{"id":306077,"date":"2020-06-06T07:00:07","date_gmt":"2020-06-06T11:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/the-power-of-reading\/"},"modified":"2020-06-06T07:00:07","modified_gmt":"2020-06-06T11:00:07","slug":"the-power-of-reading","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-this-week\/the-power-of-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sally Lloyd-Jones recommends getting your kids into some books. She talks about the impact that stories can have on kids, even for sharing the gospel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/d2c17sq0nj1f7e.cloudfront.net\/flw2020-06-06.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:28:00","filesize":"25.64M","filesize_raw":"26883091","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[10350,2891],"tags":[5005,4427,5345,5858],"podcast_series":[],"cwp_profile":[9324],"series":[10388],"class_list":["post-306077","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","hentry","category-digital-and-media-choices","category-making-memories","tag-books","tag-sharing-the-gospel","tag-spiritual-formation","tag-stories","cwp_profile-sally-lloyd-jones","series-familylife-this-week"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":false,"episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/10\/FLTW-Podcast-Cover-2-1400x1400-1-300x300-1.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/dts.podtrac.com\/redirect.mp3\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/306077\/the-power-of-reading","player_link":"https:\/\/dts.podtrac.com\/redirect.mp3\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/306077\/the-power-of-reading","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-this-week","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ar90HMPyd0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-this-week\/the-power-of-reading\/\">The Power of Reading<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-this-week\/the-power-of-reading\/embed\/#?secret=ar90HMPyd0\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;The Power of Reading&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"ar90HMPyd0\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Sally Lloyd-Jones recommends getting your kids into some books. She talks about the impact that stories can have on kids, even for sharing the gospel.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylife.com\/flw\/flw2020-06-06.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Michelle:<\/strong> When you\u2019re talking with little children, have you ever wondered how to develop their imagination, and wonder, and minds? Well, Sally Lloyd-Jones says there\u2019s a right way and a wrong way to go about doing that, especially during story time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> Well, whenever we read a story\u2014and we say, \u201cWhat that story\u2019s about\u2026\u201d\u2014whatever we put on the other side of \u201cabout,\u201d\u2014that becomes the only thing the story\u2019s about. The minute we do that, it\u2019s <em>terrible<\/em>; it\u2019s the worst thing you could ever say. I\u2019m <em>passionate<\/em> about that, because what that does is\u2014basically, you\u2019ve decided what that story is about; you\u2019ve decided what God might want to say to that child. But what if God wants to say something completely different?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Michelle:<\/strong> We\u2019re going to go back to storytelling school today with Sally Lloyd-Jones and talk about what our children need. They need hope, and they also need joy; and they need <em>us<\/em> on this edition of <em>FamilyLife This Week<\/em>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWelcome to <em>FamilyLife This Week. <\/em>I\u2019m Michelle Hill. You know, I am tired today, because I have spent the last several days with a toddler and a five-year-old. Their mommy and daddy were in the hospital with their brand-new little sister, so \u201cAuntie Chell\u201d came in to save the day. Let me tell you, moms, I feel ya! Little kids are exhausting!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou know, it was so neat to watch their <em>minds<\/em> come up with things for us to do. Yes, we had to pry the five-year-old\u2019s fingers off the tablet and from his shows; but once it was gone, and we were outside, the things that came to their little minds were <em>amazing<\/em>, and funny, and full of <em>wonder<\/em>. We played games; we chalked up the sidewalk; we ate ice cream; we went for a hike in the woods; we splashed in the creek; we sang songs; we went for a hunt for bears; and then, we played the \u201cI Spy\u201d game. There were just all kinds of fun things! We came up with songs and Dr. Seuss stories. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIt got me to thinking about this generation that\u2019s being raised now. You know, they say that Generation Z is like the Greatest Generation; they lived through the recession of the year 2008, and that shaped them when they were young. If that\u2019s true for them, how is this current generation, who is living through COVID and watching the aftermath: \u201cHow is that going to shape them as they watch Mommy and Daddy live through this crisis?