Faithfulness...

This year in Olympians (the 3-5 grade tweeners that I work with at IBC), our theme is The Fruit of the Spirit. Each month we will learn about a different fruit and apply it to our lives.

This month our focus has been on Faithfulness...hence today's title!

We started the month looking at Job (an unlikely story on Faithfulness - more like Long Suffering), and how he remained Faithful to God through all the horrible things that happened to him.

The next week we did our Missionary of the Month and learned about Jamie & Gretchen Miller and Consumed Ministries, and how God has displayed his Faithfulness to the Millers and to Consumed.

Last week I told the kids they had to find a verse in Psalms that talked about Faithfulness and we found similarities in David's life and our lives.

Are you catching my progressive theme...learn about someone from the Bible that you don't actually know but can learn from, learn about someone you kind of know and can again learn from, learn about where to find verses and apply to you personally.

Then this week the kids were to draw a picture about one of two options - "How God has been faithful to you?" or "How are you going to work at being faithful to something/someone? (school work, obeying parents, memorizing scripture, etc.)" Last part of the progressive theme is - applying it to your ever day life . As is normal, the kids were very creative in their selections -

1. One boy wants to be faithful by showing kindness to his brother and share his Lego's;
2. One girls wants to be faithful in doing their math homework;
3. One boy shared how God allowed him to get an "A" on his test at school; and
4. One girl drew a picture of the recent carnival we had and how it was bright and sunny. She had prayed the entire day before, as it was pouring buckets, that the sun would shine bright the next day, and she wanted to show God's faithfulness in her request.

The second part of tonight's lesson, was to write the word FAITHFULNESS on a piece of paper, and to come up with things/people/situations in their lives that represent that word, that start with each letter. WOW - those kids were so creative...I know God was smiling on their answers. As the kids were working on their examples...I began to write some things on the board as well. This month has really opened my eyes to God's Faithfulness and areas in which I need to have more of this "piece of fruit".

So for today's blog, I thought I'd share with you the ways that God has displayed his FAITHFULNESS in my life...

Family - oh I'm so thankful for them and love them SO much
Always making a way - even when I don't see it right away!
Individual's who Care & Encourage
Teaching Children & Teenagers through me
Health
Friends
United States of America and all the freedoms that come with living here
Lover of my Soul
Needs are met, and sometimes my wants!
Education - while I'm not college educated...yet, I have much more than many in this world.
Scripture
Safety - especially living alone

How about you...how has God been Faithful to you? I know He has...that is the cool part - He is faithful to all of us, just not always in the same areas. Have you taken the time to think about His faithfulness to you personally? To express your appreciation for His Faithfulness? We as humans want recognition when we have been faithful in accomplishing a task. Why then do we think (do I think) that He doesn't need me to recognize Him. Thank you Father for you unfailing Faithfulness!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHao_5N9d8

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
ALL I HAVE NEEDED THEY HAND HATH PROVIDED;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
ALL I HAVE NEEDED THEY HAND HATH PROVIDE;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
ALL I HAVE NEEDED THEY HAND HATH PROVIDE;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!