Marty MachowskiRezensionen

Under review

58661

I was expecting to like this book a lot more than I did. Although the illustrations are and the conservative approach of the theology are what attracted me, I was disappointed with the book. The Ology of God is redundant.
It would be interesting to get a child's perspective on this book Because as an adult I found the illustrations and text rather simple but dense. Most of the concepts I did read about are far better illustrated by simply learning about the Bible stories and their application over and over again with someone who understands them. I would not want to go back to this book as it is too didactic.

I was expecting to like this book a lot more than I did. Although the illustrations are and the conservative approach of the theology are what attracted me, I was disappointed with the book. The Ology of God is redundant.
It would be interesting to get a child's perspective on this book Because as an adult I found the illustrations and text rather simple but dense. Most of the concepts I did read about are far better illustrated by simply learning about the Bible stories and their application over and over again with someone who understands them. I would not want to go back to this book as it is too didactic.

Make Room for a New Christmas Tradition

Christmas traditions become a treasured part of a family's heritage, passed down from generation to generation. This brand new, four-week devotional guides your Christian family on an unforgettable advent journey, exploring some of the most wonderful prophecies in the Bible and how God fulfills them in Jesus Christ. From Bible devotions which tell the Christmas story through the eyes of the prophets to an original Christmas short story called Bartimaeus, Prepare Him Room helps you build family Christmas traditions around Jesus.
Prepare Him Room has been written to help Christian families and churches lead their children through a study of Old Testament promises, Jesus' birth narratives, and New Testament explanations of Jesus Christ's person and work in the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas. The memorable and meaningful activities, songs, and stories of Prepare Him Room will become the fabric of your family's Christmas memories. So gather them to watch the amazing gospel story unfold every December for generations to come!

Children have lots of questions about God and heaven. While most kids have ideas of what heaven will be like, do they know what God says? Kids (and many adults) picture heaven as up in the sky, among the clouds, with angels who have wings and harps. They have a general understanding that heaven is with God, but few realize our ultimate destination is not up in the sky.
In God Made Me for Heaven, Marty Machowski shares deep theological truths through a creative story. Told through the perspective of a grandmother sharing her hope of heaven to her grandchildren and their friends, this picture book beautifully illustrated by Trish Mahoney includes a gospel presentation and speaks about eternity in simple language kids can understand.
God Made Me for Heaven invites children to understand that God made each person for heaven and provided a way to get there, through his son Jesus. In heaven, there will be no more sickness, suffering, or death.
Together with their parents and caregivers, children will have the opportunity to have life-changing conversations about how God invites each of us to live with him and enjoy him forever.

This colorful storybook is absolutely wonderful! This would make an ideal bedtime story book or early morning devotional type story book. Kids will be captivated by the beautiful and colorful illustrations and their attention will be kept by the stories told. Each story is followed by a "Let's talk about it" section that has simple questions.

The book contains 156 stories - enough for an entire year of Sundays. I liked this because it was easily adaptable for Home school bible time for the younger children. After reading this I am very interested in the other material available by this author for Sunday School and home school bible time.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a unique and interactive storybook to share with their children. This will no doubt be a book that piques a child's interest in the bible causing them to want to learn more and more.

Thank you B&B Publications for this review copy.

To view more by this author visit the website www.newgrowthpress.com

This a powerful, attention-grabbing story. I found it hard to put down. It makes you more aware of the battle taking place between holy and evil forces, and what we must do to resist the evil one.

My intention was to read this aloud to my 15 and 17 year old sons, but the schedule never cooperated. I will be urging them to read it for themselves, though. I may even share a copy with some of the teens at church.

At the end of the book is The Antidote: the secret to uprooting the seed of the dragon, a twelve-day prescription. Twelve daily devotionals, basically. I find this very useful.

I certainly would recommend anyone involved in children's ministry to check this out, and add it to your church's resource library.

"Did you know if you are a boy, then boy is in your blood? And if you are a girl, that girl is in your blood too?

