During my January Term at Calvin Theological Seminary, 2023, I was able to go to Israel and LIVE OUT LOUD as I learned, explored, hiked, prayed, read scripture, and sang my way through the holy land. Watch my feet and walk with me from place to place.
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What's Your Spiritual Kryptonite, Naaman?DUNK IT- LOVE DOES: Scripture- 2 Kings 5:1-19 Superhero- Naaman Kryptonite- Dirty Water Spiritual Stumbling Block- Pride | What's Your Spiritual Kryptonite, Balaam?PARK IT- LOVE DOES: Scripture- Numbers 22 Superhero- Balaam Kryptonite- Donkey Spiritual Stumbling Block- Disobedience |
What's Your Spiritual Kryptonite, Jonah?PLANT IT- LOVE DOES: Scripture- (Jonah 1—2:10) Jonah 3 - 4 Superhero- Jonah Kryptonite- Worm Spiritual Stumbling Block- Hatred | What's Your Spiritual Kryptonite, Queen Esther?SAY IT- LOVE DOES: Scripture- Esther (Esther 2:5-18, 3:1-6; 8:1-17; Esther 4:1—7:10) Superhero- Esther Kryptonite- Crown Spiritual Stumbling Block- Insecurity |
What's Your Spiritual Kryptonite, Gideon?GLOW IT- LOVE DOES: Scripture- Judges 7:1-21 Superhero- Gideon Kryptonite- Enemy Camp Spiritual Stumbling Block- Fear | What's Your Spiritual Kryptonite, Nehemiah?BUILD IT- LOVE DOES: Superhero- Nehemiah; Kryptonite- Wall; Spiritual Stumbling Block- Discouragement |
Join WOW VBS Online
Monday, June 29 - Thursday, June 2
Streaming every hour on the hour!
This “Live Stream” broadcast event will feature different hosts from around the world, kidmin guest artist, and celebrity cameos. Kids and families will view a fun, engaging, interactive program of worship, Bible stories and teaching, magic, fun, games, and a presentation of the gospel message. WOW VBS starts at the top of each hour and is 35-40 minutes program for Elementary age children. WOW Jr starts 45 minutes into each hour and is a 10 minute program for pre-school age children. Each 35-40 minute program is prerecorded in a “life event” style. Here is the link for WOW's website, and you can register here.
Happy Father's Day!
"But you are our Father, Lord.
Your name is One Who Always Sets Us Free." Isaiah 63:16b
God is our ultimate 'SUPERHERO' DAD! He is a Father who is "Gracious, compassionate, and slow to anger...." Wouldn't it be cool if we could have a selfie picture with our heavenly father? Well, even if we cannot do that, we have dads in our lives who are our real dads or who are men who have been kind to us, like our heavenly father, in a time when we needed an 'earthly dad' there. Take some time to thank your dad and other men in your life for the ways they have been kind, loving, or forgiving to you.
Then, if you can, watch the movie, "Selfie Dad" with your dad or another man in your life, play with him, or try to do one of the other Father's Day Challenges below!
Then, if you can, watch the movie, "Selfie Dad" with your dad or another man in your life, play with him, or try to do one of the other Father's Day Challenges below!
"And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers." Malachi 4:6a
Father's Day Challenge: Choose something fun to do WITH your dad!
- Watch the movie, "Selfie Dad",
- Watch "Finding Nemo" or other fun Disney movies with great dads,
- Color a page below,
- Have some devotions with Dad below,
- Do something for Dad (make him a coffee, rub his feet or shoulders, bring him breakfast in bed, etc.),
- Take a Selfie with Dad,
- Draw a 'Selfie' of you & your dad below,
- Play baseball with water balloons or have a water balloon fight,
- Dad relay race - Lay out a pair of Dad’s pants, shirt, socks, and shoes. On ‘go’ your child runs up to the pile of clothing. When they get to the clothes, they must put on every article of clothing including the shoes. Once all of Dad’s clothes are on, the child has to carefully run back to the starting line. Do it for fun or just time each kid to see who does it the fastest.
- Fly Dad to Mars
- Take a Virtual Tour of Alaska
- Visit Disneyland Virtually
- Take a Virtual Tour to National Parks
How is your dad a SUPERHERO?
Take a Selfie with dad or draw it, tell us why he's your SUPERHERO, and SHARE IT with us!
Take a Selfie with dad or draw it, tell us why he's your SUPERHERO, and SHARE IT with us!
