Nancy Ganz-Commentary for Children

I started reading Nancy Ganz's Genesis, A Commentary for Children which is the first in her Herein is Love series. The depth of her commentary is wonderful and the student lesson is ready to read right from the book. For each lesson there is a Teacher's Guide in which ideas for visual aids, memory work, a craft, review questions, prayer, Psalms to sing and a field trip suggestion to assist in rounding out the lesson.
A quick note about the Psalms to sing: Nancy and her husband Rich pastor a Reformed Presbyterian church that sings acappella from a Psalter in which the Psalms are metrically arranged for singing. We have visited their church and while we do not agree with the exclusivity of Psalm singing, it is beautiful and God-glorifying music.
Here is an excerpt from the lesson that I started yesterday.

Lesson 60
Genesis 39
The Lord was With Joseph

Joseph was filled with sorrow as he was led away to be sold as a slave in the land of Egypt. Joseph had lost everything in this world—his family, his home, his country, his work, his freedom, and even the beautiful coat that his father had made for him. Never again would that coat comfort him; it was gone...and so was every other good thing in his life. He had been like an honoured prince in his father's house, but now he was a slave among strangers, despised by all. His brothers had robbed him of everything, hadn't they? No! He still had his life and he still had his faith! In the loneliness of those sorrowful nights, Joseph was no longer warmed by his father's rich robe, but his eyes could still see the beauty of the moon shining on the desert sands. He was still alive! And he could still believe in God! He could trust that God was with him and that God loved him--even now, in this terrible situation. Could any trouble or danger ever separate him from the LOVE of God? Was there any person or power in all creation that could separate him from the LOVE of God? No! His brothers could separate him from everyone else, but they could not separate him from God! The Bible records: “The LORD was with Joseph.” The grace of God and the LOVE of the LORD, which were more precious even than life, could never be stolen from him.
...
Joseph was brought to a land far away from his family, the land of Egypt. Everything in this land was foreign to Joseph—the way the people looked and lived, the way they talked. The Egyptians spoke a foreign language, which Joseph did not understand. He would have to learn their language quickly, if he was going to survive in this country. Egypt was also a strange land in that it worshipped strange gods. It was a land filled with false gods and idol worship. People bowed down to all kinds of images. Joseph must not learn these things. He must never bow down to another god. He must never forget his god, the god of his fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He must always remember the LORD. Joseph would live in this land, the land of Egypt, for the rest of his life. As time passed, he would forget all his trouble and sorrow; in time he even would forget all his father's household (Genesis 41:51), but Joseph would never forget the LORD—and the LORD would never forget Joseph. Again and again we read in the account of Joseph's life: “The LORD was with Joseph” and the LORD blessed Joseph.
I highly recommend this series which is currently up to the book of Numbers and is scheduled to finish with Joshua.

Related posts about the commentaries:

The Uniqueness of God's Word
Honor Upon Scripture