AMAZING GRACE
ISBN 979 8 698 768 166
PSALM 23
ISBN 978 0 802 851 635
THE BLIND GIRL’S SONG
ISBN 978 1 781 911 631
JOHN NEWTON
ISBN 978 1 601 786 166
SING AND PLAY BIG BIBLE TRUTHS.
ISBN 978 1 527 105 607
I recently read a poem that says children have ‘a hundred languages … but they steal ninety-nine’.
This is an interesting idea as kids acquire language through interaction, they mimic the words that are used around them. Vocabulary, body language, and the language of love are all different ways humans communicate, but believers have a language that children can be as proficient in as adults – praise.
A gift for babies
Praise is a gift from God, and Psalm 8 says He gives this gift to babies. God exposes children to this language through the interaction of family life. That’s why I’d like to recommend a few books that will help your family praise.
A little gem I discovered is Amazing Grace by Mark Restaino. It uses the lyrics of John Newton and illustrations that show a lost child who is eventually found. Although there isn’t much else to this book, the powerful words of the gospel hymn are enough, with the artwork, to help you discuss the real meaning of this hymn with your family.
Eerdman’s have a title called Psalm 23, by Tim Ladwig. It uses illustrations from an African American heritage. With just the words of the psalm the illustrations cleverly back up the theology.
Don’t forget to look for Christian children’s books that focus on the psalmist himself, King David. There are a few available. Learn some psalm verses that have been written in metre format and sing them together. You will be singing the songs of Jesus and the same words that have echoed throughout the church through the ages.
I’ve enjoyed children’s praise albums for years now since my nieces and nephews got me into Colin Buchanan. Go to Colinbuchanan.com.au to see his large catalogue of Scripture songs. I love his Catechismo Kids. He brings this traditional format bang up to date. Albums like this are great for the school run. Teach your children to sing God’s praises and give them something real and solid to sing about!
Here is something for your playlist. Getty Music have published Family Hymn Sing as a music download and as sheet music. I really enjoyed hearing the Gettys praising God through lockdown with these classic hymns of the church.
Introduce your kids to some hymnists. The Good Book Company plans a title on Fanny Crosby in their series Do Great Things For God. Christian Focus have a youth biography on her by Lucille Travis – The Blind Girl’s Song. Simonetta Carr has written a youth biography on John Newton for Reformation Heritage Books.
And going back to the praise of babies, Christian Focus have published a book for parents of very young children – Sing and Play Big Bible Truths. As the author Bethany Darwin says: ‘You only get to raise your children once and your little ones need to know the big truths of God.’ The simple activity of singing and repetition is the perfect tool to build crucial theological foundations.
