The Story of Home
This week hosts Mike Nawrocki and Sarah Humphries catch up with author Caroline Saunders and talk about her latest book, The Story of Home.
No one makes a home like God!The Bible is filled with stories about homes, from the Garden of Eden to the Promised Land, from the tabernacle in the desert to the temple in Jerusalem. But what do these stories have in common? What is God showing us through them? Enter The Story of Home and discover God’s perfect plan to build the homiest of homes through Jesus. Learn how Jesus welcomes all who are homesick to be part of His family and live happily with Him forever!
- Filled with stunning illustrations
- Traces the theme of home throughout the Bible
- A perfect house-warming gift for a family
- Can also encourage those who are homesick, lonely, or without a permanent home
Caroline Saunders is a writer, Bible teacher, pastor's wife, and mother of three who believes in taking Jesus seriously and being un-serious about nearly everything else. She's written two Bible studies for teen girls (Good News: How to Know the Gospel and Live It and Better Than Life: How to Study the Bible and Like It, LifeWay Girls), a retelling of the books of Joel, Amos, and Jonah for elementary readers called Sound the Alarm, and two kids books (The Story of Water and The Story of Home, B&H Kids). Find her writing, resources, and ridiculousness at WriterCaroline.com, on Instagram @writercaroline, and on TikTok @writercarolinesaunders.
Jonathan Starrett - The Architect
To start the new year off, Mike and Sarah talk with author Jonathan Starrett about his latest book The Architect which will appeal to young readers, especially those that enjoy action, adventure, and mystery novels.
There’s a golden rule in Phantom City: “No one about when the Zeppelin is out.” But one night, twelve-year-old Charlie Crane comes face-to-face with the Zeppelin, and instead of finding trouble, she is
awakened.
Determined to find the truth in a city plagued with lies, Charlie, along with a quirky band of unlikely heroes, works to free the people of Phantom City from the clutches of a shadowy villain. Helped by a
mysterious Architect who only communicates over radio and telephone, Charlie wrestles with two big questions: Can she trust a guide she ca't see? And is the truth actually worth the trouble?
From storyteller, pastor, and illustrator Jonathan Starrett, comes this debut middle-grade tale filled with sinister schemes, unexpected friendships, and plenty of humor and plot twists. Young readers will be kept on the edge of their seats by the unique world of Phantom City and will quickly find themselves cheering for our heroes in their fight against evil.
Jonathan Starrett is a pastor, storyteller, author, and illustrator. When not writing books, he leads a children's ministry of over a thousand kids.
Jonathans use of storytelling, media, and fun to make the Bible easier to understand has impacted not just children but their families. Having reached thousands in the city of Tampa, Florida, and beyond, he and his innovative team continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible in children's ministry.
Jonathan lives in sunny Tampa with his wife, Rachael, who loves to collect children's books, and his two children, Elliott and Eliza, who love to read. Their dog, Dash, unfortunately only eats books—never reads them.
Minute Devotions for Teens
This week Mike and Sarah talk with author Laura Smith about her new book 5-Minute Devotions for Teens: A Guide to God and Mental Health.
5-Minute Devotions for Teens: A Guide to God and Mental Health removes the stigma on mental health and advises Christian teens what they can do when they are depressed and anxious. Scattered throughout the book are tips to help teens maintain good mental health practices such as meditation, disconnecting from social media and technology, saying affirmations, and much more.
Each day includes a Scripture verse, short devotional, and a prayer or prompt.
This 100-day devotional will help teens 13 to 17 years old:
- deal with mental health issues, depression, and/or anxiety.
- re-enter normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- develop an authentic relationship with God and deepen their faith.
Laura Smith is a popular speaker and best-selling author who has written nonfiction books for adults, pre-teens, and kids, as well as the popular Status Updates fiction series for young adults. 5 Minute Devotions for Teens: A Guide to God and Mental Health is her twelfth book.
Most recently she is known for Restore My Soul: The Power and Promise of 30 Psalms and How Sweet the Sound: The Power and Promise of 30 Beloved Hymns, which has sold more than 130,000 copies.
The Mouse in the Manger
This week Mike and Sarah catch up with returning guest Eric Schrotenboer to discuss two new books that he co-wrote with his wife Meredith.
The Wingfeature Saga - Animated Series
This week Mike and Sarah talk with Brock Starnes and Garrett Taylor about the new animated series, Andrew Peterson's The Wingfeather Saga which debuts on December 2nd.
Once, in a cottage above the cliffs on the Dark Sea of Darkness, there lived three children and their trusty dog Nugget. Janner Igiby, his brother Tink, and his sister Leeli are gifted children as all children are. Together they discover the secret of the Jewels of the Shining Isle. They will need their special gifts and all the love of their noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather to survive the venomous Fangs, sea dragons, flabbits, and (gulp) toothy cows!
