Unveiling Cultures: A Conversation with Jenny Marcelene

Tune in to my latest podcast interview on the BookWorthy Podcast where I share about the importance of understanding and respecting other cultures as a believer.

Combat Mom Guilt with God’s Grace, Not Perfection

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash

I’ve always struggled to feel like I was a “good enough” mom. A mom who deserved the accolade of “Best Mom” scribbled on a card from her kids on Mother’s Day.

I don’t bake bread from scratch (although I have used a bread machine!). I don’t create homemade birthday cakes that belong in a magazine. (But I do make box cake mixes and toss sprinkles on top of the frosting).

When my kids were under the age of 8, I didn’t want playdates to last more than two hours (even better if we just met up somewhere else like a park). During the naptime years, I didn’t use those golden minutes to meal prep or clean the house, but to work out, shower, and read my Bible.

We all have limitations, but the God we’re created to point to doesn’t (cue the confetti!). We want our kids to place their hope in Jesus, not us.

Read my latest article on MomLife Today.

Meet the Azerbaijanis

Welcome to Baku (bah-KOO), the capital of Azerbaijan (ah-zer-by-JAHN)! Stroll down narrow stone walkways and past beautiful, old buildings from different times in history. Notice the tall, modern buildings jutting out from behind the ancient architecture. Colorful Persian rugs hang from balconies to air out. Just around the corner is a restaurant where a girl delivers a cup of black tea to a tourist…

Catch the full story along with a family-friendly activity, recipe, and prayer prompts on Via Families.

Summer Travel Club: Ticket to Afghanistan

Salam alaikum friends! (That's Pashto for hello!) Are you ready to travel to Afghanistan and learn about this beautiful country?

Before we get soaring, let's go over some pre-flight information.

Ticket to Afghanistan is a four-part guide designed for families to work through at their own pace this summer—whether that's daily, weekly, monthly, or anywhere in between. Each part includes a discussion question, cultural focus, kid-friendly activity, way to pray, and bonus activities.

You'll learn about Afghan culture and step into your role in missions through prayer in fun, engaging ways.

Explore Afghan culture from a biblical worldview this summer with your family. Pick what components fit into your family's rhythm and don't stress about the rest!

Now that the pre-flight announcement is over, let's begin our trek to Afghanistan!

Here's the link to your family's summer adventure to Afghanistan:

Summer Travel Club Returns

What if your family could travel to another country and learn about how to pray for a new culture without leaving your neighborhood this summer?

Summer Travel Club returns this summer to help you do just that!

Summer Travel Club: Ticket to Afghanistan is a four-part guide designed for families to work through at their own pace this summer—whether that's daily, weekly, monthly, or anywhere in between. Each part includes a discussion question, cultural focus, kid-friendly activity, way to pray, and bonus activities.

Families will learn about Afghan culture and step into their role in missions through prayer in fun, engaging ways.

Explore Afghan culture from a biblical worldview this summer with your family. Pick what components fit into your family's rhythm and don't stress about the rest!

Next week I'll release this FREE four-part guide! Be sure to grab a copy of The Dreamer that pairs perfectly with the guide and would make a great family read aloud this summer!

The Sword & Story Podcast

Tune in to my podcast interview with Laurie Christine on The Sword & Story Podcast. Here's the episode in a nutshell from the podcast host:

What if your new board game could send you on real adventures to foreign countries?

What if you were given a mission to accomplish, and failure meant you’d never make it home again?

What if you could be part of God’s rescue mission and you didn’t have to wait until you were a grown up?

Welcome to The Sword and Story Podcast—where we help Christian families find exciting, faith-filled books for their boys.

Our mission is to raise strong, courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God. Join us on a quest to discover stories that inspire our boys to grow into godly young men.

I’m your host, Laurie Christine. I’m an author, bible teacher, wife, and mom to four wild, wonderful, boys. I’m the author of the Dragon Slayer Bible Series, adventure-packed biblical fiction and devotions for middle-grade boys.

Our guest author today is Jenny Marcelene.

Catch the full podcast episode here.

4 Family-Friendly Resources to Join in the International Day for the Unreached

Between sports practices, grocery runs, and the chaotic descent of the school year, adding the International Day for the Unreached to already overflowing schedules may feel like too much—never mind ascertaining why it matters or how to participate.

May 24th is International Day for the Unreached, a day set aside to spark awareness and prayer about unreached people groups around the world. Our families can participate in a simple, but powerful way: prayer.

