Kids Blog #20 - The Revelation

“Something to Look Forward to”

What a journey we’ve had reading through the Bible together! I’ve learned so much – I hope you have too!

Revelation is the last book of the Bible. There can be some things in this book that are hard to understand, like when it talks about lampstands and keys and scrolls and seals, but the great message of Revelation is that God is the winner!

I love to read books! I really like books that have good guys and bad guys and in the end of the story, the good guys win! That’s what we read about in Revelation. In the end, God and those who believe in Him (the good guys) WIN! When we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ we have so much to look forward to!

As a family, I hope you’ll keep reading God’s word together, keep praying together and continue to talk about what real faith and trust in God looks like in our everyday lives. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are the “good guys” and in the end, we will stand with God as the winners – now that’s something to look forward to!

Kids Blog #19 - The Apostle's Teaching

The Apostle's Teaching

**Note: This post is meant as a surprise to the children in the family… don’t worry – the surprise is worth the wait!

This week we read I Corinthians 13, also known as the “love chapter”. As a reminder of all that God’s love means to us and as a special treat for our kids, we’re going to send our kids on a treasure hunt to find all the “ingredients” of love. Along the way, they’ll also find elements of making an ice cream Sundae. When the hunt is over, the family can enjoy a love feast of their finds!

First, find a room in the house that has quite a few nooks and crannies that you can hide things in. This will be the “treasure room”. You will need some small pieces of paper and tape or post-it notes to write each element of love on the ingredients.

Ingredients you will need:

Love is patient – bottle of chocolate syrup

Love is kind – ice cream scoop

Love doesn’t want what it can’t have – jar of cherries

Love isn’t proud – caramel sauce

Love isn’t rude – bag of M&Ms

Love doesn’t say “Me first!” – peanuts

Love isn’t easily angered – bottle of whip cream

Love always trusts – bunch of bananas

Love always hopes – bowls

Love always keeps going to the end – spoons

Before you begin, write “Love NEVER fails” on a sheet of paper in large letters and post on the freezer door in your kitchen. Once the child(ren) have gathered all the ingredients, have them figure out what is missing from their sundaes. When they figure out they are missing the ice cream, they will see the sign on the freezer. As you sit down as a family to eat your ice cream sundaes, pass out the post-it notes and have members of the family read each of them out loud. After reading each note, think of a way we can show (or not show-in the case of the “isn’t” phrases) love to each other.

The best part is that last phrase – that God’s love, his never ending “agape” love is perfect and NEVER fails. Now THAT is something to throw an ice cream party about!!

Kids Blog #18 - Paul to the Leaders

“The Apostles Teaching”

**Note: This post is meant as a surprise to the children in the family… don’t worry – the surprise is worth the wait!

This week we read I Corinthians 13, also known as the “love chapter”. As a reminder of all that God’s love means to us and as a special treat for our kids, we’re going to send our kids on a treasure hunt to find all the “ingredients” of love. Along the way, they’ll also find elements of making an ice cream Sundae. When the hunt is over, the family can enjoy a love feast of their finds!

First, find a room in the house that has quite a few nooks and crannies that you can hide things in. This will be the “treasure room”. You will need some small pieces of paper and tape or post-it notes to write each element of love on the ingredients.

Ingredients you will need:

Love is patient – bottle of chocolate syrup

Love is kind – ice cream scoop

Love doesn’t want what it can’t have – jar of cherries

Love isn’t proud – caramel sauce

Love isn’t rude – bag of M&Ms

Love doesn’t say “Me first!” – peanuts

Love isn’t easily angered – bottle of whip cream

Love always trusts – bunch of bananas

Love always hopes – bowls

Love always keeps going to the end – spoons

Before you begin, write “Love NEVER fails” on a sheet of paper in large letters and post on the freezer door in your kitchen. Once the child(ren) have gathered all the ingredients, have them figure out what is missing from their sundaes. When they figure out they are missing the ice cream, they will see the sign on the freezer. As you sit down as a family to eat your ice cream sundaes, pass out the post-it notes and have members of the family read each of them out loud. After reading each note, think of a way we can show (or not show-in the case of the “isn’t” phrases) love to each other.

The best part is that last phrase – that God’s love, his never ending “agape” love is perfect and NEVER fails. Now THAT is something to throw an ice cream party about!!

