When Jesus wanted to teach us about God, His love, and His purpose, He used stories!  When He wanted to teach us about how to treat others and how to forgive, He used stories. When He wanted to show us how to live and love well, He used stories.

If you’re someone who can disappear into a book, then you know the impact of “story”. Even if you’re someone who loves to watch movies or a good series on TV, you realize and appreciate the impact of a good story.     We like to tune out the fears and worries of the world and tune into a story that takes us to another place and time, often a happier place and time.

With realizing how impactful stories can be, whether through books or movies, it is important for us to choose carefully what our children read, hear, and process.  We don’t have complete control over what our kids hear at school or preschool, on the bus, at sporting events, and various public places.    They will see and hear things that they don’t understand or things that confuse them.   Conversations will be needed at home- when we are lucky enough for them to bring these topics to our attention.

Young children are being presented with choices at very young ages today; choices that they may not yet be ready to make.  Reading them stories from the Bible, stories of people who struggled and persevered, stories of people who walked in great faith, and stories of folks who helped others, can have influence.   Maybe your own story, Mom or Dad, Gigi or Papa, can have a beautiful influence on the little ones in your life.   Share it 😊.

This influence can come in the form of encouragement, healing, or inspiration. Notice, watch and listen, to what our little ones are saying and what they may be worried about.  Notice what brings anxiety or fear into their lives.   Then, seek out stories with characters that they can connect with.  Help them turn their own stories into ones of healing and hope by providing examples of grace or triumph. Meaningful conversations with our littles can grow from this quiet, personal time we share over a book.

The Little Engine That Could, is so much more than a story of an engine climbing up a hill.  Why do we like it so much?- It’s a story about kindness and endurance. Maybe it’s our story too.  It’s the story we each live as we struggle through “whatever”! Let’s help our little ones write their own stories, girded in faith and confidence in whatever comes their way.  As we BOOK TIME WITH OUR KIDS, let’s choose stories that reinforce that they are loved, that they were created, and that they have purpose. Let’s help them write their own beautiful stories. Since Jesus used stories to teach, surely we can’t go wrong following His lead.

Ephesians 6: 10-17, The Armor of God

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