A video scrapbook from the crazy paths of parenthood…

Our first lockdown baby (and definitely-hopefully our last…), it was mid September when Teddy Steady (Theodore Steadfast) arrived into the world at South Lakes Birth Centre here in Barrow.

Theodore means ‘gift of God’, because what does any of us have that we did not first receive? And Steadfast? It’s one of those words often used to capture the old Hebrew word for God’s strong and faithful love, hesed:

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The *steadfast love* of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

(Lamentations 3:21-23)

Ham Tradition is to try and capture a couple of seconds from each day in their first year. As the writer Annie Dillard put it, ‘How we spend our days is how we spend our lives’.

So we hope it’s been a way to help us grow daily thankfulness to God in our hearts for his ‘gift’, and not just Teddy, but the many gifts we enjoy, not least the human gifts of friends & family who surround him (even if a lot of that was on Zoom to start with!) – and probably for you too if you’re bothering to read this (whether or not you’re in the video – some people are more camera shy than others!). Thank you for being part of Teddy’s life and for helping, supporting, and praying for us all.

In lots of ways it’s a highlights reel to capture special places & faces & rhythms, but you’ll also see nappies, tears & Calpol. Generally Daddy-Grumps aren’t on screen, because I was the one doing the filming…

Ultimately we’re thankful for Jesus, who gives us the ultimate and indescribable gift of himself. He is the Steadfast One, both ‘Strong & Kind’, and just as he has been the ‘God of our fathers’, we pray he would be the God of our children’s children too.

As for the soundtrack, these precious songs have been a big part of our lives this past year:

Steadfast – Sandra McCracken
It Would Be You – Ben Rector
Kaleidoscope – A Great Big World
God of My Fathers – Andrew Peterson
Sweet Baby Boy – Slugs & Bugs

And if you want a trip down memory lane…

365 Days with Toby

365 Days with Rafa

366 Days with Hudson

365 Days with Evie

Seven up…

1) Loneliness Limits Ministry – Why Pastors Need Good Friends – Appreciated this from Stephen Witmer – and appreciated all the more some good time spent with two good but usually far-flung friends this August.

2) New Song from EMU Music: Always Good – Enjoying this new congregational song from EMU. Based on Psalm 13, songwriters Alanna Glover & Claire Williams say: ‘David’s questions are big and important, and perhaps more than ever, we are in need of songs that ask – and answer – these questions. Ultimately, even in his sorrow and anguish, David turns to trust in the Lord’s unfailing love, and we hope and pray this song helps you to do that too.’

3) Free Webinar: ‘Online engagement in a post-Covid church’ – Looking forward to this from Go Chatter, which will cover: Why social media is not an advert (or a church notice board); How to build community; How to be creative in posting; What makes a ‘good’ or a ‘bad’ post, and why; Stories vs Posts; Quick, easy and practical ideas for your church; How to understand and use different social media platforms; Helpful, go-to resources.

4) Free Christian Books for August 2021 – Looking for something to read over the summer? Some great free eBooks or deals here.

5) Josh Harris’s Message Remains the Same – Carl Trueman in classic Trueman form in responding to the news this week that former Christian author and megachurch pastor Joshua Harris has launched his own 5-part course for $275 to help people ‘deconstruct’ their faith. A few days later Harris has shelved the course.

6) What does it really mean to be ‘salt of the earth’? – I haven’t got to Andrew Wilson’s new book, ‘God of all Things’ yet, but I keep hearing really positive things. Wilson helps readers ‘rediscover the sacred in an everyday world’. This is a fun sample chapter/article on salt.

7) How to Turn Into Things – For something a bit different, seriously, this guy…

Bible App for Kids
Apple/Android
Free

The Bible App for Kids comes from the team behind the hugely popular YouVersion Bible app and seeks to engage children with Bible stories at an ‘age-appropriate level’.

In essence it is a free eye-catching library of Bible stories, with the option of engaging narration and connected activities for each story. The stats speak for themselves: the Bible App for Kids has over 70 million downloads worldwide.

Upon opening, the app presents as a chronological game-style map, with very easy-to-use navigation that sees users select a Bible story to read. Users download the story within the app and then can read/ hear the story, accompanied with colourful illustrations.

Woven into the stories are varying activities and incentives for reading. Some stories have animated touch-screen interactive elements (e.g. tap the soldier to cut Samson’s hair). There are also various collectable items throughout the stories, such as items related to a particular story, e.g. the Armour of God, or stars that are gained upon answering a question after each story.

Just like many paper ‘children’s Bibles’, the app doesn’t cover the whole of Scripture, but does offer an impressive 41 stories and manages to convey a sense of the overall story of the Bible and the centrality of the gospel message too.

The app could be utilised in children’s ministry, play a part in family devotions, or be read alone by a child. The different features mean that a three- or four-year-old would be engaged, but eight to 11s are likely to find it stimulating and informative too. Incredibly, the app also offers a range of over 60 languages.

A version of this article was first published here in the August 2021 Issue of Evangelicals Now and is shared here with permission. EN is a monthly newspaper published in print and online, offering a biblical perspective on current issues and insight on what’s happening with God’s people worldwide. Online subscription is just £10 p/a with print & online combined for just £18. Order a free sample or subscribe here.