... the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ in every place...
Bobbie Joe, from “Just Me ~ Bobbie Joe“! She will receive Vicki Courtney’s new book for “tween” girls, Between – A Journey Through Proverbs. I let Abigail pick a random number from the comments on the give-away post, and she chose Bobbie Joe’s number.
Bobbie Joe said she would use the book with her 6th grade girls she teaches at church. I think that’s a fabulous idea! 🙂
Hi friends – tomorrow we’ll give away Vicki Courtney’s new tween girl Bible study book/magazine, “Between – A Journey Through Proverbs”. Its an awesome study, & I don’t want you to miss it. See post below for details, & I’ll be back tomorrow with the name if the winner.
“And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God” Romans 5:2 Have a great day in the Lord, my friends!
Have you been looking for a great Bible study for the pre-teen girl in your life? If so, keep reading – there’s a give away at the end. 🙂
Back in the summer, a publicity company contacted me and asked if I’d do a review on Vicki Courtney’s new book for tween girls – Between: A Journey through Proverbs. Naturally I jumped at the chance, because that book was on my list to buy and to do with Abigail before school started back. But then, our summer … well… actually our lives… got crazy, and I never got to blog about this awesome resource. Until now. Because this very moment, I am in my husband’s office, while he is in a meeting, using the internet on my real computer! So I can write a real blog post – with real pictures!~ Can you hear me singing The Hallelujah Chorus? 🙂 I have about 10 more minutes – so I’ll jump right in.
We love the Between books by Vicki Courtney. The books read like a magazine, with lots of color, fun looking pages, and most importantly, revelant Biblical truth put in the modern early teen venacular. Ab was excited to have the book, and has been doing it every day for her quiet time.
It’s divided into 6 segments, each covering around 5 chapters of Proverbs. Each day focuses on a specific chapter of Proverbs. Vicki starts each lesson with a the focal verses and an engaging story from her tween years. The girls are asked to answer thought-provoking questions on the focal verses, and to plan to apply the specific truths to their lives. Each day concludes with a fun activitiy or interesting bits of information.
Through this study, girls are able to do just what Proverbs 22:17 says, “Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.”
Because of hurried morning schedules, we’ve broken Abigail’s study up so that she can do 1/2 a lesson each day. Then we talk about what she learned at breakfast. I’ve been just as challenged as she has been – Biblical wisdom transcends all ages! It’s funny how the Lord has convicted both of us through the day’s Proverbs, then given us {quite} a few opportunities to flesh out what we’ve learned!
Abigail’s favorite parts of the book are the “Lies to Wise” pages. In this section, Vicki lists some “lies” that the world says is “normal”, then she asks the girls to use the Scriptures to find out the truth – so that they can become wise. These provide so many awesome conversation/discussion starters!
On Vicki’s blog, she has shared a little extra to go with each segment of Scripture. So far, she’s done Proverbs 1-5, Proverbs 6-10, Proverbs 11-15, and Proverbs 16-20. I’ll keep checking back for the rest.
Vicki has been an invaluable resource in raising a daughter, and a son. She has kept me up on what is going on in teen culture, and I’ve been able to have some candid conversations, in which I sound quite knowledgeable, ahem, with my children.
The kind publicity people have agreed to sponsor a giveaway of this book! All you have to do is leave a comment to this post, and tell me who you would like to share it with. I’ll leave comments open through the week and will announce a winner on Friday.
Have a wise and wonderful week, my friends! With much love~
Jennifer
In my quiet time this morning, I was enjoying the beautiful truth in Psalm 103:14. “For He knows our frame, He earnestly remembers and imprints on His heart that we are dust.” And I was thinking about what a comfort it is to know that The Lord knows that we aren’t “super humans”! He does not expect us to be. We are the ones who add (or have let others add) that weighty Super Hero cloak to our wardrobes – But that is not of God, our Creator.
He knows and holds it in His heart when He dwells on us (which is all of the time) that we are but dust. He knows our frame, knows what we are capable of doing, being, & carrying without becoming faint.
That’s why God gives us what I call “sweet release Scriptures”. These scriptures help us pry open our fingers when they are in a death grip of trying to control our circumstances. They are among my favorites in His Word, and I just felt led to share them today. If you are feeling like the weight of the world has been placed on your dust-made shoulders today, I’m praying for you right now, & asking that The One Who knows your frame & Who has imprinted you on His heart will help you release those burdens to His All Powerful, All Knowing, All Present, and All Loving arms. He is more than capable to wear the Superhero Cape today in your life. So the question is, my friends, will you let Him?
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.
For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good – not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.”.
Matthew 11:28-30 (Amp)
“Roll your works upon The Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.”
Proverbs 16:3 (Amp)
“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].”
Philippians 4:13 (Amp)
Yes you are! And Yes you can! – As long as God is the One working in and through you today. :).
With love and prayers for you, your families and your lives~
Jennifer
My heart is full of gratitude today. I think that because its my birthday, I’m especially aware of the many undeserved blessings and gifts God has lavished upon me. Would you please indulge me for a moment? I just couldn’t let the day pass without giving Him the glory He deserves for all He has done.
In Psalm 103, today’s study verses were about His loving-kindness and mercy, forgiveness, and the immeasurable removal of our transgressions. These are incredible and unfathomable gifts that none of us deserve! But oh, how thankful we need to be for them. The removal of our transgressions… A fresh clean slate… What a continuous gift that makes me want to fall to my face in worship!
These days, I never celebrate a birthday that I don’t also celebrate life, the family God placed me in, my parents who loved us & the Lord, my Godly, loving husband and the children God has given us. But the thing that still moves me to tears is the extra years God gave me when He healed me. I still can’t get over this gift & how different a life our whole family lives!!! (For the entire story, look around my sidebar. Can’t figure out to link from the BB.)
So on this birthday, even though we are still living out of Rubbermaid tubs, in a borrowed
one bedroom apartment, on God’s “Obey Me for today & Trust Me for tomorrow, one day at a time” plan, instead of comparing our circumstances to those of others & feeling like we’ve come up short, I feel like the most blessed woman on this earth. God has carried us through some amazingly tough times, and through His hand, we’ve made it – or are on our way to making it – victoriously to the other side. I give Him all of the credit and glory for this life He designed for me.
I pray that as long as God gives me breath, I’ll breathe because of Him and in His strength. “Thank you, Lord, for the years behind, those to come, and all You desire for & in my life. I give it back to You, for Your pleasure and glory. A men.”
And a big “Thank You” to YOU, who in this time of transition, have been one of the parts of life that has gloriously stayed the same. With much love to you all…
