I (Heart) Children's Ministries

Summer Fun

2011-05-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

Laura Winslow created this darling printable with tons of cute, fun summer ideas. What a great resource for Family Ministry!

Click on the picture to visit Laura's site and download the printable.

Link Roundup: 5/25/11

2011-05-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

That was a bit of a hiatus! I'm back in full-blogging action now and ready to rock your world with a Link Roundup. Enjoy!

• Ministry to Children has some great ideas on engaing preschoolers in Sunday School.

• Relevant Children's Ministry gives guidance on talking with kids about natural disasters.

• CM Buzz has some insight on the ongoing KidMin vs. Youth Sports "battle."]

• Planning a staycation this summer? Visit Growing Kids Ministry before you begin your fun!

• Free is the best price - and that's what makes Guildcrafs Jungle Finger Puppets so great!

Music for Mondays: Today is the Day

2011-05-02T22:45:00.000-07:00

This is a fun song that I introduced to my kindergarten through second graders yesterday. I love the energy in the song and the message of confidence it gives. Without further adieu, "Today is the Day" from Lincoln Brewster.

Here we go!
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
I'm casting my cares aside
I'm leaving my past behind
I'm setting my heart and mind on You
Jesus

I'm reaching my hand to Yours
Believing there's so much more
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good
Is good

Chorus:
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
And I won't worry about tomorrow
I'm trusting in what You say
Today is the day

Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Today is the day
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
I putting my fears aside
I'm leaving my doubts behind
I'm giving my hopes and dreams to You
Jesus

I'm reaching my hand to Yours
Believing there's so much more
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good
Is good

Chorus

(Guitar interlude)

(2x's)
I will stand upon Your truth.
(I will stand upon Your truth)
And all my days I'll live for You
(And all my days I'll live for You)

Chorus

Music for Mondays: Here I Am

2011-04-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

When it comes to Music for Mondays here on I (Heart) Children's Ministries, there will be times where my song pick is kid-centric and times where it is a CCM tune. Today's song falls into the latter category.

As I was driving around town today, I heard this song on K-Love and immediately fell in love with it. I thought I'd share it here. It's by one of my favorite bands, Downhere, and it is called "Here I Am." Enjoy!

Sometimes Your calling, comes in dream
Sometimes in comes in the Spirit's breeze
You reach for the deepest hope in me
And call out for the things of eternity

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say

Chorus
Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands

Are You not the closest when it's hardest to stand
I know that You will finish what You began

And these broken parts You will redeem
Become the song that I can sing

Chorus

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but You can

Chorus

Here I Am, all my life an offering to You, to You
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan
Here I am

Furnishing Your Children's Wing Classrooms

2011-04-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I had a friend ask me for some tips on furnishing a playroom. I sent her a list of some tips I've learned from furnishing both children's wing classrooms and preschool classrooms and I thought I'd share them here.

Top Tips for Furnishing Your Children's Wing Classrooms:

Check places like Burlington Coat Factory, Ross, and TJ Maxx. These stores often have high quality educational toys at a fraction of the cost.
Stick with hard plastic or wood toys. Cloth toys (i.e. stuffed animals) are more difficult to keep sanitary.
Wall decals (available at Target, Walmart, etc.) are a quick, easy, colorful way to decorate a room. If you have a bigger budget to work with, Trading Phrases has amazing products.
For actual furniture, check out Ikea. They offer really cute items at a good price. They also have some fun toys, but I'd look at the stores I mentioned earlier first.
Melissa & Doug has some of the best toys around. Their toys are durable and high quality. You'll find these at the stores I mentioned earlier.
Books are a great thing to have around. I have over 200 children's books and many of them were purchased at second hand stores. I'm amazed at how many of my preschoolers will sit down and "read" for an extended period of time.
It is important to have some sort of creative space for kids. Simple solutions for this can be having an easel or covering a small table with butcher paper and providing crayons.
Pick bold, bright colors to capture kids' attention.
ClosetMaid has awesome storage shelves. You can find them at Target or Fred Meyer.

Hope these tips help! What are some of your strategies for decorating your KidMin classrooms?

Giveaway Winner: The Crossmaker DVD

2011-04-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

The winner of See the Light's The Crossmaker DVD is...

Frank Tan!

Congratulations, Frank! Go ahead and e-mail us your contact information so we can send you the DVD.

Thanks to all who entered and keep reading I (Heart) Children's Ministries for more fun KidMin tricks, tips, and - of course - giveaways!

