The Bible for Kids Podcast

This week Amy and Mike talk with author Jeff Atwood about his series of Need to Know books including his latest title which is perfect for this season, Need to Know for Graduates: Little Things That Make a Big Difference! Grads will appreciate this collection of practical and highly relevant wisdom and wit that will help them manage their expectations, experience grace, and laugh at themselves when things don’t go as planned.   Author Jeff Atwood shares the real-life, hard-won lessons he’s learned through the years, the kind of guidance he wishes someone would have given him as he entered the adult world.     Those seeking direction for their next phase of life will appreciate these helpful insights, including:  Do what brings you joy. Not what brings your parents joy or pays well or looks impressive. Find the thing that brings you joy, and everything else will likely take care of itself. You are not the sum of “likes” or “friends” or any other social media affirmation. Don’t let people you don’t know define or shape your value. You were made to do great things that only you can do. We need you to do them. Need to Know for Graduates is an ideal gift for grads and provides personal inspiration for everyday living.   Jeff is an author, speaker, nonprofit leader, and marketing consultant. He has more than two decades of experience in brand development, specializing in helping organizations and communities tell their stories. Jeff has spoken to healthcare and other community groups, sharing experiences, and celebrating the work of healthcare providers, drawn from his unique perspective as both a healthcare leader and as the parent of medically and intellectually challenged child.

This week hosts Amy Parker and Mike Nawrocki talk with illustrator Don Clark about his amazing scope of work including The Biggest Storybible Storybook. Don Clark is an artist and cofounder of Invisible Creature, a widely respected and award-winning design studio based in Seattle, Washington. He has worked with clients such as Target, Pixar, NASA, The New York Times, LEGO, and Apple. Don and his wife, Erika, have three children and live on a small farm just outside Seattle.   Book info:   The Bible is a BIG book about the BIGGEST story. Each page tells about the God who created the world, acted in history, and continues to act in the present. In The Biggest Story Bible Storybook, pastor Kevin DeYoung shares this grand story with children ages 6–12 through 104 short chapters. Beginning in Genesis and ending with Revelation, DeYoung provides engaging retellings of various Bible stories, explaining how they fit into the overarching storyline. Each reading is coupled with beautiful illustrations by award-winning artist Don Clark and concludes with a reflective prayer. Perfect for bedtime stories or to read together as a family, both children and parents alike will experience afresh the captivating story of the Bible in an easy-to-understand, compelling way.   

This week co-hosts Amy Parker and Mike Nawrocki talk with co-authors Steph Thurling and Sarah Holmstrom about their book Raising Prayerful Kids. More than a book, Raising Prayerful Kids is a tool parents can use to make prayer fit naturally into their daily routines without it feeling like a chore or a lecture. Relatable stories of the authors’ successes and failures along with fun activities and games help parents turn everyday moments into faith-filled moments that are naturally filled with prayer. Praying with your kids can be connecting, fun, nonintimidating, and even life changing. Steph Thurling is co-founder of Raising Prayerful Kids, a ministry that equips parents to pray with their kids in meaningful ways. She has her master’s degree in youth, family, and culture from Fuller Theological Seminary and worked in youth ministry for several years before deciding to stay home with her kids. Sarah Holmstrom is cofounder of Raising Prayerful Kids, a ministry that equips parents to pray with their kids in meaningful ways. She has her master’s degree in education from Azusa Pacific University and has taught elementary school and worked in kids’ ministry for most of her adult life. She currently works part time as the elementary creative director at her church.

This week Amy and Mike talk with author Chris Sasser about his new book Bags: Helping Kids Lighten the Load. Parents want their kids to grow up and live emotionally, relationally, and spiritually healthy lives. More and more kids today are struggling to live this dream. As they go through life, they encounter people and situations that lead them to pack and carry some enormous emotional baggage that holds them back from living in the grace and freedom that Christ provides. Parents are in a unique position to help their kids "lighten the load" along the way. BAGS helps parents become aware of the specific bags kids tend to pack as they grow up, how these bags tend to get packed, and the long-lasting negative impacts they can have. BAGS also offers practical strategies parents can employ to leverage their influence and prevent some of these bags from getting packed in the first place. The hope is that we can lead our kids into a more stable and healthy future.  Chris Sasser is the Pastor of Family Ministries at Port City Community Church in Wilmington, NC. He has served in full-time ministry since 1993, working with children’s, middle school, high school, college, and parent ministries. He has a passion for equipping and encouraging parents and leaders to help the next generation walk with God. Chris shares thoughts and ideas at www.equipandencourage.com and loves to share with students, leaders, and parents. Chris is married to Karin and they have two children, CJ and Kylie. Chris is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and has done some graduate work at Fuller Theological Seminary and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary

