The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Series~ Part 3 {Book Review}

You can imagine the joy when I was able to let my youngest son know we were going to be reviewing the next two installments in his favorite series Secret of the Hidden Scrolls from WorthyKids Books! He was soooo bummed when he finished book #4, and I didn't have the next book ready to go. As soon as Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Shepherd's Stone (Book 5) and Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: The Lion's Roar (Book 6) arrived, he eagerly grabbed book #5 and disappeared. Would the next two books in the series be just as loved as the previous four? Join me today for our review of these latest installments in the Secret of the Hidden Scrolls series by M. J. Thomas!

About The Product

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls book series is published by WorthyKids Books. This book series is geared for ages 6-9 and is biblical fiction. The series revolves

I will Give You Rest

It was one of those days. 
The kind of day when you feel it boiling inside of you.
The bad attitude.
I felt it simmering. I don't know really where it came from. Probably an inconvenience of some kind aggravated me. And then *pop* just like that the bad attitude emerged. 

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls...A New Christian Fiction Series for Kids {Book Review}

I am always on the lookout for quality books that aren't filled with smut. This is especially true when it comes to book selections for my boys. So much of the children's literature available--especially for chapter books--is filled to the brim with smut and political agendas. And that's not coming into our house! Thankfully there ARE other options out there. Over the last few weeks, we have had the pleasure of reviewing the first two books in a new children's chapter book series from WorthyKids/Ideals called The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls. I am happy to say that I have found a series that meets my approval for quality AND entertaining chapter books!

About The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Book Series

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls book series is published by WorthyKids/Ideals of Worthy Publishing Group. This book series is geared for ages 6-9 and is biblical fiction. The series revolves

Stay Between the Lines {Five Minute Friday}

Ahhh. The first Friday of November. It feels so good to know that tomorrow is my Sabbath and a day of rest. I know we will appreciate it, especially with this gorgeous fall weather! With it being Friday, that means it's time for another Five Minute Friday. I'm feeling a bit...poetic.

AND GO

Stay Between the Lines by Lisa McKinney
We all know that life's a journey and sometimes the road seems long But if we keep our vehicle between the lines We will keep from steering wrong.
The lines are the Word and laws of God They help us to know The Way And keep us from straying off the road No matter if its night or day.
Like the Israelites back in Exodus We have something to follow behind They had the cloud of fire and smoke We're lead by the Savior of Mankind.
The journey is long, but the end will come It's going to be sooner than later Keep your eyes lifted up, stay between the lines And you'll be blessed by the Creator. 
AND STOP ***

Want to Join in? *** We are pretty excited about the rest of the weekend, because my parents are in the middle of their official moving road trip here. They are a mere 500 miles away now--resting for the Sabbath in Iowa. We expect them to finish their journey on Sunday, and arrive Sunday night. Needless to say, all involved are very excited about this. Their house is in the middle of construction--all framed and sheeted now--and their pole barn is completed. They haven't seen it yet--having had to rely on my photos and videos, so they are dying to arrive. I know they will be happy that part of THEIR journey will be over--and a new adventure can begin.
Have a simply wonderful weekend and may it be full of peace and blessings!

IndoctriNation: Public Schools and the Decline of Christianity in America {Product Review}

We are a Christian family. When we made the decision to homeschool our boys, this played a major part in our decision, because we could see the major shift in public education away from any and all things God related. We wanted to offer our children a God centered education and knew that it would be impossible to do outside of our home. It is easy to see why I was interested in reviewing the documentary IndoctriNation, a film that takes a closer look into the makeup of public schools and shares the challenges that Christian students, teachers, and administrators face on a day to day basis, as they struggle to maintain their beliefs and value system in an anti-Christian system.

Product Overview

IndoctriNation is a highly controversial documentary from Great Commission Films taking a closer look at public schools and the decline of Christianity in America. As the DVD jacket explains, "featuring interviews with whistleblower teachers, administrators, students, parents and others, this film is part documentary, part testimonial, and totally captivating." The DVD follows a homeschool father of seven who decides to take a field trip with his family across America in a big remade yellow school bus to seek out answers to questions like "Are my kids physically and morally safe in the schools?", "Are the public schools religiously neutral?", "Can the public school system be fixed or redeemed?" and many more!

