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I'm a wife to my "Mr. Right". A momma of five. A maker of slow food and simple living. A collector of memories, a keeper of books, and a champion for books that make memories. An addict who likes my half-and-half with a splash of coffee. A fractured pot transformed by the One Who makes broken things beautiful. I heart homeschooling, brake for libraries, and am glad you're here with me on the journey! Be sure to subscribe to my monthly newsletter. Or, follow along with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google +, Youtube, or Pinterest.

Top Faith-Building Christmas Gifts for Kids


In our house, we call them Myrrh gifts.
If you know the history of myrrh--its purpose and value in the ancient world--you know exactly why we've chosen this name.

Myrrh is fragrant. It's medicinal. In fact, it was myrrh that was mixed with vinegar and offered up to Jesus while he was being crucified. Today, myrrh can be found in most antiseptics and healing salves.

Like most Biblical oils, it's currently high on the price list of most MLM essential oil companies, and for good reason. From before Christ to the present day, there's always been quite a social demand for its healing properties.
  
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So much so, in fact, that at times it has been considered equal to or greater than the weight equivalent value of gold.

Myrrh is not your average Christmas gift. It wasn't back then when it was gifted to a newborn King. And it isn't today when it's placed under our tree.

Its undeniable ability to heal and to cleanse has led my husband and me to dub any gift that builds a person's faith a Gift of Myrrh.



A myrrh gift emphasizes Christ, the ultimate Healer and sin Cleanser and inspires its receiver to have a fuller relationship with Him.

Of the three gifts our children receive from us each Christmas, my husband and I place the most value on the ones marked myrrh. Why? Because they're the ones that matter most. They're the only ones that will last for eternity.

If you too have a desire to nurture the growing faith of your children this year, might I suggest one of these faith-building Christmas gifts for kids?


Faith-Building Gifts for Kids


His Kids Silicone Coloring Mats- Interactive mealtime placemats provide not only fun entertainment while kids wait, but also basic Biblical literacy in bite-sized chunks.

Baby Believer Board Books series- These brightly colored board books teach basic preschool skills as well as big theological truths in simple terms that even tots can understand. Other titles include the following:


 

David & Goliath Giant Floor Puzzle- Melissa & Doug produce a collection of giant floor puzzles with action-packed illustrations based on popular Bible stories. Other titles include the following:



Seeds Family Worship CDs- We are long-time fans of Seeds Family Worship albums. The words of each and every song come straight from the Bible and are set to music that is neither babyish nor irritating, unlike so many other Scripture CDs on the market today. I often play Seeds music during our cleaning hour and am always amazed out how many verses we eventually memorize simply because they come packaged in an easy-to-learn melody.

There are currently thirteen different Seeds volumes to choose from.



New Testament Block Puzzle- With six different pictures to choose from, this block puzzle is a great value for the price. I purchased this exact set two years ago for the preschoolers at our home church and watched it get lots of use as both a puzzle and a pile of blocks.



Water Wow Bible Stories- Water-reveal pads make it easy to have some Bible-on-the go. They pack easily in a purse or book bag and can be brought along on car rides or to the church sanctuary to occupy little hands. They are a mess-free alternative to coloring crayons or markers.



Bible Sticker Book- Sticker pads are another great option for quiet play during the church service, at a doctor's office, or on a long car trip. This particular booklet contains five different Biblical scenes including Noah's Ark, David and Goliath, the crossing of the Red Sea, Jonah and the big fish, and Daniel in the lion's den.



Little People's Noah's Ark- Like all Little People sets, the animals of this Noah's Ark scene are waterproof and can be brought into the bathtub for simple reenactments of the story. The ark does contain some metal screws which might rust when exposed to water.



Little Folk Bible Flannel Sets- Flannelgraph isn't just for old fashioned Sunday School lessons anymore. My kids loved playing with these simple sets when they were little. The removable pieces and colorful backgrounds make the stories more interactive and allow even the littlest ones to retell the Biblical narratives in their own childlike ways.

The illustrations are reproductions of the scenes in The Beginner's Bible. So, if your child already owns a copy of that particular Bible storybook, they can follow along with you as you read aloud.




Adventures in Odyssey Bible Eye Witness- As a homeschool mom, I'm not always a fan of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series as I think some of the storylines are more geared to public school dilemmas. However, I absolutely love the Eyewitness series which chronicles "eyewitness" accounts of Biblical events.



Adventum Bible Audio Dramas- This is a new-to-me collection of Biblical audio dramas from the same folks who produced the Jonathan Park history and science series. Volume one begins in the Old Testament and recounts the stories from Creation to Isaac blessing Jacob. Volume two picks up right where the first one left off and ends with a narration of the Israelite exodus out of Egypt.



Apples to Apples Bible Edition- Based on the same premise as the traditional Apples to Apples, the cards in this Bible Edition showcase the people, places, and things of church history.



Christian Magazine Subscriptions- Most tween and teen magazines emphasize external beauty, gossip, and lifestyle choices that are not in line with our Christian faith. But I've always been impressed with the morally pure and entertaining content of the following titles put out by Focus on the Family:


Worldview Magazine Subscriptions- The following is a list of magazines from various sources that filter current events, social issues, international policies, and scientific discoveries through a Biblical lens. My kids have each received one of these subscriptions over the last few years and look forward to receiving a gift that keeps giving all year long.


Like the Wisemen of old, we give three gifts to our kids each year. Gold, because of its cultural regard, is what we use to symbolize the "prize" item--a gift our kids have wanted for months like a toy or a piece of outdoor equipment. Frankincense, like its aromatic namesake, is a gift that is enjoyed by everyone--it's an item that is gifted to one particular child but which is used by the whole family in order to build good sibling relationships. Examples of a Frankincense gift might be a board game or tickets to an upcoming event.

We give three gifts with purpose: to foster fun, family, and faith.
In our house, myrrh stands for faith.

9 comments:

  1. I am so excited to try this new magazine for my preschooler. We just got her a subscription. Thank you for the music suggestions as well, downloaded all the albums on Apple Music. Next up, PUZZLES :)

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    1. I hope she enjoys them all as much as my kids have!

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  2. Nice post and absolutely outstanding, thanks for sharing as we provide latest christian news for more info visit our site.

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  3. I would add Slugs and Bugs music and The Beginners Bible storybook with audio CD!

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  4. Great list. I would add Little Pilgrim's Progress by Helen Taylor. My kids LOVE this book and the illustrations are beautiful.

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    1. Yes, there are several new picture book versions of Pilgrim's Progress that are great.

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  5. The magazine links seem to not work. Are there new ones? 🙏

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