Kids are Worried Too!

These days I find myself glued to the TV screen. I'm apprehensive, yet hopeful of hearing some good news, but none is forth coming. Even as an adult I must redirect my focus from the local/national news to the Good News. Just as God took care of the children of Israel in Goshen, He will take care of His children today. I refuse to embrace fear. Instead, I embrace faith.

But what about our children? They are also hearing the news. They are feeling the crunch. They are fearful. God never intended for believers to be engulfed by fear. He sent Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to provide freedom from fear. But, how can we have peace in troubled times? Is peace really possible when the news is so bad? Absolutely! Peace can and should be a believers reality, even in troubled times.

I think Halloween is a great time to talk about fear, especially this year. Children need real answers on how to have peace in troubled times. Here are some thoughts and suggestions:

1. Teach your children to ask for peace. They need the Prince of Peace to fill their hearts with Peace.
2. Purposefully redirect their focus from the Bad News to the Good News-the promises of God. Give them specific promises to memorize and meditate upon. Share Bible stories and modern stories of the protection and provision of God. Teach them how to find specific promises from the Bible for the things that trouble them.
3. Teach them to guard their thoughts and to pray the scriptures aloud when fearful thoughts come and to pray the solution, not the problem.
4. Teach them to trust God.
5. Lastly, help them develop an attitude of gratitude, continually expressing thanks to God.

We have some wonderful resources to help you teach on peace.

Eyeball

Icky, yucky eyeball? No way! Powerful effective object lesson to remind us of God's watchful eye.






In The News
Are you tired of all the bad news in the papers? With this truly amazing trick you'll pour water into the paper, open the paper to show the dry pages inside and then pour the water out into a glass.

Missing Peace

Our Gospel Dollar has been cut into four pieces. If you assemble the pieces with the back (green side) showing, the four pieces make a complete dollar bill. If you turn them over and assemble them with the front showing (the black side), there is a rectangular piece missing in the center. Remember- the spectator is the one who does the actual assembling of the pieces. The surprise comes when spectator assembles the face-up bill and it has a hole in it. Jesus' picture is missing!

Leaving Tracks

Sunday afternoon we took a short hike through the woods. The leaves are turning colors. The temperature was perfect. The mountains were glorious!

We crossed a mud road that looked like turkeys must have held a square dance. Turkey tracks crisscrossed the road in every direction. Either they found a mud hole to drink from or a breakfast treat in the mud in the road! The road had far too many turkey tracks for a casual crossing. The roadway told of deer gatherings and a single raccoon crossing as well.

We've seen all these animals often as we walk or drive through the mountains, then we saw the unexpected.

Wayne spotted them first- it was bear tracks. Bear tracks on the same road we were hiking. We don't see those too often--thank goodness! I was so excited to see bear tracks that I had to call my grandchildren to tell them about our adventure. They wanted to join us, but their mama had a different opinion.

As I stooped to look at the tracks and take a picture, I realized the tracks are not a deliberate activity for the animal. They don't plan to leave their tracks in the road, like the squirrels or deers plot havoc in the insurance commercial, which is, by the way, one of my favorite commercials. It's just what happens when they cross or travel down a muddy road. They leave tracks as they move down the path.

That's what you do in the lives of your children or the children you minister to--you leave tracts. You are making an impression whether intentional or not. You are impacting the lives either for good or evil by your attitudes and choices. Yes, and let's not forget what you say and how you say it!

Walk carefully...you are leaving tracks on a life of a child.

I talk more about tracks in my "Train'em Right CD or also available in DVD . It is a motivational teaching for parents and children's ministry leaders to follow Jesus' tracks so they can help children follow Jesus tracks as well.