January 22nd - What We Learned

This Sunday, January 22nd, your Reign Forest child (ages 2-5) learned that Jesus can even walk on water! Mark 6:45-51 tells us that some of Jesus' friends got caught in a storm while they were fishing on the sea. In the middle of the storm, they looked out and saw what appeared to be a man walking on top of the water out to their boat. They panicked, thinking they must be seeing a ghost - because it is obviously impossible for people to walk on water. But as the memory verse for this month says, "And Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man, it's impossible. But with God, NOTHING is impossible!'" Matthew 19:26 Jesus climbed into their boat, and the storm stopped.

Plan to read this short story found in Mark 6:45-51 at home to your child at BED TIME or MEAL TIME. Then it can be reinforced during bath time or play time. Help your child pick a variety of objects to test out in the bath water. Be sure to choose some items that will sink and some that will float. Have him guess what each one will do, and then try it out to see what it does. Get a little silly, and let him try to walk on water himself.  Talk about how amazing it was that Jesus could do this.

(Side note: You could also discuss with your older kids the fact that Peter was able to walk on water with God's help. He could not do it alone, but God helped him do something that is impossible for people to do. God still helps us today do things that are impossible as Philippians 4:13 reminds us.)

Your child in Land of Promise (kindergarten through fifth grade) learned that too much of a good thing can be very bad. (Proverbs 25:16) They were given examples of playing video games too much, or eating too much food, or watching too much TV. It is important to KNOW WHEN TO STOP.

To help your child internalize the trait of Self-Control, discuss with her during MEAL TIME or DRIVE TIME the following questions.

• What is something that controls you? 
• How can you tell when something is controlling you? 
• What are the clues that something is controlling you? 
• Proverbs 25:16 says, “If you find honey, eat just enough. If you eat too much of it, you will throw up.” (NIrV)   Can you think of somebody in your life who’s is good at “eating just enough,” meaning they know when to stop and make healthy choices?