I pray this article will bless you and the children and teens you teach by helping all of you discover more faith, hope, and love in ways to pray to our Creator God. Dear parents, teachers, and pastors, may your journey to bless and guide children, even in their developing writing skills, bear much fruit. I can hear my sweet mother saying the famous expression, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” How about, “The Word is mightier than the sword, especially since the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Since God is Holy, Sovereign, Love, and our Creator, we do best to seek God in prayer and in His Holy Word before we start “attacking” all our problems and endeavors, including writing, right?
 
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Sing Hallelu, Hallelujah.” This beautiful song can empower you as you prepare to teach children.
 
So how do we teach a “seek God first” habit in our students and children?
Make sure they learn the secret of how to do their BEST writing, and that is to seek God first! Teach them their loving God cares about their writing and He can help them.
 
As for God, His way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him. (Psalm 18:30 NIV)
So, what do you say to the young writers who say, “But I just want to write about my new puppy or my dream vacation!” Let them know God is “all about” their new puppy and dream vacation, and He can also help them with the best words and ways to tell others about them in their writing. 
 
Children are much more likely to pray when they know some of the basic building blocks of prayer. Here are 3 steps to guide your child in prayer:

• First building block--Praise God. This is how we start our church services, so many children can connect with this.
  
  
• Second building block--Seek God’s forgiveness. God wants us to be humble, and in our weakness is His strength. Teach your children that God will cleanse them and prepare them to be better messengers of the Good News. Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18, NLT) After we confess our sins to God, He cleanses us and because of His great love, He forgets about those sins. He wants us to be renewed and ready to run the race He sets before us.
  
  
• Third building block--Ask. God wants to hear our requests. If we turn to Him, He knows we trust Him. Since He is our loving, Creator God, that makes Him happy! Requests can include asking for His help in our writing. Your students might also want to include prayer requests for those who will read their writing and how it may bless them.
  
  

Such joy they can have when seeing answers to their prayers even with their writing! When I received word that my recent podcast—("Helping Your Children Adjust to Change” ) came just when a family needed it to help their son, I was grateful for God’s guidance and answers to my prayers in writing my presentation.
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• Fourth building block--Thank Him with deep and heartfelt gratitude. Teach children to become aware of how God has and is continuing to help them and those whom they care about. God knows we will have more peace in our souls when we have grateful hearts. He loves us and wants us to know this peace.

 
As in the children’s praise song “Christ Redeemed Us” (from Child Evangelism Fellowship, we have so much to be thankful about--foremost God sending His Son to be our Redeemer. What a joyful promise He has given us!
 
Use these prayer blocks to guide prayer but be careful to keep prayers fresh and alive for children.
 
To help children and youth picture these building blocks for prayer, have them imagine going before a king with their requests. Wouldn’t they first want to show respect to the king and act humbly? After their requests were presented, wouldn’t they want to thank the king? Jesus is the King of all kings. Even the order of worship for many churches is modeled like these prayer blocks. We can think of an entire church service as one giant prayer. 😊

​Choose joy!

• When we go on a trip, we should start with a full tank of gas. Teach your children that likewise we should start each day with prayer, so we can “drive” well each day. Might call it “Joy Fuel,” to be joy-full!
  
  

Even young children can begin each day saying, “Dear Lord, thank you for this day and thank you for my life.” As they embrace Jesus to be their Savior, they can add, “…that is eternal life with Jesus.” Think of the joy children and teens can have starting each new day knowing this bright and wonderful future.
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• On a big trip we also usually stop midway in the day to check the car. Great time to pray, too! At midday review that morning’s events and gear up for what lies ahead for that day. Scripture says we should take one day at a time. Let’s teach this wise practice of focusing intently on God’s gift of the present.
  
  
• When we park our car at night, we should check it again. Nighttime “check-in” prayer with God is a great practice too. For children, this is an important time for parents to reassure them of a loving God in whom they can trust, as they prepare for sleep and rest.
  
  

While we are imagining a car, in the words of beloved evangelist Corrie Ten Boom, “Is prayer your steering wheel, or your spare tire?”
 
