“Let the Children Come” (Week 17) 2016

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Matthew 19:14 NIV

Last week, a friend asked if I would paint a picture of the church where her children go to preschool.  The painting would be auctioned off in the preschool fundraiser.  The answer was an easy YES!

She knew that while I paint, I pray for those the painting will touch.  She knew I would be praying for every little set of toe-toes that trods on the manicured lawn, for every mamma or daddy that drives carpool, for every teacher that plants Jesus seeds in the next generation and for every life those lives touch-THE PRAYER RIPPLE EFFECT!

She also knew that this church had a special place in my heart.

First Presbyterian was where we went to church for 13 years, where my oldest went to preschool and where I taught preschool.  All of my babies were Christened there and countless angels in the body of Christ sowed Kingdom treasure into our family!

Fletcher’s Christening at First Presbyterian Church 2001

Painting this church was a divine invitation to sow back into a body of Christ that loved us well.

Preschool years- #thesearethemoments

That motley crew above looks a little different now:

Christmas time 2015

The seeds planted when they were little are still growing!

Telling the next generation about all that God has done is one of my sweet spots.  Sitting with kids and young adults making God’s ears burn is my jam.  It’s like getting out a thesaurus and literally coming up with a million ways to adore HIM and tell the world all the amazing things HE has done!

When I was pregnant with my first, I had the blessing of teaching Kindergarten. Although I loved it, I secretly wished and prayed there was a way to love on, share Jesus and teach kids without the pressure of being graded and evaluated.

13 years later, God reminded me of that wish and answered my prayer.

I have the privilege of journal writing about Jesus alongside some amazing middle-schoolers and co-laborers in the Kingdom.  I get to love on, share Jesus and teach kids without the pressure of being graded and evaluated.  The “soul”(word play intended) motivation for this dream-come-true is to make much of Jesus by sharing HIM with next generation!

Meet the 2015-2016 Lincoln Academy Freedom Writer’s Journaling Club

There is so much I could write about in this post but I am going to try and stay on point:

Let the children come…tell the next generation of all the great things HE has done!

From teaching preschool, to Kindergarten, and to Freedom Writer’s the scarlet thread that has tied it all together is Jesus and the tremendous longing in my heart for those coming behind me to:

KNOW GOD,

FOLLOW CHRIST,

ENJOY AND DEEPEN THAT RELATIONSHIP ABOVE ALL ELSE,

SHOW THEIR LOVE FOR GOD BY SERVING AND LOVING OTHERS

AND

TO BE PREPARED TO SHARE THE HOPE THEY HAVE WHEN ASKED!

We spent some time exploring different literary devices this year in Freedom Writer’s. Alliteration is one of my favs! I think I literally dream in alliteration. I feel like Dr. Seuss just roles off my tongue subconsciously.

I want to conclude this post today with my writing assignment on Alliteration.  This piece is the overflow of the foundation of my heart and seems to be the one beckoning me to publish for the next generation.

I think you will see why-

It is all about adoring the Father!

“The ABC’s of Adoration”

A-Almighty, I AM, I am yours and YOU are mine!

B-Because we broke Your heart, You bought us back with blood.

C-Christ came to cover all our crud.

D-Delivered we can dance because of what He’s done.

E-Everywhere, everyday, every way, Grace is extended to everyone; are we going to take it?

F-First and foremost from the Father,

G-Grab, give, and glow grace forward.

H-The hope of Heaven is housed in me

I-If I am in HIM, to infinity…

J-Jesus joins me, journeys with me.

K-King of Kings,

L-Lord of Lords is LOVE!

L-I am a masterpiece; made to be moved and move; made to mirror

N-the Name above all Names, NOW!

O-Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient

P-Powerful and personal, how I ponder Him in private will show in public!

Q-Quitting or being quiet are quite cowardly at best.

R-He ran to me, rescued me, rose for me and reigns in Victory!

S-Savior and Sanctifier, called me “Sought After”

T-Tetelesti, Today tell all,

U-“my ugly is undone!”

V-I am victorious and the victorious

W-wear white. Will we wear it?

X-HE is (x)alted and we are (x)changed for who we were created to be!

Y-Everyone who says YES to Yahweh

Z-will be zealous because they are saved and free, headed for the New Zion for eternity!

Thus concludes the alliteration in ” The ABC’S of Adoration”

**I went “Gold-digging” in Scripture for treasure about telling the next generation of the awesomeness of God and these are the valuables I collected!

 Please feel free to comment and add any gems you have inherited! 

GoGod!

“We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders.”  Psalm 78:4

“…teach them(God’s commands) to their children so the next generation might know them–even the children not yet born–and they in turn will teach their own children.”  Psalm 78:5-6

“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” Deut. 11:19

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6

Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:13-14

“This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them.”  1 Timothy 4:10-11 

P.S. Whenever I write about children and I think of keeping a childlike faith,  I can not help but think of Bob Goff and his book Love Does; in which case I always put “LOVE DOES” as a category. Thank you Bob Goff for inspiring so many to DO LOVE! What a beautiful legacy for the next generation!

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