Meddling With Your Christmas List
I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but if you are like me, you’ve already starting to think about who is on your Christmas List, what gifts you want to give them, and what will be this year’s Christmas Budget. After all, contrary to what many of our kids seem to think, money doesn’t grow on trees!
Well, I’ve been thinking about my list, and have already made a few purchases. But I’ve also been thinking about your Christmas List, too. No, I don’t mean that I want to be on your Christmas List:). I mean I have an idea for you to put on your Christmas List.
Almost certainly you have children or teens in your life. Perhaps, like me, you have a houseful of your own kids. Or maybe you are a grandparent, or an aunt, or just happen to have some friends with kids. If you are child-adjacent in any manner (and you almost certainly are), I have an idea for you to consider this Christmas.
I want to encourage you to provide a faith-building resource to be unwrapped on Christmas morning. To be fair, it very likely may not be their favorite gift they receive. It can be hard to compete with the excitement of toys and electronics. But it’s possible that it could be the most significant gift.
Below is a whole host of resources that, as best I can tell, seem like great resources. I’ll admit I haven’t looked at them all, but from the bit of reading I’ve done I feel confident that these resources could be helpful to a young person as they mature in their faith. And I know there are so many more great resources, as well, so if you do a little research, you might find something else that you think would really resonate with the child in mind. More than anything, I want to encourage us all to be proactive in our discipleship efforts with the kids in our lives, especially if they are under your roof.
Pastor Ryan Donovan
Teen Devotional Resources
- New Morning Mercies for Teens: A Daily Gospel Devotional https://www.amazon.com/dp/1433592363/
- 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity https://www.amazon.com/Questions-Every-Should-Answer-Christianity/dp/1433571668
Teen Boy-Specific Devotional Resources
- Teen to Teen: 365 Daily Devotions by Teen Guys for Teen Guys https://www.amazon.com/dp/1433681676/
- Daily Devotions for Teen Boys https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CND6JKBF/
- Walk in Faith: 5-Minute Devotions for Teen Guys https://www.amazon.com/dp/1641522828/
Teen Girl-Specific Devotional Resources
- The Prayer Journal for Teen Girls: A Daily Christian Journal for Teenage and Preteen Girls to Practice Gratitude, Reduce Anxiety and Strengthen Your Faith https://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Journal-Teen-Girls-Strengthen/dp/1952842646
- Live in Light: 5-Minute Devotions for Teen Girls https://www.amazon.com/dp/1641523379/
- Preteen Devotional for Girls: 52 Weeks of Encouraging Devotions and Scripture for Tweens https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593196929/ (Don’t tell my 11 and 9 year old, but one of these will be wrapped under our tree for each of them this year!)
Elementary Children Resources
- Discipleship for Kids: Helping Children Grow in Christ https://www.amazon.com/Discipleship-Kids-Helping-Children-Christ/dp/1641585358/
- Remarkable: The Gospel of Mark https://www.readkaleidoscope.com/collections/shop-all-category/products/new-release-remarkable-the-gospel-of-mark
Parenting Books – Here are some resources you could give to a parent, or that you could invite your spouse to read with you.
- Grounded in Grace: Helping Kids Build Their Identity in Christ https://www.amazon.com/Grounded-Grace-Helping-Identity-Christ/dp/1645074641
- Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Household-Practicing-Everyday-Rhythms/dp/0310362938/
- Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Gospel-Principles-Radically-Questions/dp/1433593602/
The Digital Parenting Guidebook: 7 Essential Steps for Building the Tech-Savvy Christian Family https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Parenting-Guidebook-Essential-Tech-Savvy/dp/B0CTBMK2M2/
Categories: Evergreen Connection