This is the 100^th episode of Backseat Bible Nuggets podcast! Woohoo!

This fun project that started 2.5 years ago aimed to help parents have Christ centered conversations with their kids in the middle of the busy and hectic schedules of life. And the Lord has been faithful to the idea that He gave me. HE has made this podcast grow. HE has planted seeds in the hearts of our children through it. HE has grown our confidence as parents to remind us that WE are equipped by His Spirit living in us to lead our kids to Jesus in daily conversations.

Surely, He has done great things! To God be the Glory!

It’s also equally true that this podcast has never taken a break. Lots of podcasts break for certain seasons, but this one kept right on trucking. At one point we slowed the pace, but never a pause.

Well my friends, that day has come. It’s time for Backseat Bible Nuggets to take a break and pause. Why? Well, because I’m learning the importance of rest and Sabbath. I’ve been a bit confused about resting in the past and while I knew it was Biblical, I guess I saw it as optional and something we COULD do on an as needed basis. This is in fact, not the case though! 

Isaiah 40:28 says God doesn’t grow tired or weary. If this is the case, which it is, they why does God, from the beginning of time, show us what it means to have a rhythm of rest built in to our life? If sabbath rest is optional they why is it such a main point of Genesis 2:1-3 where it says that God rested from all of His work? Because He was tired? Well, no….not possible. And if God doesn’t grow tired or weary as Isaiah tells us, then why do we see Jesus set a rhythm of retreat back to His Father? Why does Jesus often slip away from the crowd for a few moments? I think these examples point to the importance, the essential fact of needed rest. Not the option of it.

So, friends, that’s what Backseat Bible Nuggets is going to do for now. Rest. It doesn’t mean I’ll take a nap every day, although I wouldn’t complain! But it does mean there won’t be new episodes for a while. Good news is that you now have 100 episodes to listen to, along with other great resources. 

Even better news is that by this point, I hope and pray you’re seeing how the simplest most mundane daily occurrence is an opportunity to talk to your kids about Jesus. YOU can do it! YOU are the parent to your specific kids for a reason. YOU can speak to them best. YOU can minister to their hearts most successfully. Will you commit to do it? Will you daily ground yourself in God’s word so that you naturally overflow the gospel to your kids? It starts with you!

You’ve got this Mama! It’s gonna be great, Dad. And to the grandparents listening, we need your wisdom more than ever! I love yall and can’t wait to catch up soon. But for now, I’m going to take a rest.

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

John 10:28 talks about someone snatching something out of another person’s hands. Now, I’m just curious if you’ve ever snatched someone from someone before? Maybe your sibling had a toy that you wanted and you just grabbed it. How well did that go? It never goes well in our house when that happens. And let me guess, you hate it when someone else snatches something out of your hands, right? No one likes having something taken from them when it was theirs to begin with. And as parents we teach this lesson to our kids. Maybe you’ve already learned it!

Well since we know that having something snatched from us isn’t the most enjoyable, Jesus clearly tells us that nothing can be snatched out of His hands. And guess what’s in His hands? His children! He holds those who believe in Him in His hands. Those must be some BIG BIG hands!

John 10:28 is where Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

So that’s saying that Jesus is the one who gives us eternal life when we believe in Him. And because we have eternal life, we won’t ever die. Okay. But the second part of that verse is where Jesus says that once you believe in Him, you’re in His hand, and nothing can snatch you out.

Like you can’t fall out. You can’t jump out. You can’t get lost and wander out. And this is a huge deal because He’s talking spiritually. Meaning once we give our heart to Jesus, nothing changes that. It’ll always be safe and secure in His hands. Isn’t that awesome. It brings such confidence and comfort to know that He has me forever and ever and I’m protected in His hands as His child.

Let’s talk about some questions today. Remember, don’t overthink it! The point is to get conversation flowing.

1.     Who are the people in God’s hands?

2.     Who would try to snatch anything out of God’s hands?

3.     If you have given your heart to Jesus, how does it feel to hear that nothing can snatch you out of His hands?

Let’s practice our verse one last time before we go. You can repeat after me. “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

There is a lot of amazing content out there, so Christian Parenting did all the sorting and filtering for you and put together a resource to help you navigate it all.

Discipleship Simplified is a digital guide that includes some of the best articles, podcasts, and videos on topics like:

· Faith at home

· Reading the bible

· Theology

· Prayer

You will also find conversation guides and discussion starters. Even scripts to use with your kids.

You can go to www.cpgive.org to download your copy for just $5!

Our family loves to play Monopoly, especially my 9 year old. And if you’ve ever played this game you know that there are times where you have to go to a spot on the gameboard that is the jail. And when you’re in jail, in the game, you lose your turn until you’re free from jail. In order to get out of jail, you need to draw a card that says “Get Out of Jail Free.” This is the best card because it gets you back in the game and moving along with the other players.

This game of monopoly shows us something spiritually. We can think of our sin, that all humans are born with, as a type of jail. Our sin can keep us trapped, in a sense. We can’t get out on our own. And it ultimately keeps us separated from God.

If we were playing monopoly we would keep hoping and hoping we would draw one of those cards to get us out! And guess what? When Jesus came, He came to get us out of that sin jail. He came as the Son of God. He came to live the perfect human life. And He came to die for our sins – to offer us forgiveness from our sins. THEN He came BACK to life, winning over sin and death and showing that He will forever and always be the winner of LIFE – both today and for always.

