Dr. Jessica Peck: We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, preborn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time, she will choose life. But they can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside them. One ultrasound is just $28. To donate, dial pound 250 and say the keyword BABY or visit preborn.com/AFR hello, and welcome to the Dr. Nurse Mama show, prescribing Hope for healthy Families here on American Family Radio. Here's your host, professor, pediatric nurse practitioner, and mom of four, Dr. Jessica Peck.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, hey there, friends, and welcome to my favorite time of day, getting to spend time with you prescribing Hope for Healthy Families. We got a fun show for you today. Nothing too heavy, too scary, which is always great to have. We try really hard to balance things out. There are some things that we have to cover that are really tough to talk about, but we've got to talk about them. And some days are just fun and easy, and this is one of those days. Now, if you've been following along the show since I started here, which is I cannot believe, coming up on my third birthday here in the fall, who will have been in the lineup for three years? But we every year we have done a journey of healthy habits for families. And on Fridays, we introduce a new habit. I invite you to join us in that journey because it is in those little daily acts of obedience that we transform our families. There is no life hack, no magic cure, no pill that you can take, nothing that is instantaneous. It's in that daily hard work. Now, the good news in that is that God rewards that faithfulness. I am convinced of it, that he rewards it. And those things that we do stand the test of time. It doesn't matter what how the world changes. These are just daily disciplines, relationship connections. We started in January with four core spiritual disciplines. Then we talked about six communication skills. We, six. I'm sorry, six daily rhythms and then eight communication skills. And right now we're talking about how to be good disciples even in our tech use and how to have communication. And so we're going to be talking about that, and we're starting that this week. Now, if you're listening today, I'm giving you a preview of Friday so you'll know what the habit is even before the show comes up. And it might surprise you to know, because I know all the questions I get about tech are, okay, when can my Kid have a smartphone. When can we have social media? But we are actually starting our first healthy habit in our 12 week tech series is something very low tech. Actually, I feel like we need a drum roll. It is reading out loud to your family. Now, I'm not just talking about toddlers. I'm not just talking about little kids. I'm talking about any family, any age, any stage. We're talking about that. So today that is what we're going to dive into. We're going to fe children's books today. And even as children grow older, reading together still matters. We have such fractured attention where everybody's reading or watching something different, there's something really powerful and sharing a story arc together. And research continues to show that reading aloud strengthens language development, emotional connection, empathy and even spiritual formation if we're really careful about the books that we choose. But in today's culture where kids are surrounded by constant notifications, short form content, digital pressure, endless entertainment options, it can feel harder than ever to find stories that truly capture their imagination while also most importantly, shaping their character. And that's why today's conversation is so timely and so God ordained.

Today's show features  Shaun Stevenson on faith formation

And to start off the show, we are going to actually give away this book that we're featuring. Get your phone ready. We're doing a live giveaway right now. First caller, 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-8840. We're giving you a copy of this book the Parable Port and the Sower's Secret. Parable Port, the Sower's Secret by Brock Eastman and Shaun Stevenson. And this is a new middle grade like tween ish adventure series that takes the parables of Jesus and turns them into action packed mysteries that kids can actually see themselves in. And in a culture where children are constantly being discip and algorithms and influencers, these kinds of stories still have incredible power to form hearts and minds. And so today we are joined by one of those authors and storytellers, Shaun Stevenson. And he is author, they're also co authors of the Captain's Clue. That's the newest installment in the Parable Port series. This is from Tyndale House Publishers and Brock is an award winning author. You've seen him on the show before, Dr. Fizzlebop We have had some fun with science and Shaun who's joining us today is an internationally reckoned recognized children's ministry expert and storyteller who is passionate about helping families experience God's word in creative ways. And together they've created this series where these parables come to life in a town called Parable Port. So today's conversation is one about storytelling, discipleship, digital culture, having fun and laughing a little. But more importantly, and most importantly, faith formation and why reading aloud may be one of the healthiest habits that your family can build. Shaun I'm so glad to have you here. Thanks so much for joining us.

Shaun Stevenson: Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here. Everything you are saying right now, I'm just sitting here as a children's pastor and like, yes, oh yes, this is so, so good. I cannot wait to talk about this.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Am I preaching to the choir? Because I'm here for it. Like, I am here for it. You are my people, Shaun when we talk about investing in children and helping them with faith formation and making it relational and fun, like, I am all in. And so I would love for you to introduce yourself, Shaun to our audience. Just tell them a little bit about your testimony, how you came to know the Lord and how he brought you to this place to sit here and tell us about this story series.

