Preschool

The Bible shows how Simeon patiently waited for a very long time to see something very special.

Abigail is an example of someone taking action to choose peace. Jesus can help us all choose peace.

As we look at Paul and Silas singing in prison, we can see how Jesus can help us choose joy.

Jesus can help me choose love. We love because God loved us.

God looked at everything He made. Then He rested.

On day six, God made animals and people.

On day five, God made the birds and fish.

On days three and four, God made the land, plants, sea, sun, moon, and stars.

On days one and two, God made the light and dark and sky and water.

Jesus is with you always. Even in those times when it seems dark, as if nothing is going right, Jesus is there. Sometimes, the storm may seem too heavy to see through.

It is Easter! What a great time to remember what Jesus did for each and everyone of us.

Let us celebrate Jesus! Today, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Think about all the amazing things Jesus does. The Bible is full of so many amazing accounts of His love, His friendship, and His miracles.

Have you ever been worried about how you would make your material resources last? With the rise in gas prices and other goods, many of us are finding it difficult to make our finances last paycheck to paycheck.

No matter what you’ve done or who you are, there is a choice to be made. Do you choose Jesus?

We all know someone who has made a mistake and lost friends. Someone who people label as ‘despicable’ and do not want to associate with.

When Jesus started to choose the men in which He would disciple, He didn’t choose from the noblest, wisest, or the most affluent. Jesus chose four fishermen.

With the colder weather and financial increase in the economy, more and more people are feeling depressed and stressed. It can be so easy to keep your head down and focus on your tasks to get through the day.

Have you ever felt like God couldn’t possibly want you or love you because of the bad things you have done in your life? Or do you go to the opposite extreme and justify that you’re good because you’re not as bad as somebody else?

Have you ever done something you regret? Maybe gone somewhere you wish you never went?

Times have changed from when I was a kid. I could take a few party invitations and hand them out to my friends at school. Now, you must send an invitation for every kid in the class.

I don’t know about you, but many times in life I wish God would give me a big flashing light telling me what to do.

Most of us have heard the phrase, “good Samaritan,” but think about what that means. Simply put, we should help others. Unfortunately, that oversimplifies the truth behind what it means to be a good Samaritan.

It is a few weeks after the holidays now. You may notice things are getting back to normal. But you know one thing I wish would remain all year long? The generosity we see.

Have you ever gone somewhere and not known anyone? Were you brave enough to strike up a conversation or lucky enough that someone started the conversation with you?

Have you ever messed up? Ever done something although people told you it would not work yet you did it anyway and it hurt others in the process?

What is the best gift you ever gave someone? Or what is a great gift you wish you could give someone special to you? What makes a gift great?

When something wonderful occurs or when we hear good news, our natural instinct is to share it with someone. We want to shout it for the world to hear.

What is the best gift you received as a kid? Do you remember how you felt when you realized what it was? Did the joy and excitement make you want to dance, jump up and down, or maybe even cry?

Mary had faith in God and believed He could work miracles.

Have you ever noticed that some people struggle to ask for or even accept help? Or how others seem to ask all the time with little appreciation for the help they receive?

As we prepare for Thanksgiving this week, one thing I am looking forward to is the food! I love a good Thanksgiving meal; the turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, and don’t forget the pie!

Do you have an attitude of gratitude or do you take for granted the things you have? Often, it can be easier to only focus on what we don’t have and not even consider the blessings we do have.

Family is not always blood related. Naomi taught us that in the Book of Ruth.

When you get through something big or have a major accomplishment, do you celebrate? What do you celebrate?

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been learning how God helps us do big things. When God is calling us to go somewhere or do something big, He will always equip us in our journey.

Have you ever felt God was leading you do something but when it got hard you quit? You may have even thought, “God must not be in this; it’s too hard. If God wanted me to do this, it would be easy.” Often that is our fear talking.

I don’t know about you, but there are many times I find myself asking the question, “Do I have to adult today?”. When I have big decisions to make or big projects at hand, I would much rather sit in a blanket fort all day eating ice cream watching Hallmark movies.

