Category: Bible

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BOOK REVIEW: Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop by Brock Eastman

As a Pastor to Kids, I am often asked one question that has always been tough to answer: “Do you know of a good devotional book our family could go through?” I’ve recommended some in the past, but kind of cringed at the artwork or the blocky way the text was laid out inside the devotional book. Then I heard about Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop: 52 fizztastically fun experiments and devotions for families. Now I absolutely know which devotional book I will be recommending to families: this one!

Brock Eastman has put together 52 devotions that include a Scripture passage, devotional, discussion questions, prayer prompts, and a science experiment. Each science experiment connects with the Bible story in organic and fun ways, and kids will find it easy to see the truth of God’s Word through their experiments in God’s World! Every science experiment has detailed instructions, pictures, and material lists so you’ll know exactly how to lead your family each time. The supplies aren’t super hard to find outside of online shopping or the local grocery or dollar store. The entire book is laid out in Genesis to Revelation order, which helps kids keep the flow of the story as they go along.

The artwork throughout the book is also incredible! The entire book is full color and lays flat when open so that way you don’t have to try to keep a finger on the page while you conduct your science experiments and then talk about God’s Word and World together afterward. Kids will definitely love the fun art style, and the pages are easy to read too, so your kids could read out loud even while parents and guardians listen. The book is structured more for a family to do together, not so much for a child to do on their own.

There are also five bonus devotions built around holidays with some fun and festive experiments tagging along!

This book would also work great for Children’s Pastors wanting to add an object lesson to a particular Bible story they are teaching. The experiments are all extremely visual, and there are links in the book to videos of how to do each experiment in case you get a little stuck.

Overall, this is one of the absolute best devotional books I’ve seen I think ever. It is definitely on my Top Recommended List for families looking to add a devotional practice to their spiritual formation at home.

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BOOK REVIEW: Let Earth Receive Her King: An Advent Devotional by T. Scott Daniels

Let Earth Receive Her King by T. Scott Daniels

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have to admit: I’m always a little bit nervous when it comes to devotional books. I’ve read some that I absolutely love and some that I really didn’t care for, and then many, many devotionals that seem to fall in the “That was okay” category. Am I little picky when it comes to devotionals? Probably. I’m always looking to be inspired and encouraged, but also to be left processing in a thought-provoking way. When it came to the season of Advent this year, I picked up Let Earth Receive Her King by T. Scott Daniels, and honestly read it much faster than the day to day layout of the book prescribes. This was exactly the kind of devotional reading I really enjoy.

The book is divided into four sections, each one covering one week and providing a daily devotional from the first Sunday of Advent all the way through December 24th. The devotionals themselves provide a daily Scripture reading, a devotional, a blessing, and questions with space to record answers. The first devotional of each week also contains a hymn for the week, which I definitely found myself humming as I read.

The devotional content is superb. Each day’s reading is thought-provoking, and provides historical background, insight into specific language, as well as anecdotes from the author’s own life. I never felt as though the stories overtook the devotion or became too loose to connect to the leading thought of the day. The questions are also very engaging and provide some excellent self-reflection.

Perhaps the only downfall of this book is that it is specifically dated for the 2020 year, so unless you do some creative date-swapping in future years, it might be difficult to read according to each week as presented here. Otherwise this is certainly worth the devotional read. I found myself highlighting throughout the book as Daniels really made me think and contemplate the meaning of this season, which I always appreciate when it comes to devotionals.

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BOOK REVIEW: Joshua: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition by Stephen J. Lennox

Nbbc, Joshua: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition by Stephen J. Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Joshua: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition is the first Bible Commentary I have ever sat down and read from cover to cover. Dr. Stephen J. Lennox brings the book of Joshua to the 21st century and helps modern day readers ask tough questions (and I do mean tough questions) of the text, grapple with theological themes, and understand the background culture and composition of the book.

One of my favorite aspects of the New Beacon Bible Commentary series is the copious amount of sources included in the bibliography and throughout the text that leads readers to discover more scholarship on various specific topics brought up through the book of Joshua. An extensive bibliography is included here, and a must-go list for anyone studying the book in depth.

