Wanted to share a format I was not aware of until recently. It's called Readers Theater, and it is a great way to help children actively engage in a story. Dr. Valerie Harrison, author of The Great Fish, was the first person to introduce me to this type of book. Read this article from Scholastic on Readers Theater to learn more.

When I was a child, I struggled with reading but loved pretending. This type of book would have been a great way to introduce a script format to me at an early age and help me better engage with the characters and the story. Your child doesn't need to show an interest in the arts for this format to be helpful, motivating and exciting. Readers Theater offers a different type of reading experience that your child will learn from, remember and cherish.

​Watch the video below and read what Dr. Valerie has to say about The Great Fish and its Reader Theater format. 

​My name is Dr. Valerie Harrison, founder, and CEO of Educationally Yours, LLC. I would like to announce a new Bible Reading Series that contains Bible stories written in Readers Theater format for children ages 6-8 (Grades 1-3). Readers Theater is a performance-based text written in script or play format that is engaging, motivational, and can improve reading performance. The goal of the Bible Readers Theater is to motivate readers beyond the story in order to help them gain a better understanding of God’s character and the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Each story is accompanied by a standards-based instructional guide and appropriate activities that can be used for Christian educational institutions, home schooling, and family devotions. The activities for this series are aligned with Common Core reading standards and can be utilized for instruction and enjoyment.

The first story in the Bible Reading Series is The Great Fish, by Dr. Valerie Harrison and Kim Rhodes. The Great Fish is the story of Jonah and the whale retold in Readers Theater format. Readers will relive this classic Bible story in a vivid expressive way as they read the part of Jonah, a reluctant prophet whose decision to disobey God’s command landed him in the belly of Ithy, the great fish. They will enjoy the character Ithy, servant of the Most High God, as he obeys God’s command to swallow Jonah whole. Learn how Jonah repents and follows God’s command to go to the city of Nineveh. And finally, readers will experience the power and majesty of the Almighty God as they read and discover how God demonstrates His overwhelming love and tender mercy to save the people of Nineveh and give Jonah a second chance. 
The Great Fish, published by Trilogy Publishing is available for purchase at Amazon.com, https://www.educationallyyoursllc.com/,  your local book, or call Trilogy Publishing at 1-800-473-5106.
 
Blessings,
Educationally Yours,

Dr. Valerie Harrison
Educationally Yours, LLC
High-Quality • Personalized • Professional 
Email: educationallyyoursllc@gmail.com
Website: educationallyyoursllc.com

Office/Fax: 678-691-7606

Change a teacher, change the world!

Pleased to announce that a story, close to eighty years in the making, is finally being released and shared with the world.
 
While World War II is changing the world in major ways, a young boy named Roger finds himself in a different kind of fight—a battle within himself—as he tries to muster up the courage to sample a bite of cheesecake. Yes, that’s right, cheesecake. You see, Roger can't understand how cheese, regularly eaten in his favorite grilled sandwiches, could possibly taste good in cake. He is quite disturbed that others not only find this oddity acceptable but also say it’s delicious.
​
The Little Boy Who Wouldn’t Eat Cheesecake inspires picky eaters and young readers, ages 4-9, to try new things and encourages conversation with older family members and friends about foods they didn't like in childhood (or, at least, thought they didn’t like) and what happened when they actually tried the foods for themselves.

​A timely book about a preconceived notion being challenged and overcome
before it’s too late.

Reviews

"Reading this story led us to a special conversation with our Poppa about the art of storytelling and enjoying his stories over and over again just as the characters in The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake. The way the author infused the lesson of trying new things before it's too late is beautifully written. You're sure to enjoy this delightful book!"

--Kid Explorer 
www.kidexplorer.com

"The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake is a delightful and colorful story set in the 1940's of a boy who detests the idea of eating cheesecake. He soon discovers it’s okay to try new things. As you read this whimsical tale you will immediately make connections with the characters. Perfect as a read aloud for young children during bedtime or can be treasured as a favorite reader for older children."
​
--Dr. Valerie Harrison,
author of The Great Fish
www.educationallyyoursllc.com

Check out what Arlene from Paperback Mom shared on her blog.

Ebook available now. Paperback and hardcover coming this July.