Shaun Stevenson: Yeah. So I am one of those kids that grew up in the church. I. My parents volunteered with everything. They were in the nursery when I was in the nursery, they were in the preschool when I was in the preschool, helping out in the elementary when I was in elementary. And I remember from the very beginning, one of the things that my parents always did was they read to me. And they would read to me from storybook Bibles, they'd read to me from picture books, all kinds of different things that they just really instilled in us, this love of reading. And it makes me a little choked up to think about because my parents are just incredible people who just invested in my life and my siblings lives. And because they started off right from the beginning teaching us about who God is, what God has done, is doing and will do one day. And primarily through, you know, they were not pastors. They were not like people with, you know, Bible degrees or like theology degrees or anything. They were people who love Jesus and said, we want our kids to hear from God's word and read to them these stories of scripture. So they started reading to me from a young age. And when I was six years old, I was at church and on a Wednesday night and our teacher had actually, yep, she was reading to us a Christmas story. And she had that little book, she lit a candle, she like turned off the lights and she said, okay, Jesus is the light of the world. And as I Sat there as a little six year old. I said, I think I believe in Jesus. I think I believe what you're saying about how Jesus died on the cross, came back to life. And, I want Jesus in my life. So I prayed as a little six year old to receive Jesus in my life. And, and really I count it towards all these people who are reading me these stories and telling me faithfully again and again and again. And I know that that has led me to where I am today as a children's pastor who loves telling the story of God to kids. Weekend week out and through amazing like, opportunities through like the Parable Port series with Brock. Brock and I, we are so excited about this series because we think that this series is one of the best tools that you could use to help get your kids excited about who God is and what God is up to in the world, especially through stories that Jesus told to people. And now we get to tell those stories to kids all over the place.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Shaun I love it so much. I love hearing stories of faithful parents and growing up in church and all of those kinds of things. Because if that's not your testimony, if you're listening, you're thinking, that is not me, we can know that that is possible. That is something that we can create for future generations. And I am really a big fan of the flannel board, Shaun And there was no flannel board in your story, but there was Christmas in your story. And so I am all here for it because I'm a big fan of Christmas too. And I can just picture that faithful Sunday school teacher who probably has no idea that you're on the radio today talking about the influence that she had in your life. And praise God for all of those faithful volunteers who show up in children's ministry every single week and just pour into the hearts and lives of kids. I love it. Well, this is so creative, Shaun I. I love the concept. I mean, when you look at the COVID it just looks like fun. This looks like a book that a kid would pick up and want to read.

Parable Port is a children's book about Jesus' parables

What is the idea and the inspiration behind Parable Port?

Shaun Stevenson: Yeah, so Brock and I were talking one day because we were talking about parables. So, you know, as a children's pastor, I really try and build into what I do at church, where we have books to read to the kids and we have books for them to check out and find just different stor about scripture. You know, some are fiction, some are nonfiction books, just fun things that they will dive into. And so Brock and I Were talking. There's no books about parables that we can find. Like, parables were a huge part of what Jesus did. He told these stories about earthly objects that had eternal meaning. And we said, well, what if we write the book? What if we write something about parables? So we came up with this idea where there's this town parable port where the parables of Jesus literally come to life. So, you know, the first book is all about the parable of the sower, where the sower goes out, spreads the seed, and then the birds eat it. There's also thorny vines, there's rocks that don't let the plant grow deeply, and then there's the plants that grow and grow and grow. And so we said, okay, let's make this story in this world of parable port where all of a sudden, there's birds everywhere, what's happening? These kids in the town. There's a big group of kids that are all wondering, like, why are all these birds suddenly in town? Like, what's happening? And then thorns are growing everywhere, and they're trying to piece all this together. And it's the faithful Sunday school teacher who points them in the right direction, says, this is a mystery. You need to figure out what's going on. And the kids are piecing together the clues, trying to figure out, like, what's happening in our town. And it's full of action, adventure, but it's also full of heart. And it's full of kids who are really discovering, you know, the stories that God has told us through scripture. And there's literally one of my favorite scenes as a, children's pastor is the scene the kids are all in Sunday school together, and their Sunday school teacher, Abuelita Rosita, is telling them the story of the parable of the sower. And they're interacting with it and learning it and reading it together. And then the parable's coming to life. And of course, there's. There's someone else in town who knows the parable's going on and maybe is messing around with it a little bit. So the kids have to figure it out and save the day before the town. You know, maybe bad things happen, then they gotta save it and find out what happens. So it's a lot of fun. we've had so much fun writing this. But I think, to me, the thing that I love the most is hearing from parents who have been telling us, my kids, we've been reading to this, them to this, like, one chapter a night. And every Single night. They're like, please read another chapter. Please read another chapter. Please read another chapter. So it's been so much fun, and we just are loving this world and writing in it and telling kids these stories that Jesus told and getting to tell them and point them back to those stories that Jesus told.

