A Jesus Easter by Barbara Reaoch

Explore the story of Easter with A Jesus Easter, a family devotional for Lent with interactive questions and journaling prompts.

A Jesus Easter: Explore God’s Amazing Rescue Plan by Barbara Reaoch. The Good Book Company, 2022. 112 pages.

Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12

Recommended For: The Whole Family

A journaling devotional invites the reader to interact within the text rather than simply answering verbally or writing his or her responses to questions in a separate journal. Families who would like to try this approach to preparing for Easter might like to try A Jesus Easter.

Families are encouraged to write their answers to questions and draw something to help them remember the discussion. Thirty days of readings include sections titled: “Explore,” “Explain,” “Engage,” and “Enter In.” In the “Explore” section, families read a portion of Scripture and answer a few comprehension questions (space for written answers is provided). The “Explain” section offers a short explanatory devotional reading. “Engage” includes thought-provoking, open-ended questions with space for answers. “Enter In” wraps it up with a short prayer. A space for journaling/drawing follows each day.

For example, on Day 10, The Hero of Heaven:

• Explore: Isaiah 42:8-13
• Explain: Short paragraphs describe how God had given his family (the children of Israel) a picture of Jesus in the temple, but God’s family tried to live without him and the temple was destroyed. Had God left forever? The second paragraph describes Jesus as a real hero of heaven, better than one in a comic book.
• Engage: 4 questions including “How is Jesus different from a superhero?” and “What is courage? Will you ask Jesus for courage to live for him?”
• Enter In: a prayer of faith that Jesus is the real hero of the universe, asking for courage to live for him.
• Journaling space prompt: “Draw Jesus as a victorious hero; or write down situations where you especially need courage; or something else…”

A Jesus Easter shows how the gospel fits into the big picture of God’s story from the beginning and allows families who want to record their discussion a place to do so. The “look inside” feature on amazon gives a good picture of what the writing spaces look like as well as a picture of the table of contents.

If you would like to order directly from the publisher, you can do so here.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

• Worldview/Moral Rating: 5 out of 5
• Literary/Artistic Rating: 4 out of 5

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• A Review: Three popular Easter picture books: Bare Tree and Little Wind, Something Better Coming, and He Is Risen: Rocks Tell the Story of Easter
• A Review: Some classic Easter Stories to read aloud
• A Resource: You’ll find more family and personal devotionals in 5 Lent Devotionals (for Protestants)

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