I’m Not Ashamed to Own My Lord ~ hymn

This is a bit late because I spent this weekend with the youth from our church, listening to classes, thinking about, and considering the topic of “Unashamed” at the Challenge Youth Conference.

What do you think about what you first see that word? Unashamed

I certainly don’t associate it with a discussion about faith.

But y’all – I was challenged this weekend. Challenged by many thoughts and ideas presented, and by the discussions we had with the young ladies we were chaperoning.

Some of the thoughts I wrote down, I would like to share with you. I will credit the men who I am quoting but please do realize that these were all in a much larger context and setting. They all have to do with the idea of being “unashamed” in your faith.

Wes McAdams in discussing being Unashamed to Confess.

• Whose “with-ness” do you value most?
• Admitting to being “with” Jesus WILL put you at odds with people.
• Every time God stated to not fear, it is because He is with the person being told that.
• Fear often keeps us from stating who we are “with” because we don’t want to be alone. But we are NEVER along. God is always with us. Do Not Fear!
• Don’t let who you sit with means more to you than how much God loves you.
• Let your heart be saturated with God’s love.

Lonnie Jones and Ben Hayes in a discussion and Q&A about ministry with teens and the larger body of Christ.

• Emotions and thinking don’t often play well together.
• Love is not staring at someone eye to eye; it is standing shoulder to shoulder with someone and looking forward together.
• Emotions are information, not instructions. Understanding that difference really helps in being able to communicate during difficult times.
• Students need to have these 3 perceptions about themselves.
  • I am capable.
  • I am significant.
  • I can affect the outcome.
• With those three perceptions, they learn four important skills.
  • intrapersonal
  • interpersonal
  • systemic (more of you than me, group dynamics)
  • judgmental (decision making based on values, not peers)
• Consider the importance of the ministry of presence, just being there.
• The Lord’s Church is an organism, not an organization.
• Students need to be taught the whole Bible, the big picture. Without that, they cannot learn how to apply it to their life or to talk with others about it. (Facts, concept, application)

Travis Bookout in talking about Unashamed to Wash Feet.

• Pride is a cancer that kills your relationship with God.
• Sometimes, kind things don’t change people. Judas betray Jesus with clean feet.
• Only the cleansing Jesus offered can clean. Judas walked out of that upper room with clean feet but he himself was not clean.
• Greatness can be accomplished with ordinary means.
• Accept kindness with gratitude and allow it to change you. Then turn and share it.

Ben Hayes on Unashamed to Stand Before a Pagan God.

• Battles & blessings & battles & blessings & battles & blessings . . . a constant cycle that we will undergo. Ex – Philippians 4:11-13
• The time to make a decision about how you will stand and who you will stand with is not in the midst of a difficult situation. You have to have made that decision long before.
• When we trust God in all the little things in our lives, it becomes easier to trust God with the big things when they come our way.
• Trust in God; ignore the ungodly; offer yourself as a living sacrifice; impact those around you – seen in Daniel 3 (Nebuchadnezzar’s observation) and John 14
• Trust leads to the ability to ignore the outside voices and the ungodly. Ignoring leads you to being willing and able to offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God’s will. Being that living sacrifice is how you impact the world.

David Shannon spoke on Unashamed to Own My Lord.

• There are two places of existence – In Christ or in the world.
• Joseph of Arimathea had to take a stand and it likely cost him everything. He probably struggled with that stand for a long while. But when it came down to when it mattered, he stood with Jesus.
• Courage is when your trust in the Lord is greater than the fear you face.

Lonnie Jones with the idea of Unashamed to Confront Our Brethren When Living Faithless Lives.

• If being God’s child is not enough for you, nothing will make you happy.
• Numbers 14 is a verse of great power “If the Lord delights in us. . .” – God does delight in us so why do we doubt or fear His power?
• It is not us against them; it is God against them. We just have to stand with God.
• When you feel insecure or ashamed, it is because you have forgotten that you are being carried on your father’s back. Deut 1:21
• We don’t have a bigger impact on the world because we don’t take it.
• Being ashamed is just unbelief wrapped in a different name.
• Shame and disbelief belong together.
• Faith and unashamed are together.