Have fun celebrating dad & God, our heavenly father, using this coloring booklet.
Wanna read a great Bible story with your dad? Check out the Prodigal Son!
Look at how the Father loved his son in
Luke 15:11-32.
Look at how the Father loved his son in
Luke 15:11-32.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:20
Please Note: Racism is a very difficult and often divisive topic. Please make sure to walk through it with your children, always considering their own age appropriateness to understand the topic. You may be surprised at what your children will teach you! A lot of the resources here are related to Rev. Dr. King, Jr. It is a great starting place. Expand your own educational background, resources, tools, and understanding to include other races and injustices so that we can all be prepared to recognize it and respond in a godly way when it occurs. It will happen. How will we respond? Will we, "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God"? (Micah 6:8)
Many of us have had questions about how to best respond to the problem of racism. Juliana Clink has graciously agreed to give us some insight, based on her experiences. Watch this video to hear Julie’s answers to some of our tough questions! Afterwards, please pray. Then, try some of the activities or resources provided to broaden your sphere of understanding.
Please spend some time in Prayer:
In response to the heartbreaking struggles with racism that continues to rear its ugly head, please be in prayer. (6/5/20)
Use the word COURAGE as a guide:
C is for COMPASSION. O is for OTHERS. U is for UNDERSTANDING. R is for RESOLUTE. A is for ACTION. G is for GRIT. E is for ENCOURAGEMENT.
Use the word COURAGE as a guide:
C is for COMPASSION. O is for OTHERS. U is for UNDERSTANDING. R is for RESOLUTE. A is for ACTION. G is for GRIT. E is for ENCOURAGEMENT.
- Lord, may our eyes be open to the hurt and pain all around us. Give us a heart of COMPASSION like you, for you are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
- Help us to look not only to our own interests but also to the interests of OTHERS who are silently hurting.
- Give us a heart of UNDERSTANDING even towards things we have never experienced.
- Help us to see people as you do and ACT on what you are calling us to do.
- And, even as we face discouragement or disagreement from others around us that we love and care for, help us to be RESOLUTE in fixing our eyes on you, walking forward in faith to what you are calling us to do. Give us the opportunity and desire to act on behalf of those who feel downtrodden, broken, and unseen.
- Give us the GRIT, like Queen Esther, to step forward in a time of uncertainty, to boldly pray, boldly speak, boldly act, and boldly hope for burdens of injustice to be lifted.
- Give us a spirit of ENCOURAGEMENT to those who are weary in doing good. Help us not to look the other way, but to step forward and be the hands that lift the hands of those who are tired.
Thoughts to Ponder:
Take some time for a little family chat. (Parents, please try to discuss this video and your own experiences with your children in a way they can understand. This is a heavy topic, but you can be the ones to share your heart and impact them before the world does. Please don't miss this chance to walk with them and talk about how, "Love is Clothed in Kindness" and we can be the ones to 'walk out kindness' through our actions, together!)
- What questions did this video bring up for you?
- Do you know what racism is?
- Have you ever been around people who are different? How did you feel?
- Have you ever experienced a time when you saw racism occur near you?
- Have you experienced racism yourself?
- Have you ever been left out because of something you can't control or change, like how short or tall you are, what you look like, how you dress, because you wear glasses or something else?
- How does it make you feel to be left out because of something you cannot control?
- What if someone new comes to your school, how can you be kind and welcome them?
- What if someone near you is being bullied, who can you tell? What can you do to stand up for them? How can you let them know they are not alone?
- Who do you know that might be struggling with racism? How can you pray for them? How can you encourage them? How can you stand up for them?
- God is love and God's love changes everything. How can you love others who are unkind?
Now what? Things to do:
1. Start with what you know. How has this issue impacted you?
2. Research and watch what you don't know.
3. Find a friend or family member to talk about the issues.
Watch, "Bully Dance": This is an excellent movie to address bullying without deference to color.
- Who was being bullied?
- Who were the bullies?
- How did they bully?
- Did anyone try to stop the bullies?
- Why was the bully being a bully?
- If you were in the story, who would you be and why?
- Talk about bullies in your life.
Think about It:
Here are some additional quotes by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for you. You could write them out or choose your favorite quote, create a poster out of it, and upload and Share It to encourage others. How do these quotes make you feel?
