How Can I Help? God’s Calling for Kids

How Can I Help? God’s Calling for Kids, by Mary Moerbe with Gene Veith

Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin

(Concordia Publishing House, 2013), hb., 32pp.

Ages 3-8

This is a fun, beautifully illustrated little book which focuses, in simple terms, on how children can serve God by helping those around them. The text tends to go back and forth between ways people help children and ways children can help in return. The simple, everyday focus of the book is its strength. It aims to show children they do not have to wait until they are adults to serve God. They do not have to do “big” or “adult” things in order to serve God.

In fact this little book, along with the opening “For Parents” section by Gene Veith, can be a helpful, eye-opening resource for parents. Veith explains the biblical idea of vocation which was recovered at the Reformation and applies this to children. Thus, “Being a child is a vocation, a calling from God.” Veith draws from Martin Luther’s teaching that a little boy obeying his parents or a little girl doing his chores is doing a holier work than the strictest of monks or nuns. For many adults this will be new information, which only increases the value of this little book.

My children enjoyed it and I was glad to have a resource which reaffirms what we are regularly teaching: that they have a calling just like mom and dad, and their calling begins with obeying at home and extends to helping and serving others. This will make a great gift.