a spiritual parenting resource - Northern Colorado · 2017-10-27 · Kintsugi. is a Japanese art...

JUNE 2016

a spiritual parenting resource

homefrontmag.com

KNOWING | homefrontmag.com2

12 2240

A PUZZLING WAY TO

MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE.

LOOKING FOR A

COLORFUL WAY

TO PRAY?

WHEN YOU HAVE

NO WORDS!

GETTINGSTARTED


CONTENTS

FAMILY TIME

Family Verse

Capturing the SeasonBroken to Beautiful

StorytellingThe Bundle of Sticks

Conversation StartersWho Is This Jesus?

CreateFamily Time Verse Puzzle

Game TimeWho Knows My Candy?

TraditionsThe Best Part

Family Time RecipeTaco Cupcakes

Kids in the KitchenPineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes

PrayerTie-Dye Prayers

God's WordImpossible Situations

WorshipTrust in Me

Tot Time RhymeGet Up

Blessing

Taking ActionPreemptive Love Coalition

GlobalLibya

INSPIRE, EQUIP, SUPPORT

Student IDFollowership

Everyday Mom BlogThe Hope of Parenting

with Connection

Everyday Dad BlogDoes God Really Work All Things for

the Good of Those Who Love Him?

Tough TopicsWhen You Don't Have Words

MarriageAll-Knowing God

Spiritual GrandparentingWhat My Grandkids Have Taught Me

5

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

29

30

32

35

36

38

40

42

44Design and layout by Stephanie Reindel ([email protected])

© 2016 David C Cook

Nothing is more important in our spiritual lives than knowing and being known by God. We live in a world that denies absolute truth, and yet God’s Word offers just that. As we create an environment that upholds and displays God’s truth, we give children a foundation of knowing God, studying His Word, and cultivating a relationship with Him through Christ.

Just as the environment of KNOWING describes, we live in a world that denies and dismisses the existence of absolute truth. What a tragedy! We face an urgency to pass on the truth of God and His Word to the next generation. As we learn God’s truth, we open up to knowing God Himself and entering into relationship with Him. As we create space that allows our families to study God’s Word, we’ll develop a hunger and thirst to know Him more.

Michelle AnthonyFamily Ministry Architect | David C Cook

Twitter @TruInspiration

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God’s chosen teacher. It is He who causes spiritual growth and formation when and as He chooses. As such, we have articulated 10 distinct environments to create in your home. We desire to create spiritual space, which we refer to as an environment, in which God’s Spirit can move freely.

INSPIRE parents with ideas to create fun, spiritually forming times in the normal rhythm of everyday life.

EQUIP parents to become the spiritual leaders of God’s truth in their own households.

SUPPORT families to engage their communities and change the culture around them.

OUR MISSION


Memorizing Scripture can be an incredible practice to engage in as a family. But words in and of themselves will not necessarily transform us; it is God’s Spirit in these words who transforms. We come to know God more when we’re willing to open our hearts and listen to His Holy Spirit through the words we memorize. Have fun with this verse, and think of creative ways to invite your family to open up to God as they commit the verse to memory.

Consider purchasing an 8" x 10" frame to hold your family memory verse each month!

FAMILY VERSE

Things you won't want to miss:• Parent blogs to inspire you

• Mobile-friendly format

• Lots of downloadable giveaways

• Marketplace to purchase article bundles and more!

The website is filled with fresh ideas and creative ways to provide you with even more resources as we partner with you as you spiritually parent your children.

WWW.HOMEFRONTMAG.COM

Debbie GuinnEditor in Chief | David C [email protected]

Recently I was going through a rough patch. I was confused and questioning—had I heard wrong? Did I make a mistake? I wasn’t hearing from God, and I surely wasn’t feeling His peace. I bemoaned my situation to a dear friend. As I cried with her, she asked me, “What was the last thing you heard from God?” I told her that I felt He had clearly directed me to where I was. She replied, “Then stand on that and move forward.”

It’s difficult sometimes in the midst of hardship and silence to stop and remember what we know to be true about God. We would rather focus on the situation around us and all the things that aren’t working instead of trusting in the truth that God promises He will work all things together for good.

This month’s HomeFront is filled with ways to impress this truth on the hearts of your family members. Our CONVERSATION STARTERS (page 10) article reminds us that the disciples felt distressed during a storm even with Jesus right in the boat with them—that is, until they saw His power in action as He calmed the storm with just three words (Mark 4)!

You’ll love our FAMILY TIME RECIPE (page 18) that makes something messy into something delicious. Your family can recount God’s faithfulness to Abraham in WORSHIP (page 26) and be reminded that God is never far away!

We pray that as you spend time with your family this month, focusing on the activities in this month’s issue, you’ll be encouraged with what you know to be true about God. When we focus on what we know instead of what we feel, we can stand firm and move forward in even the most impossible situations. God desires for us to know Him in this way and walk in the confidence of His faithfulness.

EDITOR'S NOTE

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6. Align the broken pieces and press them together so that the gold glue seeps out in a fine line along the crack. Repeat this process to assemble the entire object.

7. Let the object dry according to the instructions on the epoxy. Keep a close eye on the pieces as they dry so that you can put them back into place if they slip.

8. Even though the epoxy is quick-dry, allow the piece to dry for several hours. Then place it in a prominent place in your home as a sign to all who see it that we know God turns broken things into something beautiful.

by Debbie GuinnDebbie is the Editor in Chief of HomeFront. She has more than 25 years of experience working in children’s and family ministries. She is passionate about equipping parents to become leaders of God’s truth in their own households. Her most cherished time is spent hanging out with her grandkids—they are her favorite people on this planet!

Instagram @homefrontsp

Twitter @homefrontsp

capturing the seasonfamily time

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Epoxy for ceramic (adult supervision required)

• Gold mica powder

• Wooden coffee stir stick

• Paper plate or aluminum foil

• Broken ceramic pot, bowl, or dish

WHAT YOU'LL DO

1. If your ceramic object isn't already broken, place it inside a pillowcase and gently crack it. Try to keep the pieces fairly large.

2. Lay out your pieces and carefully arrange them so you can figure out the pattern of how they will fit together.

3. Place a quarter-sized amount of epoxy on a disposable surface such as a paper plate or aluminum foil.

4. Add a pea-sized amount of mica powder to the epoxy and mix thoroughly with the stir stick.

5. Using the stir stick, apply a very thin amount of epoxy to one of the broken edges of your piece.

Kintsugi is a Japanese art form in which broken ceramics and pottery are repaired with resin and powdered gold. This art dates back to the 15th century. The beauty of this art is that it embraces the flawed and imperfect. It takes something broken and worthless and turns it into something beautiful, something even more desired than the original piece.

This is exactly what God does with each of our lives. He redeems us. He takes our brokenness and turns it into something beautiful. This is a truth about God that we can know and count on! Oftentimes our cracks are the parts of our stories that shine the brightest.

This month we would like to encourage you to create a piece of faux kintsugi as a reminder of what we know to be true about God—that He redeems us and works all things together for good.

This is a simple DIY to imitate the art of kintsugi.


family time

storytelling

Aesop’s fable adapted by Kara Noel Lawson

Illustration by Nick Lee


impossible to break apart, just like the bundle of sticks was impossible to break.

When you argue and bicker, you will be weak, like the individual sticks. Alone, each individual stick took little effort to break into pieces. God created each of us to work together as one body, for good and according to His perfect will. Our family will be vulnerable if you each only look out for your own interests. Our family will thrive if you learn how to work together."

The father in this fable showed his family that in unity there is strength. Scripture says, in Psalm 133:1, "How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!"

After reading this fable, answer the following questions as a family.

• What made the father sad? (Seeing his children bicker instead of working together.)

• What kinds of things did the brothers and sisters argue about? (Petty arguments around the campground about trail mix, toys, and humming.)

• What did the father ask the children to pick up around the campground, and what did he do with those items? (He asked the children to pick up two sticks each, and then he tied the sticks into one big bundle.)

• Were the children able to break the individual sticks? Why? (Yes; the individual sticks were weak and easy to break.)

• What was the father trying to teach his children by having them try to break the bundle of sticks? (He was trying to show his children that if they worked together they would be stronger.)

• What did you take away from this fable?

• Can you relate to the children in this fable?