Jesus did all of this so that we could have forgiveness from our sins, which is like our “Get Out of Jail Free” card. It’s through the forgiveness of our sins that we can have a relationship with Jesus both today and then forever in heaven with Him. But instead of waiting and just trying to get lucky by drawing the right card, in a sense, Jesus offers this forgiveness to everyone who accepts it. Isn’t that amazing? It’s a free gift that gets you out of that sin jail! Have you ever heard better news!?

Psalm 86:5 says, “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call on you.”

 Let’s talk about some questions today. Remember, don’t overthink it! The point is to get conversation flowing.

1.     How do you respond when you think about Jesus’ forgiving your sins?

2.     If Jesus is willing to forgive your sins, how do you think He wants you to treat others?

Let’s practice our verse one last time before we go. You can repeat after me. “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, - abounding in love - to all who call on you.” Psalm 86:5

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 1: Christmas Story

Jesus being born is a special story for everyone. For me and for you! The story of Jesus being born, the life he lived, and then eventually the death that he died on the cross was all for you. He came to this world for you!

This was such great news for every single person that even a big group of angels shows up praising God saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” in Luke 2:14.

I pray that when you hear the Christmas story, even if you’ve heard it before, that your heart explodes with worship for what God has done for each of us through Jesus.

So here are some questions to get us talking about this famous story. You can pause to discuss and as always, there’s no wrong answer!

1.     If you had to be one character in the Christmas story, like if you could be Mary or Joseph or Jesus or an angel or a shepherd or a sheep or a wise man or anyone else in the story, who would you want to be?

2.     What’s your favorite part of the Christmas story? Do you have a favorite detail?

One last time before we sign off, let’s practice this awesome verse together. You can repeat after me. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14 

Backseat Bible Nuggets was created by me, Laura, a mom of 2 that wanted an easy tool to help refocus our hectic days. Our hope is that this helps every adult easily start Christ centered conversations with the kids in their life. We are so honored you listen and would love for you to leave us a review or better yet, spread the word. Let your friends know about this podcast! And as always, I’m praying that your backseaters grow deep roots as you go along the way. 

Episode 2: Emmanuel

Emmanuel.

It’s another name for Jesus. In fact, it was a name given to Jesus like 700 years before Jesus was born! Did your parents name you 700 years before you were born?!

Mine didn’t!

You see, this time of year as we celebrate the birth of Jesus we have to remember something very very important. This birth had been planned since the beginning of time! That’s pretty crazy. Most ladies are pregnant with a baby for 9 months, but Jesus being born had been in the works for thousands of YEARS!

We know this because 700 years before Jesus was born a guy in the Bible named Isaiah said that a virgin would have a baby boy and they would name him Emmanuel.

Here’s the super cool part. Guess what Emmanuel means? If you know what the name Emmanuel means go ahead and tell me…

Emmanuel means God with us. And that’s just what happened when Jesus was born. God was with us through this little bitty baby who needed his mommy and daddy to feed him and bathe him and change his diaper. But then he grew and grew and became a man who told everyone about God and His ways and eventually died on the cross for our sins so that we can have eternal life with Him. Whew. What a life this miracle baby had!

He changed the world! Emmanuel…God with us. What a cool name.

What a cool God that He would want to come and be WITH US. He left heaven to come to us.

And if you’re anything like me you might think….why? Why would God want to come and be with ME? I can think of a lot better things He could be doing or cooler people He could be hanging out with. I mean, I make bad choices sometimes and mess up and I don’t always have the best attitude. Why would He want to be with me and not someone else?

Well, it’s all because He loves us no matter what…even the worst part of us. He loves you and He loves me so much that He wanted to be WITH US. Emmanuel.

Matthew chapter 1 tells us of the details about the birth of Jesus and says in Matthew 1:22 and 23 “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said through the prophet: (who was Isaiah 700 years earlier) “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel.”

Here are some questions to talk about. You can pause after each question to discuss. And, like always…don’t overthink it! The point is to get conversation flowing:

1. Emmanuel is another name for Jesus, but what does it mean?
2. Why is it important that God wanted to be with us?
3. How can you thank God for the gift of Jesus in coming to be with us?

Let’s try and learn our verse together. You can repeat after me. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel.” Matthew 1:23

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

www.BackseatBibleNuggets.com

John 5:17 says, “Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”

Did you know that God never takes a day off? He doesn’t stop working on the weekends or certain days. He is always with us every minute of every day. He never has a day where He gets sick and has to cancel plans. Did you know that God never stops working?

Psalm 121:4b says that the Lord will neither slumber or sleep. He never gets too tired and has to take a nap or go to bed early. He never even has to sleep which means no matter what time it is, He is there and He is doing something. He never stops working. His powerful plan for your life and for the world is always right on track since God doesn’t look away or close His eyes for a second.

He is always working.

What does that mean for us? Well, it means we can take comfort knowing that our Lord is open for business whenever we need Him. It also means that we can trust that He never changes. He won’t forget us. He won’t get tired of working and quit. Jesus said in John 5:17 that “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”

Who is Jesus’ father He’s talking about there? Can you yell it out?

It’s GOD! That’s right!

Jesus, when He was walking on earth in his human body, certainly had to sleep and stop working because He was too tired. But remember that Jesus and God and united in something called the Trinity, which we have another episode about that you can check out. But that means that even if Jesus took a nap, God was always still working forever and ever. He never stops working. He has energy forever and ever and ever and never runs out.

