Moldy Sandwich of Dependability- NOT

INTRODUCTION

When you wake up in the morning, do you expect the goodness of God in your life?  Do you set the tone of the day for success, favor and blessing?


It doesn't matter what happened yesterday, last week, last month or last year; today is a new day.


Today, you have the power to make a change in your life. Things may be bad, maybe even bad all around you.  People may be negative, complaining and discouraged, but don't let that rub off on you.


Instead, choose to bless the Lord at all times.  Let His praise continually be in your mouth.  Remember, the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn shining brighter and brighter until the full day.
Stay determined to set the tone for each new day by speaking words of faith over your future.  As you do, you'll enlarge your vision and make room for God to do amazing things in every area of your life.

LEADERSHIP
Now to finish up the story of the Moldy sandwich! Below...the Sandwich!! ugh....
Parents this is a great lesson to talk over with you kids to teach them about being dependable..
  OK, back to the moldy sandwich and how it relates to dependability.  To be dependable is to be trustworthy and reliable.  It is how your actions shape others perception of you so, it is to say, What you do is how you are known.
We depend on a lot daily, not just people but things.  For the adults, some of us depend on our morning cup of coffee, or our car to get us here and there.  For kids, we depend on the TV to to work when we watch it, or the playground equipment to stay together when we climb on it.  We even depend on out own bodies to work, out heart to pump and out lungs to breath.  These are things we don’t usually think about because they just work, everyday, without having to get involved very much.
Your still asking yourself, what about this moldy sandwich. Hold on, I am getting there.
  In life we also depend on people.  Police, Firemen, Pastors and Parents.  All of these people we have learned to trust.  Sure there are some bad apples but between a perfect stranger and one of these people we would choose one of the above in a crisis.
  They have proven themselves reliable in a moment of need. Now to the sandwich.


When I started looking for a way to illustrate being dependable I found this picture of a moldy sandwich.  I thought to myself, “Thats gross, I would never eat that” and that is how an undependable person is thought about.  Not that they are gross, but, “Hey, I would never call on that undependable person”  That sandwich probably had some delicious ham, lettuce, tomato, mayo, maybe even bacon.  But due to the condition of the sandwich we can’t see past the mold.  The sandwich is still there, but now it is known as a moldy sandwich.  Even if we had a magic wand that could make the sandwich edible, would you want to eat it??, knowing it was all old and moldy, I wouldn’t, and being undependable is sort of like that.

Lucky for us, we are not moldy sandwiches.  We are people, and we can change.  Jesus provided us a magic wand that can make us new, both in Spirit and in mind.  We can change the way people perceive us by changing the way we think.  That can be done by taking time and reading the Bible.  In changing our thoughts we change our actions, and when our actions change the course of our lives are changed.  In the end we can help change the lives of those around us. You can depend on it.


MEMORY VERSE
I thought this verse would go perfect with a moldy sandwich, what a great verse to memorize!
"Don’t just do the the minimum that will get you by. Do your best!.." Col 3:22


PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father in heaven, I choose to bless You at all times.  I choose to set the tone to receive Your favor, grace and mercy.  Thank You for Your faithfulness to me at all times.  I choose to constantly speak Your praises! In Jesus' Name. Amen.


Blessings,
5+2, making a difference in the community around us, one step at a time!
5plus2kidsclub@gmail.com
http://www.5plus2club.com/

Do Your Best With What You Have!

INTRODUCTION

   WHEN I WAS 12, I begged my parents to let me use a section of our field to plant a small garden.  I had big plans to grow vegetables, set up a roadside stand and make money.  A few weeks after the garden was planted, the mosquitoes arrived. It got humid - typical Summer weather in Connecticut.  Weeds began to crowd out my vegetable plants. I began comparing my summer to that of my friend, who spent the days sitting by the family pool.  So, I decided to let the weeds take over and give up on the garden.  When I walked inside our house to tell my Mom what I was going to do, I overheard her talking on the phone to my Aunt Maura, "Johnny has been working every day on his garden, even in the hot humid sun. I'm sure proud of him..." Whether my Mom knew it or not, her sincerely believing in me gave me just what I needed to hang in there and finish the project I'd started.


"Stick-to-it-iveness" is the quality that keeps a person from quitting, even when obstacles come along and the natural instinct is to give up.  For a child, it means practicing the piano, even if it's the same melody over and over again. It means getting up early and doing the paper route every morning, when it would be a lot easier to sleep in.  Of course, no parent wants her child to be quitter, yet perseverance is not something that just comes naturally.  How can we help our children stick it out in tough times?