• How can you work together with your family or others?

by Kara Noel LawsonKara Noel is the blogger liaison for HomeFront. She is a homeschooling mom to four, wannabe farmer, and freelance writer. Kara writes from the heart on her blog and speaks to mom groups about how the small things in our lives can make a big impact.

Blog smallthingsarebigthings.com

Instagram @KaraNoelLawson

Twitter @KaraNoelLawson

family time

storytelling

A father had a family of six children: three boys and three girls.

They were very noisy children and spent most of each day arguing with one another about everything. The family was on their annual beginning-of-summer camping trip, and the children were particularly noisy because they had been in close quarters for four days. And three days remained before they were to return home.

Ruby was angry with Eli for picking the chocolate pieces out of the trail mix. “You already had your share of the trail mix, and there's hardly any chocolate left for me. It’s not fair!” she complained.

“You always get whatever you want, Ruby. You never leave anything for the rest of us!” he yelled back.

Cora stomped her feet because Tessa was playing with her doll. “You have the doll I brought from home especially for this trip! You know she’s my favorite, Tessa! I refuse to play with you unless you give it back!”

“Well, I don’t want to play with you anyway,” Tessa shouted back. “You’re so bossy!”

Cyrus yelled at Jax because Jax was humming "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" over and over again. “I’m trying to catch fish, and your humming will scare the fish away,” Cyrus told Jax, “and you're humming just to annoy me. Stop now or I’m going to tell Dad!”

Jax stuck out his tongue at Cyrus. “I'll do whatever I want,” he snapped. “You aren’t the boss of me. Don’t tell me what to do!”

Seeing his children bicker and argue all day saddened the father. He longed for them to get along.

The father told each of them to gather two sticks from around their campsite and then return to sit under the oak tree by their tent. Once they all did this, he took one stick from each child and tied all of the sticks into one bundle. The father gave the bundle to Eli. “Try to break it in half,” he said. Eli tried until he became red in the face, but he couldn’t break the bundle of sticks.

The father gave the bundle to Tessa, but she couldn’t break it either. Each of the six children tried to break the bundle, but no matter how hard they tried, the bundle wouldn’t snap.

Then the father set the bundle on the ground and asked the children to pick up their second stick. “Now try to break the single stick in your hand,” he ordered. With no effort, the children easily snapped their sticks in half.

“Kids,” their father said, “when you get along with each other and work together, our family will be strong and

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 1 Corinthians 12:26


conversation startersfamily time

As a family, make a “Storm Bottle” to help you remember this important portion of The Big God Story and what you know to be true about God.

Wash the outside of a sturdy plastic water bottle. Fill it ¾with hot water, and add an entire bottle of blue glitter glue and a small tube of ultra-fine glitter. Use a strong glue to seal the lid permanently. Shake to mix.

When you shake the bottle, it will look like a storm, but the glitter will eventually settle, just as the winds and the waves settled when Jesus spoke to them.

Each night, encourage your family to gather and remember things they know to be true about God, especially those things that leave you in awe of Him in the midst of a settled storm. Pass around the bottle and have each person shake it. As the glitter settles, have the person share something he or she knows to be true about God or tell a story about what he or she learned about God that day.

by Courtney WilsonCourtney is the Elementary Director at Christ Community Church in the suburbs of Chicago. You can usually find her chasing her four amazing kids around with coffee in one hand and a camera in the other.

I began my relationship with Christ 21 years ago, so you would think that I would know God in a way that would cause me not to doubt His power and strength. Yet I find myself doubting in the midst of the biggest moments. I’m reminded in Luke 8:22–25 of how Jesus’ own disciples—the ones following Him around and spending their waking hours with the incarnate God of the universe—were still in awe of what they would discover to be true about Him. This month, start a family conversation about what you know to be true of God even in the midst of the winds and waves that life throws at you.

Gather and read Luke 8:22–25 together—straight from Scripture or from a Bible storybook. After you read this passage, ask a few questions:

• How do you think the disciples felt during the storm? How do you think they felt about Jesus sleeping?

• How do you feel when life feels dangerous or uncertain?

• What did the disciples learn about God when Jesus calmed the storm?

• What is a “storm” in your life?

• What do you know to be true about God?


family time

create

Knowing something to be true and acting as if I believe it are two very different things. I know in my mind that “God works for the good of those who love him" (Romans 8:28). But when hard things come along, I panic and act as though I don’t trust that God is even aware of what is going on, let alone working things out for my good. Only when I am able to slow down and remind myself of what I know to be true based on God’s Word can I claim truth and begin to respond as that knowledge becomes real and I can act upon it.

When I was young, my parents encouraged us to learn Scripture. In fact, for every 10 verses my siblings and I memorized, we got to choose a place to go as a family to get ice cream. The verses I memorized as a child are still easily accessible in my memory when I need them. Romans 8:28 was one of those verses.

Knowing that verse is different from believing the truth contained in that verse. But you can’t translate head knowledge to heart knowledge without having the head knowledge in the first place.

Together as a family, have fun assembling this Family Time Verse Puzzle with Romans 8:28 on it. This will be a great way to help your family memorize the verse. As you complete the puzzle with your family, talk about the fact that before the puzzle is put together, the pieces by themselves don’t make much sense. Life can be like this too! When we go through a difficult time, it can be hard to understand what God is doing or how the situation could possibly be for our good. But after the puzzle is complete, we can read the verse, and it all begins to makes sense.

In some situations, we may never understand the “why,” but oftentimes, after several months or even years, we can look back and see how God used hard or confusing situations in our lives to teach us something.

Parents: Share with your children a time in your life when God used something hard to bring about something good.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 8.5" x 11" sheet of white card stock

• Puzzle template (available from dcc.is/puzzletemplate)

• Scissors

WHAT YOU’LL DO

1. Download the puzzle template.

2. Print the puzzle on card stock, double-sided (so that the pattern is on one side of the card stock and the verse is on the other).

3. Cut out each puzzle piece.

4. Have fun putting the puzzle together!

As a fun way to memorize the verse, put the whole puzzle together and have everyone read the verse out loud. Then have each family member remove one piece at a time. Say the verse out loud together as you remove each piece. By the time all of the pieces have been removed, you’ll have the verse memorized! To make it even more permanent in your minds, say the verse together at dinner each night this month.

by Stephanie ReindelStephanie joined the HomeFront team in January 2015 as the designer and photographer. She and her husband, Joel, have been married for a year and a half and love their dog Scout. Stephanie enjoys using the creative talent God has given her to help put HomeFront into the hands of parents looking for new and fun ways to spiritually nurture their children.


game timefamily time


you finish the first side of the legend, flip the paper over for round two. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. (If you're feeling wild, make the prize a small bag of the candy you used for the game.)

TIPS AND TWISTS FOR YOUNGER KIDS AND SMALLER FAMILIES!

If you have a mix of younger and older kids, you may choose to partner your little ones with older siblings or parents and work in teams of two. If you're a family of three, two against one is perfectly okay!

If you have only younger kids, choose an easier option by allowing children to look at what they draw instead of drawing on their heads. You will most likely need to read your children the prompt question each time and encourage their drawing along the way. Similar to the option above, you may consider pairing up each young one with a parent or grandparent.

A party of two? Not a problem! Simply remove the point system from this game. This can be a less competitive game while still being a fun way to learn fun facts about each other and draw answers together.

REMEMBER!

As you wrap up this game, remind your family that God knows us, and we get to know Him too! Maybe some family members already knew the answers to their siblings' questions, but maybe some didn't. While this was more or less a guessing game, the wonderful news is that life is never a guessing game with God. He created us and has a purpose for us. Because of that, He knows everything about us! How amazing is that? It gets even better: Not only does God know every detail about us, but He also invites us to know Him. We can do this by talking to Him, reading His words in our Bibles, and even just sitting and listening to Him. The Creator of the universe wants us to know Him! It doesn’t get better than that.

by Heather DeParteeHeather is a newlywed and works as an Instructional Aide for kindergarten students in Fresno, CA. She spent three-and-a-half years working on the Families team at ROCKHARBOR Church in Costa Mesa, CA, as an assistant to the Early Childhood Director, where she participated in the development of the Tru curriculum and served as an admin to the team.

game timefamily time

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Bag of colorful candies (M&Ms, gummy bears, Skittles, etc.)