\u201d You know, our kids do pick up on the stresses of life and, just like us, they need hope.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally Lloyd-Jones is a British children\u2019s book author. You may recognize her for her book, <em>The Jesus Storybook Bible.<\/em> She has spent <em>a lot of time<\/em> with children, and she says hope is the number one thing that most children need. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere\u2019s Sally Lloyd-Jones with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[Previous <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em><sup>\u00ae <\/sup>Broadcast]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> I think kids look to us for everything, and that\u2019s the right thing; but I wonder sometimes, in all the things we\u2019ve given kids, have we forgotten to give them hope? You know, we have to instruct them; we have to teach them; but as adults, we need hope. Every morning, we need hope as we go into our days. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI just started to look at that and think, \u201cI don\u2019t think my nieces are getting hope.\u201d They\u2019re getting a lot of: \u201cYou do this,\u201d \u201cYou do that,\u201d\u2014a lot of morality, which has its place\u2014but unless you know, first of all, that you\u2019re loved and that God says these incredible things about you, it\u2019s going to be very hard to get the rules right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes, that\u2019s what I was going to ask you: \u201cWhy are you saying, \u2018Kids need hope\u2019?\u201d That wouldn\u2019t be something\u2014if I listed the top needs of kids\u2014I think I\u2019d probably go with character, with wisdom rather than foolishness. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> You\u2019re starting with hope; why?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0I think because children are so easily discouraged. I can see it in my nieces and nephews. They can have this sense that they are not getting it right. I knew I was a child like that\u2014I wasn\u2019t getting it right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tTo have a book that tells you: \u201cLook at what God says about you: He made the heavens; He made cheetahs; He made mountains; but what does He say is His masterpiece?\u2014you!\u201d See, when a child gets that message, something awakens in them. Then, out of that, comes everything else: I think heroism, courage, character. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut if they are beaten down with shame\u2014and I think there is a lot of shame out there; not that we\u2019re putting it there\u2014but I know, as a child, I thought I wasn\u2019t getting it right; because I wasn\u2019t keeping God\u2019s rules, and I wasn\u2019t as brave as Daniel. I just had the sense that I wasn\u2019t doing it quite right and making God into a slightly, not-very-pleased Father.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0So which one of these stories in here, that you\u2019ve written in\u00a0Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing\u2014would you call these poems?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0That\u2019s interesting. They did feel a bit like haiku, because you had to make them so lean and short.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0They have to land; so in a way, they are.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0Each one is usually on one or two pages, and there is an illustration that goes with it. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Go ahead and read the one that you\u2019ve selected there.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Okay, so this one is called \u201cHope.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen we use the word, \u201chope,\u201d we say things like, \u201cI hope we win.\u201d It\u2019s like wishing for something we\u2019re not sure will happen; but in the Bible, hope means being absolutely certain something will happen. Jonathan Edwards, a preacher, said: \u201cThere are three things we can hope in if we belong to Jesus. One, God will turn even the bad things around for your good in the end. Two, your good things can\u2019t ever be taken away from you. And three, the best things are yet to come.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIt doesn\u2019t mean that everything in our story is happy today but that God is making the story end happily for the world and for His children. \u201cThe God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope\u201d\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Rom%2015.13\" target=\"_blank\">Romans 15, verse 13<\/a>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0I\u2019m glad you\u2019ve anchored each of these stories with a Scripture.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0I think that\u2019s important, isn\u2019t it? Because otherwise, it\u2019s like, \u201cWell, where did you get that from?\u201d You have to have the authority behind it to say\u2014especially, when you are distilling it down so much.