My Two Cents: The Crossmaker DVD (Easter Story & Art Lessons)

2011-04-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I posted about an awesome ministry teaching tool from See the Light (Art Class program DVD's). Today, I have the opportunity to share another cool resource with you from the same company.

See the Light's The Crossmaker DVD, featuring an Easter story along with art lessons, is a unique way to present the message of Easter to children. The Easter story on the DVD, appropriately named "The Crossmaker" tells the story of Dominic, a carpenter's son, who finds himself drawn into Jesus' trial. While this story isn't "straight from scripture," it lends itself nicely to discussion as children are able to hear the story from the perspective of a child like them. The narrative is presented with Gloria Kohlmann's stunning artwork and skillfully narrated by Gary Pike. While the acting feels a little contrived at times, younger kids will enjoy the simplicity of the story, the bright and colorful artwork, and the fresh interpretation.

I think The Crossmaker lends itself nicely to discussion so, while I wouldn't necessarily utilize this in my large group mixed ages Sunday morning ministry, I think the DVD would be an excellent source for children in small groups who are in kindergarten through about fourth grade.

Also included on the DVD are three art lessons. Heidi Shorts teaches a lesson on creative lettering, Pat Knepley shows kids how to use chalk pastels to create an Easter scene, and Jim Pence gives a tutorial on watercolors. Each art lesson uses a unique medium and runs about twenty to thirty minutes in length. These would be great to use in a classroom setting or with a small group of children. The length of the lessons could easily be broken up by pausing the DVD to allow children time to create their own masterpieces. As can be expected from the Art Class DVD curriculum, each artist on the DVD is engaging and ties biblical truths into their presentation in a way that is fun and memorable.

Finally, the DVD includes some bonus features such as a music video, the plan of salvation, commentary on the story "The Crossmaker," and a meet 'n' greet with the See the Light team.

You can check out a promo for this resource at See the Light's YouTube page.

In my opinion, this DVD would make a wonderful addition to any early elementary school aged child's Easter basket... and good news, we're having a giveaway!

And it is a short one. You have until 9:00 a.m. PST tomorrow morning to enter to win your own copy of this awesome DVD. Just comment on this post with one of your favorite Easter memories. We'll randomly select a winner and announce if you're the lucky duck tomorrow morning. :o) While you may not receive the product until shortly after Easter, you can certainly tell your kiddo it is on the way! :o)

Looking forward to hearing your Easter memories and giving away a copy of this program.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Music for Mondays: The Easter Song

2011-04-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

As I was sitting in church on Palm Sunday, my pastor uttered three simple words that inspired my choice for Music for Mondays this week: "He is risen!"

I recognize my pastor was not the first person to say such words. These three simple words date back thousands of years, to the excited friends celebrating Christ's resurrection.

They also date back a few decades to this classic (albeit cheesy) Easter tune. Enjoy a trip down memory lane.

Donald Miller's Take on Love Wins

2011-04-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

Check it out here: http://donmilleris.com/2011/04/01/my-review-of-love-wins/.

:o)

Music for Mon...Wednesdays: Jesus is the Rock

2011-04-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

I taught this little ditty to my preschoolers this past Sunday and they loved it! We only sang the chorus but they were bop-she-boppin' and wooin' their little hearts out! :o)

Jesus is the Rock and he rolls my blues away
Jesus is the Rock and he rolls my blues away
Jesus is the Rock and he rolls my blues away

When you wake up in the morning And the sky ain’t bright and blue
When you wake up in the morning And the big world’s after you
When you wake up in the morning Jesus’ gonna pull you through

Chorus

When you’re out on the streets And you’re really feelin’ down and low
When you’re out on the streets And there’s really no place to go
When you’re out on the streets Jesus’ gonna save your soul

Chorus

When you look in the mirror
And your face causes it to crack
When you’re through with your day
And you feel like you’ve been attacked
Well Jesus’ gonna love you
And baby now that’s a fact

Rebecca St. James Giveaway Winner

2011-04-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

We have a winner in our Rebecca St. James CD Giveaway!

I made a little chart with your names like so:

Then visited random.org to generate the number:

Making the winner of the Rebecca St. James album I Will Praise You...

Jeff C.

Congratulations, Jeff! Go ahead and send us an e-mail by clicking the contact box in the sidebar. We look forward to hearing from you!

For those of you who didn't win this time - don't fret! We'll be having another giveaway this weekend, so keep reading I (Heart) Children's Ministries!

Music for Mondays: Tuesday Edition & Giveaway!

