Faithful Families Resources April 28 2013

Weekly Inspiration

Remember that your ultimate goal is for your children to grow up secure in your love, strong in their faith, and with sound character.

~ Gary Chapman (The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional) 

Family Closeness

Game:

Long Word Search

Find a long word (eg. Hippopotamus,catastrophe) and give everyone a pencil and paper. Try to make as many words as possible from the letters of the long word. Rules: All words must be at least three letters long. A letter may only be used more than once in a word if it is contained in the main word more than once. Set a time limit.(TV Free Activities for Kids. Di Hodges) 

Sharing:

Questions for stimulating discussion in your family.

What is one thing you don’t think you could live without? Why?

• If you could only take three things to a desert island what would they be?
• If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
• What does it mean to adore something?
• Do you remember a time when someone praised you for something you did? what did it feel like? did you like it? What are some of the words that might express praise? 

Story

With your family read:  John 14.23-29

(for a way of explaining/talking about this reading with children look at http://www.sermons4kids.com/if_you_love_me.htm

 Questions for Discussion:

• What will those who love Jesus do?
• What do you think it means for Jesus to make his home with you?
• What did Jesus say the Holy Spirit does?
• What is Jesus’ peace like? 

Prayer and Celebration

This week we invite you to use a prayer without words consisting only of touch. It is very simple. Using your finger write or draw your prayers on the palm of each others hands or backs. If you want you might speak these prayer out aloud once they are done. Make these prayers especially for the person whom you are drawing on.

Draw or write one good thing you want for this person?

  

Family Activity

Bible Story Theme Night

Think of a bible story - like Noah’s Ark or the Feeding of the Five Thousand.

Think of how you might have a family fun night focused on the theme of the story. This might include: Themed food, games, music, decorations, the telling of the story with costumes. Let your imagination run wild. 

(This material is based on and draws from earlier Faithful Families emails by Stephen Harrison & Richard Browning: An Unless Ideas Production.) Unless otherwise noted all material on this blog is copyright Stephen Harrison and Richard Browning