What My Kids Found in Narnia

I’ll never forget the day we bought our new, almost-pink carpet. It was plush, ugly and must have been on sale. But, ugly as it was, it was also a comfortable place for three young children and a dad to gather on the floor before bedtime and read The Chronicles of Narnia.

It was on this carpet that we entered another world … a world where trees called Dryads and Naiads wake in different seasons to sing and dance; a world where dwarves make their kingdoms underground; a world that pointed me and my children to Jesus around every turn. (I only wish the audio drama had existed back then so we could have listened to these stories on road trips, as well.)

Someone had already tipped me off that Aslan was the Christ figure, so that was no surprise to me. When he sacrificed himself on the stone table in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, it wasn’t hard for my kids to guess who that reminded me of.

Years later the pink carpet disappeared, but one thing didn’t change: all three of my children returned to Narnia on their own. In Middle School, High School, and even college, C.S. Lewis’  stories captivated them enough to come back again for more.

In the end, it wasn’t about reading great fiction with my children, though that did happen. More importantly, we all learned more about Jesus through what C.S. Lewis wrote so many years ago.
I found a deeper understanding of Jesus within the pages of Narnia, and I believe that’s the case for my children and countless others who have picked up these amazing stories. So whether you’re a parent or a child at heart, these tales of adventure, love, and sacrifice can point you to Jesus in ways that books on theology simply cannot.

And when I heard about the audio drama produced by award winning Paul McCusker and Focus on the Family Radio Theatre, I got excited. The state of the art production and powerful narrative have the power to bring you out of your own world of rainy days, chores, and drudgery, and into a world of adventure that points you to Jesus around every turn.

So, whether you read the books at home or listen to the Audio Drama, I pray these stories will help you past the “watchful dragons” of familiarity, as Lewis called them, so that you can more clearly see the truth, goodness, and beauty of Jesus Christ.

As the leader of the Haven Ministries, Charles Morris is always thinking of ways to lead Christians and non-Christians to Christ—hence the familiar slogan, “Telling the great story … it’s all about Jesus.” Charles is a former secular journalist, who has worked for United Press International, and as a press secretary for two former U.S. senators. He began working in the Christian world after seminary, becoming the fourth speaker of Haven in 2000. He and his wife, Janet, have written several books, including Missing Jesus.

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