School and Prayer...Hand in Hand

This Sunday will be the last, before all the kids in our church will all be headed back to school!  Schools are so different today than back in the dark ages when I attended.  Kids face pressures that we as adults today, struggle to fully understand.  Pressures from teachers, parents (even when we as parents don't mean to apply un-needed pressure) and from other kids.  Bullying is at an all time high, even though schools outwardly oppose and attempt to put a stop to it.  When I ask the kids in my ministry for prayer requests pertaining to school, bullying is always top of the list.
With that being said, it's so very important to really cover the kids in our ministries in prayer!  And to let them know that they can ask for prayer when they need.  Kids need to know that they, too, can pray whenever and wherever they are!  Teaching them that prayer doesn't live in a box, that they can talk to God when they need, is the ultimate tool for school.

I would love to send the Kidz Church kiddos back to school with some kind of awesome "goodie" (what Kidz Ministry person DOESN'T wanna splurge on the kids!! )  BUT...budgets, you know... 

I wanted to send the kids off with a specific verse this year, and remind them of one of our Kidz Ministry Core Truths (more on them in another post!). 

 "Trust God-He is always there for me. 

 No matter where I am, God is with me. 

 I can trust Him with every part of my life."  

And the verse- Joshua 1:9.  SO...I created labels on my computer and attached them to pencils with colorful eraser toppers (thank you back to school sales!)  

I think the kids will like them!  I'm looking forward to Sunday, giving these to the kiddos to remind them that God goes with them to school, and praying for them, and with them before they head back to school!!  Take time to pray with your kids this week!  :)  

Summer's over already....Wait, What!!??

Where on earth did the summer time go???!!!!  I mean, yeah, things were crazy with Kidz Camps, but really now...just slow down!  All the sudden, the fall Kidz Ministry Season is upon me and holy cow, hang on tight, it's gonna be a fun ride!
In these final 2 weeks before the kick off for then new season of both Kidz Church and Kidz Club, there is much to be done!  Now is the perfect time to go through classrooms to assess what's needed (supplies), what needs updated (painted/new decorations/tables swapped around, etc.), cleaning those scary shelves that I've avoided for a few months (holy spiders!!!) and taking time to just look around with fresh eyes.  Once I get over the initial, "ok, this really needs done...GET UP",  it really is fun to make plans and get things looking fresh!
Of course the first thing to do is get on the phone with your Sister (she works in kidz ministry with me...what could be cooler than that!?) and start collaborating on what would be awesome!  Then, is the all important Wal-Mart trip for essentials! Did you know that those $1 plastic table clothes make amazing curtains!!!  What a great way to spruce up your kids area!!  We use them on either side of our screen and randomly here and there for a little added color.  And, who cares if after 2 months they are a little tattered....THEY COST A BUCK!  ;)

So, plans are in the making...things are rolling along.  Time flies way too fast.  My prayer is, that it never goes too fast that I'm not stopping to spend time with my Lord and remembering that in all the busyness of ministry, that God is still and always first.  

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight. 

Testing, Testing, 1,2,3

So, I've decided to try my hand at blogging.  :)

There are so many different areas involved in Kidz Ministry, from curriculum selections, to room preps, to teachers (training, recruiting, appreciating), to the ins and outs of running an actual program,  to connecting with other churches, to parent interaction and of course....the kids themselves!   My thought was, to try to gather all these thoughts that run pell nell through my brain into one spot.

  I love Kidz Ministry and all that it entails.  What's not to love about short people who think you are amazing cuz you can speak in silly voices, make balloon animals and remember all the motions to kids songs!  I love their ability to realize, at an early age,  that Jesus loves them so much and that He has a plan for them!  If only adults could easily get past all the life junk we have to see that when it comes down to it...Jesus just loves us. Period. Yes, He does.  

So anyway...this will be my "spot" to ramble on about all things kidz.  And, I do mean ramble!  And sometimes...I'm sure posts will be fairly random! Cuz, well, that's me :)