There is something really powerful about reading out loud to your kids

Dr. Jessica Peck: You know, Shaun one of the things I am definitely a big fan of reading out loud to my kids, and I actually did it all the way up through high school. And I. And I've said this before, and I'll talk about this more on Friday, but, you know, sometimes it can be hard for parents to step in and start reading out loud, especially at bedtime if they're not used to that, if they haven't done that before, maybe they haven't done that since their kids are really little. But there is something really powerful about reading out loud and sharing the story together. Because I know as I'm reading the adventure books, you know, that I read to my kids, I'm looking at their reaction, and I can see when they're like, whoa, wait, wait, what a second. wait a second, you know, they. And they might feel scared or they might feel wonder, they might laugh. Something that I really didn't expect, them to find so funny, I. They would find funny. And I found that I could really learn about their personalities. And I also learned about what was worrying them because they might connect something to part of the story that I didn't even know what was going on in their head. And that was a really great point to have conversation. And the affirmation that I learned that I got was exactly what you just said, Shaun It wasn't. Oh, mother, you're such a good reader. We look forward to this time every night together. Would you please come read to, us? It wasn't like that at all. But I would hear that one more chapter. Just a hint, just. Just a page, like, because you would know that they were invested in the story.

Stories remain one of the most effective ways to reach children's hearts

And so we are going to give away some more books throughout the show. So you don't want to go away. As we're going into our first break. This, that I'm giving away is book one of the Parable Port series. It's called the Sower's Secret. It looks so much fun. And, you know, for generations, Jesus used stories that were really culturally relevant to help people understand deep, unshakable, unchanging biblical truths. And even now, stories remain one of the most effective ways to reach children's hearts. I do believe that in a world that is very distracted. Imagination is a bridge that can take you to spiritual formation. And in a world that is saturated and screaming screen time and digital content, there's something refreshing about opening up the pages of a book. Make a fun bookmark and you know, get it all dog eared and and worn because you've read it so much. And we're going to talk about that a little bit more about the story. Today's book that we're going to talk about some more is the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders. But instead of simply retelling the story, as Shaun said, the authors place kids in the inside an unfolding adventure where the parable affects an entire town. So I have a question for you. What stories shaped your own faith when you were young? What did it make a difference? And is there somebody that you need to thank for that? We'll give you an opportunity after the break. Mother's Day, it's one of the most beautiful moments of the year to share life changing news. Maybe you've seen it, a family gathered around the table. When someone stands up and says next year there will be a brand new mom in our family, Family, there's nothing like it. But for some women, Mother's Day feels very different. Instead of celebrating, they're carrying a secret. Afraid, unsure, alone. That's why preborn exists, because when a woman sees her baby on an ultrasound and hears that tiny heartbeat, it doubles the chance she'll choose life. I couldn't imagine my life without him because of them. He's here. We're gonna get through it and it's gonna be okay. Preborn empowers women to become mothers. Just $28 dollars provides one ultrasound. To donate, dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby. That's pound 250, baby. Or donate securely at preborn.com/AFR, afr that's preborn.com/AFR. Christ is risen from

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Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is Christ is risen by Tenth Avenue North. And he is. And we are going to have a celebration today by giving away a copy of the book we're featuring. We're doing that to the first caller right now. 888-5898840 That's 888-589-8840.

On Friday, we're talking about the healthy habit of reading out loud to your children

And I asked you before the break, were there any stories that shaped your faith when you were young. If you are one who wins and calls in, be sure and tell our call screener about that. We would love to hear about it. And my question for you is what might happen if bedtime became a place of conversation and imagination and spiritual formation instead of just, just, no, you can't have another drink of water. No, go back to bed. No, turn off the light. No, it's time to go to sleep. I really had to learn. And I talked about that in my habit series about bedtime. I had to learn as a mom that bedtime was not the time to wind down. I needed to find a break sometime in that middle early evening so that I could go on my second shift. And bedtime was one of the most, and still is one of the most precious times to me for spiritual formation, for family connection. It is so powerful. And we're talking to one of the authors of this book. It's written by, by Brock Eastman, aka Dr. Fizzlebop, who has been on the show before, and Shaun Stevenson. Shaun is joining us today. He's a children's pastor. It's called Parable Port, the Sower's Secret. It is a fun series. So if you're looking for books to give your kids your grandkids, your nieces, your nephews, your cousins, whoever it is, kids in your classroom and you're if you're looking for something to read for the summer, this would make great summer reading. And on Friday, we're talking about the healthy habit of reading out loud to your children. Because stories, when you share a story together, when you read the same story, it creates a shared language, but more importantly, it creates a shared world view. And that is what parents are outsourcing today to the algorithm. When we're all living in our own digital silos, we're all creating our own different worldview inside the same house. And sometimes the conversations that matter most aren't ones that begin with lectures on how to start your worldview. Oh, you need to believe this. You need to think this. You need to do this. It begins with characters and adventure and laughter and questions and children. For children, especially when you sit down and you take the time to read out loud to them, it says, you matter enough for me to slip, slow down and be present with you. And so, Shaun let's go back and talk some more about the benefits of this and just your pull on your experience as a children's pastor. There is something about this age that this book series is targeting, that middle grade kind of preteen ish. Although you know, when I read this book, I think, okay, well, you know, my oldest probably could have handled this when she was 5 or 6. And, you know, some kids may, be older, so you've got to read and see what's developmentally appropriate for your kid. But there's something about those middle grades where they're really interested in what you have to say, and they're really interested in the things of God. What have been your experience in seeing that and using the power of story to teach them gospel truths and drive them to Scripture?

