KidZone March 29 – Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead
Jesus is Stronger than Death
Read more...
Home and School
So here we are, just over one week into the new era of no school for kids. Parenting around the world has changed drastically in the last two weeks. How’s it been going for you? Here are some of the things we’ve been doing around our house and some of the things we’ve discovered:
- Keep bed times regular. This is something our family does all year – even during summer holidays.
- Working from home is very difficult when my wife is working out of the home.
- Kids go where I go. So if I want them to go outside, I guess that means I go outside too.
- Set up work spaces if you can – for kids and yourself
- I feel the most important things for a kid to accomplish in a day are: reading, typing, and playing outside. If we can get through these things, we’ll be OK.
- So far, each day it does get a little easier.
- It might be tempting to look at homeschool parents and think they are superheroes. Maybe they are, but don’t compare yourself. Most of them have had years of experience, with one kid at a time entering school.
- Put on Christian music subtly in the background – I love to see the kids quietly singing along thought the day.
- You can do this.
- Spend time in the Word and prayer.
Read more...
KidZone March 22 – The Good Samaritan
Be Kind to Others
Read more...
Take Me Back
What do you tell your kids when they ask, “Do we have to go to church?” Or “Why do we have to go to church?”
My response is, “We don’t have to go. God is good, he has saved us by his grace through Jesus, and we choose to worship him with the church.”
Christ established the church and it is God’s chosen vehicle for His kingdom mission.
Matthew 16:18 “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
To the early church, “church” wasn’t a building. The Church is the gathered body of believers, both thought history and in local expressions, that assemble with the purpose to worship God, edify each other, and carry out his mission on earth.
“Fundamentally, the church of Jesus Christ is neither a building nor an organization. Rather, it is a people, a special people, a people who see themselves as standing in relationship to the God who saves them and to each other as those who share salvation.” (Gernz)
We were created to live in community, with other Christians, and worship God in the beauty of his holiness. And as we worship, we also gather together as one body, Christ’s church, to bring glory to His name together.
“We do not enter into a building and then commence to worship. If you are not worshipping God on Monday morning, as you worshipped him the day before, perhaps you are not worshipping him at all.” (A.W. Tozer, My Daily Pursuit, p.27)
The church isn’t perfect, its full of people who are saved by his grace who gather together to worship God. If you haven’t been to a church worship service, maybe it’s time to “go to church” – check out this song from Cochren & Co – Church (Take me back).
Read more...
Taking Attendance
I recently heard someone say the average Christian family attends a Sunday worship service 1.5 times a month. A regular attender is someone who attends a worship service 2 times a month.If you sat down and plotted your attendance, what would it honestly be? Are you happy with that?
Our lives, lived out as a living sacrifice for God’s glory, is also extremely important was we aim to disciple our children and instruct them in the ways in which they can follow God.
You are the primary influence in your child’s life.
Read more...
Walk this Way Part II
So what happened when my son’s school decided to have a PRIDE walk for elementary kids? For the back story, check out my previous post Walk this WayRead more...
Switch it Up
After Christmas, my boys seem quite motivated to save up their money to buy a Nintendo Switch. Jari has been trying to do some extra chores and memorize a few extra Bible verses so he can save.Read more...
Walk this Way
The elementary school my kids attend has hosted an optional pride walk for children during lunch break. Personally, I feel that my child should not be having conversations or activities to promote sex and sexual attraction at a young age (Kindergarten and Grade 2). I also feel this is an area that it is important for people of faith communicate and live out their faith and values. We do not support pride activities in schools. I understand that these kinds of activities are often initiated by the school division and government, and even students and families. However these activities do not reflect our values.
At some point, I know leaders, teaches and principles often think, “I wonder what the people in my community think and how they feel.” So this is how we feel.
Our family aims to be kind, caring, respectful to all people. We aim for humility and not pride.
Read more...
5 Family Prayers for the New Year
For many of us, the New Year is a time for setting goals and making resolutions. Especially this year, as we flip the calendar on a new decade, the new year can feel like a fresh start—365 blank pages just waiting to be written. No matter what happened in 2019, we can move forward to 2020 with a renewed sense of purpose and passion for living the life God intended for us and our family.
The New Year can also be a time of looking back on all that God has done for us in the last year. Or for a year like 2020, the last decade. The relationships He has given us or restored, the opportunities He has provided, and the forgiveness He has extended. The way our children have grown and the way we have grown. When we take the time to look back, we can see God’s hand in all of it, even the hard things.
As we reflect on all that has happened in the last year and look forward to all that will happen in 2020, one of the best ways to start our year off right is with an intentional family prayer time together.
5 Prayers for the New Year
Thanksgiving for the Past
Before we pray for God’s hand on our new year, we can thank God for all that He did for us in 2019. As a family, make a list of all of the ways that God has worked in your lives this year, both the ways that He blessed you and ways that He challenged you. Thank God for all of it—the joys and the struggles.
Dear God, Thank You for all of the ways You worked in our lives in 2019. You have blessed us with good things, comforted us in hard times, and challenged us to grow more like Jesus every day. We know that even when we can’t see it or feel it, You are always working. Help us to look for Your hand in our lives every day and be thankful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1(NLT)
Vision for the Future
Just like many people make New Year’s resolutions, many families set goals for their family at the beginning of every year—anything from saving more money to arguing less to giving and serving more to having a regular family devotion. As a family, decide on a few goals for 2020 and pray for the Lord to help you meet those goals.
