Questions Kids Ask

What Do Angels Really Look Like?

The word angel means "messenger."
Angels are God's messengers. They can also be God's warriors. In the Bible we read about people who saw angels. Sometimes the people knew they were angels, and sometimes they didn't.
Some angels described in the Bible have wings. Those angels are called cherubim. But most of the angels in the Bible stories looked like regular people. We don't know what angels look like in heaven.

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"
(Revelation 22:8-9)

Questions Kids Ask

How Does God Make The Sun And Moon Go Up And Down?

God made powerful laws to guide the universe. These laws control the movements of the sun, moon, earth, and other planets and stars. For example, one law called "gravity" draws objects toward each other. Other laws control the weather. Many forces determine whether the day will be sunny or cloudy, warm or cold, such as the heat from the sun, the currents in the ocean, the wind, and more. God set up the rules that make all these forces work together. And because God controls the entire universe, He can interrupt the laws if He wants to - bring rain to dry land or bright sunshine to flooded areas. How powerful God must be to control all that!


The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
Psalm 19:1

Questions Kids Ask

Can Christians Hear God Talking To Them?

In the Bible we read about people hearing God's voice. Today, the main way that God speaks to us is through the Bible. That's why it's called "God's Word" - the Bible is God's message to us. God may also speak to us through people and circumstances and in other ways. But God will never tell us to do something that goes against what he says in the Bible. And don't forget, God is with us all the time.

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
(Hebrews 1:1-2)

Questions Kids Ask

Does God Sleep, Or Does He Just Rest?

God does not have a physical body like us, so He doesn't need to sleep or eat. When the Bible says God "rests," it means He has stopped doing something. To us, that is like rest. But God doesn't get tired or worn out, so He doesn't need to rest the way we do. And when we go to sleep at night, God doesn't close His eyes either - He continues to watch over us.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8)

Questions Kids Ask

Does God Have Friends Or Is He Alone?

God doesn't have other "gods" to be friends with. He is the only God there is. God doesn't need friends the way we do; he is perfectly happy being alone. But God also wants to have friendship with us. In fact, God wants to be our closest friend. So he has done a lot to make friends with us and to have our friendship. That's why he created us, sent Jesus to save us, gave us the Bible, and gave us the Church.


And you are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.(John 15:14-15)

Questions Kids Ask

What Does God Look Like?

No one knows what God "looks like" because God is invisible and doesn't have a physical body as we do. But we can learn about God and see what God acts like by learning about his Son, Jesus. In the Bible we can read about how Jesus lived, how he treated people, and what he taught. That's what God is like.

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father...
(John 14:9)

The Gratitude Factor

Gratitude

Gratitude increases closeness. Look for opportunities to show gratitude as you work to draw closer to your kids. Give your children opportunities to show gratitude also. Be careful, though, that you don’t confuse opportunities for gratitude with overindulgence.

Overindulgence is giving your children more than their character can handle. When children lack gratitude, the more you give them, the less they appreciate.
Overindulged children rarely become grateful when you give them more things. They grow to be more spoiled, demanding, and selfish. Parents then feel unappreciated and become resentful. The hearts of both parents and children harden toward each other, and closeness becomes a thing of the past.

If your children are overindulged rather than grateful, pull back on the area where you’re giving too much and look for ways to increase the areas where you’re lacking. Teaching gratefulness can be a challenge. Having a child say thank you is just behavior. Gratitude comes from the heart.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16

Communicating for Closeness

Communication is Key

Communication is at the center of all relationships. Closeness is communicated in many ways, and people communicate love differently. Here are five ways to communicate to your children that will provide opportunities for increased closeness in family life.


1. Greet Your Children
Greetings are the oil that keep relationships cordial. Hugging your children as part of a greeting or welcoming them to breakfast in the morning makes an important statement about the value of your relationship.

2. Connect With Your Children
Exchanging information about our lives helps people know what’s going on and contributes to a sense of connectedness. As you go through your day, think of a couple of interesting things you could share with your child.

3. Value Your Child’s Opinion
Sharing opinions and judgments can be scary because they feel like they’ll have to back them up or face an argument. Look for ways to affirm your children. “That makes sense” can be an encouraging statement even if you disagree. “Thank you for sharing your opinion with me,” can be a statement that encourages openness.

4. Look Behind The Words
Communicating emotions takes us deeper in any relationship. Facts and opinions often have emotions hidden behind them. “I bet that hurt” or “I can tell you’re excited about that,” acknowledges the feelings behind your child’s words.

5. Connect Spiritually
Praying together, sharing what God is teaching you, enjoying worship together, and having a sense of spiritual fellowship are all ways to enjoy the deepest level of communication. As you strengthen your spiritual lives together, you’ll see more and more opportunities to discuss heart issues.