Each of us is made to do big things. It’s true! God made you, me, everyone to do big things. But how do we know what we should do?

In today's society, it can be tough being a Christian. Having your beliefs and morals questioned. Having to defend your decisions while being careful not to offend others.

What does it take to be courageous? Some believe that those who are courageous have somehow learned to conquer their fears. The truth is, they have not conquered them but have made the choice to move forward despite their fears.

As parents, your kids ask you all sorts of questions. Sometimes 20 questions in one sitting. Our kids’ minds are a brilliant and growing muscle and one way they exercise this muscle is by asking questions.

How often do you tell God that you trust Him but then do the opposite of what you know you should do? It is fairly simple to say the words but so much harder walk it out; to find that courage to do what we know we should do.

As parents, life can get challenging. Not only challenging with the difficulties we can see but also the unknowns that lie ahead.

Life is full of choices. Some are easy and some are really difficult. Some difficult decisions of no great impact but, in the moment, are a struggle.

I don’t know about you, but I find myself always needing something. “I NEED an iced latte.” “I NEED 5 minutes of solace to myself.”

Have you ever had something in your life that needed to be “moved” and then, all of a sudden, it all just worked out? Or it worked out even better than you ever could have hoped?

Have you ever allowed yourself to just sit and be in awe of God’s power? I’m in awe of all His creation and the beauty you can see if we all would just slow down enough to look.

Have you ever been cooking and used the wrong measuring spoon to add the salt? You just added a tablespoon when it only needed a teaspoon. If you are lucky, you catch it before mixing it all in so you can try to pull some of it out.

How do you prepare to deal with a difficult situation? Do you wear a certain color or outfit that makes you feel prepared for battle? But what about those times you are caught unawares?

Is it easier to trust God when everything is going well? Why do we struggle to trust Him in the storm? Do you think, maybe, it could be that we just need to change our perspective?

We can trust that God is always with us. Even in the fires of life, God is in the fire with each of us.

Do you trust God with everything? Big and small, joy and sorrow, friend and adversary? What are you actually willing to let go of and give to God?

God can use the most unlikely of people to do the most amazing things. God can use you to do things you never thought possible and will most likely do so in ways you could never imagine.

God’s plans often look different from how we imagine. Sometimes, God asks us to do things that, to us, make absolutely no sense at all.

So, what makes it so difficult for kids to trust? Why do they think they know better? But, if we are honest, don’t we all do that?

There have been times in my life when I knew God was leading me to do something. Unfortunately, I did not understand how He expected me to accomplish it. Have you ever felt that way? How are we to proceed when the task seems so insurmountable and our resources are limited? The truth is we cannot, but God can!

Has your child, or someone else’s, ever said something so profound that you could only stare on in amazement? The best part, they weren’t even trying to be profound.

Why is it that doing the right thing can sometimes be so hard? If it is God’s will, shouldn’t it be easy? Shouldn’t all the pieces just fall into place?

There are times in our lives when we look around and have to wonder, “how in the world did I end up here!?!” Sometimes that is a good thing, but often it is a place we never wanted to be.

Have you ever had one of those days where you knew what you should do but instead you did what you knew you should not do? Or instead of it being just for a day, was it a week, a month… longer?

Think of a time when something exciting happened for you. Who was the first person you wanted to tell? Was it so exciting that you felt almost compelled to tell everyone you met, even perfect strangers?

As you look at your church, are they doing good works? Do you like being a part of a church that helps the community and provides multiple resources? Do you realize, as a follower of Jesus, that you are the church?

Think of your best friend. What makes them your best friend? For me, it is our relationship; the ability to pick up where we left off no matter how long it has been since we last saw each other. It is also because I know I can count on them. If ever I need them, they’re right there for me just as I am there for them.

Easter is an amazing time to celebrate. But what is it that we are celebrating? Easter is not all about eggs and bunnies and spring. While those are pictures of what the true story represents, new life or even rebirth, they are just pictures and can distract us from the real reason we should celebrate Easter.

What is the last thing you helped celebrate? A new baby, a wedding, a promotion, or even a birthday? Celebrations are a time when we can come together over joyful events.

