Forget this, let’s plan for summer
Are you loving the ridiculously cold weather?
Why go to Bible Camp?
- Campers get to basically experience church 5+ times in one week!
- Campers get out of the house and get exercise
- Campers get to socialize and bring friends
- Campers have a week full of Christ-centeredness
- It will be a life changing experience
- It’s one of my 6 Essentials for Disciples who Walk with Jesus (now you’re wondering what the other 5 are…)
- And lets be honest, it’s great to have our house a few decibels quieter
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Pop Up Websites

- Get a family friendly router – we had one that could limit the time and content that devices were allowed to view. Bestbuy has a bunch to choose from. If you choose the Circle router, it has amazing features, but requires a subscription at some point
- Keep computers and devices in public places
- Don’t EVER let young kids take a phone to bed – you probably don’t want to know what age boys have their first experience with porn
- All phones charge in a main room – not in bedrooms (parents included)
- Set clear boundaries for screen time (no games/devices after supper, no devices in bedrooms, 1 hour a day, etc.)
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The New Year is Almost Here!
The new year is near and many cannot wait to flip the calendar and start fresh. This last year has had a lot of crud in it. In fact, for many, it feels like layer upon layer of crud. And for others, there have been a lot of precious moments and victories.
The grass is greener where you water it
The grass was full of weeds
1) As you look ahead to the new year, how will you begin to water it and help it be a flourishing year?
2) Weeds will creep into our lives, but we can still thrive as we are surrounded by God’s love and grace.
As the clock strikes 12, or whenever you head to bed, many people have traditions and activities they like to do. Some like to set off fireworks, shout “happy new year,” or give a hug and kiss. Let’s start this new year with prayer and praying through our life networks.
Friends – pray that your friends and neighbours will embrace the hope we have in Christ
Work/School – pray that your coworkers and peers would embrace God’s love and grace. Pray that you will live in such a way that would point them to forgiveness in Jesus.
Interests – as you encounter people throughout your activities, pray that you will lead people to Christ
Church – pray that we would continue to celebrate and share the Good News that Jesus Christ changes lives forever as we make disciples
Colossians 1:3-14
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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Hope – You Can Do It

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
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We’ve got lots of time
Christmas is 43 days away, Christmas is coming… Eventually. We’ve got lots of time right?
Even though we have lots of time, for some reason Christmas always seems to creep up and surprise me and at some point I rush a little bit or just concede and let go of some of my plans and preparations. But not this year!
This year I’m going to start preparing my heart and my home early. I put up my Christmas Lights on Nov. 4 – when it was +5 in the evening. But don’t worry, we won’t plug them in and set the timer till Nov. 12 at the earliest. I’ve got my Christmas Devotional book, and I’m already brainstorming what kind of Christmas activities I’m going to do with my family.
The truth is, Christmas is going to be very different this year and this year, and this year we need Christmas more than every. Our world has been through a lot and it’s taken its toll. There’s a lot of brokenness all around us. But we don’t have to wait till Dec. 25 to celebrate the Good News that Jesus Changes lives forever. God sent His Son so that through his life, death, and resurrection, we can be forgiven, transformed, and made new!
How are you going to “Keep Christ in Christmas” And keep your eyes on Christ TODAY? “I don’t know” isn’t really a great answer. You can avoid Christmas fomo (fear of missing out) so here’s a few to get the ball rolling:
- Stop by Kennedy’s Parable and pick up a devotional book, gift, or decorations. I have a few extra copies of Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul Tripp I’d love to give you
- Start reading one of the Gospels a little each day, it’s OK if you read about Jesus birth even if it’s not Dec. 24 or 25. In fact, if you start now, you’ll likely get to the reason he came by Christmas Day.
- Decorate your house intentionally in a way that points your family and your guests towards Jesus. Honestly, we don’t do Santa or Reindeer, but plaid is a must.
- Embrace the people and activities in the Nativity rather than Santa’s workshop: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Angels, Shepherds, Sheep, Wise Men, Stars and Bethlehem.
- Download a free devotional
- Make your own advent calendar (those cheep chocolate ones taste gross anyway)
- Pray for your family and friends who don’t know the Good News yet. Pray every day!
- Invite people to your home (abiding by the provinces guidelines of course)

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October 31 is almost here, yay!
After hosting a watch party for our Online Missions Conference, we’re definitely thinking about missions more than ever. As we look ahead to what’s next on the calendar, October 31st is right around the corner, and you know what that means? Reformation Day! Although that’s not the first thing anyone thinks of, its actually very very important.
Martin Luther wrote a thesis against the sale of indulgences and nailed to to the door of All Saints church in Wittenberg in 1517. At the time the Catholic Church and Pope had created a large sum of wealth from the sale of indulgences that would allow someone to go to heaven and/or get out of purgatory. Although they are unfortunately still for sale online.
“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” — Romans 1:17 (NIV)
Today, we have an incredible opportunity to be thankful for salvation, teach that truth to our kids and our life networks, and celebrate and share the Good News that Jesus Christ changes lives forever.
How can we remember and celebrate Reformation Day without dressing up like Martin Luther for Halloween?
- Listen to or Sing Martin Luther’s song A Mighty Fortress is Our God
- Share the Good News with someone
- Start or continue praying every day for a person that hasn’t found salvation in Christ yet
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- Ask your kids which friend they’d like to pray for and then plan on having them over to play at your house
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- Read Ephesians 2 with your family and memorize Ephesians 2:8-10 with them as well
- Romans 5:1-2 is another great passage to read, and you could memorize Romans 5:1
- Pray with your friends or family and ask God to reveal a person of peace, neighbour, or people group that we can share the Good News with
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Busy, Busy, Dreadfully Busy…

- Keep you Bible and books in a convenient place
- Stop working and stop cleaning and stop fixing at a reasonable time so I’m not too tired to wake up earlier
- Kids are loud and need attention, so you may have to wake up before them to focus
- Make a plan and keep truckin’ along
- Pray for others
- Comfort in life is not a basis for godly decisions
- Consequences follow every decision
- Blessing & Worship follow godly decisions
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I Choose to Worship

“Jesus didn’t say to worship in feelings and circumstance, but he said in spirit and truth.” Gareth Gilkeson
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Return to KidZone
- Registration for the year will be online and parents will need to do this before their children head down to KidZone
- Parents can either sanitize their kids’ hands upon entry to our facility, or escort their children to wash their hands in the bathroom after they check in
- Upon arrival on a Sunday, our KidZone Welcome-er will write their names down and a parent can escort them to KidZone
- Any time kids in Gr. 1-6 are not able to keep 6ft distance, they will wear a mask
- Toddlers and pre-schoolers do not need to wear masks
- Immediately after the service, a parent will head downstairs and pick up their kids
- Our goal is to follow the Provincial Child Care Facilities guidelines as best we can

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Refreshing Vacation Reading

I’ve begun going over it again and reading the miracles to my children, especially the one about the mishap with Adriaan’s hand and the helicopter (p.197).
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