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Children’s Pastor: Judy Basye Program Assistant: Sandy Grillo Administrative Assistant: Sharon Marlow |
November2008
Calvary Community Church 815 W. Lathrop Road Manteca, CA 95336 (209)239-1345 |
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Help Children Be Grateful Pray-ers
There’s an important significance to the fact that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas. It’s tough to experience “Joy to the World” without first having had the opportunity to “Give Thanks.”
Gratitude receives special emphasis as Thanksgiving nears, but parents can keep it at the forefront of children’s minds year-round. A great way to start is by helping kids pray with grateful hearts.
Read on to discover ways to show children the value of thanking God for all he provides and does for us:
Show thankfulness by saying spontaneous prayers throughout the day. Remember to tell God thanks for life’s “little things”—from pretty clouds to favorite foods. Also, thank God for your children’s kindness and help.
Direct children’s gratitude toward the giver of “whatever is good and perfect” (see James 1:17). Let children know that God deserves credit for all of our blessings. Recognize and affirm their feelings of gratitude, and point your children to the real source.
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Ask God: 1. To help your children be thankful for their many blessings. 2. To give your children a desire to talk with God often. 3. To help your family keep an attitude of gratitude all year. |
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Age-Appropriate Prayers In Children’s Ministry Magazine, Kathy Downs offers insights into children’s perceptions of prayer—and some ways to help kids pray:
Ages 2 to 3 Children this age understand that Jesus is their friend. Say simple, conversational “sentence prayers” that relate to children’s life.
Ages 4 to 6 These children want to know how God works in their lives. Help them think of other people to pray for. Point out examples of how God answers prayers.
Ages 7 to 9 Children this age feel a need for God’s help and can verbally express thoughts. Offer examples of delayed answers to prayers.
Ages 10 to 12 Preteens understand that God is more personal but may doubt his love. Help kids express joys and fears, using the Bible to support their prayer lives. |
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“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” Colossians 4:2
Prayer is a natural response to hearts that are overflowing with thankfulness. Talking to and praising God is the best way to express our gratitude for his endless love.
Teachable Moments
1. Prayer Prompts—To help children get started with prayers, write or say some sentence-starters. For example, “God, you are….” “I’m happy you made….” and “Please help….”
2. Prayer-and-Praise Journals—Use an inexpensive scrapbook to keep track of ways God answers your family’s prayers. Children also can color or paste in pictures of things they’re thankful for.
3. Popcorn Prayers—For a fun twist on prayer, have family members take turns saying one thing they’re thankful for or one person they want God to bless.
4. Pray Without Ceasing—Show children the value of prayer and gratitude during difficult times. Together, thank God for his constant care and for loving and forgiving us even when we mess up. |
The approaching holidays offer many opportunities to have conversations about gratitude and prayer. Use these discussion-starters to explore the topics with your children:
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Family Experience: “God, I’m Grateful For…” Thanksgiving is about more than just food. So give your family an opportunity to “feast” on the many blessings God provides each day. Try these fun ideas this year: · Blessing Tree—Start a new pre-Christmas tradition by setting up a small artificial tree during November. Together, cut out some colorful paper circles. Punch a hole near the edge, and thread yarn through it to make a hanger. Have everyone write on the circles things they’re thankful for or recent answers to prayer. Throughout the month, hang the circles on the tree.
· Thanksgiving Countdown—Play this “giving thanks” game with your family to help them focus on all their blessings. You can do one per day as you count down the week before Thanksgiving Day. Take turns naming: 1. One gift you’ve received this year that you’re thankful for. 2. Two things you’ve learned about God this year that have changed your life. 3. Three things you’re thankful for about our family’s faith. 4. Four things you’re thankful for about our family. 5. Five experiences our family had this year that made you happy. 6. Six things in creation you couldn’t live without. 7. Seven people outside our family who blessed you somehow.
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