Y’all, this is just what I had time to write in my notes and process. I am hoping we can get a hold of recordings of these sessions because they were packed with so much! I know that as an adult I gained a lot by attending Challenge Youth Conference 2019 (CYC). I hope the teens all gained as much as I did.

Of course, through it all ran the theme of unashamed. Which brought this hymn to mind often this weekend. Click the title to listen to it at Great Songs Chapel.

I’m Not Ashamed to Own My Lord

lyrics: Isaac Watts
music: Carl Glaser

I’m not ashamed to own my Lord,
Nor to defend His cause;
Maintain the honors of His word,
The glory of His cross.

Jesus, my God!  I know His name,
His name is all my trust;
Nor will He put my soul to shame,
Nor let my hope be lost.

Firm as His throne His promise stands,
And He can well secure
What I’ve committed to His hands,
Till the decisive hour.

Then will He own my worthless name
Before His Father’s face,
And in the new Jerusalem
Appoint for me a place.

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

Beloved: 365 Devotions For Young Women from Zondervan ~ a Crew review

Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women is just that – a devotional book created just for those young ladies who are going through their pre-teen and teenage years, as they strive to grow into women of integrity, women of God. Published by the well-known company Zondervan, this is a lovely book that will visually appeal to just about any young lady. 

Hardbacked with a foil-enhanced image of flowers on the front, this is a comfortable size. It is not a heavy book, even with the number of pages it contains to have one page per day of the year. The ribbon bookmark is secured in the binding and matches the lovely flowers just perfectly.

The beautiful pages follow the same color scheme and floral motif throughout. This devotion had me singing Mary’s song. 

Each page has a motif that matches the cover, only without the foil enhancements. The day is a fancy font and it is a day (Day 1, Day 2, etc.) rather than a date (January 1, January 2, etc.) so that this devotional series can be picked up and begun at any time of the year. The Bible verse for the day is printed in pink (which is a tad hard to read for these old eyes) but complements the colors perfectly. The devotion thought is printed in black, making it stand out well. The end of the page has four lines for whatever the young lady would like to use it for: journaling, doodling, adding reference verses, etc. It is a visually beautiful book. 

Let’s talk a bit about each devotion. As I mentioned there is a scripture followed by a few short paragraphs regarding something from the verse. These are fairly simple, without any challenging language or difficult sentence structures. Each devotion takes less than 10 minutes to read, think about, and discuss. My oldest would do each in about five minutes, which is a bit short for devotion times, in my opinion. Most of the devotions end with a real-life application of some sort, such a failing a test, dealing with someone who is unkind, or being afraid. Some of the devotions end with a challenge of some kind, such as the devotion regarding Naboth being killed by Jezebel that challenges the girls to not feel overwhelmed but to pick ONE thing and try to do it. (Day 264)

One thing I really like about this set of devotions is the number of women that are discussed. Your normal heroines are most decidedly included – Ruth, Esther, Mary, Naomi, Hannah and Sarah. However, there are some not so commonly thought about women included as well and that makes this an over-the-top good book, because even bad women can be good examples (of what not to be). Take Jezebel, Hagar, and the mother of Jephthah (the book uses her to reinforce that God can use any circumstance for His plan). While these women might not be ones that you would think of to say “be like her”, you definitely can use their lives to discuss what TO be and that is what this devotion does. Other women in this study include Zelophehad’s daughters, Manoah’s wife, Caleb’s daughter Aksah, and the woman Jesus healed from 12 years of bleeding. There are many, many role models here. 

Our stack of morning time studies that we do as a family. 

Our Use As A Family –
We used this devotion book daily as part of our morning time. I would read the verse from the book and then the devotional thoughts. We would discuss the things that the girls caught in the reading and then address any thoughts or questions they would have. We would do 2 or 3 of these each day. An example of some of the discussion we had involved Noah and his family. The girls wondered about other family members that would not have been on the ark – any other children, any daughters, his wife’s family, his daughters-in-law’s families, any grandchildren. It sparked some interesting thoughts and ideas. We pulled out the Bible to read more of the account and discuss what it really entailed for Noah’s wife and daughters-in-law to be on that boat. Heartache must have been a part of it yet these women were there. 