Let’s talk about 2 questions today. Remember, there’s no wrong answer, so don’t overthink it! The point is to get conversation flowing:

1.     First question: Is there anyone you know, besides God, who never has to sleep?

2.     Why is it important to know that the Lord never stops working?

Let’s practice our verse one last time before we go. You can repeat after me. “Jesus said to them, - “My Father is always at his work - to this very day, - and I, too, am working.”- John 5:17

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

www.backseatbiblenuggets.com

Raise your hand if you’ve signed up for a sport before? Or your parents signed you up? I bet we have some baseball players and some soccer players and some football players maybe even some ballerinas or cheerleaders or softball players!

Well, tell me. Just because you sign up for a sport and get the uniform, does that make you a professional player of that sport? Like are you the best player ever just for signing up? No!

You sign up so you can go to the practices and play in the games so that you can get better and better over time. By going to the practices and games you improve your skills and HOPEFULLY you are a better player at the end of the season than you were at the beginning, right?

In the same way, just because someone says they are a Christian or just because you pray and ask Jesus to come in to your heart doesn’t make you a perfect Christian immediately, does it? No!

We have to think of reading our Bible and praying and talking about Jesus with other believers like our sports practices and games. These things are there in order to improve our skills of what it means to LIVE as a Christian! As we read God’s words and learn about Him, we will start to live a different way. The point of all of that is not just to fill our heads with fact but it’s to start doing things Jesus would do in our own life. Or maybe it’s to STOP doing things that Jesus wouldn’t do.

I mean this so literally! If you’re a Christian and growing in the Lord then you should find yourself being more kind and loving to others. Seeing them as Jesus sees them. Maybe that’s you seeing someone who needs a friend on the playground and you being willing to go over and be that friend. Or maybe it’s that you start becoming more obedient, more quickly when your parents tell you to do something. Or maybe it’s NOT doing something you know you’re not supposed to. The options are endless for how you will start to live it out day to day as you walk with Jesus.

But I just want you to understand the importance of taking the things we learn about the Lord and letting it change your behavior and attitudes and actions – just like we let our practices and lessons and games in our favorite sport improve our skills.

The Bible says in Philippians 4:9a, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice.” Will you try and do that with me? Let’s look for something this week, some way we can put our love for Jesus and the way He wants us to act in to action this week!

Here are some questions to talk about. Remember, there’s no wrong answer, so don’t overthink it! The point is to get conversation flowing:

1.     Can you tell me of a time where you acted like Jesus? Maybe you did something or didn’t do something and you know that it would have pleased the Lord for you to act that way. Tell me about it.

2.     Why do our actions matter when we are a Christian?

3.     How do we make our actions more like Jesus’ actions?

Let’s practice our verse one last time before we go. You can repeat after me. “Whatever you have learned - or received - or heard from me - or seen in me – put it into practice.” Philippians 4:9a

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

The Advent book is out this year from Christian Parenting! I’m so excited because we loved ours last year. This year the book is called ‘Jesus, Light of the World’ and every day includes scripture, a short devotional, engaging activities that encourages kids to take ownership of their faith and yall know we love all those things here at Backseat Bible Nuggets.  You can get your copy at cpgive.org. That’s cpgive.org.

I have some friends who are going to be real life missionaries! I have always heard about missionaries, but I’ve never actually known a missionary that I called my friend. Do you know what a missionary is? A missionary is someone who is so excited about telling others about Jesus that they make it their job.

Your parents probably have a job where they might leave the house to go to work or maybe they work from home, but a missionary is willing to go anywhere where people need to hear about Jesus. To be more specific, a foreign missionary usually means they go to another country or a different part of the world to live and to tell others about Jesus and the Bible.

My friends are going to northern Africa to tell the people there about Jesus. How cool is that?

I think missionaries are like super heroes. And you should read some stories about missionaries, just like you read books about super heroes. Hudson, my 9 year old and I read a book on Hudson Taylor this summer. I chose it because they had the same name, but the life story of this early missionary made a huge impact on me! A missionary’s literal job is to introduce people to Jesus, which changes people’s lives forever. Is there a more important job? No!

But while my friends are packing up everything and moving to Africa and agreeing to learn a new language and live in a new culture, it reminded me that being a missionary doesn’t only mean those people willing to move to a different country. It’s important for all of us to be missionaries right where we live now.

Did you know that Jesus told all people who believe in Him to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded” in Matthew 28:19 and 20?

That verse I just read is called the Great Commission. Can you say Great Commission?

And it is the job description of a missionary, or really every person who believes in Jesus – to go and make disciples, which is just a fancy word for people who know and follow Jesus. And it says to do this everywhere…where you live, where you go to school, where you practice sports, where you dance, where your parents work, and even for some foreign missionaries it means wherever the Lord calls them in the world.

Okay, let’s talk about some things. You can pause after each question to discuss. And don’t overthink it…the point is to get conversation flowing.

1.     Did you know that you’re supposed to be telling others about Jesus?

2.     Is there anywhere that you can think of where you SHOULDN’T talk about Jesus?

3.     Who in your life might not know Jesus and you could tell them what YOU know about Jesus?

One last time before we sign off, let’s practice our verse together. You can repeat after me. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19 and 20.

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

www.BackseatBibleNuggets.com

One of the coolest things about our world is that it’s made up of billions of people who are different from us. Not one single person is the same! We have different countries, languages, beliefs, habits, and preferences. This is one of the coolest things about our world! How diverse it is! 

