in the lives of our grandchildren; starting with . . . we make a difference in pointing our grandchildren to Jesus!

This is one of the most important things we will ever do to make a difference in the lives of our grandchildren – point them to Jesus. We need to begin to do this when they are just little by reading to them, singing to them, and by telling them how very much Jesus loves them.

Pointing our grandchildren to Jesus is not really difficult. We are able to do it with something as simple as reading to our grandchildren – and there is no shortage of wonderful books out there which you may use to help your grandchildren understand how very much God loves them. I do this with my grandchildren – and you are able to do it, too! While I have many wonderful books and resources which I’ve used over the years with my grandchildren to point them to Jesus, I thought I’d share a few of my favorites with you today.

1.  The Life on the Goldilocks Planet series - my grandsons and I wrote this series and we use it at my home when they are here each week during their sleepovers. It not only helps them learn about the amazing animals God created, but helps them learn how they are able to know God is real and God and science do go together!
2. Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children - my grandsons and I wrote this one and I am using it with them. I have not had any resource work as well with them as this book - it guides them in praying daily on their own.)
3. Generations Quest - Cultivate the Faith! – I wrote this and it has 52 weeks of Bible teaching, science experiments, games, crafts, recipes . . . fun and engaging ways to help your grandchildren learn how much Jesus loves them!
4.  Helpful Hal’s Treasury of Christian Virtues – this is an old book and may be difficult to find, but if you do, it is sure to be one of your grandchildren’s favorite books. Inside this book you will find twelve, yes twelve fun stories which will have you laughing and learning together . . . and give you many opportunities to talk with your grandchildren about things which really matter.
5. The Cottonmouth Series – this is an unusual set of three books, but the imagery and message is clearly one of sacrifice, love, and telling others – the connection to Jesus is one which is there for you to share with your grandchildren.
6.  The Threshold Series and all the "Angel stories" from my friend, Christa Kinde. These books will capture the imagination of your older grandchildren and leave them in awe of angels while it also gives them a glimpse of the jobs angels carry out on Earth.
7. Roscoe Riley Rules - a fun series of books which will leave you all laughing as you learn together.
8. Favorite Parables from the Bible: Stories Jesus Told - I LOVE these parables illustrated and told by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen. I bought these books when my children were little and am so happy to see them combined into one book a few years ago - if you are able to find it, you will love it!
9. Sidney and Norman – a Tale of Two Pigs - I love this book - it is one every grandchild, and grandparent as well, needs to hear . . . often! I can not read it without crying over God's great grace.
10. The Topsy Turvy Kingdom – this is another older book which may not be easy to find, but if you do, you will read it with your grandchildren again and again.
11. The Ten Commands from God’s Own Hands - again, another older book, but absolutely worth your time in finding it. In this one book you will find ten Bible histories/adventures which illustrate each of the Ten Commandments in a way children – and grandparents – will understand and remember. I LOVE this book!
12. The Lord’s Prayer – Words of Hope and Happiness – I love how this little book “breaks down” the Lord’s Prayer so children – and again, grandparents, will truly understand it!
13. Bash and the Chocolate Milk Cow – I love the “Bash books” . . . and hope to see more released. They are fun chapter books with solid messages – reading a chapter or two each time your grandchildren are at your house would be great fun . . . and give you many opportunities to talk together about the messages in the books . . . and laugh a lot, too!
14. Friends with God Story Bible - my grandsons love this book! They are never happy with just one Bible account - we always end up reading two, and then, "Just one more!!!" The artwork in this book is beautiful and I love the recap at the end of each account.
15. I have one more book to share with you and it is also a book I wrote - Illustrate My Own Unknown Bible Hero - Jehoshaphat. This book has the Bible history of Jehoshaphat written, from a first-person account in a way which will capture the children's attention - but the illustrations are for you and your grandchildren to work on together. As you work through the Bible account of Jehoshaphat and decide on the illustrations, you will be able to talk about who Jehoshaphat was, the choices he had to make and how you and your grandchildren are able to choose to love, know and walk with God.

Well, I could go on and on listing books I love to read to and with my grandchildren; books which give me opportunities to talk with them about how much Jesus loves them . . . which is one of the most important things we will ever do to make a real difference in the lives of our grandchildren.

It is all about being grandmas (and grandpas) who hand down confident faith on purpose . . . we are not able to just sit back and expect our grandchildren to somehow "absorb" our faith by osmosis. We need to be grandmas who hand down confident faith on purpose. We need to have a plan to hand down confident faith and sharing books is one simple way we are able to do this.

What are some of your favorite books for handing down confident faith to your grandchildren?

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