HomeFront_Monthly_Storytelling_0910

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ENVIRONMENT

story tell ing

Illustration by Anne Berry

God has a big story and I can be a part of it!

FAMILY FOOD TIME p. 4 & 5 GAME TIME p. 5 & 6 GOD’S WORD p. 8 PRAYER p. 11 WORSHIP & CREATE p. 13 BLESSING p. 14

How 1 to 2 Use

It’s as easy as 1 ... 2 ... 3 ...

Start by deciding on a day and time that works well for your entire family. It can be an evening, afternoon, or morning. Just commit to building this time into your family’s natural rhythm. (It’s usually best to build this time around a meal!)

this Resource

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Remember to HAVE FUN! Strive to make each gathering unique to your own family as you enjoy spending time with God and each other.

Editor’s Note

I’ve always been intrigued by other people’s stories. When I was little, I remember asking my parents to tell me stories about when they were little. I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to hear as many of their stories as I could.

My first dates with my now husband were filled with me asking him for stories about anything and everything. What was his favorite Christmas present when he was little? What did he do at summer camp in fifth grade? What was his first kiss like?

I’m still that way. Meet me and you’ll probably find that I love nothing more than losing track of time over a cup of coffee as I hear pieces of your story.

I think the reason I’m so drawn to stories is that it gives me a sense of connection and intimacy.

Even if I wasn’t there, hearing your story makes me feel like I almost was. I can imagine what it was like for you. I can think about what I would have said if I were there with you. I get new glimpses into who you are, and I walk away feeling more deeply connected to your heart.

I’m left wondering, am I this eager to hear God’s story? He’s given me this huge story to find more of Him in. He’s given me an opportunity to get lost

© 2010 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

Look through the HomeFront Monthly and see what stands out. Choose one or two experiences that you would like to incorporate into your family times this week. Don’t feel burdened to complete all the activities at once, but carefully select which ones will fit your family best. Each month of curriculum provides more than enough experiences to last you throughout the month.

in learning the details of who He is, to hear about so many of His adventures. I don’t let Him tell me these stories often enough. I want to know more of those stories. I want to lose track of time poring over God’s stories of the past, and I want to stand back in awe as He tells me new stories.

Hopefully this month’s activities give your family chances to get to know the heart of God better as you share stories of who He has been throughout history and who He continues to be today. Ask Him to tell you these stories. I’m pretty sure He’d love to share them with you.

LAURA WEBER | EDITOR the Tru Team | Costa Mesa, CA

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ENVIRONMENT

STORYTELLING

God has been working throughout history. He is still moving and working today. All of the things that He has done, is doing, and will do in the future are not stand-alone, independent stories.

As we are inspired by The Big God Story, we are called not to keep it to ourselves, but to give it away. We are called to share our experience of encountering a loving and faithful God. We are a faith community that needs to hear how God is moving and creating a unique story in each of our lives. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can inspire and strengthen one another’s faith.

Our hope is that this next generation will get a firsthand, awe-inspiring view of God as you pass down your personal stories of dependence on the Holy Spirit and share about how God has shown Himself to you in unique and tangible ways.

This month, as your family begins to tell stories, our prayer is that your faith as a family would be encouraged and compel you to share with others.

VERSE OF THE MONTH Memorizing Scripture can be an incredible practice to engage in as a family. But words in and of themselves will not necessarily transform us; it is God’s Spirit in these words that transforms.

We come to know God more when we are willing to open our hearts and receive His Holy Spirit through the words we memorize. Have fun with these verses and think of creative ways to invite your family to open up to God as they commit these verses to memory.

ELEMENTARY versE

“Before you created the world and the mountains were made, from the beginning to the end you are God.“ Psalm 90:2 (NIrV) Pres/Kinder versE

“The Lord causes his miracles to be remembered.

He is kind and tender.”