Another family discussion we had was in regards to Hagar and Sarai. We talked about trying to take control of something away from God and how difficult it can be to wait on the Lord’s time. We also talked about how in the process of taking control of the situation, something came between Hagar and Sarai. So we talked some more about friendships and how to mend hurts. Day 23 talks about Hagar being ugly to Sarai after Hagar became pregnant and how that affects both of them. 

Discussion together at night about submission after reading about God telling Hagar to return to Sarai.

Our Use As A Mother-Daughter Time –
Miss J and I were also reading this at our bed time readings. We had the book of Charlotte’s Web going so we just added a couple of these devotions to our time together each night. It was easy and only added a few minutes but it added a lot in terms of discussions and bonding. Miss J always had a comment to make about the reading (contrary to what it looks like with her quote below!). She often asked to read the passage from the Bible or to continue telling the story from the Bible. Some days, when she didn’t have much to say we might read three of the devotions. Other days, we would only get through one. This time allowed me to tailor the thoughts a bit more to her 9-almost-10-year-old-thinking. And it worked well. 

A Heads-Up! Day 237 is a discussion of sex. No anatomy discussion or anything like that but it does talk a bit about the difference between martial relationships and extra-marital ones. The context is David and Bathsheba. For some this might be a deal breaker; for others, they just want the heads-up. So here it is. . . I have not read every single devotion so I cannot tell you for sure if there are other days that may have topics your young lady is not ready for. 

The recommended age for this is 13-18. Middle school and high school girls could easily use this independently but I think it is appropriate for younger girls as well, just pre-read if you are concerned about content. 

Thoughts from Miss E:
I think this is a really good book but I would enjoy it more if the devotions were a little bit longer. It felt like there wasn’t enough space for there to be a fully-formed thought on some of them. It felt like it didn’t go deep enough to really be a devotional and I would enjoy it more like that. Also, I like the fact that they included lots of lessons on good role models. Ruth and Naomi had a number of lessons each. Even though Ruth only has 4 chapter in the Bible, the devotions captured different characteristics of each woman and had a single devotion for each of those characteristics. I really liked that. I would really like to have seen this include an index that grouped the devotions by topic such as getting married, choosing your career, handling disappointment, and others. That would make this useful in more ways. 

Thoughts from Miss L:
The ones we have done as a family have been good. I have enjoyed them. It doesn’t take a long time for each devo to get to the point so each one doesn’t take a long time. 

Thoughts from Miss J:
I liked it. The flowers were very pretty. It was nice to read together.

Blessings,
At Home.

To find out what other Homeschool Review Crew families thought about Beloved: 365 Devotions for Young Women, please click on the banner below to read their reviews. 

Beloved: 365 devotions for young women ~ a review

Sometimes, we need a different approach to our daily time in God’s word. Beloved: 365 devotions for young women from Zondervan is just that – geared specifically to preteen and teen girls who are learning what God’s will is for their lives. 

Beloved is a beautiful hardback book. The cover is just lovely with pink metallic flowers and lettering that shimmers in the light. At just over 5″ x 7″, it fits comfortably in hand while reading. The pages are beautiful, as well, continuing the lovely flower motif from the cover through the entire book on each page. 

Each devotion is just a single page, so it doesn’t require a long time to read through the scripture and accompanying thought. The page has the day, the scripture printed, a few paragraphs on the scripture and four lines at the bottom to journal your own thoughts, if interested. There is also a matching satin ribbon that is bound into the book to mark your place. 

Finding Godly role models is a wonderful things and this lovely book highlights many of them – from women we recognize such as Mary, Elizabeth, Ruth and Naomi to many we don’t think of immediately such as Zelophehad’s daughters, Manoah’s wife, and Caleb’s daughter Aksah.

My girls have found this to be a beautiful book and were interested in sitting down with it right away. We are going to be using this as part of our morning devotions as a family. As we take a look at different women in the Bible and how they related to God, they will hopefully find much encouragement to grow into the women God has created them to be. 

Blessings,
At Home.

