Thank You, God, for these lovely memories of all the sweet-smelling roses. Thank You for the long, warm days of June. And thank You for little girls in white dresses frolicking through the garden green.
The neatly typed list of books was extensive — a full page with two or three columns of book titles, single-spaced. And I remember feeling overwhelmed when my 9th grade Advanced English teacher, Mrs. Frailey, boldly encouraged me and my classmates to read as many of them as possible during our high school years.
Although I read Jane Eyre and several of the recommendations, I’m not sure how many of those books I officially marked off the list four years later. But two decades later, I do remember the one book on that list that changed my life: The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom.
God used this Christian autobiography to teach me many biblical truths. His glory shines brightly throughout the book, especially as Ms. ten Boom and her sister endure horrific struggles while held in a concentration camp.
After college, I continued reading about Ms. ten Boom’s life in Tramp for the Lord and Jesus is Victor. She is undoubtedly a true hero of the Christian faith, and reading her story can quickly ignite a passion for following Christ.
Pastor John Piper of Desiring God Ministries in Minneapolis says God intends for the true stories of Christian heroes — such as Gladys Alyward, Martin Luther and John Calvin — to not only encourage and strengthen our faith, but also guide and enrich our lives as we consider the outcome of their faith in Christ.
“Reading stories of great men and women combines lots of things that you could do separately,” he says. A Christian biography typically combines theology with the person’s real-life problems, struggles, marriage and family. It allows readers to learn about the person’s whole life — where he came from, what he does in the middle, what he does at the end, and how the Bible and God fit into his life.
“It’s like getting to know somebody,” Piper explains.
What’s more, Piper says the Bible instructs us to watch our leaders and consider the outcome of their faith.
Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”
“I don’t think it meant only living leaders because Hebrews 11 is all dead guys and gals,” he says. “You look at them and you are inspired.”
Piper concludes that reading Christian biographies is “life-giving, interesting, exciting, faith-building and Christ-honoring.”
So where do you start?
Just in time for Christmas, I’ve compiled this list of Christian biographies — as well as a few biographical DVDs — which offers something for all ages.
Most of these are already part of our family’s homeschool library. We haven’t read every word of all these yet, of course, but I have read enough to confidently recommend what’s here.
I pray that you find these biographies life-giving, faith-building and Christ-honoring as well. Happy reading!
Hero Tales Volume I, II, III and IV: A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes by Dave and Neta Jackson (ages 6 to 12)
Missionary Stories with the Millers by Mildred A. Martin (ages 6 and up)
Little Lights Biographies by Catherine Mackenzie (ages 4 to 7)
Light Keepers: Ten Boys Who… by Irene Howat, a Five-Volume Boxed Set (ages 8 to 12)
Light Keepers: Ten Girls Who… by Irene Howat, Five-Volume Boxed Set (ages 8 to 12)
Torchlighters Series (on DVD, ages 8 to 12)
Christian Heroes Then and Now a series of 25 books by Janet and Geoff Benge (ages 10 to 14)
“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
{1 Thes. 5:18}
***
1,001. Jessica’s words that encourage me to keep counting {A Diamond in the Rough}
1,002. surprisingly lovable llamas
1,003. trail hikes with Carmella and Chocolate Chip
1,004. a fantastic field trip with dear friends
1,005. a special visit by Great Grandma
1,006. hot tea with breakfast
1,007. introducing Great Grandma to our favorite red wagon, Lacie, at the apple orchard
1,008. slices of Sweet 16, Honeycrisp and SweetTango apples
1,009. sips of hot apple cider
1,010. fruit-seekers crunching through the fallen leaves
1,011. tree branches sagging heavy with ripe apples
1,012. little girls happily snatching apples
1,013. chasing butterflies wildly through the vineyard and orchard
1,014. the monarch that finally lets me capture it on camera
1,015. the brilliant display of fall colors in the trees
1,016. rains that rush in just before we leave the apple orchard
1,017. big hats and a fancy tea luncheon with Great Grandma
1,018. the cheery, busy squeak of our apple peeler
1,019. Great Grandma’s help with our pie baking tradition
1,020. the smell of cinnamon lofting throughout the house
1,021. Piper’s free seminar on Let the Nations Be Glad
1,022. God’s promises in the Psalms and in Isaiah
1,023. prayers and praises in the Psalms
1,024. character lessons in compassion, kindness, creativity and courage from Betsy-Tacy
1,025. little girls bubbling with excitement as they share thoughts about the book
1,026. our own little “Sand Store” of bottles full of colorful sand
1,027. a sunny autumn morning at the park with friends
1,028. another hard eucharisteo: the fall that fractures both bones in her delicate little forearm
1,029. the kind, dear friend eagerly helping so many ways — the help that comes from the Maker of Heaven and Earth
1,030. strength and peace that gets us through a traumatic Friday
1,031. words, freshly memorized in Isaiah 53, that help calm her sobs
1,031. medicine that helps manage her pain and the pastor who speaks healing Words to us
1,032. quiet moments in the hospital room, just before her surgery, watching the sun rise and the birds fly in formation and then later reading Malachi 4:2 – “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.”
