James opens his letter, helping us see that God wants to bless us with growth and maturity when we encounter trials. “The trying of your faith works patience.” Now, as we reach verse 12, we see once again that God wants to bless us through our trials, this time with future rewards. “…when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to […]
Read More →Category: Object lessons
Thirty Days in James 1, Day 10: Endurance
Trials test our faith. Our response to them shows whether we actually believe and trust God, or if we only say that we do. They help us see what we really believe. But God is not like one of those teachers who makes a test as difficult as possible to see how many people will fail it. He’s not giving us a test to see if we pass or fail. […]
Read More →Anticipating Good Friday
As we remember our Savior’s sufferings, death. and resurrection over the next few days, I would like to share again this collection of ideas for Good Friday, the day we remember Christ’s death on the cross. Here is another opportunity to remind your children of the gospel, and a chance to build anticipation as we approach Resurrection Day! Spend part of the day reading aloud the account of Jesus’s betrayal, […]
Read More →He Died for My Sin
To help your children understand that Jesus died for their sins, try this simple activity: Nail two scraps of wood together to form a cross about two feet tall. Hang this cross on a wall or lay it flat on a counter or table. In a basket nearby, place pieces of paper, a pen or pencil, a bag of small nails, and a hammer. When the need for discipline arises during […]
Read More →A 1 Corinthians 13 Valentines Day for Your Children
Looking for something besides hearts and chocolate to help your children celebrate Valentine’s Day? How about celebrating true love — the kind of love God describes for us in 1 Corinthians 13? Here’s a collection of ideas you can use all through the day on Valentine’s Day (or any other day) to help your children better understand what real love looks like. Use all these ideas for a whole day of […]
Read More →Feeling Stuck
I hear a child’s frustrated crying in the kitchen. I go to investigate, and I find my 2-year-old son pushing with all his might against a chair, angry that it’s not moving. He has plans, but something has gone wrong. Soon I realize why he’s upset. The back of the chair has run into an open cupboard door and stopped his movement. But his head is down, his brow is […]
Read More →The New Dean Returns
When I went to close the front door this evening, I was drawn outside by one of my favorite sounds — the evening song of a robin. It was a sweet, lulling tune, and the singer was stationed somewhere in our orchard. He sang his little tune and then would pause, while another robin answered him from a tree in our neighbor’s pasture. They sang back and forth as the […]
Read More →A Valentine’s Day Activity
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow! Here’s an idea for an afternoon of activities that will help you celebrate, while you also teach your children about love. Listed below are ten different portions of 1 Corinthians 13. Each portion has been assigned a related gift or activity. In italics, ideas are given to help you explain the reason for each gift. Copy each portion of 1 Corinthians 13, as they are listed […]
Read More →Growth is Gradual
In his recent post on 5 Ways we Grow, Tim Challies gave me a good picture of the patience that is required when we’re looking for growth (in our own lives, or in the lives of our children). We are an impatient people accustomed to instant gratification. But fruit grows slowly. A fruit tree grows gradually and over many years of careful and deliberate cultivation. If you purchase a sapling […]
Read More →God’s Word Is a Seed
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11) Help your children learn more about God’s Word and our response to it with this springtime activity! You’ll need: your Bible, some paper and drawing materials, a packet of bean or sweet pea seeds, a small bag of potting soil, and some small flower pots or recycled milk or yogurt cartons (if you choose to complete Step […]
Read More →