Shaun Stevenson: Well, one of my favorite things as a children's pastor is the questions kids ask. And, you know, when you're a parent, kids ask you a lot of questions, and sometimes you feel like, I have no idea. I don't know what to say. I don't know where to start. And sometimes a story can be such a good springboard for kids who maybe have a question, but they don't know exactly how to express it. Maybe they're thinking, like, how does God, like, work in our lives? Like, what is God up to in the world? Like, how do I know that God is there for sure? Like, when I can't see him with my eyeballs? And sometimes kids ask us these questions, and we're like, well, I don't know. And so I think a story can be such a powerful way to point kids towards who God is. And I think that when we have stories that are written from a Christian worldview where we say, okay, this story is going to talk about who God is and what God is up to in the world, it can be that springboard. There was a parent who recently contacted Brock and I and said, I just have to thank you so much for this book, because, first of all, my kid's a super reluctant reader. He does not really like reading. But we started this book and he said, can I just. Can I keep reading this? I want to, like, find out what happens. And she was like, yes, you go. You read this thing. And so he started reading it. And at the end of it, he sat down and said, mom, I have some questions. Can you tell me about Jesus? Like, what is faith? And she said how there was just so many good conversations they were able to have based on him reading the story.

Shaun says middle grade kids are asking deeper questions about faith

And I think one of the things that we really tried to do in this book series is we have a lot of different kinds of kids who are the characters. And some of the kids have been in church their whole life. Some of the kids have never been to church. And there's even one kid who, she doesn't believe in Jesus. And we thought that was really important to include this character who. She has a lot of questions and she is a. She wants to be a famous podcaster someday. Her name is JR and that is her goal, to be a famous podcaster. So she's always asking her friends questions and things, but then she starts asking them about, well, why do you guys go to church? Like, why do you guys believe in God? Like, what. What is it about this? And that character has been one of the most popular characters as people have read it, because they're like, my kids are asking some of those questions too. So having stories that can help kids frame a question and be able to give them the language to say, ooh, here's what I'm thinking. Because, ah, especially when you think about middle grade and you know, you're a doctor, this is your, like, expertise. I'm a children's pastor, but I have seen like, you know, when kids move from those younger elementary age into middle grade, they start getting new tools that they can process the world with. They start to get abstract thinking skills. And so those middle graders, they're at asking deeper questions a lot of times about like, well, wait a minute, how do I know God is there? How do I know God is real? And so having a story that is grounded in their world, the world of kids, where they can see themselves in the characters and be like, wait a minute, that character is asking the same exact questions I'm asking and then be given, you know, not like Pat tied with a bow answers, but be pointed back to, to the answer. Jesus, I think, is so powerful.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, you know, Shaun for me, as a pediatric nurse practitioner, I love looking at kids holistically. God made them body, mind and spirit. And so looking at a series like this that's developmentally geared towards them in the way that they think, because their brains do process things in different ways than they do as they grow and mature. But to also recognize that their emotional and their mental and their physical health is all tied up in their spiritual health, health. And how you're describing this, you know, them seeing themselves in the story. One of the ways I think that they can do that really well is that you've given them kind of a realistic group of peers where they can find themselves in the story and see, like, how, okay, how do these characters interact? What does this character do when someone asks questions about their faith? And it kind of normalizes talking about that because that can be a difficult thing for kids to bring up and to start talking about. And another way that their really relevant.