The book of Joshua is a complicated one, especially in light of the amount of seemingly God-sanctioned violence throughout the narrative. Dr. Lennox takes time up front to address many of these concerns in an entire section dedicated to the question of what to do with the violence in Joshua. Throughout, the author presents multiple theories from multiple angles in an effort to best present all the possibilities and allow readers to draw conclusions for themselves.

Each chapter is broken down, outlined, and presented in a three-part structure: Behind the Text, which showcases background information, framing, and other considerations before entering the text of the chapter; In the Text, which takes the reader verse by verse, addressing key issues along the way; and From the Text, which gives concluding thoughts, application, and tie-ins to the rest of Scripture. Along the side of every page are little “guide verses” that show what passage that page covers, which makes it easy to go back and flip through and find the section needed.

If you are looking for deeper study on the book of Joshua, Dr. Lennox’s commentary is a must-have.

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BOOK REVIEW: Frolic Bible Babies by Lucy Bell

Frolic Bible Babies by Lucy Bell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is so much to love about Frolic Bible Babies! From the cover art to every page, this board book draws in the reader immediately with bright colors, well-drawn faces, and engaging backgrounds.

This little book covers the lives of four babies found in Scripture: Isaac, Moses, Samuel, and Jesus. Each story is told simply and in a way that tells about how special each one of these babies is to God, and how every baby and toddler hearing these stories, seeing these pictures, and interacting with this book will discover that they are special to God as well.

Some of the art is taken from the Frolic First Faith Storybook Bible. While the stories may be repeated here as well, the emphasis in this board book is on these specific babies. A little extra time is taken on Jesus to show that Jesus is God and loves everyone.

One other important facet to this particular board book, and why I highly recommend it, is that the Biblical figures are drawn here with attention to how they might have actually appeared in history, and not as European, blond-haired and blue-eyed individuals. This accurate representation of these characters not only grounds them further in history, but also helps kids from around the world to know that they can see babies like themselves in the stories of Scripture.

This is a great board book addition to any home or church nursery! I especially recommend this one and any of the other Frolic books. You can find them at any online retailer!

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BOOK REVIEW: THE ARK PLAN, Book #1 in Laura Martin’s EDGE OF EXTINCTION Series

It’s actually rather difficult to find a good middle grade adventure book featuring dinosaurs. So when I stumbled onto Laura Martin’s Edge of Extinction series, I was excited to dive in. Discovering it was also a dystopian novel for middle graders ratcheted up the suspense and tension even further.

Sky Mundy has lived her entire life underground, inside a place known clinically as North Compound. Living underground is the only safe place in the world since dinosaurs took back the planet nearly a 150 years ago. But when Sky receives a mysterious message from her missing father, she sets out for Topside — the place where dinosaurs rule and humans run for their lives. Can she find her father? Will she be able to survive long enough? Or will she end up like so many before her: chased down and eaten by dinosaurs?

While at times a bit derivative of Suzanne Collins’ Mockingjay, book one in this dinosaur series,The Ark Plan, meanders for the first hundred pages or so before things really start cranking along. Pretty much until Sky gets topside, the book crawls a bit setting up the world and the characters a hair too slowly. But once it gets going, it really gets going and doesn’t let up until the very end of the book.

Speaking of the end of the book, this is not a spoiler, but the story definitely doesn’t “conclude” at the end of this first installment. Some plot details are wrapped up, and there are a few mild surprises along the way, but the most burning questions are not answered. Be prepared to dive into book 2 once you’re done.

One of the most fascinating parts of this book was its discussion of the Biblical story of Noah and the Ark. At times, characters talk about dinosaurs having lived 65 million years ago in the past, but they also acknowledge the existence of the Bible and the story of Noah as possibly being true as well. At first, the story of Noah is used by the villains as a way to control the population, but then it is revealed that people living in the compound never learned the full story of Noah. It sparked an interesting discussion about dinosaurs, the flood, Noah, and exactly how all of that worked out.

This is a wild dinosaur ride that will keep you flipping pages to the end once you’re past that somewhat slow beginning. If you like Jurassic anything, you’re bound to enjoy The Ark Plan.