Learning to pray? Use God's own words!!!

The child learns to speak because his father speaks to him. He learns the speech of his father. So we learn to speak to God because God has spoken to us and speaks to us....Repeating God's own words after Him, we begin to pray to Him...The words which come from God become, then, the steps on which we find our way to God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible.

When I first read this wonderful little Bonhoeffer book, his clear words brought an "a-ha" moment to me.... not only for my own prayers, but also in helping children how to pray. Don't we all want to teach others those "steps" to finding God personally?  Don't we all need clearer direction in confidently praying ourselves?

Starting to pray seems to be the biggest stumbling block to praying. How do I begin? What do I say? Bonhoeffer reminds all of us to simply speak the words of God back to Him when we pray!  Jesus spoke His Father's words all of the time, didn't He?  Instead of using some memorized childhood prayer,  teach your child how to confidently speak to His heavenly Father using the God's very own words of truth, promise and worship found in Scripture. Show your child where these words are in the Bible. Start simply-no fancy words oh, and repeat daily.

Here's a fun, simple way to get started in praying with God's Word with your child:  You'll need an egg carton with a closed lid (no holes). Paint the outside and decorate the lid to make it more durable, more appealing -- and more personal for your child or your classroom setting. 

Inside each egg cup, you will have a different Scripture verse or attribute of God and one button or bead "marker" in the carton. Label colored stickers or paper ovals with verses and stick in bottom of each egg cup.  The child "selects" the verse or attribute by shaking the closed carton and seeing where the button lands. Your prayer- his prayer--begins with that thought.  Your prayer with your child begins with truth. "Thank you God for being faithful to me. Thank you God for your patience when I am frustrated." Prayer -clear and simple--and yes, joyful! 

Psalms are a wonderful place to find words of worship and praise to God. Use "divide and conquer" technique to show your older child that this wonderful book is found right in the center of their Bible. Have fun opening a closed Bible and seeing how close you get to Psalms. Help him find the Psalm chapter and verse. Help her read it aloud before you pray.

Verses and attributes can easily be changed as you pray together. You can begin with these if you like:  Attributes CREATOR -Jeremiah 32:17, ETERNAL Rev. 4:8, FAITHFUL Heb. 10:23, HOLY Deut. 32:4, GOOD Ps. 107:9, GRACIOUS 2 Cor. 4:15, UNCHANGING James 1:17, SAVIOR 2 Tim.1:9, JUST 1 John 1:9, PATIENT Num. 14:18, LOVE Deut. 33:12, MERCIFUL Heb.8:12.  The Psalms are unending but you could begin with these: Psalm 19:1, 121:2, 90:2, 107:9, 68:19, 33:5, 23:2-3, 32:8, 33:4-5, 33:11, 86:15 and 139:2-5. 

  

Amazing Love! Amazing Grace! God's Amazing Word!

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.  Psalm 119:18

Before little eyes can be opened to the wonders of God's Word-- they have to first be "captured" - don't they? Here's a new way to "plant" Scripture that captures their attention with old-fashioned simplicity.  I think of it as Scripture "eye-candy"  and something that your child--or your class--will want to play and go back to again and again.

 

 It's inexpensive to make and can be adapted to any number of amazing verses--all found in the Bible, of course. I chose 1 John 3:1, 1 John 4 :19, John 3:16 or Ephesians 2:8-9 and labelled the mazes accordingly. These maze boards can be used as a welcoming activity in the classroom, a team challenge when teaching, or a quiet time game at home. The maze course is easily changed by rearranging the rubber bands. You might even be amazed at how it brings out the kid in you!  Oh--and that verse you want learned and remembered will be right in front of them whenever they pick it up to play!

All that is needed is some scrap lumber, a variety of paint shades (I used acrylic), a bunch of nails, rubber bands and some marbles.  Boards can vary in size: small enough to be held be a child, yet large enough to make a maze grid that challenges. (No bigger than 2 feet or smaller than 6 inches in length or width.) Leaving a border of at least 1/2 inch around the edge of the board, mark 1 - 1 1/2 inch squares with pencil.

Paint grid squares with colors that catch your eye -- and decorate the boarder with Scripture using paint pens or Sharpie markers.  Be sure to mark the starting and ending grid space. Hammer sturdy nails (1-1/4" roofing nails work well) at each corner using a spacer to keep them all uniform in height. (Yes, this part is a bit tedious-and noisy- but you're almost done!)

 Finally, stretch assorted rubber bands on the nails to make your maze, call your kids....and let the games begin!  Oh, and the learning too!

Make a Valentine to God- while you teach about His love!

We love because He first loved us!  I John 4:19

Make a double-sided Valentine to hang this month as a reminder of God's love for us -- and our love for Him!

Valentine's Day gives us a great "hook" that captures kids' hearts and minds for Jesus.  Kids of all ages love to make Valentines, right? So while you have those doilies, ribbons and scraps of red and pink paper handy, add this one to craft with them-- and reach their hearts with words of truth that last far beyond February 14th.  This is one Valentine you'll want to keep and not send!

God is love. God loved us first. He calls us His own. He knows us by name. It's hard to stop once you begin thinking about God's great love, isn't it?  Isaiah 51:16,  Psalm 139:1, 1 John 3:1, Romans 5:8, John 3:16 -- but choose one or two that speaks of God's love in a way your child will best grasp. Print or write the verse you choose out so they can put it on one side of the Valentine heart. A 5 inch heart size works well for decorating but sizes can vary.

