I finally got a copy of ‘The Ology’ by Marty Machowski. This book is not available in any local bookstores so I had to pre-order it from an online seller who can order and ship from the US and UK. After months of waiting, it finally arrived, yipeedoo!
I first got a copy of ‘Big Truths for Young Hearts’, the recommended book follow-up for older children. That book is geared for highschoolers and older students. The Ology writing style and over-all feel caters to gradeschoolers.
I read the intro and the first truth to the children this morning and I would like to share our experience opening the book together for the first time.
What led me to use this book were the beautiful illustrations and of course, the many positive reviews made by homeschooling Christian families across the globe. We also use other Bible storybooks to supplement our devotionals with a real ESV or NIV Bible versions.
Other top bible books in our shelf are ‘The Jesus Storybook Bible’ by Sally Lloyd-Jones (we have been using this since we first homeschooled 5 years ago and still is a favorite read), ‘Who is God?’ by Apologia, ‘The Child’s Story Bible’ (a recent addition and favorite in our homeschool) by Catherine Vos. My husband and I find ourselves realizing deeper biblical truths through these children’s books! Amazing authors can do this!
Going back to ‘The Ology’, I approached our 3rd grade daughter and excitedly showed her the book. She was intrigued by the intricate and mysterious look of the book cover.
It starts with a story about how two children found a rare book in the church cellar. I love how the author made it read like an adventure story which excites children. Sweetpea listened intently and I knew she was really listening (not spacing out hehe).
At lunch, I read the intro again and the first truth (God Always Was and Always Will Be), this time with both our 3rd and 9th grader as they were finishing their meals. Our 9th grader appreciates picture books with nice illustrations. I can tell this book will make a great family devotional.
Bible verses also accompany the bible truth page. One bible truth covers one chapter of about 2 to 3 pages. We were done reading in less than 5 minutes. I then had an idea to let them draw God’s throne as how they imagined it to be. It will serve as our follow-up activity to help retain the lesson.
My eldest also recall listening to The Ology music from Spotify. We played the songs in the background as they worked on their drawings.
I browsed through the next chapters and this page with illustration of fingerprints caught my eye. I immediatly thought of an activity for this chapter. I might ask the children to make imprints of their fingerprints with colorful paints. I think this book also makes it easy for parents to easily come up with activities.
The book also has a Parent Guide on how we can effectively approach the book. It is a children’s picture book with solid biblical worldview written for all ages! It is a good foundation for theology. I highly- recommend this book as a read-aloud or devotional for families with multi-level children.
Selah Soul Art 