WHY THE UNREACHED MATTER

"For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 1:11 ESV).

God’s plan has always involved the nations knowing and worshiping him. 

In the Old Testament, the Israelites worshiped God through two ways—incense and offerings. When incense is burned it makes a good smell. Offerings are animals or grain given to God. Before Jesus came, these acts of worship could only be done in one place—the temple in Jerusalem (Deut. 12). 

But God designed a plan even before Jesus came to earth. God planned for a day when people from across the world could worship Him in every place. God didn’t want worship to be available to only one people in one city. He wanted everyone in every town, village, and city around the globe to know and praise Him. Since the coming of Jesus, worship is no longer in one place (John 4:21-24). Jesus opened the door for worship to happen all across the globe and ended the Old Testament system of sacrifices by becoming our eternal sacrifice (Heb. 10:11-14). Faith in Jesus unlocks the door to a right relationship with God, but this Good News isn't fully known in every corner of the world.

Another issue existed during the time the book of Malachi was penned. God's people weren't rightly worshiping Him. They were going through the motions. Not following the rules outlined to properly offer sacrifices to God. They failed to see His greatness and it was reflected in their lackluster worship.

The purpose of missions is for the Lord to be fully worshiped by every nation. For God to be glorified in every corner of the world. John Piper states this clearly, "Missions exists because worship doesn't." 

Malachi 1:11 grants us a glimpse into God's heart: He wants people from every nation aware of His greatness and responding to Him in genuine worship. 

In the grind of daily life, we can forget how holy, merciful, and powerful our God truly is. We can offer up half-hearted worship. We may not join in seeing God's name made great in our family, neighborhood, state, country, or across the globe because our hearts are focused on lesser things. Perhaps busyness has crowded out space for this.

If we believe God is truly the greatest, then our actions should match this belief. One way we can do this is through praying for the gospel to reach parts of the world still in darkness. We can realign our hearts to what matters to the Lord through finding pockets of time in our day or week to pray for the lost.

Throughout the world there are places where God isn't receiving the glory and praise He deserves. God desires to make His people a "light to the nations" so His "salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (Isa. 49:6). God is great and no one or nothing is better than Him.

Unreached people groups (UPGs) don't have access to hearing the gospel and aren't giving God the glory He rightly deserves. Unreached means from the time someone is born until the day one dies, this person doesn't have a chance to hear who Jesus truly is or even know a Christian.

If God cares about His name worshiped among every nation, then so should we. The International Day for the Unreached can be more than just one day, but an invitation to rightly worship our great God and join in His global plan through prayer.

4 FAMILY-FRIENDLY UPG RESOURCES

We can find ways to weave awareness and prayer into our family's day. We can find pockets of time in the rhythm of our days and week and transform them into times of prayer. Whether we're driving to school or church, taxing kids to a sports practice or lesson, talking over dinner, or walking the dog, we can redeem our minutes for eternal impact. Figure out where you have a window of time you're already together as a family and use that time to pray for the unreached together—even three to five minutes of prayer matters!

Here are four family-friendly resources to raise awareness about and foster prayer for UPGs:

1) The Great Gathering Prayer Cards for the Unreached World

Via Families created family-friendly unreached people group prayer cards, The Great Gathering Prayer Cards for the Unreached World, to guide families in praying for the unreached in five minutes or less. Each of these colorful 25 cards shares a bit about an unreached people group and how your family can pray. My kids and I use these cards on our way to school in the mornings. One of my kids reads the card, then we all take turns praying for the unreached people group of the day. If you have kids who still enjoy coloring, Via Families created a coloring book, The Great Gathering Coloring Book, that pairs with the prayer cards.

2) Wonder Letters

Each month, your family receives a letter in the mail from a fictional child from an unreached people group. Each letter includes a story, activities, and prayer prompts. The subscription rate is $10 a month. This resource is ideal for those who may want to a dive a bit deeper into learning about different UPGs, but don't have time to research themselves. Additionally, your family spends an entire month learning about and praying for a specific UPG before moving onto a new UPG.

3) Kid's UPG Cards

Author, artist, and former missionary Sarah Nunnally created these 26 beautiful digital UPG cards for younger kids. You can download the PDF for FREE to guide your family in praying for the unreached. (Plus, she provides other lovely FREE resources to foster prayer for the world.) Sarah Nunnally wrote three mission-minded picture books for young readers (ages 4-8) that would pair well with learning about and praying for the unreached with little ones.