One of the books is called the Captain's Clue about digital culture

One of the books is called the Captain's Clue. And one of the most timely themes in that one is digital culture. So you talked about this podcaster named JR Wrestling with fame and popularity, but also underlying character issues like truth and loyalty. And you. When you see the tension of that, you know, between, like, okay, here's the world's version of success, and yet here is God's version of success for your life. And. And there can be a tension there, especially as kids are, navig social media pressure earlier and earlier than ever before. And so how. What was important. Tell us a little bit more about that storyline and how, you know, I'm just thinking about Jesus telling the parables, which I'm learning as I go back and study the parables. Like, there are things that the people then understood quickly, immediately, because it was something that they saw every day in culture. And that's harder for us to see now. But these stories kind of take that. Take that teaching, take that teaching technique. So tell us a little bit about. Want more. How you equip kids to navigate the tensions that they may be feeling in their real lives.

Shaun says this topic of listening and who are you listening to is important for kids

Shaun Stevenson: Yeah. In the Captain's Clue, especially, we take on the parable of the wise and foolish builders. And that's from Matthew 7:24 through 29. And one of the things Brock and I do, but when we start writing is we start with the parable. We don't start off over, you know, wherever. We're like, let's start with the scripture and say, what is Jesus trying to communicate through this parable? And so as we sat with that parable, one of the first things that Jesus says in there is anyone who listens. And so throughout the book, we knew that this topic of listening and who are you listening to was so important for kids because I think kids don't always even understand the fact that there are different voices saying different things from, you know, the kids that they're with in classes or on sports teams or in dance studios or wherever they are, to social media, to other adults in their lives, to, you know, advertisements, to shows and movies that they watch. All these different things, even the games that they play, all of these things are speaking and talking and saying something. And I think the thing about that too, is Jesus said, anyone who listens to my teaching. And so this value of stopping listening was so important because, you know, you even think about the world of Jesus where he was at that time period. Like, there was noise, but there wasn't quite as much, like, flashy noise as I like to call it today, where it's just, like, constant stream of all these information points and, like, different things going on around us. And so it was a little easier to pause for a second and listen, but there were still other voices, other things saying other things. And so for kids to stop and to listen. And that. That second book really dives into this topic of just listening to Jesus and saying, okay, okay, who does Jesus say that I am? Not? Who does the world say I am? Who does this thing say I am? But who does Jesus say that I am? Who does Jesus call me to be? And listening to the voice of God through scripture, through prayer is so, so important. And we really wanted kids to be able to have that conversation with parents. And, you know, we set up some of those themes in book one and continue them into book two. And even, I'll give you a little spoiler, book three, we have a kid, Junior, again, she's dealing with. She loses her phone and dealing with that technology, losing it and feeling, I feel lost without this technology in my life and kind of having a little bit of, like, deprivation from not having that phone in her hand like she usually does. And so we really are exploring throughout this, like, these themes of who are you listening to, what voices are in your life, and how can you. You take. Take the filter almost to say, what are the things I should listen to and what are the things I should say? Ooh, that's not true. Like, you saying that about who I am is not what God has said. God has said that he loves me, he cares about me, like, he wants to be part of my life, and he died on the cross for me, all these things. And so we really wanted kids to be able to have those conversations with their parents because I think this is a topic, like you mentioned, that sometimes parents might feel a little bit, oh, I don't know how to address this with my kid. Technology use or how to have those conversations. And so having this element in this story that's so central to it gives parents such a great opportunity to have those conversations and say, hey, do you remember in the story when Junior was listening to this character and listening to this, like, why do you think she was choosing to listen to those things? Things? Why do you. What do you think God would want to say to her? And just opening up that conversation line through something that's fun and exciting, I think is just a win, win across the board.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Shaun I am so on board with this because I think this is such an effective way to help shape kids and to help. Help disciple them without lecturing them. Because I'm imagining just all of the things that you're talking about, like trying to navigate this world. World with a phone. And she loses her phone. And maybe kids who are reading it, maybe they're in the camp that, like, I don't have a phone. And then you kind of have a different perspective to think about what does it look like to lose it? Or maybe you are one of those kids who has a phone and you think, I cannot imagine. It's. Actually, there's a. There's a scientific term that we use, now, Shaun called nomophobia. It's no mobile phone phobia. We actually use it in research so that we can measure how it makes you feel. That panicky feeling, like, oh, oh, my gosh, where's my phone? Like, I will turn around, I will drive back for it. I will do whatever I need. I will. I will feel anxious until that phone is back in my hand. Like, where is it? Everybody find it. Put it on my find my phone alert. Like, everybody. I can feel everybody, like, listening, like, looking for their phone, like, their hands going to their pocket, saying, wait, do I know where my phone is? And I think when we try to sit down with kids and we say, oh, hey, I need to talk to you about who you're listening to. You need to listen to these voices. Make sure you're not listening to the wrong voices, only listen to the right voices. And. And just be careful out there. You know, it's so nebulous and it's so luxury and it's just so preachy. I think sometimes that kids just tune us out because they think, oh, you don't understand. That's not going to happen to me. Because, you know, Cat, that's how kids are developmentally wired to think. They're think. They think, yeah, bad things happen, but not to me. But this is what I love about a story like this in Parable Port, where you can introduce a character who is experiencing these same things, and then you can start to have some conversation about that. Just think, what did you think about JR's reaction when she lost her phone? Like, did you think that it was over under? Like, was it right on? How has anybody around you ever lost their phone? How has that played out? And then tying it back to the biblical truth, that is one of the most important things.

