Dear Friends,  I know we come from many different traditions and faiths, but for those of us who are reveling in the advent season, I thought it might be fun to post an advent tradition here that my family has enjoyed for years.  We love to walk the kids through Scripture, helping them understand the cohesiveness of the Bible and its references to Christ from Genesis through the Nativity. If you would like to join us, I will be posting each day's devotion right here! 
     Each day consists of a short Scripture reading & devotion to discuss, a downloadble ornament for the kids to color and hang - either on your tree or on a garland somewhere - and a few songs to choose from. Many of the songs can be found in hymnals, if you play a musical instrument, but they can also be found on YouTube or Godvine - and it's fun to sing along! Finally, a prayer closes out this 5 minute time. This is a great start on helping your children grasp the basic outline of the Greatest Book of All. 

​Ornament: a Lamb
Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1-14, John 1:29b, Hebrews 11:17
Songs:  God is so Good, Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus, ABC-Jesus Died for You &Me

      Yesterday, we heard that God had promised Abraham that through his family the whole world would be blessed. Well, God gave Abraham a wonderful son named Isaac. Abraham loved his son very, very much. But, Abram loved God even more.

     One day, God asked Abraham to take Isaac on a journey up a mountain. Then, God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac – to kill him. Abraham was incredibly sad, but he was going to obey God. Abraham trusted that God would make everything right. God had promised that through Isaac the world would be blessed, and Abraham knew God keeps His promises. Abraham trusted that God could bring Isaac back to life again. 

    As Abraham was getting ready to sacrifice Isaac, God stopped him. He told Abraham to look in the bushes. Do you know what God put in the bush? (a lamb) God told Abraham to let the lamb take Isaac’s place. Isaac lived, but the lamb had to die. This was a picture of what God was planning for the whole world – He was sending a lamb to die for the world’s sins.
​
    Do you know who the Lamb was that God sent? (Jesus) Jesus took our place on the cross, He paid for our sins, so that we could live. Jesus had no sin at all – but He died for us.

     Questions:  

• What did God tell Abram to do? Why?
• Who is our Lamb? Why?

Prayer:  Father God, Thank You for providing Jesus to protect us from the punishment for our sins. You love us so much that You sent Your only son, Jesus, to be our Lamb. What a wonderful Christmas present for the whole world!  Thank You for our Lamb, in His name, amen. ​

​Looking forward to Christmas,

Dear Friends,  I know we come from many different traditions and faiths, but for those of us who are reveling in the advent season, I thought it might be fun to post an advent tradition here that my family has enjoyed for years.  We love to walk the kids through Scripture, helping them understand the cohesiveness of the Bible and its references to Christ from Genesis 3 through the Nativity. If you would like to join us, I will be posting each day's devotion right here! 

     Each day consists of a short Scripture reading & devotion to discuss, a downloadble ornament for the kids to color and hang - either on your tree or on a garland somewhere - and a few songs to choose from. Many of the songs can be found in hymnals, but they can also be found on YouTube or Godvine - and it's fun to sing along! Finally, a prayer closes out this 5 minute time. This is a great start on helping your children grasp the basic outline of the Greatest Book of All. 

​Ornament: A camel (Representing the call to Abram)
Scripture Reading: Genesis 12:1-7 and  Romans 4:13-16; 
Songs: Father Abraham, Trust and Obey, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Dear Friends,  I know we come from many different traditions and faiths, but for those of us who are reveling in the advent season, I thought it might be fun to post an advent tradition here that my family has enjoyed for years.  We love to walk the kids through Scripture, helping them understand the cohesiveness of the Bible and its references to Christ from Genesis 3 through the Nativity. If you would like to join us, I will be posting each day's devotion right here! 
     Each day consists of a short Scripture reading & devotion to discuss, a downloadble ornament for the kids to color and hang - either on your tree or on a garland somewhere - and a few songs to choose from. Many of the songs can be found in hymnals, but they can also be found on YouTube or Godvine - and it's fun to sing along! Finally, a prayer closes out this 5 minute time. This is a great start on helping your children grasp the basic outline of the Greatest Book of All. 

