Northwood Parents

This Sunday, we will use live storytellers, live music, and props to tell a Bible story to your child.  We will explain how the story applies to their lives.  But … to a child, it is only us talking until you make it a priority in your family.  You have to talk about it in the car, during meals, and before bed throughout the week.  You have to utilize teachable moments.  We can’t do it for you!  But, what we can’t do … you can!  You have lots of opportunitites this week to make the lessons we teach come to life this week in your family by using these suggestions…

Sunday, our preschoolers are in Luke 19:1 – 8.  They will hear about a man named Zacchaeus, a tax collector, and will learn that he stole money from people in his town.  Nobody liked him.  However, Jesus went to his house for dinner.  Your preschooler will understand that Jesus loved Zacchaeus even though he did something wrong and…he loves us too.  We want preschoolers to understand that they are loved by God, even when they do the wrong thing.  Sometime after Sunday, as you and your preschooler are playing outside, pretend you and your child are Zacchaeus and you are climbing a tree to see Jesus.  Climb up in a play set or to the top of a slide and take a look around.  Talk about how Jesus loves everyone; even people who do wrong things.  Jesus wants us to love everyone too, so they will know God loves them.

Elementary kids will continue to learn the virtue of courtesy this week.  On Sunday, they will learn that we can use what we have to make others feel important.  At lunch on Sunday, think with your child about some practical ways he can use what he has to make others feeel important.  It may be a letter he can write, a cake she can bake, or a kind word he can speak this week.  Encourage your child to take what he has and use it for someone else on Monday!  Courtesy only becomes practical for a child when you, as the parent, help bring it to life by really applying it at home.

Remember … what we can’t do … you can!  Take what we teach and bring it to life in your family this week!

^{1 John 3:18 – 20
18}Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. ¹⁹This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence ²⁰whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

 This morning, as I read through these verses, a few things jumped out at me.  First, words are meaningless – action is important!  It’s so easy to say that we love someone but, when it’s difficult, do we still love them?  It’s easy to talk “love” but much harder to really love.  Our love is proven by our actions.  And then – this part is the kicker – Scripture says that our actions will show that we belong to the truth.  The action of our love proves that we are walking in the truth … that we are followers of Christ!  Others will know that I am walking in truth by the way I live my life in love.  And for me, an imperfect, regular man who doesn’t have it all together – that is hard with some people!

The second thing that jumped out at me is that, when my heart condemns me .. .when I feel guilty, when my feelings tell me I am not who I need to be, when my feelings tell me that I should not love, I can know that God knows my heart.  He knows the love that I have there.  He knows my desire is to please Him.  Even when I don’t love like I should, I can rest that He knows the me that no one else sees or knows!

Today, I pray that my actions prove that I walk with God.  Today, I pray that I will love other people, even when I don’t like their actions, attitudes, and behaviors.  Today, I pray that, when I feel guilty when I don’t get it right, that I will rest.  Rest in the fact that God knows me – really knows me!  Today, I pray that I live differently than yesterday!  I am just a messed up man who wants to get it together!  Today, maybe I will … at least come a little closer to being who I was created to be!

This weekend, I was in a store and heard a little girl’s words to her father that have been with me all weekend.  As she and her father went down the aisle filled with Bibles and religious coloring books, I heard the little girl explain to her dad.  “I hate church!  I don’t hate God but I do hate church because it’s so boring, just sitting there!” 

How sad is that?  A child’s first taste of God … her first taste of church is … boring!  I beg God to remove me from ministry to children before I ever lead a boring ministry to children.  I want kids to love church!  I want them to come to church, not to sit but to experience God as real and relevant to their lives.  I want kids to leave this church on Sunday and Wednesday, excited that they have a God who loves them and has a great plan for their lives.  I want parents to know that the church is doing its part to teach children about God and His incredible love for them!  I believe parents and church should partner together to make a great impact! 

So… how is Northwood doing?  Do kids that walk through the doors of this church say the same thing as this little girl?  Do they dread coming here?  Is it boring?  Is it irrelevant?  Would they rather be anywhere else?  There are days when I say “Absolutely not!”  But, if I’m honest, I have to say that we are not doing all we could and all we should!  Lack of volunteers, lack of passion, lack of real, genuine commitment all contribute.  Sometimes I stay awake at night wondering what we could do better!

Do parents really believe that they can take what we teach at church and allow it to make a difference in their homes?  Do they utilize the tools we offer?  Do they talk to their kids about what they learn at church? 

I do not want to come to the end of my life, look back on what was accomplished and live in regret!  We really can make a difference!  Northwood really can impact kids in unimaginable ways.  This church can do it!  But … here’s the question … will we?  Will this church be a place that kids can’t wait to be a part of?  Will parents really make a difference in the lives of their children by partnering with their church?  I hope so!  I pray so!  I dream so!

Regardless of whether your child is two years old or twelve, there is going to come a time in his or her life when, what we teach at church, will need to be real in their lives!  How can the truths we teach be real?  How can they recall them during the crucial moments of life?  By you incorporating what we teach into your home EVERY WEEK!