This movie is geared towards any Christian family with children in the public school system who desires to take a hard look at the true state of public education: the good, the bad and the ugly. It is not recommended for young children due to some of the content discussed.

I received a copy of the physical DVD to review.

How Did I Use This Product?

Though I really wanted to watch this film with my husband, it didn't work out, so one night I just sat down and turned it on. I also opened up a WORD document so that I could take notes of what was being said (especially quotes).

The DVD is just like any other DVD, so easy to use. There is the availability of watching it in Spanish as well as English. There are a few Extra features including deleted scenes, words from the sponsors and a special interview not included in the film itself.

What Are My Thoughts on This Product?

"I know that when parents send their children to school they are wanting the very best for them too." I really like the way that this statement was made at the beginning of the movie. All too often there is an assumed judgement made by parents of public schooled children that homeschoolers must think that they (the public school parents) don't care about their children and that's why they don't homeschool. I appreciated that Colin Gunn began his documentary with these words.

I liked the way the documentary was put together. I liked the glimpses of the Gunn family on their travels and all the LIVE interviews. I loved the extensive dedication to examining the history of school and the education system in America. I think there was a lot of factual evidence provided that can easily be researched by anyone watching.

I appreciated the variety of the interviews--especially from people who were part of the educational system for years, who made the choice to resign and leave it because of what they were seeing happen. This was very relevant to me. I liked the discussion with Christian teachers and administrators about what it's like to be a Christian in the educational system and the battles they face every day whether in the classroom in general, or dealing with the curriculum they are given. It is eye opening to hear firsthand from teachers the kind of things they are instructed to teach our children by mandated curriculum.

I agreed with almost everything that was being said, because I have researched, experienced or witnessed for myself what they were saying. I didn't really learn anything new--just had confirmation of what I had long suspected and evidence that it was even worse than I thought.

For instance, I always knew that there was a big issue with incoming college freshman and the fact that most were not up to the standards or levels needed for entrance. What I didn't realize was that the number was so high. According to the college professor/administrator they spoke with, it's up to 70% needing to take remedial level classes. I liked how the teachers talked about how it used to be that you could walk down the halls and see evidences of written reports, essays, and poems...but now all you see are pictures and art projects. That we have shifted AWAY from expressing yourself via reading and writing--so crucial to success outside of the school.

A few quotes that really stood out for me:

"Schooling is bad. Not education."~ John Gatto (former NYC teacher of the year) when discussing the problem with the way schooling is done.

"[they are] stealing our children, but because they are leaving the body of the child with us, we don’t even know it’s happening.“ Dr. Lutzer discussing the way that public school indoctrination is working

"At the end of the day a child gets to make up his own mind...[but] the outcome has already been determined by the curriculum; it undercuts the parents, the church and the absolutes of the Bible.” ~Talking about the problem with Christian children trying to make it in public schools

"Is there anything more radical than turning your children over to total strangers who you know nothing about and having those strangers work on your child's mind for a period of 12 years? Could there be a more radical idea than that? If you had proposed that in Colonial America they would have burned you at the stake." ~ John Gatto on the ridiculousness of the present method of schooling

I think the undercurrent message of the documentary was--if you are truly desiring your child to be able to hold fast to his or her Christian values, you have to be the loudest voice your child hears. And in the present school system today, that is not possible unless you remove your child from public school and choose another option. It was definitely a wake-up call for all Christian parents to check in with your children and their school and REALLY see what they are learning and experiencing five days a week for 12 years of their life. That everything you hold dear in relation to your Christian values is being destroyed openly and if you speak up--or if your child speaks up...you will be breaking the law. But if a child or teacher would speak out FOR things that are CONTRARY to the Bible or God and Christianity in general, they would be lauded and praised and protected and allowed to continue to speak as much and as loud as they want.

