Growing in Grace and Knowledge

I can hardly believe it: attendance records are up-to-date, Sunday School is set and ready to go, volunteers are lined up and reminded....I feel like I'm actually caught up at the moment! (I'm choosing to ignore that it's nearly 6pm and I'm still at the church!) I wanted to share another gem I've come across and use routinely in our programs here at the church. The Jesus Storybook Bible is a lovely resource for your younger children. The illustrations by Jago are whimsical and thought-provoking, and the way Sally Lloyd-Jones ties together a mastery of words with the Big Picture of the Bible is extremely effective. The Jesus Storybook Bible has a curriculum as well that can be used as a Sunday school or mid-week program. We haven't used the program yet, but I keep a stash of these Bibles in my Toddler room to use on Sunday mornings, and I have another stash ready to hand out to new families that don't have a family devotional time, or are new to ch...

As a Children's Ministry Director, there is nothing better than finding material that you can trust. (Ok...I suppose if I was super spiritual I would say Jesus is the best...but seriously, good material is REALLY important!) In the constant search for curriculum, lessons and materials that present the Gospel in a true, relevant and easy-to-prepare format, you know that when you find a good one, you're going to hang on to it! The Gospel Project for Kids is one of those resources. We are in our second year using this program, and we love it. My leaders have commented how much they are learning week to week preparing lessons for their students, and we have all seen an improvement in the basic biblical knowledge of our kids over the past years. The emphasis on the unity of Scriptures, the single story of God's plan for salvation, has been a huge benefit to our students. The stories and lessons might be about different characters each week, but our kids know that each le...

There are days (weeks!) that rush by in a flurry of chaos, To-Do lists and conversations that start with "Oh, I've been meaning to talk to you about...". On days like this it's easy to feel like I've been caught up in a whirlwind that has no intent of slowing down. Ever. And sometimes I just need a moment to catch my breath. Usually this is where I lock myself in a bathroom, or one of my other secret hiding places in the church. (So far I have 2 that I've not been found in yet...pure gold!) But more often than not, instead of needing a quiet moment to myself, what I need is to remember that God is calling me to slow down and re-focus. Running myself ragged trying to do a million things FOR him isn't want he wants. God wants me to be spending time WITH him. And I can do that while I'm working, but when I get myself caught in a flurry of activity, I'm not consciously spending my time with him. I need slow down. So today, the words He us...

Out of the depths, O Lord, I cry to You When I am tempted to despair Though I might fail to trust Your promises You never fail to hear my prayer And if You judged my sin I’d never stand again But I see mercy in Your hands The secret mysteries belong to You We only know what You reveal And all my questions that are unresolved Don’t change the wisdom of Your will In every trial and loss My hope is in the cross Where Your compassions never fail So more than watchmen for the morning I will wait for You, my God When my fears come with no warning In Your Word I’ll put my trust When the harvest time is over and I still see no fruit I will wait, I will wait for You

I just HAD to share this article. It's near and dear to my heart, and honestly, just good advice! 6 Ways You're (Unintentionally) Telling Your Kids Not to Listen It's so easy to expect children to work on our timeline, and adapt to our quick communication methods that we think save time, but in the long run, they make it harder. It's always worth taking a moment, getting down to their level and letting children know that they are valued, and that we want to hear what they say. And while we're on the topic of valuing children, I may as well send you over to this article as well! Children were (and still are!) so important to Jesus and his mission on this earth. We see many times when he walked among us that children were important to him. I love how Mark 10:16 reads, "And he [Jesus] took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them." Just try and love a child without at the very least getting down to their level. Children need...

With all of the thankfulness and gratitude floating around Facebook these days, I figured it was a good idea to focus on things to be thankful for around the Children's Ministry here as well. God has blessed us richly, and it's unfortunate how quickly we can lose sight of that in the light of our temporary and passing struggles, frustrations, or even simple fatigue. I know really have a hard time being thankful when I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open! Support:  I can hardly believe the number of people who have come alongside to pray with me, encourage me, or give me a timely-yet-motivating kick in the backside to get me moving. God has truly blessed this church with strong leadership, and I feel honoured to be working among them. Volunteers:  Everyone said the hardest part about working in Children's Ministry was going to be finding volunteers. I admit, it takes a LOT of willing people to run the programs here at the church, but so far we have been incred...