My Tender Heart Devotions
Spending time reading stories with children is my favorite. I love hearing their reactions to the words and pictures, seeing how they connect the words with their lives, and listening to their questions and wonderings. We go through so, SO many storybooks in our home and, despite having floor to ceiling bookshelves in each room, we need to be judicious in what we decide to purchase and keep. It has to be special in order to make the cut. When Paraclete Press sent me a copy of My Tender Heart Devotions, my three year old and I gave it a test drive on our favorite couch and found ourselves a winner.
My Tender Heart Devotions contains 52 devotions written just for the youngest ones in our lives. Each 2 page spread has a piece of Scripture, a short rhyme based upon the theme of the Scripture, a one-paragraph devotion written to help parents and children explore the theme together, and closes with a heart moment that encourages the children to apply the theme to their everyday lives in developmentally appropriate ways. The illustrations complement the text and there is plenty of blank space on each page so that the reading is not overwhelming. There is a good mix of Old and New Testament passages and the illustrations are inclusive of so many in God’s creation. The readings and devotions are accessible, allowing parents with varying levels of comfort in discussing their faith an easy on-ramp to these types of conversations. The devotion for Psalm 51 will work in some faith traditions, but not all, so you may want to preview it before reading it with a young one.
This little volume has a bunch of uses in your ministry. It would make a wonderful gift for families that include toddlers and preschoolers. You can have it as part of the rotation of books for your pew baskets, as well as having a copy to lend out to families. Wouldn’t it be neat to pair it with a special stuffy and send it home with one family a week, having them take photos of the stuffy living life alongside the family and joining them for devotions? For those that are looking for a resource for their bedtime stories and prayers ministry, this little devotional would add more opportunities for faith formation in that time. Additionally, you could bring this devotional into your planning sessions and design several Sunday School sessions for children or children and their families around the passages. Keep an eye out for this little book- you won’t be disappointed!
