Recognized as an ECPA Bronze Seller of over 100,000 copies sold.
Family Bible study doesn't have to be complicated. Best-selling children's book author Marty Machowski helps busy parents share the gospel story with their kids through Long Story Short, an outstanding devotional book full of stories, illustrations, and applicable learning suggestions.
For active families, reading the Bible together can feel overwhelming. Long Story Short is designed to explain God's plan of salvation through the Old Testament, focusing on the hero of Scripture and important biblical truths without being corny, confusing, or condescending.
As a creative and Christ-centered family devotional, Long Story Short equips parents to make disciples in their homes by breaking down the Bible story in shorter, easy-to-understand sections. Both practical and simple, this beautifully designed book is faithful and interactive to Scripture. Machowski guides families through the Old Testament stories, drawing on his experience as a father of six and family life pastor.
Christian parents know the importance of passing the gospel story on to their children, yet we live in a busy world filled with distractions. Schedules collide, homework and laundry and soccer practice await, and before you know it, it's easy to miss God's Word.
With just ten minutes a day, five days a week, parents have enough time to pass on the most valuable treasure the world has ever known. Long Story Short is a family devotional program designed to cultivate honest and powerful discussion about the Bible, which is the catalyst for change in children's lives.
Long Story Short is a companion resource to the Gospel Story Curriculum, The Gospel Story Bible, Old Story New, the Old Testament Gospel Story for Kids Coloring Book, and the New Testament Gospel Story for Kids Coloring Book. Each week of devotions corresponds to a lesson in the Gospel Story Curriculum and a story in The Gospel Story Bible.
"Long Story Short is the best material for family devotions I've ever seen. If you're looking for something careful, creative, and Christ-centered without being corny, confusing, or condescending, look no further. Pastors would be wise to buy this book by the boxful and get a copy into the hands of each family in their church."
Justin Taylor, Blogger at The Gospel Coalition; managing editor of the ESV Study Bible
"This is simply an outstanding book, and Christian families need it right now. I have never seen a devotional book that is so well suited to family devotions and to children, even as it is faithful in relating biblical truth. This book will help any Christian parent lead family devotions that will be memorable, faithful, and practical for Christian living. I'll admit this too, parents will find that they love the stories, illustrations, and learning suggestions along with their children. Marty Machowski has written a wonderful book."
R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
"I love the simplicity and practicality of Long Story Short. Marty Machowski gives parents a valuable resource to make disciples in our homes by highlighting the gospel story and the Hero of Scripture. I plan to strongly encourage the use of this book throughout our entire network of churches."
Scott Thomas, Pastor of Pastoral Development at The Journey Church
"In Long Story Short, Marty Machowski provides what my wife and I needed when we were struggling to find good tools to disciple our young children. We got by, but this resource would have helped us so much. I envy the parents who will have it available to them. It is simple, interactive, and faithful to Scripture. It avoids the pitfalls of moralism that is prevalent in much of the children's Bible literature today. Marty insists that you and your children meet Jesus and see the gospel of grace in every story. I can't recommend this resource enough."
Timothy S. Lane, Former Executive Director, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation; coauthor of How People Change and Relationships: A Mess Worth Making
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It took us a year and a half but we finished this 77 week devotional of the Old Testament and loved the journey! Highly recommend this devotional. It is solid. Love that it provides me a framework for reading the actual Bible with my children. Its commentary is never overwhelming and it points back to Jesus every single week. It does a great job showing how the OT fits together with the NT and God’s big story of redemption. We will be starting the New Testament one next school year!
Everyone with kids needs this devotional! I even learned some things along the way. This book is so great to introduce the Old Testament in depth, make sure your kids understand what was read, how it points forward to Jesus, and teaches them how to pray.
Wonderful to go through with the kids!
Pretty decent devotionals for younger kids. Would stick to elementary school ages.
Excellent resource! It's taken us about 5 years to work through this during our morning time for homeschool. My kids and I have learned a great deal from this old testament survey. Pairs well with the Gospel Story Bible by the same author (we still read the scripture readings from the actual Bible, but use the GSB is a great intro to each story).
Okay.... I haven’t really ‘finished’ the whole thing but we have used sections of the book for family devotions off and on for several years. This summer we started in Joshua and jumped off into rabbit trails through 2 Samuel. One of the things that I love about this devotional is the way it understands the underlying story theme of the Bible and how the Old Testament is fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus. The method has become a habit as our family works our way through Old Testament stories and we ask, “where is Jesus?” The other thing I love about the devo is that you are reading straight from the Bible in manageable portions, with a short accompanying explanation.
I have used this book with my own children as well as recommending it to parents as our Children's Ministry Director. I really appreciate the church-home connection that this book offers. However, I would love if this could be condensed into a one-page take-home option as well. We have liked the Gospel Story Curriculum, but I wish there was something simple created to better fill the gap between home and church.
This is family devotional, split into units that take you through the Old Testament. Not just the usual passages, but deep texts. It’s good, but it took us a long time. We read it in three different houses; it took us eight years. So for us it was more like “long story long.”
This is a wonderful devotional for families! I love how each weeks theme points to Jesus. The devotions are short but meaty. Our kids are 8,6,4 and this is perfect for our age range!
it took us five years and three houses to finish but it was well worth it and I use it everyday and second grade for my classroom devotions.
