“I Think They Felt Pretty Special!”

The above picture is just a small portion of the kids we have in Riverbend Kidz. Each Wednesday night comes with it’s own set of surprises…both funny & serious. More and more, I’ve come to realize how so very important it is to invest in these children. It can’t just be two people on Wednesday nights & it can’t just be their Sunday School teach on Sunday morning…it takes a church.

It takes a whole church coming together to make sure these kids get all the Jesus they can. It’s takes a church recognizing that each child is important and has their own set of talents, abilities, special things about them that God is going to use greatly for his kingdom. It takes a church praying everyday for God’s protecting hand over these children AND their families. It takes a church praying for each person involved in teaching these children. It takes a church to lead and guide and be an example to these children. It takes a family to teach bible verses and help them memorize this beautiful word we have. It takes a family to do what it takes to make God number one in their household.

 

We took a video for Christmas and asked questions to them about the Christmas story…and one question was..“How do you think Mary and Joseph felt..having baby Jesus?” One answer was..“I’d say they felt pretty special.” Imagine is we saw each child as…special. These little children deserve all the love we have to give.

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Glow in the Dark.

“Even in our darkest moments, he is our light.” (a quote from a little girl in Riverbend Kidz) When you follow Jesus, you will glow, and then someone else will glow, and then someone else will glow.” (another quote from a little boy in Riverbend Kidz) Wednesday night we talked about glowing in the dark. Jesus is the light, and when we have Jesus in our hearts, WE become a light to others as well.

 

 

These days, kids have so much stuff going on in their life. They have bullies, grades, teachers, school, parent issues, fear, all kinds of things. We as adults, and you as parents, also have a lot of stuff going on in our lives. But we all have a choice. Sometimes it’s hard to make that choice. But, you as a parent, have to make that choice. As hard as it is, you have to do the best you can to keep your head up and make the decision to be a light in this dark world. Be a light to your children. We have to be a light as their teachers. We have to choose to let go of our bad day and do our best to shine for these kids. 

We gave the example of carrying around a glow stick. We turned the lights completely off and I hid the glow sticks behind my back. I talked about how this world was dark. The kids had lots of examples of how this world was dark. There is crazy stuff going on the world and on the news, we have bullies at school, family problems, grades, all kinds of stuff. It’s dark and it’s dreary. But, when I took the glow sticks from behind my back, the room lit up. I walked around and talked about how all of this crazy dark stuff is happening, but you have a choice to shine the light of Jesus wherever you go. You can go to who is struggling and tell them you’re praying for them. You can sit with the kid at school who doesn’t have a friend. You can pray with your mom and dad if they are arguing and let them know love them. That is shining the light of Jesus. But, when you hide that light…(I put the glow sticks back behind my back) … you are just like the rest of the dark world. You aren’t shining the light like you should.

So, as a parent, with all the crazy things going on in your life..choose..the best you can to see the good. Choose to be the light that Jesus needs you to be. God has a plan for your family and for you…but you have to make the choice to always follow him and do the best you can to help others, and help your family and your kids follow him.

1. Talk to your kids about a hard time in your life and how you chose to let your light shine.
2. Ask the kids to share a time it was difficult for them to let their light shine. Talk about ways they can help their friends.
3. Make a prayer jar: cut slips of paper and everyday put in the jar something special that you will pray about.
4. Glow in the Dark campout: Have a fun night. Make a fort or set up a tent in the living room & get some glow sticks. Show them that living a life for Jesus can be FUN!

I Waited So Long For it….Mac & Cheese.

Patience & Praise.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

This week, the kids led worship out in big church, and then when we went to our class, we learned about Patience. I didn’t really put the two together until I sat down and started typing this out. I am not a patient person, just as most of the kids we teach are also not very patient. (trust me, we know this so well)

So, we asked the kids when was a time that they had to show patience, and if it was hard or if it was easy. There were several different answers, but what stuck out…was the story of mac & cheese. This little boy went to a restaurant with his family & he ordered mac & cheese. Everyone was getting their food, and this little boy was waiting on his mac & cheese. He wanted it SO bad. He was ready for it. It finally came, and he was happy and it was good, but, yeah. That’s how he ended that story. Have you ever been on the side of..”but, yeah…”

I’m the worst at being patient, like I’ve already said. Have you ever struggled so bad with waiting for something? Maybe, you’ve prayed for something and it has yet to happen. Maybe you’ve fasted about something, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. Maybe even, you’ve received what you prayed for and what caused you to lose your patience…but you found out..that isn’t what you wanted and it caused you more pain than happiness. So, your attitude and your impatience caused you to fall. But, what would happen if you praised when you started to feel impatient? What would happen if you said, “I love you, God, no matter what.” “Even if it doesn’t happen and I’m still waiting, I will still love you.” “God, it’s your timing, not my own.” That child was getting really frustrated and it was hard to wait for that mac & cheese that he wanted so bad…and I have a feeling because that’s how kids are…he was probably constantly talking about it & asking mom, “Where is my mac and cheese?” And it wasn’t a very patient wait. When he finally received it….it may not have been all that he thought it was going to be. Think about that in life. Don’t take it in your own hands and your own thoughts when life doesn’t turn out like you want it. You may have to wait for a while. But, trust, if you’re living the life God wants you to live….God has a plan…and what is meant to be will be in his timing. Your bills will be paid…your kids will behave…your marriage will mend..your relationships will grow stronger. Be patient in everything you do. Even if it’s just waiting for some mac and cheese.