This question is found in God Made Boys and Girls and it is the perfect way to begin a conversation with children about gender and God's role in choosing whether a person is male or female. Author Marty Machowski has written a book that targets children ages 3-5 and he uses Bible scripture to support his theory that gender is 'God's good gift'. This 32 page book is filled with bright, colorful illustrations and easy-to-understand language and best of all, a wonderful explanation of how gender is determined. As he explains how chromosomes determine our gender, he mentions the gender code. An attention-grabber for sure because what child doesn't like codes and coding? He also points out that God gives each of us different interests and talents and it's okay for a girl to be good in sports or for a boy to like to cook or do ballet. These talents and interests have no effect on the gender that God chose for us!

As I read this book, I was once again reminded of the changes in our society and the constant blast from social media to promote the trans-gender movement. This is very confusing to children and we need books like this to help explain what is Biblical truth. I especially liked that at the end, Machowski offers a special section titled "Truths About Gender to Share with Children" and he shares more information about people who have genetic disorders. He also encourages us all to pray for those who are confused or have willingly rejected God's truth. We must be willing to share God's Word with them but to do so in a kind and loving way.

I have a young granddaughter in Kindergarten and I know that she will soon hear comments from her classmates that will confuse her and I am thrilled that this book will be available to share with her. This is an excellent, No!, it is an exceptional book that every parent and every teacher should have!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from New Growth Press but there was no obligation to post a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

God Made Boys and Girls: Helping Children Understand the Gift of Gender by Marty Machowski aims to help parents discuss gender with young children. With its simple and colorful illustrations, plus a school room setting, I think the book will interest my daughters. The basis of the book comes straight out of Genesis. It recalls the creation story to emphasize that God created each person with a specific gender. It also manages to work in the salvation message of Jesus coming as a baby and later dying to atone for our sins.

What I liked:
It speaks against false stereotypes, affirming a child’s unique interests and abilities.
It advocates for showing kindness to anyone who may be confused about gender or have a chromosomal disorder that affects sex organs.

What I didn’t like:
The girls being “double XX, extra special” felt repetitive.
It predisposes girls to the complementarian marriage role ideology when it presents Eve as a helper for Adam.
I was raised on the type of ideologies in this book, but I’m not totally on board with its message. If God doesn’t make mistakes and gives the gift of gender, then why do people have genetic disorders? I won’t take up space writing out my questions and thoughts here, I’m just going to leave it at: I don’t buy into everything presented in the book.

I will likely use God Made Boys and Girls by Marty Machowski as a supplement to our homeschool curriculum. It’s not a book I’d leave laying around for them to read at will as I had mixed feelings about it. Christian parents with conservative ideals will like this book the most as it makes strong statements that gender does not change and should be embraced as a gift from God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

A wonderful book and timely to add to your shelf for all of our children. With the promoting of picking your own gender, saying God made mistakes, a Christian book to share with young ones.
The author does a beautiful job and there is additional information at the back of the book to go further in your sharing with facts and scripture, called Truths about Gender.
The story written for children shows girls out running boys, and goes on to explain that doesn’t mean a gender change.
I thank the Publisher that we have choices for our children!

I received this book through Read With Audra and the Publisher New Hope Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

Don't Blame the Mud is a great way to introduce children to the concepts of sin, guilt, and forgiveness. Author Marty Machowski shows how a young boy named Max is tempted to do the very thing that his mother warned him not to do. Max gets dirty--very, very dirty--and he immediately feels guilty about disobeying his mom. As he tries to hide his muddy clothes and shoes Max realizes that his mother knows exactly what he has done so he then tries shifting the blame from himself. A discussion between Max and his parents helps him understand that sin is wrong and Jesus is the only way to get rid of the stain of sin and truly be clean again.
There are so many reasons to like this book. The illustrations are fun and colorful; the text is easy to read and easy to understand; and the subject is one that children will understand. All of us, no matter our ages, are tempted to do things that we know we shouldn't and then place the blame on someone or something else. Admitting our sin and asking for forgiveness is our only answer and the author shares scripture and suggests questions that will help parents and grandparents explain God's Plan of Salvation to the young people in their lives.
This is a special book to share with young people and my five year-old-granddaughter paid it the highest compliment. She immediately asked me to re-read Don't Blame the Mud the first time that I read it to her!
I received a complimentary copy from New Growth Press and I voluntarily chose to share my personal opinions in this review.