Psalm 111:4 (NIrV) Michelle Anthony | Families ROCKHARBOR Church | Costa Mesa, CA

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

Those things all relate to each other and together they create one amazing story. Here at Tru, we like to call that amazing story The Big God Story.

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Recipe

When thinking about storytelling, I was a little torn: Should I include a recipe that takes lots of time so you can chat with your family while preparing it, or should I look for something that is simple to prepare so that you can head out to the patio and start eating and storytelling right away? I decided on the second option, simply because the warm weather won’t be around much longer, so let’s make the most of it and enjoy the outside with our families.

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

by Kathy Swogger

Family Food Time

This simple recipe is quick, easy, and can include a couple extra hands while preparing. So take that time, and tell them a great story.

Strawberry-Chicken Club Sandwiches

(SERVES 4)

Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 15 min 12 ounces apple-wood smoked bacon 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (seasoned with salt and pepper) 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup mayonnaise 12 slices toasted sourdough bread 2 cups baby spinach 1 ½ cups hulled and sliced strawberries (about 10 ounces)

1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels.

2. Pour off the fat from the skillet and keep the pan over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the pan, partially cover and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides and just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then thinly slice.

3. Put avocado and lemon juice in a bowl. Mash the mixture with a fork until the avocado is semismooth. Stir in mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread 1 spoonful of the avocado mayonnaise on each toast slice.

5. Divide the chicken among 4 of the toast slices and top each with a quarter of the bacon. Cover each stack with a toast slice, avocado mayonnaise side down. Spread more avocado mayonnaise on top, then layer each stack with some of the spinach, strawberries, and one of the remaining toast slices, avocado mayonnaise side down.

6. Cut into quarters and enjoy!

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

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by Tracy Carpenter

Family Food Time Conversation Starters

Growing up, my parents valued our time together around the dinner table.

This was our time as family to connect and hear what was going on in each other’s lives. There were two rules: #1, Everyone shares, and #2, No TV. HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

Look at dinnertime as more than just a time to eat. Use this time to really talk to each other. See this as time to get to know your kids and to give them a chance to know you better. Ask questions, take the time to listen, and make sure you share too.

Below are some suggested questions to get you started.

Don’t simply take yes or no as answers, get the whole story.

• What happened today that made you laugh?

• Did anything happen today to make you sad? Why? • Did you serve someone today? How? • How did you experience God today?

• What did you talk to God about today?

by Angelina Pavone

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GAME TIME YOUNGER GAMES Popcorn Story I’m sure your little ones have great imaginations, so try playing this game with them and put their lively imaginations to good use!

1) Gather your family together and invite one family member to begin telling a made-up story.

2) Once the person who started the story has talked for a few minutes, another family member can yell “popcorn” and take over the story where it left off.

3) Continue allowing family members to “popcorn” in and take over the story until everyone has added to the story at least once.

4) Anyone can tell an ending to the story and finish it after everyone has participated at least once.

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

For a variation, make some popcorn and put it in the center of the group. Once someone shouts “popcorn,” the person who was just talking can grab a handful of popcorn.

GAME TIME (OLDER GAMES) CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE …

by Stacy Igarashi

GAME TIME OLDER GAMES

Telephone Pictionary Whenever I get around a group of people, large or small, I am always excited to see what comes up in conversation. If I haven’t seen the friend or relative for a while, inevitably stories and memories from the past get brought up, and we spend the evening laughing and reminiscing.

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

In times like these, the game Telephone Pictionary is in order. It’s a game that requires nothing but a group of people, a pencil, and some paper. You will have tons of fun and make some lasting memories together.

Here’s how to play: 1) Gather a pencil or pen and a piece of paper for everyone.

2) Everyone takes a piece of paper and writes a sentence at the top. This can be anything a song lyric, a common saying, or part of a nursery rhyme. Then every player passes his sheet to the left.

3) The next person reads the sentence to himself and draws a picture of what he just read on the space right below the sentence. Once he has drawn the picture, he folds over the paper so only his drawing is visible. Now everyone passes the paper to his left again.

