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I will never forget the day that my then five-year-old son met Barney the dinosaur face to face. We were vacationing in Florida, and a friend had arranged that after The Barney Show at Universal Studios, my husband, son, and I would be invited to stay and meet the cast. The show was fun, but the best part was to come.
As it finished and the auditorium emptied, we sat in the front waiting for the big moment. Then, there they were: Barney, B.J., and Baby Bop! Christian let out an audible gasp as the big purple dinosaur waddled toward him and enfolded his little body in a great big hug. He was so excited he could hardly sleep that night. He thought that he and Barney were now close personal friends.
In the years that followed, I’ve had the privilege of introducing my son, not to characters on a television show, but to many wonderful, godly people who’ve left a mark on his life. I am grateful for every one.
But there was one day, one introduction that stands alone. It was the day that I prayed with my son as he received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. On that day he became not only my son but also my brother in Christ. It was the greatest introduction of all.
That is my heart and prayer behind writing for children. I want all our sons and daughters to know that there is a God in heaven who knows them by name and loves them just the way they are.
When Christian was a little boy, I looked for a book that would be a fun way to help him understand that he could have his own relationship with Jesus but I couldn’t find one at that time. That’s why I wrote Where Do I Find Jesus? I wanted to give moms and dads, grandparents, aunts, and uncles a resource to help make that life-changing introduction.
We live in a world that is fighting for the hearts and minds of our children through television and social media platforms. They are being told that they are not thin enough, not cool enough, that they are simply not enough.
There is only one place where each one of our sons and daughters find out who they truly are, and that’s in a personal relationship with their Creator God. Jesus loves our children and longs to be their closest friend.
Do you remember reading in Matthew’s Gospel of a time when the disciples tried to keep children away from Jesus? They thought that He was tired and the children were too young; but Jesus disagreed.
Then children were brought to Him so He might put His hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked them. Then Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this. Matthew 19:13-14 (HCSB)
Jesus invites our children to come to Him. It’s my passionate commitment to provide as many resources as I can to help our children find their identities in Christ and develop a love for the life-changing Word of God. I believe our children might just grow up to change the world!