Strong-Willed Children

At the end of the day, parents of strong-willed children often feel as if they’ve been engaged in hand-to-hand combat—and that the child won! Many parents consider being strong-willed a negative personality trait because it often creates resistance and frustration in family life. Yet, in reality, it’s the strong-willed kids who are often better equipped to succeed, be creative, and face adversity.

Children with strong wills have the potential to become the next generation of leaders. They have their own ideas and plans. They’re persistent, confident, passionate, and determined to succeed at whatever they do.

Unfortunately, it can be hard raising a leader. Don’t be discouraged by the effort it takes to teach a strong-willed child which limits not to push. The strong-willed child accomplishes things in life, because the roadblocks that might hold others back are no match for this kid’s determination. The most important thing you can do is to help him know the difference between obstacles to overcome and limits to live within. To do this, your will needs to be stronger than your child’s!

A strong will can be an asset… as long as the heart is in the right place.

Parenting Tip

When Young Children Run the Other Way:

It's hard to get very far in the discipline process if you call to Johnny and he runs the other way. Furthermore, it's not respectful when parents yell across the house or parking lot to their kids. At least part of the solution is to teach children to come when they’re called.
Some parents react negatively to this idea. It conjures up visions of authoritarian leadership like a sergeant yelling at a private in the military, belittling a person by pulling rank. These parents need to catch a vision for helping children develop a character quality of responsiveness.
It doesn't come naturally but children who don't learn to be responsive to another person make poor team members, inconsiderate friends, and difficult employees.

To teach children to come when they're called, you first have to explain what you mean. With young children you might say, "From now on, whenever I call your name, you need to come close to me and say "What Mom?" or "What Dad?" You might explain that it's important that they learn to listen carefully to your words and when they hear you call, they need to come and find out what you want.
The next step is to practice. With a two or three-year-old you may practice it several times an hour.
Be careful that you don't just practice when you want to give an instruction or when your child is running away from you in the store. Practice at home and at the park. Call your child just for fun. When he comes, say something like "I just wanted to tell you I love you" or "I just want to see how well you can obey."
The "Come When You're Called Rule" teaches responsiveness to authority. When children become teenagers you can tell the difference between those who have learned this concept and those that haven't.

The "Come When You're Called Rule" is a way that parents honor children and teens as well. It says, "I'm not going to yell at you across the house or parking lot. I'm going to take time to sit down and talk to you or get away with you to discuss this issue."

Parenting Tip

Overcoming Selfishness With Honor:

Some parents are frustrated because their children are so self-focused that they can't seem to grasp the concept of honoring others.
How can you help children think about other people instead of always thinking about themselves?
One helpful way is to teach kids to recognize emotions in others and then know how to respond accordingly. One way to do this is to work with your child by using a journal to track and make observations about the emotions of others. Every evening ask your child to identify examples of a friend or family member who was sad, mad, or glad that day. Then ask the question, "How might you respond to that person in a helpful way?" Keep track in the journal of your child's answers and work with him/her in coming up with appropriate ways to respond.
Continue this exercise every evening for a couple of weeks. Over time, this should help your child get outside of him/herself, look at the needs and feelings of others, and then respond with honor.
When a brother or sister is mad, it might be best to leave them alone or to just ask a helpful question. With a friend who is sad, help can be offered. When Mom or Dad is glad, the child can enter into that gladness by listening to the story and enjoying the situation too.

The Bible says in Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves."
That's good advice for all of us. Seeing and responding to emotions in others is a great way to start.

Getting to know your kids

Want to get to know your child on a more spiritual level?

Prayer is a great way to start.
Do you know what your child is asking God for? Have you caught a glimpse of the way God is moving in your child's heart?

Praying with your child can open a whole new world of spiritual development you may not have been aware of. Here are a few questions and tips that can help you see your child through spiritual "eyes."

Questions:

• Is there something my child prays about over and over?
• Do my child’s prayers have a common theme, subject, or a specific person in mind?
• What am I learning about my child by listening to his/her prayers?
• What am I teaching my child by what I pray for?
• How can I help my child expand his/her prayer life?
• Am I praying for my child when I pray with my child? (Does your child know that you pray for him/her and what you pray for?)

Tips:

• When you pray with your child, use age-appropriate language he/she can understand.
• Teach your child persistence in prayer by praying regularly for someone or something only God can do something about.
• Pray with your child about your own struggles.
  
• Ask your child who he/she knows that could use God’s help with something.
• Reinforce your child’s prayer by praying for your child’s concern also.
• Regularly read the Bible with your child. Then, pray about something related to what you read together.

Not praying with your child? It’s never too late to start!
Start today!