You can meet different people or even travel to different countries and experience the way they do life. Every country has different foods they eat, music they listen to, clothes they wear, even how they like to do things. I mean even toilets look different in different countries! Really, look it up! Toilets around the world.

It’s fun to learn about these differences!

And while our different countries, languages, and cultures are God’s plan and something to be celebrated, it’s not always easy. No, sometimes countries, or nations as they can be called, argue and fight. Sometimes they even go to war for their differences. Sometimes people even end up hating other people for their differences.

And this has been happening for a LONG time. Nations have been fighting and disagreeing over their differences basically ever since sin came in to the world. And wars continue even today. Lots and lots of kids grown up in countries that are at war with other countries. It’s almost like it’s a part of their everyday life to hear and see signs of war all around them.

And while it breaks God’s heart to see nations fight, I want you too remember something really important today. It won’t always be this way! How do I know that? Because of what it says in the Bible.

Psalms 86:9 says, “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.” 

Did you hear that? ALL the nations. All countries, as different as they are, will one day ALL come before the Lord and worship Him. They will all agree together over the fact that Jesus is Lord and bring glory to His name.

YES! That gives us hope today to know that even as different as we are and even tough we will fight and disagree with other countries, we will all be united and AGREE one day… in the name of Jesus. Knowing this and remembering this makes me realize that God’s kingdom is so much bigger than any country here on Earth. His kingdom will last forever and will have billions of people in it since the beginning of time and from every country that ever existed.

Revelation 7:9 and 10 is another great description of this. It’s were John is having this sneak-peak in to heaven and he describes what he sees. He says, “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Raise your hand if you’re ready to see that one day! I am!

Okay, let’s talk about some things. You can pause after each question to discuss. And don’t overthink it…the point is to get conversation flowing.

1.       What are some differences that you know of between where you live and another country?

2.       Why do countries or nations fight or go to war?

3.       What did those verses tell us about how it will be one day in heaven?

One last time before we sign off, let’s practice our verse together. You can repeat after me. “All the nations you have made - will come and worship before you, Lord; - they will bring glory to your name.” - Psalms 86:9

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

*There is an additional Backseat Bible Nuggets episode on this topic: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/backseat-bible-nuggets/id1573752728?i=1000552685169

Y'all, Christian Parenting has been hitting it out of the park lately with their products. This month they are rolling out a devotional made just for kids called My Time with God. It’s geared for ages 6-12. And it’s a colorful and fun devotional to read scripture, engage in creative activities, deepen their prayer life, and learn the benefits of spending time with God every day! Go get today at CPGive.org

Today we talk about questions with Hudson (9) and Avery (6):

What’s special about the Bible?

When do you usually read your Bible?

Why do you like reading your Bible?

What is your favorite Bible story and why?

How does the Bible help us live the way God wants us to live?

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

If yall follow me on social media, you saw me post about the Noteworthy Prayer Cards last week. These little cards made my kids whole week when they found them in their lunch box at school!

Each card has an uplifting message, a Bible verse, a prayer, and a space for you to write your own note to your child! Simply tear off a page and place it in or on their backpack, lunch box, bathroom mirror, or pillow! Wherever they will find it!

Get creative! Remember, your kids are never too young or too old to hear how much you adore them.

For more information and to get your cards, head over to cpgive.org. That’s cpgive.org

Who loves a tongue twister? I know we do in our house. Have you ever tried the one that says…how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Here it is slowly….how much wood…could a woodchuck chuck…if a woodchuck…could chuck wood. One more time as fast as you can, how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

So fun! If you didn’t get it this first time, I’m sure you will with practice.

Well, we are talking about tongue twisters today because I’ve been reading in the Bible, in the book of John lately, and I’ve realized that the very first verse or sentence of that book is like a tongue twister. Or better yet, a brain twister.

It says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”

It’s a brain twister because it’s a bit confusing on what’s being said here. It almost sounds like the disciple John who wrote this book is repeating Himself a few times. But he’s not. Let’s take each phrase and look at what he’s saying. First of all, he’s talking about Jesus who we can think of as “the word.” So when John says “in the beginning was the word,” what do you think that means? I’m going to give you a minute to pause here and talk about that together. When John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the word,” what does that mean?

PAUSE

If you said that it means that Jesus existed since the beginning of time, you’re right! Remember that “in the beginning” is the phrase that is used in Genesis which explains the whole creation of the world? John is letting us know that Jesus was there at that time! Jesus’ life didn’t just start when He was born on earth!

Okay, let’s add the next part of that verse: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God…remember we can think of “the word” as another name for Jesus here so we’ve already said that Jesus existed before the world was created, but it also says “the word was with God.” This shows us that Jesus is in perfect fellowship with God. And this is a fancy way of saying that they were hanging out together and best friends. It shows us that they are 2 unique people! Which is sorta mindblowing given the next phrase. Let’s add it in…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The last phrase says “the Word was God.” So we shouldn’t think of Jesus and God as 2 separate people with different things they like and don’t like, but we should think of them as the same beucase this tells us that Jesus IS God. I told you this was a brain twister, right?! This is a concept called the Trinity, which we have a whole episode about if you want to learn more here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/backseat-bible-nuggets/id1573752728?i=1000531698203

But for now, let’s say the whole verse together. But this time I’ll pause so you can repeat after me: In the beginning was the Word….and the Word was with God…and the Word was God…John 1:1

Awesome job everyone! I encourage you to keep practicing this verse and keep thinking about each phrase because it’s a pretty cool verse that really gets you thinking!

