All in God's Time

Lately I've felt like I missed the boat. Like I missed out on what God had planned for my life. When I was sixteen God called me to go on a mission trip to Costa Rica. While there He called me to be a missionary.  That was twelve years ago and when I think about it now it feels like a life time ago. I know that is what I'm supposed to do, that is my calling from God. So here I sit with three kids eight and younger wondering how it will ever happen. How will I fulfill my calling to be a missionary? I have a hard time finding someone to watch the kids so me and my husband can have a date night once every few months. I was reading When God Whispers Your Name by Max Lucado and in the first chapter he wrote something that blew my mind. Moses was eighty years old when God talked to him through the burning bush. Eighty!! I'm only twenty-eight and I thought there was no way I'd ever fulfill God's calling for my life. Wow!! Sometimes its funny how little faith we have in God's plans. I know I'm supposed to be a mother, but somehow I forgot how God works everything for good. Even when we see no way out of our current situation God does. He saw it before we were born, before He even formed the earth. He knew me, He knew you.

Putting God First Activity for All ages

We have all heard that if you put God first everything else in our life will fall into place. How many times have we tried it? How many times have we started our day by picking up our cross and letting God lead our day? I remember as teenager seeing a children's church activity that sums it all up.  This is something for ALL ages.

Supplies you will need: 

  

•  3/4 cup rice or sand 
• clear jar (I used a Ragu jar)
• 7-10 lager objects (rubber balls, rocks, shells)
• table spoon
•  paper
• marker
• a plastic container

With help from class list 7-10 things God wants us to do. Pray, Read Bible, Go to Church, etc. Then list 7 - 10 ways we enjoy spending our time.  Reading, Computer Games, Toys, etc.  

 Start scooping rice in the jar 1 tablespoon at a time until all rice is used. With each scoop name a way we enjoy spending our time. Going to the movies,shopping, wathching movies, etc.

Now start adding the balls in one at a time. With each ball name something God wants us to do. Pray, respect our parents,etc. Notice not all of the balls fit. When we put our wants in front of what God wants us to do God gets left out of our life.

Now pour everything out and separate it.

This time lets start with what Gods wants us to do. Start placing the balls in one at a time. With each ball name something God wants us to do.(Notice the all fit this time).

Now add the rice in one at a time until all is in the jar. Each time naming a way we want to spend our time. Notice this time everything fit. 

When we put God first not only does it all fit, there is room to spare. 

I suggest you try at home first to insure all works well, you may need more or less rice and balls.

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Putting God First: Scripture Reading

Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,^[c] your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy,^[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdomand his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.