Kids Blog #17 Paul to the Churches

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…” Galatians 5:22

Have you ever seen a peach tree with fruit on its branches? The limbs hang lower and the fruit makes the air smell terrific when you walk near it. When peaches are ready they smell as good as candy and taste even better! You can’t walk by a peach tree with ripe fruit without wanting to get closer and pick fruit from it.

That is the way people should feel about us as Christ-followers! They should notice the sweetness of our lives, through our choices and the way we show love to them and want to be near us. The Spirit of God gives to us the things that show who He is to the people around us. What are those things that the Holy Spirit gives us? It tells us in Galatians chapter 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

When we ask Jesus to be our forever friend and decide to follow Him, he gives us his Holy Spirit to help us show His love to our friends and neighbors.

Now it’s your turn…

Can you name the fruits of the spirit? Try to say them as a family – maybe even come up with a rap or song to remember them!

How can we share the love of Jesus with our friends at school using the fruit of God’s Spirit?

This week, pray and ask God to use you to show His love by the power of His Holy Spirit. Just like the ripened peach, people will want to be near you and see that because you show them love, they are special to God too!

Kids Blog #16 - The Travels of Paul

“From One Person to the Next ”

This week we read in Acts about the first missionary journey! When I was younger, the church my family attended supported a missionary family that lived and shared God’s love in Guyana (in South America). They would come to our church once a year and share with us a slide show and stories of how God was changing the hearts and lives of the people in the churches and schools that they worked in. I looked forward to their visits – I loved seeing their pictures and hearing their stories! I remember praying several times during those years, “God, if you want me to go to Guyana, or somewhere else far away, to tell others about you – I’ll go.”

God hasn’t asked me to go to Guyana, but He has given me the privilege of working at Southbrook Church and being a part of leading kids on a journey to know Jesus and make Him known each week in The Cove – I’m so thankful for that!

God has asked each one of us to share His love and truth with others – whether it’s in a far away country or right here in our schools and neighborhoods. God’s message of love and forgiveness needs to be passed on from one person to the next – it’s as easy as talking with your friends and family about what God is doing in your life today. How is He answering your prayers, how is He providing for your family, how is He helping you when you feel afraid or lonely, how does He get your attention when you’ve sinned and how do you feel after you’ve asked for forgiveness? You can be a “missionary” when you share those things with friends in your classroom or at the neighborhood park.

Do you tell others about Jesus or do you think that’s someone else’s job? Take some time to talk with your family about ways that you can tell others about Jesus. Think about what friends or family members you could talk with and take turns “practicing” what you might say to them.

This week, I’m praying that you will take the time to talk about what God is doing in your life. Let’s all do our part and pass God’s message of love and forgiveness from one person to the next!

Kids Blog #15 - The Church is Born

“The Church Is Born”

We read this week about the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit was given to the people who trusted in Jesus Christ on that day, so that they could go and tell others with the power of God at work in them. On that day, they all spoke in their own languages, sharing the message of Jesus and worshipping God together. Can you imagine what it would be like to hear all of those languages at the same time? To me, it would sound like a lot of buzzing noise. I only speak one language – English.

One of the amazing things about God is that He understands every language around the world. Incredible, huh? In fact, he hears the prayers of Christians in China and Germany and Brazil and Mexico with the same love and care as He shows us!

Today, let’s remember that we serve the God of ALL creation. He knows everything about us and can speak every language. Take a few minutes to say out loud the name of Jesus in each of these languages and remember that He is the God of every nation.

Nante koto da – Japan

Hay-soos – Spain

Lisus – Russian

Yeshua – Hebrew

Jezoo – Italian

Yesu- Welsh and Swahili

Lisa – Turkish

Al Maseeh – Arabic

Yesu-nim – Korean

Kids Blog #14 - The Cross of Christ

“God’s Perfect Gift to Us”

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! What a perfect time for us to give thanks for the gift that God gave to us – His perfect son, Jesus! As a family, give thanks for the price that Jesus paid for each of our sins – so that we can have a relationship with Him that will last forever!