Praying first thing in the morning, three times per day before meals, and just before going to sleep are important daily moments for children and teens to learn to do. Building a strong family or group is beautifully done by praying before each meal. God is our Provider, and we need to thank Him for all things good including our nourishment. Frequently praying to our heavenly Father can help our children learn much joy. Since God wants a loving relationship with us, prayer is a key way to build that relationship.
 
When at the beach, I love walking along the seashore and admiring creative sandcastles. To get the sand wet enough for molding, one needs to be daringly close to the waves which ultimately in high tide sweep over those glistening castles and wash them away. Scripture says to build our homes on the Rock. That’s Jesus and with Him we will have a firm foundation that doesn’t wash away. (Matthew 7:24-27)
 
Jesus taught that the two greatest commandments are--Love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-39)
 
When we write, we are writing to an audience. Even if it’s scribbling in a diary, God is there. As I write, I try to picture my readers and write words of thoughtful help.

• When teaching children and teens the two greatest commandments, help them see the core: LOVE. Children may ask, How? How do we learn to love God and those around us?
  
  
• Through prayers children can begin to see God’s wondrous love for them in their lives. They can learn to trust God and know Him better. This builds their love for God and empowers them to have a sense of purpose and self-worth which makes it possible for them to love others.
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• As children and teens grow in this beauty of the LORD, they can more aptly shape their writing to be enriched by God’s love and power in their lives.

 
Children and adults can learn much from the short video, “The Meaning of ‘Strength’ in Hebrew,” produced by pursueGod.org, on loving God with all our mind and strength. I highly recommend it.
 
In the words of St. Richard of Chichester, “…O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may I know Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, and follow Thee more nearly, day by day.”
 
May the children and teens in your lives come to cherish faith, hope, and love through a richer prayer life,
 
Soli Deo Gloria,
 Heidi Vertrees
 Author/Educator
P.S. See below for a free activity guide for kids. Also, please go to CONTACT if you would like to receive these blog posts via email.

“Where there is love, there is God.” –Leo Tolstoy

With Valentine’s Day almost here, we can count our blessings because of those whom we love. In some countries, such as Mexico, it’s also a time to celebrate our families. Whether you are honoring friends or family on Valentine’s Day,

I want to give honor to you as a parent and/or teacher of children and teens. Thank you for all the times you count to ten silently and forge ahead with the right things to do for the young people in your lives! Your love and constructive guidance are certainly appreciated by our Heavenly Father and most likely by your young ones, too. Please be encouraged to keep going with the good graces of God! Your wise teachings make such a difference as your children grow, and please take comfort in knowing that when they are adults, they can also claim a grateful understanding when they look back on how you taught them.

God has blessed me with many opportunities to teach hundreds of children, as a teacher in public and private schools, in churches, and as a mom, homeschool teacher, workshop and camp leader, Bible club leader, and swimming instructor.

I have had the added pleasure of getting to know children from different cultures and socioeconomic levels, as I have lived in New York, Colorado, the Philippines, Germany, Chile, Tennessee, Virginia, and Maryland, as well as traveled far and wide throughout our wondrous world. All the while, I have had a heart for Jesus and a heart for children.

NewSong Press can help parents and teachers guide tweens and teens to write with a Christian worldview that is personal and true for them.

I invite you to come along as we build the NewSong Press ministry to help children and teens write with a Christian worldview. Future blog posts are to help assist you in writing techniques, to enrich your teaching both nonfiction and fiction writing skills to young, budding authors as well as those children and teens who secretly want to discover that writing doesn’t have to be a grind!

My journalism training (BS with Honors, from the University of Colorado) has bounced me into many successful nonfiction writing and editing jobs with magazines, journals, and curricula publishers. My recently released fiction book for tweens, Victor Survives Being a Kid, has earned an international book award. For many years, my classroom experience as a teacher has given me great opportunities to help children with their writing.

