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Vacation Bible School… definitely sounds like something for the kids, but let me tell you, I grow so much from my experiences with it every year I get to participate. The theme is Power Up: Raise Your Game. It’s cool that we get to tie God’s word to something most kids are seeing or doing every single day.

While video games are being played after VBS by these awesome kiddos we’ve had here, I am praying that they remember the spoken truths that we talked about with them.

I was blessed to get to be the storyteller this year at VBS. You know, get up, give the big picture, and hopefully make the kids laugh a bit in the process.

I love telling stories, so this was definitely up my alley; I’ve discovered over the years that I’m a bit of a perfectionist in certain areas and that perfectionist really came out in me yesterday. I had worked hard to memorize all the lines so I could fully engage the kids and not be distracted from reading off a paper.

I was nervous but was doing my best to remember that God was still in control and I couldn’t mess this up- not really, anyway. Well, I got up there, started telling the story…and totally messed it up. I skipped lines all over the place, had to get back on track multiple times, etc. By the time I stepped off stage, I was really disappointed in myself. I couldn’t believe that I had messed up after all that practice!

Did the kids even learn anything? Did any of it make sense? How could I have done this? I went back up to the office to get some work done and while I sat in the quiet, I started praying. Pretty sure it was mostly a pity party prayer, not gonna lie. But God was so gracious and He spoke to me in my frustration. Kind of felt like He was basically saying, “Sarah, you do remember what you just told the kids right? You just told them where our real power comes from. Yet here you are, trying to be powerful on your own without me.” Ouch. That hit hard, but it was a truth I needed to hear. I had gotten up to encourage those kids to turn to God for their power all while I was relying on my OWN strength to get me through the story telling.

It’s neat that we can take a week to really focus on God. We’re answering questions from the kids, making sure we’re giving an example, but we’re also trying to be really honest with these guys. They’re incredibly receptive and are eager to soak up whatever they can. So what is a better way to encourage them than to admit that we still mess up and still need God’s strength to get us through? I’ve gotten to see several adults doing that with the kids already and it encourages me to do the same.

To let go of the pride and let God be glorified through my mess.

Of course, since that’s the last thing the Enemy wants me to do, he is going to be trying his hardest to distract me from the truth, to tempt me to put my eyes back on myself instead of God, and get those seeds of doubt planted in my heart. The awesome thing, though, is that I know he’s going to be doing this. So now I know how to prepare myself for that battle: by stepping back and remembering where my true power comes and letting God be the strength inside me.

Definitely easier said than done, but, just as we’ve been teaching the kids here at VBS, “God’s power gives us everything we need to lead a Godly life.” 2 Peter 1:3a (NIRV)

We love to talk about transformation here at Mountain Christian Church, and truly, it is one of the best, most faith-building parts of Christianity, watching God transform the people around you.

But, to be transformed, we first must be offered up.

This year for the AMPED UP VBS program, I was asked to head up the crafts area, so it was my responsibility to choose which crafts to do, (from a list of suggestions the creator of our VBS program offered), get the supplies either through donations or purchasing, oversee the volunteers, and run one of the craft rooms.

We received several donations, and amongst those was this oddball plastic container of pony beads. Pony beads were on the list of items needed, but these were too few and only three colors. We needed many colors and many, many beads to make the craft work. But everyone has made pony bead bracelets before and we were making bracelets based on binary code, so I decided to purchase some that looked more hi-tech and unique so the kids wouldn’t see it as the same old thing.

I then set aside the oddball container of beads, thinking they were useless.

Day One came and went, everyone made bracelets with the purchased beads. Success!

And in my pile of miscellaneous craft supplies, there still sat the oddball beads.

The craft team got together at the end of Day One, so we could all practice making the craft for Day Two. It was one we knew everyone would love. The kids got to make rock climbers.

By taping straws and a penny to the backside of a paper man, and then running yarn through the straws, they were actually able to make him climb by pulling the yarn in a certain way. Too fun!

While we were reading through the directions - more carefully and thoroughly now that we actually got to make the things - we realized we were going to need some PONY BEADS for that day. We needed to tie them to the ends of the yarn so it didn’t feed itself back through the straws.