​Ornament: An ark & rainbow (Remind us of God's Promises)
Scripture Reading: Genesis 6:5-8, 7:17-23; 9:16 & Romans 6:23
Songs : Rise & Shine, Standing on the Promises

Dear Friends,  I know we come from many different traditions and faiths, but for those of us who are reveling in the advent season, I thought it might be fun to post an advent tradition here that my family has enjoyed for years.  We love to walk the kids through Scripture, helping them understand the cohesiveness of the Bible and its references to Christ from Genesis 3 through the Nativity. If you would like to join us, I will be posting each day's devotion right here! 
     Each day consists of a short Scripture reading & devotion to discuss, a downloadble ornament for the kids to color and hang - either on your tree or on a garland somewhere - and a few songs to choose from. Many of the songs can be found in hymnals, but they can also be found on YouTube or Godvine - and it's fun to sing along! Finally, a prayer closes out this 5 minute time. This is a great start on helping your children grasp the basic outline of the Greatest Book of All. 

​Ornament: Fruit & Snake (representing the Fall)
Read Scripture: Genesis 3:1-10, 23 & Is. 53:6
Songs: Jesus Loves Me, Just as I Am, Grace Greater Than Our Sin

    Dear Friends,  I know we come from many different traditions and faiths, but for those of us who are reveling in the advent season, I thought it might be fun to post an advent tradition here that my family has enjoyed for years.  We love to walk the kids through Scripture, helping them understand the cohesiveness of the Bible and its references to Christ from Genesis 3 through the Nativity. If you would like to join us, I will be posting each day's devotion right here! 
     Each day consists of a short Scripture reading & devotion to discuss, a downloadble ornament for the kids to color and hang - either on your tree or on a garland somewhere - and a few songs to choose from. Many of the songs can be found in hymnals, but they can also be found on YouTube or Godvine - and it's fun to sing along! Finally, a prayer closes out this 5 minute time. This is a great start on helping your children grasp the basic outline of the Greatest Book of All. 

          God is the creator of the entire world – and everything in it: air, water, plants, fish, animals…and people! This big round world we live on is GOD’S creative masterpiece. Have you seen something you think is especially beautiful in this world? What is it? God is so good!  
     Before God made the Earth, there was no light – everything was dark. There was nothing to see, and no light to see it by.
         When God finished creating the world, it was perfect. Even the people God had created were perfect at first – they had not sinned yet or done anything to make God unhappy. He had made a man – Adam – and a woman – Eve – to live in the beautiful Garden of Eden. They lived there with all the animals, and when God looked at all He had made, He thought everything was very good! 
            
     Discuss:  

• What did the world look like in the very beginning? (It was dark and not formed into land)
• Even though the Earth wasn’t formed, was God there?
• Who made the world, everything in it, and even us?
• For older kids, you can point out that in Genesis 1, we have the first mention of the Trinity (make man in our image) in the Bible!

Prayer: Father God, thank You making a beautiful creation for us to live in. We belong to You, because You made us! It amazes me that you keep track of a whole universe and yet know and care all about me. Thank you for sending Jesus as a baby, so we could know and love you. Thank you so much, Lord. Amen.

Looking forward to Christmas! 

As we come to the end of the very strange year, I have been thinking how to make a Christmas for a relative that is in a care facility and will not be able to have much contact with us at all for the Holidays that have always meant so much.  We are going to do a "Twelve Days of Christmas" surprise for them. It does mean twelve trips up the road a bit to drop a different gift each day outside with their name clearly labeled. (I did check with the staff, they are totally onboard! I suggest you do the same. Determine a PLACE you should leave the gift each day.) If your shut-in is at home, it might be easier - but watch out for those video doorbells we all gave grandma last year! Sneakiness is a plus, and my kids have enjoyed doing the "ring-and-dash" part of the equation in the past. 

It occurred to me, as I planned, that perhaps many of you have a neighbor, or a relative, or a friend who is also shut-in this year, in a new and uncomfortable way.  Some of us who homeschool have found that the comforts of home and family, and the familiar rhythms of a homeschool life still lived together, have meant that we feel almost insulated from the hardships of stay-at-home orders.  We certainly are missing our groups and gatherings, church friends, and traveling - but I know for my family, the happiness of shared movies, books, and meals makes our experience far different from the one (or the couple) who are alone when they want nothing more than to be together with extended family and friends. 

So. First - apologies for getting this printed up so late. I was honestly putting the finishing touches on my planning when it occured to me to share this. I hope you don't feel that the time is too late. You can start this at any time this season. Traditionally, the twelve days begins 12/25 and runs through 1/6 of the New Year.  I like to begin early (on 12/14) and end on Christmas day when we do this, and my tags reflect that fact. It would be an easy task to simply change up the poem for different days. My tags are also built around the legend of the "Twelve Days," with each day standing for some part of the Gospel message. Of course, you could alter also if you prefer not to include that.  