What did I not like?
Well it's not necessarily that I didn't like it, but this movie was definitely pro-homeschool and you get that from the very start. I think that just reading the DVD synopsis, you would think there was more a call for public school reform of sorts rather than just a push for complete abandonment and exodus of public schools. But then again, that might be what was intended--to show that there isn't any hope for the public schools, so "get out while you still can" theory is encouraged for any Christian family.

Would I Recommend This Product?

Yes--with reservations.
Here are my reservations--if you are a not a fan of the idea of homeschooling, don't watch it. You won't like it. If you are practicing Christian public school teacher and love your job and everything that goes with it, don't watch it you won't like it. If you are not willing to accept that public school could be the wrong decision for your Christian family--don't watch it. If you don't like hearing about how the government owns the schools and that they were designed in their present state to help make more pliable factory workers, don't watch it. If you have no interest at all in making any changes to your present school situation because it is working for you and you believe that there is nothing wrong, don't bother watching it.

But...if you are at a point where you are making the decision whether or not to homeschool your children--watch it! If you are trying to figure out why your children are struggling in school, watch it. If you are a Christian teacher or administrator thinking that you are going to be able to keep doing your job and somehow lead others to Christ by being "salt or light"--watch it. If you think you are doing your child a favor by sending them in their young budding faith into the public school system, convinced they will be able to influence others for good--watch it.

Another group I would recommend it to--anyone having issues within their family where they do not have the support for your homeschooling decision with constant pushing for public school. This would be a great movie for "family movie night" to maybe open some eyes on what school is like today.

I had been thinking about getting this DVD for awhile, since I first saw it advertised in homeschooling catalogs and magazines--I am glad that I was able to get to experience it and already have a few friends in mind that I want to send it to!

Want to Learn More?

I reviewed IndoctriNation from Great Commission Films along with 99 of my fellow TOS review crew members. You know what I think, but what did some of the other families think about this hot topic DVD?
To learn more about Great Commission Films: IndoctriNation, keep in touch with them on these social media outlets:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndoctriNationMovie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/indocmovie
Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/indoctrination
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/IndoctriNationMovie

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This movie was very eye opening and I think that I will still try to get my husband to watch it. I have a few friends who are on the saddle about public school vs. homeschool with children getting ready to start Kindergarten. This video would be very helpful for them and I hope to get a copy into their hands.

The Broken Shell~ A Lesson in Brokenness, Beauty, and Strength

Dawn has broken on a beautiful day here at the ocean. I've come to refresh my weary spirit and to refuel my tired soul.
So begins the beautiful book My Beautiful Broken Shell by Carol Hamblet Adams. I love the words in this book. They are tender reflections of hurt and hope sharing a truth that in the hands of God, there can be profound beauty and strength in our brokenness. I have a special connection with the ocean and shells, as they got me through one of the toughest times in my life, so the message of this book and it being inspired by the broken shells along the beach, resonates with me.

Hidden Beauty

Have you ever noticed that when combing a beach for shells, we regularly inspect what we find for perfection? How many times have you eagerly found a shell hidden in the sand and dug it up, only to discover it was cracked or missing a piece. We will usually sigh and toss it back out to sea, don't we? We will walk by the big cracked scallop shell to reach for the perfect sand-dollar. In fact most people would rather not pick up ANY shells than one that has a flaw. Why? At what point have we become programmed to overlook the beauty and strength of even a cracked shell? 

Why do we only find value in perfection when it comes to shells?

