Have you ever used the expression, “Don’t let the good be the enemy of the great”?  The idea is that there are lots of “good” things out there and we could go crazy trying to chase them all.  The danger is If we try to chase all the “good” things, we might miss the “great” thing we should have been prioritizing.  I have been thinking about this lately in the context of trying to prioritize which resources are best for teaching our children important truths they need to know.  There is one resource, a book which is the greatest of all books, the Bible. 

Our national forefather Patrick Henry said the Bible is “Worth more than all the other books that were ever printed”. 

It is the greatest of all the great books.  It is the very Word of God.  The Bible is how God chooses to reveal Himself to all of us.  What resource could be more important to teach our children as we seek to restore this nation?  (or anything else we are doing for that matter!)  For this reason, I wanted to share with you the tool we have used to teach God’s Word to our children for over 20 years. 

Grapevine Studies

I know the idea of teaching God’s Word to our children may sound intimidating to many of us.  I mean, a lot of times I struggle to understand what is being discussed!  I don’t want to have something too complicated or theological, but at the same time, I don’t want to water down the sacred truths of the Scriptures either.  When our oldest was still a baby, we found a great company called Grapevine Studies.  We started using their products with her before we started any other curriculum.  She is 23 years old now, and we have used Grapevine products with all of our children ever since.  Our children have gained a thorough understanding of the Bible because the materials directly involve them. 

As you read the Bible passages with your children in the Old Testament or New Testament Studies, they capture (and remember!) what happens in each Biblical account because they draw simple stick figures of the characters and what is going on in that scene.  They even have traceable pages for the younger ones.  Simple objects, or colors, represent complex theological concepts.  For example, when God is referenced, the children draw a purple triangle.  Purple is the color for royalty, and the triangle represents the Trinity.  So, they learn the basics of what the Scripture is telling them without requiring expertise in either theology or artwork!  Grapevine Studies focuses on the content and does not teach doctrine; it leaves that up to the parent’s discretion.  Each study is presented in chronological order and the Bible is the text.  Use whichever version of the Bible you prefer.  We have found Grapevine Studies to be an exceptional product for holding the children’s attention, presenting and reinforcing the truths of Scripture, and helping them to love God’s Word.

Timelines

When I was a young adult in the Air Force, one of the Chaplains shared with me a timeline that showed how the books of the Bible were arranged in chronological order.  With some very brief explanations, the meaning of the different books came alive for me like never before!  The Bible is a real account of real history!  Nothing brings that truth home like seeing how it fits together in a timeline.  Now the events presented in these books made sense to me in light of each other and are no longer just isolated stories. 

Fortunately, my children didn’t have to wait until they were young adults to have this experience click for them!  We use the Old and New Testament timelines where they capture the truths of the Scripture into a chronological framework of simple drawings.  Then they display their artwork in a line of pages on the wall of their room.  Because they were directly involved in drawing the pictures, they remember the simple symbols, stick figures, and colors and are able to constantly see on their wall and remember the major themes of the Bible accounts as they happened in history.  Additionally, each study starts with a timeline so the students can see how the material in that lesson fits into the big picture before moving on to fill in the details.  As a result, the children also get much of the contextual framework that is important for a good understanding. 

More recently, Grapevine has developed flash cards.  These cards may be used in a variety of ways to help children remember what they have been covering without getting out the color pencils!  The flash cards are great for a quick review, a road trip, a game of Jeopardy, or numerous review games.  Our boys love the flash cards.  They give the opportunity to make it fun.  Flash cards are currently available for Old or New Testament and a couple of key Bible characters. 

Our society has separated itself from God’s Word.  As a result, I don’t have to describe for you the many ways we are spiraling out of control as a nation and the problems we currently face.  Noah Webster prophetically described many of these issues when he said, “All of the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from them despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.”  This quote really struck me as it describes so much of what we see today.  As I think often (and write articles from time to time) about our dear nation and how we should proceed to work to preserve her, and get us back to our foundational truths, I am repeatedly convinced there is no way we can be successful in that endeavor without first putting God back in the foundational position of this country.  This is the reason we have both repentance and prayer as steps in the R.E.C.I.P.E. to save our country.  Teaching God’s Word to our children is also critically important for doing that.  Grapevine Studies is the best tool I know of for getting the Scriptures into the hearts and minds of our children. 

We hope you will visit GrapevineStudies.com and check out their products for the children in your life. Grapevine Studies has graciously given our readers a coupon code for 20% amount off anything in the store. Use the Coupon Code: Patriot when you check out. The coupon is good until June 5, 2023, so order today! Feel free to forward this blog article to anyone you know who could benefit from this offer. 

You might start with the Old and/or New Testament Overview, and then maybe drill down into certain events or characters with topical studies that are of particular interest.  However you choose to go about it, I pray we will all work to get the Bible firmly planted in the hearts and minds of our children.  We have found Grapevine Studies products to be a remarkable resource for helping us to do that.  We hope you will too!  Thank you!