• Marker

• Sheet of paper or poster board

• White paper plates

BEFORE YOU START

Pour the candy into a bowl. Create a "legend" by assigning each color of candy a “get to know you” question. For example:

• Red: If you could be any animal, what would you be?

• Orange: What is your favorite kind of weather?

• Yellow: What kind of food do you want to eat right now?

• Green: Who is your favorite friend?

• Purple: What is your favorite movie?

Write a set of these for the first round of the game on one side of the paper and a set for the second round on the other. Be creative with your questions based on how well all of the players know each other.

Okay—now you're ready to go!

TIME TO PLAY!

Gather your family. For this game, each person is his own team. Place the bowl of candy in the middle along with the paper plates and a marker. Set the legend to the side where everyone can see it. Talk through the legend with your kids, especially if they're younger, so they know the question that corresponds with each color.

Explain to your children that the first player will cover her eyes and select a candy from the bowl. Help this player match her color of candy with the legend and read the question out loud. The player must then pick up a paper plate and hold it on top of her head. Using the marker, she must attempt to draw her answer while the rest of the family tries to guess it. The first family member to guess correctly gets one point.

Continue rotating through each family member until everyone has answered each question. As players pick a color they have already chosen, have them put it back in the jar and pick again. After


traditionsfamily time

ask. And many of those times my questions were met with eye rolling (thank you, preteen and teen years) and a barely audible groan. Nevertheless, I was not deterred.

This question opened up our conversation many times to talking about how we had seen God in the best parts of our day. And when the conversation admitted the reality that some days just didn't have a “best part,” we were able to share with each other what we know to be true about God and His Word.

I love this month’s Family Verse, Romans 8:28, because it carries a promise: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God used this conversation time to make Himself known to each of us.

This simple mealtime tradition afforded our family this benefit: As we shared daily life together, we saw that God takes our life experiences and works them together for our ultimate good. It’s not always easy to see that on our own or in the midst of the experience, but together, as a family, we helped each other to look for the promise and to join in with what the Lord was doing.

My daughters are grown up and on their own now. However, this tradition has remained, whether it’s just my husband and I or it's a gathering of the entire family. There's still a moment when I say, “So … (insert a slight eye roll for dramatic effect from family members) what was the best part of your day?” And the sharing begins.

by Cheryl WongCheryl is the Children and Family Pastor at Good Shepherd Church in Loveland, CO. Cheryl and Brian have been married for 24 years and have two daughters, Shannyn and Ashlyn.

Instagram @cherylwong22

Twitter @WongCherylL

I would love to tell you that I'm the type of person who treasures traditions and that I make sure nothing gets in the way of my family's traditions. However, that would not be true. You see, I'm just not a traditional type of gal in many ways. Many times I start to plan for beautiful and memorable traditions in our family, but then I forget or procrastinate for too long. Can any of you relate?

I’m not totally hopeless, though. There are a few traditions we have integrated into our home. One happens at dinnertime. No, it’s not the “You Are Special Today” red plate, which is a fantastic tradition, but I just never got there with that one. This is simple, needs no supplies, and is easy to do wherever you are. It’s a question. Simple, easy, and everyone gets to (or has to) answer. The question is: “So, what was the best part of your day?”

Honestly, I think I started this tradition out of selfishness. I knew that some of my days weren’t the best, but I didn’t want to end my day that way. I definitely didn’t want to spend our mealtime in somber silence, feeling like I just wanted to get the day over with—no matter how difficult it had been. I also wanted all of us to hear the best from each person’s day to get to know more about each other. So, I decided that each one of us needed to dig in and discover the best part of our day.

Sometimes the answers came quickly, with excitement and a lot of conversation. Other times it was a little more difficult to come up with the best part, especially on difficult days. Yet we stuck with it and spent time encouraging each other, laughing together, and discovering more about the day that each person experienced.

Now, I don’t want you to misunderstand or have any misconceptions about my precious family. It wasn’t like everyone sat on the edge of his chair, bouncing with excitement, anticipating his time to share. No. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I was the one asking the question. Even though they all knew what was coming, they still waited for me to


5. Microwave tortilla circles approximately 15 seconds to warm and then place in muffin tin using a small cup to help press in completely.

6. Layer about 1 tablespoon of refried beans, 1 tablespoon of taco meat, and then 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese.

7. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Remove Taco Cupcakes from tin and top with favorite taco toppings (lettuce, salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, onion, tortilla chips, avocado).

by Carrie RoweCarrie has been serving in children’s ministry for over 16 years. She is currently the Kids Ministry Director at Fresh Life Church in Kalispell, MT. Born and raised in Southern California, she is learning to enjoy the outdoorsy life in Montana and loves all things crafty and creative.

Blog cuetheconfetti.com

Instagram @carrierowe

Twitter @carrierowe

| homefrontmag.com19

family time recipefamily time

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 (12 ounce) jar of salsa

• 6 large flour tortillas

• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

• Cooking spray

• Optional toppings: lettuce, salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, tortilla chips, avocados, salsa

• Muffin tin

• Cup, jar, lid, or biscuit cutter approximately 4˝

* For an easy metric conversion chart, search the Internet for “metric kitchen.”

WHAT YOU’LL DO

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2. Spray muffin cups with cooking spray.

3. Brown beef in a pan and drain fat. Add salsa and simmer for five minutes; set aside.

4. Using a cup, jar lid, or biscuit cutter, cut 2 circles from each tortilla.

Most of the time when I'm cooking, I get about halfway through the recipe and start second-guessing everything. Is it supposed to look like this? Did I chop that too small? It smells weird … and so on. But it always brings me such joy when I trust and continue one step at a time until I finish the dish and it's just as it should be.

Sometimes I feel like that in life too. God, is my life supposed to look like this? Did I handle that right? This circumstance is weird. But when I am trusting God and continuing life one step at a time, I can have confidence in knowing Him and believing His promises for me in this life and beyond.

Enjoy making these Taco Cupcakes, and trust that even when things look messy, they will work out and be delicious!

Prep time: 10 min. Total Time: 30 min. Yields: 18 servings


kids in the kitchenfamily time

Sometimes events cause us to feel as if our lives have been flipped upside down. A serious diagnosis, the loss of a job, a child who walks away from the Lord, a move to a new state, a sudden death—the list could go on and on. Often when something like this happens, we can’t see clearly and begin to panic. But God does not! He can see clearly, and although it can be painful and confusing for us, we can rest knowing that He is working all things together for good. God never promises that life will be easy, but He does promise it will all work out to be good.

These Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes can be a fun way to work in the kitchen with your kids while sharing with them that even when we feel flipped upside down, God will make something good in our lives.

Prep Time: 25 min. Cook Time: 25 min. Yield: 12 cupcakes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 (20 ounce) can and 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks in pineapple juice

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/3 cup melted and 1/4 cup softened butter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (from pineapple chunks)

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Cooking spray

Topping

• Whipped cream

• 12 maraschino cherries

* For an easy metric conversion chart, search the Internet for “metric kitchen.”


kids in the kitchenfamily time

WHAT YOU’LL DO

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Spray 12 muffin cups well with cooking spray.

3. Drain both cans of pineapple chunks while reserving a half cup of juice for batter.

4. Place pineapple on several layers of paper towels to drain well.

5. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1/3 cup of butter and stir brown sugar into it.

6. Divide brown sugar mixture among muffin cups, adding about 2 teaspoons to each.

7. Arrange pineapple chunks on top of brown sugar mixture, about 5 chunks in each muffin cup. Set aside.

8. Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.

9. Add ¾1/4 cup of softened butter and pineapple juice; mix with electric mixer until batter is smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.

10. Mix in egg and vanilla extract until well combined.

11. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, layering over the pineapple chunks.

12. Bake for 23 to 26 minutes in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean.

13. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes; run a sharp knife around edges to loosen.

14. Place a wire cooling rack over top of muffin pan and flip to invert onto wire rack. Let cool completely.

15. Just before serving, top with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.


family time

prayer

"Where are You, God?" I can’t tell you how many times these words have escaped my mouth in prayer. The moment things get difficult in my life, I forget the incredible promises of God found in the Bible. I become so caught up in the situation that I have trouble stepping back far enough to see the big picture—to see that God is still with me. I need to remind myself of the truths that I know about God, like what we read in Deuteronomy 31:6: God tells His people that He will go with them and that He will never leave them.

