Sneak Preview
Summer Teams, Summer Laughter, Summer Reading, and Angry Water
Welcome back friends!
A quick programming note. I originally moved our weekly newsletter to Wednesdays to take off some of the pressure of writing on Friday, and all that comes with the end of a long week. It worked great for about two weeks, then school let out, and summer started. We’ve now got seven hour swim meets on Monday nights, and dive meets for our youngest on Tuesdays (who knew a crazed seven-year-old would love haphazardly throwing himself off a plank into deep water???).
All that to say, my vision of having these in your inbox early on Wednesday mornings likely isn’t happening until post-swim season. You’ll still have them at some point on Wednesday, but don’t sue me for being a little tardy. Embrace the lazy summer vibes and enjoy this weekly Wednesday surprise. :-) On to the show!
Last week we hit you with the newly remastered first season of Press Pause. You’re welcome. We’re still one week away from season two kicking off, but we wanted to give you a little sneak preview of what we’re doing, and where we’re going.
If you’ve been following along, our little podcast follows the devotionals from our book, Faith Builder Catechism. We divided the book into five levels for kids and families to work through. Season two picks up in level two, God’s Kingdom, as we make our way through the Ten Commandments. If you’ve got a copy of the book already, our nine episode season will mirror the devotionals from level 2-3 to 2-11.
These are the first devos/episodes after we unpacked what God’s kingdom is, and what it means to live in it. One of the first pictures of life under God’s loving rule is the Ten Commandments handed down to the Israelites through the prophet Moses. God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, but the people could not come up the mountain. So instead, Moses took God’s commands back down to his people. We see this all happen in Exodus 19 and 20.
When we’re talking about discipleship, we want to look at the foundational truths the church has taught kids and families for generations. The Ten Commandments are one of the cornerstones of what it means to love, follow, and obey the God of the Bible. So much of the beautiful theology we hold so close to our hearts comes to us in the words God gave to Moses to pass along to his people. While the law doesn’t save us, it does point us toward a God who loves us, and who sent a Savior to pay our debt and offer us life.
In each episode of this new season, we’ll be diving into these ancient commandments, explaining what they mean, why the should matter to us as we follow Jesus, and how we can apply them to our own lives. Parents, you’ll get opportunities to connect with your kids while you’re sharing silly ice-breaker stories, reading passages together, considering biblical truth alongside each other, and praying for one another. Grab ten minutes, a Bible, and whatever device you like listening to podcasts with, and press pause to explore big truths about Jesus with your family. We can’t wait for you to join us next week!
Summer Teams (Kids Ministry)
“Sometimes those of us in leadership act like we don’t believe that (raises hand), but that doesn’t make it less true. While it is true that hospitality can’t take a vacation, it’s also true that our volunteers will. So yes, prepare for summer, but do so in a way that assumes your vols will shift to a slower pace.” As we slip into summer, and Sunday crowds dip while families are away for vacations, the work of ministry shifts gears. Things slow down, your team transforms a bit as you fill gaps with one-off servants, maybe you even close classrooms for older kids and fold them into “big church” for a few weeks. Our internet hospitality pal, Danny Franks, offers some ways to care for your team, grow it while your regulars are away, and spend time prepping for the fall during the summer downtime. Per Danny’s usual, lots of great, practical ways (big and small) to celebrate your team and build toward the future.
Summer Laughter (Parenting, Discipleship)
“It was her goading me on and laughter that pulled me from my isolationism. Other adults would have commiserated with me. “People are just the worst!” I would have heard them say. What I needed was to be laughed at. It forced me to stop taking myself or my swimming so seriously. It was an unexpected grace when I was certainly undeserving.” Lisa Nikkel shares a great story about an unexpected blessing from a little girl that interrupted her pool-supplied peace and quiet. What began an annoyance turned into a moment of grace that she was looking for all along. Does that sound like a Hallmark movie trailer line? Yep, sure does. But don’t let that keep you from reading and enjoying a reflection on seeing the blessing of our own kids in our lives.
Summer Reading (Discipleship)
“One of the best parts of summer when I was a kid was bringing an overstuffed backpack home from the bookmobile. I’d walk through that book-lined bus like a raccoon at the county dump, grabbing whatever looked interesting in the moment. Now I don’t have as much time to spend reading, so it’s more important that I separate the wheat from the tares before I invest my precious hours of summer freedom.” Whether you’re spending hours poolside against your will, or you’ve got a comfy patio to relax on after dinner, summer is a great time to plow through pages. But what should you read? Thankfully, the folks at TGC have compiled a great mix of tomes to dive into this summer. From fantasy fiction to devotions, biographies to classic literature, there’s something here for everybody. Take some time to peruse their list, find your local bookmobile to rummage through, and see what you can find!
Angry Water
It fits the summer theme, so just roll with it. Every day I show up to the pool with our kids for swim practice, and every day I see dozens of parents cracking open some type of sparkling water (pick your brand and flavor I guess). I just can’t do it. God knows I’ve tried. I somehow tricked myself into like coffee to the point that I now own an espresso machine and a crippling addiction to vanilla lattes. I can’t be expected to also train my palate to enjoy angry water too.
They all taste like someone dropped one piece of fruit next to a can of bubbly water, and a small breeze wafted the tiniest bit of fruit-tainted air over the can. I’ve got to draw the line somewhere. Sparkling water is the worst. Don’t come at me.