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Dennis:\u00a0Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Bob:\u00a0When you go to visit your nieces and nephews, do they want Aunt Sally to read a story?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Sally:\u00a0Well, they are a bit old now, you see? That\u2019s the trouble: I\u2019m a bit slow. I get the inspiration, and then it takes me so long; they\u2019ve grown into other things.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0Have you ever felt like writing for children is kind of \u201cYou know, that is what lesser writers do\u201d?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Well, I\u2019ve come to see that\u2019s not true; but I know that that\u2019s a view that can be out there. I think a lot of times\u2014you know, I\u2019ve had people come up to me, well-meaning, holding one of my picture books, flipping through it backwards\u2014which is really unfortunate for a writer, because it means it doesn\u2019t really matter which order the words come in, you know?\u2014flipping through it backwards, cheerfully announcing: \u201cYou know, I think I\u2019m going to do one. I mean, really, how hard can they be?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI tell that story because, first of all, how many of us would ever\u00a0dream\u00a0of going up to a surgeon and saying: \u201cAngioplasty\u2014I mean,\u00a0really, how hard it can be? I\u2019m going to do one.\u201d [Laughter] But it tells you something\u2014not so much what it says about children\u2019s writers, because that\u2019s not the important thing\u2014it tells you what they think about children. What it tells you is that they don\u2019t have a high enough view of children. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tObviously, children are much cleverer than we give them credit for; they don\u2019t miss a single thing. Anyone who knows children should know that. We need to write\u00a0better\u00a0than we write for adults; because the responsibility is <em>much<\/em> greater, because you are dealing with young people.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0You\u2019ve been in America now for 25 years.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Dennis:\u00a0Tell us what you observe about how Americans value children.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0I think they value them greatly, but I would say also\u2014going back to the hope\u2014in wanting to provide for children, we can sometimes, it seems to me, overwhelm them. We give them so much; they are so programmed. At least, this is what I\u2019ve noticed with my friends and families that I\u2019m around. The children have rich lives, but I sometimes think maybe it\u2019s too much. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tMaybe it would be nice for them just to be able to run outside and play rather than be scheduled to do all these different things\u2014that are all great things\u2014that could be, maybe, too much. Maybe, there is room for play, where imagination\/where you just go outside and play rather than be scheduled off to do this and then that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0That\u2019s kind of an interesting conclusion, coming from a young lady, who was sent to boarding school at the age of eight. I would wonder if, at a boarding school, if there would be time set aside to just scoot you off to go play\u2014much like parents would in the front yard\u2014but at a boarding school, I don\u2019t know\u2014tell me if I\u2019m wrong there.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0That\u2019s all we did do\u2014was run around in the grounds. Then, we would be all running and imagination. I think that\u2019s probably\u2014you\u2019re right; that\u2019s where it\u2019s coming from\u2014because that, to me, is the richness of my childhood.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Dennis:\u00a0So, they gave you plenty of time to be able to play and to imagine\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0\u2014and to grow your gifts.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes; so we had schedules, but that\u2019s not the main thing I remember. I remember\u00a0hours\u00a0of playing with my friends in the garden; that\u2019s the thing I remember. When I see children doing all these different things, I feel sorry for them; because I think, as a grownup, it makes me stressed; I feel anxious with their schedule. It\u2019s worse than mine, and mine is pretty bad. You know what I mean? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI know what I\u2019m like\u2014I suppose that\u2019s what I start thinking\u2014I know what I get like when I have too much going on. It\u2019s crazy, and it feeds on itself. I sometimes think there is so much pressure on parents to do it perfectly; I feel sad, because there is no such thing. We <em>can\u2019t<\/em> do everything perfectly. Loving your child\u2014it might be simpler; maybe it\u2019s simpler\u2014but it\u2019s jolly hard. I know, because of all the competition between parents, it seems to me. You are all meaning to do the right thing and help your child; but sometimes, it just seems so overwhelming and burdensome.