Teaching Big Words to Little Hearts (Intro.)

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A while back, I asked readers to help me come up with some Bible words that are often difficult to explain to little kids.  Instead of trying to make one huge list of the words and some ideas of how to explain them, I decided to do a little series that tackles one word/concept at a time.

I'm entitling the series "Teaching Big Words to Little Hearts."  Each post will explain a theologically difficult or abstract word from the Bible and it's significance.  (Words like grace, faith, forgiveness, etc.)  Because it often takes kids a while to wrap their minds around these kinds of ideas, I'll include some ideas of how that word can be explained and brought down to a more concrete level through activities and real-life scenarios.  Each post will include a definition and explanation for the "Grown-Up Heart" as well.  It's not that I don't get most of these terms, but I've found I have to have a good grasp on a word or idea before I can break it down into preschool terms.  That section will be followed by some down to earth, simple thoughts on how to expound on it for the "Little Heart."

If you read my guest post for To Show Them Jesus last week, you'll see how I was blown away by a conversation I had with Isaac over the words 'grace' and 'faith' recently.  I'm hoping that by thinking through some of these words now, I will have some thoughts and ideas in place when an opportunity arises to discuss them with my boys.  I'm also hoping this can be a fun series where you all share your examples and conversations with your own kids as well as we think about how to help our little ones understand truth!

First up:  GRACE.  I'm sure that's no shocker to those of you who've been with us for a while.  Come back tomorrow for a few ideas on a word that has become more and more dear to me over the last few years.  :)