I'm going to upload the file for my twelve tags down below (totally free, no anything required) for you to print. If not, PLEASE, feel free to borrow and ammend my silly poems to your own gifts & days.  You should not feel limited by calendar or budget. This can be as simple as making sugar cookies and delivering a few each night, perhaps shaped or decorated to go with the night's theme. If you don't bake - you could have your children create a picture for each night, or make a small Christmas ornament. Really, the possibilities are endless and do not need to be either expensive or time-consuming.  It truly IS the thought that counts! 

My nights & gifts are as follows: 
1st Day-12/14 (Mon)  - Partridge in a Pear Tree - a small basket of Pears w/gold bow
2nd day-12/15 (Tue) - Two Turtle Doves - Dove Chocolate Candy  ( OR  Dove lotion, bathsoap)
3rd Day-12/16 (Wed) - Three French Hens -Popcorn & movie
4th Day-12/17 (Thur) - Four Calling Birds  - 4 cds of Christmas music (OR  4 CANS OF CHICKEN SOUP !)
5th Day-12/18 (Fri) - Five Golden Rings - 5 GOLDEN DONUTS (or five gold napkin rings around something?)
6th Day-12/19 (Sat) -Six Geese a-laying - 6 Plastic Eggs filled with nuts/seeds 
7th Day-12/20 (Sun) - Seven Swans a-swimming  - 7 Specialty Coffee packs in a mug  (OR 7 Scented soaps, Or Schwans ice cream bars)
8th Day-12/21 (Mon) - Eight Maids a-milking - 8 Hot Cocoa packets
9th Day-12/22 (Tue) -Nine ladies dancing - Socks & 9 small Candy Canes (or Pink Lady Apples)
10th Day-12/23 (Wed) -Lords a leaping - Ten Gingerbread Men Cookies on a festive plate
11th Day-12/24 (Thur) - Pipers piping - 11 Piroulini Cookies (OR Biscotti OR Breadsticks OR anything “Piping” hot…)
12th Day-12/25 (Fri) - Drummers drumming - A drum of holiday popcorn or a "drum" of fruitcake..or anything else they might enjoy, but in one of those cute Christmas tins ...er, Christmas drums!

I guarantee that your family will have AS MUCH fun doing this as your recipient does finding the little gifts. We have "revealed" ourselves some years when we have done this; other years we have just kept the secret to ourselves. We have given "bigger" gifts (socks, dvds) and we have given tiny gifts (an ornament or cookies) and have found they are received with equal delight. 

I challenge you - find someone who is alone this Christmas, and brighten up their season!

Noli Timere!

​In our family, we call today "Christmas Eve-Eve."  It is a funny, left-over-from-childhood saying, but it indicates that we are all leaning forward to the joy and celebration of Christ's birth. We long for that day, as we long for his return, because his coming changed everything - in an instant.

In the instant that Jesus was born in that manger, time and eternity changed. Even the little letters which divide our history into two great eras reflect the reality that everything has changed: B.C., (Before Christ) and A. D. (Anno Domini, the year of our Lord).

Christmas affected our personal lives in a dramatic way, too. Christmas brings the joy of knowing the nature of God. Christ was and is Immanuel, God with us. The joy of having access to a divine mediator is now ours. Christ is indeed our great High Priest, merciful and faithful to his flock. Today, having satisfied our need for forgiveness, He makes constant and effectual intercession for us. Therefore, our access to peace came through His birth as well. 

Still anther joy we celebrate at Christmas  is the joy of our conscious adoption into God’s family. As children of God by faith in Christ, with His name upon us and His spirit in us, we are welcomed, loved, and cherished members of His family.

 We also celebrate the kindlier graces, the fruits of the spirit which Christ provides to each of us through the Holy Spirit. He said, “Blessed are the meek…Blessed are the merciful… Blessed are the pure in heart…” To follow Christ is to exchange the harsh and hard way of the law for the way of love.

Finally, this Christmas let’s celebrate the eternal flame of hope that was kindled that long-ago  morning. The birth of Jesus was the earnest of our expectation - of a day to come when the Son of Righteousness will reign in glory!

