Dealing With Fear

Dealing with fear

Have you ever felt afraid? Maybe it was the first day of school. Perhaps you were moving to someplace new, or you heard that someone you love had become very sick? We all feel afraid at timesbut fear sure isn’t a feeling we enjoy. Our stomach gets into a knot, our hands start to sweat, and all we want to do is feel normal again. 

So why does God allow this to happen?

How our bodies work 

When we feel afraid like this, our bodies go into something called the flight or fight response. This means that we’re responding to something that feels harmful to us, with an urgency to either run away or fight back. That is why our hearts start to beat really fast! 

When we’re in danger, it’s good to be afraid (like when we’re running away from a wild animal). Other times, fear isn’t good—when we think something bad may happen while there’s absolutely no reason for us to be afraid. 

What kinds of things can make us feel afraid?

  • Being left in the dark or alone somewhere
  • When someone becomes very sick
  • Worrying about our safety
  • Not being liked by our friends
  • Going to school or taking a test
  • Having a bad dream
  • Going to the doctor or dentist
  • Seeing a scary animal or insect
  • Traveling someplace new

What does God want

Even when these things make us feel afraid, God doesn’t want us feeling this way. In the bible, God says He did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control (read 2 Timothy 1:7). When we feel afraid, God is in control. He wants us to learn how to be brave! God will give us peace, but he will also teach us how to use our powerful minds to think of good and true thoughts that will help calm our bodies down. He knows us very well.

Having self-control

Self-control means the ability to control our feelings without anyone’s else’s help. When we feel afraid, it is important to learn how to have self-control. This means we can choose what we think about and do. What good thing can you think about that will calm you down? What things can you remember about God that will remind you that He is with you?

What to do the next time I feel afraid

Talking about why you feel afraid is a good start. Telling a friend, teacher, or parent what it is that is making you feel afraid will help get those icky feelings that you feel inside, out! Tell them how you’re still learning to be brave.

Praying to God is also the best way to practice being brave. When you feel afraid of something, tell God about the situation so that He can give you peace.

Going on a walk, drawing a picture, or listening to music can help calm you down the next time you feel afraid. These are great ways to practice self-control.  

Get rid of things that don’t need to be there. Sometimes we have control over a situation and can make changes to the thing that is making us feel afraid. It is good to make these adjustments so that you will feel less anxious!

…..



Dealing With Death

When someone you love has died

 

When someone dies, especially someone we loved very much, it is not only sad, it seems cruel and unfair. “Good people and those we love don’t deserve to die.”

Because we feel this way it is natural for us to be confused and angry.

*******************

The end came too quickly, too soon. Now there’s an empty space where a part of your life has been torn away. Nothing can fill that emptiness inside or take that horrible feeling away. You just want to cry and cry until you have no more tears.

Or maybe you are so scared and confused that you cannot cry, and that’s okay too, because maybe your emotions (feelings) have gone numb. The strong feeling of losing someone is just too much for you to handle right now.

It’s not supposed to happen this way!

Most times, death is sudden and people don’t get to say and do all the things they would have like to. But we can’t go back in time, and it’s probably hard for you to believe that you won’t see that person again. You may even hope that somehow everything could come right, just as it does in stories. Your favourite stories end the way you want them to, but in real life you can’t choose the way you want things to work out. Bad things do happen.

I am angry!

You may become angry about many things without understanding why. The anger comes from the hurt you are feeling, and the hurt is caused by the love you have for the person who died. Deep down you may want to blame someone for what has happened, or you may even blame God. It is okay to tell God how you feel because He understands. God also felt the hurt and sadness of death when His son, Jesus, died on the cross in a very cruel way.

You may be upset because others don’t notice how sad you really are, or because they become impatient when you keep asking questions. Perhaps they don’t know what to say to you or how to help you. Or maybe they cannot help you by sharing your sadness, because they are sad too.

Why?

It is hard to accept death without looking for a reason. Why did this have to happen? If God could have kept this from happening, why didn’t He? Although there is an answer, the answer itself may not give you the comfort you long for or the peace you need to calm your racing thoughts. Death is something your heart must accept by believing that God has everything in control. He has a plan for everyone’s life and nothing takes Him by surprise. For now, just hold onto the fact that each of us is very precious to God (Psalm 116:15).
Below are some thoughts from the Bible.