4) The next receiving person looks at the picture and writes a sentence describing what he thinks the picture is right below the picture. He then folds over the paper so only his sentence is visible and passes it to his left.

5) This pattern continues until everyone has gotten his original sheet of paper back.

6) Now open the papers up and look at exactly how off course the original sentence has gotten.

Use this night to enjoy simply laughing and having fun together. Laughter can create some long-

lasting memories. I still have some of the silly things people drew hanging on my refrigerator, and my family loves to tell stories about those nights.

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

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by Matt Barnes

Storytelling Learning to Pray

There’s just something about hearing a good story. Stories have the ability to capture us in ways that are almost unexplainable. They draw us in. They inspire us. A good story can actually change a life. God’s story is one of those stories. Unfortunately, it’s not always told that way. In fact, that’s a lot of what my story is about.

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In college, some of that began to change. God began to reveal Himself to me in some pretty tangible ways. For the first time, I could say that I had experienced God. But it was still difficult for me to reconcile this God who I knew a lot about, and this God that I was experiencing. They seemed like two separate Gods. I mean, there was the God of all those stories I’d heard (and memorized) growing up, and He really didn’t have much to do with me. I wasn’t as brave as David or as strong as Paul, and while I could keep trying to be better, it seemed like I just didn’t fit in with that God. In my mind, if I’d lived back in biblical times, I certainly would never have had a chance at being included in the Bible or being used by God. But then there was the God I was experiencing. He was real. He was immediate.

He was accessible. He was using me where I was and with what He’d given me. It didn’t seem to add up. It wasn’t until I was 29 years old that I made the connection.

I had just come on staff at my church and heard our families pastor sharing what she called “The Big God Story.” She started in Genesis with the creation of the world and, in about 20 minutes, went all the way through to the New Testament and beyond. She touched on all of the stories that I knew very well.

But something was different. Suddenly they weren’t just a bunch of stories about a bunch of biblical superhero types that I couldn’t live up to. They were all part of one big story. They were all parts of God’s big story. And the main character of the story was not Moses or David or Esther or Paul … it was

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

God. This was a story about how God had a plan to redeem His people and how He used people who weren’t any braver or better than me to be a part of His plan. The God I was experiencing in college (and beyond) was the same as the God of all those stories! At that point, a lightbulb went on in my head.

It all made much more sense! This was the God that I’d experienced. He was … He is … so much more than the disjointed stories and information that I’d gathered over the years. He is a God whose great story continues, and who has invited me (and you) to play a part in that story.

I’m not one to have regrets, but there are times that I look back and wonder how differently I would have seen and experienced God as a kid if only I’d been told God’s story as it should be told … as a story about God and who He is. It’s changed the way I tell God’s story and all the pieces of it. I hope you and your family have the opportunity to experience the fullness of God’s big story.

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

had the typical Christian-kid upbringing. I went to church every Sunday. I went to Christian schools my whole life. I led Bible studies and was on the leadership and serve teams. I memorized verses for tests and prayed to God every day. I knew A LOT about God. But, I’m not sure that I really knew God. I’d never really experienced Him or understood the true power of His story.

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The Big God Story

The Big God Story begins in a beautiful garden nestled between four grand rivers. God created this garden and named it Eden. Adam and Eve were created by God to be in relationship with Him and to live in this beautiful garden together along with all of God’s creation.

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve sinned against God and therefore were instructed to leave the garden and the intimate relationship that they once shared with Him. Shortly after the fall of Adam and Eve, God promised that one day, a redeemer would come. This promised Redeemer would be the salvation for sin and disobedience. And so … mankind began to wait in expectation for The Promise to be fulfilled.