It may seem a little strange to make Easter Story Cookies in the month of November, but anytime is a perfect time to remember as a family what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Easter Story Cookies
You will need:
1 c. of whole pecans
1 tsp. of vinegar
3 eggs – just the whites
1 pinch of salt
1 c. of sugar

A zipper baggie, a wooden spoon, a mixer and mixing bowl, wax paper, a cookie sheet, a piece of tape and a Bible.

Preheat oven to 300 – It is important to do this before you start the recipe!

Place pecans in the baggie and beat them with the wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Read John 19:1-3 After Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp of vinegar into a mixing bowl. Read John 19:28-30 When Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink.

Add the egg whites to vinegar. Read John 10:10 Eggs represent life. Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Sprinkle a little salt into your hand and taste it. Add the rest to the bowl. Read Luke 23:27 This represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers and the bitterness of our own sin.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1c. of sugar. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16 The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 mins. until stiff peaks are formed. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3 The color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Read Matt 27:57-60 Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. Take the piece of tape and seal the oven door. Read Matt 27:65-66 Jesus’ tomb was sealed.

Go to Bed! Read John 16:20 and 22 You may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

The next morning…open the oven door and share the cookies. Read Matt 28:1-9 Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On that first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Remember and give thanks that Jesus lives!

Kids Blog #13 - The Miracle of Jesus

“God’s Power in You”

Jesus healed people everywhere he went. He gave blind people their sight back, healed sick people, made people who couldn’t walk well, and even made people who were dead alive again! Wow! That’s incredible. When we read about the miracles of Jesus this week, we can remember that we serve a powerful God who sent His son to love the people that were hardest to love and to die for you and me!

But have you ever thought about that same power of God being in you and me? The Bible says it is true. In Ephesians 3, Paul tells us, “Out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” If you have told Jesus you want to follow Him and you believe He died for you, then His spirit is at work in your heart. And the same power that quieted storms and had power over death, is at work in your heart.

Pray as a family and ask God to give you courage to ask Him for strength and power so that you can “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled with the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)

Miss Heidi

Kids Blog #12 - Love in Motion

“Love in Motion”

The teachings of Jesus have 2 basic Big Ideas: Love God and Love Others. What better place to start showing love than in our homes. Here are some quick, simple things that you can add into your family’s daily routines that will put love in motion at your house!

Love in Motion:

1. Make an effort to pray as a family each day – in the morning before work and school, after dinner or before bed.
2. Make an acrostic of each family member’s name – each letter begins a word or phrase that describes an admirable characteristic of that family member. Post this on your refrigerator for all to see!
3. Have a secret “I love you” signal such as 3 squeezes of the hand, touching the tip of your nose or maybe a V-sign with your fingers.
4. Surprise someone in your family with breakfast in bed (moms especially love this!)
5. Invest in a joke book and learn how to make each other laugh!
6. Make a game of outdoing each other in the “I love you more than…” statements.
7. Do a family member’s chores without being asked.
8. Hug, Hug, Hug - you’re never too old (or cool) for a family hug!
9. Haul out the family photo album and reminisce about good memories your family has made.
10. Make some new family memories this week: Have a squirt gun fight, play a game of family Frisbee or have a bonfire and roast marshmallows.

Let’s put love in motion in our families! When our homes are filled with fun, laughter and love, our neighbors and friends will take notice – they may even ask you, “What makes your family so great?” Then you will have a chance to share with them why you Love God and Love Others!

Kids Blog #11 - “What Color is Christmas?”

Parent tip: As you read the poem, provide a blank piece of white paper for your child(ren) and draw (you or them) twelve small circles on the page to color in during the story. Get crayons out for your children so they can color in each circle as you mention it. This will keep little hands busy and help them focus on the story of the birth of Jesus.

Green is for “go”. This is where we begin: In a green garden before there was sin. [Draw] a green pear and a snake, if you can. From the beginning God has a great plan.

Purple’s for evening. The sky’s growing dark. Purple is floodwater tossing an ark. [Draw] a storm cloud that brings so much rain. Grapes show that life can start over again.

Red is for stop, but we should not delay. God saves his people from Egypt today. [Draw] a bush that burns bright as can be. Then your search ends when you cross a red sea.

Yellow is bright like the sun when it shines. David was king in the brightest of times. Yellow’s the crown on a mighty king’s head. Yellow’s the color of wheat and of bread.

