ABCs With Jesus

What if faith could be the spark that makes reading click? We sit with Dr. Gladys Amerson—nurse, respiratory therapist, educator, poet, and lifelong Sunday school teacher—to explore how Learning ABCs with Jesus blends sight words, matching scriptures, and simple images to unlock memory and meaning for young readers. Gladys explains why kids learn best when they see, hear, and touch their lessons, and how a bit of vocal emphasis from a caring adult can turn a verse into a vivid moment a child remembers for years.We trace her path from early mentors at McDonald’s and UAB to a doctorate in education, highlighting the service mindset and teaching habits that shape her work. Gladys shares why reading should start before birth, how flashcards create tactile anchors for language, and why sibling read‑alouds build confidence and healthy competition. We talk about small churches, strong foundations, and the simple joy of watching the light bulb turn on when a child connects a letter, a word, and a scripture. Along the way, she opens up about her poetry, leadership, and a vision for future books and a devotional journal grounded in the Bible.The conversation widens into writing as therapy and legacy. Gladys challenges parents and grandparents to capture family stories—use your phone’s voice dictation, write a letter you might never send, record memories that help the next generation learn faster and live wiser. We close with practical tips for parents, teachers, and church leaders: emphasize key words, match visuals to verses, invite kids to retell the lesson, and celebrate small wins that build lifelong readers. Want to bring these tools home? Grab Learning ABCs with Jesus and the matching flashcards through Rocky Heights Publishing or via Gladys’s Facebook page.If this conversation sparked an idea, share it with a friend, subscribe for more thoughtful stories, and leave a review with your favorite childhood verse—we’d love to feature it next time.