Asking for Grace

I made a mistake! I quit posting at PBT and I'm sorry for it. Today I ask for grace. 

I knew that I wanted to expand and improve this PBT blog and my vocational activities, but I became overwhelmed and confused by that whole notion. I should have kept posting! 

I have new motivation and direction thanks to some great guidance from Javacia Harris Bowser, founder of See Jane Write, a network for empowering women bloggers, writers, and entrepreneurs. Check out her great work at www.seejanewritebham.com.  She has been for me an answer to prayer and I hope a blessing to you all as I make PBT better. Look for new posts every few days!

You might have already noticed the improved look, including bigger photos and font. I'll also begin including more photos of me, my family, my church, and my work. I hope you can easily see my passions and love for this work and my hope that it will help you build the church. Please let me know what you think!

I now have a much better sense of where to go from here. PBT will be getting my primary focus for a while and then I will be creating a whole new website. More on that later. Now about this wonderful picture book…

Todd Parr is well-known for his brightly colored books about simple but important issues such as The Feelings Book and It’s Okay to be Different. 
Here are three others:

I Made a Mistake is similar in look and content. It offers aspects of the complicated concept of grace to very young children (age 3 and up) in situations that are very understandable.

Picture Book: It's Okay to Make Mistakes

Author & Illustrator: Todd Parr

Original Publisher & Date: Little, Brown Books, 2014

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 3 and up, Pre and up

Formats other than Book: Tablet

Recently the children’s minister at my church asked about books she could use to tackle the abstract, multifaceted, and crucial concept of grace with our children. This book and others came to mind. Below is a list of 14 of the best books on PBT (and date of my post) about what we in the United Methodist church call Justifying Grace, the kind of grace that is forgiveness. In later PBT posts this month, I’ll address the 2 other kinds of grace: Prevenient Grace & Sanctifying grace.  

Consider age appropriateness when choosing which book to use with the children at your church, your own kids/grand kids, a small group of adults, or a client in therapy/spiritual direction. People of all ages can be reminded of the power of this kind of grace for healing relationships through these books.

A Day’s Work - Apr. 15, 2015

Hope Springs - Dec. 30, 2014

The Grudge Keeper - Oct. 17, 2014

What is My Song? - Sept. 27, 2014

Spuds - Sept. 16, 2014

The Sandwich Swap - June 10, 2014

Sorry! (3 books) - Feb. 3, 4 & 5, 2015

You are not my Friend… - Jan. 16, 2015

The Scarves - Oct. 30, 2014

Desmond and the Very Mean Word - Sept. 19, 2014

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse - June 23, 2014

When Sophie Gets Angry… - June 3, 2014