Category: Helping Your Child See God

Last summer I wrote a series of lessons for the children’s Bible Class time at our church. The children spent the summer  re-living some of the events in the life of Jesus. One of the favorite weeks was what became known as “donkey day”. As the “owner” of the donkey recounted the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the children got to re-inact the event. Of course everyone, including some teens who stopped by after class, wanted a donkey ride.

Continue reading How a Donkey Can Help Your Child Remember God

Were you ever convinced you were adopted and no one had told you? I know a lot of people do at some point in their childhood. Maybe they saw a movie, read a book or heard a news story about a hidden adoption. Most likely the child either looks or thinks differently from the rest of the family. The fact that she looks or acts differently from the other people in her family makes her doubt her genetic connection to them.

When a child doubts her genetic connection to her family, it is usually a temporary phase of childhood. It doesn’t mean she loves her family any less or that she wants to leave. She is merely questioning her place in the family. Usually some photographs, a few family stories and sometimes a birth certificate will convince the child she really is genetically connected to the rest of the family.

Continue reading When Your Child Has Doubts About God

I spent most of my childhood in a small village out in the country. One of my favorite activities on summer nights was to lie in a lounge chair in our yard and watch for shooting stars. I loved trying to find the various constellations and planets. Now whenever I hear the scripture where God promises Abraham his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, I think of the sky on those summer nights.

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I spotted two rainbows in the course of a few days. Now that does not sound unusual, except at the age of twelve, those were only the second and third rainbows she had seen. (In spite of me forcing everyone outside to search for rainbows after any storm!) I told my daughter how I always think of God when I see a rainbow because of His promise to Noah. We had to chuckle as we realized we were seeing rainbows because we had finally had a lot of rain after numerous years of drought.

Continue reading Stars, Rainbows, and God

I have a confession to make. My family is addicted to zoos and aquariums. We enjoy seeking out new ones when we travel. We have ridden a camel, fed a giraffe and touched sharks, sting rays, sea squirts and numerous other slimy and furry “critters”.

We live in Atlanta, home of the fantastic Georgia Aquarium. My daughter and I love to go there and just soak in the wonder of their largest tank. It houses several whale sharks (they grow to be the size of a bus) and thousands of other fish, rays and sharks. They have a classical music piece playing in the background that was especially composed for the exhibit. I always feel so close to God in that room. As my daughter and I sat there a few weeks ago, I realized she has probably heard the same dialogue from me a thousand times.

Continue reading Finding God at the Zoo