What a comforting thought! Even when things seem messy or out of control, we have a God who promises to stay by our side. We know that this is true because His Word says so. God has many promises for us in the Bible that help us to know Him better.

This month, we hope your family can get to know God better through making tie-dye prayer T-shirts as a visual reminder of who He is.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Plain white T-shirts (1 for each family member)

• 4–5 rubber bands per shirt

• 3–color tie-dye kit with blue, yellow, and red (found at most craft stores)

Follow the tie-dye kit instructions to prepare the T-shirts. After spinning each shirt and wrapping it with rubber bands, enter into a time of prayer with your family. Explain to your children that we can know things about God through the Bible. As you begin to tie-dye the shirts, lead your children in thanking God for the amazing things you know about Him.

Each time you squirt the blue dye on a shirt, remember that God is our healer (Psalm 30:2), and pray for those in your life who need to experience the healing that God offers.

Each time you squirt the yellow dye, remember that God comforts us when we're hurting (2 Corinthians 1:3). Pray for yourself and for others who may need to experience God’s comfort.

Finally, as you squirt the red dye, think about God’s overflowing love (John 3:16). God loves us so much that He was willing to send Jesus so that we might be in relationship with Him. As you use the red dye, thank God for His love.

After you've followed the rest of the directions and each T-shirt has had time to sit for 12 to 24 hours, remove it from the bag. Have everyone watch as you take off the rubber bands. Talk about how when you dyed the shirt with the three colors, you only thought about each color individually, but now you can see how all of the colors work together. Sometimes when we pray, we don’t understand God’s plan, but as we see how all of our prayers have been beautifully woven together, we can be reminded that God is working all things for good.

by Krista HeinenKrista is the NextGen Associate Pastor at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, WI. Krista helps equip and support the families at Elmbrook through resources, events, and conversations.

Twitter @KristaHeinen


family time

prayer

BLUE—GOD HEALS US YELLOW—GOD COMFORTS US RED—GOD LOVES US


family time

god's word

God consistently uses impossible situations to bring about good. Even a brief skim through the Bible shows this is true. When Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children, God miraculously provided a son. When Joseph was sold into slavery, God raised him to second-in-command over Egypt. When Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt, God parted the Red Sea. When they became hungry and thirsty in the wilderness, God rained down food from heaven and brought water out of rocks. David beat Goliath. Daniel survived a night with lions. An angel appeared in the fiery furnace. We know that God works in impossible situations to bring about good for His people and to bring glory to Himself.

These miraculous acts of God did not stop with the Old Testament. When Jesus steps onto the scene, He proves that God is not done working in impossible situations. He takes a boy’s lunch and feeds thousands of people. He heals a man born blind. The best part is that when Jesus dies—when all hope of His being the promised Redeemer and Israel’s Messiah seems lost—God raises Him from the dead! Jesus’ death seemed to His disciples to be an impossible situation, and yet that is what God used to bring about the greatest possible good—our salvation!

One story that may not be familiar to your family is found in 1 Kings 17:7–24. Here, God sends Elijah to stay with a specific widow and her son in the midst of a drought and famine, and as they extend hospitality in giving him a place to stay, they get to see God work in two impossible situations.


family time

god's word

HEAR IT

As a family, read 1 Kings 17:7–24. Then, discuss the following questions:

• What was the first impossible situation in this story? (The widow did not have enough food. The oil in her jug and flour in her jar were running out.)

• What was the second impossible situation in this story? (The widow’s son got sick and died.)

• How might the widow have felt in each of these situations? (Sad, hopeless, frustrated.)

• How did God work in each of these situations? (He multiplied her flour and oil so that they didn’t run out, and He used Elijah to bring her son back to life.)

• How would you have felt if you'd been Elijah and had seen God do these miracles?

DO IT

God still works in impossible situations today! Brainstorm a list of seemingly impossible situations your family is facing right now (a bully at school, an unhappy job, a struggling marriage, a sick friend or relative, etc.). Write these things down. Then, brainstorm a list of things you know to be true about God (He is loving, He is faithful, He provides, He can heal, etc.). Write these down as well. Finally, pray together as a family, asking God to help you trust in who you know He is, even in the midst of impossible situations.

by Emily SchulzEmily is the Director of Family Ministries at New Denver Church in Denver, CO. She is enjoying the newlywed life with her husband, Phil, and recently graduated with her Master of Divinity degree from Denver Seminary.


The Greek word for “know” in this verse is actually eidó. Despite how we may read this verse due to our own baggage, perspective, or context, the author never intended eidó to mean a definitive knowledge that depends on our own ability. Eidó is more accurately defined as a seeing that becomes knowing; it suggests that we would be shown something that would develop into a deeper knowledge or understanding.

The pressure is not on me. Knowing isn’t this immediate assurance for my future. It’s not waking up one morning and having the perfect plan for my life after graduation day. It’s opening my eyes to see the moments where God has been faithful. In those tiny glimpses of His faithfulness, I develop that gut trust. That gut trust is eidó. It’s sight beyond the physical. It’s something I come to know in the pit of myself, even when the world around me feels shaky. Because it’s not dependent upon me. It’s God showing His goodness to me, time and time again. Eventually, the seeing becomes knowing.

by Emily KozacekEmily is a recent graduate of Belmont University. Originally from Overland Park, KS, Emily moved to Nashville, TN, in 2012 to pursue songwriting. Throughout her time in Nashville, she has served as a volunteer leader for Young Life. With majors in both Songwriting and Religion and the Arts, Emily loves to see how the two areas intersect.

family time

worship

During my last full week of college, I was walking around campus when I suddenly came to a realization: A month from now, I could be walking the same stretch of sidewalk and feel like a stranger in the very place that has been my home for the past four years.

It’s an overwhelming feeling—the feeling of being uprooted without an idea of what lies ahead. I don’t have a career lined up for after graduation. There’s no timeline for a wedding. I don’t know which friendships will stay and which ones will grow apart. In such a time of transition and uncertainty, I keep asking myself the big question: Is there anything that I know?

Romans 8:28 says that we know God works all things together for good. I’m struggling with that right now—with what it would really mean to trust that God is at work in my life for my good. Currently my life feels more like damage control. All I want to do is clench my fists and tighten my grip on anything I can grab hold of. So how can I possibly know that “God works for the good of those who love him”?

Here is where I come up for breath, the moment when I unclench my fists: God’s goodness doesn't depend upon my unwavering trust. He will be good and will remain good wherever I am on the map. In moments of doubt and uncertainty, He is still in the intricate workings of my life. And He can’t wait to remind me of this.


family time

worship

"ABRAHAM"

Mmm, My lovely

Have you forgotten all the promises

I’ve made to thee?

You’ve been makin’ plans, I see

So won’t you lay your plans aside

And come and trust Me?

Won’t you lay your plans aside

And come and trust Me?

CHORUS

You and I

Let’s take a walk under the stars

You need reminding

That I am not that far away

I am not that far away

Leave the comfort that you seek

It’s in the dangers of the waters

You will find Me

Take my hand and I will lead

And know that where I lead

You will not go alone

Please know that where I lead

You will not go alone

CHORUS

You and I

Let’s take a walk under the stars

You need reminding

That I am not that far away

I am not that far away

PARENTS

Share Genesis 15:5–6 with your children:

"[God] took him outside and said, 'Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.' Then he said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

After sharing these verses, as an act of worship, read the lyrics to this song about Abraham written by Emily Kozacek.

Take your children outside to look at the stars. Remind them of the promise that God made to Abraham and how God kept His promise. Share with them that when we know God, we can have faith in Him to always work things together for our good.

Download the audio recording of this song at dcc.is/abraham


Repetition is fundamental to almost any learning style, so when you’re teaching your children, use repetition!

This month, as you wake your little one, remind her of the truths in these precious lyrics written by Anna B. Warner in 1860. These words still ring true: Even over 150 years later, we can know that Jesus loves us! G

ET

UP

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you SIT AT HOME and when you walk ALONG THE ROAD, when you LIE DOWN and when you GET UP.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7

SIT AT HOME

ALONGTHE ROAD

LIE DOWN GET UP

tot time rhyme(ages 3 & under)

family time

Jesus loves me! This I know

For the Bible tells me so

Little ones to Him belong

They are weak, but He is strong

Refrain:

Yes, Jesus loves me

Yes, Jesus loves me

Yes, Jesus loves me

The Bible tells me so


blessingfamily time

A BLESSING CAN BE A PRAYER OF COMMISSION, A BIBLE PASSAGE, OR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. BLESSINGS CAN BE SPOKEN OVER A CHILD FOR THE

PURPOSE OF DECLARING GOD’S PROTECTION, JOY, AND WISDOM OVER HIM.

