I'm excited to FINALLY be sharing with you about something that has been in our house, making it's way into our hearts over the past few months. I'm thankful to have waited to share with you about it, because now I can tell you how it has worked it's way off of the "instruction sheet" and onto the pavement of our lives.
It's called the CHILD TRAINING BIBLE!
When your child (or YOU) struggle with a certain type of behavior, this resource makes the Word of God accessible to you, right in the middle of your struggle.
Here's how it works...
You start with a BIBLE
(a good start, wouldn't you say?)
...add Post-It Tabs, 10 ct. Sharpie Highlighters and Double sided tape
...and the Child Training Bible charts!
This chart gets taped on the front blank page of the Bible...
These charts tell you where each topic is found in the Bible, and give you suggested conversations to have with your child when they struggle with one of these behaviors.
Watch a video tutorial about it, HERE.
One of the behaviors we have the most frequent issue with in our house is anger. Even writing that word makes me want to pray right now that God's hand would be on us!
It's not pretty. We ALL struggle with it in our family. I'm not going to pretend for a second that my kids have come up with this one on their own. God is good and has been faithful to help me mature in my struggle since adding four kids to our family over a 5 year span, but there's no better way to break a girl of her perfectionistic tendencies than to give her a lot of kids! And so He did.
What a beautiful plan He has for us though. The Bible says even God got angry, but He also tells in Ephesians 4:26..."In your anger, do not sin."
God is so patient with us! In His anger with a sinful human race, He lovingly sent His only Son to die for us. It is only because he first loved me, that I can in turn love those around me. Since we started homeschooling this year, my kids are the ones around me most, and it is only because I've first been forgiven that I can turn to my kids in their sin, and show them any ounce of grace. And in our house, we all need a lot of grace.
"We love because He first loved US."
This resource helps us as parents do just that. When one of our children reaches the end of themselves and acts out in anger (for example), we stop...take a break...sit down with the Bible...flip open to the top left yellow tabs that show us where all the anger verses have been highlighted, and then turn to each page with a yellow tab in the top left corner and read. We read all the verses that have been highlighted yellow (to match it's tab color) knowing every yellow verse on that page is a verse that will help us know God's Word to us on anger.
And His Word is like water to our dry and thirsty souls every time...
When I first found this resource I was a little bit worried. I was afraid that if I used it, they may start to see the Bible as merely a disciplinary tool. I was nervous that pulling it out during a time when they were "in trouble" may cause them to look at God mostly as a disciplinarian who was disappointed with them when they fell short.
Now, even the Bible says in several places that the Lord disciplines those He loves. I know that it takes more patience and effort to gently correct and lead them in the way they should go, than to "let them off the hook" for behavior that God says will lead them astray. Choosing to discipline our children in love may be choosing the "hard" way, but it's also the most loving way.
In the three months we've been using the Child Training Bible, I've seen my kids soften to the Word of God in really beautiful ways. When they've fallen short in some area in our day, my oldest now points to the Bible, knowing that the right place to go is God's Word for the refreshment our heart needs in the midst of our brokenness.
This routine of going to God for the correction and encouragement we need in our most "undone" moments, has strengthened my children's view of God as a loving and ever-present help in time of trouble. So, I was right...partly. Their view of God has changed, but not for the worse. My kids' understanding of who God is has matured as we've opened His Word to speak to us in the middle of our great need for HIM.
It's amazing what happens too, when right in the midst of a full on temper tantrum, instead of reacting in my own frustrations with their behavior, I ask them to come sit with me to read through verses in the Bible. We all get the correction, encouragement and strengthening we need in that moment as we're reminded that we're not alone in our anger...lack of self control...defiance...etc.
Isn't that the reason His Word is with us today? God wants us to know, that we are not alone. He hasn't given us four kids and then left us to fend for ourselves and rely on our own strength and wisdom to get through each day. His voice is fresh and vibrantly applicable on the pavement of our lives...NOW. The Child Training Bible has reminded us of that truth over and over again in the last three months, and will continue to do so as long as we continue to need the mighty and saving power of a forgiving and patient God.
I'm SO thankful for this resource and the wonderful woman who God called to make it for us all to use! Mindy, who developed the Child Training Bible chart set has agreed to send one to one of YOU who enters the following giveaway...
The winner will receive a copy of the chart set needed to make your own CTB!
I hope you'll go to her website and check our this wonderful resource for yourself...then pass on the word to friends! This would also make a WONDERFUL Christmas present!
Our home, our family, our parenting, our kids...nowhere near perfect, but we know the God who IS! I praise Him for giving us His WORD to help us live the lives He's called us to, for His glory and for His kingdom. Happy Parenting to each of you who have been entrusted with one or more of God's amazing gifts!!!
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So cool. Thank you for doing this and for the gift idea!
Silvia
This is amazing!!!
This tool will make the bible much easier for the kids to refer to on a daily basis. It will make it more practical for them. I would love to have this
I want to win this to help teach my 3 kids more about the Bible!