Write about It:
Take on the Ultimate Challenge:
Here are some additional quotes by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for you. You could write them out or choose your favorite quote, create a poster out of it, and upload and Share It to encourage others. How do these quotes make you feel?
- Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
- Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
- The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
- Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
- Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
- Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
- I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
- Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?
- The time is always right to do what is right.
- We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
Write about It:
Take on the Ultimate Challenge:
- Write or type out the whole of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, "I Have a Dream Speech".
- Videotape yourself reading it as a speech. Upload and Share It.
Here are videos suggested for 3rd - 8th grade to understand the impact of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
Further video/ topics to study for high school students/adults:
- “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: Biography for Children, American History for Kids - FreeSchool”
- “A Picture Book of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.”
- “I am Martin Luther King, Jr.”
- “Our Friend Martin Elementary Video HD” (Mrs. Clink's favorite video to watch with kids)
- “Martin Luther King - I Have A Dream Speech - August 28, 1963”
- “I Have Been to the Mountaintop Full Speech" (Love this speech, as it happened shortly before Rev. Dr. King, Jr., was killed and is so prophetic.)
Further video/ topics to study for high school students/adults:
Different books to read to children about race, racism and resistance
Mrs. Clink's Favorite Books:
Mrs. Clink's Favorite Books:
- Last Days in Africville
- Last Stop on Market Street
- Let the Circle Be Unbroken
- Follow the Drinking Gourd
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
- Tim Ladwig Books: The Beattitudes, Stories Jesus Told: Who is My Neighbor, Psalm Twenty-Three, The Lord's Prayer
- The Watson's go to Birmingam
Brain activities that educate on Martin Luther King, Jr.
Learn about Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Life
Educational videos on Black History to watch to gain knowledge and awareness:
Resources for Adults that will help deepen understanding of anti-racism work:
Web Portal that discusses African American History and Culture
Welcome to our Kids Alive
Online Movie Party of
"THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS"*
Thursday, May 28, 2020, 7 pm-
Missed it?
*Watch ANYTIME!
Check out the movie trailer, "The Pilgrim's Progress"
and join us for a movie night!
Grab some popcorn or cotton candy,
something to drink, click the link below to register,
& watch the movie with us!
Notes:
- Movie Starts after a 4 minute intro.
- Length of Movie- 1 hour, 57 minutes.
- Note: If the movie pauses, go back a couple minutes and start, again.
- Internet must be working for movie to be streamed effectively.
- Check out the reviews, trailers, and resources.
- Have older kids complete "The Pilgrim's Progress Q & A" as they watch or do it together as a family afterward to help springboard conversations!
Parent Note: Please watch the trailer, read the review, and decide if this movie is best for the ages of children in your home. Because it deals with allegory and is a "Content Caution- Yellow" for Kids, although it is a cartoon, there are deep themes within that may be better suited for middle to upper elementary children. However, you know your children best. With you watching alongside and explaining the themes as they go, this could be an amazing adventure for the whole family! We loved it!
Check out the |
Parent Tips:
- Click on Got Questions to learn what an allegory is and how it relates to "the Pilgrim's Progress" or the Bible.
- Activities are included (coloring pages, audio, and musical versions, as well) that you can do, whether you watch the movie or not.
- The "Parent's Guide to Pilgrim's Progress" summarizes the story themes and characters and would be great to have on hand while you watch the film.
- "A Children's Guide to Pilgrim's Progress" is an excellent way to incorporate, "The Pilgrim's Progress" into your school and devotional life with your children. Whenever we homeschooled, I would tailor the lessons to the needs of my individual children, as well, and this is a great resource that you can use to do this with your children, as well, if you so desire.
Dig a Little Deeper...
- Answer It: Fill out "The Pilgrim's Progress" Q & A Google Form or "The Pilgrim's Progress" Q & A PDF. (Here is "The Pilgrim's Progress" Q & A Answer Key.)
- Build It: Build and Fill a Treasure Box with God's Promises
- Color It: Coloring Pages from Bunyon Ministries
- Connect It: 7 Ways Your Kids Can Connect With God, Leading Your Children to the Savior
- Crossword It: Try out "The Pilgrim's Progress" Crossword Puzzle & Answer Key.
- Discuss It: Discuss the story and the meanings behind it. Use the "Family Guide to 'The Pilgrim's Progress'" by Summit Ministries (movie creators).
- What is the characters' names and why?
- Who does the people and places represent?
- Where is Christian trying to go?
- What does Christian encounter on his trip and why?