This Christmas, the world is one year farther away from the birth of Christ but one year nearer His blessed return. Merry Christmas, from our house to yours!

Noli Timere,

     Oh, it is so much fun to hear how happy the wise men were when they saw the star! For so many years, they had studied the prophecy books, and watched the stars, waiting for this special star to appear. Now they knew that the new King – the special King sent by God – was born! Even though they would have to travel for many months across the desert, living in tents and riding on camels, they were thrilled to see the star.

     When sin first came into the world, God made a plan. He promised to send someone to take care of the serpent, to take care of sin. Even when God’s people didn’t remember the promise – God did. Even when God’s people weren’t faithful – He was! God never forgot the people of Israel. He guided, protected, and loved them no matter what. And now, that promise is fulfilled. The star is shining – the new King is born!

    And so the wise men set off to find the babe.  When they found him, they fell down and worshipped Him, giving Him costly gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh.  They were so thankful to have found Jesus! Isn’t it wonderful that we can find Him too, right where we are, by praying?
 
Questions:  

• What does the star mean to the wise men?
• Does God still love us? (Yes, He sent Jesus to save us from sin.)

 
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, the wise men waited so long to see the sign of the star and then follow that star to the baby Jesus! May we be patient and wonder-filled as we follow You, too! Amen!

Looking forward to Christmas,

This wall ornament reminds us of the great Wall of Jerusalem! Jerusalem had a strong, tall wall to protect it that circled the entire city.

    We have talked about the people of Israel, and how they had not obeyed God’s law. Remember, we said they had been taken captive – as prisoners or slaves – into foreign countries. The Wall of Jerusalem had been knocked down by the armies of the other countries, and Jerusalem was lonely and desolate. Like a ghost town, it was falling apart. Nobody was there to take care of the city, and it started to fall apart. 

     A man named Nehemiah, who was working in the Persian court for King Artexerxes, was horrified when he found out how the city was crumbling. There wasn't even a wall to protect it!

     What a miracle it was that Nehemiah was able to get permission from the king to come back to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall!  The prophets in the Bible had said that in order for the savior to come, the people would have to return to Jerusalem – and sure enough, they did! In fact, more than 400 years before Jesus was born, the people returned to Jerusalem, just like God had foretold in His Word! When the wall was finished, the people waited for the Messiah.  They waited for many years – but we just have a few more days before our Christmas celebration!
    
Questions:  

• What does this ornament represent?
• What had happened to the wall? Who built it back?

​

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Prayer: Father God, the people fixed the wall because they wanted to be prepared for the savior to come. Please help us prepare our hearts and homes to celebrate Jesus this Christmas as well. Come, Lord Jesus, come! Amen.

Looking forward to Christmas,

     Remember when we talked about King Josiah, who found the scroll? He was the last king of Israel who loved God. Soon, the people of Israel were conquered and went to Babylon as prisoners.

      There were some very brave young men who were taken away into Babylon. Daniel was one of them.  There were also three men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  They were so brave that when an evil king told them to do something wrong, they wouldn’t.

    Now, we all know that we must say no if someone tries to get us to do something wrong.  Imagine, though, if it were the king of the whole country that had just made you a prisoner?  How difficult to say, “No” then!

    That wicked king had made a large statue – an idol – and he told all the people that they had to worship it- bow down to it- or be thrown in a fiery furnace. When the trumpets blew, everyone bowed down…everyone except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Guess what happened?  That king had them thrown right into the furnace.

    Do you think God was with them even though they were prisoners? Do you think He was with them, even though they were in a foreign country? Yes, He was!  That fire did no harm to them at all. The king even began to praise God!  God’s plan was still working!

Questions:  

• What did the king tell the men to do?
• What happened because they obeyed God instead of the king?

 
Prayer: Lord, we are sometimes tempted to do things we know aren’t right. Please make us strong and brave like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! Help us say YES to You, and No to sin! Amen.

Looking forward to Christmas,

​Can you tell what today’s ornament is?  It’s the town of Bethlehem – just a little village, really, and not a very important place at all. But…

     In the Bible, one of the prophets of God said, “Bethlehem…you might not be an important town in the nation of Judah, but out of you will come for me a ruler over Israel. His family line goes back to the early years of your nation.”  God had chosen Bethlehem to be the special place where the Savior would be born.