Would like to ask prayers for tomorrow's leap of faith launch. Felt God's leading, right before 2020,  that it was time to get my children's book ready to release. Keep in mind, it's been close to 14 years since I started writing it. And never, and I mean NEVER, would I have thought (leaning on my own understand) that it would be a good idea to launch during a global pandemic, hurting economy, painful injustices and nation wide rioting. BUT, it seems like I'm constantly learning that God's timing is not my own. Knowing this book was about so much more than cheesecake, that it was about a preconceived notion being challenged and overcome before it's too late, I feel God saying the timing is now, and I'm trusting that voice. Praying God uses this story beyond what I could imagine or think. Tomorrow we are officially launching the ebook version of The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake. Please consider covering this book in prayer, and If you would like be on that mailing list, please subscribe. Thank you so much.

Wanted to share something amazing that happened this week. On Wednesday (June 10th and this part is important) The Little Boy Who Wouldn’t Eat Cheesecake was uploaded to KDP, since they advise that it can take anywhere up to 72 hours to upload. Later that night, we noticed that it was already showing up on Amazon, but the ebook publication date shown was JUNE 9th which was a day earlier than when the files where submitted. I thought that was odd and stared at that date, then realized the significance -- June 9, 1989 is day my mother died, 31 years ago. ​

Now, what you probably don’t know is that I had written my first children’s book manuscript, right after she died, to help young children deal with the loss of a parent, since my brother was only six years old at the time. The story of that manuscript, in and of itself, is to me, almost tragic but with a painful lesson learned (and I know I shouldn’t leave it there, but will have to share that tale another time). Anyway, all that to say, I feel like that specific date showing up was a sweet reminder from God, that he knows our dreams and heartaches, and that He cares more than we ever imagined. I love the above picture. God’s word (Hebrews 12) says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and I know many of us have loved ones in that cloud, cheering us on.

Official Pub date for hardcover will be July 2nd in honor of my grandfather, M.G. Walker, Jr., who fought during World War II, the era in which the story takes place. The ebook launch will be Monday, June 15th, but you can order your ebook today. And if you enjoy reviewing children's books, your online review would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading and sharing in this journey.

​​In honor of those young men who fought for our country, I ask that we take time to think about where we are now as a nation. Please pray for the people of this country, our police force and President. Dealing with a global pandemic, a hurting economy, injustice and rioting, please realize we are all going through a difficult time and need to do what we can to help each other. Continued prayers for clear vision in 2020 to have wisdom and discernment and to fight the real enemy, not each other. ​

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10 (NIV)

With love,

Christina

Stay humble & BOLD!

​"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

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​​​​​​With love,

Christina

Stay humble & BOLD!

Thoughts on this Pentecost Sunday evening. Two members of our church family spoke up in our morning Zoom meeting to honestly share their struggles and concerns as black men in our current society. I'm so glad they did and trusted us to listen. 

Mourn with those who mourn. After going back and watching the full video that shows the horrific treatment and homicide of George Floyd, I am further grieved and appalled by the cruel injustice. To my friends in the black community who are reeling with pain from this reopening of deep wounds, I am so, so very sorry. You should not have to live with this kind of fear in the back of your mind for you, your children and grandchildren. You should never feel that your beautiful lives don’t matter – EVER. And if (probably not if) anyone with white skin ever made you feel that way, whether intentional or not, I want to humbly apologize and ask your forgiveness. You are made in the image of the most high God and are to be treated with honor, respect and equality. Your perseverance and that of your ancestors is an encouragement to people worldwide, and as you press on to fight injustice, may you gain more support this time from those around you - especially from your brothers and sisters in Christ.

And to those that went into law enforcement to serve and protect the community, only to have those who wear the uniform bring distrust, I am sorry for how this has impacted you. And to all the men and women of color who wear the badge, I cannot imagine what walking that line of duty to your community and profession is like during times like these. The cold and callous manner of the disgraced officer, while Mr. Floyd begged for breath, and how the vocal concerns of bystanders were ignored is repulsive to watch, and so is the destruction that has followed. 

In our fallen state, we struggle and are overwhelmed with what seems like a daily barrage of bad news. Many are weary from worry, whether it be from the coronavirus to desperate financial concerns, and are tempted to focus on their own issues and survival. But please realize there are opportunities for humbling and healing all around us, and instead of escape or hiding from the uncomfortable issues, we need to love God and one another with a passion and ask the Holy Spirit, The Mighty Wind, to fill this place and heal our land. 

​​​​​With love,

Christina

Stay humble & BOLD!