Learn more at https://www.wingfeathersaga.com
Sounding Joy with Ellie Holcomb
This week Mike and Sarah talk with singer, songwriter, and author Ellie Holcomb about her new Christmas book, Sounding Joy.
Does it sound like falling snow, or a kiss on your cheek? Award-winning recording artist Ellie Holcomb explores this question through a delightful collection of Christmastime scenes, leading up to the discovery that joy sounds like the angels singing that Jesus had been born.
Ellie will be releasing children’s music as a companion to this board book. Her sweet and lovely celebration of Christmas encourages each reader, young and old, to lift up their voice and repeat sounding joy!
Award-winning singer/songwriter and author Ellie Holcomb began her musical career by touring the country with her husband in the Americana band Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. Her honest voice and rich lyrics shined on her first solo album and deemed her the Best New Artist at the 2014 Dove Awards, followed by the hope-inducing Red Sea Road (2017) album and the critically acclaimed album Canyon (2021). In 2018, she created a new generation of little fans with her first children’s book and album: Who Sang the First Song? and Don't Forget to Remember, each with companion children's music. Ellie, her husband, Drew, and their three children live and make music in Nashville, TN
Wonderful Marvelous Magnificent You
This week Mike and Sarah speak with author Abbey Feldkamp about her new board book, Wonderful Marvelous Magnificent You.
Wonderful, Marvelous, Magnificent You offers young children an engaging and colorful tool for teaching them about Jesus in a relatable way. It was crafted as a rhyming story with vivid imaginative and playful scenes to captivate the reader’s attention. This book beautifully illustrates just how special God made children of every culture and ability. It is diverse, inclusive, and wholesome. Children need to hear the simple message that Jesus loves them, just as they are. It's an offset lithography printed book with durable, hard pages. The illustrations and text are all hand drawn. Encourage your little one's faith in themselves and in Jesus through this sweet, vintage-inspired story! This resource is a perfect companion to your daily children’s bible—the reader will see themselves reflected in the story with Jesus. It also encourages the reader to use their imagination and understand Jesus in a modern way. Perfect for gifting and reading at home, this will become an heirloom storybook to enjoy, handed down from generation to generation.
Abbey has a deep affection for her home state of Minnesota where she lives with her high school sweetheart and three sweet babies. She lives at Sunny Hill Flower Farm on acres of sun-drenched barley fields. When she's not chasing children on the farm or writing books, she tends to her English roses and peonies. She has two rescued pups, chickens, and is a beekeeper. She lives to create beauty in this world with the talents that God has graciously given her.
www.abbeycreativeco.com
Feathers From Above
This week Mike and Sarah talk with author Kathleen Davis about her books Feathers From Above and Brave.
A feather may be found by your bed, near the couch, in the car, or even floating in the air. Feathers are often found randomly, but may not be random at all. "Feathers From Above," is a rhyming children's book that discusses how feathers fall directly from the wings of our very own Guardian Angels. These Angels are sent from God to watch over us throughout our lives, and their feathers are reminders that we have nothing to fear.
"Feathers From Above," was inspired by Kathleen's children. They would find feathers and tell her that their Guardian Angel must have paid them a visit. She knew right away that this would be the framework for her next book.
Kathleen is hoping to encourage children to be brave, know that they are loved, and remember that God is with them through good situations and bad.
Kathleen Davis is a retired teacher, wife, and mother of two. She has her masters in Elementary Education and spent her career searching for and reading good children’s books to her students. She believes that books not only provide a fountain of information, but are also a way to enter a new world and completely change a perspective. Plus, books are just good ol’ fun. See her website at kathleendavisbooks.com
The Story of Us
This week Mike and Sarah talk with author Mitalia Perkins about her new book The Story of Us.
Acclaimed author Mitali Perkins grew up loving nature. As her family moved often, she learned to appreciate the beauty and variety of the natural settings of her homes in Ghana, Cameroon, London, New York, and Mexico. It wasn’t until age 12 or 13 that she became aware of natural disasters, and realized that the elements–fire, water, air, and earth, can also be terrifying.
Decades later, Perkins’ close friend lost her home in the Woolsey/Malibu fire in 2018. The loss brought back her childhood questions. Why are we, as humans, at war with the elements? Why do we neglect the care of them—the very essence of ourselves and the home God created for us? For comfort, Perkins turned to writing.
The result was The Story of Us, a poem-turned-picture-book that tells the biblical redemption story in a new way, by centering the four elements: air, water, earth, and fire. At the beginning of all things, Creator uses the elements to make humans. When creation falls into chaos—resulting in greed, war, and devastation—Redeemer comes as a baby, growing up to use air, water, earth, and fire in seemingly small ways to heal and serve. Next, Restorer arrives, calling us to care for the elements as we wait for the day when lasting peace will come between them and us.
Perkins’ lyrical message is brought to life by the luminous art of illustrator team Kevin and Kristen Howdeshell. It’s a thought-provoking work that invites readers young and old to ponder our own relationship to nature and the Divine.