     Even though Bethlehem didn’t seem like an important place, this is where the Savior would be born! Now it is a town name that everyone knows! God can take even the smallest town, or the smallest person, and use them as part of His great plan! 

     Of course, you know that when the time came, Mary & Joseph had to go back to Bethlehem, back to Joseph’s family town, to be counted for a census. Jesus our King was born in a stable in little Bethlehem, and the world rejoiced! But for hundreds of years, people just waited – and watched Bethlehem!

     Never think you are too small to be used by God! Remember Bethlehem, the little town that became the most important birthplace ever!

     Questions:  

• Where was Jesus born?
• Can God use small things? How about small people?  

Prayer: Dear Lord, I am happy that you used a seemingly small insignificant town to be the birthplace of Your Son! The coming of the King took place in a manger, not a palace. That helps me know I can be important to You as well. Please use me to do important work in your kingdom too, in Jesus’ name, amen. 

Looking forward to Christmas, 

Do you remember that God made a promise – or a covenant – with the people of Israel a long time ago? He gave them the Ten Commandments and as long as they obeyed them, God promised to provide for them. If they disobeyed the rules, God would have to punish them. Then they had to sacrifice an animal to pay for the sin.  Then it all started again.

     God’s laws – the Ten Commandments – showed the people when they had sinned, told them what they had done wrong…but the laws couldn’t change peoples’ hearts. God still loved the people. He saw that the law wasn’t going to change them. He decided to make a new promise to them. God would write His law on the hearts of the people – change their hearts.

     So God sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth to save us from our sins. When we tell Jesus we are sorry for our sin, that we want to live for Him, He will forgive all the bad things we have done. The Bible tells us that when we ask His forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive us. God is so good – He even made a way for us to be close to Him! We should be very thankful that we live under this new promise – the new covenant – rather than the old Law – the old covenant!     
​
 Questions:  

• What was wrong with the old covenant – the law?
• Have you asked Jesus to forgive you and come into your life?

 
Prayer: Dear God, please write Your law on our hearts! It is so exciting that Jesus’ love is stronger than any sin or wrong we could do. Praise You for making a way for us to be clean & holy by forgiveness through Jesus Christ! In His Name – amen.

Looking forward to Christmas,

Ornament:  Nativity Scene
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-10; John 3:16-17
Songs : Go Tell It on the Mountain, Joy to the World, Away in the Manger​

     Today is the day! Jesus is born! Today we celebrate Jesus becoming a little baby.  You know, Jesus is different from us. He is God’s only Son – in fact, Jesus was alive when the world was created, living in heaven with God the Father. Jesus had been alive from the beginning of time, just as our Advent Jesse tree mentioned on the first day. But on Christmas Day, we celebrate His coming to earth as a baby in the manger!

    Do you remember how we talked about sin coming to the earth to spoil God’s perfect creation? God planned for Someone to come to take away that sin. Jesus, God’s Son, was willing to come and be our Savior. That’s why the angels sang so gloriously on that first Christmas Day! Jesus has come to take away the sin of the world!

   That sweet little baby lay in a manger – a feeding place for animals – in a stable, because the town was so crowded for the census that there were no rooms for Mary & Joseph at the inn.

    Sometimes in our lives, especially during the busy, beautiful Christmas season, there are a lot of people and activities that could make our lives too full to think about Jesus very much. But, if we realize how important Jesus is…believe in Him, ask Him to come lead you through life, He will! Let’s make sure to make room for Jesus in our hearts and lives! He is wonderful!

Welcome Jesus! Happy Birthday! Thank You for being willing to come to earth as a baby to be our Savior. Please help us remember to make room in our hearts and lives this Christmas, and every single day. We love You! Amen.

Merry Christmas!

Dear Friends,  I know we come from many different traditions and faiths, but for those of us who are reveling in the advent season, I thought it might be fun to post an advent tradition here that my family has enjoyed for years.  We love to walk the kids through Scripture, helping them understand the cohesiveness of the Bible and its references to Christ from Genesis through the Nativity. If you would like to join us, I will be posting each day's devotion right here! 
     Each day consists of a short Scripture reading & devotion to discuss, a downloadble ornament for the kids to color and hang - either on your tree or on a garland somewhere - and a few songs to choose from. Many of the songs can be found in hymnals, if you play a musical instrument, but they can also be found on YouTube or Godvine - and it's fun to sing along! Finally, a prayer closes out this 5 minute time. This is a great start towards helping your children grasp the basic outline of the Greatest Book of all. 
Ornament: A lamb & staff (Reminds us Jesus is our Good Shepherd)
Scripture Reading: John 10:11-16; Isaiah 40:11
Songs:  The First Noel, Away in the Manger
​

Remember King David? If you remember, when he was a young man, he was a shepherd boy. He watched his father’s sheep, and even killed a lion and a bear to protect them! David was a musician, and he even wrote a song about being a shepherd – Psalm 23 in the Bible! David would do anything to take care of those sheep, protect them, and provide clean water and grass for them.

