Fall Resource Recommendations

August means unpacking your summer suitcase and getting back into your swing of routine! As you do, we want to offer some of our staff’s favorite resources to keep your day-to-day Christ-centered! 

Gentle and Lowly

In Matthew 11:20, Jesus says, “I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” If you struggle to see Christ as anything other than a harsh and judgemental critic, we highly encourage you to check out this beautiful book—one that many Pine Cove staffers have read and loved. Jesus has a tender love for His people, and no matter your background or your present circumstances, He still longs for a relationship with you! Reading “Gentle and Lowly” will help you see Christ’s true nature: a loving and gracious Savior with a heart that bends toward mercy and forgiveness. 

Verses App

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11. If you’ve been struggling to memorize Scripture—to store up God’s word in your heart—we recommend trying out the Verses app. This helpful and easy-to-use method for committing Bible verses to memory makes the entire process simple and straightforward. Verses helps you memorize any passage over any amount of time through different games and techniques, and helps you track your progress along the way. Check it out on the app store and you’ll be memorizing Bible verses in no time!

Worship in the Word 

Two of our favorite recording artists, Shane & Shane, are back with a brand-new album, this time geared toward kids! Like most Shane & Shane projects, these ten new songs are grounded in Scripture, and present the Word of God in a clear—and seriously fun—way. Featuring both upbeat and more meditative tracks, you and your family will be seriously blessed listening to biblical truth! So whether you’re listening to “Take Heart (John 16:33),” “You Know Everything (Psalm 139),” or “Yes and Amen (Ephesians 1),” you’ll find these songs to be beautiful, memorable, and rich in Scripture.

Pray the Word Podcast

Looking for a way to get a little bit more time in the Word—and time in prayer—even while on-the-go? We recommend checking out Pray the Word, a podcast hosted by pastor and author David Platt. With topics like “Joy Restored” and “Divine Deliverance,” you can count on every episode to be steeped in the word of God—and also to only be about five minutes long! These bite-sized meditations and Scriptural prayers are a great opportunity for you to get a moment each day to catch your breath and fix your eyes on Jesus.

Compose Prayer Journal

 If you feel like you’ve been sending up anxious and unfocused prayers lately, we’ve got the perfect recommendation for you: an intentional and beautifully designed six-month prayer journal from Val Marie Paper. With sections dedicated to everything from “Sweet Friends” and “My Community” to “The Heavy” and “God Answers,” this undated and compact prayer journal will help you focus your prayers and center your heart on the One who can answer them. Val Marie Paper also offers a kids version that will help your child bring every little thing—including “Tests, Projects, & Hobbies” and “People Hurting”—to the Lord.

Do You Really Know Your Family? 

“Fun for the whole family” is a phrase that rarely lives up to its promise. But in this case, we can say without reservation that your entire family will have a blast playing this game! With virtually no set-up and a fast pace that keeps everyone engaged, “Do You Really Know Your Family?” is the ideal game for family night. Everyone gets to take turns answering questions about their family members (“What is my favorite thing we do together as a family?” “If I could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be?”) and try their hand at challenges (“Pick a dance move for everyone else to perform.”). This seriously fun and engaging game will have you all laughing and enjoying time together, no matter the ages of the players!

She Reads Truth 

Diving into the Word on a regular basis can be a struggle, especially if you don’t really know where to start or how to keep up with a plan. Fortunately the awesome team behind She Reads Truth has not only put together some intriguing and biblically-based studies of Scripture, but they also offer companion podcasts to go along with them! Just check out the reading plans on their website or app, then listen to the accompanying podcast on the same topic. The hosts discuss the text in a conversational and enriching way, which will encourage and spur you on. By layering a podcast on top of a traditional reading plan, She Reads Truth is able to bring Scripture to life and apply its relevance to our daily lives. (For the guys: check out He Reads Truth!)

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 

Most of us are well acquainted with Psalm 23—it may even be a passage we take for granted at times. But looking at this chapter of the Bible through the lens of an actual shepherd adds a rich vibrancy and deeper meaning to those familiar verses! Author W. Phillip Keller applies his experience working with sheep to the 23rd Psalm, and the end result is brilliant new insights that will give you a new appreciation for David’s inspired words.