Have you ever watched children hunting for shells? If you've ever been to the beach I'm sure that you have, even if you've never done it with your own children. Taking my boys shell hunting is one of my favorite things to do at the ocean because hunting for shells using THEIR eyes is a totally different experience. My oldest (age 8) enjoyed doing this while we were in Florida this past fall. We would walk and suddenly he'd stop and eagerly point to a shell. He'd squat down and dig into the sand with his agile fingers until he could pull it out. It was usually just half of a shell. You know. The kind that we (as adults) simply throw back down. But he pulled it out. Turned it over and over in his hand. And just as I found myself saying "that one's broken, let's keep looking." He smiled and said...
"But mommy, look!"
And he'd flip it over to show me that it wasn't just a plain old charcoal gray scallop...no, it was inlaid with the most beautiful mother-of-pearl on the underside. So beautiful and so mysterious with the cloudy rainbow of colors. 
"It's so beautiful, mommy! I don't care that it's cracked! I want to keep it!"
And in that moment, I heard God speaking to me. 
There is beauty to be found even in brokenness. God doesn't look at our flaws, our cracks, our plain old charcoal gray barnacle covered exterior. God looks into our hearts. He sees what no one else can. The mother-of-pearl beauty hiding underneath. 

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Yes, we as people are broken. Oh how many of us have chips and cracks of all kinds and shapes. Going back to the book, the author states (referring to a broken shell):

This shell is people who are hurting...people who have lost loved ones...people who are frightened or alone...people with unfulfilled dreams...

Is that you? Can you relate? I know that I sure can.

Hidden Strength

Just as my son showed me the value in a broken shell because of what was hiding underneath, the author points out something else that made me think deeper...

This shell has had to fight so hard to keep from being totally crushed by the pounding surf...just as I have had to.

Broken shells are put under the same stress as the perfect ones we find. But they were able to make it to the shore even with their cracks and flaws. The very things which would have made them more susceptible to being crushed by the ocean and turning them into the very sand they are resting on. But they didn't. They weren't crushed. They were STRONG! 

It is possible to be strong even when we are cracked. To withstand the pounding surf of this life, even with everything going against us. 

Turning back to the words from the book...

Broken shells are shells that have been tested...and tried...and hurt...yet they don't quit. They continue to be. Thank you, Lord, for the great strength it takes to simply be...even when I hurt so deeply that there seems to be nothing left of me.

Have you ever felt that depth of hurt? When you were just so weighed down that even the thought of putting one foot in front of the other was too much to bear? What got you going? What gets you moving? Who gets you moving?

The author gives a clue...

If anything is still left of me or my loved ones, then that is enough to grab hold of...to keep me going...to thank God for.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit He saves.
Psalm 34:18

In my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears. Psalm 18:6

When I am at my deepest hurt, with the waves of life pounding me and threatening to bust me into a million pieces, God will help me make it onto the shore and into the sunshine. And though I am broken, He still sees the beauty. Because He made me. And He has chosen me to belong to Him. So I cry out to Him. I give Him my flaws, my brokenness, my imperfect self and I ask Him for the strength I need to get through...

this minute,
   this hour,
       this day,
          this week,
              this month,
                  this year,
                     this life.

And He responds.
He always does.

But I've learned that more often than not, His help and gift of strength comes not from taking me out of the ocean, but from being able to ride out the turbulent currents and crushing waves. I will still make it to the shore with His help, and I might still be cracked when I get there. But the pounding and slamming against the sand and the power of the surf, has now made my mother-of-pearl beauty become polished, smooth and oh so lovely. He created in me greater beauty by helping me through my brokenness. 

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Though my cracks never completely disappear (for they never completely go away you know), I recognize that every time I conquer the surf, I have gained lessons in life. Perhaps my journey led me to greater compassion and love, increased patience and kindness, deeper meditation and faith --things I would have never had if I had been lifted from the ocean instead of allowed to roll in the waves. 

It's just a fact of life that perfection according to the world's standard is unattainable, and we kill ourselves (whether in spirit or body) trying to achieve it, instead of accepting that we are going to be imperfect as long as we are in this life (James 3:2 comes to mind). We don't want to accept brokenness or failures as normal and we try to hide our sufferings from others to maintain our own perfect image. But we are surrounded. You are surrounded. I am surrounded. Surrounded by broken people. People who need the comfort of others who have shared experience, people who need the very same strength of the Lord that we ourselves draw on to get through every day. 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 

My book's conclusion holds these comforting words.

As I look at my beautiful broken shell, I see that it has nothing to hide. It doesn't pretend to be perfect or whole...its brokenness is clear for everyone to see.