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0What do you think are the most important things? We\u2019ve talked about hope. Are there things like hope that you would say, if you were talking to a parent, \u201cMake sure that your child understands this\u2026\u201d? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Hope would be one of those things. What would some of the others be?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Well, I always make a disclaimer: I don\u2019t presume to tell parents, or teachers, or anyone what they should be doing; but when I am with children, what I want to first of all do is have a sense of fun with them. You know, make them comfortable; be on their level and talk to them. They are people; they\u2019re just smaller. And talking to them as someone\u2014like you would talk to a friend\u2014not sort of so that you are teaching them everything all the time, but having a conversation.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe other thing I\u2019ve found helpful is asking, \u201cI wonder\u2026\u201d questions. You know, sometimes I\u2019ll be going around, speaking about\u00a0The Jesus Storybook Bible. I tell this story on myself, that it\u2019s very easy to read a story and then, at the end of the story, go, \u201cWell, what that really means is this\u2026.\u201d and then, you kill the story with some lesson that you\u2019ve made up. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tInstead of doing that, just say\u2014like with the boy and his lunch\u2014it\u2019s so easy\/the easiest thing to do\u2014and I\u2019ve done it\u2014is to say, \u201cNow, what does this story teach us about how we should behave?\u201d But that\u2019s not why this story is there; the story is there because Jesus did something <em>incredible<\/em> with what the little boy gave Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat I\u2019ve found more helpful is to say\/to wonder with a child so that you are on their level. You\u2019re not the teacher, telling them. There is a place for the teacher; but as a parent, to sit with a child and be: \u201cWell, I wonder what would happen if we gave God what we had? What would happen if <em>you<\/em> gave Him everything you had? What might He do with you?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tJust open it up to the child so that the child\u2014their imagination takes it from there, and God works from there. I think that\u2019s one of the key things\u2014is to leave it open. That\u2019s one of the things I wanted to do in\u00a0Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing\u2014is to leave it in that wonder so that, then, it\u2019s between the Holy Spirit and the child what happens next. I don\u2019t think we need to know exactly what\u2019s happening; we just help them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0See, here\u2019s\u2014as you were saying that, I was thinking I would say, \u201cI wonder, if Jesus had had only three loaves and one fish, do you think some in the crowd would have gone hungry?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0See, that\u2019s a great question; they\u2019d love that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0It would cause them to stop and think\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0\u201cWhat if He had a whole can of fish?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0\u201cWhat if He had\u2026\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Right; and engaging children, and not putting yourself up as the teacher, because then the child is just going to think there is a right answer and a wrong answer; they are going to think they are at school. The crucial thing, I think, for time at home, is to get away from that school thing and just be together, finding out how much God loves us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0When you started to tackle\u00a0The Jesus Storybook Bible, that\u2019s not a small project.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0No.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0You had written some picture books for children.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Sally:\u00a0Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0Again, I don\u2019t want to dismiss that as being something that\u2019s easy or simple to do,\u00a0but\u00a0now we\u2019re talking about a body of work that is pretty extensive. That had to be a little overwhelming, just to even consider.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Sally:\u00a0Oh, yes. You know, I would sit down every morning, and there would be all these\u2014you know, Anne Lamott talks about dysfunctional relatives that pull out your chairs behind you whenever you sit down to write\u2014well, I had those, plus the holy ones. I had people saying: \u201cThat\u2019s not funny. Why did you do that?\u201d People are going to think I\u2019m crazy now, aren\u2019t they?\u2014with all the voices. But this is a writer, and writers are a bit crazy.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou have all this resistance when you are sitting down. For me, it would be voices like: \u201cYou can\u2019t say that; that\u2019s not funny,\u201d or \u201cOh, someone else will write this much better than you.