This month we have been looking at how we can love like Jesus. John 13:34-35 pulls everything we have looked at into a simple yet great command, to love others as Jesus loved us so they can know Jesus.

How have you helped someone lately? Or better yet, how have you not helped someone lately? You know, those times you see that someone could use help, but you did not have time, or you were not in the mood?

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it is like He turns on a big Jesus light in each of us. Understanding that we are loved no matter what, is the first step.

One of the best things we can teach our kids is that, no matter what, we will always love them. My biggest fear as a child was disappointing my parents. I know they never would have stopped loving me, but my child-mind was not so sure.

Are you good at asking for help? Most of us struggle with this. We either feel like it makes us look weak, or like we are inconveniencing people, or we think people should know that we need help and just help. Do any of these sound like you?

When we think about all the things we must get done, what are some things that always get pushed to the bottom? You know, those things that are important, but we take for granted that we can do them any time, so they always seem to get bumped. But then a week goes by and nothing. Then a month… a year.

As we kick off a new month, we want everyone to know that Jesus loves them. Jesus does not just love a few people; He does not only love people with brown hair; He does not love just the ones that live in a certain area. Jesus loves everyone. Young, old, big, or small – Jesus loves all of us.

All month we have looked at true stories from the Bible that show just a glimpse of how amazing Jesus is. These stories help us see that there is no end to what Jesus can do. This week is no different as we look at the story of Jesus healing a blind man.

Think of a time you were trying to accomplish something but nothing was working right. In that moment, did you turn to God or did you give up?

Have you ever felt like a boat in the middle of a horrific storm? As if you are being tossed in every direction and you don’t which way you are going? We are living in a time where we can often feel just like that; out of control and unable to get our bearings.

Why is prayer often a last resort? Why do we think, “well, that was the least I could do,” when we pray for someone? The first and greatest thing we can do for someone is pray.

Have you ever been amazed at something your child said? Sometimes it makes you want to shake your head or even hide under a rock, but, other times, it amazes you to hear something so profound come from someone so young.

I don’t know about you, but I love to travel for special events. Since I live far from my family, I only get to see them during special events. Traveling to see them is a big deal but we try to go as often as we can because they are worth it; they’re special to me. How far would you travel to see someone, or something, that is important to you?

Have you ever received the best news ever and you could not wait to tell everyone about it? You would work it into every conversation because you were so excited?

Birthdays are the best. They give us an opportunity to celebrate the people we love. It let’s us tell them how thankful we are that they were born. Similarly, Christmas is like a huge birthday party.

The true story of Christmas is not about a jolly man in a red suit. While that figure represents a spirit of generosity and giving, the true story of Christmas is about something so much bigger.

All month we’ve looked at things we can thank God for. Often, we are thankful for what we have but forget to say thank you to the Creator of every good and perfect gift.

Think about all the people in your community. The people that help do the things we can’t do or don’t want to do. Sure we may pay some of them, but what if there was no one there to do that job. What’s easy for one person is extremely difficult for someone else. That’s how God made us, to work together.

In life, we go through many battles. We can trust that God is with us in those battles, but God also gives us people to help. Often, those people are our family.

Being grateful, even for the little things, doesn’t always come easy. We sometimes take for granted the good things we have; we just expect that they’ll always be there. And it’s not that we’re ungrateful (most the time), we just don’t stop to think about what life would be like without them.

It’s fall and Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. This is a great time of year to refocus and remember all those things we have to be thankful for. James 1:17 tells us, “Every good gift and perfect gift comes from above. . .”

All month we’ve been looking at how God’s got it. We’ve seen how God’s always with us even in the fire, that God will always take care of us even when we don’t know where the current will take us, and God hears us and gives us what we need even when we’re wandering and don’t know where to look. God has made those promises to us.

Have you ever wondered, “Does God even hear me?” But then, in the midst of that bad day, someone says or does something that just turns it all around. Or you were worried about something and you hear exactly what you need to hear through a sermon, a friend, or even the radio.

It’s one thing to “know” God is always with us (Joshua 1:9); to “know” He promises to never leave nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6); to “know” that He never gives us more than we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). But even “knowing” all His promises, do we act like we trust Him?