Lord, help me realize that I am not the only one hurting...that we all have pain in our lives. Help me remember that in my brokenness I am still whole and complete in Your sight.

Broken yet Beautiful...Fragile yet Strong

Just as my son treasured that broken shell for the secret beauty it held, so also God treasures us. The trials we experience test us just as the pounding waves of the surf test the strength of those shells. We get cracks and dings, but they only show how much we have accomplished and what we have been through. The strength we have gained. Our weaknesses made us stronger because we were forced to rely on God to supply our needs. 

Don't get me wrong, we are instructed to seek perfection by God, but it's perfection in and through Christ Jesus (Ephesians 4:13, Colossians 1:28), NOT the world. We come to Him in our brokenness and know that He will help make us whole. We don't need to hide our flaws or imperfections from the One who made us. He didn't reach out and call us because we were perfect.

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

The next time you go to the beach, take a second look at the broken shells. Remember that they too were made by God...they too have a story about the journey that brought them safe on the shore...and they above all teach a lesson that in brokenness there is beauty and strength. 

Thank You, Lord, for all that I learned from my brokenness...for the courage it takes to live with my pain...and for the strength it takes to remain on the shore. ~Carol Hamblet Adams

My Beautiful Broken Shell

By Carol Hamblet Adams

ISBN #978-0736908702

Happy Kids Songs: Music for Character Development (Product Review)

When it comes to teaching information with music, I'm all ears. We incorporate music into our school day as much as we can. My boys respond well to learning things with music and retain it very well. Today I'm sharing a review of three albums of character training themed music (Happiness & Attitude, Manners & Character, and Friends & Sharing) from Happy Kids Songs.

Product Details

Happy Kids Songs is a company devoted to producing music that is a fun and effective way to raise children's social, character and emotional skills. They have eight award winning albums dealing with things from friendship and bullying, to manners and dealing with anxiety. Each of the eight albums contain 5 songs each and are available in mp3 format for just $4.95 each. 
Here are the eight albums available: *Friends & Sharing *Social Skills & Bullying *Feelings & Fears *Practice & Success *Talking & Listening *Manners & Character *Happiness & Attitude *Respect & Responsibility
These albums are geared for ages 4-8 but they are fun for the whole family.
I was given three of the album sets to review: Friends & Sharing (Set 1), Manners & Character (set 6) and Happiness & Attitude (Set 7).
I was also given the coordinating workbook Happy Kids Songs Workbook: Hands-On Activities to Build Character, Social & Emotional Skills. 
This workbook is a 125 page activity book to coordinate with all 40 songs on the albums. It has the lyrics for each song, coloring sheets or activity pages for each song, as well as hundreds of hands-on activities to teach the character lessons from arts and crafts to drama and games. The workbook retails for $12.56

How did We Use This Product?

We were sent via email the albums to download. They were in zip files and once I opened them (just the normal extract of file) they were available to play on Windows Media Player. We like to play our music on my laptop which is always in the kitchen or wherever we are doing school, so this worked well for us. I easily saved the three albums (15 songs total) as a playlist library.
You will definitely need to have a system that can open zip files and download music files easily.
I decided to just play all the songs together instead of focusing on just one album. We began by just listening to all the songs and talking about the ones we thought sounded the coolest. I just kept the songs playing off and on all day long.
The next time we listened to the songs, I used the workbook. I picked out a key song to focus on and had Little Britches follow along with the VERY easy to read lyrics.

He was able to go ahead and start singing along with the chorus this way. He said he liked that the words were easy to read.
From here on out as we listened I would have him do an activity from the workbook that coordinated to whatever song we were listening to. Some were activities like word searches and sometimes just a coloring page.

In the back of the workbook there are "lessons" that go with each album and song to explain or enhance whatever character trait is being taught. These are made up of drama, arts & Crafts, discussions and other activities.

Sample of what the extra lessons look like for two of the songs.

We did do this name game activity

We didn't do a lot of these because they really were focused more towards a classroom scenario with more than 1 or two children.
By the 2nd week of listening to the music we were starting to memorize some of the songs... "H-O-N-E-S-T-Y...it's one of those greatest gifts that money can't buy..."