3 beautiful Ellie Claire Art Journals ~ a review

Art journals, you say? What are they? Glad you asked. An art journal is just a book that includes different types of pages, ideas, and prompts to get you not just writing but being creative and artistic as well. Your quiet time is ideal for focusing on God’s word and what He has said. These art journals can help focus that time even more, on a passage, a word, or an idea. Creating visual images with colored pencils, pen and ink, or markers can help you really zone in on what God is saying to you. Each of these journals are lovely, really beautiful, and they feel comfortable in the hand. They are all very different in content, though, so let’s take a look at each one.

 The Illustrated Word: An Illuminated Bible Coloring Journal

The Illustrated Word is a hard-cover journal that is about 6″x9″. There are about 150 pages (unnumbered) that are filled with opportunities – to create, to learn, to write, to copy, to color. The pages of this book are nice and thick, somewhat rough like construction paper. 

In the old handwritten Bibles, the scribes would often illuminate the pages. Many examples of this are included in this journal as inspiration, generally one per two-page spread. The pages with these examples are lined. Every few pages, there is a full-page image to color. Many of these are Bible verses but a good number are examples from old manuscripts recreated for you to color. These manuscripts are cited, which also gives a nice historical connotation to the illumination. 

This is one I am claiming as my own. It is beautiful and the line drawing recreations of the ancient illustrations are a joy to color and fill in. It allows for meditation and time spent thinking. It will be a wonderful journal to use for sermon note taking each week in worship time. And I will be able to think on the notes over and over as I color in the images. 

THE ILLUSTRATED WORD
Amazon: http://bit.ly/Illustrated-Amazon
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Illustrated-BN

Faith & Lettering Journal

Focusing on the scripture that tells us that God’s Word does not return void is where this journal had its beginning. Krystal Whitten is a graphic designer and professional letterer. She had combined her faith and lettering to further enhance her own understanding of God’s word. In the introduction to the journal, she talks about how she came to combine faith and meditation time with lettering and journaling. She designed this journal to inspire one to “reignite your devotional time, to imprint Scripture upon your heart, and to help you dig deep into the Word of God through the art of lettering.”

Included in this journal are the basics of hand-lettering, Bible journaling, sermon sketch note-taking, and space to write about using these in your devotion time. Some pages contain a full-page, full-color Bible verse that has been hand-lettered. The pages accompanying those are lined for journaling. There are several scriptures that are lettered in a vertical column for you to see it done, trace it, and then practice it yourself. These are two -page spreads. There are a number of lettering styles that are shown with space to practice. These are done with graph pages so that there is a way to make sure your spacing and sizing stay consistent. There are some other pages for you to do your own work on that are pages with dots in a grid. Many of these have small images of quotes or verses, as well. There are pages to practice flourishes and banners and other things. 

This hard cover book is 160 pages (unnumbered) and about 7″x8″. The pages are smooth and thick, making it ideal for a variety of writing tools. The cover is beautifully decorated with different images and words to encourage. It is embossed and contains some beautiful gold accents. There is a pen loop on the spine of the journal to be able to keep a pen or pencil close at hand. This journal would be great for someone new to the idea of hand-lettering for Bible study and figuring out how to get started. It gives some great letter styles and decorative ideas to get someone started. And it is just overall beautiful.

FAITH & LETTERING
Amazon: http://amzn.to/FaithAndLettering-Amazon
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/FaithAndLettering-BN

Illuminate Your Story Journal

Once again, this journal has its origins in the illuminated texts of times page. The illuminated pages gave color and beauty and significance to the texts. For someone just starting to learn how to created these lovely illuminated letters, it can be overwhelming. This journal is a great start, though. Illuminate Your Story Journal includes a number of things to help instruct one new to this type of artistic expression.

Inspired by this history of illuminated letters, the journal begins with a written history of them. It talks about the different regions and peoples to use these and gives lovely examples. There is instruction in the process of illuminated letters and then help for creating your own, including a list of suggested supplies. Then the journal really begins, for you start to do your own work. 

The journal has step-by-step instructions, both visual and written, to guide you through drawing and creating the entire alphabet in illuminated letters. There are two styles for each letter with steps for creating each. There is a Bible verse or quote to go along with almost every letter. (I did notice K, Q, V, and X did not have one.) Along the way there are also visual and written instructions for creating other flourishes, animals, flowers, and the like. Quite a variety of ideas and inspiration. The pages with the instructions all are on dot grids to help with size and space. The pages with the quotes and verses are lines for written reflection or whatever practice you might desire. 