Dear God, Give us the strength to work on these goals for our family. If these are not the goals You have for us, give us Your vision for the future of our family. Help us to encourage each other to grow rather than criticize. Lord, change us from the inside out to be more like Jesus every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Put off your old self . . . be made new in the attitude of your minds, and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
Patience with One Another
So many of us seem to have the least patience with those in our families. We spend all day being kind and gracious to everyone else and when we get home, we lose it. Or it may be just because we are around them the most or because our family members really know how to push our buttons. As you enter the new year, pray for your family to have the same patience with each other that God has with you.
Dear God, Thank You so much for Your patience with us when we are not behaving as we should. Please forgive us for our impatience with each other. Fill us with Your love and kindness, so that we can be patient with one another no matter what is going on or how we are feeling. Help us to bear with each other in love and gentleness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Be completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)
Trust in God’s Protection and Provision
In so many ways, the world can seem like a scary place these days. Some of us don’t even feel safe sending our kids to school or to a friend’s house to play. We worry about finances, that we won’t be able to provide for everything our children want or need, or that we aren’t saving enough for retirement. And there is always a chance that one of us will get a sudden and scary diagnosis. Whether it’s physical safety, our family’s health, spiritual warfare, or financial security, we really can’t trust in our own strength to handle everything that may come our way in 2020. We have to rely on God’s protection and provision. As you enter the new year, pray for God’s protection and provision for your family, and pray for you to have faith to trust in Him.
Dear God, Thank You for all the ways You protect our family and provide for us. We know that You are in control and that You have us in the palm of Your hand. Lord, protect us from evil, keep our family safe, both physically and spiritually. Help us to trust in You to provide all that we need and not to worry about the rest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
Generosity Toward Others
Over and over again in Scripture, God reminds us that we are blessed to be a blessing. We are put on this earth to love God and to love and serve others. Our families exist not just to love each other, but to love and serve the world. As we start the new year, turning your family’s hearts and minds outward to how you can be generous to others will help your family to develop God’s heart for His people and to live as Christ did. As a family, make a list of people you know who are in physical need, people who need Jesus, people who are hurting or scared or alone, and places you can serve others. Pray for those specific people and places and for God to show you how you can serve others every day.
Dear God, Thank You for sending Your Son to earth to serve. Give us a heart like His for Your people. Show us how we can serve others in our community. If anyone is sad or hurting, help us to show them love. If anyone is in physical need, show us how we can help. If anyone needs to know You, give us the words to tell them about You. Fill our hearts with a spirit of generosity and an attitude of service. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command – ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)
Read more...
We can rejoice all ways
Anxiety, in the greek: to be in pieces; coming apart. Do you every have times in your life when it feels like things are coming apart – or when it feels like something or everything is in pieces and something or everything is falling apart?
When we’re stuck in anxious thoughts or in the midst of a significant challenge, likely the last thing we want to do, and the most difficult thing to do is – rejoice.
What does “rejoice” actually mean? The Greek definition of that word is: to be cheerful; calmly happy or well-off; as a salutation, be well: farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, rejoice.
Nehemiah 8:10 “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength”
Ways to Rejoice
- Read the Word “God’s Word is the only thing that can put human anxiety into perspective” Walt Mueller
- Meditate upon the teachings of Jesus – Go over the teachings of Jesus again and again
- Spend time with other Christians
- Lead others to Christ, for they will be a great source of joy – especially in the midst of tough times
- Sing praises to God
“The amygdala of the limbic system is the area typically linked to negative emotions such as fear and is normally inhibited when listening to music.” (Livestrong)
And I would add that positive and upbeat music will have a great impact. And music that is Christ-centered and helps us to rejoice in the Lord is likely the best medicine.
Fear is normally inhibited when listening to music – Maybe this is why music has such a unique role in sports. When players are in the dressing room, they listen to music. When they’re on the court for pre-game – they listen to music. I’m a bit of a snowboarder and when I think of the Olympics, I’ve always found it cool and interesting that, just before they head down the pipe, they take a moment to get their song on and then they head out the shoot. There are probably a variety of reasons they do this, but whether they realize it or not – music inhibits fear.
As Christians, we’ve know this for thousands of years! And now more than every, we have instant access to high quality Christian music! What are you listening to? Maybe it’s time for a new playlist or app.
When fear starts to creep into your life – turn up the music, sing and rejoice.
When you’re in your car – you can sing God’s praises. When you’re getting supper ready, when you’re at work, when you’re going for a walk, when your relaxing – we can sing praises to God – you don’t even know how to play a piano or guitar! So when we gather to worship together – we sing God’s praises. We were created to worship!
Even if you find yourself being a prison singer – you know, behind a few bars – you can sing to God!
Fear: a distressing emotion aroused by impeding danger, evil, pain, etc. whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.
Anxiety: distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune
The difference between fear and anxiety is fear is derived from danger or a threat and it can lead to anxiety – distress or uneasiness of the mind.
Happiness and fear are both processed in the amygdala – fear is processed quicker and bypasses the prefrontal cortex. But happiness, thankfulness, gratefulness, joy, love are all processed in the amygdala and can overpower fear – it just takes a few hundred milliseconds to process.
Read more...