Within just 10 generations, the world had become so evil and corrupt that God decided to destroy all mankind, except for Noah and his family, through a global flood. After the water subsided, Noah’s family began to repopulate the earth, and nations were birthed from each of Noah’s three sons. The nation of Israel would eventually arise from Noah’s son, Shem. Following Shem’s lineage, Abraham was born and eventually given a unique promise from God. This promise was that through Abraham’s son, God would set apart a nation that would demonstrate the relationship between God and mankind. As other nations would see this love relationship, they too would want to know the one true God. God also told Abraham that the promised Redeemer would be born out of his family heritage. This chosen nation would be called the nation of Israel.

Abraham and Sarah could not have children and began to doubt God’s promise. They would eventually grow weary in waiting for God’s timing and unfortunately felt the need to “help God out” by having a son through their maidservant, Hagar. This son was named Ishmael.

The lineage of Ishmael would grow to become the Arab nations. However, the promised son given to Abraham and Sarah late in life, 25 years after God made that promise, was named Isaac. Next, Isaac had a son named Jacob, and his name would later be changed to “Israel” (which means “one who strives with God”) after wrestling with the angel of the Lord in a dream.

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

Jacob (Israel) had 12 sons, each son representing a tribe of Israel in the nation’s future. One of the sons, named Joseph, was sold into slavery by his brothers and was taken to Egypt. There, God allowed Joseph to rise to power under the Pharaoh. Eventually his entire family would move to Egypt because of Joseph’s ability to keep his family alive during the seven years of famine in the region. Later, these Israelites would become enslaved to the Egyptians and cry out for a redeemer.

Moses was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land so that they could worship Yahweh God alone. However, due to their disobedience and grumblings, that generation would spend the next 40 years wandering in the desert wilderness. A new generation would grow up in the wilderness with a new respect for God and His power.

This generation did not grow up being seduced by the powers of thousands of Egyptian gods, but rather seeing the work of the one and only true Yahweh God daily in the provision of food, water, and guidance. In fact, the only food they had ever eaten was supplied in the form of manna each day by the hand of God Himself. Led by God, in the form of a pillar of clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night, this new generation grew to know and trust Yahweh God alone. Joshua was the anointed leader of this young, new generation in order to conquer and take ownership of the Promised Land that God had set aside for His people.

Through years of battle, the Israelites would take claim to their land and settle down to raise families.

Today, this is the nation of Israel occupying the land east of the Mediterranean Sea and northeast of Egypt. Eventually these people would cry out to God asking to have a king like all other nations, and God would say, “No.” They would disobey and wander

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

by Michelle Anthony, EdD

GOD’S WORD

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Soon they would return to their wicked ways, until calamity struck again. This time of the judges, which included such leaders as Gideon, Deborah, Samson, and Samuel, lasted for over 450 years. Ready to elect a king, despite God’s warning, the people were positioned to have what would eventually take their money through taxes, their daughters off as wives/

Persian rule, Nehemiah (a Jewish cupbearer for the Persian King, Artaxerxes) was convicted to return to Israel to rebuild Jerusalem and its walls. The Persian king not only allowed for this to happen, but he paid for it too! In all, one of the greatest construction projects of the ancient world was completed in a mere 49 days, even in the midst of a great opposition in the land! The lineage of the promised Christ was now back in the motherland of Israel, and the Old Testament comes to a close.

Then something strange happened … God was silent. The Promise was still alive, but it was hidden

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

away from Him, and so God would raise up other nations to bring punishment against their sin. Israel was governed by different judges during these times to help them prevail against their enemies, and for a time they would remain faithful to God.

The exciting part is that the story doesn’t end with us!

It is much bigger than that! Jesus does return. slaves, and their sons off to war a monarchy instead of theocracy.

Saul was first to reign as king, but quickly was rejected by God because of his pride and disobedience. David, who was a humble shepherd boy, who knew and loved God, followed as the second king. He would sometimes stumble and fall, but remained “a man after God’s heart” because he was humble and loved to worship. His son, Solomon, would become the third and final king of the united 12 tribes. Solomon’s son soon found rebellion in the land and the tribes split in two: ten tribes in the north (Israel) and two tribes in the south (Judah). The line of the promised Christ would now follow the tribe of Judah in the south.

and still. Nearly 400 years passed before the opening words in the New Testament. The lineage that was recorded for us through the pages of Matthew and Luke showed us that the same promise that began in the garden remained true throughout the passing of over 4,000 years. Despite Satan’s efforts to eliminate the race and the people of God, they had prevailed, and the appointed time in history that was prophesied hundreds of years before was about to make itself known in the obscure town of Bethlehem.