1,033. the skilled hands of both surgeons and the kind, familiar face in the pre-op/recovery room
1,034. a real plaster cast for her Girls-n-Grace doll, too
1,035. Debra, Kathy and Stacey, three exceptional nurses on the pediatrics floor
1,036. peace that passes understanding while she undergoes surgery
1,037. the prayers of countless friends and family as we wait
1,038. bendable nails that help keep her bones in place
1,039. her groggy, sleepy smile after surgery
1,040. friends cheering at the curbside as she leaves the hospital — and the sweet little boy who does a “happy jog” of joy
1,041. the soft gray shawl that is just her size and keeps her arms and shoulders warm
1,042. cards and gifts and balloons and callers for the injured one
1,043. homemade soup and bread
1,044. her fearless ambition to become ambidextrous
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the LORD.”
{1 Chronicles 16:36}
You’re invited! Check out other bloggers’ posts in the One Thousand Gifts community by clicking the graphic below. Or click here to check out all previous posts in my “Counting to 1,000” series.
As a kid, I always, always, always toted a lunch box to school. My first one was metal with a blue plastic handle and had illustrations of Holly Hobby on it. Inside I usually had a slightly smashed peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a thermos of chocolate milk. The best part of lunch was sometimes finding a love note from my mom, written on the napkin. I missed my mom, even while I was busy at school, and so those notes were a comforting reminder of her love.
When I started out as a homeschool mom a few years ago, I was happy to have my oldest daughter home at lunch time and thankful we did not need to pack lunches for her. The thought of packing lunches seemed silly and unnecessary for a homeschool family.
Somewhere along the course of the last three years, though, lunch time morphed into something less than pleasant. With all the morning chores and school work to do, lunch always sneaked up without a plan. At noon, instead of feeling the relief and satisfaction of having most of our school work done, I stressed out over what to feed my now starving students who were too short to safely reach things in the kitchen.
A while back I decided we needed to try out bento boxes, like the school kids use in Japan. In the process of shopping for those, I stumbled upon Goodbyn lunch boxes.
These aren’t insulated, so they might not work for a typical school kid who stashes lunch in a warm locker for several hours. But with five deep compartments under one lid, plus a beverage container, these lunch boxes fit well in the refrigerator and work superbly for our homeschool family. Packing them at dinner or breakfast time keeps me proactive about the lunch meal. So if my 3rd grader and I are still finishing up a math problem at 12:04, my hungry Kindergartener marches up to the kitchen and happily starts eating on her own. Finally, lunch time feels like a real break for me! Yay!
By the way, the Goodbyn lunch boxes come in a few sizes and colors. The ones I purchased have “ears” and came with dozens of dishwasher-safe stickers for customizing. Each costs about $25, is made in the U.S.A., and is BPA-free. The plastic cleans easily and dries very quickly; I usually make my kids handwash theirs. The biggest compartment is large enough and deep enough to fit a whole banana or apple. Another compartment fits a cup of pudding nicely. So far, nothing has jumbled up with food from another compartment. This box is really fun to pack and I enjoy seeing what fits in each compartment; maybe I’m just weird. But you’ll be happy to eliminate the need for plastic baggies, I bet. Oh, and just in case your child does need to carry his lunch somewhere, the Goodbyn does have handles.