Is there hope?

Everyone has a body and an unseen spirit. When a person dies, the life of the body ends but the spirit of the person lives on forever. Those who believe in God will get a new, heavenly body that will never, ever die. “For our earthly bodies, the ones we have now that can die, must be transformed into heavenly bodies that cannot perish but will live forever” 1 Corinthians 15:53.

A heavenly body is perfect – without sin, sickness, or pain. Dying is the way God planned for us to escape from this sinful, imperfect world to an everlasting life of joy. It is sad for those who stay behind; our turn has not yet come. But we have the sure hope that when the time comes, we will also get our new bodies and spend eternity together with those who’ve gone to Heaven before us.

What now?

At first, you may not feel like being with your friends because they seem too cheerful for the way you are feeling. That is okay for a while, but don’t stay away from them for too long.

Remember, your friends may not know the right words to say, or they may be afraid that they will say the wrong thing. It will make things easier if you are able to tell them what happened. This will help take away the awkward feeling they have. It will help them realize that you have not changed, even though you are very sad right now.

To help you remember those special times

Print the page below My special page and use it to write about the fun times you can remember and perhaps some funny things that happened.

In the middle of the page, write a ‘secret’ message to say the things you didn’t get a chance to say to the person who died. Then glue a photo of the person (or a picture you have drawn) over the message. Your love-note is still there even though you cannot see it anymore—it has been sealed and covered over as well. On the rest of your page you can write whatever you like, or draw something, and then decorate it.

To keep the memories of the good times you shared, you could also use a scrapbook. Then you could paste in photos, cards and other things to make up the life story of the person.



Being Bullied

Being bullied and teased

When others tease

Are you being called names? Are you being teased about something?


Kids at school often tease those who aren’t like them or who won’t do the things they want them to do. They may also tease others about the way they look, the way they speak or the way they dress. That is very rude and unkind, and is not something that is normal or acceptable! So what should you do when you are teased or bullied?
                                                  

Don’t let them get inside

When someone says something nasty over and over, or if something is said by a number of people, it not only hurts, it sticks in your mind. You start believing that it is true. You even start telling yourself the same things you’ve heard other say to you – believing and even ‘proving’ that everyone else is right. Bullies sound so sure of themselves and it is easy to be convinced that they are right, especially if no one else sticks up for you.

And so, while you’re fighting off the jeers and jabs on the outside, your protection starts to crumble on the inside. Something inside tells you that it’s not worth the fight – that you may as well give up and let others trample all over you. Don’t ever let that happen. Be strong! You have a mighty God on your side – a God who loves you very, very much and has made you the way you are down to the smallest detail.

The ‘BIG’ bully: what to do and what not to do

  • Try to stay away from places where you are likely to meet the bully. Don’t challenge him when you are alone (especially if he is with others).
  • Whenever possible, stick with friends or hang around with others. Don’t become isolated and quiet. Go out of your way to make friends! This will make you more confident, and it will show the bullies that you are not bothered by their comments.
  • If you are afraid or upset, try not to show your feelings. (A bully feels powerful when he can make others afraid of him.) If a bully gets little or no reaction from you, he will probably become bored and eventually leave you.
  • In a firm, confident way and without being nasty, ask him/her to stop bullying you.
  • Don’t try to get back at others by becoming mean as well. “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” Romans 12: 17-18.
  • You might get a surprising reaction from your enemies by being kind to them. This is how the Bible puts it; “… If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” Romans 12: 20:21. (By the way, the ‘burning coals’ aren’t real coals, but that’s probably the way your kindness feels to someone who has been mean to you.)
  • If you are being teased about a personal habit, try to be aware of what others find amusing or odd about you. Avoid doing things that irritate or amuse them.
  • If you are being hurt or you feel scared, tell a teacher immediately and let your parents know too. It is not your fault that you are being picked on, and you have nothing to be ashamed of!
  • Always remember what makes you special—the abilities you have that they don’t, and the dreams you have that no one can mess with. These, coupled with a positive attitude, are things that no one can take away from you.
  • Lastly, think about this: Jesus, your best friend, was mocked too. People laughed at Him, spat on Him, cursed Him and beat Him. Jesus sees and knows what you are going through… and He is taking note. The Bible says that God will repay those who are mean and abusive. A day is coming when they will stand before God and answer to Him for every single thing they said and did (Matthew 12:36).