4) The Dreamer (To the Ends) by Jenny Marcelene (🠜that's me!)

Magic Tree House meets God's heart for the nations in this delightful book for young readers. In The Dreamer, Jason and Fred must fulfill a strange mission to deliver a holy book to a dreamer in Afghanistan. If only the brothers knew who. Can they lose the mysterious person following them and figure out who needs the book before time runs out? 

I'm the author of this series (published by Calla Press) and was inspired to write it after spending six years in conservative Muslim cultures. To the Ends is a missions chapter book series for children ages 6-10 and crafted to introduce young readers to people they may never meet in person, but can pray for the gospel to reach. Spark prayer for the nations in your family through this faith-based adventure. (The Menders based in Sri Lanka will be released October 1, 2026.)

The Dreamer includes discussion questions, a family-friendly prayer guide, and a glossary of terms. Additionally, if you swing by my blog, I offer a FREE digital 4-Day Family Guide, Ticket to Afghanistan, to dive deeper into Afghan culture along with other FREE resources to extend the learning and prayer beyond the story. 

Our God isn't just for the United States, but for every country and people group across the earth. Let's show our kids how great God is through praying for UPGs around the world to know and worship Him. 

Step into God's global plan and weave prayer for UPGs into the fabric of family life starting today. 

EXPLORE: VESAK

Photo by Wisnu Widjojo on Unsplash

Vesak (VAY-sahk) is the biggest Buddhist holiday of the year, often celebrated around the first full moon of May. Vesak is as important a holiday for Buddhists as Christmas is for Christians.

Learn more about Vesak, including prayer prompts and a kid-friendly activity in my article from Via Families.

God's Great Big Global Church

Brief overview:

Travel around the world to 10 countries and learn what life and church looks like there.

Recommended age range: 4-8 years old

Strengths:

• Introduces a kid from each culture as a guide
• Learn about 10 different countries 
• Beautiful illustrations to engage little ones
• Catch a glimpse of how church looks different and similar in other cultures

Additional Notes:

• At the end of each country tour, a Bible verse about worship is included along with a few questions to discuss with your kids.
• On pg. 15, the book states Cambodia is 97% Buddhist. According to Joshua Project, Cambodia is around 24% Buddhist and 58% Ethnic Religions. It's possible they're blending the two together because of the overlap in how people practice their religion. Buddhism (and Hinduism) tend to blend into ethnic religions well, especially as these religions stemmed from ethnic religions.
• On pg. 37 the book mentions how the church in Brazil baptizes babies.
• Free, digital downloads, including a printable passport book, story summary worksheet, make your own stop worksheets, printable map, printable country greeting illustrations. Visit: https://www.thegoodbook.com/global-church-free-downloads
• Free, digital guide to transform book into a missions event or Vacation Bible School. Visit: https://www.thegoodbook.com/global-church-free-downloads

Chapter Books vs. Middle Grade Books: What's the Difference?

I used to think middle grade books were for middle schoolers. I was surprised to learn that wasn't the case.🙃

An overlap exists between chapter books and middle grade books, but readers should have different expectations based upon which one they're reading. This will help you know what you're getting into before checking it out or adding it to your shopping cart. 🛒

✨Chapter books are written for kids ages 6-10. The reading level varies, but is often 2nd-4th grade. These books are usually under 100 pages and typically have at least one black and white illustration per chapter.

📖 Middle grade books are written for kids ages 8-12. The reading level also varies, but tends to settle in the 4th-6th grade range. These books are usually under 300 pages. Illustrations aren't a given, but sometimes can be sprinkled in.

✨Chapter books are written to be read aloud or given to young readers. They tend to be quick paced, have shorter sentences, focus more on lighthearted stories, and contain simple character arcs.

📖 Middle grade books are written to be read alone by a young reader, but are still fun as a read aloud. They tend to have more plot complexity, tackle deeper themes, and contain full character arcs.

✨Examples of chapter books: The Magic Treehouse, Ranger in Time, The Secret Explorers, Ballpark Mysteries, The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls, Imagination Station, and To the Ends.

📖 Examples of middle grade books: The Tree Street Kids, The Wingfeather Saga, Mr. Lemoncello's Library, How to Train Your Dragon, The Penderwicks, and The Treasure Hunters (but this series has loads of illustrations!).

I've shared a general overview of chapter books and middle grade books here, but there are always exceptions.

