Real Life Press - Firmly Planted - TOS Review

Finding a Bible or devotional curriculum for kids can be really hard in my experience. Most of what is out there I find very shallow and/or do not use the Bible properly. A lot of it tends to be moralistic as opposed to Theo-centric and Gospel oriented..

As a member of the Schoolhouse review crew, I was offered the opportunity to review a Bible study curriculum put out by Real Life Press, called Firmly Planted. I am happy to tell you that this one gets a wholehearted yes from me. I specifically got the Family Study Guide Books of Moses Part II and its accompanying workbook.

What is Real Life Press?
Real Life Press is a company founded by Jay and Heidi St John, both writers and speakers, with the purpose of spreading God's Truth through His Word, and to encourage people to live life the way it was supposed to be lived, under God's authority and through a relationship with Christ.   Real Life Press seeks to accomplish their purpose through two main product lines that they have developed: Firmly Planted Bible Study guides  The Busy Mom: resources for the homeschool mama.   Some on the crew got to review items from the Busy Mom site and others, like myself, got to review a Firmly Planted Bible Study guide with workbook. Firmly Planted Study guides is a ten - week study meant to help you and your child make sense of the Bible and discover God's Truths. The series contain  4 books so far:   The Books of Moses Part I The Books of Moses Part II Gospel Part I Gospel Part II
Each week is divided into 4 days. The first day is divided into 5 parts: 1. Reading of the narrative being studied that week,  2. The seed: the focus idea for the week,  3. Planting the seed: the verse to be memorized  4. Watering the seedling: a reflection on the passage of the week 5. Day 1 Daily Study: discussion for day 1.   

Each daily study is divided into 3 parts: 1.A reflection on a particular set of verses 2. Digging Deeper: a further reflection on the passage 3. Taste the Fruit: life application

  These studies are available both as print and digital versions. We got the digital version of Books of Moses Part II and accompanying workbook. This particular study takes you through Genesis 37 to Exodus 14, taking you through the narratives of the story of Joseph, Moses, the giving of the 10 Commandments, the Tabernacle, the Golden Calf episode, the choosing of the Levites, and finally exploring the Promise Land.   The boys and I worked through this study 4 times a week, during the review period. We would do the devotional part together one week and they would work on the workbook pages the other week.  The worksheets consist of a variety of activities:

• Crossword
• Word search
• Colouring pages
• Map work
• Notebooking
• Nature activities
• Thinking and critical questions
• And more

Our opinion I really enjoyed using these studies. They are engaging, and use Scripture in context.  The whole picture of the narrative, and of the Bible as a whole is taken into consideration, which is lacking in many Bible studies and devotionals. The daily studies are just about the right length. They are well thought out and thought provoking. My boys and I have had some nice discussions resulting from these studies. Just today, as we were talking about the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, the discussion led me to point out the greatness and wonder of God's grace in allowing us to believe in Him.   The worksheets are also engaging, and are really helpful in bringing home the points made in the studies. There is something for every kind of learner and level.   I would really encourage you to check out Real Life Press Firmly Planted Family Bible Study Guides, if you are looking for a Bible study to do with your kids.   You can find Real Life Press on social media. Make sure to visit them: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/busyhomeschoolmom?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heidistjohn
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heidistjohn