Our family recently experienced what many families have experienced… my husband (the primary income for our household) lost his job. My initial reaction, like most, was sheer panic and fear of so many unknown variables. Unfortunately, this bled down into my very empathetic 13-year old son who expressed some fear himself and became a bit emotional.
What a reminder God gave me in that moment! I hugged my son and reassured him that we would never let anything happen to him and as I spoke I could hear those words echo… “Melissa.. I would never let anything happen to you…”
Our children can feel this “grown-up” pressure too. This tough economy is something that everyone is touched by. They hear about it at home… they are affected by it at school and it’s plastered all over the news. Showing my children, every day that God loves them and always bringing my concerns to Him is one way I can live my faith every day.
Philippians 4:6 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
Have you experienced something recently that has affected your kids? How are you living out your faith in these tough times?
Melissa Millwee
Childcare Coordinator
Central Kidz
Yesterday was a big day for me. My wife and I dropped off our daughter, Madison, at school for her first day of kindergarten. I was thinking…”this should be routine.” After all, she’s only 5 and we’ve done this before with our oldest child. It wasn’t.
As I let go of her hand and “released” her to the “world,” I was filled with a surprising conflict of emotions. On one hand, I knew she was ready and excited to begin her journey that day. On the other hand, by letting go, I no longer felt in “control.” The school yard represented the first step into the great unknown; both for Madison and her traumatized father. Madison would be meeting and interacting with other kids (including boys!! ughh!!). She would no longer always be in the safe little world we had created for her.
If you’re a parent, you know exactly what letting go feels like…whether you have a child, middle school, or high school student. As I walked off the school campus that day, I reflected on what I had just experienced. God gently reminded me that He loves my daughter more than I ever could. On my best day, I could never love her the way He loves, pursues, and surrounds her.
I’m still uneasy today, but God’s “whisper” to me comforted me in a way that nothing else could. I know I will never be able to completely manage the world around my little girl, but God sees her. He cares. And He pursues.
Robert Poliszuk
Henderson High School Pastor
One night not too long ago, my family was sitting down to eat together. We tend to do that sometimes. After only a few minutes, my oldest daughter got up to use the bathroom. The conversation my wife and I were having was soon interrupted by a plea for help that floated down the hall from the bathroom. “Mom, Dad…there’s no more toilet paper!” Being the awesome parents we are, we sent our five year old daughter to the rescue. Okay, I’m pathetic, but in my defense, I was really hungry that night! My youngest actually listened and went to help, coming back a few minutes later. We all continued eating until we heard my oldest daughter’s voice coming from the bathroom once again. “Mom, Dad, I STILL don’t have any toilet paper!” My wife and I both stopped eating and looked at our youngest, who continued to eat. “Didn’t you go get your sister some toilet paper?” I asked. Without even bothering to look up from her food, she casually replied, “I couldn’t find any so I told her to pretend to wipe.” Now there’s a kid who cares for her sister!
As parents, we want our kids to be surrounded by people who truly care for them and have their best interests in mind. That’s the beauty of the Small Groups in the Central Kidz ministry. We strive to make them the place where kids will be cared for and encouraged every weekend, just as God intends. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25). The new Small Group season is about to begin, so from one parent to another, let me encourage YOU to get your child signed up to be involved in one. If you will do that, I am confident to make you two promises. One, your child will be cared for by an incredible leader and two, it won’t be my youngest daughter!
Kurt Pflegl
Getting students to love church isn’t easy. On our team, we get tempted to wow kids with the best music, funny videos and cutting edge technology. It’s a pressure to try to entertain students to attract more students. We’re pretty balanced in our approaches, but sometimes we lose sight of what’s really going on within kids’ hearts. What really makes a kid far from God begin to love church?
I think there’s a couple of answers. One for sure is when they feel like they matter. If a student shows up and the place is welcoming, friendly and healthy – they know it. When a kid feels like they are actually cared for, they will keep showing up. Another key factor of a kid loving church has to do with the teaching. Students of all ages know when something is “real” and when something is “fake.” If the teaching has anything shallow or fake about it – kids sniff it out. The Holy Spirit isn’t in things that aren’t authentic. If the teaching hits a student and it makes a difference in their lives – they will stay….they will love it. Fun is another factor for students. It has to be fun and it must have a focus on friendships.
One of the best compliments I ever hear about our Student Ministries comes from parents. When a parent says “my daughter refuses to miss the weekends” or “my son gets mad at us when we don’t make it to church” – that’s the best. Kids who learn to love church really own it. They influence their parents. When the church is working right, kids know it. It goes from being “the” church to “my” church.
It’s 6th grade and I have joined the track and field team. My adrenaline was pumping. My heart was racing. My excitement was overwhelming. Then the words came from my coaches mouth like venom from a snake, Kim is on High jump. High jump? For real? I was being placed on the “high jump” team. Now, what you should know is that I am vertically challenged. There was no competition coming from my pint-sized frame when it came to jumping over the bar, but for some reason I was put on the team. Maybe my coach had some inspirational Olympic dream for me but after one season, reality hit. There was no Olympic gold waiting for me!
The Olympics are right around the corner and I am so jazzed! It’s so inspiring (and tear jerking) to watch the stories of how so many athletes have sacrificed over the years. But for the Lopez family, the dream is a reality. Not since 1904, have three siblings ever qualified for the same Olympics. But in August, the Lopez siblings will be competing for the Gold, Sliver and Bronze in Tae Kwon Do (Japanese Martial Arts). This dream started for the Lopez sibling’s father after watching Kung Fu movies and being a huge Chuck Norris fan. He signed his oldest son up to participate in this sport because of his dreams, his passion. I am sure he never thought as he paid for his oldest son’s first lesson that one day, not only one but three of his children would be competing in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Can you imagine how proud you would feel as a parent? Maybe your child isn’t the next Gold Medalist, but what has happened lately that has made you proud as a parent? What passions/dreams are you passing on to your child?
Kim Trethewey
Central Kidz