Usually we don’t think of Theology as being for toddlers, but Cathy Dudley has a clear understanding that Jesus is for everyone, and she wants others to understand that as well.
When she heard that the Virginia Synod Southern Conference Gathering in Roanoke was going to be about sharing Jesus in our lives, she knew she had to go.
At the end of Bishop Mauney’s presentation, Cathy stood up with a brightly colored children’s book in her hands. On the cover it said “Toddler Theology” written by Cathy D. Dudley and illustrated by Matt Ramsey.
Cathy Dudley with Matt Ramsey, the illustrator of “Toddler Theology” and Cathy’s son-in-law
Cathy grew up in a christian home and was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Roanoke during her childhood.
After a partial retirement five years ago, Cathy developed a passion for sharing her faith with young children like own her six grandchildren.
“I think God speaks to us all the time,” she said. “The question is, are we listening?”
Cathy’s passion was clear as tears welled up at the corners of her eyes when she told the story about the inspiration for her book.
“One morning I was having devotions on my front porch and suddenly I thought, ‘I better go get a pen and paper because it’s coming’. I began writing and tried to capture the Gospel in a nutshell.”
Although the book went through slight revisions, much of the final edition was crafted that morning.
The subtitle of the book is “Childlike Faith for Everyone” because Cathy’s hope is that this book will not only be used to introduce children to Jesus, but it will also be used to awaken faith in parents and grandparents.
Currently there are over 300 copies of the book floating around in the world. Cathy admitted that she has given a great number of these books away, especially to missionaries, because she believes in the message.
Two children in Uganda sharing “Toddler Theology”
There are currently copies of “Toddler Theology” in South Africa, theDominican Republic, Uruguay, Vietnam, and other countries around the world. Several members of her local community in Botetourt and the Virginia Synod also sing the praises of the book.
“God’s steadfast love is for all from cradle to grave. Cathy’s words and Matt’s illustrations make that message come alive on each page of this delightful book. I have shared this book with families baptizing children and with residents living in a nursing home, the reaction is unanimous, they love it,” said The Rev. Kathleen A. Miko, a chaplain at Virginia Lutheran Homes Inc.
With such a wide expanse of readers, the impact of the book is beginning to show.
“The first year that the book came out, I was excited to tell people how God had worked in my life.” Cathy said. “Now I am more excited to talk about how God has used this book to impact other people’s lives.
Cathy told the story of one woman she had known from her time as a physical therapist.
“After her husband died, her young son became depressed and his whole personality changed,” Cathy said.
When the boy’s mother bought “Toddler Theology” and read it to him at bedtime, he broke down crying.
“He told his mother, ‘I thought when daddy died, it was my fault because I was a bad little boy.”
“He had gotten stuck on the ‘wages of sin is death’ and thought that because he had sinned, that God took his dad. She told me that Toddler Theology opened his eyes to the fact that Jesus does love him and that Jesus wants to be his friend.”
“If there was never any other outcome, it would be worth it,” Cathy said.
Cathy at one festival in Buchanan where she set up a booth to spread the word about her book.
The book may be complete and changing lives, but Cathy hasn’t stopped working. She is passionate about sharing this story as widely as she can and is spending her time doing book readings, going to craft shows, and giving presentations.
She has also begun to write devotions that match up with each page of the book. These devotions can currently are only available on the Toddler Theology Facebook page, but Dudley has plans to make these devotions available online soon to readers who do not have a Facebook account.
“God is using me, I am very honored and excited,” Cathy said.
If you would like to contact Cathy Dudley about the book or would like to schedule a presentation, email her at grammycathy6@gmail.com or call her at 540-397-3982. Toddler Theology is available on amazon.com.
