Childhood Glimpses: Matthew Henry

"Matthew Henry was born at Broad Oaks, Shropshire, England, on October 18, 1662....[he] was physically weak, but it was not long before his strength of intellect and character made themselves known. At the age of three, he was reading the Bible; by the time he was nine, he was competent in Latin and Greek. He spent his first eighteen years being tutored at home, in an atmosphere that was joyfully and lovingly Christian.

"He loved to hear his father preach. A sermon on Psalm 51:17 first awakened in young Matthew a desire to know the Lord personally. He was only ten years old at the time, but the impression was lasting. When he was thirteen, Matthew wrote an amazingly mature analysis of his own spiritual condition, a document that reads like an ordinary paper. Often, after hearing his father preach, Matthew would hurry to his room and pray that God would seal the Word and the spiritual impressions made to his heart so that he might not lose them. God answered those youthful prayers."

(From 10 People Every Christian should Know by Warren W. Wiersbe)

How precious it is to take a quick glimpse into the young life of this man who few Christians don't at least know by name. How many of us have his great Commentary on our shelves and many of us actually use it. There is little of the usual controversy about denomination and difficult passages that are often argued over. This is a commentary we can all benefit from, it is so devotional and practical. And written by a man who came to know the Savior young, and never went astray from that faith. This, dear ones, is a Christian hero. This friends, is the kind of story we would want our children to have, though it is far more difficult now than it was in Matthew Henry's day. But we can do our best.

Lovingly,

Nanna Maxine

Fanny Crosby, a Christian Heroine

(Image: Wikepedia)

Oh what a happy soul am I!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.

How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't;
To weep and sigh because I'm blind
I cannot nor I won't.

Fanny Crosby wrote this poem when she was but eight years old, and what a wonderful example and testimony she is to our children. I encourage you, no implore you, to read Fanny's biography to your children and sing some of her many hymns together. She lived a long and fruitful life, despite her handicap. In fact, I often think her life would not have been so fruitful without it. God knows exactly what He's doing and how to bless His saints. And indeed He did bless us through the life of this woman.

I wish the "Glimpses for Kids" by Christian History Institute were still available but as far as I know, you can no longer get the little church bulletins by that name. If I ever find out they're still available anywhere I'll be sure to pass that info along. But the text for the various biographies from those bulletins, written for children to read, are still available online and Fanny's is here. These excerpts from the bulletins do not include the graphics and puzzles but at least they can be printed out and read. 

Please talk to your kids often about the Christian heroes of the past. Believe me, they need to hear these things. Just turn on your news for five minutes and you'll have no doubt as to why.

Nanna Maxine

Perpetua: A Christian Heroine

I just read about some Voice of the Martyrs representatives who went to an Arabic church here in the US, where the members are from Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq. I would imagine the people from that church would know something of what persecution is. These representatives showed the children from the church a DVD made by VOM. This DVD is the story of Perpetua. Do your children know about her?  If you look her up, you'll find she was a young woman in her early twenties who became a Christian when it was illegal to do so. She was married and had an infant son but could not bring herself to turn from her faith in Christ. She was brutally martyred for that.

After viewing this story of Perpetua in the above mentioned church, the kids were asked what they would do if they woke up one day and found it was illegal to be a Christian. Some of their responses are recorded at the Kids of Courage blog and they're very interesting. You might want to read them here. 

I wonder what many of our children would say after reading the life of this one Christian heroine and that of many others. I wonder how it would impact their lives to learn more about the courageous Christians who gave their lives in service, and some who gave their lives literally.

I hope and pray some of us will take this to heart in our homes. And may our great God bless your children for it.

Love,
Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

C. S. Lewis, a Christian Hero

There are some things you may or may not know about Clive Staples Lewis, a/k/a "Jack" by his family and friends, a/k/a C. S. Lewis by the world at large. Did you know he lost both his mother and his wife from cancer? Did you know that as a result of his mother's death when he was still a boy, he became an atheist? Did you know he became good friends with J.R.R. Tolkein, author of The Lord of the Rings? Did you know he died on November 22, 1963, the same day President John Kennedy was assassinated? These and other details of Mr. Lewis' earthly journey would probably be of interest to your children!

And, of course, the most interesting part of his journey to tell them would be that which took him from atheism in his youth to salvation in his maturity, the man who continues to bless Christianity through his writings. This man, who as a young boy said there couldn't be a God when his mom died, has left a legacy of brilliance in such writings as The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and, of course, the Chronicles of Narnia.

What might the children in our lives learn from Mr. Lewis? Perhaps you'll agree with me that it would be quite worthwhile to delve into his life a little with them. I have in my possession little publications dated in 2005. They're called "Glimpses for Kids" ; they were colorful little worship bulletins put out by Christian History Institute. I'm not sure if they're still being published, but it would be worth looking into. The one about Mr. Lewis is Issue #27 and it's great. At the moment, I'm looking at a "Narnia Criss-Cross" puzzle on the back. Actually, all of these bulletins are really informative for kids, all giving interesting facts about Christian heroes from our past nicely laid out for young folks. I wanted to pass that on to you, but in the meantime in this cyber age, I have a link to Church History for Kids at christianity.com which has an excerpt from that bulletin.