Early chapter books and upper middle grade books are different, smaller categories within the chapter books and middle grade books categories.

Now go forth and read! (And hopefully you're a touch more prepared to know which category of book is the right fit for your reading needs and what the author was shooting for when he/she wrote it.) 🤓

Chandra's Magic Light

Brief overview:

In the remote mountains of Nepal, electricity, running water, and access to healthcare are difficult to find. When Chandra's and Deena's little brother gets sick from the smoke of their family's indoor lantern, they learn about a lantern that won't make anyone sick—a solar lantern. This solar lamp costs more money than their family has so the girls launch a plan to earn money to buy it.

Recommended age range: 5-8 years old

Strengths:

• Sweet story to pull young readers into the life of village kids in Nepal and show the love of siblings to care for another.
• Beautiful illustrations to engage little ones.
• A simple ways to introduce kids to Nepali culture.

Additional Notes:

• The story references two Hindu gods that the girls pray to, a moon god and a sun god. These pages could be skipped (in the middle and at the end) without missing the heart of the story. Or could be a point of discussion about how Hindus don't know Jesus is the one true God. 
• Wordy for a picture book. Many picture books are between 500-1,000 words. This one is close to 1,400 words.
• The back of the book provides some basic information about Nepal.
• The book includes an activity to make a pizza box solar oven.
• Could be a tool for a unit study on Nepal since it provides a glimpse into village life.

Heart of a Samurai

Brief overview:

The year is 1841. A sea storm strands a Japanese fisherboy named Manjiro and his friends on an island. The group can't return home because of the country's rule that once you leave, you can't come back. Manjiro starts a new life on board a whaling ship, learns more about cultures he once feared, and wonders if one can ever become a samurai.

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• Based off the life of Manjiro Nakahama, a Japanese teenager shipwrecked in 1841.
• Includes Manjiro's actual pencil drawings throughout the book.
• An interesting look into how different cultures perceive one another and the importance of overcoming our suspicions to engage on a deeper level.
• A glimpse into life during that time period (1840s/1850s).

Additional Notes:

• With a slower moving pace, reading it aloud can be a good option.
• Not written as a fast-paced adventure, but fine as a historical biography.
• Story covers Manjiro's entire life and can skip over chunks of time making it harder to track.

'Linsanity' and Staying the Course

My boys and I recently watched the documentary about basketball player, Jeremy Lin, and it reminded me of how often God's way looks nothing like ours.

Jeremy Lin is a Christian whose unlikely path led to playing in the NBA, but he faced racism (as an Asian playing high level basketball) and a host of ups and downs.

But I loved Lin's motto (especially for my basketball-loving kids ): God first, family second, basketball third. This documentary sparked a reminder that trust in God and hard work are essential.

As my oldest is on the cusp of the teenage years, I appreciated a story that showcased the importance of humility, hard work, and rooted devotion to honoring Christ with basketball rather than listening to voices of the world (which were quite loud).

Although this documentary was about basketball, the message of Lin's story is applicable for any believer following the Lord in this world. Sometimes our path will feel confusing, difficult, and uncertain.

Before Lin's breakout stretch, he was one game away from his NBA career ending. He had no clue he could step out onto the court and accomplish what he did on such a high level. He had the tools and talent to play well, but didn't know things would fall into place like they did. Later he commented how it didn't feel like he was playing, but something "supernatural." Faithfulness and reliance upon the Lord to do something beyond ourselves comes when we may least expect it. 

I've felt this in my own writing journey. Sometimes it feels like all the doors are closing and I've wondered if this was the end of the line. But then God opened the door for such unlikely opportunities there was no other explanation but the Lord.

I can look back and see how all those years of investing into my craft and the variety of experiences He provided led to being ready for the next step the Lord had. I'm not where I thought I would be, but I'm so grateful to be where the Lord wants me to be.

Trusting God isn't for the faint of heart. Trusting God doesn't mean the path is smooth or we can always track with what He's doing. But a firmly rooted faith in the Lord and doing everything to please Him, not others is essential. 

Faithfulness to Jesus is always worth it. Stay the course, friends. Stay the course.

When the Rain Comes

Brief overview:

Malini must protect an ox carrying her village's rice seedlings from a heavy rain storm.

Recommended age range: 4-8 years old

Strengths:

• Charming illustrations 
• Pulls little ones into the life of a Sri Lankan girl
  
• A way to engage young readers with another culture

Additional Notes:

• Includes a brief overview of Sri Lanka at the back of the book

Every Nation: Seeing God Around the World

Brief overview:

Little ones catch a vision for God's greatness in different countries.