- What do the things he encounters stand for?
- Draw It: Create your very own "Photo Album" of the characters Christian meets along his journey and the places he goes. Fold papers in half, staple the booklet, then give the front cover a title page, "Christian's Photo Book". Characters you can include are: Christian, Christiana (Christian's Wife), Christian's Kids, Giant Despair, Help, Evangelist, Mr. Legality, Interpreter, Mr. Worldly Wiseman, Apollyon, Faithful, Vanity Fair Judge, Hopeful, Mr. Goodwill (Gate Keeper), Shepherd, King. Places you can include are: Noit Curtsed, The Forbidden Forest, The Swamp of Despondency, Village of Morality, The Wicker Gate, The Interpreter's House, The Hill of Difficulty (Lions), Watchful's House, Valley of Humiliation, Valley Fair, The Castle of Despair, The River, The Celestial City. (Tip: Decide on the number of pages you need and make sure you will have enough pages before you staple it together.)
- Listen to It:
"The Dangerous Journey," Audio Children's Book with Pictures A Retelling of "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan | "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan Audio Drama- No Pictures |
| |
"The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan
BBC Audio Recordings, Ep. 1-3
BBC Audio Recordings, Ep. 1-3
| | |
- Map It: Option 1- Map out your adventure as you watch the movie. Include locations such as: Noit Curtsed, The Forbidden Forest, The Swamp of Despondency, Village of Morality, The Wicker Gate, The Interpreter's House, The Hill of Difficulty (Lions), Watchful's House, Valley of Humiliation, Valley Fair, The Castle of Despair, The River, The Celestial City. Option 2- Print a map- "The Road from City of Destruction to the Celestial City".
- Play It: Pilgrim's Progress Games
- Read It: "The Pilgrim's Progress: A Retelling"
- Sing Along to It: Musicals you can watch for more versions
Left- Movie Version. Right- Youth/Church Version
| |
This Study Guide is meant for use with "The Dangerous
Journey", a retelling of "The Pilgrim's Progress" for children. It
has good chapter summaries, activities, and questions to help
bring discussions and understanding to the meanings behind
the story. You can use it alongside "The Dangerous Journey"
Audio Children's Book with Pictures (above).
Journey", a retelling of "The Pilgrim's Progress" for children. It
has good chapter summaries, activities, and questions to help
bring discussions and understanding to the meanings behind
the story. You can use it alongside "The Dangerous Journey"
Audio Children's Book with Pictures (above).
Kids Alive Lego Bible Challenge
Challenge: Make your own Bible Story or set using Legos.
Scavenger Hunt & Bingo Challenge
Challenge: Use these resources to grow in the Lord as you do a Website and Community Scavenger Hunt & Bingo!
*For the BINGO Cards, each square you complete, put an "X" on it. Bring it in to church upon our return for a treat.
*For the BINGO Cards, each square you complete, put an "X" on it. Bring it in to church upon our return for a treat.
- *Kids "ALIVE" Bingo Card- Print or open up the Online KA Bingo Card to hunt for ways you can grow in the Lord on the website.
- *Neighborhood BINGO & Prayer Walk- Print it, walk around your neighborhood. If you see something on the BINGO card, pray for that home, and put an "X" on the box.
- Gratitude Scavenger Hunt- Print it or just do it!
National Day of Prayer:
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Check out our Breath Prayers on our Pray It page.
'Breath Prayers' are just one line prayers to say to God in any moment you have to pray. Listen to some of these, choose one, and pray it today!
Resources for Kids: |
Resources for Families:
#1 Join a Virtual Prayer Meeting via Zoom:
- Meetings at 7 am, 12 pm, or 7 pm.
- RSVP to receive the Zoom meeting ID and password.
#2 Write and post a prayer to your social media.
#3 Take a walk while praying for your community and world:
For examples of what others have done or to post your experience, check out the Neighborhood Prayer Walks page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/neighborhoodprayerwalks/
Would You Pray Anywhere?
Check out this story by Lysa TerKeurst, "It Will Be Okay". This is "a story about trusting God through fear and change.... God is good, God is kind, and God is always watching over us."
"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go...." Genesis 28:15a
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go...." Genesis 28:15a
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
VLOG It!
Be loving in everything you do." 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIRV)
Check out our challenges, encouragement, tips, & tools.
Have an idea of how we can "Live Out Loud" that you want to share?
Send it to us- Share It!
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