When you have kids you have to answer all sorts of questions. They will ask why they have to do something, can they stuff the cat in the dryer, and then there are the big questions like those about God. I spent many years unsure how to answer those questions because I myself had been struggling. For me growing up I just knew that God was there and no I was faced with questions from my children I could not answer.
How do we know God is Really There? is a book by Melissa Cain Travis and illustrated by Christopher Voss and published by Apologia. The story has a simple plot and uses the time that Thomas and his dad spend in the treehouse. One night Thomas asks his dad How do we know God is Really There? Thomas’ dad actually uses Science to explain how we know God is really there.
One example used is watching a video in reverse and seeing how funny things are. Thomas’ dad explains that because Hubble discovered that the galaxies are always moving away from each other like a video playing the way it is supposed to, if they were reversed they would collide creating nothing. However once the “video” or galaxies are played forward the planets all came out of nothing.
Some of the Science is a big much for smaller children to understand but as they grow and keep reading the story they will become to understand it. It is actually a great explanation on not just God but the science they learn as well. It is great and we love using it not only as part of our Bible studies but as a Science book too.
It would be the perfect bedtime story for small children and then use it in your homeschool lessons as they grow older and begin school. In my opinion I think every parent should have a copy because at some point you are going to have to explain How do we know God is Really There?
Get Your Copy of How do we know God is Really There?
You can find this book on Apologia’s web site to get more information or to order. The price is $16.00 for a durable, glossy, full-color hardback copy.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
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I agree that this is a very important question to address. I would be interested in reading the book, so I can get a better sense of the scientific explanation the father is offering the sun. However, the only challenge with narrowing it down to only a scientific explanation is that when the kids grow up, others will challenge them and I don’t know how well their argument will stand up to scrutiny. You can also use science to attempt to disprove the existence of God. It would make more sense to provide explanation from different perspectives and bring Biblical verses into it; such as talking about how God takes care of the birds and the flowers of the field. There are a number of perspective that can make a more well-rounded explanation for kids to come away with.
Again, I’ll have to read the book, in order to better understand the scientific argument being posited, but that my first reaction.
What a great book! I pray every night with my kids, and have been asked this same question by them. Of course I give them the best answer I can, but having a book like this helps alot, too! Definitely will check the library for it! Thanks Rita!
It is nice that an author has addressed this, it gives children another reinforcement of what other adults explain to the child(ren). I know that sometimes it is hard to find the “children’s version” of explaining things. They have plenty of books on things like body parts being different or inter-racial and mixed families, death but this is the first book I have seen or heard about reaffirming the existence of God. Plus I like that science is involved. My six year old has recently taken a HUGE interest in finding scientific reasoning’s for things (Thanks Sid the Science KID lol) and sometimes I really struggle to explain things without Google.
This is definitely one of those questions that just might catch you off guard if you haven’t prepared yourself. It is one thing to explain to an adult, but to explain to a child takes a little more thought. They sometimes cannot grasp things that they cannot see or hear. I think that is why it is so great that the author uses science in this book. Every parent of a young child should most def have this book.
I like this book that begins to tackle a question that needs to be addressed for every child. To learn that God exists is a wonderful thing because it can help the child to know and learn about God because God can help the child in so many ways. A good book to read to all children!
This sounds like a great book. I agree that it would be great to help explain how we “Know”. I think it is nice for us to sometimes have a book to help explain some of the tough questions. It also helps for the kids to have something to look at on the own.
I do too. I think it is something more than just the Bible for them. The Bible is the guide but they need something more concrete.
I think this is a great book and would be nice to have at home. I been asked by 9 year old boy this question not once but many times and I try to explain to him on any way that I can. But for some reason it seems like he forgets because whenever we pray or do something regarding our religion he always asks why we have to do it. I will be looking for this book, thank you.
I am glad to see a book tackle those tough questions children have. Faith is taught in the home so any additional books to help out kids with understanding their beliefs is important.