Title: Dragon Seed Book Review (Study Guide included)
Author: Marty Machowski
Pages: 160
Year: 2017
Publisher: New Growth Press
Rating: 4 stars out of 5.
This is a story about a young teenager named Nick who is going through a rough time as his father passed away from cancer. Since the funeral, he has become a rebellious son toward his mother. He argues with her, is disrespectful to her, goes out to parties late at night, claims to be his own boss and doesn’t submit to his mother’s authority. He does not realize that he is listening to lies from a hidden enemy. This enemy is bent on sowing dragon seeds of pride into his heart, hardening it to keep him from seeing the truth that spiritual warfare is going on in the world and he is powerless to fight it without help. Out of desperation, his mother hands him a book that contains his family’s dark secret. Nick reluctantly agrees to read the book and is soon drawn to the story. He quickly discovers the family secret and learns about the real enemy in the world: Lord Dragon.
I would recommend this book to others because it deals with sin and how sin affects us, but also that there is a plan of redemption. It takes Genesis, the Gospels, and other bits of the Bible and relates them in a stylish and entertaining way. It touches on how people tend to deal with grief; they’re either looking for someone to blame or they bury themselves in something entertaining or educational. They don’t think to look to God, whom they sometimes blame as well, or to family members for comfort; they just push people away. While being alone might be a good way not to get hurt emotionally, it’s not an entirely good solution. We all need guidance, counseling, and healing for our brokenness. We also need forgiveness and to forgive others. Nothing pleases the enemy, Satan, more than to see us stumble, fall and turn away from God. While we cannot fight the enemy alone, God is always there to give us strength and security. We must submit ourselves to God’s authority. We must be humble before Him and not let the “Dragon Seeds” of pride enter our hearts. With humility and vigilance, we can keep the enemy from corrupting our hearts and interfering with our relationship with our creator.
I would also recommend this book for its imaginative and entertaining storytelling, for its little plot twists and surprise ending. After the story, there is a 12-day devotional on how we can humble ourselves and not let pride enter our hearts. It provides examples of how pride is shown and Bible verses to remind people of its dangers and how to counteract the influence of pride in kids. I wouldn’t say this book is for adults, but it’s definitely a book for kids and young adults who can learn something from the story and the devotional. Please enjoy the book. It looks like there’s an opening for a sequel.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Great children's Bible pointing them to Christ in every story!

Wonder resource tool!

This book is a piece of art. Very well written and beautifully illustrated, this could be a magnificent gift to any children. I just wished I had received one when I was a kid.
Mr. Marty Machowski has a talent to communicate the Gospel in an easy way, captivating the attention of young audience. He divided the book in two parts: 78 stories of the Old Testament and 78 stories of the New Testament. Each full story is one page long, with an additional page with an illustration related to the topic, and a "Let's Talk About It" with three questions about the story. The ideal scenario is for an adult to read one story per night and then talk to the child asking those questions to make sure the attention was there and the concepts were understood. I cannot stress more how beautiful the illustration on the whole book is, being a big part that makes this book an instant success among the children. The illustrator is A.E.Masha. This is a must have for the permanent library of any Christian family.

This book was written by Mr. Marty Machowski and illustrated by A.E.Masha and it was published by New Growth Press in December, 2011 and B&B Media Group were kind enough to send me a copy for reviewing through their blogger book review program.