My children insist on having a napkin packed, too, and sometimes I even include a mint with it. My youngest reports that mints make the napkin smell better.
So, without further discussion, let’s do lunch!
PLEASE NOTE: I am not being compensated in any way by the company that makes the Goodbyn lunch box. But if they’d like to pay me for this honest review, I’d {probably} gladly take their money. 🙂
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”
{2 Corinthians 2:14-15}
I started my One Thousand Gifts list back in January with “the aroma of fresh bread baking” as the very first item. Is there a more delicious, comforting smell on a cold winter day?
I pray that my list has also been an aroma of the Bread of Life, a pleasant fragrance of thanks to God.
Second Corinthians 2:15 says, “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”
While regularly counting the ways God loves me and thanking Him for each, I have seen God’s character. Time and again, I have seen that God is who He says He is. God can do what He says He can do. I can trust Him.
Daniel 11:32 says, “…but the people who know their God shall be strong.”
Dear readers, I pray that you also know the one true God and find your strength in Him. You can trust Him, too. Just count the ways He loves you. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.
This week my own list reaches 1,000. I realize how the list doesn’t end there. Once you start, you can’t stop! Endless gifts, indeed, because His love stretches from everlasting to everlasting.
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the LORD.”
{1 Chronicles 16:36}
***
980. trees ablaze with a brilliant display of color
981. the smell and crunch of dry leaves
982. the neighbor kids raking leaves into pile
983. the linden tree that’s grown strong enough for her to climb
984. her first and last carmel apple for a while
985. her big, beautiful smile that’s a little more shiny
986. the sweet family that hosts our church’s Fall Festival
987. an afternoon hayride pulled by their Allis Chalmers
988. how they love to wear boots and hats when they visit the farm
989. fellowship around the bonfire
990. finding hay in her boots
991. the silver-sliver moon that reminds me of the night my youngest was born
992. their open Bibles at the breakfast table
993. learning about El Elyon, God Most High
994. reminders about quietness and trust (Isaiah 30:15)
995. Isaac’s baptism
996. her birthday countdown and uncontainable anticipation, and all her six years
997. the movie that encourages men to be Courageous
998. true friends who share life with us, feed us pizza and cookies, know our imperfections and love us anyway
999. jars of her apple pie filling, apple sauce, tomatoes and hot pepper jelly
1,000. the boldness to fiercely trust God
You’re invited! Check out other bloggers’ posts in the One Thousand Gifts community by clicking the graphic below. Or click here to check out all previous posts in my “Counting to 1,000” series.
“Giver of every breath I breathe
Author of all eternity
Giver of every perfect thing
To You be the glory”
{lyrics from “All Because of Jesus” by Steve Fee}
Over the weekend, I was among a crowd of 370 women singing “All Because of Jesus” during chapel at a women’s retreat. What a memorable way to praise the Giver of every perfect thing! That retreat was indeed the perfect gift given at the perfect time. To God be the glory! I so needed that time of refreshment with ladies from church!
I am still adding gifts — from the Giver of every perfect thing — to my One Thousand Gifts list, which continues this week with items 960 through 979:
960. little boys in sweatshirts and vests, all eager to play outside
961. the itsy-bitsy Keen boots and the ticklish little feet that wear them
962. a tall, tall tree to climb and hug
963. more lessons in wisdom from Proverbs and from this sermon in James 1
964. six great ladies rooming with me in “Cinnamon Bear” — a cabin full of bunk beds and smiles
965. a dear friend who encourages and inspires me
966. brightly colored leaves on the birch trees
967. the refreshment gained through retreating with 20 wonderful women from church
968. forgiveness (Psalm 103:11-12)
969. lessons in faith, hope and love
970. brightly colored fingernails painted by Ivy
971. wind rushing through the tops of the birch trees
972. the smell of horses and leather as I take the reins, riding tall on a trusty but slow little horse named Sultan
973. mingling on horseback with seven deer as they slowly cross and re-cross our path through the woods
974. singing joyful praises to God in the chapel with 370 women
975. the clash of the symbols — praising Him
976. quiet moments resting in the top bunk
977. lessons in true friendship and stories that evoke riotous laughter
978. being welcomed home Sunday afternoon with tight hugs and blazing new maple trees just planted in the backyard
979. the kind crew that will carry our care-package for Dawit to another hemisphere
You’re invited! Check out other bloggers’ posts in the One Thousand Gifts community by clicking the graphic below. Or click here to check out all previous posts in my “Counting to 1,000” series.
