Champions of Faith - VBS 2012

Wow! What a week! It has been absolutely wonderful! VBS is a lot of work, but we have been blessed with some great workers with willing spirits and a great attitude! Our teens have been the ones to do most of the work and it has been such an encouragement to see them so involved.

The theme this year was "Champions of Faith." Through skits and lessons, we have taught the kids about listening to the Coach and obeying, staying focused on the goal and not getting distracted, and keeping the rules and not cheating. I had the privilege of teaching two classes. The first day I taught ages 7-9 and the second day I taught ages 3-6. I was also able to play guitar and help with the songs which were always energy filled and non-stop singing at the top of your lungs!

Our attendance stayed pretty constant. First day we had 30, second we had 26 and last day we had 28. I was hoping to top our highest attendance which is 70 kids, but the Lord knew we didn't need 70 this year. He knew exactly who needed to be there though. We were able to see 2 girls be saved and enter the family of God. There are two new names written down in glory: Cintia and Carmen. I am so thankful that the Lord has allowed us to be a part of their lives. May the kids keep with them what they have learned this week.

As the last day of VBS, it has been a nostalgic day for me. I have known Cintia (one of the girls that got saved) since she was born. I have had her in my children's church and seeing her get saved today was such a blessing. I realized that this may be my last VBS here. I walked around our church property and I saw memories from the last 11 years. I have grown up in this church and I am so blessed to be able to be back for the summer. Thank you Lord for a wonderful week and for the opportunity to be here and be a part of what You are doing here!

VBS-preparation is more work than (but just as much fun as) the actual thing!

This week has been one of non-stop work! Every day this past week (Monday through Saturday) we have been at the church for a minimum of 8 hours...every day...getting ready  for this year's VBS. In these pictures you will not see any of the decorations as it is meant to be a surprise for the kids...after VBS I will have pictures of the week.

We have been drawing and painting decorations, learning and practicing new songs, getting the skit together, working on crafts...you know: preparation. It has been a great blessing to see how the teens have become completely involved in this year's VBS and they are the ones doing a lot of the work!

Our theme is: "Champions of Faith" so all of our decorations, songs and lessons are Olympic themed. Everything has come together nicely!

Yesterday we finally set everything up; today, between and after church, we will work on the skit, songs, and minor details. I think we are mostly ready for Wednesday!

Please pray:
1. Kids to come out (last year our high was 70...we are hoping to see even more kids attend) 2. Their hearts to be ready to receive what the Lord wants them to 3. The workers will have a good attitude and a willing heart so that God can use them to touch the kids' lives 4. The leaders would have strength, patience and wisdom to lead, we know the devil will do anything to disrupt these special days

I want what I want and will do anything to get it!

"In this universe there is God, and there are "people" and "things." We should worship God, love people, and use things. But if we start worshiping ourselves, we will ignore God and start loving things and using people. This is the formula for a miserable life; yet it characterizes many people today. The worldwide craving for things is just one evidence that people's hearts have turned away from God." --Warren W. Wiersbe


In my summer reading, I came across this quote. It is so true. Worshiping God should be our main purpose and the reason we live, for if we live to please our God, we will be content with what we have and want to help others. This creates in us a giving and loving spirit. But when we put ourselves above God, we are selfish and full of pride. Instead of using things to worship God and show people we love them, we use people to get the things we love to worship ourselves. This should not be!


It causes one to reflect... have I turned my heart away from God? Do I put what I want above what God wants and deserves? Have I stopped worshiping the King of Kings who humbled Himself to live, suffer, die, and resurrect for me and started worshiping myself, a dirty, worthless sinner who deserves nothing less than an eternal life of suffering in hell?


If our hearts have turned away from God, it is not too late to ask forgiveness and turn back to Him:
Joel 2:12: "Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:"
Joshua 24:23: "Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel."

Are you weary? Are you heavy-hearted? TELL IT TO JESUS but if you are happy and you know it....TELL YOUR FACE!

James 5:13
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

When we feel certain things, how do we respond?

