Prayer Bubble

I found these today as I was searching around for Bible coloring pages for an upcoming outreach. I was immediately drawn to them because of a question I asked my kids the other day..."If you could ask God anything and He had to give you an immediate answer, what would you ask Him?" One of them would like to know why He decided to make the grass green and the water blue, and the other wanted to know why God made our 2-year-old son so crazy. I love the idea of sitting the kids down and having them write or draw the things they would like to say to God.... might be really interesting what they come up with!

Praying Girl PDF
Praying Boy PDF
You can find more wonderful coloring pages from ministry-to-children.com here.

Happy 2012!

 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

2 Corinthians 5:17

  

HAPPY NEW YEAR NEW LIFE FAMILIES!

It may be cliche', but I LOVE being able to re-access my life at the beginning of the year and make changes for what works for our family. It's like a fresh start... and I LOVE having a fresh start. So, as I am figuring out ways to better organize my office and more efficient ways of meal-planning, I am also pondering ways to purposely focus our family's attention more on Christ in the year 2012.

One goal that I have set for our family this year is to really step up our scripture memorization. We always use our drive to school in the morning as our time to go over our scripture songs (I put all of our scriptures to cute little songs to make them more fun and easy to memorize). The kids love it and I find that it gets us all focused on the right things early in the morning. I found this really great site that gives me ideas for scriptures to memorize with my children. Check it out here at Seeds Family Worship: Verse Memorization Check-list. (If you find it hard to come up with songs yourself, or if your kids are struggling in the memorization, there are plenty of scripture memorization songs available online for you to purchase/download. Even if you have them playing each morning and say nothing, those songs/scriptures will make their way into their memory by default! Seeds Family Worship has some GREAT ones HERE)

 Another fun activity I am excited about it going through the ABC's with scripture. I did this when I was young and can still remember most of the scriptures for each letter. Here is a cute little website that will get you started (just click on each of the letters to get the scripture and some activities to go with it.) It might also work great to have the kids write out the scriptures for each letter and display them in their room or playroom to keep them reminded.

Lastly, I am starting a prayer wall for my kids. I remember Tommy and Keri having this up in their apartment when they first got married, and have wanted to do it every since. Just get some poster-board, or a large sheet of paper, and have the family keep track of prayer requests over the year on the board. (If the little ones are too young to write, have them draw pictures). It is also neat to write down when a prayer is answered and the date God made it happen! How fun to look back next New Years Day at all the things you prayed for throughout the year, and how faithful the Lord is to answer! (Here is a similar idea from "Kids Prayer" called a "Kid's Wailing Wall")

Some links for Resources for the New Year:

"One Thing" Lesson for New Year

3 Biggest Dreams Printable

3 Happiest Moments Printable

25 Day Challenge Chart Printable

50 Day Challenge Chart Printable

Progress Road-map Printable

The Call: Detroit

Well, it's 11.11.11 and THE CALL: Detroit is here! I am so excited that our church has partnered with The Call and many of our families are heading down to Ford Field today to pray for our city. Here are a couple of resources to use with your kids to follow up on the topic of prayer. (Just a reminder: We have "kid prayer" teachings every Friday night in the gym during our church prayer meetings for the kids at New Life)

If you are unable to get your family downtown tonight or tomorrow, THE CALL: Detroit is being broadcast LIVE on GodTV. Check it out HERE.

THE LOOP P.R.A.Y. Videos by Life Church

Kids Holiday Card Prayer Journal by Under the Sycamore

Vintage Book Prayer Journal Project by Impress Your Kids

"What Happens When I Talk To God?" book by Stormie Omartian

"Lord, Teach Me To Pray" book by Kay Arthur and Janna Arndt

The Calling

I just wanted to post a poem by Roger Fields that we passed our to all of our Family Ministries leaders and workers at our Seminar a couple weeks ago. There are a few phrases in it that I have been pondering all month.
Remember... you are a minister!

{for a printable version, click here}

THE CALLING (by Roger Fields)
I am a minister.
I minister to the largest mission field in the world.
I minister to children.

My calling is sure. My challenge is big. My vision is clear.
My desire is strong. My influence is eternal. My impact is critical.
My values are solid. My faith is tough. My mission is urgent.
My purpose is unmistakable. My direction is forward. My heart is genuine.
My strength is supernatural. My reward is promised.
And my God is real.

In a world of cynicism, I offer hope.
In a world of confusion, I offer truth.
In a world of immorality, I offer values.
In a world of neglect, I offer attention.
In a world of abuse, I offer safety.
In a world of ridicule, I offer affirmation.
In a world of division, I offer reconciliation.
In a world of bitterness, I offer forgiveness.
In a world of sin, I offer salvation.
In a world of hate, I offer God’s love.

I refuse to be dismayed, disengaged, disgruntled, discouraged or distracted.
Neither will I look back, stand back, fall back, go back or sit back.
I do not need applause, flattery, adulation, prestige, stature or veneration.
I do not have time for business as usual, mediocre standards, small thinking, outdated methods,
normal expectations, average results, ordinary ideas, petty disputes or low vision.
I will not give up, give in, bail out, lie down, turn over, quit or surrender.

I will pray when things look bad.
I will pray when things look good.
I will move forward when others stand still.
I will trust God when obstacles arise.
I will work when the task is overwhelming.
I will get up when I fall down.

My calling is to reach boys and girls for God.
It is too serious to be taken lightly, too urgent to be postponed, too vital to be ignored, too relevant to be overlooked, too significant to be trivialized, too eternal to be fleeting and too passionate to be quenched.

I know my mission. I know my challenge.
I also know my limitations, my weaknesses, my fears and my problems.
And I know my God.
Let others get the praise. Let the church get the blessing. Let God get the glory.

I am a minister. I minister to children.
This is who I am. This is what I do.

Fun Family Printables

One question I get a lot from parents is how to keep up on the extra-curricular activities their children do throughout the week, so that they can get a better handle on what their kids are exposed to.... things like internet, TV, video games, hanging out with friends, etc. One website I use a lot is imom.com. There are a lot of printables for families to use in their home with their kids. I've linked some of my favorites, but there are a lot more to choose from... anything from lunch notes, kid coupons, chore charts, etc. These printables may work perfectly for your family, or they may just spark conversation between each of you on what is expected in your family.

Family Internet Contract

This is a great contract to fill out to make sure that your entire family is on board when it comes to the computer rules of the house.

Screen Time Tracker

This is another great resource for parents needing something to help them know how much screen time their kids are getting.... TV, movies, computer, etc. 

Conversation Starters for Kids #1

Conversation Starters for Kids #2

These are wonderful questions to ask during meal time to get everyone talking. You would be surprised how these simple questions get the conversation going. You could even have the kids come up with their own 

questions to ask at the next meal time.

Family Meeting Worksheet

This little guide will help you when your family needs to sit down and make a decision.

*** Find all of the imom.com printables HERE ***