This week, preschoolers will be learning from Matthew 8:23-27.  He will learn that, when a huge storm approached, Jesus was asleep on the boat.  His friends were so afraid!  They woke Jesus to help them, and He stopped the storm.  Your preschooler will hear, once again, that Jesus can do anything!  You see, there will come a time in your preschooler’s life where he will need to remember that Jesus can do anything!  It may be during his first test, his first year of college, or his first date.  As he grows into an adult, we want your preschooler to recall, just when he needs it most, that Jesus can do anything!   How can you incorporate this into your home this week?  At bathtime on Sunday, see if your preschooler can make a storm in the bathtub and make it stop immediately.    Ask your preschooler if he can make the waves stop all at once.  He can’t, but Jesus can.  Jesus can do anything!

Elementary kids will finish up a month of learning that kindness is showing others they are valuable by how you  treat them.  This week, we want your child to understand that, sometimes, it’s going to be hard to treat other people with kindness, but that is exactly what God calls us to do.  He wants us to keep treating others with kindness and see what He will do.  At lunch on Sunday, talk to your child about something you have done to show kindness to someone else.  Talk about ways your family can show kindness in the upcoming week.  It may be by baking cookies for a neighbor, writing an encouraging note, or visiting a friend.  There will come a time in your child’s life when she gets tired of being kind to those who are unkind.  Now is the time to teach her that God can take care of the difficult person if we just continue to show kindness no matter what.  Will your child remember that when she needs it most?  It’s up to you.  We’ll do our part.  You do yours and incorporate it into your home this week!

The greatest battle of my life is and has always been the battle of faith vs. fear.  It is a constant fight!  I want to have faith.  I want to believe that God will work it out!  I want to believe that He is in control!  I know all of this according to the Scripture, but living it out day to day is where the battle is.  Are you the same? 

This morning, I was reminded of a passage in Galatians.  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20.  Because of my relationship with Christ, I do not have to live in fear.  I have a choice!  I do not have to worry or be afraid of the day to day struggles of life because I no longer live!  Christ lives in me!  I literally have the power of Jesus in me!  That means I do not have to be afraid!  The battle has been won!  Jesus loves me and He knows what is best!  He is the One that I can trust to take care of whatever’s going on in my life!  Faith and fear may battle it out in my life but I know the Winner!  Jesus has won the fight!  I win!  Faith wins!  Fear is defeated!  And that means today is going to be a great day … no matter what!

At Northwood, we believe the only way that what we teach here at church can really become a part of a child’s life is when she hears it reinforced at home.  That’s the purpose of this blog every Thursday.  We want you to know what we’[re talking about and how  you can incorporate it into your home this week.  Here’s what we’re talking about with your children this Sunday at Northwood…

Preschoolers will be in Mark 6:45-51 as they continue to learn that Jesus can do anything!  Preschoolers will hear that Jesus is amazing.  He even walking onto the waster and met His friends who were on a boat.  Preschoolers will have the opportunity to see through a live drama that we can’t walk on water!  Jesus can!  He is so amazing and cares about us so much!  We really want preschoolers to understand, at their early age, that Jesus is incredible.  We want them to begin to learn that Jesus is their best friend and wants to do amazing things in their lives.  At bedtime on Sunday, cuddle with your preschooler and talk about how amazing God is.  How awesome are His power and might.  Then, talk about Jesus and all the amazing things He did while He was here on earth.  Pray and thank God for sending us Jesus!

Elementary kids will continue their month-long virtue of kindness – showing others they are valuable by how you treat them.  This week, your child will learn that he should treat others the way he wants to be treated.  Your child will hear that, when people are unkind to us, we have a choice to make.  We can return unkindness with unkindness or we can return it with love and kindness regardless.  At lunch on Sunday, ask your child why he should be kind to someone who isn’t kind.  Talk about the difference that could make in the life of the unkind person.

This morning, I was praying and listening to God, asking for answers to quesitons that have been on my mind a lot lately.  Since I have a tendency to worry about most everything, I have to make it a regular practice to turn over those frustrations constantly.  That led me to a thought I read recently on another blog – “Turn your worry into wonder!”  What exactly does that mean?

We know that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.  The Bible is full of references that encourage us not to worry.  It is okay, though, to wonder.  Wondering how God is going to do something is much different than worrying about how God is going to do something.  Worry is fear, stress, anxiety and the cause of hair loss.  Wonder is to be amazed or astonished about how something might happen.  Wondering is being curious.  I think wondering how God is going to do something is a complement to God.  It proves that as close and as much as we desire to know Him, we are so far away and have so much more to learn. For me…in personal, practical terms…I don’t worry how God will take care of issues in my life.  Instead, I wonder how God is going to pull this one off.   I wonder how God will take care of the situation that I insist on focusing on.  He’s a God of wonder, not a God of worry.  So, what is it in your life that you worry about?  What worry should you trade for wonder?