Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Get Ready...Get Set...Get ARMED!

Every summer as we prepare for our PathFinders “year” to start in late August, I ask the Lord a very specific question.  “Where do you want to take the kids this year?”  I’m always excited to see what the Lord has to say in response to this question.  He is faithful to answer, and His plan is always so much better than anything I could’ve thought of on my own. 

This year was no different.  After asking the Lord my question for a few weeks, He responded in His perfect timing- when my mind and spirit could fully focus on what He would share.  So…on a morning in late July, I awoke with an overwhelming sense that something was coming…something big.  I knew what was coming wasn’t good, but at the same time, I felt not an ounce of fear. 

I realized this had something to do with where God wanted me to focus with our kids, so I asked Him for a word that would give me direction.  The Lord made it clear…“ARMED.”  My responsibility for our kids in whatever is “coming” was going to be “ARM them.” 

We do that every week by teaching God’s Word, through worship, and through prayer.  This, however, was something more specific.  So, again, I asked and then I waited.  God continued to speak the same word “ARMED” through other avenues.  From hearing about a dream someone had, to talking to a friend about something she “sensed” from the Lord, to finding a slip of paper in the back of my journal with three words on it “Armed with Truth.”  (I still don’t know when I wrote that or why)  There was no question…God was saying we need to ARM our kids like never before. 

Obviously, we listened!  There will be a common thread for children of all ages this Fall- “ARMED!”  This will look different at different ages of course, but the idea is the same…how are we ARMING our kids with the Truth of Who God is, the Truth of His Word, the Truth that we have a real enemy, and the Truth that our defensive and offensive response to that enemy lies in following Jesus. 

God has some BIG things in store for our kids; however, the enemy would love to shut that down.  We covet your prayers for the children, for their leaders, and for those of us on the Children’s Ministry staff. 
Because of Who God is and the fact that He's already won, we know we can be ARMED and READY for BATTLE!  Let’s do this!!

This Week’s Announcements:
1. We still have a few ministry spots to fill. If you’d like to learn more about how you too can make an investment in the lives of kids, please contact me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org or Christina Busey at christina@stonebridgemarietta.org

2. BRING YOUR BIBLE!  I’ve challenged the elementary (1st-5th grade) children to bring their own Bible each week.  As we ARM ourselves with God’s Truth, one of the most important tools will be God’s Word.  If you’re unsure if your child has the Bible that is appropriate for his or her age/maturity/reading level, I’m happy to be a resource for you.  Contact me and I can give you suggestions about good options for your age child. Contact me at penny@stonebridgemarietta.org

3. SAVE the DATE for our annual PathFinders Camping Day!  Saturday, October 17th (9am-4pm)   Mark your calendars now and look for registration information next week.

What God is Teaching Us:
We started our new Fall Curriculum- “ARMED” on Sunday.  We want to be armed and ready for battle! This week’s lesson focused on the Word of God being our “go to” weapon for all things. Click on the link below to see the lessons for 4k/K, 1st&2nd grade, and 3rd-5th grade small groups. 
This link is no longer available

*Also- we are ARMING ourselves by learning a memory verse together each week. 
This week’s verses:
For 4k/K:  2Timothy 3:16 ~ “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”For 1st-5th grade: 2Timothy 3:16-17 ~ “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Amazing Things Kids Do and Say...
After praying for the kids to be passionate and hungry for God’s Word, a 2nd grader came to me.  She said, “Ms. Penny, your prayer worked! I am so hungry right now.  I’ll be glad when it’s lunchtime.” 




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