2011-04-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

This week's Music for Mondays post is special for two different reasons. One, it is actually Tuesday. If that reason isn't quite measuring up to your definition of special, try this reason number two - I'm reviewing an entire CD and giving away a free copy!

That's right, folks - it's time for another:

Woohoo!

Rebecca St. James' new worship album I Will Praise You was released today and let me tell you, it is a gem. When asked to review Rebecca's newest album, I was pretty jazzed given that her 2002 worship compilation Worship God was my main jam my sophomore/junior year of high school. I could not get enough of it! (Seriously, listening to it now brings back so many memories.)

I Will Praise You is a much slower paced album than Worship God - but this is a welcome change. The songs still pack the power and punch that her first worship CD did, with earnest and honest lyrics and beautiful melodies.

Here's my two cents on the ten tracks on this album - as well as the star rating I gave them on my iTunes player. :o)

1. I Will Praise You (5/5) - This fun, upbeat track is a reminder of the constant praise we should be giving God. I love this track because it shares the exact message I've been pumping to my Sunday morning kiddos. I love a great KidMin tie-in!

2. You Never Let Go (4/5)- This tune is a great cover of Matt Redman's original song. While it doesn't pack quite the same level of energy as Redman's recording, it still gets you moving.

3. Shine Your Glory Down (5/5) - I appreciated the simple, powerful words of this song. "God, I long to see Your face/Oh, shine Your glory down...With each breath, fill me/With each step, free me/When I love, Father love through me."

4. You Amaze Me (3/5) - A reworking of the lyrics of "Amazing Grace." Great message, okay song.

5. In A Moment (5/5) - This song has such vivid imagery in its lyrics and has a beautiful melody. A great track for Easter.

6. The Kindness of our God (5/5) - This track is super mellow and is the kind of thing I like listening to during my quiet time.

7. When the Stars Burn Down (Blessing and Honor) (5/5) - Let me start by saying that I love songwriter Jennie Lee Riddle. Her lyrics always paint the most amazing pictures of God's glory. This song was almost ethereal and Rebecca's voice lent itself wonderfully to the track's musicality.

8. Almighty God (4/5) - A great reminder that our God is strong and always near us.

9. You Hold Me Now (5/5) - An earnest ballad proclaiming the joys of Heaven. I think this would be a great track to use when explaining the concept of Heaven to elementary school students.

10. You Make Everything Beautiful (5/5) - This is a gorgeous song with a great message for preteen girls, that God makes everything beautiful in His timing.

• • •

As you can see, I am definitely digging Rebecca St. James' I Will Praise You. But will you? To quote Reading Rainbow, "You don't have to take my word for it!" - because I'm giving away a free copy!

You'll get one entry each in the giveaway (which ends Thursday at 5:00 p.m. PST) by doing the following:

One entry for leaving a comment on this post.
One entry for becoming a fan of or commenting on I (Heart) Children's Ministries' Facebook page.
One entry for becoming a follower of this blog (click the box in the sidebar).
One entry for becoming a follower of I (Heart) Children's Ministries on Twitter or retweeting the contest URL.

That's right - you can be entered in this giveaway up to four times! Get crackin'! :o) Oh - and you can listen to a preview of the album here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Goofy Dads

2011-04-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

I recently came across this awesome news story and thought I'd share it here. Watch the video before you continue on:

Yeah, that's right. Dale the Dad waves at his fifteen year old son as he boards the bus each day - in a different costume. I love this guy. How can you not?

Here are a few of my favorite Dale costumes:

Dale as Captain America, a Housewife, a Hawaiian, a Reno 911 cop, and (my fave) Lady GaGa.

Dale's son, Rain, admitted he was initially embarrassed by his dad's antics - and sometimes still is - but appreciates the smiles he brings to his friends' faces.

I always laugh a little when I hear about kids being embarrassed by their parents. Yeah, I've been there. Like Rain, I too have a goofy dad. I went through a cycle of appreciation for Dad's antics. As a kid, he was my hero. (My brother and I would beg him to mute the commercials on TV and do his own funny voice-overs.) As a fourteen year old, I was mortified by him. (At my freshman registration, he shouted, "Altoids? Who wants Altoids?") As a seventeen year old, I cherished him. (When my friend's prom date got sick last minute, my Dad took my other friend all over town to get a tuxedo and corsage.) As an adult, I think he's the best Dad a girl could ask for - wise, funny, and supportive.

In the end, I'm glad I have a Dad with a sense of humor. Rain is too. And I'm also glad I have a heavenly Father who has enough of a sense of humor to give us those goofy dads in the first place.

Love you, Dad!

