Hello RezParents and Grandparents!
Summer is officially here! I hope you have enjoyed the sunshine (and rain) with your family.
What vacations have you been on so far, or do you plan on going on? Send us pictures and fill us in on how God used your family vacation to bring your family closer together and closer to Him! We’d love to hear your testimony and stories! I’m not kidding….we’d really like to hear from you.
NEWS FLASH
RezKids Preschool (ages 4-5 not yet in kindergarten) will be open first and second service beginning in July! Woohoo!
Also, K5-5th Grade students will have RezKids classes beginning in July at the following times:
2nd and 3rd Sundays during FIRST service
We are SO excited about these openings! We cannot wait to praise, learn and worship along with your kiddos!
Please contact Mandy with any questions: mandy@rezfaith.com
Parent Resources:
To Listen:
Have you ever had someone give you a little “truth in love?” You know what I mean…they make you aware of something that is a bit uncomfortable to hear, but afterwards you are so thankful that your eyes were opened and you move through life a little differently.
Well, our friend John Piper delivers just such a message in this podcast. His message is pertinent and relevant to every single believer. Making your life count for something….making it count for Him, our Lord and Savior.
I highly recommend taking 38 minutes to listen to this podcast. Be challenged, be encouraged.
Spiritual Formation:
If you serve in RezKids you have already seen this resource, but its SO good that I wanted to make all parents aware of it. What are your thoughts when you hear the word Sabbath?
Have you ever struggled to understand Sabbath? Have you found difficulty in finding a reasonable way to observe Sabbath, or maintain the observation? Maybe you’ve never even considered observing Sabbath. Is it even still pertinent to us today? Well I have a fantastic resource for you!
Amy Gannett and her husband are church planters in Greenville, NC. She is also a Bible scholar and has some great online classes covering different books of the Bible and Biblical themes.
Here is a link to her study on Sabbath. It is a 4 week (five days a week) devotional study through both the Old and New Testaments on what God has to say about Sabbath. She doesn’t want you to take her word for it, she takes you to the Text to see what the Lord says about it.
What does Sabbath have to do with parenting and family? This a great question and I implore you to delve into this study to see how Sabbath can serve you AND your family in a big way!
The cost of the study is $20 and you have a year to complete 20 lessons (each no longer than an hour). If the cost is the only thing prohibiting you from doing this devotion, please contact me and I will cover the cost for you. It’s that good! I’m happy to ensure you have access to this content. And don’t worry men, this is not a women’s study. It is geared towards all believers.
Technology:
Are you looking for interactive ways your child(ren) can learn about and use the Bible during their screen time? Well here is a website that makes that possible. The Adventure Bible website has a variety of games and activities centered around the Word.
Next time you are hoping the kids’ screen time would be more “useful” head to this website for them to play some Bible games.
Motivation:
Get motivated to make your life count for Him, rather than just trying to get by or work towards the comforts we are told are so important.
Gain an understanding of what God tells us about Sabbath and why A) it is still relevant today and B) how observing Sabbath is an irreplaceable way to bring your family closer together.
Help your children learn more about the Bible in a fun, hands on way.
Action Steps:
Download the podcast by John Piper and listen to it the next time you are in the car.
Register for the Learning Sabbath Devotional Study.
Plan to have a devotion time at least a couple times a week to utilize the amazing teaching and Scripture study of the Learning Sabbath Study.
Be intentional about sticking to the plan so you can be successful and grow in our relationship with the Lord and your family!
Check out the Adventure Bible website (link above) and have it saved to your favorites so the next time your kids are having screen time, they can enjoy learning about the Bible!
Ok, take a few moments and look over these action steps. Add some, or all, to your planner to ensure you make progress on these steps this week so you are prepared to implement these tools and resources in June.
I would really love to hear how you are using the resources in your family. Do you have a testimony or story of how God is working in your family? Let me know, I’d like to celebrate with you!
“Life is too short and too meaningful to coast through. The good you do today has the potential to change generations. —Lara Casey
Blessings,
Mandy Seymour
Childrens Minister
mandy@rezfaith.com