To help you in teaching language arts (reading and writing) to your children or students, I am available for in-person and virtual workshops, presentations, and podcast and radio interviews. Recently I presented Writing Tips for Teens at a Christian teen writers conference (done virtually) and was interviewed by Cynthia L. Simmons on “The Heart of the Matter” on how to help children with adjusting to big changes. This program is scheduled to be aired starting March 3, 2022. This spring I will be teaching in-person Writers’ Workshops to homeschoolers ages 10- up. In 2021, through the Washington county, Maryland public library system I led Meet the Author workshops.

Also, in 2021 I team led LightLab Church Camp Facebook live presentations for children, one of which is on YouTube—Lightlab Church Camp July 5, 2021. We also had in person hands-on science lessons with Bible lessons to explore the nature of light and how Jesus is the Light of the World. (See lightlabetc.com for more information about this awesome program and book you can use with children.)

I wrote Victor Survives Being a Kid to help children experience God, good humor and courage, and the love of family even while going through major changes.

​It’s a high adventure novel particularly for boys and girls ages 9-12, is set in Colorado, and told through the eyes of Victor Ortega when he is in middle school, looking back over his fifth-grade year. Children delight in the Spanish (with translations) sprinkled in the story. A free, in-depth activity and discussion guide for Victor Survives Being a Kid is also available on newSongpress.net. The paperback and eBook for Victor Survives Being a Kid is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Christianbook.com.

As Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:38-39, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord…neither height, nor depth… When I stood on the support bar of a small airplane wing, ready to jump with my parachute, God, in His infinite love was there. When I stared at a large black-tip reef shark one hundred feet deep while scuba diving in Mexico, God was there, too.

Maybe you are going through some mind-numbing, scary times as you muster the courage to teach and lead the children in your lives. God, in His infinite love, is with you no matter where you are. As said in Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (KJV)

It is my prayer that you know this powerful love from God as you live each day and celebrate St. Valentine’s Day.

NewSong Press can be a source for you as you guide and help young people to improve their writing in ways that can bless them and others.

Please feel welcome to contact me via my contact form if I can help you further and may you be blessed by future blog posts on this site to help and support you with your teaching language arts to children and teens.

Many blessings in your writing!
Heidi Vertrees
​Author Educator

 As soon as I climbed out of my vintage Montego-blue Miata, and smelled late December rain, my eyes caught the large white lettering spread clear across the side of the maroon SUV next to me--Christ is King. Who could miss this great encouragement? My tooth ached and I soon would be tilted back in the dentist’s chair, but this car made me actually eager to go in the dentist’s office. Whose car was it?

The waiting room was typical 2021 for small town Boonsboro in the Maryland Appalachian highlands. Half a dozen of us sat in a circle, suited up with our masks. Not a peep. Polite. Minding our own business. But I knew someone behind these mystery masks had to have a strong faith. So, as a sometimes-unreformed New Yorker, I broke the silence.

 “So, who has the car that says Christ is King in big lettering? It looks great!”

 A much younger lady across from me smiled. These days we detect hidden, masked smiles when the eyes brighten and brim up from raised cheek muscles. “It’s mine.”

Then the intriguing story--
“I wouldn’t go out with this guy, so he keyed my car. Then I got the biggest Christ message I could find and put it across the scratches.”

Impressive! “I didn’t even notice the scratches.” Trust me, they are there; I checked later. Long, selfish, full-of-anger scratches. But the Christ is King message is healing the situation and stands out way bigger than any damage. He always does.

How about you? I bet you have a story to share. We all have a time we can share where Christ came and stood mighty as King in our tumult. Here are some tips to help you capture your thoughts in writing--

1. Use an exciting title and opening sentence that grabs your readers’ attention.
   
   
2. Make it clear from the start where and when your story is happening, and help your readers sense your special message or topic so they want to know more as they read along.
   
   
3. Give sensory details to help your readers feel they are there with you in your telling. Draw them in by remembering to share how all your five senses came alive, as well as thoughts, questions, and perhaps quick prayers you had in those moments. Show your personality, which in writing is called Voice. Like snowflakes, God made us all different and dear, so let your readers see you. Don’t strain to be someone you are not. Instead, make your "faith walk" real for them.
   
   
4. Pose questions and make statements that appeal to your readers. Aim to help them smile or feel deep chords playing in their souls.
   