\u201d But on top of that, I then had: \u201cWho do you think you are to write a Bible storybook? You didn\u2019t have a very good quiet time,\u201d and \u201cWhat makes you think that you know anything? Shouldn\u2019t someone like Frederick Buechner be doing this?\u201d [Laughter] You know, all that sort of stuff. I\u2019d get so overwhelmed. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOne time, I did actually have\u2014I was working on the story of Joseph\u2014I thought, \u201cYou know, Frederick Buechner would write this much better than me.\u201d Then, I thought, \u201cOkay; well, this is rubbish.\u201d I got to the point where I so frustrated myself that I said to God: \u201cYou got me in the mess, so You have got to do it. Unless You do it, it won\u2019t get done; so You better do it.\u201d Then, I started writing.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think, when I get into that place, I\u2019m in the best place I can be; because that\u2019s the truth. Unless God does it, it won\u2019t get done. He\u2019s given us the gifts, but I can have a headache and not be able to do anything; so it\u2019s all His grace. I know that you have to work hard at your craft, but God gives you the idea; but He\u2019s the One who provides the harvest. He\u2019s the author of the success of the book. I\u2019m very grateful that it was overwhelming, because it put me in the right place.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Dennis:\u00a0I want you to read the 23<sup>rd<\/sup>\u00a0Psalm that you\u2019ve written here, Page 132. What do you call this?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0I guess it\u2019s a paraphrase.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0I was going to say, \u201cIs it the paraphrase according to Sally?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Dennis:\u00a0You\u2019ve written a little piece at the beginning called \u201cThe Good Shepherd.\u201d It\u2019s about David. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> You tell that story, and then you set up the 23<sup>rd<\/sup>\u00a0Psalm.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Shall I read the paraphrase?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGod is my Shepherd, and I am His little lamb. He feeds me. He guides me. He looks after me. I have everything I need. Inside, my heart is very quiet; as quiet as lying still on soft, green grass in a meadow by a little stream. Even when I walk through the dark, scary, lonely places, I won\u2019t be afraid; because my Shepherd knows where I am. He is here with me. He keeps me safe. He rescues me. He makes me strong and brave.\u00a0He is getting wonderful things ready for me\u2014especially for me\u2014everything I ever dreamed of. He fills my heart so full of happiness; I can\u2019t hold it all inside. Wherever I go, I know God\u2019s never-stopping, never-giving-up, un-breaking, always-and-forever love will go too.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[Studio]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Michelle:<\/strong> God\u2019s never-stopping, never-giving-up, un-breaking, always-and-forever love.\u201d Doesn\u2019t that just fill your heart full of warmth and hope?\u2014not just for your kids\u2014but also for you!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHey, we need to take a break; but when we come back, Sally Lloyd-Jones is going to continue talking to us about filling our children full of hope and also wonder. We\u2019ll take a look at that when we come back. Stay tuned.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[Radio Station Spot Break]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Michelle:<\/strong> Welcome back to <em>FamilyLife This Week. <\/em>I\u2019m Michelle Hill. You know, when I was a little kid, Laura Ingalls Wilder and the <em>Little House <\/em>books went with me <em>everywhere<\/em>. I packed them with me when I was at the playground during recess. I packed them with me when I went to my grandmother\u2019s house. They went with me <em>everywhere!<\/em> Books have a prominent place in our lives; they help us develop our mind and so much more. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tToday, we\u2019re listening to Sally Lloyd-Jones, who is a popular British children\u2019s book author. You probably have heard of <em>The Jesus Storybook Bible<\/em>; she wrote that! She\u2019s talking to us about where <em>her<\/em> love of books came from. Here\u2019s Part Two of her interview with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[Previous <em>FamilyLife Today <\/em>Broadcast]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> When I was about seven, I thought books were to learn\/to be serious\u2014to do at school. I wasn\u2019t a child that really thrived at school; I was a bit dreamy. I was given this book called\u00a0The Complete Nonsense\u00a0<em>of Edward Lear<\/em>. In England, a lot of people know that book. They may not in America; he\u2019s not quite so well-known here. I\u2019d advise\u00a0everyone\u00a0to get that book\u2014and I\u2019m not getting anything; it sounds like I\u2019m getting referrals\u2014but I\u2019m not! I\u2019m just passionate about it. The reason I am is that it changed everything. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI got this book, and it was the first book I ever read all the way through; I was seven. I opened up the book; and there were these insane, in a good way, crazy limericks about people with long noses; and great, long beards; and birds that nested in the beards, you know? Then, he did all the drawings in pen himself; they were completely like just zany. It was a revelation; I had no idea you could have so much fun inside a book, and it changed everything! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFrom then on, I wrote limericks and illustrated them, and inflicted them on my poor friends and family. The reason I tell that story is that, they often say that whatever you were doing when you were maybe six\u2014five, or six, or seven\u2014before you became self-conscious, and you became what you thought everyone wanted you to be\u2014whatever you loved doing at that point often clues you in to what should be in your life, whether it\u2019s your job or a hobby. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFor me, it\u2019s been proven so true. I was loving this book that was so much fun and having fun inside books; and now, all these years later\u2014it took a long time, and a long journey, and very twisty\u2014but here I am, all these years later, basically having fun inside books and hoping that I can get children to\u00a0have fun inside books.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tDennis:\u00a0\u2014inviting them to the party.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes, exactly; and realizing laughter\u2014that is such a gift that God\u2019s given us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0You had an experience, where you were telling a Bible story to a group of children, and it changed your thinking about <em>how<\/em> to tell stories to them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes; I like to tell this story on myself, because I don\u2019t ever want anyone to think I think of myself as an expert. I\u2019m learning every time I read to children. This particular time, I was invited to a Sunday school. I was reading from\u00a0The Jesus Storybook Bible; it was probably about six years ago. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019m very good at getting children out of control; I think that\u2019s part of my job\u2014[Laughter]\u2014getting them laughing\u2014but I\u2019m <em>not<\/em> so good at getting them under control. The Sunday school teacher had wandered away, so I read this whole story:\u00a0Daniel\u00a0and the Scary Sleepover. The story\u2019s all about Daniel and how he was obedient, even though he might be punished and killed; and that, one day, God was going to send another hero, who would again be willing to do whatever God told Him, no matter what it cost Him\u2014that\u2019s how the story ends.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhile I\u2019m reading this story, there\u2019s this young girl\u2014she\u2019s probably about six\u2014she\u2019s kneeling up. As I\u2019m telling this story, she\u2019s so engaged that she\u2019s almost trying to get into my lap; she\u2019s so engaged. At the end of the story, I panicked; because there was no teacher. I thought, \u201cI have to say something.\u201d\u00a0I went, \u201cSo, children,\u201d\u2014and I was horrified to hear this come out of my mouth\u2014I said, \u201cSo children, what can we learn about how God wants <em>us<\/em> to behave?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAs I said those words, the little girl\u2014she physically slumped\u2014her head bowed, and she slumped. I have never forgotten it, because I think that is a picture of what happens to a child when we make a story into a sermon. Because I said that question at the end of the story, I basically made that story all about\u00a0her\u00a0instead of pointing to Jesus. The minute we do that, we leave the child in despair; because we don\u2019t need to be told to do it better. If we could do it better, Jesus never needed to have come. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe story of Daniel is there, not to tell us what we should be doing; it\u2019s to tell us: \u201cLook, this is what God is going to do. God is going to bring someone\u2014who is not going to be saved at the last minute\u2014who is going to actually die to rescue us, and that\u2019s the most incredible story.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019ve learned from that, and I have never forgotten it; because whenever we read a story and then we say, \u201cWell, what that story\u2019s about\u2026\u201d\u2014whatever we put on the other side of \u201cabout\u201d\u2014is basically what we leave the child with; that becomes the only thing the story is about.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0To say: \u201cThe moral of the story is\u2026\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0\u2014is the worst thing you could ever say. I\u2019m passionate about that! It\u2019s\u00a0terrible.