Why do you want to win this prize?
I want this sooooooooooooooooo bad, because I strive so hard to instill in my children a love for God, good morals, good values and a solid foundation. Unfortunately our family is not well off financially and I never seem to have anything left over to purchase this. I would really love it if I could win one for this reason. I think it would be such a HUGE asset to my daughters and their walk with Christ.
I would love to have this for my family. We study virtue and character qualities everyday and I think this would help us.
This is a great resource for our family. Thanks for the chance to win.
Shared on my facebook (Kayla Arrowood) here is the right link I think - https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourinspiredjourney.com%2F2012%2F10%2Fchild-training-bible-review-and-giveaway.html%23.UIf97PLz_xs.facebook
My 4 kids and I sit at the table every morning to read the Bible and start their day off right! This would be a HUGE asset to our mornings! It could help my 4 & 6 yr old participate more and feel involved! Thx for the giveaway!
I have 6 kids. My bigger ones, especially, I want to learn to take EVERYTHING in their lives back to the Scripture. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I think this looks like a great way to do this.
my sons and i need this!!
I shared on Facebook! Kristi Kerr and The Potter's Hand Academy
Thank you for sharing with all of us. Hope to share the bible with my girls soon. <3
This would be a great addition to our training for our children. It would help us as parents so much!! Please choose us!!!
My 2 boys 4 & 6 will begin to understand the bible more than just stories very soon. This will teach them character and virtues. This will be a valuable resource in their every day life.
I would love to win this! My 3 yo son is going through that "terrible toddler" phase, and I can say we all most certainly have room for improvement.
I would love to win this for my kids.. it would be a great resource!
This is a fabulous opportunity and would be soooo helpful!!!! Thank you!!!!!
I would LOVE to win!!
I am so hoping to win. I am looking for a good way to help my boys grow in Christ.
I love this! Would be a HUGE help in our home right now!
love the CTB it is a great way to share Gods word with my children.
I think this would be a great tool to use not just for your own child, but I think it would also be great to use with students that you teach! There are a lot of young children in the school systems who are dying for attention and need some form of discipline and leadership in their lives!
I LOVE this....using God's living word to discipline and train up our children in the way they should be! What an awesome tool!
I have twin daughters and I want them to grow in the Word of God, from the very moment they learn to read. :)
We are struggling at our house & I'd love to use this WITH my son to help us both! I know we need to incorporate the Word into our daily lives more & any tool to help would be much appreciated! Thanks for the chance!
I have been on the fence for ordering one of the Child Training Bibles. I had many of the same worries and concerns you had about using it. But as the kiddos are getting older I am wanting them to have a greater understanding of how much the Bible can be a tool for many areas of our lives along with many issues/problems that we face. I would LOVE to win this to help teach my 4 children the word of God :)
Darcy Shetler
If I win, I will pass it on to a friend who would dearly love a copy after seeing mine.
I would love to win so I can make a CTB for my sister. We have one and love it!
thanks for sharing.
I hope I win the giveaway... We have three children, ages 3, 1.5, and a newborn, and we are in the throws of major tantrums... I definitely resound with your post about struggles with ANGER, and that's mostly from the kids...although not exclusively! I sure hope to "win", but even if not, I know I need to go ahead and order this resource!
melodyholz (at) gmail (dot) com
I have been wanting to do this for awhile but just didn't have the money to get the supplies. Thanks for having this giveaway!!
I have an almost 10 year old and an almost 3 year old. I would love to have this bible to be able to reference when my girls are struggling. Or let's face it, when Mom is struggling!! Especially with my soon to be 10 year old. She is starting to face some of those "grown up" issues, and I want her to be able to go to the Word when she needs extra guidance.
I saw Jenn had done of the these and was thinking it would be good idea, I wish I knew where everything was in the word but I don't this would help so much.
I would like one of these because I think it would make it much easier to train up the children.
Very cool. I've heard you talk about it enough times...great to see the visuals! :)
This is so exciting! It looks like a perfect tool to use in my household of a teenager and also 5 year old twins!
Learning God's Word to deal with sin issues is the only way to truly parent my children. I purchased one for my teenaged son and would love to have one for my younger son.
I'm looking forward to having this tool at our fingertips. What an honor and privilege (and huge responsibility) to share God's truth with my kids. It's responsibility I can only do with God's help! Right now, when a "teachable moment" arises, I try my best to share the Word, scramble through multiple children's Bibles and ask God to guide me in instructing my kids. I imagine that having and using the CBT would be a great resource of Truth for ALL of us! I plan on giving a few as Christmas gifts too! Thanks for sharing this, Danice!
Danice,
Just jumped on your blog- haven't for awhile. WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY PARENTING LIFE? I've been trying to create my own. Would love this. Thanks for training your kids in Jesus' word, and for your friendship to us along the way. Love you!