Black is the night. It is so hard to see All of the promises God said would be. [Can you draw an] inkwell? The prophets will write, “People in darkness have seen a great light.”

Silver is valuable: precious to hold. Silver-haired people might seem much too old. But here’s a halo to show the good news: God’s precious gift is for each one of you.

Orange is for oranges, and other orange treats. Also for honey: a sweet thing to eat. Out in the desert a man points the way, Just like a sign that reads, “Prepare the way!”

Pink is the color of love and of joy. Light a pink candle and wait for the boy. Make your heart ready – a warm, welcome place To house the Savior: the gift of God’s grace.

Brown is for Joseph, so steadfast and true. His brown tools [remind us he worked hard too]. Just like the donkey which carried the Lord, Joseph was humble and followed the Lord.

White is the color so clear and so bright. Think of the angel who flew down one night. Those fearful shepherds were happy to see God’s spotless Lamb born for you and for me.

Gold is the light of a bright shining star. Wise men came searching from countries afar. Gold was a present those magi did bring: Three gifts to show that this child was their king.

What color is Christmas? Well, what have you seen? Red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and green. God kept the promise made so long ago. The answer is Jesus – our Christmas rainbow!

The above poem is an excerpt taken from a phenomenal devotional book for families that I use with my own kids every year at Christmas time. The title is “What Color is Christmas”. It is a “seek-and-find” picture book and breaks down the colors for a daily look at the story of Jesus’ birth, with a bible reference for each day that children find in the seek-and-find puzzles. I highly recommend it! You can buy the book at the following link, if you are interested:

http://protestant.creativecommunications.com/viewproduct.php?prodid=DYH

Miss Heidi

Kids Blog #10 - Special Plans

“Special Plans”

God had a special plan for each of the prophets we read about this week. Guess what?! God has a special plan for you too! Don’t think that because you’re young that God doesn’t have something special for you to do.

God wants for each of us to help others. Talk with your family and come up with a plan to help someone else in the next week. You could bake cookies for a neighbor or teacher, you could spend an hour picking up trash along a road by your house or you could go through your toys and pick out some to donate to a family in need. Take a picture of whatever you chose to do and bring it to The Cove to share – I’d love to see your family’s “special plan” in action!

Be creative, brainstorm with your family and come up with a plan to help others! God wants to use you to do something special!

For a special promise, see Jeremiah 29:11

Kids Blog #9 - Early Bird

“Early Bird“

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-3

The book of Psalms is full of songs that talk about the greatness of God and of His love for us. Wouldn’t it be cool to see for ourselves what David was talking about when he wrote about “still waters” and resting in “green pastures”? This week, set aside a morning that you can make an ordinary day extraordinary by watching the sunrise as a family. Watch the morning unfold through the golds and oranges of the sunrise together. Listen to the first birds sing their songs of praise. Watch for squirrels that may be dancing in the trees, excited for the promise of today. Watch for clouds to pass by as the wind whispers through the grass.

You can do this on a weekday morning, before school, by planning the night before to pack a few snacks and a blanket and driving your car to an open area to take in the sunrise together. Or, if you have more time – maybe on Saturday – you can stop by the grocery store for some special donuts (and coffee for mom and dad!) and take a picnic blanket to a special spot at a park.

Take a few minutes to sit quietly and thank God for the beautiful world He has created. Share what your favorite part about getting up early (even before the roosters!) has been. And then, just enjoy being together; remembering that every day can be extraordinary when we remember that we serve the Creator of that amazing sunrise!

Make today extra-ordinary!

- Miss Heidi

Kids Blog #8 -Wrong Choices/Right Choices

How many times will God forgive the same mistake? The Israelites kept making the same mistakes over and over again – they turned away from God and made wrong choices.

Do you ever feel like you keep making the same mistake over and over again? Sometimes I do. But the Bible tells us that each time we are truly sorry for our sins, God will forgive us! 1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

The Bible also tells us that God’s strength can help us make right choices and turn away from sin. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Do you have a sin in your life that keeps showing up? Talk to your mom and dad about it. Ask them to pray with you and ask for God’s strength to make right choices. And remember, each time you make a mistake; God is ready and willing to forgive you!

The two verses mentioned above are verses that your whole family should know! Memorizing God’s word is always a right choice!

