Kids Camp 2010 - Day 2

Day 2 started out with pancakes and bacon for breakfast, cabin clean up and devotion, then a service where we learned how small we are compared to the galaxy, yet we are a BIG DEAL to God! It took His son's life to get us back! Wow, that's takes ENORMOUS LOVE!

Games started right after lunch. 3 hours of water games then free time at 4. Team Enormous had kitchen duty for dinner, so it was exciting to get a chance to serve other churches and their kids. Here's Marchea (left) being a leader!

Team ENORMOUS

Team MAMMOTH

At last night's service, we learned about the BIG Helper that Jesus left with us... the Holy Spirit! It was exciting to see our children cry out to the Lord to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The last time I was in camp (in 2007), I remembered how children carried burdens with them that they didn't cause or can't control. This is still the same.... kids are burdened with their parent's divorce, abandonment, and unsaved relatives.

Pray for our children. They really are holding more than what they can bear, and YOU have the power to help them.  This is why I do what I do... if I can make an impact on this world, I chose to help those who are powerless, the most ignored, the most abused... yet full of potential... CHILDREN. They really are a BIG DEAL to Jesus!

Kids' Camp 2010 - Day 1

Whoohoo! I can't believe it's actually camp! I'm sneaking in just to give you all an update to what's going on.

Well, lives are changing as I type. Friendships are being built, both between counselors and kids, and friendships are being strengthened. Parents are learning to let go (just a bit) of their kids. Kids are learning a little bit of independence. I'm actually honored that parents would entrust their kids to us! Thank you so much!!! It's an honor to be of service to you and to be a part of your family!

Here's counselors, Annamarie & Nicole, with some of their crew, waiting for dinner to be ready.

Tonight's message is salvation. Romans 10:9... all one has to do is to believe in the death and ressurection of Jesus Christ and one will be saved! Such an easy deal... and the rewards are endless.

Here's Team ENORMOUS  at dinner time!

Here Team MAMMOTH bonding over table tennis.

I'm praying that the children's hearts are going to be open to Him and that they will see today as the beginning of something new... a NEW heart.

Lesson 3 - God can work through me!

I remember, as a young child, trying to wrap my brain around Christianity. True, Christianity is about believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that He is the only way to salvation. But as a child, I didn't know EXACTLY how that changed my day to day living.

What does an 8 year old really do that needs all that saving? An occassional lie, disobedience, or perhaps jealousy, but compared to everyone else, I couldn't grasp WHY I needed to be saved and HOW that looked like.

This lesson's powerpoint is "God can work through me!". Christianity is a relationship with Christ, and through this relationship, I am able to extend His love to others. It is not about how great, how perfect, or how smart we are. It's not about me. It's about what God wants to do through me and whether I am fully surrendered to obey Him.

I later realized that the reason WHY I needed to be saved wasn't only because of the things I did wrong. I needed to be saved because I was unrighteous, and the only way to be righteous is through Him. Let's encourage our young people to take their eyes off of themselves and focus on the righteousness of Christ!

Do you have any examples of how you yielded to God and later saw the reward of your surrender? Share it with us!

Living my Purpose Lesson 1

Is obedience really obedience if there's no free will?

This lesson is about sharing, and although many understand sharing, they don't fully understand obedience. How did I get that out of this lesson?

This lesson's Bible story is the 5 loaves and 2 fish that fed the 5,000. We often see the miracle as the main point of the story, but we miss the BOY.

A mere BOY, who 2,000+ years later, is still changing lives.

Wow, I never saw it that way, but just how is he still changing lives? Because of this boy's obedience, WE learn more about Him. This BOY's obedience still reveals the following about Jesus:
1) He's powerful.
2) He provides.
3) He cares about everyone (not just the important people... He fed the kids & the women too!).
4) He uses everyone who's willing to be used.

My prayer for this week is that the Lord shows our children how their obedience not only affects circumstances now, but their obedience will change the world. I pray that the Lord will reveal to us, as their parents and teachers, insight to help the kids discover their purpose and live out their God-given destinies. I pray that from this day forward, our kids will live only for Him!

Blessings to all of you!

Pia

Welcome!

I'm so excited to be able to have a blog dedicated to LCC Children's Ministry. God just places people in our lives that are a whole lot better than we are.... so to my sista, Shannon Seay... THANKS so much for giving me this idea!

This blog will be a central location for all, ie curriculum reviews, teaching ideas, encouraging words, questions... you name it! Of course, use your discretion in what you post. Don't include any information that you don't the world wide web to know :o)

You are all blessings to these children! Thank you for your heart to raise the leaders of the next generation!