When Following Jesus Gets Tough

Most can admit that at times we would like to take the easy way. Wouldn't it have been great to trade your teachers 50 sit ups instead of having to take that test, or picking your mom a flower instead of having to do all those chores? But as much as our laziness entices us, God's rewards are so much better! It's called the narrow path for a reason, but the destination is far greater.

As we continue our series, What's Eating Jonah, it is easy to notice that Jonah had a really difficult time following God. It would be naive of us to think that following Jesus in our own lives is always going to be great and dandy. So what do we do when we are tempted to take the easy way out? This week we are going to be exploring the difference between the easy way out, and the much more rewarding way - God's way.

2s Lesson: We're learning about God answering Hannah's prayer for baby Samuel.

 3s Lesson: We're learning how Jesus told the disciples to let the children come to Him.

 4s Lesson:  We're learning about Joseph receiving a colorful coat from his father

 5s Lesson:  We're learning about God creating the animals of the earth

Understanding Your 4 and 5 Yr. Olds

(This is the fifth of an 8 part series on Understanding Your Youngster. Check back each week for helpful, age specific information on how to help your child's spiritual development and creating a godly foundation.)

"When children pretend, they aren't limited to the way things are in the real world." Fred Rogers

Welcome to the cheery world of four and five year olds! Energetic and expecting life to be fair describe us. Our friends are important to us and we like to go to each other's houses. We love to imagine and pretend. We're often curious and can be heard asking, "How?" "What?" and "Why?" Join us in our journey and see how we do life!

• Listen to my questions, give honest answers and assure me of God's love.
• I am able to remember stories and and repeat them. I am beginning to see the difference between fantasy and reality. 
• I am learning that prayer means talking to God and I can pray to God anytime, anywhere, and about anything.
• I can learn that God wants us to obey Him and my parents. 
• I understand the concept of yesterday, today and tomorrow, but I don't always have a sense of how long an hour can be. 
• I am beginning to ask questions about God.
• I take what you say literally. 
• I am learning that God made me special. I can show God's love by doing kind things for others.
• I can learn the Bible is true and teaches us about God and Jesus. 
• I can follow 3-step commands: brush teeth, put on PJs, get in bed. 
• I am understanding that Jesus loves everyone and he wants us to love him and love others.
• I like rules. They give me direction. 
• I can identify right from wrong, but still need reminders to make the right choice. 

"When I approach a child, he inspires in me two responses: tenderness for what he is, and respect for what he may become." Louis Pasteur

(Information pulled from Willow Creek's "Thought You'd Like to Know" packs.)

Understanding Your 3 Yr. Old

(This is the fourth of an 8 part series on Understanding Your Youngster. Check back each week for helpful, age specific information on how to help your child's spiritual development and creating a godly foundation.)

"Children never have been very good at listening to their elders, but they never fail to imitate them." James Baldwin

I'm three. Welcome to my world. I'm known for having a short attention span because I don't want to miss anything. I love to wiggle and squirm. I'm full of wonder and love to explore. You often here me say, "me" or "mine" because, of course, the world belongs to me. Join me in my journey and see how I do life.

• Listen to my questions, give honest answers and assure me of God's love. 
• As I listen and watch the adults around me, my moral and spiritual ideas and ideas of God are being formed. 
• Model God's acceptance by your words and actions. My experiences with you are the first stepping stones to understanding God's grace. Tell me often: I am loved; Jesus loves me; God made me. 
• Model God's love by being consistent. It helps me to see the same faces and hear the same voices weekly at church. 
• I am beginning to understand right from wrong. 
• I can sense the emotions adults display through their nonverbal body language and tone of voice. 
• I can repeat simple Bible verses and learn truths such as: God gives us friends; God made everything, including me. 
• Read me simple Bible stories from a children's Bible. I experience God's love by the way you treat and talk to me. 
• I'm learning to help and serve others. I can help in simple ways like picking things up, putting things in the garbage or putting things in their place. 
• Music and movement help me remember what I learn about God/Jesus/the Bible. I like simple Bible songs with motions. 
• Teach me to make simple decisions by giving me choices between two things (milk or juice). This helps build my self-esteem.

"Parenting is a two-way street - as you take them by the hand, they will take you by the heart." Judy Ford

(Information pulled from Willow Creek's "Thought You'd Like to Know" packs.)

Under My Umbrella

When Jonah was disobedient to what God had asked him to do, he came out from underneath God's covering. So what can we do to stay underneath God's covering and what happens when our poor choices remove us from this place of blessing and protection? Last week we answered these questions and learned that even though we may have to go through the consequences for our actions, what we do or say will never stop or diminish God's love for us.