God, I want to know You more. This seems to be one of the most challenging things for us to accomplish as Jesus-followers. I know that throughout most of my faith journey, I have struggled with knowing God. I don’t just mean knowing about God—I mean knowing the heart of God so you can know His plans and purposes for your life. I am referring to knowing God in a personal, tangible, and real way. This requires us to be vulnerable with God, to let our walls down. It’s no different with the people we call friends.

Recently I had the unique opportunity to take close to 200 people up into the mountains of Colorado for a high school retreat. Our vision for the retreat was to help students immerse themselves in the presence of God. We thought that if they did that, then God would speak and make Himself known to them. Boy, did He ever do that. As the students began to worship, their hearts were softened. As their hearts were softened, they let their walls down. As they let their walls down, God made Himself known to them in a very real and tangible way.

I share this because once you experience relationship with God in that kind of way, you desire more and more. The closer we get

to God and the more we get to know Him, the easier it becomes to know His plans and purposes for our lives.

READ

This month, read Ephesians 1:15–23 out loud to your child, stopping and summarizing along the way if necessary to make sure your child grasps the message.

BLESS

[Child’s name], may God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant you spiritual wisdom and understanding so that you might grow in your knowledge of Him. I pray that your heart will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future He has promised to you. May you realize what a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to you.

by Christopher SteenmeyerChris has the privilege of being the Family Life Pastor at Mountain Springs Church in Colorado Springs, CO. He and his wife, Sarah, have six kids and enjoy sports and being in the outdoors together. He is passionate about seeing transformation in the lives of young people.


taking actionfamily time

Jeremy Courtney is cofounder and executive director of the Preemptive Love Coalition, an international development organization based in Iraq that provides lifesaving heart surgeries to children in war-torn countries, helps families in Iraq who've lost everything to ISIS, and creates peace between communities at odds.

In the middle of the Iraq War, Jeremy and his wife, Jessica, found themselves with their two children caught up in the turmoil, just hoping to make a difference. After an encounter with a father whose little girl was dying from a heart defect, they began to investigate options for helping and learned that untold thousands of children across Iraq were in similar need, waiting in line for heart surgery in a country without a qualified heart surgeon.

With the help of their closest friends, they dove in to save the lives of as many as they could, but sending children abroad proved to be expensive and cumbersome, and it failed to make an impact on the systemic needs of Iraqi hospitals—the place where these children really should be saved. Despite fatwas, death threats, bombings, imprisonments, and intense living conditions, Jeremy and his team persevered

Preemptive Love Coalition is a global movement of peacemakers changing the way we engage the world’s most polarizing conflicts by confronting fear with acts of love.


taking actionfamily time

to overcome years of hostilities and distrust in an effort to eradicate the backlog of thousands of Iraqi children waiting in line for much-needed heart surgeries.

Anyone who spends even a brief amount of time with Jeremy and Jessica knows that a love for God drives their lives. They strive in each moment to submit to Jesus’ example and to fulfill Jesus’ mission of healing and reconciliation in the world. The Courtneys see their work through PLC as a way of living out their own identity as followers of Jesus—seeking to love the most down and out of the world’s people as an expression of their love for God.

Jeremy and Jessica have a daughter, Emma (born in 2005), and a son, Micah (born in 2007). In his spare time, after saving lives, Jeremy is a musician and songwriter. He is also passionate about discovering ways people can build meaningful bridges of understanding and reconciliation across cultures through music and storytelling. Jessica is a full-time mother and an avid quilter, seamstress, scrapbooker, and gardener.

PLC'S CORE VALUESLOVE ANYWAY

Yes, we all have our own politics. Yes, we have our own religion. Love anyway. Step out across enemy lines and embrace conflict rather than running. Your love has the ability to transcend guilt, shame, and

indifference. Wrap your arms around those you fear, and invite others to do the same.

SHOW UP

Presence matters. Whether it’s in the middle of a conversation, conflict zone, or operating room, love shows up. Healing happens when we choose to bring our whole self into the conflict, including our own fears, doubts, and biases (yes, we all have them). Ask questions, risk failure, be heard. Just don’t hide.

GET OUT OF THE WAY

Peace, healing, and sustainable change only happen when we allow others to own their futures. Getting out of the way means taking a step back after we show up so that others can stand on their own. Look past yourself. Step back and consider the bigger picture, and pass on the baton.

SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP

Check out PLC's store here: preemptivelove.org/store. One of PLC's products is called Sisterhood Soap. Every bar of soap sold helps refugees in Iraq grow their businesses, feed their families, and put their children back in school—not through a handout, but through the work of their own hands.

Facebook Preemptive Love Coalition

Instagram @preemptivelove

Twitter @preemptivelove

Vimeo vimeo.com/preemptivelove

LibyaEgypt

Algeria

TunisiaMorocco

Mali Niger Chad Sudan

Saudi Arabia

Iraq IranMediterranean

Sea

globalfamily time

Situated on the coast of North Africa, Libya is the fourth-largest country on the continent, with an area of 679,362 square miles. It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east by Egypt, on the southeast by the Sudan, on the south by Chad and Niger, on the west by Algeria, and on the northwest by Tunisia. Libya has a coastline that stretches 1,100 miles.

Awakening a compassionate heart and a global mind-set in children for people beyond the boundaries of their own neighborhoods.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS ...

QUICK STATS

POPULATION 6,271,992 LANGUAGE ARABIC RELIGION

ISLAM 97%CHRISTIANITY 0.7%BUDDHISM 0.3%

Libya?


globalfamily time

If you lived in Libya, you would eat a lot of dates, oranges, apricots, figs, lemons, and olives. There are four main ingredients of traditional Libyan food—olives (and olive oil), palm dates, grains, and milk. You could expect such delicacies as traditional Libyan salad, made with cucumbers, tomatoes and spice, or stuffed sheep's intestines—a wonderful mix of herbs, rice, and spices poured into grilled intestines, resulting in a type of homemade gourmet sausage.

• Parts of the Libyan desert may not experience rain for decades.

• The desert town of Aziziya recorded a temperature of 136 degrees Fahrenheit in 1922, one of the hottest figures ever recorded.

• Women in the country have absolutely no rights. Their only roles are to clean, cook, and give birth to children.

• Almost one-third of the Libyan population does not have access to any safe drinking water.

If you lived in Libya, you would most likely go to

church in a mosque, which is a place of worship for

followers of Islam.

Preemptive Love Coalition (this month’s Taking Action organization) has been providing lifesaving heart surgeries for kids in war zones for almost 10 years. Originally, they would fly them to other countries like Israel and Turkey for surgery. But then they started bringing medical teams to their countries, so they could train local doctors and nurses to care for kids with heart defects. Their heart surgery program started in Iraq. Last year, they started bringing medical teams into other countries, including Libya.

Libya has seen a lot of conflict over the last four years. Many rival groups have been fighting for power, and ISIS controls the city of Sirte, on the Libyan coast. On the same day that 21 Christians were killed on a beach in Libya, Preemptive Love was down the road, in the middle of their first heart surgery mission, saving the lives of Libyan kids. It’s not easy providing heart surgeries in Libya. Many hospitals struggle to stay open. Nurses haven’t been paid for months, and medical supplies are low. But despite the many challenges, Preemptive Love has helped well over one hundred children (and counting) receive care. They were just in Libya in April of this year for their fourth heart surgery trip. People in Libya are weary of conflict, but they are cautiously hopeful, now that a new unity government has been appointed. Many challenges remain, and Preemptive Love is committed to serving Libya’s kids through it all.

NOW THAT WE KNOW THE LOCATION OF LIBYA, LET’S MEET ITS PEOPLE.

DID YOU KNOW?

Over 6 million people call Libya their home.

To say hello you would say, "As–salaam alaikum" (pronounced

Ah sah-LAHM ah-LAY-koom)

To talk to your friends in Libya, you would speak Arabic.



student idequip

(6th to 8th grade)

The transformational weight of the world is not on your shoulders. God is building His church. God lovingly makes Himself known to us and invites us to play a part in the building within our own home. God, who could do everything by Himself better than we can do it with Him, is graciously inviting you to lead your children to know Him as you create environments that give Him space to move.