What rain do you have coming down on you? You know, what is that difficult thing you’re dealing with that makes everything feel dark and maybe even hopeless.

Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things we’ll ever have to do. We don’t want those that hurt us to “get off easy.” In fact, have you ever thought to yourself, “they need to suffer for what they did?” But who really suffers when we refuse to forgive someone?

What do you tell yourself when things get hard? “When things get tough, the tough get going,” or some such phrase to motivate yourself? I don’t know about you, but for me, that just doesn’t cut it. This may energize me for a bit, but ultimately, things continue to spiral because my focus is still on the problem, on myself, on what “I” need to do to fix it.

Have you ever thought that life should be easy because you’re a Christian? Now that you believe in Jesus life should be full of rainbows and butterflies; that life should now be smooth sailing; that you should get your cake and eat it too? Those are nice thoughts but that’s not what the Bible tells us.

This month we’re kicking off a new theme of Ice Cream Sundae as we see how God has a plan for each of us. You may be asking what an ice cream sundae has to do with God’s plans for us.

How can your gifts and talents be used for the kingdom of God? Do you even know what your gifts and talents are? God has blessed each of us with gifts and talents that we can use to help others.

Think of someone you care about, someone that means a lot to you. Don’t you want to talk to them all the time? To share something exciting that happened, something upsetting, or just because. Do want to hear from them about all the same stuff? When you love someone, when they are important to you, you want to share life with them.

God made us and we are important to Him. Take a moment to truly soak that in. God didn’t just make us and then forget about us; we ARE important to Him.

Last week we began our look at how God made us wonderfully in His image. If He did in fact make us wonderfully (Psalm 139:14 – it’s in the Bible so you know it must be true), what does that mean?

Say this out loud: “I am wonderfully made in God’s image!” Do you believe that? As we grow up, we tend to forget the wonder that actually went into making us. But each and every one of us, YOU, are wonderfully made in God’s image.

We all have a place that is special to us. That place that brings back memories, that makes us smile, where we can be ourselves, or just gives us a sense of peace. Jesus is preparing a place that surpasses all of that for each and everyone of us that believe and follow Him.

What is truth? In an age where it is becoming increasingly normal to lie in order to get what you want, how can children know what to believe?

Sharing God with people can be tough. There are so many stories in the Bible to choose from that it can seem overwhelming. But there is one basic story that can show the true awesomeness of our God - God made everything.

Have you ever said or done something and then immediately knew you had messed up. We often wish we can take back our words or actions that hurt the people we love. We can’t take them away but God still loves us.

Life would be boring without all our differences but it can be hard talking to people who don’t talk like us, look like us, or believe the same way we do. Jesus didn’t say go tell people exactly like us about Him but to teach all nations. So who can we share Jesus with? Everyone!

I spy someone who believes in Jesus when I look at the life of Paul. But Paul didn’t always believe. Paul was against Jesus and everyone that believed in Him; he didn’t believe in the new law Jesus gave to loves others as Jesus loved. Then Paul actually met Jesus and his life was never the same.

Even though Easter was just a few months back, it’s an important event for us to recap as we continue to ask, “Who can believe in Jesus?” Our I Spy theme is looking for (or spying) things in the Bible that help kids answer, “I can believe in Jesus.”

This is our last week to focus on God’s love for us. We’ve seen that God created us, God has a plan for us, God loves us no matter what, and God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to be our friend forever. Just in case that hasn’t made it abundantly clear to our kiddos that God thinks they are pretty special, we’re going to focus on just that with the story of the lost coin.

As we near the end of May (one more week after this) we continue to look at God’s unending and unfailing love for us. He created us, He has a plan for us, and He will love us no matter what.

This week we focus on how God loves us no matter what. This is a foundational concept that even some adults struggle with. We forget that we do not have…

We started May with how much God loves us because He created us. This week we’ll see that God loves us so much that He has a plan for each of us. Keep working on the memory verse so the kids know NOTHING can separate us from God’s love. When we ask kids, “Who loves you,” we want them to be able to say, “God loves me!”