It’s winter time in Australia.  Although I live in sub-tropical south east Queensland, and the daytime temperature rarely dips below 22°C (72F), I have been hunkered down in my home office.  It captures the morning sun and I catch ideas for lessons and stories by reading my Bible. I also use a daily reading guide and don’t worry about being months behind because I’ve delved deeper into a particular topic or scripture!  It’s how the Holy Spirit guides and teaches me.  It’s not business it’s personal.

Journals, together with the ‘Working on It’ file on my desktop, are full of ideas.  Seeds of stories waiting for the right conditions to grow and bloom into something nourishing and attractive to kids.  I guess my office is really a hot house!  Which leads me to the new short story and four Bible Lessons released this month.

Short Story:  Greeting Seasons (Strawback and Crow Story 4)

Crow is feeling sorry for Strawback the scarecrow who is standing in the middle of a bare vegetable patch.  But Strawback isn’t concerned at all.  He tells Crow although we don’t get to choose the season we’re in, God’s season is the right season, and He makes everything beautiful in His time.

Visit:https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Strawback-and-Crow-Seasons.pdf

Bible Lesson:  Wattle You Do?

The glorious Australian Golden Wattle tree needs a bushfire for its seeds to germinate.   Sometimes we go through tough times, too.  We feel we’re in a fiery furnace like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  But Jesus is with us and He will deliver us.  Kids learn the Memory Verse using a game of ‘Hot and Cold’ to find the hidden words.  Play a game of Hot Potato.  Colour and decorate the picture of the Golden Wattle.

Visit:https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Wattle-You-Do.pdf

Bible Lesson:  Banner Day!

Children will have seen lots of banners.  At their school sports day or at bigger sports events like the footy or even the Olympics.  You can’t pass a car dealership without seeing a lot of banners.  Kids will learn about Jehovah-Nissi, God our Banner, through the story of Moses and the Defeat of the Amalekites.  No matter what they are going through God’s banner is a guarantee of victory!  Create a banner with your kids.  Play Capture the Flag to find the Memory Verse.  Sing songs of praise and wave banners or flags made in Craft time.  There’s a lot to celebrate!

Visit:https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Banner-Day.pdf

Bible Lesson:  Bible Sandwiches

We have an outer self and an inner self.  We feed our bodies but we need to feed our inner self, too.  And that’s where the Bible sandwiches come in!  Jeremiah said, ‘When your words came, I ate them.’  The Bible is our food.  We read it so our inner self grows strong.  There’s a Bible Snack relay race to assemble the Memory Verse,  and a ball throwing game of ‘Feed Me’.  Why not share some sandwiches at Morning Tea and talk about favourite Bible people and stories?

Visit: https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Bible-Sandwiches.pdf

Bible Lesson:  Bodyguard!

Kids learn they can go to God when they are unhappy and He can be trusted to save them.  It was something David experienced and wrote about.  ‘God’s perfection and faithfulness are my bodyguards, for you are my hope and I trust in you as my only protection.’ (Psalm 25:21)  Special guests help with the Bible lesson, the story of David at Keilah, and in deciphering the Memory Verse that is encoded.  Play a game of Cat and Mouse and kids can make their own Decoder Wheel for craft.

Visit:https://cooeekidsministry.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Bodyguard.pdf

 

So despite the chill in the air, there’s a lot happening here at Cooee Kid’s Ministry, because God is always working!

May He continue to bless you and the children in your care,

Deb Wassenberg