How are parents intentionally curating that voice that our kids need to listen to?

And so some of the questions that are, I, want my listeners, I want you to think about right now is what foundations are you building your home on right now? There are stories in your home for sure, whether they're the stories that you're telling, the stories that your kids are reading, the stories that they're streaming, the stories that they're hearing from popular culture, from their peers. How are we as parents intentionally curating that voice that our kids need to listen to? Shaun I've been talking about this a lot, all this year, talking about my concerns about the algorithm and the influence that that has, because especially with chatbots, it really can be very persuasive and seem like kids will think it cares about me more than my parents do because it has more time and it remembers everything and it tells me what I want to hear. This is such a great way. I am hoping that people will get a copy of this, that they will read it out loud to their kids, to their grandkids, to their Sunday school kids that you can call your local library. You can ask them to get a copy for your local library. You could donate one to your school library. Kids need to be exposed to these kinds of things in a developmentally appropriate way that points them back to the truth of Jesus and the foundation that will never be shaken. We'll be right back with more from Shaun Stephenson, and we'll have another giveaway. So we'll see you on the other side of this break.

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Celebration by Forrest Frank: You, you, you, you. You know what to do. It's time to put your phone down and raise your attitude. The God who made the birds see sun and the moon m isn't somewhere far away. He is standing in the room. So Let it scream, let it shout Let him know what you're, about. Keep it moving and grooving don't leave a single doubt that today is the day that the Lord has created why would I sit around just waiting? Let's have a celebration it's time to clap our hands and stomp our feet have a celebration if you believe that Jesus, sets you free it's time to celebrate.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Welcome back, friends. That is Celebration by Forrest Frank. And you know what? Having so much fun today, you would think it's like a Friday in the summertime, but no, it's just a random Tuesday at towards the end of school. If you're a teacher hanging in there, we're praying for you. If you are a parent who is just ready to be done with school for the summer, we are praying for you too and cheering for you. And when we play that song Celebration, that means we're giving something away to the first caller at 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-8840. We are giving away a copy of the Parable Port. This is book one of the Parable Port series. This one is called the Sower's Secret and it is so fantastic. It's book two. I'm sorry, we're giving. Oh, my producer's giving me a signal. Let's see. Okay, we're giving a. We're giving away book two. We're giving away book two. Okay, good. I'm glad I have people to keep me on track. We're giving. And this is such a great series. I am m all on board for this. It is by Brock Eastman and Shaun Stevenson and it is a great modern day take on parables where they're in a town, these kids, this group of kids are in a town called Parable Port. And Shaun you and I were talking about how one of the most important things about this is having fun. Because we know from science, we know from research that kids have have the, when the kids are having the most fun, they're also learning the most. And this is why I love shows like today. It's like a, children's minister and a pediatric nurse walk into a radio studio. It's going to be fun. We're going to give away stuff. We're going to have a song like Celebration with Forrest Frank. We are going to have fun because that's how we engage kids and learn. And I see this in culture. Culture certainly knows this. Secular means media certainly knows this and leverages this Superpower. How did you and Brock leverage fun as a superpower to really have some spiritual formation?

Shaun Stevenson: Oh. So Brock and I, when we get together and talk, we have so much fun, and we are constantly laughing, and our wives are always like, what is going on over there on the zoom call? You're on, like, what's happening? And we just laugh and have a great time. And we knew that we needed to incorporate that fun into the whole world of parable port, because, you know, there's a lot of different book series out there that kids are really into, and there's some that are really funny, and then there are some that are funny, but they're using humor in a way that I kind of call gross humor, personally potty humor. And so, yeah, we were like, oh, we don't want to do that. We want this to be fun and exciting, but also hilarious in a way that gets kids laughing and just having a great time with. Without making fun of anyone and without putting other people down. And so we really worked hard to include that into our whole world of parable port. And the kids that are in this world are always laughing with each other and having a great time. They have serious moments, too, and there's some good conversations they have, but they're also having so much fun. And so we knew that fun and adventure had to be a big part of it. You know, I think of. I always think of this passage in Zachariah from the Old Testament that it talks about a picture of the future kingdom of God is boys and girls at play in the city street. And I love that image so much. And Brock and I have talked about that, how we just want that fun to be a vehicle that can tell huge, huge, truths about who God is through this story by having that be just fun and exciting and something that kids are going to laugh with their families and just keep coming back to. Remember those silky chickens that were running all over in the car at one point? Stuff like that. We just. We have so much fun. We actually had our editor, she said to us, have you guys seen a silky chicken before? And we said, well, yes, we've seen silky chickens. And she said, no, but have you, like, seen them in real life? They're hilarious. I think you should see if you could add one to the story. So we ended up adding four of them to the story, and, they're all over the place doing all kinds of shenanigans, as silky chickens do in the world of parable port. But we just said, let's have so much fun with these sorts of things that are just hilarious. Like, we have our Sunday school teacher, Abuelita Rosita, who. There's one point where they're being chased by some electric eels as the town is flooding. Because the parable of the wise and foolish builders includes a flood. So the town is flooding. There's these electric eels. And Abueleda comes out with the dodgeballs from the Sunday school closet and says, all right, we're taking these eels down.

