January 2019

God Created You With a Purpose

Because January is a time for new each of his beloved children. As kids beginnings, let’s go back to the very grow, they often wonder, “Why am I beginning. Genesis, the Bible’s first here?” or “What am I supposed to do POWERSOURCE book, starts with the words “In the with my life?” ASK JESUS: beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Over six The main reason God created people 1. To help your children realize days, God made the entire world is because he wants to have a they are wonderfully made—in and everything in it. relationship with us. Our ultimate purpose is to love God and to believe God’s image. Young children are usually intrigued in his Son, Jesus. By growing closer to 2. To remind family members they by the creatures God fashioned to God through his Word and through each have a God-given purpose. fill the air, water, and land. Most prayer, we can begin discovering what children’s Bibles colorfully depict the specific plans he has in store for our 3. To reveal his plans for each variety of marvelous animals God lives. As Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) says, person, no matter his or her age. made. Yet it’s also important to “We are God’s masterpiece. He has emphasize God’s final creative act created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we before resting: making people in his can do the good things he planned for own image. us long ago.”

Humans weren’t just God’s grand Read on for some active experiences experiment; instead, our Creator that reinforce what God made and how has a specific purpose and plan for he created us with a purpose.

Everything God Made Is Good!

After creating the world, God called it good. What an understatement! In fact, God’s work is incredible! Whether you look at creation up close or from far off, you must admit it’s amazing. God thought up the tiniest bug and the largest planet. And he created people—not merely to populate his world but to share him and his love with others. We’ve never needed God’s love more. Although human sinfulness marred his perfect world, God never gives up on us. Instead, he faithfully continues working through his TEACHABLE imperfect creations to fulfill a perfect plan.

MOMENTS Time to Create! Make clay by Follow God’s Plans Cut a large God’s Plan Boxes squishing together for five minutes red paper heart into 10 pieces. Put

1 cup flour, 1/3 cup salt, and 1/3 each piece in a separate envelope. You’ll need a Bible, one medium-size cup tap water. Create a never- Tape five envelopes in easy-to-see box per family member, wrapping seen-before animal or plant. Name places and five in hard-to-see paper, and decorating supplies such as the creation and compare it to places (inside cabinet doors or markers and stickers. Decorate your something God made in Genesis 1. under chairs). Tell family members boxes, making sure they still open. to search for 10 envelopes while Wonderfully Made Read aloud following your traveling instructions Afterward, say: Let’s store in these Psalm 139:14. Call out body parts, (hop, tiptoe, crawl, etc.). Lead the boxes reminders of how God uses and have family members name group to all the envelopes, then challenges to do great things in our good uses for each one. For assemble the pieces. Ask: “How lives. For example, you can add a example, “God gave me hands to does God show us his love?” Read ribbon from a sports event to remind help others,” or “I use my ears to aloud Jeremiah 29:11. Say: “God you of the satisfaction that comes listen to teachers.” Then hold loves us and has good plans for from practice. Or you can include a hands and repeat the first part of us. If you hadn’t followed my note of encouragement you receive. the verse four times. instructions, you wouldn’t have found all these pieces. Let’s follow Read aloud Psalm 33:11. Ask: What Creation Snack Mix Make a treat God so we don’t miss the great does this Bible verse say about to represent what God created: things he has planned for us!” God’s plans for you? What are some Day 1: Light and dark (mini Oreo amazing things God has already cookies) A Perfect Plan Display a globe. done in your life? Day 2: Sky and ground (Frosted Say: “We can see only a small part Mini-Wheats cereal) of the world at a time, but God Read aloud Psalm 40:4-5. Ask: Why do Day 3: Trees, grass, and flowers always sees his entire creation— you think God takes the time to (stick pretzels, green and red and has a plan for every creature.” make plans for each of us? Why is it M&M’s candies) Ask what jobs God gave cows, important to follow God’s plan? Day 4: Sun, moon, and stars dogs, and mosquitoes. Say: (orange and yellow M&M’s “Although they’re pesky to us, Close in prayer, thanking God for candies) mosquitoes even have a place in making each of you “on purpose.” Day 5: Birds and fish (Goldfish God’s world, as food for bats and crackers) birds.” Read aloud Psalm 89:11. Say: “This Bible verse reminds us Day 6: People, plus all animals that walk on the ground (animal that God has a plan for everything cookies) he made—even mosquitoes!” Put Day 7: God rested (marshmallow your hands on the globe and pray, “pillows”) and saw that everything thanking God for the whole world. he made was good (enjoy!).