Remember, you need to protect yourself on the outside and the inside, so ask for help. You have a right to feel safe and be free from fear of others!



When Things Go Wrong

Why things go wrong

 Do you sometimes run into difficulty or get into trouble? Do you seem to have problems every day? Have you ever wondered why things didn’t work out the way you wanted them to?

Here are just some reasons why life isn’t always easy and trouble-free.

Everyday problems

The daily struggles and snags we get caught up in are a normal part of everyday life; they are part of the imperfect world we live in. People let us down or misunderstand us. The things we use don’t always work as we want them to and they don’t last forever. Yet these everyday problems aren’t huge barriers that completely block our way in life; they are more like obstacles we can jump over or find a way around.

There are so many things that can go wrong every day. Sometimes, one has a day when everything seems to go wrong. Even the little things seem far worse than they really are and you end up having a really bad day.

Does God know about these ‘little’ things? Does He care? The Bible says that God can make something good come out of every situation for those who love Him (read Romans 8:28).

When I mess up

You may be thinking: I know that things sometimes go wrong and that bad things happen. But it’s different when I mess things up—when it’s my fault and I’m the one to blame.

Trouble strikes! You have forgotten your bag at school or lost your mom’s purse. Maybe you have misunderstood an instruction, forgotten to pass on a message or spilled the milk. Maybe you may have messed up so badly that you actually become angry with yourself.

Do you remember the last time you were blamed for something that went wrong? How did that make you feel? Maybe you felt stupid, embarrassed or even useless, especially if, with a little more care, you could have kept things from going wrong in the first place. 

People often get upset if you’ve lost or broken something valuable or caused them a lot of trouble – even if it was a mishap or a mistake. At a time like this, you don’t only feel bad about what happened but also because you’ve caused someone to be angry with you; before you know it, you are angry with yourself too.

A mistake is not a sin even if you feel guilty about it. Sin is when you do something wrong on purpose; when you go against God’s rules or disobey your parents. So, always remember this: everyone makes mistakes—even those who love God and do their best to please Him.

When things GO wrong to keep you from DOING wrong

God sometimes allows something to go wrong when an ongoing sin becomes a growing problem. God loves us too much to let us deliberately carry on doing something that is wrong. He doesn’t want us to get into bad habits that get a grip on our lives. God may allow something to happen that seems bad, yet it may help us see our problem before it gets worse. The Bible says that we should not become discouraged: “… do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves” Hebrews 12:5-6.

But not every problem is because of a sin! So how can you know whether the problem is God’s discipline or whether it is something that would have happened anyway?

The Holy Spirit will work on your conscience, reminding you of a secret sin or warning you of a sinful habit. If you know in your heart that God is showing you a sin, you must stop doing that straight away and ask Him to forgive you. But God won’t make you feel guilty just because you are not perfect. He will always show you exactly what needs to change – one step at a time. God won’t keep reminding you of sin that has been forgiven.

If your conscience is clear and you can’t think of any sin that you have not confessed, the problem you have is not a warning sign about sin in your life.

When trouble comes because of our faith

When Jesus was on earth, He told His followers to expect things to get pretty tough at times. Jesus hasn’t promised us an easy life either, but He did say that He would be with us along the way and give us everything we need. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” John 16:33.

When you put your faith in Jesus, there are those who will try to make your life miserable. They may tease you, be mean to you or ignore you in a mean way. If you have been insulted or hurt because you stood up for the truth, then you are blessed because there is already a reward waiting for you in Heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).

Each time you stand firm, your spirit grows stronger and closer to the Lord. You may not notice the change in yourself, but God is busy shaping you to become what He wants you to be. “… Is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete” James 1:2-4 (LB).

Is this from God?