This week Amy and Mike talk with New York Times best-selling author Joshua Cooley about his book Heroes of the Bible Devotional. Ask any 12-year-old kid to describe a hero, and you will get some of the following answers: a superstar athlete, a soldier on the front lines, or a guy in a cape who can jump over buildings. Most of our “heroes” are related to human achievement and glory, but the Bible has a very different concept. The list of people who were great in God’s eyes might shock you. This devotional book is about their stories. The 90 devotions feature the qualities of Bible characters that made them heroic. From Moses to Esther to Jesus, kids will learn more about how these Bible people pleased God. They will know that qualities like courage, worshiping God, and being a true friend are heroic actions. The devotional features line drawings of the Bible characters to further help youth identify with and learn about the people in the Bible. Joshua Cooley is a New York Times bestselling author, a freelance writer/editor, and has 14 years of experience as a fulltime children’s minister. He has authored or contributed to 14 books, including many devotionals for children and youth such as the Heroes of the Bible Devotional; Creator, Father, King: A One Year Journey With God; and The One Year Devotions With Jesus. In 2018, he teamed with Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles to co-author the star quarterback’s bestselling memoir, Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure, and Overcoming the Odds. Josh lives in Durham, N.C. You can visit his website at http://www.joshuacooleyauthor.com.  

This week Amy and Mike talk with author and podcast host Arlene Pellicane about kids and technology and her book with Gary Chapman, Screen Kids. Has Technology Taken Over Your Home? In this digital age, children spend more time interacting with screens and less time playing outside, reading a book, or interacting with family. Though technology has its benefits, it also has its harms. In Screen Kids Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane will empower you with the tools you need to make positive changes. Through stories, science, and wisdom, you’ll discover how to take back your home from an overdependence on screens. Plus, you’ll learn to teach the five A+ skills that every child needs to master: affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention. Learn how to: Protect and nurture your child’s growing brain Establish simple boundaries that make a huge difference Recognize the warning signs of gaming too much Raise a child who won’t gauge success through social media Teach your child to be safe online This newly revised edition features the latest research and interactive assessments, so you can best confront the issues technology create in your home. Now is the time to equip your child with a healthy relationship with screens and an even healthier relationship with others. Pellicane is the author of nine books (including Parents Rising, 31 Days to a Happy Husband, and Screen Kids co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman), speaker, and host of the Happy Home podcast.

Amy and Mike talk with author Hunter Beless this week about her new book Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It! In Hunter Beless’s delightfully whimsical picture book, Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It!, multiple diverse families grow in their knowledge of and love for the Bible in four simple ways:                      Reading, or hearing God’s Word read aloud Seeing, or memorizing Scripture Saying, or talking about the Bible together Singing, or worshiping God and proclaiming the Gospel As the characters read, see, say, and sing the Bible, they learn that God uses His Word to speak to us, mature us, help us fight sin, and expand His kingdom. Young readers will understand that as we study, memorize, repeat, and declare Scripture, Jesus is glorified, and our lives are changed forever! A celebration of the living and active Word of God, Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It! elevates Scripture to the place it belongs in our lives—as the highest and most trustworthy authority. Children will see that by knowing and  loving God’s Word, we can draw closer to Jesus, the hero of the Bible! HUNTER BELESS is passionate about helping women know and love God more, especially through His Word. She is the founder of Journeywomen, hosts the Journeywomen podcast, and loves doing ministry in her local church context. Hunter and her husband, Brooks, have three amazing kiddos who memorize Scripture way faster than their mama! When they’re not reading, seeing, saying, or singing the Bible, you can find the Beless family camping, riding bikes, or snuggling up with a good book.