This lovely hardcover journal is about 6″ x 8″. The 160 pages are thick and smooth, allowing for beautiful layers of color and smooth writing. It includes a woven ribbon bookmark sewn into the binding. The blue cloth spine includes a matching pen loop, both of which coordinate lovely with the cover image. The embossed cover is simple yet elegant and there is a keepsakes pocket on the inside of the back cover. And, to keep from losing anything, the book is held closed by an attached elastic band that goes around the whole book. All in all, this will make a lovely gift for one of our girls who enjoys doing hand-lettering but isn’t very far along with the skill yet.

ILLUMINATE YOUR STORY
Amazon: http://bit.ly/Illuminate-Amazon
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Illuminate-BN

Overall Thoughts –

Y’all, these are all three just lovely art journals. Ellie Claire has created beautiful works of art to help you create your own beautiful works of art. There was another campaign for other Ellie Claire journals and oh how I wish I could have seen those journals since these are so lovely and high quality. (Unfortunately, I didn’t get my name in on that one early enough!) But these, I highly recommend these for anyone in your life starting on the path of hand-lettering or creating Bible artwork, whether they are new to it or looking for new inspiration.

Blessings,
At Home.

Books of the Bible At-a-Glance ~ a Crew review

Bible knowledge is a big part of what our family tries to cover and so it was with great interest that I received the digital file for Books of the Bible At-a-Glance from Teach Sunday School. This resource tackles all 66 books of the bible with a single page summary to help synthesize the information that each book includes.

Teach Sunday School is a company that provides a number of digital resources for purchase to help introduce and teach about God’s word. From games and skits to preplanned lessons and VBS programs, these resources are intended to help busy parents and Sunday School teachers have the resources they need to help their students learn and understand more about God.

Books of the Bible At-a-Glance is a PDF file that is purchased from the website. You then download the file to your computer. This was a simple process and the file downloaded quickly. I was able to then open and scroll through all of the pages in the file. Each book of the Bible has a single page in the file and you can easily print just the ones you need.

This sample shows the page for the book of Joshua.

I have printed Exodus at this time because our Bible Bowl students are studying the book of Exodus this year. I really like what I see and know that this simple summary of the Bible will be a great introduction for them. Placing the book in its complete context and framework aids greatly in understanding.

The name of the book is bold and easy to read at the top of the page. It gives which book of the Bible it is – in this case, Old Testament book #2. There is a neat little timeline for the book that places it within the Old or New Testament in it’s place.

It includes who the author is, or is assumed to be, and when it was written. There is a bulleted list of some of the important stories and another with verses that are well know from the book.

The page closes out with important points about the book. The book of Exodus list includes things like where the Ten Plagues of Egypt is found and the story of the burning bush. It also gives a summary of the book after most of the well-known stories are covered.

I am also using this to teach Miss J about the divisions of the Bible in both the Old and New Testament. We are printing these at half-size (two on a page). Each division of the Bible is on a different color paper and we are placing them in a mini-binder that we have. When she needs to review the divisions, she will have a complete color-coded notebook to use.

I was telling my mom about these because I just knew they would be perfect for the curriculum she is teaching at her church on Wednesday nights. They are teaching children about the Bible and focusing on each of the books. This file is inexpensive (to me) and fit perfectly into their needs. She took a look at it and while we were talking about it, purchased it. Because I was right – it helped to teach what they were wanting to get across to their students.

And what is that? There are many important things in each book of God’s word and not one of them should be excluded. Each one is unique and special and is placed in the Bible because God had a use for it there. That is why I really like these Books of the Bible At-A-Glance. Each page is packed full of information that is needed to understand the book and its role in God’s word.

Blessings,
At Home.

I highly recommend you check out this resource from Teach Sunday School. If you are not sure or if you are just looking for additional reviews to be certain this is what you want, please visit the Homeschool Review Crew and read reviews from other families who also received this resource.