Something terrible happens, crashing over your life like a huge wave. You feel powerless to stop what is happening or to put right what has already happened. Your family breaks up, you are being hurt by someone, or an accident leaves you injured for life. Suddenly everything changes and your life is never quite the same.

The pain from your wounded heart becomes part of your memory and a part of your everyday life. Your heart cries out to God but even He doesn’t seem to do anything to help. You reach out in hope but instead you are pulled down by the weight of your problem. You struggle to pray, wondering whether your prayers are even being heard.

Don’t give up hope! Jesus is right there with you – you can talk to Him like a friend. Trust Him to get you through this, for He will never, ever leave you. Even though you may not feel Him holding you, He is with you and He is feeling the pain you are feeling. He will help you carry your heavy load as you tell Him about your hurt. If you don’t know the right words to say, just say His name. He understands. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” Matthew 5:4.

You may be trying to find the reason why this has happened, hoping that the pain would go away once you discover a reason and purpose for your suffering. But there are some things we can never explain and for which we will never know the answer. Yet there is only one thing you can know for sure: that it is not a punishment from God! He does not want to see His children suffer or being hurt!

So why doesn’t God keep bad things from happening?

  • God has given every person the freedom to choose between doing good and doing evil. Sinful people who choose to do evil sometimes decide to hurt the weak, the young and the innocent ones. God is very angry when that happens and He will punish anyone hurting one of His children.
  • There are those who may hurt you by the things they do even though they don’t mean to hurt you. No one is perfect, and when someone makes a mistake, others may get hurt. Sometimes, a person’s careless action or bad decision can change your life.
  • When people disobey God’s rules for life, their sinful actions usually affect others – often those closest to them.
  • Even if we do our best to look after ourselves, our bodies can become sick or get hurt. That is the way our natural bodies are made. God did not make our bodies to last forever. But we have something to look forward to: “For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event…  We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us – bodies that will never be sick again and will never die”  Romans 8:22-23 LB.
  • Problems and difficulties make us tough for life. When we go through a time of pain, somehow our character becomes stronger and our relationships grow deeper.

Healing takes time

Hurts do heal, but be patient, it takes time. Tell God about your heartache and talk to those close to you about the way you feel. This will make it easier to get back to a more normal life again.

Remember, just like a cut on your skin, a wounded heart will also heal a lot faster if it is kept clean. Ask God to take away any feelings of bitterness and to fill your heart with His love and forgiveness.

When the wound has healed and the pain has gone there may still be a scar on your heart – a horrible reminder of what happened – but with Jesus as your best friend, even that will eventually fade away.

For now, hold on to this precious promise from God – a promise that He will heal your aching heart. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3.



A Mighty Tree

A Mighty Tree

Daily Devotional for June 16, 2020

Read: PSALM 1:1-6

 

 
 

Ben gaped at the humongous eucalyptus tree. His head was thrown back so he could look up, up, up to the crown. He and his father had planned a day trip into the lush Tasmanian rain forest just to view this megalith.

“The Centurion is the tallest tree in Australia,” his dad told him. “At a hundred meters, it’s one of the tallest trees in the world. Only a handful of redwoods stand taller.”

“Is it as tall as a skyscraper?” Ben asked in awe.

“No. But it is higher than London’s clock tower, Big Ben, and New York’s Statue of Liberty.”

“How can it stay up?” Ben asked, still gawping skyward.

“Look at its base,” said Dad. “That massive system of roots reaches deep into the earth, holding it in place.”

After circling the trunk three times, stretching to see how far they could reach around it and taking several snapshots, Ben’s father led the way out of the forest. “You know, the Centurion reminds me of the passage in Psalms that says a righteous person is like a tree.”

Ben laughed. “Will he grow leaves in his hair?”

Dad smiled. “I think it means that someone who is rooted in Jesus will be able to stand firm in his faith.” He gestured back toward the Centurion. “Can you imagine trying to push that tree over?”

“No way!” Ben exclaimed.

“When we trust in Jesus, He will help us do what’s right, even when those around us do something wrong.”

“Like when the other kids tease Billy Mason because he stutters?” His father frowned. “Do you tease Billy?”

“No.”

“Do you stand up for him?”

