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Tips for Growing Biblical Literacy in Young Children · 5–Minute Parenting: Tips to Help You Raise Competent, Godly Kids.

• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to another episode of Five Minute Parenting.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Today I have a very special guest and a very close author friend.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Karen's a freelance writer and the author of Guess How Much God Loves You Picture Book series.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: She has written one book, and her second book is due to be released June 24th.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I will put her website address in the notes because if you go there, she offers a free digital workbook to reinforce the creation concepts that are in her first book.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: And Karen Ferguson has a background in K to 8 education, and she loves to write stories that grab and hold young readers' attentions, teaching them all about God's love and his unchangeable truths.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Karen's married, has two grown daughters, and two lovable grandchildren.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome, Karen.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much, Sandra.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_01: I appreciate you having me on.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: And today Karen's going to share some tips for growing biblical literacy in our young children.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: So, Karen, I will let you share with our readers those tips.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you, Sandra.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: I appreciate this opportunity to share my heart for biblical literacy.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's an important topic to me as a mom and grandmom and children's author.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: My heart is to see this next generation fall in love with the Bible, to see them trust God's word and understand it's the place to go for guidance and answers to life's questions, life's important questions.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_01: So to start out, I just want to I read something the other day that I love, and the writer called it creating a Bible culture in our homes.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um I often refer to it as counter-cultural parenting or grandparenting, but whatever you call it, it's it's very important because our kids are being fed counterfeit messages every day about how this world was created and who created it, about relationships and marriage, gender, and more.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, unfortunately, it's making them confused and hopeless.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: And so I heard an analogy that I think fits well with this topic.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_01: So take a real dollar bill and a counterfeit dollar bill, and who could recognize the counterfeit?
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's the ones who've studied the real thing.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: So I believe that making the Bible a priority in our homes will really allow our kids to know God's truth and quickly recognize those counterfeit messages that they're being fed every day.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: And it's never too early to start.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: That's true.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, really from the time they're babies.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so for this podcast here, I'd like to share just three very simple ways that um listeners can start to grow biblical literacy in their homes.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: And um I would say it just starts with speaking God's word over your kids' identity from the time they're born.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um the word of God it says is living and powerful.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it says there's life and death in the power of the tongue.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_01: So I believe when we combine our spoken word with God's ordained word, powerful things happen.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_01: And so I know, you know, as busy parents, sometimes it it things can feel overwhelming.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: Well, when can I do this?
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I would just say try to do it as naturally as you can.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_01: Memorize scripture about your child's identity and then speak that over them in the morning when they first wake up, you know, at night before bed, during those middle of night feedings, if you have babies as you're driving in your car.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: And uh Psalm 139 is a great place to start for that.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, that's the scripture all about being fearfully and wonderfully made by God.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: But I also do have a free resource that I would like to offer your listeners if there's a possibility of getting that in the show notes.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's called Raising Godly Kids in an Ungodly World.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: And it has 14 Bible verses with sample prayers that parents can use uh to pray over their babies, to pray with their preschoolers, and then to even use as a Bible memorization tool for older kids.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: But it has the 14 Bible verses with uh sample prayers and covers qualities that uh we would want to grow in our kids, like you know, generosity and and wisdom and and boldness and assertment.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: So I'd love to, you know, share that with your viewers if we could get that in the show notes.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: It sounds like a great resource.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, good, thank you.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: And then the next thing I would say, Sandra, is just you know, we need to be diligent to protect our child's innocence and strict when it comes to what we allow them to be exposed to, because I've just been blown away by some of the things our kids are being exposed to these days.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: And it's sad, you know.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_01: And as as parents, we are the gatekeepers of our homes.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I believe that no other person has the right or the role to monitor what our children hear and see, you know, especially when they're young.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_01: So I say fill your home with God honoring books and videos and audio recordings and stories that align directly with the Bible.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um, create a colorful library of supplemental resources that are engaging and age appropriate.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: And while this is important for any age, um, when kids are very young, this will help the Bible come alive for them.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: And it'll help make the people and places and concepts of the Bible easier to understand.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I would just say the main thing is to make it clear with your kids that these stories, right?