Recommended age range: 3-8 years old

Strengths:

• Beautiful illustrations 
• Invites little ones to catch glimpses of God's greatness in different countries
• Can spark prayer for kids around the world to know Jesus
• Visits the following countries: Japan, Somalia, Nepal, Thailand, Norway, Egypt, Costa Rica, Afghanistan, Chad, Oman, Sudan, Mongolia, USA, and Australia

Additional Notes:

• This picture book is a part of a 3-book series

Land of Giants

Brief overview:

Shem wants his father, Noah, to train him to become a warrior. But Noah is too busy building the ark so Shem takes matters into his own hands and strikes a deal with someone from the Cobras, a tough gang in the city, to teach him. As giants attack and the dragon's power over their city looms, will Shem obtain the skills to become a warrior and protect his family?

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• Well-written adventure to keep readers engaged
• Well-crafted characters readers can track with
• Provides a new way to interact with the story of Noah and step into that time in biblical history in an exciting way
• Weaves biblical truths into the storyline

Additional Notes:

• Christine created a fiction story during the time when Noah is building the ark 
• Written from a Young Earth Creationist View
• Author created a devotional that pairs with the middle grade book
• This is the second book in the Dragon Slayer Bible Story series

Aru Shah and the End of Time

Brief overview:

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah wants nothing more than to fit in at school, but sometimes she lets her imagination take things too far. When some peers show up and confront Aru's lie, she lights a lamp she wasn't supposed to and now she must save the world before time ends.

Recommended age range: 11 + (with adult or intentional conversations)

Strengths:

• A likeable, flawed main character with a character arc fitting for a 12-year-old
• Similar to the stories Rick Riordan writes, unpacking mythology through storytelling 
• Explores the world of Hindu mythology in an adventurous way
• Sprinkles in humor 

Notes for Parents:

• This story is told from a Hindu worldview. Young readers will hear about reincarnation. In this story, Aru and her sister are reincarnations of past warriors. This can be a springboard to unpack what Hindus believe about life after death and how this differs from what the Bible teaches.
• Demons are a part of this story, but depicted according to a Hindu perspective. The bad guy, the Sleeper, is a demon, but he didn't used to be. This can be used as a touchpoint for unpacking what the Bible teaches on demons.
• Aru lies to try to fit in and thinks that's all she can do well. But as the story unfolds, Aru realizes she has a good imagination and that's the real gift. This could be a useful conversation about why honesty matters.
• Lots of gods and goddesses referenced in this book.
• Aru and her sister battle some scary people along the way who want to hurt or kill them. 
• Aru starts at not thinking all the myths are true but through her journey realizes they are, thus affirming the validity of the Hindu worldview.
• pg. 86 - "Who should I cut first?"
• pg. 155 - reference to Mini's brother being gay, but hiding it
• pg. 165 - "a very good daydream" with winky face beside it
• pg. 301 - "A dozen or so demons with blood-spattered jaws"
• pg. 305 - "someone's head (literally) flew past her"
• pg. 308 - "Blood and spit flew over the walls."

Final Thoughts

This book provided insight into the world of Hinduism through storytelling. The Hindu religion can be difficult to track with from a Western point of view. This story places readers into a fictionalized understanding of Hindu mythology and pulls the curtain open to better understanding this worldview. Unlike Rick Riordan's writings, this book highlights religion more strongly (in this series that's Hinduism) than perhaps other books pulling from mythology. 

Shooting Kabul

Brief overview:

Relocating to California from Afghanistan hasn't been easy for sixth grader, Fadi, and his family. But winning a photography contest could give Fadi a chance to find his missing little sister.

