Andrew Smith's Blog

My name is Andrew. Come and have a look inside my life and watch me share what is on my heart.

Summer Activities for Adventures in Odyssey Fans!

CFMatthew-1


Summer is officially here! Don't let your kids' boredom run rampant. Adventures in Odyssey is here to save the day. Below are some must-try ideas for summer fun! Want even more summer fun? For the month of June, you can join the Odyssey Adventure Club for only $5! More details can be found here.

Summer Activities

As a parent you are probably a big proponent of reading. Encourage your kids to dig into a book or two this summer with Adventures in Odyssey's On Your Marks Summer Reading Challenge. Bonus points if YOU create a reading challenge for yourself as you read along with your kids!

Looking for something hands-on? Create Matthew in 3-D! Invite a few of your kids' friends over for a play date, print off the activity sheet, and let them have at it for the afternoon (with the promise of cookies and lemonade once they've finished constructing Matthew).

Maybe your kids aren't into reading, but they love math. If that's the case, have them solve Eugene's Sudoku!

The laundry needs to be done; the dishes need to be put away. But your kids are begging you to take them out to the zoo. Let them take a whack at Matthew's Decoder in the morning, then make an agreement that if they figure out how to use the decoder, you'll take them on an afternoon adventure. That'll give you the morning to finish up your to-do list!
Odyssey-Adventure-Club-1

Join the Odyssey Adventure Club for $5!

Odyssey-Adventure-Club-1
Are your kids in need of a safe and fun environment where they can explore, create and imagine, all while developing their faith and learning biblical truth? Enter the Odyssey Adventure Club (AOC)!
OAC-bloggerbutton 
For a limited time, you can join HERE for only $5 (regular monthly membership costs $15 for up to six users)!

Families will be able to stream the Adventures in Odyssey library, plus listen to exclusive new monthly episodes.  Busy families will find 24/7 access to the content through the Odyssey Adventure Club mobile iPhone app.

Children can also read daily devotions, interact with hands-on activities and view video documentaries featuring a behind-the-scenes look into the production of the Adventures in Odyssey stories. Parents can feel confident their children are safe on the Odyssey Adventure Club website — Focus on the Family staff will be monitoring all comments before they’re publicly posted.

A portion of each Odyssey Adventure Club membership will benefit Focus on the Family partner relief organizations, including Christian Veterinary Mission, Operation Christmas Child and Compassion International. This provides parents with an opportunity to teach children about the value of giving and serving others.

Coming in July, Odyssey Adventure Club members get to listen to the brand new album, "The Ties That Bind," FIRST before it's available ANYWHERE ELSE!

Click here to join for only $5!

Want more summer activities for your kids inspired by the Odyssey Adventure Club? Check out this post.

Growing Up God’s Way for Boys and Girls by Dr. Chris Richards and Dr. Liz Jones Book Review


Growing Up God’s Way for Boys and Girls are wonderful resources written by two pediatricians, Dr. Chris Richards and Dr. Liz Jones. They wrote the books in order to guide parents in having the challenging “talk” with their children. The books are meant for their parents and their child to read together. The book has helpful illustrations to assist in teaching children about what is happening to their bodies during puberty and the graphics are friendly to early teenagers. The boy’s book is geared towards preteens aged ten to fourteen years old. The girl’s book is geared towards ages nine to thirteen. The book also covered critical topics such as marriage and preparing for the future. Both of these books are almost the same in content with a few sections being different depended upon the gender.

 

Let me first begin by saying, I’m not in the target audience and I’m not married and I don’t have kids yet. I read this book because I want to learn everything I can about children and raising them to be the man or woman God has created them to be and I know my kids will eventually grow up to be mature adults following Christ.

 

I would recommend these magnificent kid friendly books to every single parents who have early teenagers. I believe the authors did a prodigious job in helping kids not to fear growing up and I liked how the book reinforced to the children that they aren’t alone in the changes that their bodies are going through and that they can talk to their parents if they have any questions. I especially liked how they included scripture in describing marriage was between a man and a woman and how their marriage is strong enough to handle a new life entering this world and this is something that should be celebrated. I also loved how they shared verses on love in the Bible and the importance of being united as husband and wife. I believe that the book did its purpose in guiding parents in reading and discussing what is happening to their bodies, how pregnancy occurs, and the prominence of sanctity of marriage. I also plan on rereading these books with my future wife (whoever she is) and reading the books with our kids. If you’re a parent of an early teenager, you especially need to take a look at these remarkable books for your children.

 

“I received both of these books for free from Cross Focused Reviews / EP Books for this review”.

 

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Growing Up God’s Way for Boys and Girls, then check them out on Amazon.com: 

 

 


 

Deeper Than Red: A Novel by Sue Duffy Blog Tour



Deeper Than Red is the final book in the magnificent Red Returning trilogy. I immensely loved how Sue Duffy was very descriptive in describing the numerous suspense-filled scenes. I thought she did a superb job in intertwining all three books in the trilogy together and she is a very creative author. Having read the other two novels, Sue Duffy did a major switch up that honestly, I didn’t see coming in this book. She added a psychic and an occult aspect to the plot and it helped to reinforce that we are in a fight against spiritual forces but the light always wins. I like how this novel touched on faith and how they had to trust God and rely on their faith during tough times. I also liked that it had some romance spread throughout along with a political theme.

I would recommend this series to anyone who loves a fantastic thrilling trilogy! And readers won’t be disappointed with the action packed mystery! I’m excited to see what new trilogy Sue Duffy comes up with next!
 

“I received this book free from the publisher from Kregel Publications book review bloggers program."   

 

If you would like to purchase a copy of Deeper Than Red, then check it out on Amazon.com:


 

About the book:

 

Twenty-year-old Tally Greyson isn't consumed with her own education, social life, or career goals like most young women her age. Instead, she's trying to save her mother from the grasp of a seductive cult. What Tally doesn't realize is that in this community, there's a far greater danger than any she can imagine--and she and her mother aren't the only ones in its sights. There are plots brewing here that will threaten the fate of the world.

 

Concert pianist Liesl Bower has put her own dangerous past behind her, and in her Charleston family home, surrounded by those who love her, she's preparing for a world concert tour with her dear friend, violinist Max Morozov. She thinks she's safe; the man who tried to kill her is dead, his coconspirators have been rounded up, and no one knows she had anything to do with saving the world from a new revolution.

 

That is, until a world leader is assassinated on the other side of the globe, setting events into motion that could kill the U.S. president, destroy Washington--and take everything and everyone Liesl loves with it. A madman is at the controls now. Even with the backup of the CIA and the dubious protection of a former KGB agent, this time they may all be too late. The heart-pounding final book in the Red Returning trilogy, Deeper Than Red goes further into the world of espionage and action than ever before, delving into the very worst powers of darkness, and pitting them against the light of faith, love, and forgiveness.