I'm really thankful for God's gift to us of people like this man and many others. While Lewis was by no means perfect, there is much to be gleaned from reading about him. I don't know anyone who's read the above book, but from the reviews it seems it's for young readers, and that the author doesn't tamper with his Christian faith. So you might want to look into that too.

Please enrich your children's minds by telling them about these people who accomplished much for our Christian faith. You can't go wrong.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

Lady Jane Grey, a Christian Heroine

Have your children ever heard of Lady Jane Grey? Do they know anything about her? Do they know that this young girl, at the age of fifteen became queen for nine days? But more important than that, I wonder how many of our children today know that this young girl was later beheaded for her Christian faith. She was just sixteen.

I would encourage you to tell your children stories like this. It can't be stressed how important this is in the day we're living. It's so important that our kids have a happy childhood and that they have things to enjoy. It's good for them to have their times of play and enjoyable activities. But please, dear ones, don't allow them to go without knowing about people like Lady Jane. And there are many others who courageously faced death for what they believed about Jesus. May our daughters especially learn about young ladies such as this, as they see a much different kind of "heroine" dangled before their eyes by the entertainment world.

We don't know what lies ahead. We don't know what the next generation will face. Please prayerfully prepare them for whatever might come. This is a burden of my heart and I pray you'll take it as just that, and not a rebuke. For the love of Christ. For the love of His kingdom. And for the love of your children.

You can read her story and many others here.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

Adoniram Judson, a Christian Hero

What do your children know about Adoniram Judson? Do they know that he could read books at the age of three and read and write Latin and Greek at age nine? He was often called “Virgil”, which was a nickname for “bookworm.” Let your sons and daughters read about this hero of our faith who rightfully considered education a good thing, but by and by found a better treasure, which became the impetus that sent him and his faithful wife to a country where they endured many hardships. Why do such a thing? Why go to such a place? For the love of Christ—what else? Go to Church History for Kids and encourage your children with a hero unlike those they will see on any TV show or movie. Let them hear or read how this man used his intellectual abilities and love of language for the kingdom of God.

I also just found a good biography you could read to your preschoolers at Wholesome Words.

Robert Raikes - A Christian Hero

Robert Raikes - Wiki photo {{PD-US}}

A little note: I used Grammarly (www.grammarly.com) to grammar check this post, because even we grandmoms have been affected by this texting generation. :)

Most folks who know me know that Sunday School is close to my heart. I love teaching and always develop a special affection for the children who are in my class. Do your children like to go to Sunday school? If you’re in a church which, for whatever reason, has decided not to have one that’s certainly not a sin. Nowhere in Scriptures are we commanded to do so. But many Christians feel it does bring a wealth of benefits to the young and so do I.

Many people don’t know how, where, or when the first Sunday school came into existence. It’s quite a story, born in the heart of a man named Robert Raikes who was concerned about poor ragged children in his native England. At first, these children were taught to read and write as well as given spiritual training because it was the only school these particular children attended. When others heard of the success of this school held on Sundays, many more such schools cropped up all over England and the movement's eventual spread throughout the world is history. 

Read more about Mr. Raikes at The Church History for Kids site. Incorporate this article into the history studies of your school at home. Tell your sons and daughters about this man who believed the world marches forth on the feet of little children. I agree with him.

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

There is a Green Hill Far Away

 

There is a green hill far away,
Outside a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell,
What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.

He died that we might be forgiv’n,
He died to make us good,
That we might go at last to Heav’n,
Saved by His precious blood.

There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven and let us in.

O dearly, dearly has He loved,
And we must love Him, too,
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.

~ Cecil Frances Alexander

This song is a wonderful one to teach children on this Good Friday, but then again, to teach them at any day of the year. It was written by Cecil Frances Alexander, and she was a lover of children. Christian Heroes come in many forms and here we have another one. Read more about Mrs. Alexander here.

 
 

Phillis Wheatley, a Christian Heroine

Phillis Wheatley is one of my favorite heroes of the faith. I think it’s not just the fact that she and I are of the same ethnicity. More than that, it’s because she was a writer. And much of her heroism, in addition to her sterling character, was in her writing. There are many people whom I admire because of their writing. It’s close to my heart, you know, because I want to serve the Lord in written words above all else. What I have and hope to commit to paper will never measure up to that which was penned by this little “lowly” slave girl who accomplished so much above all the odds against her.