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0But don\u2019t you want kids to get it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0You do; but what that does is, basically, you\u2019ve decided what that story is about. You\u2019ve decided what God might want to say to that child; but what if God wants to say something completely different? It puts too much power in our hands. It would be much better to leave the story, because I believe a story is a seed; it grows when it\u2019s left alone. It may take years for us to see the fruit of it. We may not see it growing, but that\u2019s what a seed does; it grows in the dark. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> It\u2019s almost, I think, none of our business. If we read a good story to a child, it\u2019s between the child and the Holy Spirit what happens with that seed. It\u2019s not that we shouldn\u2019t ask questions; it\u2019s just that I think we need to be careful not to reduce the story down into a moral lesson\u2014because there\u2019s a place for moral lessons\u2014but stories are so much more powerful, because they can transform your heart. A lesson doesn\u2019t usually\/like a moral lesson often leaves you feeling like the little girl\u2014she felt in despair\u2014because it was suddenly like, \u201cGod isn\u2019t pleased with you, because you\u2019re not as brave as Daniel.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> That\u2019s what I used to think as a child. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPeople often say, \u201cWell, if you can\u2019t ask, \u2018What is the moral of the story?\u2019 what question can you ask?\u201d because, sometimes you need a question. I always say: \u201cWhat about if you, with the child\u201d\u2014like it\u2019s you, on the same level with the child, as if you\u2019re kneeling together before our Heavenly Father, because we are all children before Him\u2014\u201cWhat if you read the story together\/coming together, not as you as the teacher, but as you and the child, as children of God? You listen to the story and then you go, \u2018Wow!\u2019 and you wonder aloud, and you say something like\u2014say with the story of the feeding of the 5,000\u2014instead of saying, \u2018Well, children, what can we learn about sharing our lunch?\u2019 you say, \u2018The boy gave Jesus everything he had. I wonder what would happen if we gave Jesus everything we have?\u2019 and you leave it open.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSuddenly, that becomes completely open, and the child\u2019s imagination can soar with that. That\u2019s a question, I think, that\u2019s a good thing to ask; but it\u2019s not trying to\u00a0teach\u00a0a lesson.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0Part of what you do in that question is you put the focus on what God can do\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Yes!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBob:\u00a0\u2014rather than what we\u2019re supposed to do.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSally:\u00a0Oh, man; because then there\u2019s hope. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Sally:<\/strong> We need to give children hope, don\u2019t we? They obviously need guidance, and there\u2019s a place for teaching and rules. I just think the story time is sacrosanct. We should come together, before our Heavenly Father, and wonder together.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t[Studio]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Michelle:<\/strong> \u201cWonder together\u201d\u2014such inspiring words from Sally Lloyd-Jones today. Moms and dads, aunties and uncles, grandparents\u2014you know, as you sit down\u00a0 with those little minds that are being shaped, just keep some of what Sally Lloyd-Jones has talked about today\u2014you know, how to share stories from the Bible and how to instill that hope. Keep that in mind as you\u2019re talking with your little ones today. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHey, next week, dads, we\u2019ve got a show just for you!\u2014if you\u2019re feeling a little overwhelmed\/if you are feeling on top of the world\u2014because you are <em>superman with super powers<\/em>! Hey, next week, it\u2019s Father\u2019s Day\u2014hint, hint if you haven\u2019t gotten your dad a card yet. Please listen in next week; we\u2019ve got a <em>great<\/em> half-hour planned just for you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHey, thanks for listening! I want to thank the president of FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, David Robbins, along with our station partners around the country. And a big \u201cThank you!\u201d to our engineer today, Keith Lynch, to our producer, Marques Holt. Justin Adams is our mastering engineer, and queen of it all, our production coordinator, is Megan Martin.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOur program is a production of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>, and our mission is to effectively develop godly families who change the world one home at a time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI'm Michelle Hill, inviting you to join us again next time for another edition of <em>FamilyLife This Week.<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. 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