Jeremiah 29:11

Hope flourishes even during the rocky times in life.

The Risks We Take By Liz Huggins-Thompson

I stood on the top step of the ladder. On the very top it read DANGER. DO NOT STAND OR SIT. I stretched to reach the tree branches with my pruning shears. That one branch was just out of reach. I looked at the message again.  Maybe if I hooked my arm over this sturdy limb... As the bark dug into my bare skin, I was suddenly reminded of a time when we were kids.

We were at a family picnic. My parents warned us not to go into the woods. Not that we were so rebellious, but my sister, Rosie, and I were the adventurous sort. There were some great rocks for climbing. I reasoned that if we stayed near the edge of the tree line, we weren't really IN the woods. So, up the cliff we climbed.
What a view from the top! Thrilling.

It wasn't but a few minutes into our adventure, Rosie spotted a frog. Chasing after it, she slipped and grabbed onto a small sapling just in time before going over the edge. In doing so, one of the small branches poked right into her bicep. Somehow, she managed to keep a hold of that frog, but wow, there was a lot of blood from her arm. I ran back down to get some napkins. It wasn't long before the truth came out, though.

I looked at the message on the top of the ladder again. I would have to climb back down the ladder, reposition it, climb back up, and try again for that pesky branch.

God gives us guidelines and His law to live by. Why do we think we have a better way, or that we can ease the rules a bit to suit our wants?

"He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." Psalm 25:9.

I didn't prune the elusive branch, but we named that frog Freddy. He lived a good life in a terrarium we made from a huge peanut butter jar.

Common Man

In the Fine Arts Festival full theater production, Kingdom Knights, the male actor, Common Man, represents the everyday man. He begins his journey by pledging his heart to the White Knight. He moves through the ranks of the kingdom by becoming Page Christian, Squire Christian, and finally Knight Christian. He takes everything very seriously and adds the suffix “eth” to most words.

Kingdom Knights is a 10 week program that takes your children on a quest to discover their own God-given gift. This medieval journey introduces them to 8 quirky characters who help them realize how special they are to God and how to use their unique gift(s) in God’s kingdom. The program concludes with the children presenting a drama in which they run the entire show! 

Go to P226Productions.com to find out more about this exciting learning tool for children's Christian curriculum.

Broken By Michelle Rocker

I am broken...but not destroyed. 

I am broken...yet I live. 

I am broken...He binds up my wounds. 

I am broken...by His stripes, I am healed.

I am broken...I am redeemed. 

Through my brokenness, His light shines. 

May I always be...broken.

The Black Knight

In The Fine Arts Festival full theater production, Kingdom Knights, the Black Knight represents Satan. Find the biggest guy you know for this role. His size should be intimidating. For a tall man, you could add some padding to create bulk. He never speaks. Also, It’s important that he is always seen with his hood and mask on so that the children never know who plays the part of Satan.

Kingdom Knights is a 10 week program that takes your children on a quest to discover their own God-given gift. This medieval journey introduces them to 8 quirky characters who help them realize how special they are to God and how to use their unique gift(s) in God’s kingdom. The program concludes with the children presenting a drama in which they run the entire show!

Go to P226Productions.com to find out more about this exciting learning tool for children's Christian curriculum.

The White Knight

In the Fine Arts Festival full theater production, Kingdom Knights, the male actor, White Knight, represents Jesus Christ. This performer should be a larger man, physically fit and well spoken. The role is more serious, but he has a slight sense of humor to be able to put up with the other characters.

Kingdom Knights is a 10 week program that takes your children on a quest to discover their own God-given gift. This medieval journey introduces them to 8 quirky characters who help them realize how special they are to God and how to use their unique gift(s) in God’s kingdom. The program concludes with the children presenting a drama in which they run the entire show! 

Go to P226Productions.com to find out more about this exciting learning tool for children's Christian curriculum.

To Tweet or Not To Tweet By Michelle Rocker

Before the social media craze, I was a people watcher. Sitting in the mall was great fun watching the people go by and wondering what was going on in their life. Why were they happy? Why were they sad? Now, I have social media that is “people watching” at its best. I know what they are thinking now. I know. I sound creepy and stalker-ish. However, I know most of you do it too. How often do you scroll through Facebook or Twitter but never comment or “like” or retweet? You might comment to your spouse or friends with, “Did you see...?” I am curious about what people are willing to offer up, and if there is an especially spicy squabble, I have scrolled through and read the comments as well, after all they did offer it up. I have even at times commented, but primarily, I’m the creeper.

Recently, I have noticed that social media has become an outlet for bashing others. Some bash in the name of their religion, others their morals, and I have even seen family squabbles played out. It breaks my heart. Oh, I have been tempted to air things out when I feel I’ve been wronged, hoping my friends would sympathize or post a dig when someone has done something I don’t feel is right. The news (both the right and left sides) seem to enjoy picking “hot topics” and watch us bicker and fight about why it is right or wrong.

So, how do I bite my tongue when I want to respond?

John 13:34-35: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I run what I want to say through this filter. Is what I am about to say going to show Jesus’ love to this individual? If my answer is no, then I cannot post it. I am far from perfect and anyone who knows me, knows I have a big mouth and I have stuck my foot in it more times than I care to count. However, this is something I have been “commanded” to do. I know why I believe what I believe. I have no problem sharing my faith. I stand by my convictions. But will getting in a social media battle and climbing on my soap box bring them any closer to the Savior? That is the question. And the answer is: “Love one another...as I have loved you.”

God’s Motivation By Michelle Rocker

Did you know that God is not motivated by fear? What motivates God? What moves the heart of God?

I was sitting in a service listening to a preacher and when he stated, “God is not motivated by fear.” I got distracted after that thinking about what motivates God. Verses from the Bible began to come to me.

1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Romans 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 3:1a: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Ephesians 2:4-5: But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

My conclusion? God is motivated by LOVE. John 3:16, is the ultimate proof of my conclusion. God was moved/motivated by love that he GAVE us his Son to die for our sins. The idea that my Creator, the God of the entire universe, loves me to this extent....wow! I am humbled, grateful, and overwhelmed.

Bloom By Liz Huggins-Thompson

Bloom
where
you
are
planted.