Dr. Jessica Peck: And I feel like my husband's gonna read these books for himself. Like, he's gonna be like, dodgeball and eels? Are you kidding me? I want to read that story.

Shaun Stevenson: It's so much. It's. We just have so much fun. I actually read it, the book back to. For. To my wife. And we were just laughing, and I was like, is this bad? To be laughing at my own, like, my own book that Brock and I wrote, like, is this bad? But we were like, we're having fun. That's what's important here.

When someone follows Jesus, there is a celebration, the New Testament says

Because, you know, I always. I always think about, too. I think sometimes we turn God into, like, this golf clapper who is just kind of quiet and just like, oh, that's so good. I'm glad that, you know, someone came to know Jesus. Golf clap. But if you look at, like, what happens throughout the New Testament, like, it says that when someone decides to follow Jesus, there is a celebration, and it does not say the celebration ends. And I just am a big believer and bringing that kind of celebration into stories and helping kids see that God is a, God of celebration, too. Like, God celebrates the things that are good and the. When we decide to follow him and when we make choices to love God and love others. Like, God celebrates those things. And I just. I'm a huge believer in it. I always tell people it is a sin, in my opinion. You know, can't go to a Bible verse about this. But it is a sin, in my opinion, opinion to make the Bible boring. So let's bring scripture to life by reading it to our kids, having fun and telling these stories.

Dr. Jessica Peck: You know, I think, Shaun I think of a, verse in Zephaniah 3:17 that God rejoices over us with loud singing. I mean, that is. That is our God. And you're right, he does. He is exuberant in that. And the Bible tells us that. And I think that, you know, even just now, I'm having so much fun in the conversation. I know how much fun I've had reading books to my kids, how much we've laughed how much, you know, they have, you know, just had these emotional reactions to stories and, or one will have a misunderstanding about what I said or read. I mean, it's just such a bonding experience. But I think there's a lot of parents out there today, and I can fall in that category from time to time too, who are concerned about kids who seem like they don't know how to have fun outside of a screen. Like we have so much screen based play and any game that they have, whether it's a video game or if it's, you know, just texting each other or playing a game while you're sitting next to each other, you know, sharing that through text message, there's so much screen based play and it seems like fun is associated with screen.

Children's minister encourages parents to nurture environment that encourages imaginative play

What advice do you have as a children's minister to encourage parents to nurture an environment in their home that allows for play that is not associated with screen screens and that is also in spiritual formation.