If you want to partake with God in this glorious mission to a young generation, your foremost move should not be leadership but "followership." You can learn a lot about a leader by looking at whom he or she follows.

Sometimes we think that spiritually healthy leadership is about being perfect or dynamic or even clever. But it's actually about allowing God to be in His rightful position of leadership and then helping your children follow and depend on the One who is ultimately equipped to lead. Following and depending requires intimately knowing the Leader. As we model our dependency on the Leader, we show our children what it looks like to follow. We must follow so that people entrusted into our care can follow too. So let me ask you this: Are you dependent upon the Holy Spirit to move in your home, or have we figured out how to simply get by?

As we learn to (quite literally) depend on God's leading instead of our own skills, we will learn how to lead our children to the very Person we all need—the One who restores brokenness and brings dead things to life. It's not always easy. Letting God lead takes discipline to recognize where He's moving and courage to follow Him wherever He goes.

Spiritually healthy leaders are followers first and leaders second.

When Jesus called some of His first followers to join Him in redeeming the world back to Himself in

Matthew 4, He initiated. Jesus invited the fishermen to follow Him and become part of the miraculous movement He was about to begin.

These fishermen chose to say yes to following Him first and then began leading others second. Following Jesus and fishing for others to experience Him is the call, and this call requires spiritually healthy leaders who know that the movement is much larger than they are.

Spiritually healthy leadership is a call to follow the Leader. Jesus didn’t ask His followers to lead the first-century churches because of their credentials (backwater fishermen in their twenties didn’t have many of those); He called them to lead because He trusted them to follow.

And He brought you in to lead your children because He trusts you to know Him and to follow.Adapted from 7 Family Ministry Essentials by Michelle Anthony and Megan Marshman

by Megan Fate MarshmanAs an international speaker at churches, conferences, and university chapels, Megan Fate Marshman is a leading voice to this generation. Currently, she is the Director of Women’s Ministries at Hume Lake Christian Camps and Associate Dean of Youthmin Academy. She cowrote the book 7 Family Ministry Essentials and served as the Director of Student Resources and Events for David C Cook, where she led a team in creating TruIdentity: a spiritually forming, Christ-centered, and family-empowered youth ministry curriculum. Megan lives in Long Beach, CA, with her husband and son.

Website meganfate.com

Facebook Megan Fate

Instagram @meganfate

Twitter @meganfate


The other day I ran across an Ann Voskamp quote that instantly made me a bit weepy.

"Please hear me, girl: The world has enough women who know how to do their hair. It needs women who know how to do hard and holy things."

It was, at the moment, pretty much exactly what I needed to hear. A quick reassurance, from out of the blue, that what I was doing that day—attempting to parent three little ones—was, in fact, a very worthy cause. My hair didn't look like I knew how to do it, and big deal. The quote helped me to refocus after a grumpy spell, and those words have been playing in my mind since.

I stumbled into motherhood not as most women do. There were no positive pregnancy tests, no nine months of pregnancy to prepare my heart and nursery. There was no nursery. No baby showers or buying of strollers, bottles, or Freshly Picked moccasins (which I discovered too late but would have loved to have known about when the girls' feet were little enough). But mostly there was no chance to bond with my kids while in the womb. Because it wasn't my womb.

When one enters motherhood through the foster parent door, it's more like trial by fire. We didn't know who our first placement would be—no clue about exact ages, gender, or even number. So preparation began, by and large, after the children entered our home. My goodness, can you even imagine? The creation of one family only because of the dysfunction, brokenness, trauma, and neglect of another. When it is all said and done, may our story truly be one of beauty from ashes. But that transformation does not happen among humans, unfortunately, without resentment, unkind words, frustration, and countless other sinful thoughts and actions at times. Sometimes it feels like we're much more in the ashes than the beauty part of it all. I have repented more in the past three years of my life than I ever did in the first 32.

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The Hope of Parenting with ConnectionHanna Erickson


Also, though, over the past three years, I have had conversations in mom circles with many moms—both through biology and foster-adopt situations. I have come to realize that my family's issues are, actually, in so many ways, simply family issues. Living with other personalities and temperaments—regardless of the why behind them—can just be really hard. Parenting of any kind can just be really hard. Before becoming a mom, I was under the impression that I had the fruit of the Spirit growing quite nicely within me. I am now daily humbled to see that I don't have it together as much as I thought. I am grateful for God's grace as never before.

Since that vital mother-child bonding in utero and during the infancy months didn't occur with my adopted kids—and, so sadly, didn't occur with their birth mother either—I know we need to make up for those lost months and years. How fascinating, I am learning, that the science of brain chemistry today reinforces God's greatest commandment of love. What are some of the ways experts say to improve the neurochemical impact of early deprivation and abuse? Things such as:

• Helping children to feel safe

• Giving them our focus by playing with them

• Encouraging the positive

• Making eye contact

• Modeling respect, gentleness, and kindness

• Honoring their emotions

All parents striving to build connection with their children are bound to see progress when coming from a place of love, I believe, because how could it be otherwise? We believe that God is love—we know that to be true about Him. Christ is victorious over sin and death. Christ wins. Love wins! And when we fail to love as purely and patiently as we thought by this point we should have been able to do, we can take some comfort from Paul's words about a future glory:

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him" (Romans 8:26–28).

I suspect I am not the only parent who wants to build a stronger connection with my children. The Holy Spirit knows our kids' hearts and hurts and needs better than we do. When we know Him, He will help us pray for the healing that must happen.

Remember, the world needs women who know how to do hard and holy things.

Hanna Erickson is the Social Media Manager for HomeFront. She grew up in various parts of the Midwest and Southwest. A former elementary teacher turned foster mom turned adoptive mom, she and her husband, Brian, have been married for nearly 13 years. Their favorite things to do with the kids include road-tripping it—either in Colorado or cross-country—and telling really lame jokes.


Having recently become an adoptive father of three, a new responsibility has materialized—teaching my children about the nature of reality.

This task would have been significantly easier years ago, as an idealistic (and naive) young adult, when I believed everything people in church told me and most of what the Christian retailing world churned out. Reality seemed absolute, with little room for grays.

The passage of time has revealed that people in church can be wrong, and life rarely goes the way it’s portrayed on merchandise. Let’s be honest—we don’t always rise on the wings of eagles, lie down in green pastures, or experience all things working for our immediate good.

What do I teach my children when questions like the ones Ziya Meral proposed in a Christianity Today article are running through my mind: “Where is God when millions of His children are being persecuted in the most brutal ways? Why does He keep silent in the middle of persecution but speak loudly in the middle of conferences with famous speakers and worship bands?”

Teaching children to trust cultural, Western Christianity with its easy believe-ism, celebrities, and sizzling guitar solos seems like a mistake. Don’t get me wrong—authentic faith is an issue of the heart regardless of format, but there is high potential that entertaining donut- and coffee-fueled Sunday morning pep rallies may be setting us up to fail by esteeming unreality.

With this perspective in mind, here’s the most honest understanding I can present to my children about God working all things for the good of those who love Him.

Life is often tragic and unjust—for everyone

My children, as is age-appropriate, will be taught that rain falls on the just and unjust alike. Oftentimes, the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. Cars crash. Sickness kills. War destroys. Accidents happen. These events are part of life—there is plenty of debate about why.

The point is: The Bible doesn’t promise believers a free pass from this kind of suffering. Teaching children otherwise is setting them up for disappointment and even anger with God when life doesn’t go as planned.

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Does God Really Work All Things for the Good of Those Who Love Him?

Brian Erickson


God understands suffering

“The greatest statement of the mercy of God that requites sin was His own willingness to bear it, as God, in His own crucifixion.” —Art Katz

Jesus was not exempted from suffering and neither were the apostles or early believers. The truth is, many modern believers undergo unimaginable suffering. God’s promise isn’t always to avert this suffering but to go with His believers to the ends of the earth. He sees all.

When God does intervene, this is called a “miracle.” Miracles are called such because they are rare.

If suffering is “normal," how does God work all things for the good of those who love Him?

Death is not the final word

We often think of “good” the way it is portrayed in our culture and media: as an immediate benefit we experience. The good Paul speaks of is in an eternal context: “We wait eagerly for … the redemption of our bodies.”

