Book Review of Long Story Short

LONG STORY SHORT
By Marty Machowski
ISBN 978-1-935273-81-3
New Growth Press
Reviewed by Clint Walker

Family devotions are often lauded by Christian leaders. Yet, anyone who has tried to establish a family altar knows how difficult they can be to carry out. For those longing to have meaningful family devotion times Long Story Short is a helpful resource. For many, it will make your family devotions a time that your children look forward to instead of dread.

Marty Machowski, the author of Long Story Short, is an experienced family minister and children’s minister. It is obvious that he loves children, and loves the Lord. This resource has 78 weeks worth of family devotions. It will take participants from Genesis through the book of Nehemiah. Each day has a time to review from the day before, a Scripture to read, a few questions to discuss, and something to pray about. Every once in a while the book encourages the children to draw the parents out about what they are like. The book is thorough. Very few children will get through this study without knowing Scripture in a deeper way, and learning how to apply passages in the Scripture to their everyday lives.

Perhaps one of the best resources of this book is found in the introductory remarks. There Marty Muchowski coaches his readers on how to do these family devotions, and the family altar in general, based on the developmental level of one’s children. For instance, he shares how the use of Long Story Short and family devotions will look different for preschoolers than for grade school children (p. 3).

As I read through this book, I loved the concept of this resource, and the quantity of material. I was disappointed, however, by the lack of active learning. I wanted a few more devotions with little learning activities and games that the whole family could enjoy, and then reflect upon. Currently, these activities are used once a week. I would have like to have seen this principle used every day.

I also wondered how the kids would ask their parents what the lesson instructed them to ask without permission to copy this resource. I also thought Long Story Short would have been a better resource if the publishers had found a way to punch holes in the book so that it could be put in a three ring binder as it gets frequent use. Right now, after using the book for over a year for the course of study, I think the book will be falling apart.

Nevertheless, even with these small criticisms, I believe that Long Story Short is a rare find. There are very few guides for family devotions that are this thorough and this good. Anyone wishing to try to establish a family altar needs to have this book on their shelf.