A Book Review from Books At a Glance
by Kristin Stiles
Everyone knows that little kids are sponges. They pick up so much in those first 5 years of life. How about they pick up 26 verses that they can memorize? These are verses that will be with them all their lives. The Holy Spirit may use them as a means of grace in their salvation, as encouragement when they are facing difficulties, and as solid truths that they can depend on.
My kids learned 26 verses based on the alphabet when they were little, but the selection was a bit limited as the compiler of those verses required that each verse began with a word starting with the target letter. Jonathan Gibson holds a PhD and is an Associate Professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary. He had a more important agenda in mind when picking verses. He selected ones that while containing a key word beginning with the target letter also instruct little ones on the nature of God, the plan of salvation, and how to take comfort in the promises of God. I was very impressed with the choices that he made.
Each verse is paired with a one-sentence restatement or clarification of the verse along with an illustration that includes the letter and other colorful images that relate to the verse. Both of these will help children as they begin to memorize the verses with repeated exposure.
I think this is a marvelous book and a wonderful way to teach your children over two dozen verses that they will quickly memorize as you consistently read this book with them. They will be able to say with the Psalmist (as they hear you read on the introductory page), “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).
Kristin Stiles is a home-school mom, a Sunday School teacher, and helps lead the “Young, Reading, & Reformed” children’s ministry at Reformed Baptist Church of Franconia, PA.