DAY 1 PARENT CORNER Read Luke 1:26-38 Everywhere you look the focus is !! People are excited about , Christmas cookies, TODAY: DECEMBER 1-2 Christmas parties, Christmas specials on TV, and weekly Christmas gifts. So, let’s focus on the real meaning of Christmas. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Today’s verses took place over 2,000 years ago. Bible Story: appears to Mary Luke 1:11-38 December 1 & 2 | K1 It was good news from the .

Big Idea: God saw our greatest need. Draw a picture of an angel in the box.

Memory Verse: “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and WEEK 1 The angel had good news! only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.” Mary was going to have a special baby. John 3:16, NIrV What is His name? Life App: Compassion—caring enough to do something about someone ______else’s need. The angel’s news to Mary was that she would be the Bible Story Summary: Read and meditate on Luke 1:11-38 mother of God’s Son, . It was the greatest gift ever given…for you and me! In this week’s Bible story, we see God begin His compassionate rescue by sending Gabriel to appear to Mary (Luke 1:26-38). Gabriel tells Mary that God has seen His people’s need, and Mary gets to be a part of God meeting THANK God for sending Jesus to the world! that need. Immanuel—God with us—is coming to rescue us! God saw our greatest need and did something about it!

Whose needs do you see? When we slow down and look outside ourselves, we see the needs of those around us. But when we stay focused on our own needs, we miss the chance to help others. DAY 2 The monthly memory verse summarizes God’s example of compassion: Read John 3:16 God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Each of us have many needs. But our greatest need is to be saved from our sins. Jesus was the greatest gift ever given because He came to earth to Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. rescue us from our sins. John 3:16, NIrV God saw the world’s greatest need and cared enough to do something about it. John 3:16 tells us why God sent Jesus. Write the word in the heart. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// God us! ily T im m Ask your kid: What is the greatest gift you ever a e F received? How did it make you feel? God saw our need, and He loved us so much He sent His One and Only Son Ask a parent: Share about a time you had a big need to come to the world that first Christmas and save us. John 3:16 says all we met by someone when you didn’t even ask for help. have to do is believe!

TALK to God in prayer and thank Him for the greatest gift ever! parent CUE: DAY 3 HEY PARENTS God Really Loves You Read 1 John 3:16-18 SIGN HERE! /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// God saw our greatest need. Who’s need do you Have a parent sign your I read an article by Sandi Patty. Sandi has learned to live out the following verse in a new way: see? God saw our need and did something about it; completed GodTime. He sent us Jesus. God wants us to see the needs “For I have every confidence that nothing — not death, life, heavenly messengers, dark spirits, the of people around us and care enough to do present, the future, spiritual powers, height, depth, nor any created thing — can come between us something about it, too. and the love of God revealed in the Anointed, Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

God really loves you! Knowing that can change how you view every day. Here is what she wrote.

In the box, write 1 thing you will do this week to Parent signature “If we wake up every morning and truly, deeply believe and trust that God simply loves us, how help someone in need. does that change how we feel about who we are? Would we go through our ordinary days with a few less self-imposed “should-haves”? Would that critical voice in our head saying, “You aren’t enough” be just a little quieter? I think it would. I think I might be more patient in traffic too — just bein’ real! Date For instance, I’ll be honest and tell you I might not worry as much if I got my swim workout done or not. I might be less judgmental of myself over some misspoken words I said to my husband or one of my kids. I might be less frantic that I didn’t get all my errands done or phone calls made. I might be a kinder, gentler person if I just sit in the knowing. God loves me. God is for me.

Nothing just means nothing. It doesn’t have an “except for …” attached to it. Nothing. Period! No Return for 5 Bible Bucks! “buts” “ands” or “except-fors.”

I like to argue with God sometimes, and I’ll say, “But God, I’ve put on some weight, and I feel like I’ve let me and You down. Do You still love me?” And, it’s like I hear Romans 8:38 quietly in my for people who have needs, spirit: “Sandi, NOTHING!” LOOK then just do it! “Yeah, but God …”

“NOTHING!”

“God, were You paying attention? I got a divorce. My kids have been hurt by my choices.”

But God quietly comes alongside my spirit and says, “Baby girl, I know pain. I got you. I love you DAY 4 — NOTHING!” Friend — I want you to know today how much you are loved by the God of the universe. Right Read Isaiah 58:10 now, in this very moment. Right where you sit or stand. You are so deeply and passionately loved.” There are so many people with so many needs throughout the world; it’s hard to know what you can do to help. It’s seems so big that you might be tempted to just do nothing. After all, what difference could one person make, right? But God doesn’t see it that way—He wants us to each do our part to make a difference. He wants us to LOOK for people with needs and help them. Write a need you can fill in each of these places. at a GLANCE

Bibles-N-Bucks Shopping: your house your school your neighborhood Kindergarten: December 1-2 1st grade: December 8-9

*December 15 - December 31 – Shop is closed KNOW that God wants you to see the world’s needs.