Every Roll Wins!

Rewards are powerful motivators. That’s why virtually every large company has some sort of reward system. Do you have rewards in your home? Would you reward your spouse or kids for doing regular tasks or their extraordinary effort?
Would you reward your kids for reading or memorizing the Bible?
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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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October 31 is almost here, yay!
After hosting a watch party for our Online Missions Conference, weâre definitely thinking about missions more than ever. As we look ahead to whatâs next on the calendar, October 31st is right around the corner, and you know what that means? Reformation Day! Although thatâs 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 revealedâa righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: âThe righteous will live by faith.â â 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 hasnât 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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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 Godâs chosen vehicle for His kingdom mission.
Matthew 16:18 âAnd 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.
âFundamentally, 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.â (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).
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Taking Attendance

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.
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Switch it Up

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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 startâ365 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 Godâs 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 Godâs 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 itâthe 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 canât 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 Jesusâ name, Amen.
âGive thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.â Psalm 136:1(NLT)
Vision for the Future
Just like many people make New Yearâs resolutions, many families set goals for their family at the beginning of every yearâanything 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 Jesusâ name, Amen.
âPut 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.â 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 Jesusâ name, Amen.
âBe completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love.â Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)
Trust in Godâs Protection and Provision
In so many ways, the world can seem like a scary place these days. Some of us donât even feel safe sending our kids to school or to a friendâs house to play. We worry about finances, that we wonât be able to provide for everything our children want or need, or that we arenât saving enough for retirement. And there is always a chance that one of us will get a sudden and scary diagnosis. Whether itâs physical safety, our familyâs health, spiritual warfare, or financial security, we really canât trust in our own strength to handle everything that may come our way in 2020. We have to rely on Godâs protection and provision. As you enter the new year, pray for Godâs 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 Jesusâ name, Amen.
âDo 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.â 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 familyâs hearts and minds outward to how you can be generous to others will help your family to develop Godâs 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 Jesusâ name, Amen.
âServe one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command – âLove your neighbor as yourself.ââ Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)
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What a Mess!

Wondering what to read in the Bible?
Check out the F-110 New Testament Reading Plan for Kids or the F-260 Bible Reading Plan for Busy Believers – and keep a copy in your Bible so you can easily access it and post a copy on your fridge and in your reading spot
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Do Cell Phones and Social Media control you or the people around you?

- Parents need to model self control
- It isn’t fun, but parents need to be CONSISTENT with boundaries
- Don’t buy your student a phone or let him/her use your old one until they are ready
- Use internet filters and devices that can limit usage: kidswifi.com
- Don’t ever let yourself or your kids take their phone to bed – ever
- Be aware that if you end up taking your student’s phone away, you will likely get a very negative (and mean) response. That’s psychologically normal unfortunately. So plan ahead as much as you can to avoid those scenarios.
- Set guidelines to “Start your day right” that include important tasks before kids get screen time
- Read your Bible more than you read your own social media. Try using a paper Bible instead of digital one.
- When looking for news, don’t use social media. Use news channels or apps
- When you go away on vacation, turn off data and use a real camera to capture life’s precious moments
- Lastly, put down the phone, set a good example and pray
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