Set reasonable goals
   SIT DOWN with your child and agree upon a realistic length of time for him to participate in an activity.  Know what is an appropriate time commitment for your child's age level.  "The younger the child, the shorter the attention span, the less clear the sense of what time is about and what a time commitment is, so be sure to take that into consideration.  If you tell your 8-year-old she can have a puppy if she feeds it and takes it for walks every day, she's not going to fully grasp that every day means for the dog's life, which may be 10 years or longer.  The same 8-year-old, however, should be able to understand the time commitment in signing up for a ballet class lasting six months.
   Don't expect your child to do more than he's capable of doing.  Accept the fact that your 5-year-old may not make the bed as well as your 12-year-old.  "Kids need to feel that what they've done is okay, but a lot of times parents have an adult standard for what they want the child to accomplish, and that is very frustrating for the child, because the child can't do it.

Break tasks down
  SOME PROJECTS seem so overwhelming that your child may not know where to begin.  My son, Caleb, sometimes lets his room get so messy it looks as though a hurricane has passed through.  The bed is unmade.  Toy boxes are dumped over.  Books are scattered.  Clothes are piled in the floor.  If I ask Caleb to clean up his room, he gives me this look like I'm asking the impossible.
  A good way to get your child to stay with a difficult project is to break it down into smaller, individual tasks.  So rather than tell Caleb to clean his room, I ask him to make his bed.  That doesn't seem too bad to him; he does it; and once the bed's made, Caleb feels good because he's accomplished something.  Next I ask him to pick up the books, and so on.  A big project gets done, but rather than complain about the enormity of the project, Caleb feels good because he's making a lot of accomplishments.


Challenge yourself
   WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME you learned a new skill?  Do you have a lot of projects that you started but never finished?  One of the best ways to teach your children perseverance is by challenging yourself with a pursuit.  I have a mom friend who makes a point of working out on her exercise bike after the kids are home from school.  Another friend does a home-study course while her children work beside her doing their own school assignments.  Kids enjoy seeing their parents learn new skills, yet a lot adults don't do that.  For the most part whatever we mastered when we were 22 is what we do the rest of our lives.  Set the example for your children.  Enroll in a class at your local college.  Finish that project you put aside.  Get those tennis rackets out of storage.  Your children will be impressed by your determination.


Draw out Fears
  IN ANY DIFFICULT endeavor, most children come to a point sooner or later when they get discouraged and want to quit.  The best thing you can do in such cases is to draw out your child's fears.  A lot of times children worry about something unrealistic, and as a parent, you can put their fears to rest.  Often what you hear your child say in terms of why he doesn't want to continue with something, you may have already heard related to something else.  Your child may be nervous about taking swimming lessons, but similar fears were probably expressed about learning to ride a bike.  You can tell him, remember how scared you were riding your bike for the first time?  How did it turn out?  Your child can then see the outcome and be encouraged. Remind your child that he's done hard things before and succeeded.  Let him know it's normal to feel scared or discouraged now and then.  The important thing is to not let our fears and disappointments get the best of us.


Be Your Child's Cheerleader
   LET YOUR CHILD KNOW you sincerely believe in their abilities and convey an expectancy of success. Tell them you appreciate their effort and are impressed by their determination. When you're enthusiastic, it's contagious, and you give your child the strength and motivation to succeed.
   Be careful not to overdo praise. If you tell your child, "That's the most beautiful picture I've ever seen," every time she brings artwork home from school, your praise won't mean much. Pick out something specific about what your child did that was noteworthy: "You did a good job drawing the trees in your picture." "I like the way you did the clouds in your painting." Save your "That's terrific!" for accomplishments that really are terrific.


Know Your Child's Interests
   When my friends daughter, Megan, was 6, she showed some interest in their family piano, so her parents enrolled her in lessons. Megan stuck it out for a year and the whole time her parents kept pushing and pushing, but she never seemed enthused.  Finally they realized it was they who wanted her to learn the piano, not Megan. The following year, Megan started with gymnastics lessons and has kept with it for five years, never missing a class and is having a ball.
   There will be enough in life your children will need to persevere in, whether they enjoy them or not--homework, chores, or perhaps an exercise program.  To prepare them for that, parents should remind children that "perseverance is also part of doing something you like to do, so that it's not always something being forced on them; it's something they willingly discipline themselves for."  Give your children the chance to explore a variety of interests, and respect their wishes if their interests don't always coincide with yours.
   Stay attuned to the types of activities your children want to pursue, and let them know that you're behind them all the way.  After all, their interests can be indications of God-given abilities, and you want to motivate them to make good use of what God has given them!


LEADERSHIP
   Adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose, expecially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.


When We Persevere, We:
- Do our best with what we have.
- Keep trying; we don't quit or give up easily
- Never make excuses for obstacles that get in the way of getting something done. Instead we look for ways to remove or work around the obstacles.

There is a poem that is on the Web titled "The Race". This poem exemplifies perseverance. The last few lines of the poem read:


For all of life is like a race, with ups and downs and all


and all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.


"Quit!" "Give Up, you're beaten!" They still shout towards my face.


But another voice within me says, "GET UP AND WIN THE RACE!"


Spend some time with your child explaining the importance of "staying the course" and doing the best you can.  Read "The Race" together.  You will be glad you did.