P.S. You can follow Dale's wacky looks at http://waveatthebus.blogspot.com/.

Music for Mondays: Mighty to Save

2011-03-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

This week's Music for Mondays post is a song I'm certain most of my blog readers will be familiar with. "Mighty to Save" was written by Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan at Hillsong and has been sung in churches since 2006, making the song five (!) years old.

Often sung in our main worship service at Grace, "Mighty to Save" is an easily recognizable song to our kids. In fact, as soon as I announced that's what we were singing yesterday, I had two little girls jumping up and down and exclaiming that the tune was their favorite.

What I love about "Mighty to Save" is that it portrays the magnanimity of our great God in simple, easy to grasp terms. Savior, He can move the mountains... He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave... Hearing the children in my ministry sing these words excitedly and with passion yesterday inspired me to pick this song for this week's M4M post.

While I enjoy the original recording of this song, I just love Laura Story's more recent recording from her 2008 album Great God Who Saves. Her voice is pure and fervent - I can't help but sing along. (Side note - if you feel like having a good cry, check out Laura's official video for the song and her story.)

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
A kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
Yeah I surrender

Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus

Giveaway Winner: See the Light Art Class DVD, Volume 1

2011-03-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

Tracy is our winner for the See the Light Art Class DVD, Volume 1! Congratulations. Check your e-mail - we'll be contacting you!

Thanks to all who entered and remember - to stay up to date on all giveaways here at I (Heart) Children's Ministries become a fan of us on Facebook!

Spring Staff Appreciation Gift Idea

2011-03-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

Beth at it is what it is has a darling spring gift idea. I plan on modifying this and using it to show some appreciation to some of my children's workers!

Click the image to view instructions for this fun, sweet gift.

Crazy Coloring Pages: Best Things to Do When "Upest"

2011-03-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

I have a weird obsession.

I love coloring pages that are just a little off-kilter.

I'm sure we've all come across them while working in ministry. Coloring pages with funny typos, "interesting" artwork, or that are just fall down funny.

I've decided to share my joy and periodically upload some of my favorite crazy coloring pages.

This one has to be my favorite of all time:

At first glance, this is just a cute coloring page with cute kids... but take a closer gander. I love the things the kids do when they are "upest." A little too true to life - "I'm running away!" and "I'm going to stuff my face!"

This really is a great page to teach kids about going to God in times of trouble. Kudos to the artist for tackling a tricky topic with humor - intentionally or not.

Hope this brought a smile to your face today!

Music for Mondays: Here I Am To Worship

2011-03-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Over the past year or so, I've grown increasingly passionate about teaching the elementary school children in my ministry songs that they'll actually hear in an adult worship service. One of my goals is that my kids will go out humming the same tunes their parents do after Sunday service.

I've also been trying to teach my kids the importance of worshiping God through song and really, for lack of better terms, teaching them how to do that. (You know, so I don't have to say things like, "Fifth Graders! Be an example not a distraction!") :)

Yesterday, I prepped my kids for singing by explaining why it is important. One thing I try to remind the kids of weekly is that when we worship God we are doing what we were designed to do. This is God's plan for us, that we are worshipful beings! I also explained that instrumental interludes in the songs (aka "the parts with no words") provided a great opportunity for them to pray to God on their own.

I chose "Here I Am To Worship" as our worship song yesterday because the lyrics are fairly simple and set the tone for an environment of praise. Many of my kiddos knew the song already - what a gift to hear their voices sing to the King of Kings!

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Here I Am To Worship Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
to see my sins upon that cross

GIVEAWAY: See the Light Art Class DVD, Vol. 1

2011-03-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well, this is exciting! I (Heart) Children's Ministries' first giveaway!

Today's giveaway is See the Light's Art Class DVD, Volume 1. The DVD contains the first four lessons of See the Light's Art Class curriculum - which is an AWESOME curriculum, I might add. (Read here for more information on this product.)

This would be a great gift for any elementary school child. The DVD is engaging and fun!

So, how can you win the giveaway?

Comment on this post with your name, the name of your favorite piece of art, and e-mail address by Monday, March 21 at 5:00 p.m. We'll announce the winner Monday night!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Adverting."

My Two Cents: See the Light Art Class DVD Curriculum

2011-03-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

See the Light: Art Class DVD Curriculum

I have a handful of homeschooling families in my ministry at Grace Community Fellowship, so when I was asked to review See the Light's new Art Class DVD curriculum, I readily agreed. This Christian curriculum is specifically designed for Christian schools and homsechoolers alike.