He Is Enough ~ a review

Finding time in God’s word can be challenging, right? The world so often threatens to overtake us and we find ourselves saying “I just don’t have time.”

Well, Asheritah Ciuciu recognizes that with her newest Bible study and says “no excuse!” I really like her solution to our time crunch world.

As you would expect, she reminds us that time in the word is the only way to know more about God, to understand His will, and to be in Him. She has created two ways to approach this study of the book of Colossians, focusing on the fact that daily opening of the God’s word is necessary for growth.

First, and the recommended, is to spend time with FEASTing. This is a study style that has the reader Focus on God through prayer, Engage the text by reading scripture, Asses the main idea, Spark transformation through application, and Turn to God in worship. This takes a bit of time and focused energy but really helps the reader be in deep study.

Second, and the option for when you need to read the Bible but don’t have a ton of time, is snacking. Each daily study has a “Snack on the Go” option for when you have just a few minutes of time. This option takes about three to five minutes.

Now for the actual study of Colossians –

Written in a conversational tone, this study of the book of Colossians is titled He Is Enough: Living in the fullness of Jesus. It is a six week Bible study. This study is so well structured that you feel like you are sitting across the table from your good friend, getting to know Jesus more through the study of the church at Colossae.

Asheritah begins the study with a couple of pages of background information on the city of Colossae and the book of Colossians. Following that she begins the study. There is a two-page introduction to each week’s study and then five days of daily study. There is also a weekend reflection for each week’s study so that you are truly encouraged to be in God’s word daily. Can I just say how much I like her set-up?

Each of the daily studies encourages various ways to engage with the word and try to understand it. Reading God’s word out loud, writing scripture, praying scripture, answering questions, and coloring scripture are just a few of the ways in which Asheritah has the reader engage with God’s word. These variations are effective in really getting your mind to see things from different perspectives.

Why I Like This Study –

Recently, I had been a part of a different study of Colossians that just was not enjoyable. This one? I love it! One thing I look for in Bible studies is to be engaged in the word. Asheritah definitely forces one to engage with the word. Even if you don’t spend a lot of time each day, you cannot use this study and not be opening the Bible. Isn’t that what this is all about?

Starting the study, you are given the overarching theme that will be looked for throughout – Jesus Is Enough. He is enough, no matter your situation and that is viewed through your own personal lens as you engage in this study.

About Asheritah:

Asheritah Ciuciu is a writer, speaker, and founder of One Thing Alone Ministries–an
online community of women who find joy in Jesus through creative spiritual
disciplines. She’s also the author of Full: Food, Jesus, and the Battle for Satisfaction,
Unwrapping the Names of Jesus, and He is Enough (Moody, June 2018).
Asheritah grew up in Romania as a missionary kid and lives with her high school
sweetheart and spunky children in northeast Ohio. Her passion is leading busy
women deeper with Jesus in the midst of their everyday lives both in her local church
and online at www.OneThingAlone.com.

Blessings,
At Home.

 

Geology and Apologetics ~ a Crew review

Several years ago, I was introduced to Northwest Treasures. I have spent much time wandering over their site and thinking that so many of their materials and courses looked so good. When I was offered an opportunity to review one of the online courses, I jumped at the chance. I was so excited to receive Geology and Apologetics. We also received Taking the Mystery Out of Geology.

Northwest Treasures is a company that was born out of a passion for truth and understanding of the world we live in. Patrick Nurre began by sharing his own finds and understandings with others. More and more folks were interested in understanding how it all fits together so he found himself sharing in more places and in more ways. This is how Northwest Treasures was born and it is quite a resource!

Taking the Mystery Out of Geology

This is a single video that runs about 20 minutes and is recommended for grade 5 and up. Because geology is the foundation of science, it is something we should be familiar with. In this video, Mr. Nurre walks us through some of the Biblical framework for geology, as well as all sciences. He reminds us that we need to begin with understanding God’s word; it should be our starting point and we should not deviate from it. Second, he encourage all science to be taught from a Biblical worldview, so that all grow up understanding God’s infallible truths. He then covers 13 different terms that really clarify the scientific discussions. By understanding these terms, one can speak more clearly and confidently. Some of the terms that are important include science (not history but is something that can be tested, observed, or repeated), history (things that have taken place), and a number of others.

