What about Heaven? Softcover
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9
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Sweet, Helpful Read for little ones!
This is such a sweet book of questions and answers about Heaven!! The illustrations are really cute, it is the same illustrator for the Care Bears. It is unfortunate for my family that we lost my father the year before we had Alex. So she never has met him. Already Alex talks about Papa David being in Heaven and watching over her. This books helps explain and understand what Heaven is and what it means!! I definitely recommend this book to those who have kiddos that talk about or might have a loved one in Heaven. I look forward to more in the Little Blessing series.
November 20, 2012
Jesus has prepared a place... Heaven
Heaven? What is this place? What and who will be there? This delightful picture book written for children to read or have read to them begins with many of the questions that children of all ages ask when considering heaven. The adorable illustrations of colorful and whimsical children enhance the text so that the reader must read on.
When the questions are all asked, the author directs the reader to the scriptures to learn what God has revealed as well as the references that support those truths. It reminds us of no need for sun, our bodies will be perfect and new, no more pain or sickness, all will be whole and complete, angels, things of unbelievable beautiful, but best of all will be God Himself. What a thought â âÂÂ..God will be there, everywhere that you areâ¦âÂÂ
Read, enjoy and marvel at the thought that Jesus âÂÂhas prepared a place..â and that place is Heaven. (reviewed by J.LaTour)
DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of What About Heaven? was provided by Tyndale Blog Network on behalf of the publisher and the author to facilitate rendering an honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. A positive review was not required.
November 6, 2012
Book Review: What about heaven
One of my dilemmas as a pastor and father occurs when people what to talk about heaven (or as a father what I want my children to know). I am firmly convinced that there has been far too much emphasis placed on âÂÂgoing to heaven when you dieâ in the modern Evangelical Christian culture. Because of many different factors, there have been far too many ways in which Christianity has been reduced to some fairly simple steps:
1.) Prayer this certain type of prayer
2.) ItâÂÂs done! Know that you go to heaven when you die.
These process greatly reduces what Jesus came to do and teach and really does a great disservice to the Christian faith. IâÂÂve taught the the issues of heaven and hell before and really want people to get a fuller picture of what the Bible talks about. So here is what I try to highlight:
1.) There is an afterlife spoken of in the Bible. In many instances we arenâÂÂt sure what happens, just that something happens after we die.
2.) There is most certainly a better option. There appears to be two choices after you die and one is innumerably better than the other.
3.) The choices that we make here and now matter. They, even in small and seemingly insignificant ways, affect our perception of and participation in that other life.
4.) That sort of life Jesus talks about (âÂÂafterlifeâ for lack of a better word) is available here and now to those that choose to participate (or rebel).
I say all of this because I have recently read and want to review Kathleen BostromâÂÂs books What About Heaven. ItâÂÂs a childrenâÂÂs book designed to look at questions kids have about heaven and attempt to do so in a memorable rhyming manner. Needless to say, I was extraordinarily worried about reading this book. The chance of failure or bad theology is much higher than the chance of reading a good book with sound theology.
When it arrived in the mail I waited to read it until my daughterâÂÂs bedtime so that we could read it together for the first time. I wanted to experience it like I had just decided to buy it at the store.
And I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised. Do I think it covers everything perfectly? No. But it does a far better job handling some of those issues and presenting the information than other books that I have had suggested to me. IâÂÂve had some people suggest certain books that I have, after reading them, thrown in the trash. They were absolute garbage. The theology was cheap and by almost all accounts just simply wrong.
But this book surprised me. The rhyming was fun and didnâÂÂt seem forced. It began to answer some questions that children may have (even my own when they get a bit older) but didnâÂÂt try to force anything on them. While it didnâÂÂt go as far as I would have liked by stressing things like the choices we make here and now matter and help us participate in GodâÂÂs kingdom, I also realize that that would have been a hard thing to do in a childrenâÂÂs book.
In short, I think itâÂÂs worth a read (it will take about 5 minutes) and may even be something that you look at putting in your church nursery or library. While it wonâÂÂt do much to teach kids to be nice and to join God in his revolution, it will help answer some questions they might have and will provide a base for you as their parent or pastor to begin to teach more fully some of the ideas that have been presented in the book.
Disclaimer: I reviewed a free copy of this book through the Tyndale Blog Network program offered by Tyndale Press. I was in no way compensated for this review and all views are solely and completely my own. I was not required to offer a positive review either through the publisher or author.
October 24, 2012
Sweet answers to sweet questions
Children are beautifully inquisitive and they do ask questions about what happens when death occurs. As parents and adults who desire to give a Biblical response to these inquiring inquisitive youngsters, it is good to have the right answers. And sometimes we need tools to help us do just that.
What About Heaven? is written attractively for the very young child and will capture their attention right away with the rhyming text full of the questions for which these youngsters want answers. Illustrated in sweet, whimsical style that parents as well as children love, their attention is kept visually as well as verbally.
Now just how effective will this little gem of a book be to us as we minister to our young charges? I think the sweetness of the book will generate a gentle response of heart and mind to the topic of Heaven. As the questions have been posed in the early part of the book, the response or answer is given in rhyme in the last portion. Answers are Biblically based (references to Scripture are at the top of the "answer" pages) though written in age-appropriate rhyme.
All in all I think this is a treasure to be used since the Biblical truths are expressed clearly with the specific Bible references for parental and child future study. I recommend homes with little ones acquire it for a "go to" book for those special question and answer moments.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy from Tyndale Blog Network on behalf of the publisher and author in order to review and render my honest review. Opinions expressed are solely mine.
October 23, 2012