For now though, we have some questions for you to talk about. Remember, the point is to get conversation flowing, so don’t over think it!

1.     Who was with God when all things were created?

2.     Why is it important to know that Jesus existed at the creation of the world and not just when Mary had him as a baby?

3.     What does it mean that Jesus is God?

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Do you ever need help with something? I mean, is there ever something that you can’t do on your own and you need someone to help you do it?

Let’s talk about some examples. When have you needed help today? Go ahead and tell me about a time recently where you needed help.

Okay, now I want you to tell me exactly just HOW you asked for help when you needed it.

Alright, so maybe you asked for help by simply saying “I need help.” Or “can you help me, please?” or maybe you just cried and the adult you were with knew you needed help.

It’s a totally normal part of a kid’s day to need and ask for help. It happens A LOT, I bet, doesn’t it?

Well, that need for help doesn’t stop when you grow up. It might look a little different. Like as you grow up, you’ll learn how to tie your shoes or cut you your food or things like that or other things you might need help with at this age, but even grown-ups still need help in all sorts of ways. Good news is that we know someone who always hear when we ask for His help. It’s Jesus!

Did you know that the Lord really really really wants US – me and you -  to ask Him for His help? He wants us to go to Him when we need help because He can help us!

John 14:13 and 14 is where Jesus said, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Philippians 4:6 tells us to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

There is certainly a right way and a wrong way to go about asking for help from God. For example, if you demand that God gives you an ice cream cone right now!! ….He might not. But, if you go to Him, thanking Him that He listens to you and your need for help. And if you ask Him to help you through a situation or if you ask Him to help you with a hard situation so that His name would be glorified, John 14:14 tells us that He will do it!

So, here’s what I want you to remember today, because this is a big deal. We can ask God for help. Repeat John 14:14 after me…..”You may ask me for anything…..in my name….and I will do it…. John 14:14”

Jesus said those words. He wasn’t joking or making it up. He really really wants us to go to Him when we need help and ask Him for help. Don’t you think that God Almighty who created the heavens and the earth just might be the perfect person to ask for help? I do. And it’s a good reminder that we can go to Him first for help when we are in need.

I want to leave you with 2 questions to talk about with whoever you’re listening with….

1.     Where do you need God’s help in your life right now?

2.     How do we ask God for help?

Talk it out and maybe even pray together as we put it in to practice of asking God for help in our life!

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Have you ever seen one of those big inflatable balls that people can get inside and fit their whole body in? It’s almost like a giant hamster ball, but for humans? Apparently, it’s called a zorb. You can look it up! https://www.zorbs.us/ Well, my friends, this is sometimes how I visualize God’s protection of His children.

Hah! That might sound sorta strange, and I should start by saying there is no Bible verse that talks about giant human hamster balls, but scripture is full of stories that show God’s full and complete protection from all sides. And it’s the Lord’s protection that encompasses those who follow Him as they live their life.

In fact, God’s plan of sending Jesus to die for our sins PROTECTS us from death for all of eternity. Talk about ultimate protection! And so those who have surrendered their heart to Jesus and received His gift of salvation can know that they know that they know that the Lord will always protect and that He will never leave them or forsake them. That’s a promise in the Bible that we can depend on. And part of Him never leaving us means that we can count on His protection all around us. A protection that cannot be broken. A protection that cannot be penetrated.

In fact, Psalms 18:2-3 says, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.”

So, these verses talk about the Lord being a fortress. Hmm, what is a fortress? We don’t typically have those around town anymore, but they used to be very common and very important to protecting people! A fortress was almost like a castle or a giant structure that was meant to protect people inside from an outside enemy attack. It usually had thick walls made from stone and its whole purpose was to protect the people and keep them safe.

So Psalm 18:2 is telling us that the LORD is OUR fortress. The Lord is like this huge structure made from the biggest stones that cannot be broken. His protection is a like a fortress that we can stay in and know that we will be safe. And a fortress sounds like much better protection than a giant hamster ball, doesn’t it?

Now, I want to say one thing. God is our protector. He does offer us protection. And He won’t ever fail. But, does that mean that nothing bad or hard will ever happen in our life, right? No, sometimes people choose to walk away from God’s protection, like they walk out of the fortress and think they can protect themselves on their own. Or sometimes God allows things to happen in our life to give Him glory as we grow through it. But either way, God as just as He is described in Psalm 18:2. Y’all can repeat after me on this one. It says, “The Lord is my rock…my fortress….and my deliverer…My God is my rock…in whom I take refuge….” Psalm 18:2…

So, let’s talk about some things that we learn from this. You can pause to discuss. And remember, don’t overthink it. Just give your best answer and get the conversation going!

1.     What does it mean that God is our protector?

2.     How have you seen God as protector in your life?

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Have you ordered your prayer journal from Christian Parenting for this school year? This simple yet powerful tool will be your most valuable school supply you get! So, make sure you’re staying rooted in prayer for your kids this year by going to CPGive.org to get yours today!

You know the feeling of being extremely thirsty? Just dying of thirst? Maybe you’ve been playing outside in the hot sunshine and suddenly it hits you how thirsty you are. It’s like the only thing you can think about is getting some ice-cold water.

When we are thirsty, most of us are able to just run inside and get water. OR we’ve brought a water bottle along with us that’s right by our side for when we get thirsty. Our bodies need water constantly to stay hydrated and feeling good. We don’t just drink because it tastes good, we drink because we need it for our body to stay alive! And while my kids sure do love milk and juice and all the special drinks, nothing can satisfy our thirst quite like water can. Is this making anyone else thirsty? Like then need some water right now with all this talking about it?

