Volume VI, Issue 2 A Newsletter for YEA Teachers May 2010

… And God Saw That It Was Good

Summer Activities that Point to God
By Diane Kleeschulte

Long summer days can be a challenge for families with John 7:37 - If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me
children. By being proactive, parents and caregivers can and drink.
prevent children from concluding they’re “bored.” This Climbing temperatures and scorching heat allow for object
article provides a variety of engaging summer activities that lessons about an amazing resource—water. Name daily
incorporate fun Bible learning for children and families. uses of water. How does the world depend on water?
Study the water cycle and let your children find Scriptures
Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the
pointing to it in the Bible. Take a dip in the pool, lake, or
heavens and the earth.
ocean, and marvel at the refreshing resource so many take
What could be better than exploring God’s hand in the
for granted. Biblical applications of water are endless!
natural beauty of the earth and its inhabitants during the
What better way to focus on the Living Water of Jesus?
summer season? As a family, take turns reading Genesis
Help the children compare thirsting for a drink of water on
1-2. Once everyone has had a refresher course in the days
a hot day with thirsting for the Word of God. Explain that
of creation, begin a scrapbook of summer memories of
just as our physical bodies are refreshed with a cold glass
God’s creation. Try your backyard, park, or city zoo.
of water, so our spiritual lives are revived with the Living
Take the camera on some occasions but let the children
Water, Jesus Christ, found in the Word of God.
bring along a small sketchbook and color pencils on other
trips. Provide time to add comments and captions.
Deuteronomy 6:6 - These commandments that I give
Psalm 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them
the skies proclaim the work of his hands. on your children. Talk about them when you sit at
Challenge each member of the family to memorize home and when you walk along the road, when you
Scriptures that point to God’s creation. This is a great way lie down and when you get up.
to introduce the use of other Bible tools—concordance, Whatever your plans for this coming summer, remember to
dictionary, and encyclopedia. Older children can assist the include Bible study and learning for your children. By
younger if needed. Further the challenge by writing the staying involved in their activities you will be modeling an
Scriptures on slips of paper. Fold and put them in a bowl important truth: God never takes a vacation, and we are
or container. At meals, pick a slip of paper, read the verse, always surrounded by the beauty of His creation!
and ask children to name the location of the Bible verse. Christian Educational Ministries offers Bible-based
Or reverse the challenge by providing the location, e.g., lessons and activities through Youth Educational
Psalm19:1, and ask children to recite the verse. Be sure Adventures (YEA). The curriculum covers five age
everyone has fun by allowing even the youngest to groups: Beginners (age 3-5), Primaries (age 6-8), Juniors
participate with shorter, age-appropriate verses. Ask the (age 9-11), Intermediates (age 12-15), and Senior Teens
children for the relationship between Genesis 1-2 and (age 16-20), using important themes such as the Life of
David’s perspective of God’s handiwork in Psalm 19. Are Christ, Creation, and Bible Heroes. Holydays supplements
there other psalms that explore creation? As a family, seek are available for each age group as well. YEA Let’s
them out, study the meaning and application, and watch as R.E.A.C.H.! activities are available online for FREE. Order
the children become more aware of the natural world that YEA books and download FREE R.E.A.C.H. activities at
surrounds them. the following website: www.borntowin.net.
 Teach Your Children
By Cynthia Saladin
Do you ever feel inadequate?
What a question! With Passover’s inherent exhortation
to examine ourselves, often comes the realization that I am
not as self-sufficient and proficient as I would like. Do I
feel inadequate? To use an old song out of context, only
once a day, every day, all day long! Yes, I fall short in so
many areas.
You might want to narrow the question. Because this is
about teaching our children, let’s start there. Do you ever
feel inadequate teaching children about the Great God of
the Universe, His Ways and Laws, what He requires from
us, and what it means to have a personal relationship with
Him? I think the answer is still the same, especially when
talking about something as important as the ultimate
salvation of our children. Yes, we often feel inadequate.
The bad news is, that’s too bad—because we’re
commanded to teach our children, specifically to teach our
children about God. Deuteronomy 6:7 states, “Impress
[these commandments that I give you] on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk
along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
That’s pretty much all the time, and it’s a command from
God to parents. You can’t get around the fact that God
expects parents to teach their children about Him.
The good news is, many people will help you. YEA
has an almost-completed curriculum for children ages 3-
20. It’s grounded on the Bible; it’s sequential. It repeats
topics as children mature, to reinforce and extend ideas.
The supplemental materials (R.E.A.C.H.) are FREE,
downloadable in PDF format. The point is there are places
you can go for help; you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
“But I feel so inadequate. Can’t I just send them to
Sabbath school and let the teacher teach them about God?”
No, you can’t. The reality is, if parents leave the
instruction about God to only the Sabbath day, and in the
hands of the Sabbath school teacher and the pastor, the
children won’t learn much about God. That is in no way
saying that Sabbath school teachers and pastors are not
doing their jobs. Both categories are filled with capable,
knowledgeable, dedicated people. But, your children will
not develop a strong, personal relationship with God
through only Sabbath school and church services once a
Build the Future
TODAY!
Teach YEA
week. That’s not enough to combat their carnal nature and
the culture around them. A personal relationship that lasts
requires work and time. It isn’t once a week. It is every
day. It isn’t something you put on like clothes. It is a way
of life. You preach a sermon to your children in everything
you do. You aren’t using just words. It’s the way you live
your life, the way you let—or don’t let—your light shine.
Your children are smart. They know what kind of
relationship you have with God. They also know how
important that relationship is to you. The degree to which
your relationship with God is important to you is the
degree to which Jesus is real to them.
I want to remind you of a story. There once was a
very strong king. He conquered all the people around his
kingdom. He was strong and courageous—a fair and
good king. When he was about to die, he appointed his
son to reign after him. The son was young and inexperi-
enced. He didn’t know how to rule as his father had ruled.
He was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to be fair and
good. His father had left huge shoes to fill! This young man
was given a chance to ask for anything he wanted. He
chose wisdom. This young man felt inadequate to the task
he was given, so he asked for wisdom.
You know, of course, that this was Solomon, the
wisest king who ever lived. God granted Solomon’s
request for wisdom in an awesome way! The good news
is, God will also grant your request for wisdom to teach
your children. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks
wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all
without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
If you feel inadequate to teach your children, that’s
good. Let me rephrase that. It’s a good place to start. It
means you recognize you need help. Help is there. God is
more than willing to supply your need. He loves you, and
He loves your children. The wisdom you need is available
to you. You need only to ask.
May God bless you as you teach your children.
Christian Educational Ministries
PO Box 560 • Whitehouse, Texas 75791
phone: 1.888.BIBLE.44 • fax: 903.839.9311
email: adm@borntowin.net
website: www.borntowin.net
That the man of God may be proficient
and equipped for every good work.