Ben hesitated then shook his head.

“It can be hard,” Dad said. “Loving others and doing what’s right often makes us stand out. But when we’re rooted in Jesus and rely on Him to help us obey Him, the Bible says we will flourish, just like the Centurion tree.”

Ben thought about this all the way back to the car. As they entered the parking lot, he picked a eucalyptus leaf and stuffed it in his pocket.

“What’s that for?” his father asked.

“It’s just a reminder. For the next time my friends tease Billy.” MICHELLE ISENHOFF

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Can you think of a time when you chose right when others did wrong? Were you teased for it? It may be hard sometimes, but when you’re rooted in Jesus, you can always choose to do what’s right. By His strength, you can grow to be like a mighty tree that stands firm in His goodness and love.

TODAY’S KEY VERSE: PSALM 1:1-2 (KJV)
BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO DOES NOT WALK IN STEP WITH THE WICKED…BUT WHOSE DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD. (NIV)



Thing-A-Ma-Jiggers

Thing-A-Ma-Jiggers
You will need
1 cup of flour 1/3 cup of salt 1/3 cup of water A Bible marked at John 1:1-3
Get Started
Set out 1 cup of flour, 1/3 cup of salt and 1/3 cup of water.
ASK—What do you think we’re going to make? (Modeling Clay.)
SAY—We have all the right ingredients to make exactly what we want. We have a
plan. We know what we’re going to make and we’re putting everything we need
inside it to make it just right. God has a plan for you too. When God made you, He put
inside you everything He wanted for you to be the unique person and special person
that He wanted you to be.
Mix these ingredients and let your kids squish the dough in their hands for 5 minutes.
While they mix the dough…Read Jeremiah 29:11 from your Bible.
SAY—God created you special and has great plans for your life.
ASK—How do you think God has made you special?
SAY—Tell your children ways that you see they are special and unique—Everything
from their fingerprints to the things they love and the things they do. Nobody who has
ever lived is just like them and nobody can exactly do what God has created them to
do. They are special!
After the dough is ready, spend some time making Thing-A-Ma-Jiggers (special
creations). If you want, even give your creations names, such as a Rabgiraphantoose
which would be a creation with a Rabbit head, a giraffe neck, an elephant body, and
moose legs. Let your kids make whatever they want however they want.
Introduce your creations…Then Read John 1:1-3. Tell your kids that “The Word” refers to
Jesus.
KEY POINT: God made everything and God made you special.
SAY—Of all God’s creatures great and small, God loves you the most of all.
PRAY—And thank God that He made you and your kids special that He has great
plans for all of you. Pray also that your children will always follow Jesus.
(This is also a great time to list Family Prayer Requests in the designated area on the
next page.)
Copyright three-thirty ministries, 2008. www.threethirtyministries.org


Light Please

FAMILY ACTION PACK
Light Please
You will need
Flashlight
A Bible marked at Philippians 4:13
Get Started
Choose an item to hide in your child’s room. Show it to them,
then go in their room, close the door and hide it. When you
come out, ask them how quickly they think they can find it.
Then tell them that you’re going to turn the lights out and
they’ll have to search in the dark. Let them search for a minute
and then give them a flashlight. If you have more than one
child, let them search one at a time.
After the searching is done and the item is found, sit down as
a family with the flashlight in the dark room.
SAY: The Bible says the world is full of darkness (bad things)
but that Jesus is the light of the world. Just like I helped you
when I brought you the flashlight, you can help others by
telling them about Jesus. You found what you were looking
because I gave you the light. Jesus, who is the light of the
world, is what everyone is looking for in life and they can find
Him when you show them the way.
Big Questions
What’s one way you can show Jesus to others? (Talk
about Him, live for Him, invite others to church, tell people
Jesus loves them, pray with people who are hurt or sad, etc.)
Who is someone with whom you can share Jesus’ love?
(Grandparents, a teacher, a friend, etc.)
Bible Story
Jesus sent His disciples to tell others the “Good News,” but He
never sent them alone. Today, even if you’re by yourself,
you’re never alone when you’re telling someone about Jesus.
The Lord is right there with you and He’ll always give you the
strength to do anything He wants you to do.
READ: Philippians 4:13
PRAY— List prayer requests below and thank God that He will
always give you the strength to do everything He’ll ever ask
you to do.
Family Prayer Requests
List prayer requests below:
Copyright three-thirty ministries, 2008 ● www.threethirtyministries.org