Then, on another similarly sized heart (another color is nice), have your child doodle and decorate it with markers, stickers and such with colors and things that express who they are-- what they like, etc. Then, on another piece of paper (contrasting color) trace their hand with fingers separated and help them cut handprint out.  Now, here's the fun part: fold and glue down the two center fingers like your hand is signing "I love you" in American Sign Language.  Have your child write "I love God with" on the palm and "all my heart", "all my soul", "all my mind" on the thumb, pointer and pinky fingers.  Teach your child that is how God wants us to love Him back! Glue the hand on top of the decorated heart, and insert a ribbon between the two hearts so it's ready to hang.

To make this activity even sweeter - do with all ages!  The beauty of God's love and the personalities of "all His children" will make you smile!

So how well are you SHINING?

 You are the light of the world...let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.   Matthew 5:14, 16

I love this verse, don't you?  Jesus doesn't give his disciples a promise that someday they will be "God-light" in this dark world...but that they ARE His light in the world. Now. Pretty astounding statement, coming from the Light of the World Himself, wouldn't you say?   Not to mention that his disciples were brand-new at this following-Jesus-stuff and still had lots and lots and lots of questions, doubts and lessons still ahead.  They were just-beginners--maybe like the children you're teaching, those in your home -- or maybe even YOU? 

Jesus gives us all a simple truth: the minute any of us say "Yes, Jesus, I believe" - a light shines... His light shines!   A great way to think of this is lighting a birthday candle (how appropriate!)  Yes, this little candle shines well - it has a wick and just enough wax to do the job. (Not for long, however). Furthermore, birthday candles aren't known for standing on their own (does anyone have a cupcake handy?) -- and like new believers in Jesus, need support from others in order to STAND and SHINE.  Comparing birthday candles to other candles--like the ones that can shine for hours on end-- I notice it's the wax around the wick that's  makes a real difference.  Say I take that little birthday candle before it's all burnt out and dip it in some more wax (like the old-fashioned way of candle-dipping).  Imagine adding another layer of wax to the outside--and another, and another. That's like when you and I  go to God in prayer--spend time in His Word--talk to Him--listen to Him.  Just like wax layers can grow an itty-bitty candle to a pillar-size one, prayer grows each of us. Layer by layer. Amen after amen.  Now that's shining for Him!    

Trusting God wholeheartedly!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding... Proverbs 3:5

So what keeps you and me from trusting God with all our heart? Proverbs tells us (just in case you don't already know it): we do! We all lean towards the path of "my way". We are our first "go-to" problem-solver, director and guide, aren't we? And then, when we do get around to asking God, it is only to stamp His approval on the way we've chosen to go. Sad but true.  This well-known verse is packed with great truth, so let's keep it simple for now.  You and I fail to trust God wholeheartedly whenever we forget who He truly is (the LORD of heaven and earth, the compassionate and gracious God, the One who makes the impossible possible!) and who we truly are (self-centered, disobedient fools). The moment we remember the truth about God and ourselves- the choice is easy, errr...easier, right? So begin each day with clear reminders of who God is. Read the Bible (it's all about Him!) and then tell your kids, your spouse, your friends, over and over again.  (Or else you'll forget, because that's just what self-centered, disobedient fools do.) 

Here's a fun crafty reminder to make with your family guaranteed to get their attention (teens included!) and stick around to remind you all that trusting God (the LORD of all!) is always the best way to go! It's one adapted from Family Fun magazine, Feb. 2007.  You will need two shades of colored 8-inch square colored cardstock, scissors and markers. It looks complicated but it's not!

Fold one of the squares in half, then half again, accordion-style. Cut 3 evenly-spaced cuts along the center fold, stopping at the quarter fold.

Now, cut the other color square into 1 3/4-inch strips (you just need 2 of them) and weave them through the cuts you made on the 8-inch square. Make sure strips are woven opposite ways.

Open card so it looks like a checkerboard.  Write the "God truth" -- such as "Nothing is impossible"
here. 

Then pushing the solid ends of the card together, open the center fold of the checkerboard and discover blank space to finish your "God truth" --  "in God's hands!"  Decorate as you like. Expect your child to be fascinated with how this card works!  You might find yourself trying to figure it out as well.

Clear words and creative ways to teach and reach the hearts and minds of all God's children!

Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.  I will praise You, O Lord, my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.   Psalm 86:11-12

It all begins with our heart, doesn't it?  A heart willing to be taught. A heart willing to listen to God.  A heart willing to go where God says to go.  A heart that is not divided -- but one that is WHOLE. Completely committed to God. Holy. Undistracted. Confident in what God can do. Obedient. Oh, and full of praise!
 David's prayer is a continuing my prayer for myself as well as "my kids" (at home or in ministry). God is the One who teaches and reaches any heart - and transforms divided, "half-hearts"
of all ages to be wholly-His!  That He includes and uses any of us to share in this heart transformation is just another reason to praise Him!


So how could you demonstrate what an undivided heart looks like to a child? Here's a simple illustration that captures the attention of all ages - and hopefully invites further discussion.
You will need a pair of donut magnets and a dowel that fits in their center hole, though any repelling magnets can also work. (Such can be found in the hands-on science section of toy or teaching supply stores.)
 It's always good to start at the beginning, so let's do that. A heart is divided because of sin - that little, or not-so-little voice, that questions God's goodness, that doubts God's promises, and that defies God's rules and limits.  One magnet (the white one here) is our holy, unchanging God -- who desires to have a relationship with us.  The other magnet is you and me - free to choose to love God-- or not. When our rebellious heart says "yes" to sin and "no" to God (that's all of us)- the magnets repel - and nothing can make them whole and together like they are supposed to be. (Bounce the repelling magnets on the dowel here.) Notice how sin separates us from God? God is unchanging, perfect and good.  God doesn't have a sin problem -- we do!  What is needed is for that sinning heart to (literally here) turn around and confess their disobedience to Jesus (flip the other magnet up, off and around the dowel now) - and whenever that happens, Jesus is "faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).