​"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

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Official Pub date will be July 2nd in honor of my grandfather, M.G. Walker, Jr., who fought during World War II, the era in which the story takes place. The ebook will be available Monday, June 15th, and if you enjoy reviewing children's books, leave me a comment below or send me an email. 

Also, feel free to vote on Cinderella's hair color. 

Looking for a creative way to present a long stem rose? Here's one way to showcase an already brilliant work of art.  Great gift idea for Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, National Nurses Day or any special occasion to honor and say, "Thank you!"

​I designed these last year to give out to parents who were walking their senior players under an arch of lacrosse sticks. Sadly, for my son's class of 2020, we missed out on that special day but can still share the love with others.
​
Wanted to display our school colors, so used purple tissue paper and coaster sized white dollies. However, you can get an endless amount of looks by changing up the colors and using various patterns and combinations of papers.

In addition to the tissue paper and dollies, I found double sided wrapping paper, and cut into squares (looks like rectangles in the picture below because it was curved). I decided on gold for the inside and silver for the back. 

Since it was for a lacrosse event, I wanted the rose's wrapping to slightly resemble a lacrosse stick. I used craft paper for the largest, outside cover and cut the length to be about two inches longer than the rose, say 23 to 25 inches. I knew the neck would need to cut in a little for the ribbon to hold in place. Used clear tape to wrap dolly around the neck of the rose and then had strip of tissue paper folded in half to wrap around from behind. Used glue stick to secure gold square to the top of back cover. Doesn't take much glue at all.

When cutting the parchment/craft paper, think of a shove type top with a wide handle. Fold handle in half but not the top, then fold the sides, almost like making a paper airplane. Use a hole puncher to make your holes for your choice of ribbon to run through, and practice getting one just right for your template to cut all the rest.

Slide your wrapped rose just inside the ribbon, secure tissue and have overlap at the base, and gently tie. 

​​​​With love,

Christina

Stay humble & BOLD!

​"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

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​The apple has for centuries appeared in artwork as the forbidden fruit, even though the Bible does not name it specifically. Could there be biblical clues pointing to the real identity of that fruit? Several years ago, I heard radio station manager, Ray Haynes, on Victory 91.5  talking about the fig tree and how there are some who believe the fig tree was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden, based on a closer look at the scriptures.

Here are two examples.
​
​1) The fig tree is the first tree mentioned in the Bible and the reference is not to the tree itself, but its leaves that were used to cover Adam and Eve after they became aware of their nakedness.

​2) The fig tree is the only tree, on biblical record, that was cursed by Jesus as he was preparing to go to Jerusalem to be crucified, to pay for the sins of the world.

After hearing this, I began to see and hear some more things about the fig tree that I never noticed beforehand. I ran into a friend and mentor who had just gotten back from Jerusalem, and as she was sharing about her amazing trip of a lifetime, she mentioned how delicious the figs were over there. I shared with her the possibility of the fig being the original forbidden fruit, and she nodded her head and said she could definitely see that being the case. Then after my godson's graduation, I hung out with my dear friend, Carla, who is gifted in the gardening and culinary arts. As we strolled her backyard after dinner, she showed me her fig tree, and began to look closely for any fruit. I had never noticed how large fig leaves were until this moment. I wondered if the fig leaves were the first to fall to the ground after Eve and Adam had eaten of it's fruit, thus being picked up and used for coverings as soon as they realized they were naked, or had they been pulled off.

The reason I'm writing this post is not to merely focus on the fig tree, but to focus on exactly what  Jesus did on the cross as we approach Good Friday and Passover. I find it interesting that wood carried the forbidden fruit and was on the scene when sin infected mankind, then Christ came and worked with wood as a carpenter's son. Then he curses a tree before laying his life upon the wood of a tree. His covering for our sins was more than any fig leaf could possibly cover. Here is some of what is written about tree of the knowledge of good and evil and other verses where the fig tree is mentioned. 

His covering for our sins is more than any fig leaf could possibly cover.

Genesis 2:8-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

​Genesis 3:2-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings
​
John 1:47-51New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:29-33 New King James Version (NKJV)
29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

​Matthew 21:18-22 (New King James Version (NKJV)
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

John 3:14-17 New King James Version (NKJV)14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but[a] have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

​So when you see a fig or fig tree, I hope you think about what Jesus did for you and me, and find your covering in Him! 
​

​​​With love,

Christina

Stay humble & BOLD!

​"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

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