When we are suffering or something is going on, does the whole world know about it? Do we complain and make other peoples’ lives difficult and complicated? Yes, it is fine to talk to people, ask for advice and prayer, but it is important not to go overboard. There comes a time when people start to think, “Ok, leave me alone. You have your problems, but so do I” and you end up being a burden to their lives. We also should not think, “I am strong, I can do it” because we cannot. Only with Christ’s strength can we carry on.

The Bible says to “let him pray.” Tell the Lord! Remember the song? “Are you weary? Are you heavy-hearted? Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus…” God knows why you feel the way you do and He knows how long you will feel that way, so with His omniscience, we should go to Him and seek Him. Even though He knows how we feel, He wants us to tell Him and ask Him to help us. He wants us to learn from whatever comes into our lives.

Here are some verses that talk about God hearing our prayer:

Psalm 91:15: He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.”

Psalm 50:14-15: “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”

Luke 11:9: “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Philippians 4:6-7: “Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

When we are happy, does it show? We should always have the joy of the Lord, and why do we Christians have faces that look like we just lost our phones (because some people are so lost and desperate without a phone) and are about ready to strangle someone? Why can people not tell when we are happy and rejoicing in the wonders of God? Is it because we are embarrassed to show it? Or maybe it is because we really are not rejoicing in the Lord…and that is a sin (Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”). The Bible says to sing! Let it show! If you are happy…tell your face!

Exodus 15:2: “The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

I Chronicles 16:9/Psalm 105:2: “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wonderous works.”

Psalm 104:33: “I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.”

Psalm 126:2: “Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.”

If people see our joy and our desire to serve the Lord, it is a good testimony. They will see the Lord working in and through our lives.

What is your reaction?

- What do you do when you are having a bad day? Or when you are going through a hard time?

- When you are happy and joyful, are you embarrassed to show it? Are you ashamed to show that you are grateful for what Christ has done and is doing for and through you?

Are you sinking in a storm? Is your sight steady on your Savior who gives you the strength to stand?

Matthew 14:22-33

In this passage we see Jesus send his disciples out on a ship.  The waves get restless, the wind starts to stir up, and Jesus comes walking on the water towards them.  The disciples are afraid, but Jesus assures them that it is alright (vs. 27: “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”).  Peter still doubted and asked: “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” (vs. 28).

Sometimes, we are in a storm or a trial, but Jesus come by and tell us “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” but we still doubt.  We want God to show himself and He asks us to step out in faith.  He asks us to come out a bit farther out of our comfort zone and trust Him.  When we finally give in to what He wants, we step out.  BUT if you read in verse 30, it says the following: “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried saying, Lord, save me.”  Many times, though we actually take that step of faith, in the middle of our trusting, we begin to doubt and stumble.  We start to look at the storm around us instead of focusing on Christ.  This causes us to sink.  We go to Christ when we have no other resource; we cry out to Him, just like Peter did when he began to sink.  God is always there to pick us up when we fall, but we do not have to let it come to that.

God wants us to stand in our storm, and only in His power can we stand.  Alone we are nothing, alone we are weak, powerless and unable to resist.  That is why we need to stay focused on Christ, His will for me, and trust Him completely all the time.  We should not look around at our circumstances!  Is there any reason for me not to trust Him?  If He is faithful no matter the circumstance, what makes it right for me to take my eyes off Him?  If He is in constant care of us, what makes me think He will allow unnecessary pain to come to me?  If He is powerful no matter what, what makes it reasonable for me to doubt Him?  His power is what is holding it all.  He is the Master of the wind and storm.

In verse 33, the disciples realized that God truly is the Son of God.  We should not have to doubt that.  He is powerful enough to hold us through any storm, but we fail Him and look away from Him.  We look at how bad we have it, how horrible our situation is, and take our focus off of Christ.  We need to stop looking to see how big our troubles are, and see how big our God is!  He has never given me any reason not to trust Him, why should I doubt His ability to see me through?  Let’s keep our focus on Him even through the difficulties, even when we cannot see the way out, even when we do not think it is possible.  He is the Master; He just wants me to trust Him completely to carry me through.  Trust HIS strength to help you stand through the storm.