Customer Reviews

Our 24 Family Ways: Family Devotional Guide

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I homeschool our 8 children. We start our days in group devotions lead by me and I am always looking for good material to jump start us into the Bible. Also, I need something that is good for a variety of ages. We are enjoying this book very much. I also bought the coloring books to go with it for my ytounger children and that have memory verse cards you can print off of their web site. Great family product.

I originally gave this four stars, but if I could I'd lower my rating because the more I think about it, the more certain aspects of it bother me. It is clear that Clay Clarkson has truly the best of intentions. And it's difficult to critique a devotional book honestly when you agree with the mission -- just not the delivery. I think devotions are a vital part of raising your family. I also think that breaking it down into these sort of "Mission Statements" about the legacy you want your children to take into the world gives the devotions relevance and obvious significance. I like the family ways Clarkson chose, because I think they give great guidance, and we will definitely return to these as my children get older.

It's just... again sorry if it sounds mean... a little goofy. I don't know how many times I have asked one of the starter questions, and either had my family respond with either "WHAT??!!!" or laughter. Now, we're not a particularly cynical or sarcastic bunch, it's just how these are worded. One of the earliest examples from Family Way 1, "If you had a 'pocket parent' card that played a short digital message every 30 minutes, what would you want to hear? Not hear?" This was just responded to with a great big "HUH???" Surely there is a better way to word these. Another, from Family Way 6, "What would you think about a child who had an adult body? Why?" And from 7 "Sing an 'Amen' chorus loudly with off-pitch disharmony. Then sing it in unison and with harmony. What is the difference?" First off, you have to know an 'Amen' chorus tune to know what disharmony to sing. Also, you have to kids old enough to know harmony and disharmony. I just had my kids sing a song we all knew the wrong way.

But what irritates me is that I think some of the "lessons" are way off. Sometimes dangerously so. For example, from Family Way 8, day 4, Clarkson paraphrases 1 John 4:19-21 as John reflecting "the teachings of Jesus about loving our fellow Christians." Really? Just "our fellow Christians"? That's not what I'd taken from this passage all the times I'd read it before. And if that's the case, then our mission wouldn't reach very far. I don't think it's just a typo, though, because in the "Speak to God" section for the same day, he writes again, "Ask God to help you love your family and other CHRISTIANS" (emphasis mine). No, we are expected to love the non-Christians too, to demonstrate Christ-like love to them.

The Story Starters are also quite annoying. In fact, I just skip over them. It's so obvious what the answer is supposed to be that they don't really lend to discussion.

The Bible verses are usually good, though, and back up the Family Ways appropriately, and that is the most important issue. So I do think that this is ultimately a good purchase. Just be prepared to skip over or modify and paraphrase the questions. Or maybe laugh... that's good too.

We have really enjoyed Our 24 Family Ways for our nightly devotion. It helps us to use God's word as the guide for how we treat one another. We are seeing a difference in our children's hearts as we continue sowing the word and learning the principles. Our children are 6 and 8 and this is a very good book for those ages, and even older children.

Maridel

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We love the way this book is laid out in weekly portions. Clay and Sally Clarkson are wonderful resources for being pointed straight back to the word of God on all things, and not just their own opinions. :)