May 21, 2024
For a fellow writer on how to write a children's christian picture book. I agree with fellow writer, Arree, it makes writing a Christian book even harder. Here are come comparitive thoughts.

Recently, I watched a series called Signal, a Korean drama. One of the things I realized this morning was the message in this story. Backdrop: police and political corruption, people looking the other way or taking brides to benefit themselves. Micah 6:8, He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you. 

I woke up early and began pondering different people in the Bible and their reactions to the challenges they face. Here is where your story lies: find the hidden truth, change it to today's issues, and have your character meet those challenges. He does have to kill a giant, but he also faces the bully at school or his best friend trying to get him to do the wrong thing. 

For the character in the above series, it cost his life, which is the underlying truth of Christianity—exchange your worldly life and follow Christ, death to self, and submission to Christ, as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:17. 

An example is two godly women, Esther, who was beautiful, and Leah, Jacob's wife, whom he didn't choose, who was ugly. Esther, who was afraid, saved her people, and Leah, who was heartbroken, was loved most by Jacob in later years. Now consider Jezebel, Deliah, Heord's wife; you can feel and see people who are like this, so narcissistic that they manipulate and destroy those around them. Jezebel tried to destroy Israel by introducing idolatry back into Israel. Ahab was too self-absorbed to care. 

Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph—David, Samson, Gideon, and Nathan, who let Dehorah lead Israel's army—these men failed drastically, yet saw it and took steps to correct their actions. (David's children: Three died; how David parented is not mentioned, but his kid's choices are.  I have to admit here I would have asked God to leave this part out of the Bible. I mean, who wants their dirty laundry aired for centuries? Parenting is hard. But his children still knew what was right from wrong. They were taught but chose not to follow God. Esther faced death, and Leah was ridiculed but still chose the right course of action. God put David's children's failures to show that it is our own choices. We overcome by trusting God.) Character, hook, conflict, failure, and resolve. 

Kirk and Alice Brown wrote a series of Christian books. I've passed these books on, so it took a bit of research to find their names. They didn't use Christian buzzwords but told stories kids deal with daily, like patience, loss, selfishness, etc.  They would be good mentor texts. 

I agree with fellow writer Arree; writing a Christian picturebook is even more difficult. Yet, Arree's book Mixed teaches you how to love your neighbor as yourself. Ninja shows brotherly love by correcting his actions when he includes his sister in his Ninja games. Both show how individuals can change the people and circumstances around them. 

Marilyn Lashbrook's book, I Don't Want To, shows a defiant Jonah as a child. My son's favorite line was-- it was hot inside the fish, it was stinky in the fish, phewy. There were lots of onomatopoeias in her books that my four-year-old son loved. My son would stand up in bed and cross his arms like Jonah in the book. I think that is the catalyst for Trouble with Head Ants. 'ANTS' is an acronym for automatic negative thoughts or any naysaying, nervous, nasty, or not telling me what to do thoughts.  WITT is an anteater who uses his brain. He recycles negative thinking by spelling his name. WITT teaches kindergarteners how to handle big emotions. 

It is like the retelling of The Three Pigs: The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs by A. Wolf to David Weiner retelling this story. We writers find another perspective of that story and write from a different POV.

Five Minute Friday Post: Nothing (word prompt)
Nothing but what is needed:
There is nothing in the Bible that is not meant to be there. How is a name given? What is in a name? Is it arbitrary, a family name, a syllabic mess, or is it chose with a meaning? 
Adam means man, Seth means appointed, Enosh-mortal, Kenan-sorrow, Mahelil-blessed, Jarrod-shall come down, Enoch-teaching, Methuselah- means this death shall be judgment, Lamech-lamentation, and Noah means to bring comfort. 

The message is that Man appointed mortal sorrow, the blessed God shall come down teaching, and His death shall bring despairing comfort. 

God's Word is breathed out by the Holy Spirit, so it is nothing for the Holy Spirit to bring understanding so we can dive deep into knowing God. Nothingness is in man's empty philosophies. We will spend eternity with God and still marvel. 

more names with meaning-
Nathaniel means gift of God 
Daniel means God is my judge
Rhonda means Grand and Warrior- which is hard to live up to. 
Leigh means poem or song, glade or meadow
Bronte means bestower and thunder
Brown-son of strenght
Daniel Charles Brown, God is my judge, strong-manly, and son of strength.
Katelin Bronte- pure thunder