1. Devotion Time: Talk with your kids at bedtime..or a quiet time, about a time you yourself had to be patient as a parent. Let them share with you.
2. Play a fun game of “red light, green light, yellow light.” (talk about how sometimes God’s answers are, stop, wait, or go & the same with our prayers)
3. Watch a video of a bird hatching from an egg or some other animal…watch as it’s a slow process…but patience is working.
4. Cotton Ball jar: Every time your child shows patience, put a cotton ball in their jar. When they get so many…get a special prize or go for a special outing.

 

All You Need to Know is, I’m Struggling.

This was the topic of our lesson Wednesday, and the title of this post was a comment made by a child in the class. Can we really imagine what goes on in the minds of kids? I mean, really? Do you as a parent know what goes on in your child’s life? Do you talk to them about their struggles or about what they are battling with on the inside? Are you too caught up in your own stress or in your own happiness that you don’t see what is really going on? Sometimes we can do that. Once again, I’m not a parent, but I’ve been the one to have a bad day and then come to teach these children about Jesus and find myself on edge because of my stress and I’m not really connecting with them like I should. But, they need us, once again, I will continually repeat that. No matter the day we’ve had, they need our best.

So, this statement hit me when this child said this…because they didn’t really need to tell what was going on, but you knew something was/is tough in his life but him just saying…just know I’m struggling. So, we learned about Job.

Job was a good man. He loved God with all his heart, yet, God let the devil take away his life. He let the devil test him, because he KNEW that Job would never turn his back on God. Job kept trusting God even when he didn’t understand what he was doing. The kids realized that they too have a choice, just as you as a parent have that same choice. When things are tough…you can choose to give up…or you can choose to keep trusting God and hold on to your faith. But, when this happens…when the trials knocks at your door…don’t take it out on your children, please. Take a breath and look in their eyes, and let them know, “I love you.” They will need that confirmation through whatever it is you may be going through.

 

1 Corinthians 5:7- We walk by faith, not by sight. 

Sometimes, we get ourselves into messes. When you lose track on where God has placed you..and you don’t put him first..the trials will come more and more…and it will be on our own account. Your family will face struggles, you will face struggles and it’s because God has been replaced by the desires of the world. The world may look fun…but will it be fun for your children when they forget that God should be number one in their life too? Will it be fun when they start struggling more and more and you don’t know what to do? Yes, God will place battles in our life for us to fight…but sometimes we put ourselves in battles that we weren’t meant to fight and it harms us rather than does us good.

 

Job 1:21…the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. We are going to face struggles in life, but it is our choice, it is YOUR choice as a parent to help your kids see that when they put God first, God will be with them through the trials they will face, because they will face trials, no matter how much they love God…trials will come. How are you going to lead them?

1. Share a time in your life with your kids, that you struggled. How did you keep your faith in God? Make that be a devotion time and a connecting moment with your kids.
2. Art/Creativity: Draw what “praising God” looks like to you, both in the good and the bad. Get creative and talk about it.
3. First, get a plain piece of paper, flat, and throw it in the air. See how it lands and doesn’t fly well. Then, make a paper airplane with the creases and fly it again..watch how it glides better once you have made creases in the paper. Compare this to trials in our lives, the creases being the trials. The bad things that happen prepare us for what God has for us. If we endure with faith in God, we will be stronger. Make paper airplanes with your child.
4. Pick someone close that has been struggling, do something nice as a family for that person or family.

He’s Not Some Random Guy, He’s Your Friend!

So, I’ve said it many times, and I will continue to say it, kids can teach you more than you can teach them, many times. Sometimes, these kids will say something and I’m just like…”Did that just come out of an 8 year old’s mouth?” The way they view God is amazing at times…and they inspire me every time I’m able to be with them. Even on the rough nights, a child will come up and tell you something they learned or just something in general that makes your heart leap and you’re like, “this is it, God. this is where I belong.”

So, I decided to start this blog to let all of you in on some of the amazing things these kids learn & say, and to offer encouraging notes when times get hard, and ways to help your kids dive in more with Jesus. It may be a bible verse of the week, a thought of the week, but just something that will help you connect with your kids. Connection matters.

“He’s not some random guy, he’s your friend,” was the exclamation that one little boy gave to us after we started talking about the song, “Friend of God” and what it means. Me and my other teacher just looked at each other..and that was it. Do we really think that way sometimes? Do we forget that he’s not just some random guy up there just staring at us? No way! He’s with us everyday. He’s beside every step we take. If we have taken the time to pray him into our lives and receive the baptism of the holy ghost…he is with you and he WILL NOT forsake you! You wouldn’t want your friend to stop talking to you would you? You wouldn’t want your friend to turn their back on you, would you? We treat God like that sometimes because I think we forget who he really is. We also had another girl say, “In the good and the bad, he is good all the time.” How amazing is that? At this young of an age, and these kids can grasp on to this amazing fact!

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, “who is and was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

Connect with your kids: He is who you need him to be. He’s a friend, a father, a counselor, a protector, a provider. Think on that this week/weekend.

Who is God to you?
Talk with your kids about this truth. Share with your kids a time that Jesus really was your best friend.
Pick a devotional time to read the bible/pray/talk with your kids everyday.
Go through the alphabet and think of a name for Jesus for every letter. Write them down.
Make sure he’s not just some random guy, because Riverbend Kidz know the truth!