Tongue Twisters

FAMILY ACTION PACK
Tongue Twisters
You will need:
A Bible marked at Romans 5:8.
Family Competition #1
See who can say “Unique New York” the most times correctly
in 10 seconds. Let each family member try.
Family Competition #1
See who can say “Red Leather, Yellow Leather” the most
times back to back without making a mistake. Let each family
member try a few times
SAY: It might seem impossible to say “Unique New York” or
“Red Leather, Yellow Leather,” but it’s not—it just takes
practice.
ASK: Why do you think it’s impossible for a person to be good
enough to go to heaven? (Because none of us are perfect like
God is perfect. We’ve all made mistakes.)
SAY: Because we’ve all made mistakes, we all need Jesus as
our Savior. Since Jesus died to pay the price for all the wrong
things we’d ever do, He provides a way for us to be forgiven
and go to heaven by giving our lives to Him.
READ: Romans 5:8 from your Bible.
PRAY— List prayer requests below and thank Jesus for dying
to make a way for us to be forgiven and go to heaven.
Copyright three-thirty ministries, 2008 ● www.threethirtyministries.org
Family Prayer Requests
List prayer requests below:


Izzy Dizzy Walking Wobble

FAMILY ACTION PACK
Izzy Dizzy Walking Wobble
You will need
Your Bible marked at Matthew 14:22-33.
Get Started
One at a time have each of your children hold out their arms,
put their heads back so they’re looking at the ceiling and stick
out their tongues. Tell them to spin around three times (you’ll
need to count for them) and then try to walk to you in a straight
line. (Be careful to do this in an area where they can fall and
stumble without getting hurt.) Then have them spin around
seven times…then ten times.
SAY: Everything gets confusing when you spin around a lot.
Sometimes life seems a little confusing when bad things
happen, but we can learn a lesson from the Bible about how
we can keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Listen and try to figure
out what mistake Peter made.
READ—Matthew 14:22-33
ASK: What good things did Peter do? (1) He trusted Jesus
enough to get out of the boat, which is more than anyone else
did. (2) When he needed help, he called out to Jesus.
ASK: What do you think Peter’s mistake was? (He took his
eyes off Jesus and started focusing on the wind and waves.)
SAY: Bad things can happen to good people, but when bad
things happen God wants you to keep trusting Him. God will
always do what is best for you and, if you’re walking with Him,
He will cause all things to work together for your good. So,
when life gets confusing, keep your eyes on Jesus.
PRAY— List prayer requests below and thank God that you
can always trust Him and pray that when hard times come to
your kids, that they will always keep their eyes on Jesus.
Family Prayer Requests
List prayer requests below:
Copyright three-thirty ministries, 2008 ● www.threethirtyministries.org


Spoon Catapults

FAMILY ACTION PACK
Spoon Catapults
You will need
A spoon
A small food item
Two small bowls
A Bible marked at Romans 3:23
STEP 1
Put a spoon in a small bowl so that the handle sticks out. This
naturally creates a catapult.
STEP 2
Take a small food item like a marshmallow or a piece of cereal
and put it inside the spoon.
STEP 3
A few feet away from your spoon-catapult, set a second bowl
to be your target.
STEP 4
By flipping the tip of the spoon, try to shoot the food from one
bowl to the other.
ASK—How did you do? Did you hit or miss your target?
In life we have a target too—to be perfect, just like Jesus, and
all of us have fallen short.
READ: Romans 3:23
SAY—We’ve all done wrong things and we’ve all fallen short
of God’s perfection. That’s why we need a Savior. That’s the
reason Jesus died and rose again—to make a way to take our
sins away. And the best decision anyone can ever make is to
give their life to Him.
ASK—How do you think a person gives their life to Jesus?
SAY—This is how the Bible says that a person can give their
life to Christ:
SAY—“A” (Ask your child to say “A” real loud.)
Admit that we have done wrong things and be willing
to stop doing those wrong things.
SAY—“B” (Ask your child to say “B” real loud.)
Believe that Jesus is God’s Son who died
and was raised from the dead.
SAY—“C” (Ask your child to say “C” real loud.)
Call on the Lord, confess our
sins, and commit our life to Him.
PRAY— List prayer requests below and thank God that He
can forgive our sins.
Family Prayer Requests
List prayer requests below:
Copyright three-thirty ministries, 2008 ● www.threethirtyministries.org



