One of my heart's deepest desires is to make sure that my child knows the love of God. Sharing knowledge of ADONAI with my children is my responsibility. But it's hard to know how to navigate that duty in the middle of feedings, diaper changes, and sleepless nights. And as they get older, explaining the concept of God's love can be difficult when dealing with tantrums, huge messes, and potty training.

Thankfully, there are many, many women who have come before me with this same desire and tumultuous circumstance. Women like my own mother, who worked feverishly to make sure we knew the God of our Forefathers.

“These words, which I am commanding you today, are to be on your heart. You are to teach them diligently to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up.”

- Deuteronomy 6:6–7 (TLV)

Did you know that the entire Tree of Life Version was sparked by a mom who just wanted a Bible for her kids? That's right! When my brother Joseph asked my mother why the Jews were always mad at Jesus, she realized that the available western, English translations of the Bible would never truly resonate for her Messianic Jewish children. So, she started to seek out scholars and theologians who might help her. My mother's desire to see her children walking in the truth was a tiny spark that turned into a wildfire of Biblical restoration and revelation.

Knowing that artwork is a huge part of learning, my mother dedicated her own expertise to making sure the TLV biblical art collection was as exemplary and engaging as possible. That way, adults would see the Scriptures in new ways. But once the TLV translation and art collection were finished, and us children were grown, we collectively realized that these was just the beginning. We needed to find a way to get every member of the family into God's Word - regardless of age or stage of life.

We didn't want to dilute God's Word. We didn't want to paraphrase, retranslate, or dumb anything down. We wanted children to encounter actual Scripture within a context that they could comprehend. Which is why we made our Grow-with-Me Coloring Bible! We took the same art compositions from the TLV collection and simplified them for children to color while carefully curating sections of Scripture that would be age-appropriate for each illustration.

Then, children could match their picture with their parents' illustration in the family Bible! But then we thought, how can we help even more members of the family?

In order to instill Biblical concepts into our littlest hearts, we developed The Good Book, a high contrast, colorful board book that could stand up to the rough treatment of preschoolers. With just the seven steps of God's covenantal love, we could share His Faithfulness with little hearts. And then we made a colorized Young Reader's Edition so that school-age kids could have understand that God is truly the protagonist of His story - not the characters that most kids learn about. Now children can join in on the same stories and visual art that their parents have inside their own Tree of Life Family Bible!

One by one, each member of the family got a biblical resource in their hands that ties them together in a cord not easily broken and allows each child to grow into a deeper knowledge of the Lord without sacrificing truth in order to do so! Together, we can establish lasting faith that spans generations!

So, instead of wishing and hoping that your faith will rub off on your kids in children's church or at Shabbat/Sunday School, try actually introducing them to the Creator! Show them the love that's been shown you. Treat them with the same faithfulness that ADONAI has shown His people. Give them hope by telling them the stories of provision in your own life on top of the stories from the Bible. Give them something tangible they can hold onto and remember for years to come.

"Train up a child in the way he should go,
when he is old he will not turn from it.”

- Proverbs 22:6 (TLV)

And that can start today with something as simple as a board book, our TLV Bible: Young Readers' Edition, or maybe a printable craft from the TLV Bible App. It's up to you!

But don't fear! He is with you!