Israel (the 10 tribes in the north) had only evil kings who led their people into great sin. Israel would eventually be taken captive by Assyria, even after many prophets pleaded with them to repent.

Although Judah (the two tribes in the south) had a few good and righteous kings and even several revivals, they too ended up in captivity by the hands of the Babylonian Empire because of their disobedience. Soon, the city of Jerusalem, the home of God’s people, was utterly destroyed.

Jesus was born. The awaited Messiah promised in Genesis, predicted throughout history, was here on earth in the flesh. Born of a virgin, Mary, and raised by her and her husband, Joseph, in the town of Nazareth. Jesus grew up living in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. It was at this time that John the Baptist, a voice in the wilderness, was preparing the way for Jesus and the Messiah’s ministry. Soon after, Jesus called Peter, James, John, and the remainder of the 12 disciples. He began to minister to the poor, heal the sick, raise the dead, and redeem the outcast. Jesus lived and proclaimed the kingdom of God, demonstrated His divine power over creation, and taught His disciples and the world a new, radical way to live.

Faith was kept alive in some of the people of Judah, even in Babylon. We know of Daniel and his righteous acts of prayer in the midst of hungry lions, and of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and how they stood strong in the face of compromise.

Eventually, Babylon would fall to the Persian Empire, and Esther (who was an Israelite, now called a Jew) became the queen of Persia and was used to save her people from death during captivity. Also under

He grew to become a man, entirely for the purpose of being the sacrifice, the perfect sacrifice that would satisfy for our sin. The Jewish people were well aware of sacrifices. They remembered their traditions. They were instructed to make offerings of pure, undefiled lambs for the sins that were committed against God, just as it was outlined in the law of Moses. Jesus would be the once-and-for-all sacrifice, that would give every man, woman, and child access to God for

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

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all time. This would be the final sacrifice. This would be the sacrifice that would satisfy God’s wrath for all time, should anyone accept it.

The exciting part is that the story doesn’t end with us! It is much bigger than that! Jesus does return.

He returns in all of His glory, not shrouded by His humanness, but completely unveiled in all of His glory.

Riding in victory on His white horse to proclaim that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, forever. He will judge the nations and eventually send Satan and his followers to an eternity of suffering and separation.

Those who love God and who have accepted His son, Jesus, will live with Him in the new heaven and new earth forever, in relationship with God the way that it all began in the garden. The way that it should be.

And from that day on, for all of eternity, we will be with the promised Lord and Redeemer forever, and ever. Amen!

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

His death gave way for forgiveness of sin. His resurrection gave way for victory over death. His ascension into heaven gave way for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and His Spirit gave way for the power to live out the message of salvation. The book of Acts details the Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys. Today, the Holy Spirit continues to work in each of our lives for the glory of God, allowing each one of us to be a part of His big story, until He returns.

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by Laura Weber

PRAYER

Sharing stories

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

God is present in every moment of my day, in all of my seemingly mundane moments. Often, though, I don’t recognize this right away. I’m a verbal processor, so it’s usually when I’m telling a story about something that happened or having a conversation with a friend that I start to realize, “Oh, that was God.” It’s in those moments that I am reminded to talk to Him about this stuff, and to invite Him into what is going on in my life.

I’m betting your family members might act a lot like I do. God is there, but we can often forget to look for Him. We miss opportunities to let Him into what is going on in our lives. What could it look like for your family to start helping each other talk to God about your everyday lives?

