Monday, April 5, 2010

A Noteworthy Idea

Not long ago, Courtney at Women Living Well reviewed One Million Arrows, a book by Julie Ferwerda about purposefully raising our children to change the world.  I haven't read the book yet (though I plan to), but she shared an example from the book that I just couldn't wait to try.  She explains,  "One father purchased a wide-margin Bible for each of his children. Then he took two years, prayerfully reading the Bibles cover to cover. In the margin he wrote in notes, prayers, applications, and insights for his children."

This idea spoke straight to my heart, and I shared it with my hubby.  We immediately began browsing for Bibles that would allow both of us to participate.  We discovered the NoteWorthy Bible.  For each page of Scripture there is a beautifully blank page just waiting for thoughts and prayers. 


The Thinker is 10, and we have decided that his 13th birthday would be a great time to present him with this Bible.  We've given ourselves two and a half years to complete this journey.  Then we'll start all over again for our younger son (The Stinker).  We'll have lots more time, God willing, to complete one for The Princess.

I love the idea that my children can have God's thoughts and our thoughts for them dwelling side-by-side.  My prayer is that as they journey through God's Word, they will know how deep and wide and high is His love for them.  And as they walk with their eyes through our words, I pray they will also feel the love poured from our hearts to theirs.  His Word and our words.  A true treasure to cherish through the years.

A big thank you to Courtney for sharing something that would "spur (us) on toward love and good deeds."   

My hope is that it will do the same for some of you.
Parent with purpose.


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18 comments:

Courtney (Women Living Well) said...

O I LOVE this Bible and didn't know it existed! My Good Morning Girls group is about to begin reading through the Bible together - it may take us a few years but the accountability will help - I'm gonna see if they want to get this Bible!

Thanks for sharing this with me!!! If we choose to do this I will be sure to share it with my readers and link up to you as the idea giver on this!

Thanks again - I'm really excited! Can't wait to show the girls!!!

Keep Walking with the King!
Courtney

partialemptynester said...

If you never do anything else for your children, do this!!! I wish I'd thought through it enough to have done this in TWO Bibles. When people bring up the age old question, "What would you grab if your house was burning down?", I never hesitate to answer, "My Bible!!" It's my children's inheritance from me! I've written all sorts of milestones with God and our family in that precious book! It is tearing apart so badly that I told my husband on the way to church the other day that I could not be taking it out of the house anymore...I've downloaded the Bible onto my iPhone and take notes that I rewrite in my Bible when I get back home now. Our family's legacy in the Lord is written all over my Bible and I love it!!! So many times when we are reading together, I can remind them, "Oh, we read this when we were going through this or when God granted us that, etc, etc, etc". It has both my children's testimonies of the scriptures they read as the committed their sweet little lives to the Lord and more testimonies of their growing years when they have faced God and asked tough questions...oh, I am just in tears as I write this! I implore every young mother out there to just DO THIS one thing for their children, for EACH of their children, as I have NO idea which child's home this precious Bible will eventually end up in! Oh, and thank you, glowingirl, for the "foxy" comment, haha, it was definitely a shallow, but fun post of mine, lol!

Megan said...

I love it! That blank page is a great tool....

rachelw said...

Now that is a fantastic idea! What a priceless treasure to pass on to your children. Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea!

Audrey said...

Just saw your post on the LPM blog about your passion for seeing justice among the trafficked. I'm in the Illinois area and have been learning so much about all of this recently. I actually went on a trafficking awareness trip for two weeks in February and my husband has an application in with International Justice Mission right now. Not sure where God will lead us (we just came out of youth ministry and feel Him calling us to pastor a church, but this could be a fork in the road, too--we are so passionate about these girls finding freedom and the men that lie to them and use them to surrender themselves to Jesus). Just wanted to say "Hi!"
Oh, I have two boys, too (7 & 5) and I homeschool them, too--they keep asking every so often when they're going to get a little sister :)
feel free to e-mail me at audreyhowie@marykay.com

Jennifer said...

Oh my goodness, this post made me tear up!! ... Yes, I'm pregnant and emotional!! What a sweet gift for your child!! I always keep my journal near my scriptures for notes but this is a GREAT idea so it's all in one spot. Sometimes highlighting and writing in the creases just doesn't do it ;)

And thanks for stopping by my blog for my SITS day! I'm slowly making my way through all of the commenters. You really make my day special! And I'm glad it brought me here! :)

Carrie @ Dittle Dattle said...

That is a wonderful idea. I think this is something all parents should do! Visiting from SITS

Karen and Gerard said...

I am so glad I found your blog through SITS today! This is a wonderful idea!!! What a great way to get your children into the word and pass down things you've learned to them from God. I never knew such a Bible existed before either and have tweeted, stumbled and marked this post on delicious. I am now following you too. I love this idea!

Visiting from SITS.

Unknown said...

This is such a wonderful idea! I think everyone would benefit from being able to put their notes write there.Stopping from SITS!

MamaMonki said...

This is a beautiful idea. I've been writing letters to David in a journal, but I love the idea of handing him a Bible with our prayers and thoughts in it. Thank you for sharing!

Monica said...

What a great idea!! I would love to do this for my children. What a treasure!

Lizzie said...

What a meaningful and thoughtful gift. I wish you joy in the filling of it.

The Blonde Duck said...

That sounds like a lovely idea!

Natalie said...

Now that is one awesomely fabulous idea. I want to hear more about it as you go through this journey - my children are 5, 3, and almost 2. I'm thinking this would be so wonderful to give them for their 13th birthday as well - what a statement as they enter those "teen years". Brilliant. So glad the link to your blog works now!!! I love your cute style and you are quite a writer, too! :)

Natalie at Mommy on Fire
http://www.mommyonfire.com

Melissa Stuff said...

I hope you don't mind me borrowing this idea to post on my blog - I can even point people over here if you like.

Thanks for stopping by to read about both of my sets of three boys ;)

amy in peru said...

oh I think my husband would LOVE this...

amy in peru

La Familia Garcia said...

I'm getting lost in your blog today...although I should probably stop soon and pick up later. I just love this it brought tears to my eyes as I would love to do this for my kids. I think I'm so attracted to your family cause we have kids around the same age. And your writing of course..the heavenly perspective! Thanks for blessing me this morning!

Susannah said...

Applauding wildly. What a very cool Bible! Thanks for sharing your find, and for being SO committed to your children's spiritual training. It will pay off in this life, and also the life to come. Well done, Mom!!!!

(Hugs) e-Mom :~D

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