Please, read her story to your children. Hers is an important account of what can be achieved by human tenacity and will. I’ll let you read this tremendous tribute to this wonderful person at this site. Ask your children what they’ve learned after you read it to them. Or as a great homeschool language arts or social studies assignment, print out the story and have them write a paragraph or two about what they have learned after reading the story of this remarkable American who was a Christian hero. 

Maxine, a/k/a Nanna

Thomas Ken, a Christian Hero

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Do your children know these words? No doubt they’ve sung them at church. Do they know anything of the man who wrote them? His name was Thomas Ken, who lived in the years 1637-1711. This would be a nice homeschool research paper for them, as well as Christian History project: Let them find out all they can about this man and his musical contributions to the Church. Let them study his childhood and his later trials in the time in which he lived in England. Let them learn about this unsung hero. I think they’ll benefit. 

Heroes for Young Readers

I don't know much about these books, but you may want to check them out. I ran across this lady's Facebook page and thought it was interesting. So I'm passing the link along. The title of this series of books is "Heroes for Young Readers." You know how we are about teaching children about Christian heroes, so I'm hoping these are a good resource. I can't say I can recommend them, because I've never actually seen them or talked to anyone who has, but it may be worth checking into yourself.


Facebook page here.

Maxine

UPDATE:
I just found this video on their Facebook page. It's the writer talking about using pictures with children, and she's holding up one of the books so that you can get a better look than the image I posted.

William Carey, a Christian Hero

According to Wikipedia, a superhero is a fictional chacter noted for feats of courage and nobility. These heroes come in all kinds of elaborate costumes and have for long years captured the imaginations of myriads of children and adults. Which one did you like as a child? Was it Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, or some lesser known one?
Well I have a hero for your children. He never jumped off any buildings or flew through the air. All this hero did was go to a foreign land to share the gospel with the people. He went to this land, India, and performed no great feats. In fact, he labored there for years with no results. But I’m wrong. He did accomplish great feats. By the time his life ended, this man, William Carey, had translated the full Bible into six languages as well as translating other parts of the Word of God into 29 other languages. Hundreds of Indians came to Christ through his work. He inspired many missionaries who were to follow to go into all the world and preach the gospel, becoming known as the “Father of Modern Missions.”
I think it’s safe to say that this is a hero for you to present to your children. Read the story at Glimpses for Kids during family time one night. It’s a better story than that of any comic book or movie character anywhere.

Amy Carmichael, a Christian Heroine

Having the particular love that I have for children, especially little girls, I feel that it was kind of the Lord to bless my husband and me with two little girls to raise. And now, He’s even blessed us with two granddaughters, who have been born to loving parents and a loving extended family. But there have been times and places (and still are) where it was dangerous to be born a female baby. Evil things could happen to her and evil people could harm her.

It was this way for many little girls in India. These children knew hardship and fear. But there were some, not a few, who found a sweet rescuer. They called her “Amma”, which means that she was a mother to them. Many of you have heard of the “Amma” of many little Indian children. Her name was Amy Carmichael and her story is exciting. Read the article about her in Glimpses for Kids, viewable online at CHI. Let your daughter read it too. No matter how old she is, she’ll remember Preena, and she’ll remember the woman who rescued her.

Ask your daughter to remember, too, the life changing events in Amy’s life that guided her to extraordinary years of service. Who knows what God may bring in your child’s experience that will lead her to do great things for Jesus? He did it for Amy, so isn’t it possible He could do it for her?

Lovingly, Maxine

Learning from Joseph

We're having VBS at our church this week and our theme is the story of Joseph. Need I tell you of the many lessons which kids can learn from this Bible character? It's a story of forgiveness, of course, but there are many other important Biblical truths to be learned. Have you ever read through the account of Joseph to see all of the similarities to Jesus in his person and life? You might want to get out a little notepad and jot them down. You may be surprised at how many there are. Our pastor handed out a listing of some. Here's an interesting one: "Both Joseph and Jesus were stripped of their clothes." That's really something! I hope you'll be teaching your children about this Old Testament saint, instilling meaningful lessons of godly principles while you do. He's one of those Christian heroes we want to hold before them, even if he was from long ago.

The above image is a little craft you can do with children from this story, either in your home school or Sunday school. It's one of the many neat crafts found at a favorite site of mine. Go here to check out this activity and many others.

National Pastime

Baseball is the game I enjoy the most, even though this year my favorite team, the Philadelphia Phillies, is not doing very well. Above is the Phillies Phanatic, the team's mascot, and he's been pretty sad of late. Oh well, it's important that we all remember to take it for what it is, only a game, and make sure our children see it as just that. The guys who play are entertainers and certainly not heroes. There are many Christian Heroes whom we may hold before our kids who can be for them so much better as examples.

But having said that, baseball is fun and it's a good and healthy activity for all ages. A very interesting site has been brought to my attention through one of my groups and I wanted to pass it on. It's all about the sport which is known as our national pastime and I think you and your children will like it if you like the sport itself. Enjoy it here.