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: Quote stories, actually point to the truths in God's word.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't know about you, Sandra, and maybe it's just because I'm in that that arena now, but I have been so impressed with some of the books that are coming out for kids these days, Christian books.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and just the qual, yeah, the quality of it, um, and just the creativity.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_01: So there's a lot of great resources out there.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'll just give a quick shout out to two that I have used with my kids and grandkids and that we love.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um, one is the Adventures in Odyssey.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if you've ever heard of that.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um Yeah, it's uh focus on the family.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, many road trips.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_01: We would put that in, and it's an audio drama, you know, with with really fun characters um that just teach important Bible lessons and life lessons.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a great one.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, answers in Genesis.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if you've heard of that one, but they are um they're they are in Kentucky.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: They actually uh have the Ark Encounter as well as um the Creation Museum, which if you haven't been, if your viewers haven't been, I highly recommend uh taking a trip to see that if you can.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: But it's a it's a um it's a Bible-based uh organization that um it's an apologetics organization, I will say, but it is really for all ages and the quality of their materials is great.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: But so I would, yeah, I would just encourage, you know, just be diligent to protect your child's innocence.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we only have that responsibility for so long.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_01: And kids learn so much, particularly in that, you know, one to seven to eight-year-old range.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: And so I just think that's that's important.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: And then I would say pray God's word together and pray often.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and again, I know uh I remember those days when you know it could be overwhelming with everything on your to-do list as a parent, but it doesn't even have to be those long, you know, those long eyes closed type of prayers.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you know, you can say a prayer when you lose something and ask God to help you find it.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: You can thank God for the nature that we see around us and acknowledge that he's the one that created it.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, if your child's hurt or angry, you can pray with them that God would help them to have peace and comfort.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um I have just found that, you know, naturally including God into each day really goes a long way into helping your child grow into that intimate relationship with him.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: Even more, I would say that that naturally including God into the day, even more than just, okay, you know, nine o'clock once a week, we're gonna sit down and read the Bible and study.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's very important.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't say it's not important.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: Again, I think it's about intimacy and just being able to model that for our kids is so important.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I just want to share a quick story.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: So we were in Florida last week, and um, of course, unfortunately, we heard about the uh attack on Israel.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so my daughter and her husband went in their room to pray, and their two kids were there, they're very young.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but at the end of the prayer, my my daughter heard my oldest grandson singing quietly, My God is so great, so strong, and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: And he hadn't heard that song for months, but God brought it to his mind at that time, and stuff kind of makes me emotional.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_01: But we came together um at the end and we prayed that song in faith, you know, as a whole family.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: And then he continued to sing it throughout the day.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_01: And so, you know, that's that's the type of fruit of a parent that brings God's word and worship into their home.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_01: And uh that's my my prayer for families um all across the world.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_01: But uh one more thing, Sandra's, I would just say let your kids see you reading your Bible.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it doesn't even matter if it's only a few minutes a day and if there's lots of interruptions with kids running around.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_01: But again, I think it's it's sets a powerful example about keeping God's word a priority that you know by his grace they will want to follow.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: Those are such wonderful tips.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I really like the fact that you know we need to make it a natural part of the family.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, that apart needs to be in everyday life.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I love the examples that you gave.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: And uh it's just I mean, when my daughter grew up, she's married now, but such a different culture.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, there's always to guard our children against, but it just seems like out and out spiritual warfare right now with this for this generation.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_01: It is, Sandra.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I've never seen anything like it.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_01: I'm over 50 years old, right?
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: And even as an adult, I mean, I've never seen anything like it.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: And you're right, it is a time of intense spiritual warfare, uh, so much of it directed at our kids.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I blink and open my eyes and think, is this really reality?
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_01: It feels like truth is stranger than fiction right now in some things, you know.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Like you said, God is faithful, and we just need to be faithful to guard our children, protect them, teach them God's word.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why I love about your books because they're biblical, they put the Bible and teach the truth in children's at children's level and in their language.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: So I think you have six total, is that correct?
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: Uh seven total, actually.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: So the first one is out that published in 2022, and then this next one is coming out in June, supposed to be June 24th of this year.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: That's great.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: Really recommend them to our readers, and they will be able to find you in the notes, your website and your resource that you offered, and then more things on your website that you offer.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for us today.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_01: You bet.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Sandra, for having me.