Well, just as we get thirsty every day, so did Jesus. Actually, there is a story in the Bible, in John chapter 4, where Jesus goes to a well to get some water to drink. A well is like a big tunnel or hole in the ground where they used to get water from. Anyway, he sits down at the well probably super thirsty because he’s been walking a long way. And he starts talking to a lady that the Bible calls the Samaritan woman.

This conversation that Jesus has with this Samaritan woman is so unusual because back in Bible times, the Samaritan people and the Jews, which is what Jesus was, did NOT get along. There was this long history of them not being friendly with each other. So, they usually wouldn’t even talk. But Jesus doesn’t care about those types of things and he starts talking to this lady at the well.

And Jesus ends up telling her in John 4:13 that “everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Wow! What if you had been the one talking with Jesus and he told you that He had water that would make you never thirst again? What would you have said in response?

PAUSE

I think I would’ve said, yes please! Give me some of that special water. In fact, let’s put some in my water bottle for later too! But, Jesus wasn’t talking about water like we drink every day. What do you think He was talking about?

PAUSE

Jesus was using this example of water and the fact that we get thirsty and keep having to drink water to explain the fact that Jesus offers us something better. He offers us a type of spiritual water that can satisfy our heart and mind a soul in a way that only Jesus can. In a way that won’t keep going away like regular water does in our bodies. In fact, our verse said that the water Jesus gives will become a spring in us! So, we will have a constant source of water! Amazing, right!?

Jesus called this water “living water” in John 4:10. What do you think “living water” means?

PAUSE

The Lord can satisfy us in ways that regular ole water could never do. Don’t get me wrong, water hits the spot on those hot days after I’ve been running around. But, Jesus also hits the spot when my heart is worried or my mind wonders about certain things or even when I’m scared or disappointed. There’s nothing that can satisfy me like Jesus’ presence. And His presence, the Holy Spirit, is that living water that is living IN me as a child of God.

So, after all this talk about water, maybe we should go get a big glass of ice water! Sound good? Let’s do it.

Water sound.

Drink sound.

Ahhhh.

So good! Let’s pray together. Lord Jesus, you are living water. And I thank you for this conversation that you had with the Samaritan woman. We can learn how you can relate to the feeling of being thirsty. And we learn that you offer us something way better than simple water. You offer us satisfaction for our deepest needs. You are a special God who loves us deeply. May we drink your living water today. Amen.

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Miss Patty Cake “Little Me” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI_pDN-edw8

I’ve been walking with Jesus for 30 years now and its crazy that I’ve just recently realized that the longer I know Him, the more I understand how much I don’t know and don’t understand about Him.

I mean, most people, the more you spend time with them, the more you know them, right?!

That’s true with Jesus too in some ways. The more time I spend reading the Bible which teaches me about Him, the more I know Him. The more time I spend in prayer talking to Him, the more I know Him. The more time I spend singing songs about Him, the more I know Him.

But since God is unlike any other person I know because, well, He’s God…I’ve realized that the more I know Him it’s like the less I know.

The more I realize how huge and great and holy and mighty in power and just massive His presence is. My understanding grows to see how nothing can stop Him and how He can speak a word and whatever He said happens and how even tiny details all throughout history are orchestrated and directed by Him. He is just on this massive huge scale that I can’t even wrap my brain around.

But yet. Here’s the amazing part.

He loves me. Little me.

But why? Why would He love me? There’s plenty of other people for Him to love. Plenty of cooler people who are better at all sorts of things than I am. Yet…..little me. He loves and cares for so deeply. And He doesn’t just love me big picture or if I’m acting really good. He loves me even when I make the wrong decision. He loves even the details of my life. Like He knows what hurts my feelings and what foods I like or don’t like. He knows me. He knows my thoughts. He knows me better than I even know myself because He made me.

Makes me think of this song my daughter learned in preschool that’s by Miss Patty Cake. I’ll put the link to the song in the show notes. Listen to this song…

AVERY SING

Jesus loves little me. The God who is bigger than we can ever understand….He loves little me. How amazing is that? And that my friends, is what I’ve been learning recently. Even after walking with the Lord for 30 years. It’s the basic gospel, the good news about what Jesus did for us while we were yet sinners, that still floors me and brings me to my knees in worship. My little knees, if you will.

Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Here are some questions to get you and whoever you’re listening with talking about how amazing the Lord is to us.

1.     How can God create the heavens and the earth yet still know your thoughts?

2.     How does that make you feel to say that Jesus loves little me?

3.     What can we do in response to such an amazing love? Like should we just say thank you and walk away? Or what can we do because of His love for us?

Let’s practice our verse together one last time. You can repeat after me. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Hey Backseaters! I have noticed that there are a LOT of new listeners here on Backseat Bible Nuggets which means you’re telling all your friends about this podcast and that makes me super happy. Thank you!

But, I thought it might be time to reintroduce myself again for some of our new Nuggetters! So, Hey! I’m Laura Young. And I’m the most normal mom of two kids you’ll ever meet. Hah! What I mean by that is that I’m not a fancy podcaster with a big studio and slick production skills. Nope! I’m actually a mom who wanted a podcast devotional for her kids to listen to one morning as we were running out the door and it was stressful, crazy and everyone was frustrated. We needed something to reset our hearts and minds for the day ahead since the morning hadn’t been our best. Anyway, I couldn’t find anything. All I wanted was for someone to basically read a devotional to us since I was driving and definitely not in the right state of mind to wing it as we headed out the door.