"Please....just say please..."

"Kudos what's a kudo?"

Now both boys easily sing with the chorus of many of the songs...especially their favorites.

What Are Our Thoughts About This Product?

Little Britches: "I like the songs. Some of them are funny. They are easy to learn and fun to sing. The workbook had some fun coloring pages to do while I listened to the songs."
Baby Britches:  He liked the songs more than anything and would regularly dance while they played. H-O-N-E-S-T-Y is his definite favorite and he loves spelling out the word in the chorus.
Me:  It's music teaching character. What's not to love? Seriously though. I found the songs fun and easy to follow. The words weren't difficult to understand and having the lyrics laid out in the workbook was great. I think the workbook DEFINITELY makes the songs even better because it reinforces what is being taught. 
I think that for me, the front of the book with the lyrics and activity sheets was more valuable than the back of the book; however, if I had more students to teach or was going to use this in a church Sabbath school class it would be very great to have. The activities and projects looked very fun and would definitely coordinate with the songs.
I would change a couple things-- #1 I would make it possible to get all the songs on a hard copy CD. I prefer hard copy form for things like this. I could burn the songs onto a CD, but I think having the choice of getting a physical version of the albums would be ideal. I also think it would be great to get all 40 songs on a CD.
#2 I would make it possible to JUST get the lyrics and activity sheets from the workbook. As I mentioned above, I didn't use the other because I didn't think it was really relevant for my situation. Even if they were only available as a e-file, it would be something I would consider over having the whole workbook.
#3 Make it possible to have these as a split-track so that they could be performed for church. I would love to use some of these for children's choir songs!

Would I Recommend This Product?

If you are seeking ways to reinforce character development in a more creative way, this is a good choice. The words of the songs stick to you and can be called upon for reflection later. These are also just good songs to have for your children to listen to in the this world of un-godly music. I will continue to play our 15 song playlist regularly.
If you have a co-op or a Sabbath school, I HIGHLY recommend this program because when put together with the workbook--ESPECIALLY the section in the back, as there are a lot of great group activities and crafts to go with the songs.
Will we purchase any more of the albums to add to the three we received? I don't know. Maybe. It's not something I think we "have to have" but something that would just be fun to add if I had the extra money.

Want to Know More?

I reviewed three song sets (Friends & Sharing, Happiness & Attitude, and Manners & Character) each retailing for $4.95, as well as the coordinating Happy Kids Songs Workbook: Hands-On Activities to Build Character, Social & Emotional Skills ($12.56)from Happy Kids Songs. 
We had 100 members of our team review this product--why don't you check out what a few of them had to say about it too!
To learn more and to stay on top of new product and sales, follow Happy Kids Songs on social media!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/happykidssongs
Twitter: @howsyourfam
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/4DrMacMusic

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Thanks for stopping by for another product review! Remember that you can always find my full list of anything I review like this on my curriculum and product reviews page. I have another review to share tomorrow! It is about a great downloadable software program to help your kids with math! 

Wizzy Gizmo: Fast Track Bible Pack (Product Review)

Do you enjoy doing studies of the books in the New Testament? I have recently been doing whole book studies--focusing on the letters of Paul--and it's a great study. When I'm done however, it can be hard to remember the pertinent details of the books...ESPECIALLY if you've been reading a lot of them! I always thought it would be nice to have a "cheat sheet" of sorts to help remember what each book was about. Enter in the Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament from Wizzy Gizmo! I was excited to have a chance to review this product and share how it worked for me!

Product Information

The Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament is a bible study product produced by Wizzy Gizmo. Wizzy Gizmo is a company devoted to creating products to help teach the Bible and do it in a way that is fun and will help the information stick. The Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament is a set of flashcards--27 of them measuring a nice jumbo size of 5" x 9". Each colorful flashcard is about a book of the New Testament and they are numbered in order with Matthew being #1 and Revelation being #27. 

The Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament sells for $14.95 and is geared for ages 2 and up! 

The front of each card has a general summary about the book of the Bible including who wrote the book, when it was written, who it was written for, why it was written,what the general theme was and shares a key verse from the book. 

The back of the card goes into more details, breaking the book down into an outline of the book, key doctrines, key people, key chapters, key passages and a reminder of the theme.

The flashcards were created to help all ages to remember more about the books of the Bible they are studying!

How Did We Use the Product?

There are lists of great ways to use this product on the Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament product page--breaking it down by ages. These are great ideas and I pulled some from both the ages 2-5 suggestions and the 6-8 suggestions. We started off by just looking through the cards. Little Britches was fascinated to see there was one for each of the NT books. 

The next time we used the product I mixed up the cards and had Little Britches put them in order. Fortunately, he hadn't seen that each card was numbered and instead sang the song he learned for the New Testament books of the Bible to help him.

I plan on using the same mix-up idea for Baby Britches to help him with numbers...only, I will show him where the numbers are and have him put them in numerical order since he can't read yet. 

From here on out we picked a card to read...sometimes doing it in the morning, but usually we read them before bed. I would read the front of the card (the summary) and share what the key scripture was. Sometimes Little Britches recognized them. We spoke about who the writer was and about where on our timeline he was when he wrote it. 

When we would read the card again, I would flip it over and read who the key people were for each book. We then would say the key passage together. 

We didn't do the cards in order--I let them pick the ones they wanted to do. 

Before introducing a new card, we would review the card we had studied previously. The main things I decided I wanted them to know were the main theme, the writer, and the key people. The cards are laid out so clearly that it is easy to find these things.

What Are Our Thoughts on the Product?

I think this is an excellent product for assisting in Bible Study. These ARE "cheat sheets" or rather CliffsNotes (remember those?! LOL!) for each book of the New Testament. For the ages the boys are right now, there is much more information than I really think they need, but it is EASY to pick out the things I want them to remember. As they get older, we will be able to pull these cards out and add more to what they learn.

I like that the cards are colorful and large. The font on the front (where the main writing is) is very easy to read and Little Britches was able to read most of it to me himself. I like that the cards are numbered too. 

The back of each card was interesting to ME! I love the way that they are sectioned out and found that they were pretty accurate to the doctrines of my own faith. I immediately pulled out the cards for the books I most recently studied and compared my bible study notes to those on the card.

I liked the reference page included on the cover card for the pack...

The cover card has each book listed numerically with the theme, date (it was written), author and how many chapters it has. This is a good reference page.

Any cons?

There is a lot of writing on these cards and because of that I can't just "give" the cards to Little Britches to study. Right now I will have to study them with him. 

From what I can see thus far, I've only had to make very minor revisions to the information on the card--and that is just to match what we believe in our faith. Someone else may not make these same revisions--so I don't consider this a major con at all.

The information and scripture was taken from the New American Standard Bible. I always prefer the Old or New King James Version because I think it is more accurate, but I don't think that it's a very big deal on these cards. 

Would I Recommend This Product?

Yes! In fact, I've actually taken them to church with me to show our pastor and some of the members. They are VERY interested in the product and it looks like we will be placing a group order for some. As a little side note, I contacted Wizzy Gizmo about this and they offered me a GREAT discount for a large order--so you may consider this if you want to order some for gifts or for your own church fellowship!

I think these would be GREAT gifts for a bible school or for a graduation gift to teens in your congregation. 

I plan on continuing to use these cards throughout my own bible study and will continue to incorporate them in our studies with the boys. Now I'm wanting a pack for the Old Testament!!

Want to Know More?

I reviewed the Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament ($14.95) by Wizzy Gizmo. We loved this product, but this isn't the only product for bible study that Wizzy Gizmo carries! Come check out the reviews from my fellow crew members on some of their other products--and see how others used the Fast Track Bible Pack: New Testament in their home!

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Aren't those cards great? I think they are going to be an asset for our home for years to come! Tomorrow I have another great product review to share with you, so I hope you will come back and see me again!