Have you ever seen a Venus flytrap catch a fly?! These fascinating plants might look like they come from outer space—but that’s far from the truth. If they’re not from space, where are they from and why do they eat insects? Here’s our trail map: Do Venus flytraps come from space? Where did Venus flytraps get their funny name and where do they come from? Two theories as to why Venus flytraps eat insects How do Venus flytraps catch insects? What can the design of Venus flytraps teach us about sensing God’s Holy Spirit? Resources Mentioned and used for Research: What do you want to learn abo ..read more

When my kids told me about axolotls, I thought they were mythical creatures! But then we brought one home as a pet. On this episode, you'll hear from my kids what they think about axolotls. We're exploring: What is an axolotl? How does it regrow parts of its body? What other creatures "regenerate?" How does God, in a similar way, regrow our hearts and minds? Scriptures Referenced in this Episode: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV) "And I will give you a new heart, and ..read more

Do you have questions about climate change? We all do. What is it and is it really happening? Most importantly, what does the Bible say about climate change? Wait...what? The Bible talks about climate change? It does! Today we'll explore what's really happening, what God says about a changing planet, and why we should not live in fear. Plus, we'll explore a few fun ideas for caring for God's creation! Resources mentioned in this episode: Order Eryn's new book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation Have a question for the Nat Theo podcast? Reach out at erynlynum ..read more

Have you ever seen fireflies glowing throughout a forest or field? God created a whole host of creatures that glow in the dark! Today we're exploring: What is bioluminescence? What creatures glow in the dark? How do fireflies light up? How do we shine God’s light? Resources Mentioned: Join the Nat Theo Club & Get Full Episode Activity Guides! Download the free Glow-in-the-Dark Creatures Coloring Page to go along with this lesson Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation Scriptures in Today's Episode: “It is by faith we understand that the ..read more

Have you ever seen a bear in the wild? If so, what color was it? I once saw a bear fishing in the river, and its color surprised me! On this episode, we're exploring: Are all black bears black? How did the black bear get its name? How are black bears designed to thrive where they live? Likewise, how does God give us what we need to live well and follow him? Resources: Eryn's New Book: Rooted In Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation The Burgess Animal Book for Children (Note, the Burgess book is not faith-based and uses "Mother Nature" as a main character. However, it's ..read more

Have you ever held a roly-poly? My kids and I recently became roly-poly trainers! We made some fun observations and today we're exploring: The fascinating life of a roly-poly What really is a roly-poly? Are there things in nature that aren't what they seem? Are there words we use and hear that aren't what they seem? How can we trace words and things in nature back to their identities? Note for parents and caregivers: This episode breaks down the concept of "Linguistic Theft." A very helpful read on this is in the book Mama Bear Apologetics, Chapter 4: Linguistic Theft. Scriptures ..read more

Over six billion birds are on the move! We're exploring the magnificent wonders of bird migration and answering these questions: What is migration? How do birds know when to migrate? How do birds prepare for their long journeys? How do birds find their way and navigate the skies? What can birds teach us about boldly following God’s plans? Discover the two things birds need to take their incredible journeys, and three "compasses" they use to navigate the skies. Scriptures referenced in this episode: “God blessed them and said, 'Have many children and grow in number. Fill the earth a ..read more

Do you think Jesus had a favorite bird? If he did it might have been... (spoiler alert!)... The house sparrow! The house sparrow is one of the most common birds, found on every continent except Antartica. The oldest fossil of a house sparrow was found in Bethlehem. It's likely that Jesus grew up with house sparrows much like the ones in our own yards! But when we learn a little more about how Jesus taught using birds in the Bible, and how much it takes to feed a house sparrow, we discover powerful truth in God's promise of provision. Resources mentioned: Merlin Bird ID App Eryn's new book, Roo ..read more

Have you ever had an up-close encounter with a wild animal? Seeing God’s creatures up-close is wonderful—so long as we’re aware, safe, and respectful. I’m sharing my four close encounters with mountain lions on today’s show! Here’s our trail map: How did God make mountain lions special? What is the difference between a mountain lion, cougar, and puma? Can a mountain lion roar? How can you be safe when in mountain lion habitat? How can awareness keep us safe as we follow God? Resources Mentioned and used for Research: Get Eryn's new book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Throug ..read more

Why are Christmas trees not perfect? On this special Christmas feature, we're sharing one of our family's favorite children's books: Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect. Join us for this story full of nature, beauty, and wonder! Nat Theo Club Members can access a video with illustrations to read along. Join the Nat Theo Club to access more resources here: https://erynlynum.com/nattheo Thank you to Guideposts Books for granting permission to use this story. Order Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect here: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Christmas-Trees-Arent-Perfect/dp/1501825836 ..read more