The gospel hope is that Christ rose from the dead, which means He defeated death and validated His message of redemption. Otherwise, as Paul says, “For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:16 ESV).

So it seems wise to teach my children a long view. If Christ conquered death, we have hope beyond the grave in crooked things made straight, wrongs righted. Will not the judge of all the earth do right?

Nothing can separate us from God’s love

Suffering is an unpleasant subject and a difficult topic for adults and children alike. By teaching them about the reality of suffering, God’s understanding of it, and an eternal view of justice, I hope my children will be better equipped to handle reality in a healthy way.

Perhaps Paul’s best explanation for how God works all things for the good of those who love Him is the following:

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38 ESV).

In life we may suffer, but nothing can separate us from the love of God—not even death, and that is good!

Brian Erickson grew up slowly in dusty Route 66 railroad towns bordering the Navajo Nation. He makes a living as the interactive art director at David C Cook and has been married to his high school sweetheart, Hanna, for nearly 13 years. Brian likes being outside—preferably running.

Instagram @BrianEricksonCO

Twitter @BrianEricksonCO


perform a very difficult surgery to remove the cyst. It was located next to the facial nerve—so avoiding the nerve would be crucial. The facial nerve damage could be minor, but it could also be severe and alter Mazie’s life indefinitely. As a parent, you never want to find yourself in the doctor's office hearing all of the worst-case scenarios regarding paralysis and your child.

During this time of second opinions, CT scans, MRIs, and multiple follow-up appointments (and hearing more about all the things that could happen), I became numb. I knew I was on a slippery slope when I began to cry whenever anyone would say something slightly rude or was in even a minor conflict with me. I cried when McDonald's was out of sweet tea one day. I cried on the phone with a doctor's office when they said I owed them money and I knew I didn’t—but I

tough topicsequip

Last year I had the pleasure of writing a Worship article for HomeFront. I shared about my daughter Mazie and how she and I are both deaf in our right ears due to genetics. After writing that article, I really couldn’t have prepared myself for the road we would soon travel.

Mazie experienced three hospital stays over the next six months. She had to be hospitalized for four to five days each time due to recurring infections. She kept developing an abscess behind her right ear due to an angry cyst embedded in her middle ear. The hospital stays consisted of IV antibiotics and simple surgeries to drain the abscess. We were not prepared to hear that at two years old, Mazie is the only known case in the world with this particular presentation. There was an urgency to have highly trained surgeons

Keri and Mazie Larson Photo Credit: Trevor Hoehne


tough topicsequip

couldn’t effectively communicate with them. If Tommy, my husband, even looked at me sideways … yep, I cried.

In the swirl of emotions and uncertainty, I stopped praying. I wasn’t mad at God. I just felt void of words. I listened as my friends and family encouraged me and said they were praying for Mazie. I kept thinking the cloud would lift and my normal, eloquent, and authoritative prayers would return. Nope. I think that in the thick of it I began to feel like my inability to pray could affect the outcome of the surgery. What if something happens and Mazie dies? What if she is paralyzed? Might this happen because I wasn’t praying day and night for God to protect Mazie?

After much consideration, we felt confident to allow Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University to perform this unique surgery. Once a date was set, everything became very focused. People all over the country started setting up times to pray for our family and Mazie. We had friends gather, elders gather, and people who have never met us gather for prayer. We even prayed over the phone with mentors. I shared Mazie’s story on my social media accounts and received a great outpouring of support there as well.

At one point, I became vulnerable with a few close friends about my lack of prayer and my fears. One friend reminded me that hundreds of people were praying and that it was all right for me to rest in those prayers. Another friend reminded me that God wouldn’t allow something tragic to happen to Mazie because I didn’t pray enough. Good grief! These people were right! I was encouraged.

As the surgery approached, I began to feel peace. The tears were long gone; I had none left to cry. I slowly found my way and began to prepare to get on that plane with my beautiful and happy two year old to face this surgery head-on.

Mazie went into surgery the morning of March 31, 2016. After being told the surgery could take up to 12 hours, we were overcome with joy when the doctors finished in seven and a half. Mazie had done great! The surgeons had successfully removed the cyst and avoided damaging her facial nerve. We were in a room by 7:00 p.m., and by 11:00 a.m. the next day they said she could go home. We were in shock. They said she had done so well and looked so good there was no reason to keep her in the hospital! We had been prepared to be there two or three days.

Mazie was happy to leave the hospital and acted like she hadn't undergone major surgery. We were all amazed, and it was truly a miracle to see her recovering so quickly.

Friends and family stood in the gap for me when I had no words to pray. I knew in that moment that I could count on what I knew to be true about God … He answers prayers!

I knew God was hearing the prayers for Mazie. I knew He was faithful—no matter what the outcome could be. In the depths of my being, even when I didn’t have words, I knew it was all going to be okay. There is something very basic about having faith—when you truly believe in something, you know it’s real.

A special thank you to Dr. Kay Chang and Dr. Mai Thy Truong for being so brilliant and caring enough to become surgeons specializing in the area of ear, nose, and throat. We certainly feel confident we were guided to you for this very season.

by Keri LarsonKeri Larson is a studio-session singer in Los Angeles, CA. She is the co-creator and co-producer of The Black & White Sessions, a YouTube channel project that launched in April 2015. She lives in Costa Mesa, CA, with her husband, Tommy, and her two children, James and Mazie.

Website theblackandwhitesessions.com

Instagram @theblacknwhitesessions

Twitter @blknwhtsessions

YouTube The Black and White Sessions

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1a

Mazie Larson after surgery


even the surprises in life aren’t so scary. The truth is, we could not handle knowing ahead of time all of the hidden things in this life. When we hold fast to our good God who does know all things, we have the capacity to know His goodness in the midst of our messy lives. That’s why Paul could say with certainty that all things work together for the good of those who know and love Him!

Every marriage over time will experience life’s calamities—children in trouble, aging parents, loss of income, the death of someone we love. It’s not a matter of if adversities will come but when. The book of James tells us that life's trials and tests are ultimately for our good and that we will grow because of them. When they arrive at our doorstep, we are typically shocked and surprised.

Believing by faith that God knows exactly what will come our way and when gives us hope. Hope is not a vague concept or self-directed confidence. Hope is God! When we believe that God knows everything in our past, present, and future, we can rest in the confidence that we are in His grip—that hope is real.

by Guy GrimesGuy is the Founder and President of The Relationship Warehouse in Costa Mesa, CA. He is a counselor, professor, and public speaker. His newly released book, Relationship Matters, is available everywhere books are sold.

Website therelationshipwarehouse.com

Facebook Relationship Matters: Foundations for Lasting and Healthy Relationships

Twitter @GuyGrimes

marriagesupport

In marriage counseling, I commonly experience one spouse stating loudly, "This isn’t the person I married!” The reality is this: Adult personalities really don’t change fundamentally over a lifetime (apart from a catastrophic event or trauma). However, unknown things in a person’s life or character are often revealed over time and circumstances.

Marriage is the longest earthly relationship designed by God to be lived in close proximity to one person. Many of us will have known our siblings longer than our spouses, but we usually only reside with them during our developmental years. However, marriage affords ample opportunities to really get to know our lifelong lover, roommate, and friend. Marriage relationships can be strengthened and (or) tested by the revelations of the past.

Simply doing life with our spouses exposes our hurts, habits, and issues. For example, hurts from our childhoods didn’t surface until my wife, Roxanna, and I had our first baby. Romans 8:28 encourages us to know that God works out all things for good in the lives of His children. In a relationship, one goes through a discovery process of getting to know a person on deep levels that are only revealed over time and circumstances. I believe that means we can have confidence that nothing surprises God as our lives and marriages unfold. God knew that I would be overprotective as a father and that becoming a mother would trigger Roxanna’s past abandonment.

My 30-plus year journey with Roxanna has been filled with the expected and unexpected. We both came from fractured families plagued by substance abuse, sexual sins, and dysfunction. Each of us brought baggage into our marriage that would be unpacked over time and through life experiences. Neither of us knew fully on the day we wed the extent to which our life together in the present would be impacted by our pasts. When we exchanged vows before God that October day in 1985, He then held our tears of joy and sorrow in His hand.

