Jun 8, 2020 | Security
Help children build a spiritual vocabulary, using the same methods as when you taught them basic vocabulary words. When they learned animal names, you had picture books of animals, “Where’s the bird? What does the bird say?” And when you went outdoors, “See the bird? Hear the bird?“
Spiritual vocabulary in kid lit
Use children’s literature in the same way. It’s packed with stories about the human spirit developing and prevailing. When you read to children, emphasize and repeat age-appropriate spiritual vocabulary words such as right, wrong, conscience, character, wise, forgive, as these concepts come up in the book.
Spiritual vocabulary in your conversation
Use these vocabulary words in normal everyday conversations. As children get older, you can move on to words like mindful, ethics, purpose, presence, worship, spirit, soul, self and reason.
When they know words like these, they’ll be equipped with a vocabulary to express themselves as they begin to work out the complexities of life. With greater self-assurance, they might talk freely and listen non-judgmentally to others, thus understanding how normal and widespread is the spiritual dimension of life.
Apr 13, 2020 | Direction
Faith communities provide plenty of opportunities for adults and children to make social, medical, spiritual and educational contributions to society. I know two boys and their mom who filled bags of food during the pandemic and took the bags to their church’s food pantry to be safely distributed to needy people. Even children show what they are by what they do.
Conversation starter
Ask children: What big change has our family gone through (a death, moving into a new neighborhood, a crisis)? How did our friends share with us and support us? How did you respond? What did you learn from that? What can you pass along to others from what was done to us?
Meditation: Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35. Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right. Proverbs 20:11
Main point: Children who give their time and talents to get involved in their community are often driven, in part, by their desire to bring more love into everyday life.
Mar 30, 2020 | trust
“It would be easy for kids to draw the wrong conclusion about their complaints by thinking that God is like other authority figures they have in their lives. Sometimes It is not safe to speak honestly to a human authority figure—especially if you want to accuse that authority figure of neglecting their promises. But God invites it,” says Leadership Development Professor Scott Cormode.”
Conversation starter
Ask children: God wants to hear your complaints and concerns over what doesn’t seem right in the world. How would you finish these sentences: God, please fix___. God, I want to learn how to praise you even when___.
Meditation: My God…why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief….O Lord, do not stay far away from me. You are my strength, come quickly to my aid. Psalm 22
Main point: A middle school student said, “It’s hard to see how my love and anger for God can go together. I thought that if I didn’t talk about my anger when I prayed, then God won’t know that I was angry. I guess I believed that I could hide my thoughts from God. I now see that God invites me to be honest because God already knows what’s in my heart, and trusting someone even in anger makes a deeper relationship.” (*Scott Cormode)
Mar 16, 2020 | Direction
A New York Times op-ed notes that “many people now avoid religious and spiritual language because they don’t like the way it has been used, misused and abused by others.” Maybe we can help to rekindle confidence in the vocabulary of faith so that the mis-users and abusers will not dominate the conversation.
The blog series, Kids & God @Home, offers a question that gives opportunity for an adult and child or teen to have a conversation of a spiritual nature. Not often. Just often enough to impress that our spirituality is worth talking about.
Conversation starter
Main point: If you love God, you can use any way you want to let God know it. Some kids write a letter to God or draw something that expresses how they feel. Most tell God in words they say out loud or keep in their thoughts. This is called prayer.
Meditation: “The Lord is close to everyone who prays to him, to all who truly pray to him.” Psalm 145:18
Let’s talk: “Some people pray just to pray and some people pray to know God.” (A. Murray) What does that sentence mean? How would you explain it to somebody?
Mar 2, 2020 | Direction
A high school girl reads a chapter of Proverbs from the Bible every school day while she eats breakfast. She says this book helps guide her decisions and actions.
Conversation starter
Main point: Some students discover a worthy source of guidance within the Bible. They try to put into practice what they read, and remain faithful to it.
Meditation: “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding…Search for them as you would for silver, seek them like hidden treasures.” Proverbs 2:2,4
Let’s talk: What principles in the Bible guide your decisions and actions?
Help children build a spiritual vocabulary, using the same methods as when you taught them basic vocabulary words. When they learned animal names, you had picture books of animals, “Where’s the bird? What does the bird say?” And when you went outdoors, “See the bird? Hear the bird?“
