David Veerman

A humorous and elementary way of reviewing Biblical facts.Thought provoking and illustrative cartoons on alternating pages. Informative answers, key and related verses, and and additional related questions. Very useful for parents and teachers of young and curious children. Very useful for keeping young and old informed about the Bible.

What a fun, fun idea for a devotional guide for kids! 365 Trivia Twist Devotions is divided into daily essays that touch on something special for that particular day — scientific discoveries, inventions, historic dates, fun and funky holidays, and people and places that will spark your kids’ interest to go a bit deeper. But even more, the book ties the topics to God’s word with thoughtful commentary for everyday use. A scripture verse is included (great for memorization) along with an show more additional fact to think about. 365 Trivia Twist Devotions is geared towards elementary aged kids, boys and girls. Boys are sometimes hard to engage, and this one is perfect for them. Here are a few topics for the month of May: John Wayne, Walt Disney, the US Penny, Pack Rat Day, Stargazing. Although this book is designed for daily use throughout the year, its use in summer activities will keep your kids learning and exploring — an added bonus for those days when you hear mom, I’m bored. I predict this book will become one this summer’s favorite activities.

Recommended.

Audience: elementary-aged children.

(Thanks to B&H Publishing for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

365 Trivia Twist Devotions: Fun Facts and Spiritual Truths for Every Day of the Year from B&H Publishing Group is a year-long devotional filled with simple and practical perspective on a plethora of topics. Each devotional topic is somehow related to an event that happened on a particular day. Bible verses, additional trivia tidbits, and related illustrations supplement the devotional text.

Our family has been using 365 Trivia Twist Devotions every few days over the past few weeks. My two show more year old is uninterested. My six year old is interested and likes hearing the devotionals read, but sometimes the content matter is above her comprehension level and she's wiggly by the end. My husband and I enjoy reading the trivia and usually have a brief discussion of the devotional's content.

Thus far, I like 365 Trivia Twist Devotions. I haven't had the opportunity to read every page, but what I have read has been interesting and various topics are presented. Who knew June 18th is International Picnic Day? Or that June is World Juggling Month? Trivia topics cover politics, historical events, inventions, sports, food, etc. The devotional entries address priorities, relationships, personal responsibility, sin, forgiveness, and more.

Occasionally, I didn't personally agree with the author's perspective on a topic. However, the devotional still provided a good start for conversation about why we do (or don't do) certain things and why we do (or don't) subscribe to a particular idea. Example: My six year old likes looking at the illustrations that accompany some of the trivia. She was quick to notice that the page for February 3rd, shows a man with a pipe. Since we have taught her the dangers of smoking, she questioned why this man was smoking. It was a good way to start off a conversation about smoking – Why do people do smoke? What effects does it have on your body? How do we treat people who engage in this activity? (Side Note: The devotional does not advocate smoking. It is only an illustration of Normal Rockewll smoking a pipe as he paints.)

In conclusion, I like 365 Trivia Twist Devotions and will continue using it. Once I finish it, I plan to keep it and reuse it when the kids are older. If you plan to use it with your kids, I'd recommend it for ages eight and older. This book can be used by a single reader. It does not have to be done in a family setting.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." show less

"Prayer is a privilege." Dave Veerman, Pocket Prayers
I love the reminder from the introduction of this handy little book. It is a privilege to come to the Lord in prayer, though I admit that sometimes I forget that. Sometimes I roll out of bed without a thought to the fact that I woke up at all.
365 Pocket Morning Prayers is a wonderful collection of prayers and scripture, one for each day of the year--even though they are not marked by date, just day. I like this because it means you can show more start at any time of the year and read through, no feeling like you've "missed" something. I also enjoy the diversity in topics of the prayers and the fact that there is a topical index at the end.
The book itself is of great quality and has a soft, leather-like cover that bends smoothly to read any portion of the book with ease. The writing style is personal and yet instructing. One thing I would have like to see done differently would be to put the verse at the top. This is really only for the sake that some of the prayers reference the verse but the verse comes at the end of the prayer. It just didn't make sense to me but it's not hard to remember to read the verse first and then the prayer.
I would recommend this little prayer book for those who are looking for a way to encourage a habit of prayer in their daily routines (um, I suppose we all could use that). It would also make a great gift! The prayers are short as are the passages of scripture, but it can be a great jumping-off point for the rest of your devotional time.
Originally published on my blog: http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2016/09/365-pocket-morning-prayers-review.html
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I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own. show less