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” —Jeremiah 29:11

MEDIA MADNESS

MOVIE TV

Title: Let’s Go, Luna! Title: A Dog’s Way Home Network: PBS Kids Genre: Adventure, Family Synopsis: This new TV series for kids Rating: PG ages 4 to 7 introduces viewers to CULTURE Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Ashley cultures throughout the world. As three Judd, Edward James Olmos & TRENDS friends (a wombat, a butterfly, and a Synopsis: In this movie, based on a frog) travel with their parents’ novel by W. Bruce Cameron, Bella the Getting Organized Nannies are so performance troupe, Luna the Moon pitbull travels 400 miles to return to 2018! More parents are using “family helps them learn about each region Lucas, her owner. The loyal dog must assistants” to help with childcare, and its people, food, music, and survive the Colorado wilderness to household duties, driving, and folktales. Each episode contains two make it back to her “person.” schedule management. Two moms 11-minute stories. Our Take: As with Cameron’s book who launched the family-assistant Our Take: PBS continues to make and movie A Dog’s Purpose, expect service Nest Easy say meal prep is education fun and age-appropriate. this to tug on your heartstrings. The one of their clients’ biggest needs. This series encourages curiosity about perilous situations may be tough for (various websites) our diverse world and teaches basic some children to watch. Discuss the social-studies concepts. It also shows concepts of being “lost and found”— Slime Is Here to Stay Love it or hate children the importance of global especially how Jesus searches for us, it, the slime craze is more than a fad. citizenship and cultural appreciation— his lost sheep. Also talk about what it Forecasters say the glue-hungry lessons you can reinforce when you means to have unwavering devotion. goop “has legs” because caregivers travel as a family, even close to home. seek out tactile, educational activities for kids. (cen.acs.org) Games, Podcasts & Apps Super Mario Party Grimm, Grimmer, Bully Alert QUICK STATS This Nintendo Switch Grimmest Researchers developed Back-to-School, Winter Edition If game offers the original This podcast from Pinna, this free Android app to you ran out of ideas to keep kids board-game-style play an ad-free app for ages combat cyberbullying. busy over Christmas break, you’re of Mario Party but with 3-8, features Grimm fairy The app tracks a child’s not alone. Last year, 58% of parents upgraded strategic tales with a twist. A public account said they wished summer break were elements. It also has 80 classroom of grade- for signs of bullying and over after 13 days. (businesswire.com) skill-based mini-games schoolers tries to predict alerts parents within two

and Toad’s Rec Room, plot points, reacts to hours of the onset of any Soup’s On—Use Care! Almost which lets you pair up enchanting creatures, problems. Parental 10,000 U.S. children receive burns two gaming systems. and challenges the tales’ feedback helps the app from instant-soup products every Up to four people can logic. Reviews call the become personalized year. (aap.org) play. Rated E, with mild podcast fun, daring, and over time.

cartoon violence. highly interactive. On the Horizon? Although only about 5% of families own a virtual reality headset, 62% of parents This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant believe VR will prove educational for to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that their kids. (smallbiztrends.com; you’ll make informed decisions about what your children commonsensemedia.org) watch, read, listen to, and play.

January

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2 3 4 5

GCA Closed Holiday Care Holiday Care Holiday Care GiGi’s Birthday

New Year’s

Day 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

9 am GC GCA Closed Kinsley’s GCA Chapel Lexi’s Birthday Bible Class Teacher In- Birthday 10 am GC Service Ms. Lauren B’s Worship & Mr. Alan’s Ms. Mary’s Birthday Birthday

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

9 am GC GCA Chapel Clyde’s Ms. Erin’s Bible Class Birthday Birthday 10 am GC Evelyn’s Worship Birthday

Kayleigh’s Birthday

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

9 am GC GCA Closed GCA Chapel Bible Class 10 am GC Christian’s Worship Birthday

Isabella’s MLK Jr. Day Birthday

27 28 29 30 31

9 am GC Emmett’s Isaac’s Curtis’s Bible Class Birthday Birthday Birthday 10 am GC Worship Ms. Heather’s GCA Chapel Birthday