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
-Revelation 7:12
My One Thousand Gifts list continues this week with items 935 through 959:
935. how the autumn sun casts shadows of dancing leaves on the kitchen wall
936. sailing wing-on-wing across the lake on a gusty Sunday afternoon
937. sharing life with new friends
938. the quiet pitter-patter of ballet shoes slipping across the wood floor
939. how passionately she participates in her first ballet lessons
940. the helpful pharmacist
941. piles of piano books
942. the tap dancers’ uncontainable energy
943. holding sweet little Dorothy during the entire lesson
944. family devotions on Elohim (with Sally Michael’s fabulous new book: God’s Names)
945. how the horse eagerly eats an apple from my hand
946. rides on Chevy the Horse on a crisp, autumn morning
947. little girls in boots, all smiley on the platform of stairs
948. how they all line up to feed Nana the younger horse
949. Chevy’s clever tricks and kisses
950. new space for art class and the amazing teacher who likes it despite the dead frog that somehow landed on her head
951. the orange sherbet moon melting into the cloudy night sky
952. six sweet girls who listen and read and play together
953. how the young artist takes her lines for a walk and then colors a rainbow of chalk
954. lessons in longitude and latitude and all things geography
955. small group Bible studies overflowing with participants
956. how colorfully she wears her passion for the backyard swings
957. how she blushes when I catch her belting out tunes into her jump rope “microphone”
958. homemade chicken and dumplings, Gramma-style
959. the little ears and hands that somehow find the notes on the violin
You’re invited! Check out other bloggers’ posts in the One Thousand Gifts community by clicking the graphic below. Or click here to check out all previous posts in my “Counting to 1,000” series.
This photo was entered into the I Heart Faces photo challenge – www.iheartfaces.com
“Sing to the LORD with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.” -Psalm 147:7
My One Thousand Gifts list continues this week with items 905 through 933:
905. how she clamours with excitement anticipating the first day of Kindergarten
906. lessons in wisdom from Proverbs
907. big smiles and nifty new lunchboxes
908. snack time
909. snuggling up on the couch with books that take us around the world
910. their prayers for the homeless
911. 11 girls and 4 boys in our new Sunday School class
912. how quietly they sit and how closely they pay attention
913. the faithful teachers who serve
914. Psalm 96 and Psalm 47 — Let the nations be glad!
915. how she signs to me from the other room and blows kisses
916. two students so eager to learn
917. mountains of laundry overflowing the basket
918. the freedom to homeschool
919. City Square Park for recess
920. the neighbor friend who wants to play, too
921. her passion for swinging
922. new jump ropes — just like I had in P.E.
923. freezer meals
924. smoking BBQ in the backyard with new friends
925. a gusty afternoon of sailing and conversing with new friends
926. her generous offer for free babysitting
927. Spanish lessons
928. their kind thank-yous
929. live jousting, crazy log wars, elephant rides, glittery fairies, daring flame jugglers and kind harpist who lets them strum the instrument
930. exploring a fascinating festival with very dear friends
931. happy, dirty feet because we walked far with friends beside us
932. a gift of fresh cucumbers from the garden of a new friend
933. friendships characterized like Proverbs 27:17
934. lessons in contentment and friendship
You’re invited! Check out other bloggers’ posts in the One Thousand Gifts community by clicking the graphic below. Or click here to check out all previous posts in my “Counting to 1,000” series.
Starlight Writer 