Focus on the Reason for the Season POWERSOURCE
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December 2015/ January 2016 Territorial Headquarters 204 Cuba Street Wellington 6011 PO Box 6015 Wellington 6141 Territorial Children’s Department [email protected] Phone: 04 802 6269 ext 24542 Focus on the Reason for the Season Although our society tries to remove heavenly things to earthly things. Here Jesus from the Christmas holiday, he’s the are some tips for taming the POWERSOURCE sole reason for its existence. Despite materialism monster this Christmas so what retailers want you to believe, you can concentrate on the good news ASK GOD: Christmas would still happen without of Jesus’ birth: 1. To help your family make Jesus overloaded shopping carts and maxed- out credit cards. your top priority during the Emphasise nonmaterial values. Spend time as a family doing Christmas season—and As followers of Jesus, our efforts to activities besides shopping. Set a beyond. honour the true meaning of Christmas do good example in this area, too. battle with our consumer culture. The 2. To remind you and your kids to temptation to overindulge our children Help children explore their be satisfied with what they isn’t limited to December, though. All values. Instead of just saying “no” have. year long, kids of all ages are bombarded to every request, discover what’s by ads for “must-have” items that important to kids—and why. 3. To help you seek and value promise fun, excitement, and even spiritual gifts, not material gifts. popularity. Recognise various forms of overindulgence. Don’t indulge Parents often give in, either because they kids emotionally by expecting too can or because they don’t want their much or too little of them. Set children to be deprived. The result? Kids limits, as well as age-appropriate can become selfish and self-centered, chores. and families’ priorities can shift from How to change when change is hard Letting go of the familiar is tough. Changing jobs or moving to a new city can take an emotional toll on us. It’s even more difficult to leave behind old habits, attitudes and behaviours. Lot’s wife wasn’t able to let go of her home in Sodom, even though God sent angels to warn her family to run for their lives because judgment was coming. In fact, the angels’ warnings included such grave commands as, “Don’t look back” and, “Don’t Major Bronwyn Malcolm stop.” But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Territorial Children’s Secretary Genesis 19:26 Why in the world did this woman choose to stop and look back? Could it be that she loved the life she was leaving too much? Though Sodom was full to overflowing with sin and vice, apparently the dark and oppressive city was comfortably familiar to Lot’s wife. It is difficult to leave the familiar behind. That fact is as true today as it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction–even when God himself is saying, “It’s time to move on.” If you’ve ever struggled with a destructive habit, you’ve felt the pull of the familiar–even as you’ve sensed God’s nudge, “Move on now.” You’ve experienced the temptation to TEACHABLE turn back just one more time, for one last look, one last taste, one last “fix”–even as God has whispered, “Don’t look back.” Maybe you’ve agonised over a loved one’s downward MOMENTS spiral, desperately attempting to rescue them time and time again–until finally God impressed upon you, “Stop. Let go.” The Greatest Gift Unlike Lot’s wife, none of us have ever become a pillar of salt by turning back for one last peek. Yet we all struggle with the difficulties of letting go of the old in order to grasp the Beforehand, wrap small gifts that are new. Take heart. God understands that letting go of the familiar is hard. Yet he has called appropriate for any age. Sit in a circle, and us to move–to boldly move forward without looking back. When you feel God’s call to give every family member a gift. Say: I’ll move, allow him to guide you. He will give you the grace to do whatever he has asked. read the Christmas story. As I read, pass your gift to the person on your right Over the years, I've learned how God gives us signals when He wants us to let go of one every time I say “God,” Lord,” or thing, so that we can take hold of another. Over the past 20 years for me it has been “Jesus.” When I’m done, I’ll say through appointment changes where I have to leave an appointment I have loved and move on to the unfamiliar. At times, the Lord puts pressure on us, squeezing us off the “amen,” and you’ll keep the gift that’s old path, and onto a new one. If we listen carefully, we may hear His voice telling us, "I'm in your hands at that time. done with that! I have something else I want you to do now..." Every time that God has asked me to let go of one thing, it's been because He has had something even better for Read aloud Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-20; and me waiting up ahead. After being involved in Children’s ministries for 9 years, firstly in Matthew 2:1-12. End with “amen.” Have the Division and then Territorially I now have to let go and move onto something new, family members hold their gifts. Ask: new challenges, new opportunities and new people to get to know. It will be hard, but I What did you have to do to receive the take faith that God will expand my ministry and allow me to touch more lives. gift you have? What did we have to do to receive the gift of Jesus? What stood Scripture says: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV) Before we can lay out to you the most about the Bible hold of the new things that God wants to do in our lives, we have to let go of the old readings? things. And it's a test of our faith. When we sense that the Lord is leading us into new territory, we can either move forward in faith, or we can shrink back in fear. What we Say: Jesus is the best gift of all! Because need to remember in times like these is that failing to trust God always robs us of His Jesus came to earth as a baby, grew up, best. and then died for us, we have the gift of life in heaven. What is the Lord asking you to let go of today? Open your gifts and close in prayer. If you'll listen very closely, I believe you'll hear Him say--"Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is!" (Isaiah 43:19 MSG) I believe God has some amazing things in store for the Children’s Department and although I am physically moving from the role, I will continue to pray that God will touch the lives of the children and families that are ministered to daily throughout the Territory. God bless you all. MEDIA MADNESS CULTURE & TRENDS STEAM-Inspired Toys Many parents are introducing kids to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math through play. Toys that spur curiosity and creativity include Project Mc2 dolls, MOVIE MUSIC which come with science-experiment kits. The dolls also star in their own Title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Title: Purpose Netflix show. (fortune.com) Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Author: Justin Bieber Rating: PG-13 Synopsis: The 21-year-old singer’s Cast: Harrison Ford, John Boyega, fourth album—and much- QUICK STATS Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver anticipated “comeback”—has Synopsis: The plot for this movie, generated lots of buzz. Bieber is Low-Tech Joys Don’t rush out to buy set 30 years after The Return of the collaborating with your kids an e-reader for Christmas. Jedi, is rumoured to revolve around bigger names, and the first single, Two-thirds of 6- to 8-year-olds still Han Solo and Princess Leia’s kids. “What Do You Mean?” debuted at prefer paper books over e-books—and Many actors from the original films #1—a first for him. the same number say they’ll always are back—along with new, diverse Our Take: Beware. Bieber seemed to prefer traditional books. (scholastic.com) faces. gain fame and fortune before Our Take: It remains to be seen knowing his true identity and New Flag A recent survey by the Office whether the year’s biggest movie will “purpose,” and his poor choices have of the Children’s Commissioner found be the year’s best movie. Now that been well-documented. Bieber’s fans, that 58% of children surveyed would Disney owns the franchise, expect it known as Beliebers, remain faithful, prefer to keep the current flag. to be family friendly. Director J.J. though parents are watching to see (www.occ.org.nz) Abrams’ commitment to “real-life” if he’s changed. In the past, the special effects—rather than digital singer has been vocal about his ones—offers hope that he’ll stay true Christian faith, and he’s reportedly to the original films.