So what can we do to stay under God's covering?

• Pray and ask for God's grace to stay in this place. 
• Ask parents or other leaders for help.
• Think about your actions before you make a decision. 

When we find ourselves out from under God's covering, how do we go back?

• Ask for forgiveness.
• Receive God's forgiveness.
• If needed/able, make things right.

2s Lesson: Learned about God answering Hannah's prayer for baby Samuel.
3s Lesson: Learned about the birth of God’s Son Jesus.
4s Lesson: Learned about Noah and the waters flooding the earth.
5s Lesson: Learned about Jesus’ parable about the lost sheep.

Understanding Your 2 Year Old

(This is the third of an 8 part series on Understanding Your Youngster. Check back each week for helpful, age specific information on how to help your child's spiritual development and creating a godly foundation.)

"Kids spell love, T-I-M-E."

John Crudele

I'm this many. Welcome to my world! I'm working towards independence. I notice others around me. I like to imitate others. I am long on will and short on skill. Join me in my journey and see how I do life.

• Model God's acceptance through your words and actions. My experiences with you are the first stepping stones to understanding God's grace. Tell me often: I am loved; Jesus loves me; God made me.  
• I can listen and learn simple Bible stories while experiencing God's love through others. It helps me to hear the same Bible story over and over. I learn through repetition.
• Model God's love by being consistent. It helps me to see the same faces and hear the same voices weekly in my church community. 
• Music and motions help me to remember what I learn about God/Jesus/the Bible. I like simple Bible songs with motions.
• I accept truths such as:
• Jesus loves us all the time. 
• God gives us friends.
• God loves and cares for me. 
• I'm beginning to experience prayer when you say, "Let's pray and talk to God." I can hold hands with others or fold my own hands. Model for me, "Dear Jesus, thank you for my food. Amen."

"Watching and listening to children is very important. It gives you clues about how they think." Karyn Henley

(Information pulled from Willow Creek's "Thought You'd Like to Know" packs.)

What's Eating Jonah?

The story of Jonah has become so familiar that I'm sure I could have anyone of our grade-schoolers come and give a pretty accurate account of what happened to Jonah. But if you ask most people who the story is about, or at least the main players, they'll say Jonah, or the Ninevites, or even the whale! Really this story is about God. The Lord is mentioned over 35 times in these 4 short chapters and if you remove Him from the story it won't make any sense at all. This month we are going to be talking about how Jonah responded to the will of God, what we can learn from his disobedience and anger, and how to share the love of God with those we have a hard time being around. 

2s Lesson: This month’s lesson is about God answering Hannah’s prayer for baby Samuel

3s Lesson: This week’s lesson is about God protecting Daniel from the lions

4s Lesson: This week’s lesson is about Noah’s trust in God as he builds the Ark

5s/K Lesson: This week’s lesson is about how great God’s love is as they learn about God taking care of the birds.

Kidz Quest Memory Verses

Feb. 5. No Kidz Quest, Super Bowl Sunday.



Feb 12. Jesus and His Friends Luke 10:42 NIV But only one
thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not
be taken away from her.

Feb 19. Jesus’ Last Week Luke 22:19 NIV And he took bread,
gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is
my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Feb 26.  Invite Night. The Cross Galatians 2:20 NLT My old self has been
crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives
in me…

March 4. He’s Alive! Matthew 28:6 NIV He is not here; he has
risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

March 11. Jesus Will Return Acts 1:11 NIV Why do you stand
here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been
taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way
you have seen him go into heaven.

March 18. Pentecost Acts 1:8 NIV But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth.

March 25. Invite Night. Apostles Spread the Message Romans 10:13 NIV
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

April 1. The First Church 1 John 4:8 NIV Whoever does not
love does not know God, because God is love.

April 8. Easter Sunday, No Kidz Quest.

April 15. Stephen Gives his Life 2 Timothy 3:12 NIV
...everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will
be persecuted,

April 22. Saul Becomes Paul 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone,
the new has come!

April 29. Invite Night. Peter Preaches to the Jews Romans 1:16 NIV
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for
the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then
for the Gentile.

May 6. Paul Preaches to the Gentiles Ephesians 2:18 NLT
Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy
Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

May 13. No Kidz Quest, Mother's Day. 

May 20. Paul’s missionary Adventures 2 Corinthians 12:9
NLT Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power
works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my
weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

May 27. No Kidz Quest, Memorial Day Weekend.

June 3. Arrested in Jerusalem Galatians 5:22-23 NIV But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against
such things there is no law.

June 10. Last Kidz Quest. Letters From Prison Philippians 4:8 NLT Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.