Family Challenge: Set a goal that each member of your family will memorize the two verses above by the end of 1 week, 2 weeks or 1 month (whatever works for your family). Once everyone can recite the verses, celebrate by making ice cream sundaes with whipped cream and cherries on top!

Kids Blog #7 - "Listen"

“Listen“

“Listen to His voice and hold fast to Him, for the Lord is your life.” Deuteronomy 30:20

“Jason!” Mom called from the kitchen while Jason stared at the TV in the family room. “Jason Christopher!” The second time mom called Jason didn’t move a muscle, eyes glued to the cartoon on the screen.

Mom walked into the family room and put her hand on Jason’s shoulder as she said again, “Jason?” “Hmmm? Yes, Mom?” as he raised his eyes to meet hers. “Jason, you have baseball practice in just a few minutes and you really should get ready now. I’ve been calling your name but you didn’t hear me because you were watching cartoons.”

“Oh, I didn’t hear you. I’m sorry Mom.” Jason shirked his shoulders when he realized he had been ignoring his mom’s calls. “Son, I just would hate for you to miss out on baseball practice or something special happening because you are spending all your time glued to the television screen.”

Jason stood up as he turned off the TV. “Sweetheart, you know television is a fun activity every once in a while but it is really important that you don’t let it take the spot of number one in your life. Jesus wants to be number one to you and may want to speak to you. “ She put her arm around her son before he headed up the stairs to get ready for ball practice. “If you always have your eyes in front of a screen, it will be hard to hear Him. Switching off the TV was a good choice. I know it is a fun thing to do but don’t ever let it become more important than listening to God or caring about people.”

“Mom, it’s sort of the same thing as the guy we learned about at church last week – Samuel. Remember? He’s the guy who kept hearing God’s voice but wasn’t paying attention and thought it was someone else? “ Jason ran up the stairs and then turned around with one last thought… “Turning off video games and TV is hard for me because I like them a lot but I love God more – I am going to remember to turn off the TV so that I have time to talk to God.”

Questions to talk about with your family:

1. What can you do to listen to God’s voice?
2. Have you ever heard from God? How?

Let’s try to tune in to God and tune out the extra noise!

- Miss Heidi

Kids Blog #6 - "Be Brave"

Judges 6:14-16

Gideon was full of excuses when the Lord told him that he would lead an army against Israel’s enemies. But because the Lord was with him, Gideon defeated the huge enemy army with only 300 men.

Don’t make excuses for not courageously following God!

What is God asking you to do that seems really hard?

Be nice to your sister? (But she’s really irritating)

Obey your mom and dad? (But my show wasn’t over yet, why do I have to turn the TV off?)

Be friendly to the “new kid” at school? (But what if they’re weird or they think I’m weird?)

Tell the truth even if it means there might be a punishment? (But no one saw me break that vase – if I tell the truth, I might get yelled at)

It’s really easy to come up with lots of excuses! But remember God is always with us and He gives us strength to follow Him, even when it means doing hard things.

As a family talk about what it means to be brave and do what God wants you to do. Each write down 1 thing that you need God’s help with this week – at work, at school, or at home. Commit to praying for each other. Pray that God would help each member of your family to courageously follow Him!

This week - let’s be brave!

Kids Blog #5 - “Get those Fingers Movin’ “

“Get those Fingers Movin’ “

We can make choices that show God’s love to other people. When we decide to live for Jesus, God wants us to choose God’s way instead of our way. How do we know what is God’s way? By talking to Him, listening to the Holy Spirit and learning the Bible – God’s words written for us to know Him better! The Bible helps us know what is special to God’s heart and what makes him sad and angry.

This week we read the Ten Commandments. God gave them to Moses for all people to follow if they wanted to honor Him. God asks us to hide his word in our hearts so that we can “test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) Take time this week as a family to learn the Ten Commandments together. The poem below is a great way for kids (and parents) to remember the commands of God.