GOLDEN RULE
Do you want Marcus to stomp on your toes?
Or stick his little finger up your nose,
Or squirt you with a water hose,
Or tell your secrets so everyone knows?
 
Do you want Thomas to tell a lie,
So that it hurts your feelings and makes you cry,
Or throw sand in your face that gets in your eye,
Or say you’re a real mean, nasty guy?
 
Would you like for Christy to throw food in your drink,
Or to tell the world that your feet stink,
Or knock you down at the skating rink,
Or call you a name like a Lying Fink?
 
 
Do you like it when friends don’t follow through,
With promises they made to you,
Or in your chair, they pour some glue,
So  your pants get stuck and you can’t stand when you’re through?
 
Do you like for others to cheat at a game,
Or do something wrong and give you the blame,
Or call you a real hurtful name,
Then why would you do to them the same?
 
If you don’t want these things done to you,
‘Then why would you do them to another?
So do good, tell the truth and be kind,
The Bible says to love each other.
(Yes that even means your sister or your brother!)
 
TREATING OTHERS RIGHT
In Matthew 7:12 Jesus said, “So in everything do to others what you would have them do to you.”  This is how Jesus wants you to live.  
He doesn’t want you to treat others the way they treat you, but the way you want them to treat you.  So if you want others to share with you, you should share with them.  If you want others to be kind to you, you should be kind to them.  If you want others to talk good about you, you should talk good about them.This is God’s way of living!
 
 
I DON’T, I WON’T!
 
I don’t!  I won’t!
I’ll slam the door!
If I don’t get my way,
I’ll fall to the floor!
 
In Walmart, McDonald’s,
And the doctor’s office, too.
I’ll even do it,
Inside the zoo.
 
I’ll have a tantrum.
I’ll have a fit.
I’ll fling my arms and scream,
And, I’ll even hit!
 
People can look.
I don’t really care.
People can point.
People can stare.
 
I don’t even care,
If they give a big laugh,
Cause I’m throwing a fit,
Underneath a giraffe!
 
I want it!  I want it!
I’ll slam the door,
If I don’t get my way,I’ll fall to the floor!
 
Give me what I want,
‘And give it right now!
I don’t know why,
I can’t have a pet cow.
 
I don’t care what you say,
And I don’t care your reason,
I’ll throw a tantrum all day,
All the way to the end of the season.
 
I’ll keep going
Til the leaves turn green,
And when Christmas comes,
You’ll still hear me scream!
 
I’ll keep going 
Til I’m red in the face,
And I’ll yell so loud
That I’ll shake this place.
 
I don’t!  I won’t!
I’ll slam the door,
If I don’t get my way,
I’ll fall to the floor!
 
Ah-h-h-h-h-h-h-h!  S-c-r-e-a-m!
Wait a minute!  Where did you go?
Aren’t you going to stay?
And watch my little show?
 
No?
And what’s that you say?
I can no longer go outside?
I can no longer play?
 
I have to sit in the chair
For five minutes long?
Because what I did was mean,
Because what I did was wrong?
 
Fits aren’t very fun,
Ive changed my mind now.
Tantrums are wrong.
And who really needs a pet cow!
 
I’d talk to you more,
But because of my fit,
I have to go now,
And be quiet and sit.
 
 
OBEYING PARENTS
 
‘Pick up your mess.”
”Clean up your closet.”
”It’s time to brush your teeth.”
What do you do when your parents tell you to do something?  Do you complain?
Do you argue?  Do you pretend not to hear them?  Or do you obey them without having to be told a second time? 
Listen to what God says in the Bible in Proverbs 20:11, “Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and  right.”