Since I couldn’t find anything, I decided to make it! Well, actually, I prayed about it, tried to get other people to do it and really felt like the Lord kept saying, “why not you? Why not you?” So, 2 years ago I decided to go for it and kicked off this whole Backseat Bible Nugget project.

That’s how I got here! And I’ve done it with the help of lots of kiddos like you. My favorite episodes are when I hear your voices instead of my own! Speaking of kid voices, my kids are Hudson and Avery and you’ll hear their voices on here helping out pretty often.

Right now though, they are enjoying summer activities like invention camp, water parks, dance camp, reading challenges, family trips and swimming. Lots and lots of swimming since it’s so so hot.

Anyway, since I want you to know who we are, here are 5 random things about us….

1.     My kids prefer to be barefoot all day every day no matter the terrain.

2.     We think that Papa Johns pizza is the best pizza that exists.

3.      We had a black bear walk across our front porch last year!

4.     We live near an air force base that has tons of fighter jets constantly flying. It’s super fun to see an airshow every day, but not always best when it comes to recording a podcast since those planes are LOUD.

5.     Our family has 2 kittens who are brother and sister. They look just alike and we have a hard time telling them apart!

What about you? What are some cool things about you? I’d love to meet you and get to know you better! You can always email me at backseatbiblenuggets@gmail.com or even find me on Instagram or facebook. I’d love to hear your thoughts and even any ideas you might have for some podcast episodes!

But, you know what? Even if we don’t ever meet, I know something about you. I know the Lord created you and has big plans for your life! The Bible says that the Lord knit us together so He’s made YOU in a special way. And I know that He can use YOUR life to do awesome and wonderful thing for God’s glory if you follow Him and His ways all the days of your life.

And that’s my prayer for every ear listening. That this podcast would be used to add a little fuel to your fire in walking in relationship with the Lord. That it would be a supplement to help you remember and talk about Jesus and all He’s done for us every day.

Okay, yall, well it’s been great to meet you. I’ll be back next Wednesday with a regular episode. See you then!

Our family recently went on a trip where we were able to soak in God’s beautiful creation. We stared up at majestic mountains. We played in creeks. We hiked to waterfalls. We hunted for cool rocks at the edge of the water. We even tried skipping rocks, which is harder than you might think!

Anyway, I think it brings God great joy when His children play in and enjoy His creation. The things He made for us! And I think it brings Him even greater joy when we recognize Him and thank Him while we are enjoying the works of His hands.

While our family spent a few days in these mountains with rivers and lots of rocks, we kept talking about 2 Bible verses and 2 concepts that come from these verses.

First, is that do you know Jesus talked about rocks crying out in praise if humans don’t praise Him? Luke 19:40 Jesus says, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” In this verse, Jesus is being asked to make the people who are praising Him be quiet. And this is how Jesus responds! If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out. Well, that just gets me to thinking…. what do YOU think a rock would sound like if it cried out in praise to God?

I guess it depends on the rock. Maybe just like people, rocks have different singing voices. I have no idea. But it shows us how serious God is about us praising Him! All of His creation, even rocks and stones, points to just how awesome He is.

Speaking of creation praising God, the other verse we talked about on our trip a lot was Psalm 98:8, “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.” What a band we are getting together here in creation, right!? Rivers clapping their hands is such a cool description because as we stood next to rivers and waterfalls, if you closed your eyes, it DID sound like a huge crowd just applauding and clapping their hands as hard as they could in praise to God. Amazing!

All creation points us back to the Lord, the one who created it all and the one who deserves all the glory and praise from it. I’m so thankful He made His creation in such a way that we can play and explore it and praise Him while we do!

Here are some questions to talk about. Remember, there’s no wrong answer, so don’t overthink it! The point is to get conversation flowing:

1.     Let me hear what you think it would sound like if a rock sang praises to God.

2.     Why is it important for us to praise God as we enjoy His creation?

3.     What are some ways that you can praise God for His creation that you see around you right now?

Let’s practice our verse together one last time. You can repeat after me. Since we talked about 2 verses, I chose just one, but would love for you to look both of them up! Okay, here we go. “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.” Psalm 98:8

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Do you know what obedience is? It is when you do something that’s been asked of you. It’s when you obey! But, I’d like to add that it’s doing what’s been asked of you right away and with a happy heart. I’m sure you and your parents talk about obeying pretty often. I know we do around our house! And there’s a reason for us talking about it so much. It’s because learning to obey your mom and dad or any other adult that’s in charge is SO important.

Why? Well, because God told us it was important! Ephesians 6:1 says, “children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.” That verse makes it clear that obeying your parents is what the Lord WANTS us to do. The Bible tells us that obeying our parents is the RIGHT thing to do. It’s not asking us whether or not we FEEL like obeying or if we agree with what’s being asked of us. Ephesians 6:1 says, “obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.”

But, second of all, obeying your parents is helping you learn how to obey the Lord, which is also super important.

Think about this for a second….take your favorite Bible story. What is your favorite Bible story right now? Or maybe just a story that pops in to your head. I bet there is someone in that story that obeyed or disobeyed the Lord. Obedience….or disobedience….is in every story of the Bible! Think about it.

Adam and Eve disobeyed and were kicked out of the garden.

Noah obeyed and built the ark.