Get those fingers movin’!
Miss Heidi

Ten Commandments Poem *

1. God is one and there is no other (point one finger up)
He is the Lord, there is not another (raise hand up)

2. An idol makes God # 2 (Hold up one finger on each hand)
And second place for God won't do (Cross fingers.)

3. Three fingers keep our words in check (Hold up 3 fingers) Speak God's name with respect (Cover and uncover mouth with 3 fingers)

4. Four fingers stand for arms and feet (Hold up four fingers.)

Remember the Sabbath day to keep (Walk four fingers on your arm)
5. God gives us parents when we're small (Turn palm down toward floor)
Honor them while you grow tall (Raise it higher)

6. Five fingers for a body (Hold up five fingers on one hand)
One finger for a sword (and one finger on the other hand)
Do not kill another (One finger stabs into the other five)
Is the commandment of the Lord.

7. God made a husband and a wife (Hold up two fingers
To stay together all through life (Lay down two fingers, facing up, five represent a blanket covering them)

8. Ten take away two is eight (Hold up ten fingers. Then put two fingers down)
Stealing is a sin God hates.

9. You aren't 10, you're number 9 (Hold up ten fingers; then put one finger down.)
Speak the truth; you'll do just fine.

10. Ten fingers pulling in, in, in (Turn palms up, pulling in.)

To want, want, want can be a sin.

*Author Unknown

Kids Blog #4 - The Great Escape

We can call Exodus “the Great Escape!” The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, but God had promised to give them the land of Canaan. To keep His promise, God performed miracles in order to force Egypt’s king to free the Israelites. In Exodus, we learn that God uses His power to help people. Wow! Reading about all that God did to get His people out of Egypt reminds me that our God is POWERFUL! And just like He used His power to help the Israelites; today, He’ll use His power to help us too!

As a family go back through the story of God leading the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 13:17-14:31) and see if you can answer the following questions:

By day, the LORD led the Israelites with a column (or cloud) of ________________.

By night, the LORD led the Israelites with a column (or cloud) of _______________.

The LORD told Moses to have the Israelites set up their camp facing Pi Hahiroth. Which direction did He tell them to have their camp face? (hint – north, south, east or west)

What did the LORD tell Moses to raise in chapter 14 verse 16?

In chapter 14 verse 21, it says that all night the LORD pushed back the sea with what?

This week, let’s remember that God uses His power to help people and that includes you and me!

Kids Blog #3 - The Story of Joseph

“Better Brothers”

We heard this week that when Joseph was young, his brothers were very angry with him. They were jealous of the dreams he told them and for the special way he was treated by their father. They became so angry that they sold him as a slave to a group of travelling gypsies so they could tell their father he was killed. God had a plan for Joseph’s life and Joseph kept right on believing in His power, even when things were really tough.

But here is the cool part! When Joseph’s brothers came to the King, years later, Joseph recognized them and chose to forgive them for what they had done! Isn’t that amazing? What about you? Do you have a brother or a sister? Do they do things sometimes they make you angry? Do you say things that sometimes hurt their feelings? God has given us special friends that we get to call brothers and sisters – Yeah, that’s right… we GET to call them our family. There is no one else in the world that can call you their family and God has given us those special friendships in our family so that we can take care of them and show God’s love.

Joseph forgave his brothers even when they threw him into a pit and sold him to strangers for money. He gave them food and asked them to eat with him in the King’s palace. He showed them God’s love and forgiveness.

Today, take a few minutes as a family to share one thing that you appreciate about everyone else in your family. And, if you have time, draw a picture or write a note to each person in your family to let them know how special they are to you. You can make your brother or sister feel super special by telling them how important they are to you. And, the next time they do something that kind of “bugs” you, use the words “I forgive you because I love you” to let them know you care.

One simple thing can make a big difference – saying I forgive you is exactly what Jesus has done for us!

-Miss Heidi

Kids Blog #2 - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

“Real Faith”

Abraham (or Abram as he was known in the 1st part of Genesis) was a man of great faith. Earlier this week we read about how he said “yes” to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. Kids, what would you think if your parents called a family meeting and explained that God had told them that they need to pack up the family, quit their jobs and move to Alaska? No job in Alaska, no place to stay, but God said “Go”. Would that be scary? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Abraham and his family in Genesis 12. And by an act of faith, Abraham said yes!

Faith is believing in something you cannot see. Abraham believed in God’s plan and promises for his life – even though at the time he couldn’t see how it all was going to work out.
Sometimes real faith feels scary. God understands that. But just like we read in our Bible stories this week, God always keeps His promises. So we can say “yes” to God and have faith that He’ll always be with us!