After dinner one night, make dessert and spend some time telling stories of things that have happened throughout the day. Encourage your family to share both the good and the bad stories from the day. As each person shares, pay attention to the things they say that God could be invited into.

After each story, take a few minutes to say, “Where can we invite God into this, what parts of this story can we talk to Him about?” Then spend a few minutes praying together about those things. Was your son scared and unsure when trying out for the soccer team? Did your daughter share a laugh with a friend today? Those things matter to God. Help to show them that they can invite Him into those moments.

Give yourselves the freedom to go back and forth between praying and sharing stories. This can help your kids to see that prayer with God should be an easy conversation, something they can engage in at any moment. Hopefully, the more your family practices talking to God about the everyday stories, the more they will begin to recognize these things on their own, right as they are happening.

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

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Marriage

After the Family Experiences at our church, once the families have all gone home and we’ve cleaned everything up, we (the staff) often find ourselves standing in a circle talking about the series of events that happened that day.

Children love to hear stories. I remember when we were raising our son, Jake, he would make me read him Bible stories.

I love hearing each person on our team reflect about how they saw God working through families.

This, however, is not our tradition, but merely what generally leads to what has become a tradition. At some point in the conversation, someone inevitably uses the term “After glow,” and we all know what this means: a late night, usually involving food, plenty of laughs, and time spent intentionally reflecting on how God is moving in our Family Ministries. We find our way to a local 24-hour restaurant, and end up in conversations about the goodness of God and how amazed we are by Him every time we take the time to pay attention!

Hearing the stories of what God has done not only draws us closer together as families, but it also reminds us that God is real, that He is working and very much alive in our everyday lives.

Make storytelling a tradition in your family. After any significant experience in the life of your family, find a special place and time and focus on telling the stories of what happened. This can happen over ice cream, at a favorite restaurant, or simply in the backyard with some lemonade. Wherever you are, just take the time to recognize the ways God is uniquely working.

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

personal stories

We had a book collection of Bible characters, and Jake would make me read the same book night after night. I must have read him the story of Samson 50 times how with the jawbone of a donkey he killed a thousand men. He never tired of hearing how powerful God was. (Although I’m not sure a daughter would have wanted to hear that story 50 times!)

Your children want to hear stories and they want to hear the story of your relationship how you got to know each other, how God brought you together, how God showed Himself in your lives. Isaiah says it best, “I will tell of the kindness of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us” (Isaiah 63:7). Tell your kids about your spiritual journey, about God’s provisions, and His kindness to you. And make sure you tell them about your struggles, your trials, and your pain, too. Marriage is full of joy and full of hardships; give them an honest picture of both of these realities. Becky and I have told our son how God brought us together, how we knew we were to have a child, and how He asked us to make a hard move to California. Now our son is married and is developing the story he will tell his children.

Storytelling about your marriage is so important to your children. They want to know how God has worked and can still work in your lives. Tell them over and over!

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

remember

by Roger Tarabasi

by Tyler Carroll

Traditions

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Gather god’s story

Stories can be compelling and inspiring, but in order to tell them, you first have to collect them. This month’s worship activity gives your family an opportunity to create something that will help you to collect and share the stories of how God is uniquely using each of you as a part of His story.

At the beginning of the month, gather your family together and talk about the importance of storytelling. Remind them that God’s story continues to be told through each of us, and that each member of your family can be a part of inspiring others to worship simply by sharing stories that tell of God’s miracles and presence in our modern world.

Spend some time reading the two verses for the month and talking about what each of you thinks God might be saying through these verses. Next, model the act of storytelling by sharing part of your personal story. Remember that your story will show your kids how God has moved in your life and transformed you into the person you are today.

Now give each family member some kind of notebook/notepad with a cool new writing pen or marker. Give kids some art supplies and let them decorate their notebooks to make them their own.

Challenge everyone to be on the lookout all month for ways that God shows up in your everyday lives.

Whenever you notice that He has shown up, write it down or draw a picture of it in the notebook.

