Let's talk about Evangelism.

This week, in addition to talking about love, we also touched on Evangelism.  What a cool connection we were able to make between our two curriculums: The Good Samaritan story, being a good neighbor, showing God's love through our actions, and being Evangelists!

A To Do:

Create a LOVE calendar.

An awesome way to do all of the things listed above, is to evangelize through your actions.  There is no better way to share the good news of Jesus, than through acts of service or kindness.

This weekend, create a LOVE calendar for yourself or your family.  Print off a blank calendar, or use a wall calendar or planner that you already have.  Each day, write down the name of someone to whom you can show love.  Whether you give this person something, help this person, or just make someone smile, write it down.  At the end of this month, take a look at how many neighbors you've met and shown love to!  Remember: a neighbor is anyone we can come into contact with.  The Story of the Good Samaritan reminds us of this.

I'd love to see your LOVE Calendars!  Send me an email or post a picture to our facebook page with your in progress LOVE calendars - let's go out and share love!

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth

Guess How Much I Love You?!

So, as I write this blog each week, I like to do a couple of things to get inspiration.  Obviously, I always pray that God gives me the words and direction.  I also like to listen to music, and, my favorite thing: google image search!  A lot of times, I have an idea of what scripture to share, so I do a google image search for that particular search.  I find a lot of inspiration in that!

Right now, I'm pretty wrapped up in Love.  Loving my family, my friends, my neighbors, and loving our God.  An image popped up in a search this week, and it was the cover of one of my favorite children's books:  Guess How Much I Love You.

 

I have loved this book for a long time - so long, in fact, I gave my college boyfriend a copy of it for Valentine's Day one year.  Lucky for me, that boyfriend is now my husband and daddy to our precious boys.  :)  So yes...I love that book.

My kids have both heard it many times, and have a copy in each of their rooms.

If you haven't read the story, it's a daddy rabbit and his baby, and the baby tells him how much he loves him through a serious of wonderful descriptions - each getting bigger and bigger.  Each time, the daddy replies and "one ups" the baby bunny - basically saying, I love you more.

The daddy realizes that the baby is never going to stop, and so as baby bunny falls asleep, he and gives one more fantastic description of how much he loves daddy bunny, the daddy lets him rest.  Then, after the baby is sleeping, says (in other words), I love you more.

My son, Hudson, and I play this game regularly and have been for years.  He fills my heart so full, I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it.  The love that I have for him and so huge - and to have that reciprocated is just awesome. 

I started thinking about it this week - and the story of the daddy bunny and his baby, is such a great reflection of our relationship with God.  We can love Him, and love Him, but He will always love us more.  Even when we're feeling sad and lonely, we must always hold that in our heart - that we have an eternal Daddy who is always loving us more.

 

Happy Wednesday, friends.  Go out and love each other.

Many Smiles,

Elisabeth

February: It's All About Love

Don't you love God's perfect timing?  As we have been working our way through the Externally Focused Life series, this past Sunday, February 2nd, we focused on the theme: It's About Love.

In Sunday School, we chatted about The Good Samaritan, and continued to explore ways to help our neighbor - even those that we may not be friends with.  (More on The Good Samaritan later this week!)

The Memory Verse for the week was Luke 10:27 (Look it up!) - the Roots Troop kids are totally familiar with this verse, as it's one that I teach and talk about almost every single week.  I shared my favorite verse of all time - the one that I write on cards, sign letters with, and share with anyone who ever asks:  John 15:17.  I love it because it's so simple - but completely emcompasses the charge that Jesus has given to each of us: to love one another.

Our Heavenly Father showed us the greatest love - one that we cannot even begin to fathom: He sent is ONLY son to us...only to have him die, so that WE can be saved and have eternal life.  Even though we do not deserve it.  We deserve punishment when we break God's rules - Jesus did nothing wrong.  He showed love and compassion to everyone; He did not judge or condemn anyone.  Yet He took our punishment for us.  Wow.

At our house, we're going to focus not only on showing love to each other, and to others, but also on showing our love to God.  Not just through our actions and words EXTERNALLY, but also within our prayers and our conversations with kid. 

Pray a prayer of ADORATION to God.

I know that I give thanks in my prayers regularly, and I ask God for things all of the time - for patience, for wisdom and courage, to make me a better wife, mother, friend, and daughter.  This week - I want to focus on praising Him and really spending time adoring my Heavenly Father.  He is so awesome - and He has given us so much.  Help your kids, teens, spouse, and friends to do the same. 

Not sure what to say or where to start?  Pray the lyrics of an adoration song.  A great example is from our Kids Choir Musical - it's called "I Love You, Lord".

I love you Lord
and I lift my voice
To worship you
Oh my soul rejoice

Take joy my king
in what you hear
May it be a sweet sweet sound
in your ear 

 

Amen.

What is your favorite praise and worship song?  Tell me about in the comments, or on our facebook page - I'd love to share it on the blog!