This week Amy and Mike catch up with author Mitali Perkins about her book Bare Tree and Little Wind: A Story for Holy Week. A lyrical, captivating retelling of the Palm Sunday and Easter story from National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins, author of Rickshaw Girl, that is sure to become a beloved tradition for families of faith. Little Wind and the trees of Jerusalem can't wait for Real King to visit. But Little Wind is puzzled when the king doesn't look how he expected. His wise friend Bare Tree helps him learn that sometimes strength is found in sacrifice, and new life can spring up even when all hope seems lost.   This story stands apart for its imagination, endearing characters, and how it weaves Old Testament imagery into Holy Week and the promise of Jesus's triumphant return. While the youngest readers will connect to the curious Little Wind, older children and parents will appreciate the layers of meaning and Scriptural references in the story, making it a book families can enjoy together year after year. Mitali Perkins writes novels for young people, including You Bring the Distant Near (nominated for the National Book Award) Rickshaw Girl (NYPL best 100 Book for children in the past 100 years; film in 2021), Bamboo People (ALA Top 10 YA novel), and Tiger Boy (South Asia Book Award winner.) Her newest are Home Is In Between, a picture book published by Macmillan FSG, and a nonfiction book for adults, Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children's Novels to Refresh our Tired Souls, published by Broadleaf. She currently writes and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Amy and Mike this week talk with author Amy Kavelaris about her new book, Good Morning, Little One: New Mercies and Prayers to Carry You Through the Day. Amy Kavs (Kavelaris) Art can be spotted in Target, Anthropologie, Better Homes & Gardens, etc. & hanging in homes/sold on products around the globe. She has been captivated by the study of light and the way little ones interact with nature since she was old enough to hold a pencil. This fascination with every day beauty, is apparent in her breadth of paintings, blooming in a dreamlike-whimsy. Reassure kids that God is carrying them throughout the day with these morning affirmations and whimsical illustrations from beloved author Amy Kavelaris. Adorable animals with gorgeous floral art and words of hope remind little ones of God's love, security, and peace for the day ahead. Through a child’s eyes, the world can be beautiful, wonder-filled, and a bit fear-filled all at the same time. Remind your little one that God is always near with this unique book of blessings. A beautiful companion to Amy Kavelaris’s popular Good Night, My Darling Dear, this inspirational picture book reassures children ages 4 to 8 that God carries them through good days, hard days, and anxious days shares biblical promises of God's love, purpose, and protection features the whimsical imagery of nature and animals that has made Kavelaris’s art beloved encourages kids to discover God each day and joyfully live out who He created them to be gives children confidence to be brave in scary and unexpected situations This unique book of blessings and prayers will remind your little one of God’s loving promises revealed in nature: that He protects us from the rain, He covers us with His wings, He shines His light into the darkness, and most of all, He’ll always be with us. Good Morning, Little One by artist Amy Kavelaris includes a stunning cover with a jacket over hardcover makes a touching keepsake gift book for a child's Easter basket, baby showers, and other new beginnings such as adoption, a new sibling, or the first day of school is an enchanting piece of art for a botanical nursery or child's bedroom is ideal for any parent, grandparent, or family who wants to establish a tradition of blessing their child in the morning There's no better way to start the day than praying over your children with this sweet, Scripture-based book about trusting God to carry each of you in His gentle arms.

This week Amy and Mike talk with author Linsey Driskill about her new book Beautiful Hearted Women of the Bible: A Creative Mother-Daughter Devotional. Enjoy Valuable Time with Your Daughter and the Lord by Connecting through Stories, Questions, Prayer, Action, and Creativity. Beautiful Hearted Women of the Bible is a creative and interactive 40-week devotional that provides a sweet space for moms and daughters ages 6–10 years old to grow in their relationship with God and each other. Each devotion features a woman of the Bible who loved the Lord and loved others. Learning about the fortitude and inner beauty of these women will inspire both moms and daughters to develop beautiful hearts of strength, courage, and love and will ultimately point them to Jesus. Beautiful Hearted Women of the Bible reaches beyond the mind to the heart, connecting moms and daughters and raising up difference-makers for Jesus. Linsey Driskill has been married almost fifteen years, has ten-year-old triplets, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, and is an author and speaker. She loves encouraging families in following Jesus and His words: to love God and love others. Linsey is from Atlanta, Georgia and now lives in South Carolina. She has led educational awareness trips in Guatemala, taught elementary and middle school students at an inner-city Atlanta school, and directed Villages of Hope, a nonprofit supporting former foster children and homeless youth. Linsey loves spontaneity, authenticity, simplicity and a good cup of coffee! Linsey is author of "Beautiful Hearted Women of the Bible: A Creative Mother-Daughter Devotional", published by Focus on the Family.