   

When we write, it’s a gift to our readers. Make them happy and grateful they took the time to read your story. And who knows! Maybe you will motivate them to share theirs!

​Many blessing to you in your writing journey! 

​Heidi Vertrees
Author and Educator

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​Have you read my new book Victor Survives Being a Kid? If not, ask an adult to learn more about it with you by visiting my book page HERE!

When a song really grabs your attention, do you sing along? Does the tune go through your brain hours later? Some people say music is the universal language because it can move the hearts of people everywhere. Music can actually cause our brains and nervous systems to secrete hormones to make us feel better!
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 At Christmastime, we hear many joyful songs. Let’s have some merry fun and write lyrics based on your favorite Christmas carol. Once you choose one, see if you can find a recording. If you don’t have one at home, your parents might be able to find one for you on YouTube. Or maybe you are fortunate to have songbooks and a piano, keyboard, or guitar at home. Find a way you can listen to your favorite song many times until you can sense the tune, know the words, and sing along.

Great! When learning, we also want the new information in our long-term memory, so keep enjoying that song for several days until you sing it so well you feel like you “own it.” That’s when the song feels natural to you, and you can even give it your own special style. You can sing it in different parts of your home, while you are working, or out walking. Do you know the shower really does have extra good sound effects? Your pets and family may love to hear you perform your song. Speaking of animals, do you know elephant trainers have a special song for each elephant, so they each know whom the trainer is seeking? Animals love music as many YouTubes reveal, such as horses drawing near a violinist. The song you create may even have healing power for a pet. We once had a guinea pig who cried after his furry friend passed away. When I sang a gentle hymn, he calmed down. As you create your song, think of the people and yes, animals, you may bless!

Do you know prewriting is every bit as important as writing? Up till now in this project, your creativity has been with prewriting.  We are now ready to get creative with new words and ideas. Since Christmas carols celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior, in this assignment aim to maintain that wonderful message, but—here’s the challenge--create new verses that match the rhythm and the rhyme of the song you now know so well.
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Here’s an example to help you, but remember, you can choose your own Christmas song.  Written in 1962, “Do You Hear What I Hear” has a beautiful tune and a sweet storyline that you can use as a springboard into your new verses. This song is copyrighted. I suggest you listen to versions on YouTube. You may want, with a grownup’s help, to order the sheet music from Amazon.

Once you have heard this song, did you discover each verse has a different actor who focuses on a different part of our senses? The night wind sees, the little lamb hears, the shepherd boy knows, and the king tells everyone to listen to him. This song is packed with action and beautiful scenes such as a night star that dances and has a “tail as big as a kite.” Try to notice where words at the end of phrases rhyme. In fact, rhyming words can help you memorize a song. In this song, shivers in the cold rhymes with silver and gold. One more point about the lyrics in this song—the first character talks to the second character, who then becomes the major character in the next verse. This pattern goes all the way through the song. The night wind says to the little lamb; the little lamb then says to the shepherd boy, the shepherd boy says to the king, and the king says to the people everywhere.

If you use this song for your writing challenge, choose four new characters. Will they also be set in Bible times, or do you want to create a twist where your characters are in your present life? Maybe they are looking at a big, wonderful outdoor nativity scene and singing about the Christmas story.

Whatever you decide, think about what important messages you want to get across. Before I write a poem or lyrics that have rhyme and rhythm, I write a list or short paragraph with my key ideas. That way, my main points serve like a magic thread that pulls my words together.
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Consider using different verbs/action words to spice up your story, make some words rhyme, and set your words to match the pacing of the tune. You can discover words that rhyme by changing the first letter. What rhymes with night? Light! Of course, the final syllable spellings may be different, such as tree and sea. That’s fine as long as the endings sound the same. Perhaps you have a rhyming dictionary or can see lists of rhyming words on the Internet.
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As you write your new verse or verses to your song, sing along with the tune to make sure your words fit with the song. Whether you write one new verse or several for a favorite song of yours, you are now a lyricist! Yes, you have created your own lyrics. Congratulations! Sing a new song and enjoy sharing your sparkling new words with others.

Merry Christmas!
Heidi Vertrees
Author and Educator