Walking with God daily, relating to Him through His written Word, conversing with Him, and interacting with Him through His people connects us to God. With His Spirit in us, the unknowns and

THE TRUTH IS, WE COULD NOT HANDLE KNOWING AHEAD OF TIME ALL OF THE HIDDEN THINGS IN THIS LIFE. WHEN WE HOLD FAST TO OUR GOOD GOD WHO DOES KNOW ALL THINGS, WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO KNOW HIS GOODNESS IN THE MIDST OF OUR MESSY LIVES.

Photo Credit: BekahMariePhotography.com


spiritual grandparentingsupport

As I age, I like to think I am wiser and more mature in my faith. Then something happens to make me realize I have so much more to learn—and that something is grandchildren!

"A three-year-old child is a being who gets almost as much fun out of a $56 set of swings as it does out of finding a small, green worm." —Bill Vaughan

It was the middle of the afternoon. It was time to start planning for dinner, and we realized we were missing a few things. No worries. I can walk down to the local convenience store. No big deal.

My grandson wanted to come along. Caleb was maybe three at the time. No problem—he usually skips along beside me or rides his scooter. It will be fun.

This time. He walked. Slowly.

As we went, he stopped at every single tiny flower and touched it.

Living in Hawaii there are plenty—plenty—of flowers to touch! I began to get a little irritated and kept trying to urge him along. Yeah. I am that guy. I don’t stroll. I walk. Impatience was slowly stewing in the back of my mind.

Craig Wheeler with his grandson, Caleb


him we planned to check out the family land and hike around some. Caleb didn’t want to go. Teenager-style. Too cool to hang with us older guys, I guess.

We grabbed him anyway.

We had a good day. We spent several hours out and about, hanging around together. We saw beautiful vistas, mountains, giant rocks, and snow.

You know, that little boy was still in there. Caleb was again awed by God’s creation—the mountains, the views, and nature. Once, as we walked down the road, we saw a deer along the side. We stopped, got quiet, and watched. The deer followed the hill a bit and then crossed the road right in front of Caleb.

It was fun to watch. And I was reminded of that walk so many years ago.

This tough teenager smiled.

There are those allergies again.

Something about nature draws us. It grounds us. I think it is a God thing.

In our daily grind, in the city, we often miss it.

I don’t know about you, but I get busy. The weeks disappear in the rearview mirror in a flash. I am working hard at getting outside more often and taking my grandkids along. I need their perspective.

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3 ESV).

Grandparents, find some light hiking trails or parks near you and take your grandkids there. Explore. Let them touch and smell the flowers. Let them pick up sticks. Let them draw in the dirt. Let them chase squirrels.

Worship God together and enjoy the wonder of His creation through a child's eyes.

As Psalm 8:3–4 says, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”

by Craig WheelerCraig Wheeler is the proud dad of three beautiful daughters and "Papa" to eight really cool grandkids! He lives in Colorado Springs, CO, and is the Content and Database Specialist at David C Cook. He also serves at Heart of the Springs Church. He believes God is truly bigger than all our messes.

spiritual grandparentingsupport

Then I stopped.

I realized Caleb was enjoying the beauty of God’s creation along the way. I almost sat down and cried. Okay … I did cry. It may have been allergies, though.

In a child’s way, Caleb was in awe of the things around him.

Most dictionaries define worship as offering homage or adoration to God. Or having an adoring reverence or respect for someone or something. Many also relate worship to gathering in a specific place or at a specific time.

We often think of worship as something we do at church.

In this moment, watching my grandson enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, I realized he was worshipping God.

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for

you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being" (Revelation 4:11).

I stood there in awe.

So I got down with him and we began to touch the flowers together. We talked about the different colors. The shapes. The smells.

I thanked God for my grandson and his determination to play in what God gave us.

The rest of the walk, we took our time, touching and picking flowers. Sure, it took a lot longer—but we enjoyed the walk and each other.

Dinner would have to wait.

"Pausing to listen to an airplane in the sky, stooping to watch a ladybug on a plant, sitting on a rock to watch the waves crash over the quayside—children have their own agendas and timescales. As they find out more about their world and their place in it, they work hard not to let adults hurry them. We need to hear their voices." —Cathy Nutbrown

Fast-forward to 2015. We now live in Colorado. That little boy is now 16. He is taller than I am, and he says he is smarter, stronger, and tougher than me.

My brother came out to visit, and we wanted to head to the mountains. So I called Caleb up and told

IN THIS MOMENT, WATCHING MY GRANDSON ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S CREATION, I REALIZED HE WAS WORSHIPPING GOD.


10 ENVIRONMENTS

The order of the 10 Environments listed coincides with the monthly distribution of this resource.

12

3 4

5

“God has entrusted me with the things and

people He created around me.”

“God fills me with His love so I can

give it away.”

“God has a big story, and I can be a part

of it!”

“God transforms me when I step out in faith.”

“Asks the question, ‘What needs to be done?’”

ResponsibilityThis environment captures the ability to take ownership for one’s life, gifts, and resources before God. A child must be challenged to take responsibility for his or her brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as for those who are spiritually lost. Our hope is that the Holy Spirit will use this environment to allow each child to understand that God has entrusted His world to us.

Love&RespectWithout love, our faith becomes futile. This environment recognizes that children need an environment of love and respect in order to be free to both receive and give God’s grace. Innate to this environment is the value that children are respected because they embody the image of God. We must speak to them, not at them, and we must commit to an environment where love and acceptance are never withheld due to one’s behavior.

StorytellingThe power of The Big God Story impacts our lives by giving us an accurate and awe-inspiring perspective into how God has been moving throughout history. It is the story of redemption, salvation, and hope and tells how I have been grafted into it by grace. It further compels us to see how God is using every person’s life and is creating a unique story that deserves to be told for God’s glory.

Out of the Comfort ZoneAs children and students are challenged to step out of their comfort zone from an early age, they learn to experience a dependence on the Holy Spirit to equip and strengthen them beyond their natural abilities and desires. We believe this environment will cultivate a generation that, instead of seeking comfort, seeks a radical life of faith in Christ.

ServingThis posture of the heart asks the question, “What needs to be done?” It allows the Holy Spirit to cultivate a sensitivity to others and focuses on a cause bigger than one individual life. It helps fulfill the mandate that as Christ-followers we are to view our lives as living sacrifices that we generously give away!


IT IS OUR PRAYER THAT HOMES AND CHURCHES WOULD CREATE THESE ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN TO LIVE IN SO THEIR FAITH WILL GROW IN A COMMUNITY OF CONSISTENCY, COMMON LANGUAGE, AND PRACTICE. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THESE ENVIRONMENTS CAN IGNITE A TRANSFORMING FAITH IN YOUR FAMILY, WE SUGGEST YOU READ:

SPIRITUAL PARENTING:An Awakening for Today’s Families

BY MICHELLE ANTHONY © 2010 DAVID C COOK

6 7

8

9

10“When I get off

track, God offers me a path of healing.”

“I belong to God,

and He loves me!”

“God’s family cares for each other

and worships God together.”

“I see Christ in others, and they can

see Him in me.”

“God knows me, and I can know Him.”

Course CorrectionThis environment flows out of Hebrews 12:11–13 and is the direct opposite of punishment. Instead, biblical discipline for a child encompasses a season of pain, the building up in love, and a vision of a corrected path for the individual with the purpose of healing at its core.

IdentityThis environment highlights who we are in Christ. According to Ephesians 1, we have been chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed, and given an inheritance in Christ … all of which we did nothing to earn. This conviction allows children to stand firm against the destructive counter-identities the world will offer.

Faith CommunityGod designed us to live in community and to experience Him in ways that can only happen in proximity to one another. The faith community serves to create an environment to equip and disciple parents, to celebrate God’s faithfulness, and to bring a richness of worship through tradition and rituals, which offer children an identity. Our love for each other reflects the love we have received from God.

ModelingBiblical content needs a practical living expression in order for it to be spiritually impacting. This environment serves as a hands-on example of what it means for children to put their faith into action. Modeling puts flesh on faith and reminds us that others are watching to see if we live what we believe.

KnowingNothing could be more important than knowing and being known by God. We live in a world that denies absolute truth, and yet God’s Word offers just that. As we create an environment that upholds and displays God’s truth, we give children a foundation based on knowing God, knowing His Word, and a relationship with Him through Christ. God is holy, mighty, and awesome, and yet He has chosen to make Himself known to us!

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.

All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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