January 2012 found me immersed in the Hunger Games trilogy. It was the first download on my new Kindle Fire and I was consumed with the characters, the storyline, and the excitement of it all. My family ate cereal for dinner for 3 days while I finished all 3 books. It was my filter for most conversations and I thought about it all the time. When I realized what a CrAzY I was over it, I wondered if my little people felt the same way when they read books. With that thought in mind, we started The Saints Book Club last summer.

The K5-2nd graders were invited to read books from our church library from the Old Testament in June, the New Testament in July. When they returned the book, they were invited to draw a picture about what they read. This was one of those seemingly great ideas that fell flat. I got one sweet taker one time.

The surprise came from the tweeners, 3rd-5th graders. They were instructed to read any book in the church library related to a missionary and we’d meet each month of the summer at the local Starbucks to discuss. Three kids showed up and for an hour and a half, they talked enthusiastically about what they’d read.

At the end of the summer, the group of then 5 girls wanted to continue to meet, but wanted to read the same book. The group is growing and we’ve been meeting every other month at Starbucks on a Sunday afternoon.

Last month, a gracious woman of faith invited The Saints Book Club to meet at her home to have a formal tea at her home for our Sunday afternoon meeting. The girls discussed the book with personal transparency and honesty while learning about the art of tea. One girl expressed, “This is WAY better than Starbucks!” We presented our hostess with a plant to express our thanks and the girls are still talking about it. Our hostess has graciously invited us to return in the fall for an afternoon on her back porch.

The girls are reading and the parents are reading along, as well.  Having the influence and time with other Titus 2 women is turning out to be an unexpected delight of The Saints Book Club.

We read the two Max Lucado books first.  We’re now reading Beth Guckenberger’s book as it goes along with our 2013 church theme, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation”  (Mark 16:15).  The next will be from Elizabeth George as we want them to experience some spiritual disciplines to best equip them for the middle and high school years.

Any other suggestions?

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2a