At the end of the month, gather your family together again and reread the two verses. Remind everyone that we can be inspired to worship through stories that tell of God’s presence.

Now, take turns sharing your stories of the month.

Once all stories have been shared, take time to reflect on how these stories aren’t just individual stories, but are parts of a much bigger story: God’s story.

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

Spend time in prayer together not asking for anything, but instead praising God for the ways He showed Himself through each person’s story.

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by Ashley Otani & Tommy Larson

Worship & Create

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Can you imagine a generation who day and night were blessed by their parents? A blessing can be a prayer of commission, a portion of Scripture, or words of encouragement or guidance. The blessing is merely asking for the overflow of God’s Spirit within your child’s life; it is asking for your child to be a blessing to others as they have been blessed.

Growing up, my parents picked a different verse for me at the start of each school year. They would spend time asking the Lord to show them a verse that would embody what He wanted to do in me during that next year. On the first day of school, they would give me a card with my verse for the year written out on it, and they would explain to me why they had chosen that specific verse. Every morning, as I walked out the door to school, one of them would hold hands with me and we would say my verse together. The words stuck, I usually ended up praying them on the way to school.

Those verses have found their way deep into my heart. I remember walking to school every day in first grade whispering, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). I still whisper that prayer almost daily: on my drive to work, in my moments of frustration with my husband, when I’m tempted to lash out because someone has hurt my feelings.

If you want a picture of what my heart for the Lord looks like, all you need to do is look through the stack of verses my parents gave me through the years. My identity in Christ was empowered and called out by my parents years ago when they started to pray, “Lord, who have you created Laura to be? How can we help her to become that woman?”

Each month, you will see a different blessing in HomeFront Monthly. This will be your blessing for the entire month. Use this blessing or consider praying and asking God to direct you to a specific blessing for each of your children. Take the time to speak this blessing into the lives of your children at different times throughout the month. You can do this on the way to school, before bed, or while you eat as a family. Just make sure that you have your children’s attention. Look them in their eyes and pray the blessing over them. Affirm your love for them by placing a hand on their shoulder or holding their hands. Remember, God’s Spirit is at work; He will bless and care for the growing and tender hearts of our children.

Blessing

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” Psalm 105:1–4 d

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This resource nce ris designed to allow your family to BE old, en plac t in area appe We can live in redeeme lives on the hidd lessother side tice l—lef ou havecotime de He such a way that the world in God’s Word before your children of the MEM country will desire to be in nsi my prac beco and ming like meta our ey relationship is RE ing you. in relationship with our God— the weekend service. Because God’s years was mon strongerhthan va attend The El Shaddai. co for my ever For 20 rneath I with it’s ot or plan parents to be the spiritual nurturers of ssedbeen. I’m not sure nwhy ty is an u unde made obse me wait o tiGod on ilitheir s but untable yofaith, we know that as you grow Church “Dllment m thchildren’s acco and more promise, e. Yearshly for the fulfi ARBOR biof this of children less imag foolibut to will grow spiritually as well.

ROCKH d. er chyour hu ttspiritually, I do know that more hip with Reserve the waiting am ly t also Right and status and ly and which I partners t in be ed in leaders. All . are develop with ministry recklesstion in no more © 2010 s. Ea ot on s, bu ers.“ bu ers urces David C’sCook. TruResources r children ks and aand national TruReso are developed n ve network of family of living a situaand cove in partnership chec h st and children’s C Cook. of family with ROCKHARBOR ministry leaders. ng; David network ed oth rsel look Church All Right Reserved. l against © 2010 caus scramble ped ringi nationa u ld tere of ot filed and a g the yo could e stop were losin n in rests IV) phon uits ou laws of this I was wife.

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Getting Started

© 2010 David C. Cook. All rights reserved.

Don’t forget the HomeFront Weekly: A resource to get parents and kids talking about God’s Word together.

HOMEFRONT | ENVIRONMENT | STORYTELLING

by Laura Weber

Blessing

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