Butterfly Farm

This is a repeat for all of you who read your mail from Reynolda's Childrens Ministry, but there will be a trip to the Butterfly Farm for all young kids on September 30th. This is not done through the POPs class, but it is a perfect fit for us. Christal Giese is putting together a trip to All-A-Flutter Butterfly Farm. Directions to the farm are on their site. Please contact Christal at 659-6581 if you want to attend, so she can let you know any additional details.

September 30th at 10:30

• $6 for adults
• $5 for children 2 and older

Image courtesy of Bruce Jennings

Praying with Your Child

I have recently started a new job writing for a Prayer Blog called, Prayer Coach. I uploaded this video of myself and Rachel to illustrate something regarding prayer. You can go here to see the blog post I wrote about Praying With Children.

I wanted to repost it here just to reiterate the importance of praying with our kids. After posting this video above, I realized that Elizabeth is now the age of Rachel in the video, so she is now in the Bible story and prayer phase. Rachel has requested to join us, but I am having to remind her that this is Elizabeth's time. She is welcome to join, but she needs to let Elizabeth be the focus.

I must admit, these times with the kids increases my time in prayer. But what Allison and I wanting is to create a lifestyle for our kids that focuses them on Jesus. This may look different for you, but prayer together has been foundational for Allison and I in our marriage, and I believe we are already seeing benefits of this time with Rachel. It takes longer to put them down, but we keep remembering it is worth it.

• One last note, record a video of what you do with your kids. It was great to look back at this video with Rachel and see what we did.
• If you do, post it for us to get ideas of what others are doing and be encouraged by each other.

Back to Room 225

This coming Sunday we will start back the Parents of Preschoolers class. For the fall we have been moved back to room 225: the comfy life style. For those that started with us in the spring, you missed the scenic views and the comfy couches, but it all has been given back. As with the church blessing of the year, we have been restored our fortunes. :) Look forward to seeing everyone again this Sunday.

Vacation Bible School - Reynolda

Last week Reynolda had their Vacation Bible School. I think I saw everyone from the class there at some point. I hope that your kids enjoyed it as much as Rachel.

As promised, Pastor Chris Lawson posted the closing video from the week. I think it was hard to find on the Reynolda site, so I have re-posted here for everyone to see again. Or, for the first time, if you are like Allison and could not make it.

...Video was removed... Vacation Bible School from Reynolda Church on Vimeo.

Fall Topic: Sacred Marriage

We hope everyone enjoyed their break. As the heat of summer continues to rise, we are getting close to the starting back point of the POPs class. This fall we will be going through Gary Thomas' book, Sacred Marriage. We will be taking a look at our marriages and how important they to our kids.

We will also be leading a class for Newly Married couples at our home during the same time. This similar class will just focus on the importance of prioritizing marriage early on and will not have childcare. Please let any of your friends who do not have kids know about the class. We are also taking new people for out class, so let the word out. You can lead them to this blog. If you are reading this and not in the class yet, please sign in so we can keep you inform you when we get close to start.

I look forward to getting everyone together again in September.

Upcoming Parenting Class

First of all, thank you Joyners for letting us all come to your home on Sunday. It was amazing how you kept the rain at bay for us to enjoy your backyard. We had a great time.

As for the announcement, Gwladys Keating will be teaching a class during the Vacation Bible School next week. Gwladys is a well-respected lady of the church and full of wisdom. She will be giving five lessons:

1. Building Self Esteem in Your Child I
2. Building Self Esteem in Your Child II
3. Discipline
4. Celebration in the Family
5. Encouraging Spiritual Growth

Allison and I are planning on making as many as we can. This is great opportunity for each of us. There will be CD's available if you are helping out with the VBS. Hope to see you there.

August 9 - 14

6:00 in the Chapel

What Is God Pleased With?

I was going to leave this as a comment on a friend's blog, but decided instead to blog it because it became too long. Campus Crusade for Christ had their semi-annual staff conference this past week and they brought in Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. Many of you know him as the one who inspired the great little children's Bible Reynolda give out at the infant baptism.

Anyway, my friend is on staff with Crusade and he posted two of the talks that Tim Keller gave to them at CSU. I enjoyed listening to them on the road this week back and forth to Charlotte. I think the really challenging thing he said in both talks is that many Christians perform good works or ministry to earn favor with God. I believe the Spurgeon he quoted was that we should not preach the Gospel to prove it to ourselves. The fruit of our ministry is not the stamp of approval on our lives. Our stamp of approval is already on us when we accepted Jesus.

He went more in depth in the first talk about what the Gospel really is. He said that many people view it as a pardon. Yes, you are no longer in jail, but who would hire you? They think that now you have been saved, you need to prove yourself as worthy

Here is the kicker... apart from Christ you will never be worthy. You are only worthy because God said you are worthy. He has bestowed worthiness on you. You are created to be worthy. When you live out who God has created you to be instead of trying to be someone you think will be worthy, then you will experience the pleasure of God. Sure, God delights in blessing His children, but that is not a sign of His favor

His favor was shown in His removal of the barrier between you and Him. His favor is still shown in His constant calling for you to come to Him... spend time with Him... share His heart. You were create to minister, but the ministry we do is not toward others; it is not toward ourselves; it is toward God out of love for Him. We were created to minister to a place in God's heart that only we can minister to

God's heart aches without you. When you run from Him to try to prove your worthiness to Him, He painfully waits to catch your eye. The good news is not advice how to please God. The good news is that God came to tell us He loves us. Jesus is not only the truth of the Gospel; Jesus is not only the way to God; Jesus is also the source of life that we may be free from the life of trying earn God's favor.

Tim Keller speaking to the Crusade staff.
photo courtesy of David Hand