    You know, we have a Shepherd too. We have someone who protects us – like a Shepherd, tends to our needs – like a Shepherd, and knows each one of us by name – like a Shepherd.  Jesus can even look right inside our heart, to know what we feel and believe.  He is always watching over us, never sleeping, and he cares about each one of us so much.

     When we listen to him, and want to follow Jesus – we are His sheep! In the New Testament, Jesus says that He is our Good Shepherd. We can trust Him. No wonder we are anxious to celebrate the birth of Jesus – He certainly deserves celebrating!
 
Questions:  

• Do sheep need a shepherd? Why? What might happen if they don’t have one?
• Do we need a shepherd? Why? What would happen if we didn’t know Jesus?

 
Prayer: Dear Good Shepherd, Thank You that you lead us, protect us, watch over us, and are always there to help us.  Thank You for your care for me. I do trust You!  In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Looking Forward to Christmas!

​
 For hundreds of years before Jesus was born, there were men called prophets that brought God’s message to the people of Israel.  The prophets reminded the people of what God wanted them to do, to be good and kind. The prophets reminded the people to worship only God.

      But more than that, the prophets also reminded the people that God had promised them a Savior.  The people of Israel could have hope for the future, no matter how many troubles they hand, because God was sending them a Savior. 

     In the Old Testament, we can see how many different names the prophets called Jesus. They called Him Wonderful. They called Him Counselor.  They called Him Mighty God.  And, they called Him the Prince of Peace. Can you think of other names for Jesus in the Bible? (The Good Shepherd, Light of the World, Son of God, Son of Man..)

     See the dove in today’s ornament?  That dove reminds us of peace.  The dove is a very peaceful bird – not a predator (hunter), but gentle.  And the crown? What do you think the crown means? (a king or a prince – a member of the royalty) 

     We are so glad that Jesus is our Prince of Peace! Some kings here on earth want to lead their people into war, or to take over other countries. Only King Jesus comes to teach us to love and care for each other, and to live in peace.

     Questions:  

• When Jesus came as a baby, did he bring an army? (No! Although He had all of heaven's might angels to call, He came in peace.)
• What does the dove in our ornament mean? Why? (The dove is a peaceful bird – gentle, not a hunter. It reminds us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and we are to be peacemakers.)

Prayer:  Dear Lord, please help us remember that You are the Prince of peace, and only You can bring peace in our lives. Help us to follow You, and try to be like You, showing kindness & love and bringing peace. Amen. 

Looking forward to Christmas,

     What do you see on this ornament? (Lion and lamb) Do they seem to be happy together? (yes)  Is the lion hurting the lamb?  Does the lamb look scared, like it is running away? (No) Is that what happens in the world today if a lion gets close to a lamb? (No!) 

     Do you remember when we first talked about God’s creation, we said the world was perfect before sin came into the garden? When God first made the earth, the animals lived together peacefully. There was no fighting, or death, before sin.

     Well, one day, our world will be like that again. God will restore peace to the world. There will be no hunger or fear. Lions, lambs, wolves, rabbits, and even people will all live in peace.  There won’t be any crime or sin or death. God will make all the creatures get along.

     You see, God still has a plan! Jesus is coming again, to reign over creation. In that peaceful world, all of God’s children will get along. There will be no more war and no more pain. What a wonderful place that will be for everybody! Until then, we should be peacemakers wherever we are in the world - at home, at school at work - and we can tell others about Jesus – our soon and coming King!

Questions:  

• When will the lion and the lamb be friends?
• What is a peacemaker?
• How can you be a peacemaker in your home, school, or work?

​
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Please help us find ways to bring peace to our world. We look forward to the day when Jesus reigns in peace and there is no more hunger or fear anywhere. Thank you for loving us so much! Amen.

Looking forward to Christmas,