Today I have a real treat for you, a book review and guest post all in one post! Pelumi contacted me and was interested in being a guest on the blog for my reignite intimacy series (her post will be coming in a few weeks) and also asked me to review her children’s book. You know I can’t turn down a good book, so we are collaborating today for this post.
God’s Word In My Mouth
Scriptual Confessions For 50 Different Situations
by Oluwapelumi Boluwaji
About the book:
There’s always a word in the bible for any situation. God’s word in my mouth is a book for toddlers and preschoolers, containing different scriptural confessions and Bible w verses for different situations that a child can go through.
This book will help you to teach your child, from a young age, how to confess God’s word in any situation that they find themselves. It will help your child to learn to declare God’s word always, rather than the situation, because God’s word is the truth.
I’m always so, so excited to read new books. While I was teaching Sunday School class the little ones would get so excited when I would pull a new book out of my bag! And I’m certain they would have loved this book!
Each page gives a situation the child may find themselves in such as when I’m on my way to school or when I don’t feel happy. The bottom of the page gives a child friendly description of what that verse means. It is a great way to have children relate to verses and explain it to them in a way they would understand.
The illustrations are beautiful as well. Very eye catching, colorful and relatable to kids. Children will love looking at the pictures and pointing out something new in each one.
This book is definitely one I would recommend. It would be a great asset in teaching little ones to lean on the Lord in every situation! And would be a fabulous addition to any classroom.
The Importance of Children’s Devotions
When we hear the word devotion, the first thing that comes to mind is a time, whether in the day or in the night, that the family sets aside to read the word of God and pray. As much as this is true, it is also very important to note that devotion transcends a particular time and space. Devotion is a lifestyle. Devotion basically means dedication or commitment. Children devotion, therefore, is about teaching your children to be dedicated and committed to the Lord, by everything that you do.
It’s important to note that children have to be taught. The same way that our children are taught to read and write, potty trained and taught to do house chores, they also have to be taught to be devoted to God. They have to be taught in the things of the Lord. It does not just happen by chance. If they are not taught to be devoted and committed to the Lord, they will be taught something else, somewhere else. As a parent therefore, it’s important that you take the teaching and training of your children, in the way of the Lord, to be of utmost importance. This responsibility is not for the local church, it’s a parental responsibility. What the church does is to reinforce what is being taught at home. Their is nothing as sweet as having one’s children know the Lord. Our children are our first disciples, automatic disciples, and they need to be taught by us.
Some important things to note
- Be intentional
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 NKJV
This scripture emphasizes the intentionality of teaching your children about God. It says to talk of the scriptures when you sit, when you walk and when you lie down. This means every single moment, you should be talking about God’s word. You have got to be intentional. Have a plan, in line with what God has told you about your children, and in line with your family mission and vision. Curriculum is not just for school education. Have a curriculum for your children’s spiritual training. Have a routine. Have a set time, both formal and informal.
- Take heed to yourself
Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ Deuteronomy 4: 9-10 NKJV
Notice that in this scripture, before teaching your children about your dealings with God, the first is to take heed to yourself and to diligently keep yourself.
Teaching your kids in the instruction of the Lord and unto godliness is not something mechanical. It starts from your own lifestyle. If you are not devoted and committed to the Lord, there’s no way you can teach another person to be so. That’s why, you cannot joke with your own relationship with God. If you don’t have a relationship with God and you want to teach your kids to do so, it can’t work. You cannot take your children to where you have not been. When you tell them, don’t say this, are you saying it yourself? When you tell them, don’t do this, are you doing it yourself? Our devotion to the Lord is a lifestyle and it can be perceived by our children. If you want your kids to prioritize God’s word, then you also need to prioritize God’s word too. It will be seen by them and evident to them.
- It’s not too early to start
As soon as a child is born, he starts learning. That’s the time to start training and teaching. It’s never too early. Every seed of God’s word deposited in their heart yields massive fruits. Don’t wait till that child is two, don’t even wait till the child is one. Start from day one. Start now. Lessons are already being learnt and mindsets are already being formed. A toddler can understand God’s word.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, He has ordained praise. That’s how God ordained it.
God has put in every man a quest for Him. He has set eternity in the heart of man. That quest was there, the moment your child was born. You need to start to provide the answers by showing the direction to God right from the beginning. Even when he cannot read, he can hear. Something is getting deposited in her heart, I tell you.
What are the things to teach your children
It’s important to teach your children God’s instructions. The Lord’s instruction are found in his word. No one can have a relationship with God outside His word. God’s word is our life as believers. Secrets to success is found in the word. Help your kids to understand and to know God’s word. Teach them about the person of God, teach them about the fruits of the spirit, promises of God, God’s salvation plan for man, purpose, gifts of the spirit, the power of God, our realities in Christ. There’s a lot to teach and train our children when it comes to having a relationship with God. However, there’s need to partner with the Spirit of God as to what to teach a child at each season of his or her life. This partnership with the Holy ghost is very important as He knows the purpose of each child and what they need to be taught in line with that purpose. For instance, the way you will raise a minstrel will be different from the way you will raise a pastor.
In conclusion,
And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]? Did not One make you and preserve your spirit alive? And why [did God make you two] one? Because He sought a godly offspring [from your union]. Therefore take heed to yourselves, and let no one deal treacherously and be faithless to the wife of his youth.
Malachi 2:15 AMP
The whole essence of oneness in marriage is so that we might raise godly offsprings. You see how passionate the Lord is about having godly offsprings from the unity of husband and wife? That should be our passion as well. Parenting is partnership with the Lord to raise godly offsprings. He cannot do this on earth by himself, and so he instituted marriage so that the husband and wife can be one and can help in raising godly offsprings, that will establish His kingdom on the earth. Not raising godly offsprings is not doing the will of the Father. It’s very Paramount in the heart of God. It has to be taken personal, and because it’s a partnership with God, know for sure that Grace is available.
My name is Oluwapelumi. I am married to a sweet husband called Seyi and we are blessed with two children (3 years and 18 months). I am very passionate about children spiritual growth and I am always looking for or creating resources and activities that will help me instill Christ in my home and in the hearts of my kids and other kids. l also have a mentoring ministry for teenage girls and young ladies and a blog, where I write for them. Along side this, I have another blog, aimed at helping wives and moms to be a blessing to their husbands and children respectively. My hobbies are writing, reading, thinking, playing, dancing and lots more. I enjoy loving Christ, helping my husband and taking care of my daughter and son.
One of the things I do is to create resources for children spiritual growth and devotion to God.
I have some free resources for children on my blog here. I also have a free book here, on teaching your daughter (and son) about their realities in Christ.
I have a book of scriptural confessions for kids that you can check out and pay for here if you are interested. I also have two amazing resources on my Etsy shop here.
.