Polly Berrien Berends shows how spiritual growth is rooted and nourished in everyday life. Using a mix of poems, stories, meditations, and dialogues, she demonstrates how to teach children about God, prayer, doing good, and gratitude through ordinary family activities. For example, she uses bicycle riding as a model for appreciating loving relationships.
The author's ecumenical approach is commendable, and several of her Biblical meditations are truly special. At Christmas, she muses, "Jesus is the only person in recorded history whose parents thought he was a child of God rather than their own creative project and possession." Berends helps us see that snowflakes, envy, blue jeans, and table grace can all be part of the spiritual education curriculum in the home.
She is very savvy when she notes, "More is caught than taught." That's an important thing to keep in mind given children's allergic reaction to lectures and religious abstractions. Gently Lead is tailor-made for parents who believe that the mundane details of everyday life offer rich texts for spiritual learning.