Immediately, my mind went to the oddball container. Colors don’t matter here, and each kid only needs two of them, so of course there were plenty, and the smaller beads I purchased would never have worked.

God provided just what we needed.

Thank goodness the person who donated them did, and thank goodness we didn’t just throw them out. So, that “oddball container of pony beads” actually became a lifesaver for our Day Two craft.

Don’t discount those oddballs who volunteer, and don’t stay home because you perceive YOURSELF to be the oddball who just doesn't fit. God has a plan for you! A special place for you to fill. Offer yourself up and watch God transform you, or even better, use you to transform those around you.

(Photo credit to Jasmine Mostrom. Thank you for your amazing contribution to VBS Jasmine!)

I heard a story the other day that I just can’t shake.

A young man, Jerome, was awarded a scholarship to Wheaton College through the Posse Foundation.  Jerome was transported from his high school in The Bronx to Wheaton’s beautiful campus in Illinois.  He had access to everything he needed to succeed at Wheaton, including a support team supplied through Posse.  But Jerome didn’t make it past his first semester before dropping out.  Why?  In his words, Jerome simply believed he didn’t belong there…wasn’t deserving of a college education.

A young lady, Melanie, attended the same public high school as Jerome and was in his graduating class.  Everyone always told Melanie that she’d be president when she grew up.  She was that smart, and that motivated.  When Melanie arrived as a freshman at this school and found that it had no advanced placement classes or library, she concluded that instead of being prepared for college, she and her classmates were being prepared to, in her words, “flip burgers” for the rest of their lives.  She, too, sadly chose to believe that she was not worthy of a college education or a bright future outside of the poverty-stricken neighborhood in which she’d grown up.  She struggles today as a single mom, and wonders every day what might have been if she’d chosen to believe something different.

The core belief that Jerome and Melanie share is that they are essentially worthless.  They believe that they have nothing to offer the world, and so, are undeserving of anything good in it.

These beliefs are false.  And we Christians, we are the truth-bearers.

How can we communicate to this generation of children that they are valuable beyond what they can imagine?  How can we show them the great love that resides in the Father’s heart for them? 

How can we convince them that He made them for a purpose, and gave them gifts to share with the world and glorify Him?

Well…we’re working on it.  There are so many factors that come into play in a child’s perspective of his or her place in the world.  But we do have the opportunity to become one of those factors…one of those voices in their lives that help form their ideas of themselves and who they were made to be. 

Shine has created a database for the purpose of offering special guest presenters to the teachers at A. Montoya Elementary.  It is our hope that a teacher could look on our database and find a biologist, a lawyer, a business owner, a stay-at-home parent, a chef, a politician, an artist, and YOU…a person who would be willing to come in once or twice a year to speak to his class or help him develop a special activity that pertains to your area of expertise. 

The goals of this database are as follows:

1. Lend support to our teachers. Teaching in a Title 1 school means that you fight the core beliefs Jerome and Melanie formed at young ages.  This is not an easy task.  Help them change these precious kids’ minds about themselves, and give the teachers new depth to their lessons. Show the teachers they’re not alone in their fight for this generation.
2. Show the kids their worth. They won’t believe they’re worth your  It means a lot when you step out of your busy, important life to be with them.  It demonstrates our core belief that God loves them.
3. Encourage the kids to dream. When you, a real person from their own community (NOT a teacher) tells them that a bright future is within their reach, it sticks a bit more than when their teacher says it. In fact, you may be the person that causes them to believe it.

Please consider adding yourself to the list of potential presenters.  We need artists, scientists, writers, stay-at-home parents, crafters, runners, business people, and YOU!  Please click on the following link to fill out the form to be added to the database.  Praise God that we get to be part of His transformative work!

Shine Bright Database

Click here to learn more about Shine and all the ways they serve students, teachers and families at A. Montoya!

As we come together on Sunday morning, it strikes me that God is often at work in ways that don’t receive a lot of attention. Sometimes, we just don’t realize how God is using our brothers and sisters.

Did you know that there are small groups that enter the public schools on a weekly basis to teach children about our Savior through His Word? Bible Club incorporates songs, snacks, and silliness for sure, but there is a desperate dedication to impart the beautiful Truth that impacts eternity.