If your family is feeling adventurous, try this experiment to help you better understand this idea of faith.

Pour water into a glass until it is almost full.

Find a piece of cardboard (an old breakfast cereal box is perfect).

Cut the piece of cardboard larger than the top of the glass, place it shiny side down, over the top of the glass.

Ask a family member to hold the cardboard in place and invert the glass.

Now have them remove their hand from the cardboard.

A couple of important tips for making sure this experiment doesn’t go bad: 1. Make sure your piece of cardboard is quite a bit larger than the top of your glass 2. Don’t hold it inverted for more than a few seconds.

How did you feel before the experiment? How did you feel after the experiment? How does this experiment help you understand what it means to have faith even when you’re not exactly sure how something will turn out?

Kids Blog #1 - In The Beginning

“MOONLIGHT MAGIC”

“The stars tell us something very, very important. As David the psalmist said, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). Plan an evening under the stars to see if you agree!

Pick a nice, clear evening, head outside, and look up. Better yet, lie down on a blanket, and depending on the temperature, even under a blanket.

What do those sparkling stars reveal to you about the God who created them? Think, for instance, about how strong or big God must be.

Do you see the Big Dipper, the North Star, Orion, or Cassiopeia? What do constellations like these reveal about the universe? (Hint: Is there anything accidental or random about the way the stars are arranged?)

Take a few minutes to look at the moon. How much of it do you see? How bright is it? And, kids, ask your parents this riddle: How is the moon like a Christian? (Hint: Both reflect the sun’s/Son’s light!) Take a few minutes to brainstorm what you can do as a family to reflect the light of Jesus at your school and in your neighborhood.

Isn’t it amazing that such a mighty, creative, and awesome God knows you by name and even numbers the hairs on your head? (Matthew 10:30). Spend a few minutes praising God for the beauty of His creation. His love for you is immeasurable… it’s a love that reaches “higher than the heavens” (Psalm 108:4)

Take time for a family hug before you head inside, and then everyone drink a cup of warm cider or hot cocoa before you call it a night. Sweet dreams!”

The preceding excerpt is taken from Making Ordinary Days Extraordinary by Gloria Gaither & Shirley Dobson, Multnomah Publishers, 2004

Southbrook Cove Kids Bible Challenge - Introduction

Hey Kids!

We’re so excited for our Cove Kids to take part in the challenge Pastor Rob gave for our Church to commit to reading God’s word for 100 days! I will be praying that you’ll read the Bible together with your family each day (be the one to remind your mom and dad to read together and check out the blog)!

Each week Ms Heidi and I will be posting ideas and activities for your family to do together to help you better understand what you’ll be reading in God’s word and what it means for you as you play at home, go to school, kick around the soccer ball and even as you’re doing homework! So from now until Christmas let’s learn together and see what incredible things God has for our families!

Let’s Go Cove Kids!

Kristi Thomas

Children’s Ministry Director

Hey Mom and Dad!

The phone is ringing, the dishwasher is whirling, the dog is barking, the microwave is dinging, the kids are yelling … the business of life can drown out the wonder of the simple presence of God. But I am reminded as I read this week’s words from the Lord in “In the Beginning” that we are meant to stop and stare in awestruck wonder at the works of our Creator. As a mom, I want to provide ways for my family to remember we were created for a purpose – to worship the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

As we enter into this challenge to read through the stories of the Bible in 90 days, our hope is that this blog gives you opportunities to reconnect with our Creator as families. Each week, we will provide an activity or discussion time for you to read through as a family. It may be a few minutes sitting in the carpool lane at school, stories over a frozen pizza dinner, or time at the foot of the bed before the night turns to morning and another day has begun… It doesn’t matter when we commit to do it – it is about providing time for conversations with and about God to happen in our homes. I look forward to sharing what God teaches me and hopefully, you’ll find some creative ways to make those conversations become a natural part of your time together also. Let’s commit to this journey as families who are willing to lay our business at the throne of God. Let’s be still for a few minutes each week to hear Him speak and talk together about Him.

Leading Kids to Know Jesus and Make Him Known,

Heidi DeMaio

Elementary Children’s Director