My husband and I are currently in the throes of parenting a two-year old who has big emotions and will use his hands to hit and snatch, his ears to tune out his parents, and his mouth to occasionally chomp on his brother and sister. In other words, he needs help thinking redemptively about his little body. 

Abbey Wedgeworth’s Training Young Hearts series of books have been in heavy rotation during bedtime reading, and he has loved them! Wedgeworth is a member of Hilton Head Presbyterian Church on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

These books help children to see God’s good purposes for our body parts, the sin in our lives when we use them the wrong way, the perfect and loving example of Jesus, and the forgiveness and grace he gives us when we repent and put our hope in him. 

The series consists of colorful, attractively-illustrated volumes with lift-the-flap pages that my son, like most children, loves. As he learned his body parts through songs and preschool, these books complement that learning, but go a step further in showing the godly purposes for his eyes, mouth, ears, hands, and feet. 

Each book not only teaches God’s design, but also how we do not use those body parts. This has been particularly helpful in educating my two-year-old in loving and helping rather than hurting others. 

One evening, I was overjoyed to see my son point and say, “Jesus!” in the part of the book that tells how Jesus used his hands to love and serve others, and even spread his hands out on the cross for our salvation so God could open his hands to us. As we read this book over and over (toddlers love a good rerun), I am praying he’ll learn that these pages point to Christ and his love for us. 

Even though the perfect audience for Training Young Hearts is preschool-aged children, don’t assume that older kids won’t enjoy them as well. I’ve caught my elementary-aged children independently absorbed by them! 

Having worked in children’s ministry for over 10 years, my excitement and passion for rich resources to support family discipleship has only grown. Books that foster biblical literacy and a biblical worldview from a young age are so helpful to have in the home, and Abbey Wedgeworth’s Training Young Hearts series is a fun way for preschool-aged children to absorb God’s truths about their bodies! 

Sarah Merrick is director of KidsThrive at Perimeter Church in Johns Creek, Georgia.