Friendship with Jesus

Children in the toddler to kindergarten age usually don’t understand terms like “Savior,” “Redeemer,” and “Lamb of God” – terms that are often used to describe Jesus. Other concepts such as death and resurrection are too abstract for youngsters to grasp.
To describe a relationship with God in child-friendly language, few words may be as good as “friend.” Children are familiar and comfortable with the concept. They’re starting to form their own friendships and know how it feels to have and be a friend.

When sharing Jesus with your child, try this approach:

Talk to children about their friends.
Have kids talk about their friends’ special traits. Ask what they like to play with each individual and why their friends are important to them.

Brainstorm the qualities of good friends.
Ask children what good friends do and how they act. Discuss what makes someone your best friend. Ask older children what they’re willing – and unwilling – to do for their friends.

Share the good news that Jesus is the perfect friend.
Children learn pretty early that friends can let them down. Remind your kids that God’s Son, Jesus, loves them and wants a relationship with them. Jesus is the best friend we’ll ever have.

Grappling With Authority part 2

This week's Grapple question is:
When Do I Get To Be The Boss?

Kids Learn:
Serving Leads To Leadership

Dig Into The Bible:
1Samuel 17:32-37, 18:5-9
Luke 22:24-27
John 13:1-17
1Timothy 4:12

This week, share with your children some funny stories about your earliest jobs. Did you flip burgers, deliver pizzas, or mow lawns? Explain to your preteen that nobody gets to start out as the CEO. Discuss ways you've grown in yhour career and explain how being a servant has enabled you to do more. Talk with your child about how you've seen serving lead to leadership.

Grappling With Authority

Grapple is the name of the curriculum we use for 5/6 grade students. Each week they "grapple" with a Biblical truth and the way it connects to real life.

Here's this week's connection:

Grapple Question:
Why do so many people boss me around?
Students Learn:
God puts people in charge.
Dig Into The Bible:
Romans 13:1-5
1Peter 2:13-17

Has your child ever seen you after a bad day with the boss, or after you received a speeding ticket? How do you respond to those in authority over you?
Help your child understand that even adults have to obey people who are in charge! Set an example for your child of respecting those whom God has put in authority. In your own home, work with your child to come up with a few rules that you both find fair - that way your child can feel some ownership in the rules and wont feel so bossed around.

Parenting Passages

1. Parents must teach God’s truth (Deuteronomy 4:9; 32:46).

2. Parents must lovingly discipline children because they are immature and need guidance (Proverbs 22:15; 29:15).

3. Parents should not exasperate their children (Ephesians 6:4).

4. Parents’ wise decisions bring blessing to their children (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

5. It's important to teach children to obey (Eph. 6:1; 1 Tim. 3:4).

6. Parents who faithfully train their children can be confident that their efforts are not in vain (Prov. 22:6).


A parent’s responsibility is not to his child’s happiness; it’s to his character.
– Anonymous

Do you speak "Love"?

Do you know your child's "love" language? In other words, what do you do or say that causes your child to feel loved?
Do you know how the language is different from one child to another?
Knowing what makes your child feel loved can help you be more intentional in demonstrating that love to your children in a way that has the strongest connection for each one in his/her own unique way.
Here are five suggestions that come from a book called “The Five Love Languages of Children” by Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Ross Campbell.

Which do you recognize as the language your own children speak?
Can you think of others?

1. Words of Affirmation

2. Quality Time

3. Receiving Gifts

4. Acts of Service

5. Physical Touch

Seven Ways To Impact Your Child's Faith

1. More is Caught than Taught! Model a growing and personal faith. If they don’t see it, they won’t catch it.
2. Include faith in normal conversations.
3. Be well-rounded. Your faith needs to have a connection to every aspect of your life.
   
4. Be authentic. Be honest. Be transparent.
   
5. Serve together.
6. Pray for your children and with them.
7. Read the Bible with your children.

What's a Manger, Anyway?

Remember that manger in the nativity scene on your mantle?
Not likely!
I know you imagine A-frame sticks, but a manger probably looked like this. This is an ancient cattle trough, used to feed animals.

A manger is: ‘a trough or an open box in which feed for livestock is placed’ (American Heritage Dictionary).

Bible Study Tips

Quick tips for children’s Bible study.

• Purchase a Bible with age appropriate language so your child will understand it.
• Pre-read what you will be sharing with your child and look for the principle or teaching point that you will want to reinforce with him/her.
• Keep the amount of time you read appropriate to your child’s attention span.
• Ask your child questions about what he/she heard or felt during the reading.
• Tell your child how you live out that principle in your life.
• Pray with your child in connection with what you just read.

As you have had Bible study time with your children, what have you found to be helpful?
Click “comments” below and share your tips with the rest of us.