Posts Tagged ‘Westminster Shorter Catechism’
Catechism Resources
I am interrupting the series which I am blogging to share this with you. Jennifer @ Quiverfull Family left me a comment the other day about catechism resources.
I’ve been feeling led towards catechizing lately (I don’t come from a Christian background, so this is really totally foreign to our family.)
Do you use the Westminster Shorter? Any specific resources that you can recommend?
I decided it would be good to share the information with all of you. Thank you Jennifer for asking!! These are resources that I love and am so excited to be able to share them!
First, yes, we do use the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
Second, here are a few resources that we use with our family! I am also listing a few others that are out there that we have not tried just in case you want to check them out! I hope that these resources are helpful to you in training your children.
Training Hearts Teaching Minds
Vic Lockman’s Catechism in Cartoon form.
Songs for Saplings by Dana Dirksen
I know that Veritas Press also has a catechism songs collection and a song book but I have not heard them yet…they are on the order form for us to try out this school year.
We also have some of THESE children’s catechism books…they were used along with their Sunday School curriculum a few years ago.
Covenant Home also has a catechism course which my hubby has used for youth group sessions. It is designed for 5th grade and up.
Melting Expenses
I serve an amazing God! He is sovereign over all, fully of mercy, grace, and justice. He is one who acts providentially. He provides all things often times above what we can ask or imagine. This past week during our daily devotion time we have been going over question number eleven of the Westminster Shorter Catechism and studying through the book of Esther.
Q. 11. What are God’s works of providence?
A. God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise,and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.
Westminster Confession – Chapter 5: Of Providence by Westminster Assembly
I. God the great Creator of all things does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.
God has shown himself once again to be abundant in his graciousness and providence in our lives.
In two days this past week there have been expenses adding up to thousands of dollars that have just melted away. Some may chalk it up to coincidence or good luck and timing but I know what an amazing God I serve. I see his handiwork in how he orchestrates my life and am awed. To God be the glory! All the while we are studying about his great providence, he provides us with tangible examples in our daily lives.
Let me share with you how God provided for us this past week.
- My older children were going to be attending an event which they told us would be at a cost of $60. This fee was waived!
- My older girls just joined a figure skating performance competition class. One daughter received a discount I did not expect and another was able to take her class for free due to the fact that she teaches there. Another $60 waived.
- My hubby’s pay raise was more than anticipated by an amount of $85.
- My son, who has had a problem tooth for almost nine years, was in need of a root canal. We have been putting it off because we just could not afford it. We do have insurance but they did not have a preferred provider who works with our insurance that they would refer us to and with the dental costs being higher here in Alaska our portion was a very large amount. My husband decided to take him in to the military clinic just to see if his case would be deemed an “emergency” case and could be treated there. This was just a quick look over kind of appointment on a walk in basis that he was hoping to be able to get him in to be seen. When he arrived they said they had an appointment that had been canceled and would look him over. They went ahead and did the root canal then and there. He has an appointment next week for the crown. A total cost to us of $0! This saved us close to $2000!
The Lord knows our earthly needs. He knows our desires. He providentially provides both when in his plan! His plan for us is best. The creator of our life knows what is truly needed and even provides that which is not needed but desired. Praise be to God!
More importantly than our earthly needs and desires, He knows our eternal needs! He provides that for his children! Praise be to God! In fact, that is his priority. I am thankful that even when I miss seeing his hand at work, when it seems that earthly needs are not met, that I can trust in the fact that he has a plan and is working it out. I can trust that he has eternal benefit at mind first and foremost. He causes me to be amazed all the more and I pray that his glory is seen when at work in my life!