Abraham obeyed and was blessed with a huge family.

Moses obeyed even though others around him didn’t.

The story of the Israelite people is a rollercoaster of obedience and disobedience.

King David himself mostly obeyed the Lord but definitely had his moments of disobeying.

Even Jesus obeyed the Lord. Yeah! Philippians 2:8 tells us that he was obedient to death – even death on a cross. Meaning, that’s what God had asked him to do and he did it! He obeyed.

What about people in the Bible like John the Baptist or the disciples or Paul? They all have stories of obedience to the Lord.

I could keep going, but I think you see the point. Obedience is SO SO important the Lord!

So let’s practice and get really good at obeying our parents because that means that we will be able to better obey the Lord!

Here are some questions to talk about. Remember, there’s no wrong answer, so don’t overthink it! The point is to get conversation flowing:

1.     What does it mean to obey?

2.     Why is it sometimes hard or difficult to obey what we’ve been told?

3.     Tell me about someone in the Bible who either obeyed or disobeyed.

Let’s practice our verse together one last time. You can repeat after me. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Happy 2nd Birthday Backseat Bible Nuggets! In this special episode, we celebrate the last two years and the way that God has grown the BBN podcast family!

You can't have a birthday party without some fun and games, so we brought in a special guest, JJ Campbell from Along for the Ride Podcast. She's a blast!

We hope you have fun with this episode and don't forget to grab your party favor of your chance to win one of 4 giftcards to Chick-fil-A (2) or McDonalds (2) BY CLICKING HERE!

THANK YOU for listening and being part of the Backseat Bible Nugget family!

In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus heals 10 men that all had a skin disease. But guess what? There's more going on in this this miracle than meets the eye.

We explore the importance of the 1 man who returned to thank Jesus for his healing. We talk about how we need Jesus' help in order to have thankfulness be our frist reponse.

While there are deeper meanings to this story in the fact that it was a Samaratin who was the one thankful man, we focus on the fact that he was simply thankful to Jesus. How often are we forgetful to be thankful for what God has given to us?

...

Here are some questions to talk about. Remember, there’s no wrong answer, the point is to get conversation flowing:

1.     How many men were healed and how many men said, “thank you”?

2.     Tell me about a time where you forgot to say thank you.

3.     Why is it important to thank God?

Let’s practice our verse together one last time. You can repeat after me. “He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.” Luke 17:17a

Everyone knows that kids ask really great questions. And sometimes the questions are tough to answer! Here are a few questions I’ve heard recently: “If God created everything, then who created God?” or “Why would God create hell?” or “When is Jesus coming back to earth?”

These are all awesome questions! And the thing I love most about these questions is that it means you’re thinking about the Lord. But, these questions don’t have easy and clear answers.

In fact, there are a lot of things about God that are somewhat of a…..mystery. A mystery is just something that’s hard to explain or difficult to understand. And certain things about God will always be a mystery us. Why? Because we are humans that can’t understand EVERY. SINGLE. THING. about God. Sure, we can understand a lot about Him, especially as we read the Bible which teaches us about who He is. But, the Bible doesn’t give clear answers to every detailed question we might think of.

And I want to tell you something…..that’s okay! It’s okay for God to be a God of mystery. It’s okay that all of my questions don’t have perfect clear answers. This is important! If I were able to figure out every little thing about the Lord and how He works and thinks, then I might start thinking I could do His job for Him, which wouldn’t be good.

We should see God’s mystery as reassuring to us that He’s way bigger than we are and able to do much more than we can ever imagine.

So, let’s be okay with the mystery, deal?!

Romans 11:33-34 talks about this when it says, “how very rich are God’s wisdom and knowledge! How He judges is more than we can understand! The way He deals with people is more than we can know! Who can ever know what the Lord is thinking? Or who can ever give Him advice?”

That verse says God’s ways are more than we can understand, more than we can know. So, if anyone ever tells you that they know everything and they have all the answers, just know that’s not possible because this verse tells us that we won’t ever figure out all the things about the Lord.

Kinda mindblowing, if you ask me.

One last thing as we’re talking about this. Yes, God is a God who has some mystery. But, He’s also told us A LOT about who He is in the Bible. So, don’t get discouraged that God will always be a mystery about everything. There’s a LOT to know and learn about Him for your entire life! There will just come a point, on some questions or topics, where we have to be okay with NOT knowing every detail. That’s where we trust what we DO know about Him and go back to the main truths in the Bible.

So, let’s talk about a few things… You can pause after each question to discuss. And, like always…don’t overthink it! The point is to get us talking:

1.     What hard questions do you have about God?

2.     Now ask the adult you’re listening with what questions they have about God? What is a mystery to them about the Lord? Remember how our verse said that God’s ways are more than we can understand and more than we can know? That’s for everyone, kids AND adults! So, ask your adult what is a mystery to them about the Lord.

3.     Do you think it’s cool or not cool that God has some things about Him that we can’t figure out? How do you feel about His mystery?

I hope you had great discussion! And I want to tell you on the last question, if you don’t love that you can’t figure everything out about God, then we can pray and ask Him to help you have more trust or faith in Him. He can help us with that! It doesn’t mean He will tell us all the answers for our questions, but He will help us to better trust who He is and trust His goodness even in the mystery.

One last time, let’s practice our verse together. You can repeat after me.

“How very rich are God’s wisdom and knowledge! How He judges is more than we can understand! The way He deals with people is more than we can know!” Romans 11:33

Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org