When we received The Ology, my boys were excited and we found it to be a gift that is going to be a treasure in our family. It is beautifully illustrated and starts with a story about children around their ages of ten and eight who are exploring an old church and find a hidden door, what fun, open the door and down the staircase they go. There they find a package marked “open and read”.
There is a letter enclosed telling them that “This is the last known copy of a rare children’s book with a long history. Its story begins with the early church pastors. They were the ones who first taught us how to understand the message of the Bible.” Late in the letter the author tells the children that “His prayer is that it will help them to know God and know yourself. But most of all I pray you will know how much God loves you. His love never fails.”
The book is the Theology of our Christian faith, it is for children, but adults will benefit as well. The back of the book has questions for Think Theology, Talk Theology, The Ology of God, The Ology of People, The Ology of Sin, The Ology of the Promise and the Law, The Ology of Christ, The Ology of the Holy Spirit, The Ology of Adoption into God’s Family, The Ology of Change, The Ology of the Church, The Ology of End Times, and The Ology of God’s Word. Then there is the answer key.
This is a forever book, and it will be cherished in our home.
I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.

Who is God? Where did He come from? Why did Jesus need to die? These are all questions that my kids asked in their growing up years. And while the Bible is the ultimate authority for answering these and other questions, The Ology by Marty Machowski is a great resource for parents and kids to discover the truth about God. With its beautiful illustrations, the short and on point explanations and the accompanying Scripture, The Ology is definitely a book to add to your family’s library.

The story begins as Carla and Timothy discover an ancient book that tells the story of God. Each story and section lead the children systematically through what the Bible teaches. The book is designed for children and their parents to explore together the treasures of God. There is scripture to memorize, a glossary to explain Bible words, and discussion questions for each topic. Each topic is explained in a general way. For example, the topic of Baptism is explained in its Biblical application with a brief discussion of how churches carry out its command.

The Ology is a good resource and starting point for parents. It’s certainly important to teach kids the truth in light of the world’s opinions and perceptions. Sunday School is great, but real teaching begins at home. In fact, The Ology can be used to expand what your kids learn from their small group lessons and the pastor’s sermon.

Recommended.

Audience: children and parents.

(Thanks to LitFuse and New Growth Press for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

As the father of five daughters, I have had ample occasions to read Children’s Bible storybooks. The majority of such storybooks are quite simple and to the point. They don’t often interact with the story at a child’s level other than to make the tale more imaginative and seem more story-like. Few storybooks really serve believing parents well.

"The Gospel Story Bible" by Marty Machowski (New Growth Press, 2011) is much different. It is uniquely designed to help facilitate the parents’ task of teaching their children the Gospel, as they recount the various stories in the Bible. The stories include discussion questions at the end, and are usually presented in a fairly straight-forward, stick-to-the-text manner. Sometimes, however, a little more explanation is woven into the story. And each story wraps up with an application to the Gospel or to the flow of redemptive history. The book’s emphasis is on communicating the Gospel intent of the Bible stories rather than on wowing the children and parents with how imaginative a reshaping of the Scriptural story this new storybook can provide.

My children appreciate the sheer number of Bible stories covered by this book (78 stories from each testament) – many of which are not addressed in other, smaller Bible storybooks. And the vivid colors and interesting illustrations also enthrall their young minds. The illustration style is unique and more artistic than you’d expect. The intent is not to depict a true-to-life version of the story so much as to provide an intriguing image that illustrates it. For my part, I think this style is perfectly suited to the book’s overall feel with its bright and colorful pages. Sometimes the smaller font, which is often colored white against a dark color background, can be hard to read however. But the size of the font helps keep the stories at two pages in length, allowing the book to stay fairly compact even as it covers a large number of stories. The glossy hardcover makes the book attractive yet also keeps it sturdy and durable.

The author’s aim in producing this book is stated in its sub-title: “Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments.” And the book dovetails well with a Sunday School curriculum covering both the Old and New Testaments that has also been developed by the author (and published by New Growth Press). This curricula along with the storybook, would also serve well in a homeschool setting, as children of a wide variety of ages will be blessed and instructed through this material.

I encourage Christian parents everywhere to pick up a copy of this book. Check out some sample pages and even explore the available SS material as well. We would be remiss not to add one more tool to our arsenal as we aim to teach our children the Bible. And of course just learning facts isn’t the key, we hope they learn and embrace the Gospel. And this is what makes "The Gospel Story Bible" so compelling. I highly recommend this book.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by New Growth Press for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.