Shaun Stevenson: You know, as a children's pastor, one of the things that I saw early on was we had in one of our preschool rooms we had a screen and we were using it to do some worship videos and things, which are great, awesome resources. But we realized we had some kids who could not really handle it when the screen turned off. And so we said, okay, we need to, we need to think about this. And so we had some good conversations with our parents and we said, we're going to go to a screenless room. And some of our parents were like, okay, have fun, try that. And we said, well, let's do it. So we started doing it and we started bringing in the imaginative play. And I think that things like imagination are so powerful. And you know, and I'm not saying that screens are bad or worthless or anything like that. Like they have their place, they have their use. But I am saying I think we need to recap, capture the power of imagination. You know, God is a creative God and God has given us that creativity too. And I think sometimes when we allow a screen to be the leader of that fun, we lose the imagination that we could be having with the kids in our lives. And so I'm always encouraging parents. I'm saying, you know what, start by putting away the screens for a while, like put them away and bring out something fun you do together. Because I think the temptation is to say, okay, here's some toys, go play like you're not on a screen. But then as a parent not getting engaged with your kids and so stopping playing with kids being there on the floor with them and building the tower out of the blocks, you know, or saying like, let's read the story together and sitting together and looking at the pictures. One of the things that we love about the Parable Port series is number one one. We wrote it in a way that it was fast paced. We wanted it to be fast paced. Short chapters that kids could read and not feel overwhelmed. Like, oh, my goodness, there's so much to read. I'm never going to finish this chapter. But instead, they finish a chapter, and every chapter has an image that our illustrator, Kenneth Anderson, who's done a lot of work for a lot of other people, and it's just incredible. He drew so many of these characters to life throughout the book. So there's illustration frustrations where the kids can come and sit around the pictures and look at them and just laugh. Because we. We intentionally looked for the best moments that were like, this is a really funny spot, or this is an exciting moment where the kids could sit with it and look at those pictures together with their families. I just think, to me, it's so powerful when you turn on the imagination, when you turn off the screen. And it takes some work. It's not something that's going to be done tomorrow. You know, it's something that you say, okay, today, today, we're going to start with five minutes. We're going to start with five minutes, just playing a little story together with our toys and blocks. Let's just tell the story of this Bible story together and just playing and having a good time. And then the next day say, all, right. Let's do a little longer. Let's do a little longer. It doesn't have to be this gigantic. All right? We're just getting rid of everything. It can start small and grow, and every day is day one. You can start over. It's okay to begin again. I just believe in that so much.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Much.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, I know with. In my experience as a mom that, you know, I was very much into nurturing their imaginations. And sometimes, Shaun that got real messy. And sometimes, you know, it was like, okay, my couch is never going to be the same again because it's been made into a blanket for it so many times. But I love it, and I wouldn't change it for anything. And once, you know, really, I used to be a little more picky about having the house clean. Finally, my husband was like, you do rise. Children live here. Like, they actually live here like this. This is not going to happen. And so I was like, okay, well, this is just where, all right, we're going to have a. A couch that everybody can jump on, and I'm not going to be worried about it at all. And it really helped me as a mom. But one of the other fun things that you have that we were just talking about that I didn't even realize you had is something called Penguin Cast. Tell us about this, Shaun

Shaun Stevenson: Yeah, so in the story, you know, I talked about JR A few minutes ago, and JR Is a character who wants to be a famous podcaster someday. So she's always recording what's happening in Parable Port and piecing it together. And so we decided, what if we brought that to life and actually had a podcast with the characters from Parable Port in, like, a podcast. And so fun. We got some actors together. We got, recorded. I'm so excited because there's a new episode coming out soon, and they're short. They're, you know, five to 10 minutes long. You can listen to as a family together. And there's an episode coming out that features Chris Anthony from Adventures in Odyssey playing one of our characters.

Dr. Jessica Peck: No way.

Shaun Stevenson: And so we are so excited about that. And Mike Nawrocki of, veggietales has also said he's going to do a character for us, too. So we are just having so much fun with this world of parable support. And we decided this is just such a fun way to bring a little more of the story to life for kids to listen. I always remember listening to those kinds of things, like Adventures in Odyssey growing up. And I always loved, like, picturing the story and imagining it, and something like that can be such a good imagination spur to spur on a kid to tell their own stories and to say, ooh, what. What kind of stories could I tell? Tell? That's the places that it started for me as a kid. My parents reading to me, my parents sitting down with us and listening to things like Adventures in Odyssey. And I decided, you know what? I. I want to tell stories, too. Like, this would be so fun to tell a story about, about Jesus and what Jesus is up to in the world and just have so much fun with it.

Dr. Jessica Peck: Well, what a full circle moment. What a beautiful legacy you are building, Shaun I'm sure that that is such an honor to your parents and to the faith that they really poured into you. And this has just been so encouraging to me, and I. I hope that parents will take a listen on Friday if you want to hear more about the health benefits of reading out loud. To your kids. I even walked through some of the brain science of it and how reading something where you have to create the picture yourself is very different than watching a screen that is fed fed to you, that all of the images are fed to to you. And so we have kids with one side of their brain that is really overworked and another side that's just kind of wimpy in this day and age. So reading can help with that, but most importantly, it can help with faith formation. And Shaun I'm so grateful for everything that you and Brock have done in this. How fun with Penguin cast. Like, it's just been fun. Have fun with your kids this summer. Do that by reading out loud. It may seem simple, but it creates eye contact and conversation and imagination and emotional safety and shared memories and formed faith in a distracted world. Reading together as something radically countercultural. And as you do that in your home, no matter your age or stage, I pray the Lord will bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you. I'll see you right here tomorrow with Kathi Lipp.

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Jeff Chamblee : opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

Author and Children's Pastor Shaun Stevenson chats with Jessica about the new action-packed book series for kids set in a town where the parables of Jesus literally come to life.

https://shaunstevensonbooks.com/books/parable-port/