Did you know that according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, about 63.4 million Americans, or 26.8% of the adult population, gave 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth $169 BILLION dollars? (volunteeringinamerica.gov) That is crazy - $169 billion dollars, with a B! I would love to know how many of those 8.1 [...]
Are You Excited for Christmas?
The eyes of children are a glow with the excitement and anticipation of Christmas. Bright lights, candy canes, and decorated packages are everywhere they look, and their joy can hardly be contained. I pray that like the children of today you too will be expectant and excited. Not for what may be under the tree [...]
What Difference Can Ten Minutes Really Make?
My husband and I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to drive a boy home from school. It was 8pm on a school night and he was getting ready to walk several miles home. His house was on our way and so we offered a ride. A ten-minute ride where we chatted about his [...]
Back to the Basics
Any good coach knows that you never stop practicing the basics. Peyton Manning can be seen throwing pass after pass before every football game, Larry Bird never stopped practicing free throws, and Derek Jeter still takes batting practice. Why? Repetition keeps the basics sharp. How sharp are your kids’ Bible basics? A recent Pew study [...]
What Are You Kicking Off?
This is kick-off season! There are season premiere kick-offs, football season kick-offs, and back to school kick-offs. What are you kicking off? Are you kicking off the best hour in your kids’ week? Sue Miller wrote a book a few years ago titled Making Your Children's Ministry the Best Hour of Every Kid's Week. The [...]
How Do You Know What to Use?
One of the biggest questions this time of year is, “What curriculum should I use?” We’re all asking it – even if we’ve been happy with our old stuff, we’re on the market looking around to make sure there isn’t something better. The selection process can be terrifying. There is a huge variety in cost, [...]
What’s Your Story?
I love a good story. Summertime usually creates an opportunity to do some casual reading, and I love a good story. It is amazing how words and sentences strung together describing characters, places, and events can get you caught up and pull you in. Kids love a good story too. Their imaginations carry them away [...]
Chesapeake District Kids Camp 2010
Soul Survivor on Danger Island was the theme for this year’s Kids Camp in the Chesapeake District. Kids were challenged to face their biggest fears, disappointments, stresses, and anxieties to become more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) in a dangerous world. Pastor Jim Clements’ teaching was relevant and inspiring. His daily tribe challenges were messy and [...]
Kings Valley VBS 2010
Kings Valley Wesleyan in Quispamsis, NB, Canada experienced High Seas Expedition and had a blast! We had 250 kids, 85 volunteers and over 30 decisions for the Lord! What great memories as we connected with 95 new families in the community.
Cultivate Thankfulness
Is there something you're trying to grow? I'm not very good at growing things like flowers and vegetables. I generally make an attempt but most don’t survive Indiana’s scorching July. One of my biggest problems is a lack of attention to the details of cultivating. Wikipedia suggests these include selecting the right ground, tilling, fertilizing, [...]