Telling God's Story - do you use it? How? If not, what?

[mamamindy]

I have this, and I like it. As in, I like the content and the coloring pages that come with the activity guide. But I don't really have the time now for the projects that are to be the meat for the rest of the week. I'd really like a daily passage to read and maybe some "lesson" or devotional. But I'm picky and don't like added doctrine, etc. Has anyone adapted Telling God's Story? We also read the Jesus Storybook Bible. And we love it! But we've read it over and over and over. And I'm wanting something else. Any ideas? I want something to read to them and discuss.

[CAmomof4]

I'm in exactly the same position. Love the idea behind TGS and actually my girls enjoy it well enough, but it seems to get a bit repetitive - especially since we are also doing SOTW. Read, coloring page, over and over. I'd love to hear what others are incorporating.

[skeeterbug]

I'm not sure this helps you, but might give you ideas. We use Grapevine and read the Vos storybook Bible along with it. So right now we are doing the OT review and with each lesson I read the corresponding story from the Vos book. This is straight up Bible stories, though- no devotional or application. We read a devotional together at lunch, totally separate. I also love TGS, which we started and dropped just due to having too many other things going on. Ideally I'd like to do TGS once a week and do it all in one sitting- story, colouring page and activity. I think then it wouldn't be too repetitive.

 

If you just want something to read and discuss you might want to look at various devotionals until you find one you like. We just finished this animal one, it has info about the animal, application, short questions. Then we'd look for videos about the animal on youtube. This has been perfect for my kids' ages. Beautiful illustrations.

 

http://www.christianbook.com/book-minute-devotions-celebrating-gods-world/pamela-kennedy/9780824955564/pd/955560?item_code=WW&netp_id=476511&event=ESRCG&view=details

 

[mamamindy]

I'm not sure this helps you, but might give you ideas. We use Grapevine and read the Vos storybook Bible along with it. So right now we are doing the OT review and with each lesson I read the corresponding story from the Vos book. This is straight up Bible stories, though- no devotional or application. We read a devotional together at lunch, totally separate. I also love TGS, which we started and dropped just due to having too many other things going on. Ideally I'd like to do TGS once a week and do it all in one sitting- story, colouring page and activity. I think then it wouldn't be too repetitive.

 

If you just want something to read and discuss you might want to look at various devotionals until you find one you like. We just finished this animal one, it has info about the animal, application, short questions. Then we'd look for videos about the animal on youtube. This has been perfect for my kids' ages. Beautiful illustrations.

 

http://www.christian...CG&view=details

 

 

This is very helpful. Thank you! Would you clarify, what is Grapevine? I have the Vos Storybook Bible in my cart on Amazon, and I've meant to get it since I've heard it recommended. And I guess I don't really need a devotional. I wasn't clear. I just want something to read to them, and add my own thoughts and teaching to if that makes sense. But they just aren't ready, or aren't interested in listening to me read to them straight from my Bible YKWIM.

[skeeterbug]

 

This is very helpful. Thank you! Would you clarify, what is Grapevine? I have the Vos Storybook Bible in my cart on Amazon, and I've meant to get it since I've heard it recommended. And I guess I don't really need a devotional. I wasn't clear. I just want something to read to them, and add my own thoughts and teaching to if that makes sense. But they just aren't ready, or aren't interested in listening to me read to them straight from my Bible YKWIM.

 

Grapevine is a Bible curriculum. You read some verses and then draw a stick figure picture representing those verses, they call it 'Stick Figuring Through the Bible'. So each section has you reading straight from the Bible and then there is a little summary and a stick figure picture to draw. So they aren't just listening to you read, they are drawing along with it. If you want to try it out, I'd recommend one of their shorter studies- Joseph, Esther, Ruth, Birth of Christ, or Resurrection (see sidebar on the left of their website). These come in a multi-level format meaning you can use it with many ages. For some of these they also have a Beginner level, and a Traceable level for the youngest students. You'd have to look at the samples to determine whether the multi-level or the beginner would better suit your kids, the multi-level has more drawing. The other, longer studies are more broken down by age (that's what the levels are at the top of the website).

 

I find their website a bit confusing when new to it, it's hard to understand what you need. You need both a student book and teacher book, the ones with the family license. I buy ebooks and print out the student pages and we view the teacher book on the ipad. I read the section and then zoom in on the drawing for them to copy.

 

http://www.grapevinestudies.com/

 

This may not be what you are looking for at all right now, but it may suit you in the future. I really like the Vos Storybook Bible, she adds enough detail to make it more real. We were just reading about the ten plagues, and she talked about how the frogs were everywhere- in their beds, etc. and adding how the people felt to have them everywhere. I suppose it's a bit of conjecture but not unreasonably so.