As per the DVD descriptor, "Each [See the Light Art Class] lesson provides kids with progressive, hands-on tools to learn everything from basic art skills like perspective and shape before tackling tougher challenges and more advanced topics and techniques." The lesson segments last between 10 to 15 minutes and are taught by the energetic, engaging Pat Knepley.

I found myself itching to create my own artwork after watching the Art Class lessons. Knepley does a wonderful job of tying in Christian themes while teaching artwork. For example, in the first lesson of the series, Knepley explains about the basic tools needed for an artist. She then relates this to the basic tool needed for a Christian - the Bible. These segues were natural and didn't feel forced or "preachy."

I thought the length of the lessons were just right. I imagine a child anywhere from first grade to fifth grade being engaged by the material. Knepley also ties in art history into her lessons, which - as an art history junkie - I thought was awesome.

Overall, I'd strongly recommend this product to those looking for a fresh, affordable, enjoyable curriculum to implement into their classroom, be that in the standard school or homeschool setting.

You can check out See the Light on their website or on Facebook.

Be sure to check back later today for a giveaway of the Art Class DVD (Volume 1: Lesons 1-4)!

Here's a fun little promo video for the product:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Adverting."

Kids Baptism Worksheet

2011-03-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share the baptism worksheet my ministry uses when kids want to be baptized. Click on the image to download the document.

This worksheet was adapted by the former children's director at our church and I've made some tweaks as well. I hope it proves useful for you and your ministry!

Music for Mondays: Sing Hosanna (Give Me Oil in My Lamp)

2011-03-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

"Sing Hosanna" is one of my favorite kids songs because of the fun lyrics and hand motions. There are a lot of different verses and variations. The version I sing with my kids is included after the video. (P.S. I always seem to find the cheesiest videos on YouTube, but at least they include the melody!)

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Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, burning, burning
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray (Hallelujah!)
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, burning, burning,
Keep me burning 'til the break of day

And I will Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings

Give me gas in my Ford, keep me trucking for the Lord
Give me gas in my Ford, I pray (Hallelujah!)
Give me gas in my Ford, keeping me trucking for the Lord
Keep me trucking 'til the break of day

And I will Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings

Give me wax for my board, keep me surfin' for the Lord
Give me wax for my board, I pray (Hallelujah!)
Give me wax for my board, keep me surfin' for the Lord
Keep me surfin' 'til the break of day

And I will Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings

Pray for Japan this Sunday Morning

2011-03-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

Sunday mornings are nuts.

Any KidMin will tell you, they spend the bulk of the morning running around like a chicken with their head cut off, making sure all ducks are in a row. (Two mentions of game fowl in the same sentence? There's got to be an award for that somewhere...)

In the midst of the busy-ness of Sunday mornings, it is easy to forget to take the time to pray for our world with the children in our ministry.

This past week, a massive earthquake hit Japan, devastating the lives of thousands. When a disaster like this hits, it can be hard to know how to pray or even what to say to our kids to help them understand the magnanimity of the situation without totally overwhelming them.

Here are a few tips for you as you pray for Japan this Sunday morning:

Let the kids talk. Because the kids will want to talk about the disaster. They will be looking for a safe outlet to talk about what happened.
Speak the truth in love. Present information to the children that is truthful, but use a loving tone. Let them know that many are suffering - but remind them that we have a God who hears our prayers.
Remind the kids that God is good. In troublesome times, it can be easy to overlook the fact that God is good, a refuge in times of trouble. I'm grappling with this in my personal walk right now as I wrestle with the news that one of my preschooler's has relapsed into a cancer we thought was gone.
Make it personal by asking questions. Ask the kids if any of them have been to Japan or know someone who has. Ask if they know anyone who lives there. Explain that millions of people are without electricity and ask for volunteers to share as to why this would be difficult. Give the kids space to imagine a bit.
Allow time to pray quietly and together. Open up a time of prayer with a child volunteer, then ask for everyone to quietly pray on their own. Close with a few more children's prayers as well as your own.
Present kids with a tangible way to help. Have a jar available for kids to give money towards a Christian relief organization like Samaritan's Purse or World Vision.

St. Patrick's Day Trivia Quiz

2011-03-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun little trivia sheet I created in case you want to quiz your kids on their St. Patrick's Day knowledge this upcoming Sunday! Enjoy.

Click on the image above to download the quiz.

Prayers Coveted

2011-03-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

Just got word that Miss Kate's cancer is back. My heart just breaks for her and her family. Please hold this sweet little five year old and her parents in your prayers.