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• Lovable characters who you root for 
• Well-written multi-cultural story 
• Navigates harder topics well for this age
• Introduces young readers to Afghan culture in a personable way
• Photography a part of the storyline
• Shows a loving, supportive family walking through difficult times
• Grants young readers a chance to understand the life of a refugee in an engaging way

Notes for Parents:

• [Spoiler alert] Some bullying takes place in the book (but it's not the primary focus). At one point, Fadi fights back and gets suspended from school for three days along with the two bullies. Later on, Fadi and some other boys who were bullied confront the bullies. Rather than cross the line of using physicality, the group opts to toss the bullies into the lake.
• [Spoiler Alert] In one scene, Fadi's guilt and stress about his missing sister triggers him in a toy store. His missing sister owned a well-loved Barbie and when he sees some in the store, he tries to destroy them. This isn't a long scene and the character is kind, but this scene shows his guilt and stress about the situation.
• [Spoiler Alert]: Fadi tries to runaway to the airport by hiding in the trunk of his dad's taxi car to find his missing sister. He's unsuccessful and gets in trouble for this foolish move. 
• This book takes place around the time of 9/11. This isn't the focus of the book, but it is mentioned and provides a backdrop to the some of the difficulties Fadi faces.
• [Spoiler alert] It's unclear if Fadi ever shares with his family that he feels responsible for his sister getting lost, but he does confide in his photography teacher.
• Uses "drunken turkey" and "p*ssed" once. 

I, Doko: The Tale of a Basket

Brief overview:

A Nepali folktale about valuing the elderly told from the perspective of a basket, doko.

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• Beautiful illustrations 
• Story adapted from a traditional Nepalese folktale
• Multi-generational families depicted to show the course of our lives and how roles shift over time
• A way to introduce Nepali culture to young readers
• Emphasizes the value of every human life isn't measured by age

Additional Notes:

• Deals with a heavier topic: our responsibility to care for our aging loved ones
• Seems less suited for the typical picture book audience, but could be useful for families interested in learning about other cultures or for older elementary kids doing a country unit study on Nepal.
• This is a bit more in line with traditional fairytales and touches on its lesson in a heavy hitting sort of way. In this story, the following topics are mentioned: drought, the death of a loved one, injury, a mistake leading to a fire, quarreling, considering sending an elderly loved one somewhere else to provide better care, the child providing the key lesson of the story. I would recommend parents reading this first to determine if this style suites their family.
• Could pair this with a biblical story about how God creates each person in His image and our responsibility to care for others

Lent Resources

                                                                    Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

Preparing our hearts to celebrate the resurrection of Christ starts during Lent. I love this quieter season of reflection. This year Lent starts February 18th. 

Here are some resources to consider utilizing:

FAMILY 

Journey to Jesus: A Scripture Adventure to Discover the Savior (Tweens) - An interactive study for tweens to reflect on the importance of salvation and grace.

A Jesus Easter: Explore God's Amazing Rescue Plan - Prepare your family's heart to celebrate Easter in this family-friendly devotional.

The Friend Who Forgives Family Bible Devotional: 15 Days Exploring the Story of Peter - Devotions based off the picture book that pair well for the Lent season.

Walking with Jesus: A Lent Family Devotional - Reflect as a family on the life of Jesus and the importance of His sacrifice.

Mission Accomplished: A Two-Week Family Easter Devotional - In 10 minutes a day, spend time as a family reflecting on Jesus' rescue mission to mankind.

Uncovering the Mercies of the Cross Bible Study - Help kids understand the importance of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection in this 20-day Easter study.

Awaken: A 21-Day Easter Devotional for Kids & Family - Learn more about Christ through the eyes of four witnesses who interacted with Jesus through daily devotions, activities, and discussion questions.

ADULT

What Depth of Love: Devotions on the Cross and Resurrection - Spend 40 days reflecting on the death and resurrection of Christ based off Charles Spurgeon sermons.

Clinging to the Cross: How Lent Points Us to Lasting Hope in Christ - Spend Lent reflecting on the hope found only in Christ.

Return to Me: A Holy Week Devotional (FREE) - Spend eight days before Easter, called Holy Week, reflecting on the concept of biblical repentance.

Contemplating the Cross: A 40 Day Pilgrimage of Prayer - Spend time meditating and reflecting on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This is my favorite Lent devotion!

Lent and Missions: A 40-Day Devotional - Spend time reflecting on the costliness of salvation and long for those who haven't yet heard about Jesus to hear the Good News. This would be a good resource for missions committees, small groups, staff teams, and elders who want to cultivate a shared vision on God's heart for the nations.

Look to Jesus Lent Reflection Set - Spend 40 days preparing your heart to celebrate the day Jesus rose from the dead. Each card includes Scripture, a brief devotion, a reflection question, and Ruth Chou Simons' beautiful artwork.

Be sure to check out my 2024 Lent Resource blog post for even more resources for Lent and Easter which includes specific tools for preschoolers and elementary-aged kids.

Please note: I haven't used all these resources personally, but shared them because they look like promising tools.