Y’all the minute we had finished this video, all three of the girls were already speaking more confidently about what they were hearing and understanding. I have heard a number of times since we watched this video the statement “That isn’t science!” When asked why it wasn’t, the response was “It cannot be tested, observed and/or repeated.” If the girls understand nothing else from this video, it is enough. It provides a confidence in understanding all science.

We will be watching this video again but I will do it differently the next time. I am going to create a worksheet or have the girls take notes about each of the terms, as defined in this video. Just listening to the terms really was not enough. I stopped the video after each term and we discussed it. But the terms were new to most of us so one time through was not enough. A list of the terms to take notes with or a notebook page to write about the terms will help in that regard.

Geology and Apologetics

This is a series of six video lessons. They run from about 11 minutes to 25 minutes each. Each lesson address a different part of understanding the Biblical approach to geology and how it differs from the secular teaching so prevalent in geology. The teachings of modern geology leave out belief and religion. This removal takes us very far from the Bible and led to a number of issues. By understanding, clarifying the issues, and setting the record straight, we can speak confidently.

This class is recommended for grades 8 – adult. I feel this is a fairly good age recommendation for complete understanding but I have found that my 9 year old has gained quite a bit from these videos. Don’t count out that younger students can pick up some information by listening.

Lesson 1 addresses apologetics. If you cannot stand solidly by the Bible as the word of God, he has some recommendations about how to work through that using scripture. If you do not have this point confidently in hand, you will not be prepared to engage in discussions regarding modern geology and where it deviates from scripture.

Lesson 2 works on “clarifying the coflict between science and the Bible.” The conflict is about a view of the earth, not about facts or science, according to Mr. Nurre.  Modern science puts forth that science is right and myth-believing Christians are wrong. He focuses quite a bit on the definitions of science, history, and philosophy.

Lesson 3 works through the chronologies and genealogies of Genesis. Mr. Nurre specifically looks at Genesis and how they are approached in scripture. This relates back to where he ended lesson 1 – are you fully standing behind the Bible as being fully true? Using the scriptures of Genesis, Mr. Nurre helps us look at and understand what is read. Understanding this is helpful in discussions about the age of the earth and completion of the records.

Lesson 4 discusses the gaps in the fossil record and how they are addressed in modern geology. Much of modern geology has not been observed and so the interpretation of information is a philosophy. This lack of written records leaves us relying on the rocks and fossils to understand history of the earth. The gaps in the fossil record are well addressed in this video, really addressing the fallacies of evolution. He compares beliefs of modern geology with Biblical beliefs.

Lesson 5 specifically addresses evolution and how modern science argues for dinosaur to bird evolution. It builds off of lesson 4 and the gaps that are found in the fossil record. It is a fascinating look at how many people inaccurately argue for their understanding or position. The information presented in this lesson will help you state why the fossil record does not support this example of evolution.

Lesson 6 helps to understand time and chronology better, specifically how modern science represents it. The contrast of the geologic column and time spectrums is interesitng and Mr. Nurre does a really good job of helping us see the fallacies in the arguments that are presented by modern geologists.

These videos are fascinating and really are a wonderful tool to use to help students see the fallacies presented by modern science. When you understand the terminology and apply it with understanding to the Bible, there is little room left for accepting many of the positions of modern science, specifically geology.

What I Think

If you can’t tell, I have been thrilled with these videos. I have watched them twice now, myself and plan to have my girls watch them again, also. There were some issues with trying to play them through our computer, as they would freeze or just be really slow and jerky with the buffering. However, I found that I could access Vimeo (the platform the lessons are on) through our TV and the videos run perfectly on there.

I highly recommend these videos from Northwest Treasures for anyone who wants to better understand the issues that modern geology presents and how to counter those issues. Knowing the scriptures is first of all what you have to do. But understanding the terminology that goes along with that and how they say it all fits together will help you speak more confidently on the issues. I am hoping that we can use their course on Dinosaurs and the Bible at some point soon. They also have classes, curriculum, and guided trips about the National Parks that I find really interesting. Perhaps we can work that in somewhere, as well. I know it would be fascinating.

Blessings,
At Home.

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