Pamela Oliva is one of these gentle attendants. But the love blazes out when she talks about these little ones is contagious. She speaks of foster children, children being raised by grandparents, children whose lives are in turmoil, who for one hour each week have an anchor in their storm. They come, they hear, and sometimes God will open their eyes to see Him.

Celestial (not her real name) is one such child. Raised by Wiccans who were eager to have one more hour for her to be occupied elsewhere, she started coming to Bible Club. At first, it may have been for the candy. But Pamela noticed a change in her. There was a lightening in her spirit and her temperament. She hated to leave when the time finished. The Word was at work! And Bible Club didn’t just minister to her; her teen brother felt the impact of Christ’s love when he would sullenly show up to fetch her. It started with Pamela offering him a lollipop while he waited for them to finish, and with a pastor taking a sincere interest in him and engaging him in conversation. By the end of the year, both Celestial and her brother had changed radically. Did they accept the Lord as their Savior? Pamela does not know for sure, but she can attest that there was a real transformation.

The most difficult aspect of Bible Club is that it is hard for the leaders to interact with the parents. Other than a quick greeting at the pick-up, there is just not a lot of time to build relationship.

So, we invited them to dinner and a puppet show … and they said YES!

Would you like the chance to meet, love, and show hospitality to families in the community? This is the most amazing part – God is bringing the community to US! The dinner is this Tuesday night here at MCC and we would love if you would partner with us!

There are three ways that you could participate:

1. Do you want to come and break bread? Please contact Elizabeth and RSVP so we know how many to plan for!
2. Not able to come? Can you help provide the food? We are doing a taco bar and need a variety of things to make it happen. Please sign up Sunday so we know what we will have.
3. Most importantly – will you join us in prayer?

Pray for the Lord to prepare hearts to hear the Gospel on Tuesday night. Pray that we will be a blessing, that we will serve them in a way that reflects the love of our Savior. Pray that we will be transformed by our interactions.

Pray for protection for the club leaders – physical, mental, and spiritual. Pray for their stamina and strength as they continue to humbly serve in His name through His Word.

Pray for the children who come. Pray that they will grow in the Lord, pray that their parents will come to Christ and that families will be drawn to worship the Lord in churches on Sunday mornings.

As a family with young kids, we constantly strive to instill thankfulness, throughout the year but specifically around Thanksgiving.

The good news for you, and my family, is that I married a brilliant lady, a teacher by trade and fun person by lifestyle. Years ago she found the book, “Thanksgiving, A Time to Remember”, and set up a lesson plan around it.  Each night of Thanksgiving week, we read a section, followed by acting it out.  The lesson finishes on Thanksgiving, with a final reading and an activity centered on thankfulness, or gratitude.

This great book teaches about the history of the settlers, their faith, and their rocky start with the native people. It is even arranged for different age groups, so you can read/teach older kids or younger or both. The book ends with a Thanksgiving feast, food of all kinds and types; breads, vegetables, meat and desserts! 

The gratitude activity is actually based on remembering the year before; the faith to succeed and the scarcity of resources. 

Food was so scarce the year before, that in order to make it through the cold winter, settlers were each rationed a few kernels of corn daily. Daily. In remembrance of that tough winter, each of the settlers takes 5 kernels of corn and shares what they are grateful for.

We mimic this activity in our family. 

Wherever we are and whoever we are with, we each get five kernels and a fancy sheet of paper. Everyone then writes down and shares five things that they are thankful for. We share our gratitude for what God had done for us and our love for each other. There is also the random mention of Star Wars or Pokémon, but Jesus is well represented. A cup is passed around; as you share your items, you put in your kernels one at a time. 

In a time of celebration, our family is reminded that the pies, the food, the football and the naps are not the most important part of this holiday.  Rather, these things are an intentional celebration of those things we are thankful for throughout the year.

Your family may have its own traditions that focus on gratitude and thankfulness.  Or maybe you don’t and it’s time to start one.  Either way, make time to be intentional with your family, and create opportunities to share what is important, what this season is about. This is a great lesson to start the holiday season. They may blow you off at the beginning, but they will see the benefits.  May you and yours be gratefully blessed this Thanksgiving season!

Paul (aka Mr. Brouse to kids at MCC) is MCC's Children's Ministry leader, husband to Mindy Brouse and the father of 7.