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KO’d by Jesus “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Some of you have been singing that song for as long as you can remember. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus—you know the name, have heard the stories, and could probably lead your own VBS class this summer. Isn’t there anything new? Always!…

Mr. Popper loves everything about the Antartic and the great Admiral Drake who is there on an expedition. He reads, studies, follows the expedition on the radio, and even writes Admiral Drake. Things get interesting at the Popper household when the admiral responds to the letter with a special gift—a penguin. Read Richard and Florence…

Miracle-Gro Our backyard is a favorite place for our family. We have a covered patio, a picnic table, chairs, and a pool. Texas lilacs and crepe myrtles fill the corners. Roses and jasmine add color and fragrance. The sprinklers water faithfully morning after morning, but water alone is not enough for maximum growth. Plants need food,…

In Cracker, award-winning author, Cynthia Kadohata, crafts a unique book about the military K-9 units in the Vietnam War. What makes this novel so unique is that the story is told from the dog’s point of view. Parental heads-up: There is some language and violence due to the war setting.

A Weaponless Army My son and I are studying the lives of Saul and David in our quiet time and some verses caught me by surprise. When Saul became king, Israel had all kinds of grief from those pesky Philistines. The Philistines had rigged it where the entire nation of Israel was weaponless. Check it…

Milo is bored. He is bored at school. He is bored at home—until a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room. Author Norton Juster fills The Phantom Tollbooth with clever wordplay and whimsical characters like Tock, the watchdog (literally), and the Spelling Bee, S-p-e-l-l-i-n-g B-e-e. You find this book “Beyond Expectations.”

Covert Operations: Part 3 Today, I’ll brief you on the final covert op in Matthew 6. Feel free to glance back at the last two Cross Training entries for Parts 1 & 2. “ ‘ When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are…

It was his birthday present—“á small white metal cupboard with a mirror in the door, the kind you see over the basin in old-fashioned bathrooms.” In Lynne Reid Banks’s Indian in the Cupboard, Omri discovers that while his new birthday gift may look ordinary, it holds extraordinary power. The cupboard brings his plastic toys, cowboys,…

Covert Operations: Part 2 Last week, we talked about the military’s special forces and their covert operations. We discovered God has some covert ops for us too. How was your first covert mission? Are you ready for another assignment? If you are just joining us, look back at last week’s Cross Training: Covert Operations: Part…

If you thought Willy Wonka crafted some cool candy, you’ll be amazed at what Mrs. White can do. However, her magical candy comes at a price. Fablehaven author, Brandon Mull, treats us to a deliciously dangerous mystery in The Candy Shop War. Four friends are caught in the crossfire of a war between magicians as…