Spirit Filled Kidmin

With the move to using "Tru," kids will be faced with the opportunity to learn more about what it looks like to listen to God. The curriculum puts a strong emphasis on spiritual formation and what that really looks like for elementary age students. Along with weekly worship through songs and hand motions, kids will have time to respond to the message. From what I can tell this looks different every week, but some of the lessons that I was looking at the kids would respond to God through art, writing, small group discussions, etc.

At the end of the hour, adult small group leaders will lead and facilitate a time called "bless." During the last five minutes words of encouragement, prayers, scripture, or in other words "blessings" will be spoken over each kid individually and/or as a group. How incredible this could be!

Some of my most memorable moments in my walk with God are times when God spoke through others to reach me. One time that I can remember in particular was during my first summer after college. During that summer I was working at a camp as a counselor. It was after are first week of being counselors. The week was brutal and awesome. The campers at camp that first week were junior high students. It was a very full and fun time, but there were many challenges as well. One of my main hurtles that week was the mold that seemed to be growing in our lodge. I have pretty bad allergies and by the end of the week I had a full blown sinus infection and had lost my voice. It was also a pretty trying week spiritually; many of our kids had some pretty rough home lives and it really showed during a week away.

On our last night we were prepared by the camp leader of the week that we would be washing our camp family (a group of about 6 or so students) feet. They were told to go bare foot all day and we were really excited to get to serve them in the same way Christ did for His disciples. But there was a twist. Before we washed our groups feet, the camp leader asked the counselors to come up to the front and he proceeded to tell us that he was going to wash our feet. I really had gained a respect for this youth pastor throughout the week and was very humbled that he would do this for us. As he washed my feet (and he did the same for all the other counselors) he looked me in the eye and told me, only loud enough for me to hear, the different ways that he saw God use me that week. God spoke through him, and many of the doubts and fears that I was facing in regards to who I was in Christ were shot down through the words he or HE spoke to me. I can still recall that moment very clearly 3 years later.

Our "blessing" time on Sunday mornings will give us an opportunity to allow God to speak through us. These kids will grow up knowing what it means to speak truth over one another, to encourage one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

I am excited to see how God uses the small group leaders at Christ-UMC. I am excited to see the kids learn what it looks like to pray together and individually...and I am excited to see God move...I wait in hopeful anticipation that He will transform my heart, the leaders hearts, and our kids' hearts.