PRAYER

   I thought this verse just goes so well with our theme of perserverence this month, what a great verse to memorize!
   Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7, AMP)
   What doors are you knocking on today?  Are you looking for a door of opportunity to be opened?  A door of escape?  A door of shelter from the storms of life?
   God loves persistence.  He honors diligence.  When you diligently do the will of God, obeying His Word and following His commands, it's like knocking on the door of His promises.  He is faithful, and He will open that door!  Maybe you're already doing all you know to do today—don't give up!  Perseverance will carry you to the promise.  Perseverance keeps on asking and keeps on knocking.  Perseverance looks away from discouragement and distractions and keeps looking toward God.  It has a voice that says things like, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper! I know God is for me!  I am more than a conqueror through Jesus!"
   Today, stay faithful to follow God's Word, and remember, every step of obedience is another knock on the door of His promises!  He will hear you, and He will answer.  He will open up doors that no man can shut and lead you into the life of victory He has prepared for you!


A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life.  Thank You for opening doors of opportunity before me and for leading me and guiding me.  I trust that You are ordering my steps as I diligently follow Your commands.  In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Blessings,
5+2, making a difference in the community around us, one step at a time!
http://www.5plus2club.com/

The Wow..of God ordained moments!

Did you know that God can use a single moment to transform your life for the better? God is always working, even when we have no idea what He's doing. He loves to bless us with His amazing, awe-inspiring goodness, even when we least expect it or when things don't seem to be going the right way. Romans 8:28 is a popular verse and never gets old. To me, it's one of the most encouraging verses in the entire Bible. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (NLT). I love the word "everything" in this verse. We tend to think of bad things and difficult seasons, but "everything" includes more. I t includes the good things as well as the things that we are indifferent about. God takes all of those things and works them out for our good. He wants you to be the kind of person who thinks about His promises all the time, who believes the best, and who keeps hoping when others just give up. If you live this way, first you'll be amazed at how God works in your life. Secondly, You'll set an incredible example for your children and thirdly, you'll have the opportunity to experience His favor in what I call a "God-ordained moment."

A God-ordained moment is an incredible, supernatural event that God's been setting up, working behind the scenes so that you can experience His goodness at just the right time. These God-ordained moments don't come on our schedule, but when they come, all we can say is: "Wow!" Beth and I want to remind you not to allow a busy if not completely hectic summer schedule interfere with Gods plans. Most importantly, don't give up on being blown away by God's favor. Because of how big our God is and how much He loves us, I believe that we can experience "Wow" moments on a continual basis, as long as we continue to love Him and obey His Word. 5+2 presents a WOW moment every month. Each Project surprises me with its success far and above what I could have thought or imagined. Beth and I want to say thank you for supporting the 5+2 ministry and helping us share the message of HOPE in Jesus Christ around our community. We are believing with you for a 2010 filled with God-ordained moments in your life!

Leadership

To lead you need to be a constantly learning, which takes perseverance. "A wise man will hear and increase learning." Proverbs 1:5
If you continually invest in your leadership development of your child, the inevitable result is growth over time. Although it's true that some people are born with greater natural gifts than others, the ability to lead is really a collection of skills, nearly all of which can be learned and improved within each 5+2 opportunity. But that process doesn't happen overnight it comes from consistent practice and participation.
Leadership is complicated. It has many facets: respect, experience, emotional strength, people skills, discipline, vision, momentum, timing-the list goes on. As you can see, many factors that come into play in leadership are intangible. That's why leaders require so much practice (seasoning) to be effective and 5+2 is one of the few organizations that offers these unique leadership opportunities.
In a study of ninety top leaders from a variety of fields, leadership experts Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus made a discovery about the relationship between growth and leadership: "It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from their followers."
Successful leaders are learners. And the learning process is ongoing, a result of self-discipline and perseverance. The goal each day must be to get a little better, to build on the previous day's progress.

PRAYER
This weeks memory verse is in line with our theme of perseverance:
"Let us not become wary in doing good, for we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galations 6:9
To be persistent or to have perseverance means to continue or keep on going, even when it is hard, or there's someting that's in your way to stop you. Do you know what causes God to act on your behalf? Do you know what gets His attention? God is not moved by our needs. He’s not moved by whining or complaining. He’s not moved by a “poor me” mentality. No, God is moved by our faith in Him. We have to be determined to stand on God’s Word no matter what is going on around us. Remember, God promises in His Word that He will fight our battles, but understand that it’s not going to happen automatically. We have to do our part. We have to dig our heels in with an attitude of faith and exercise endurance, patience, and perseverance. We have to be determined to stand strong in faith and face those challenges that come against us. Just like the scripture says, pray together with your kids(s) that today you'll all be strengthened with His power to exercise endurance, perseverance, and patience so that you can stand strong and be determined to take hold of every promise He has in store for you!

Father in heaven, thank You for giving us a measure of faith that grows as we memorize Your Word. Today we declare that we are determined to put You first and stand on Your promises so that we can live the life of victory You have prepared for us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen


CURRENT PROJECT
Project: Chicks for Orphans!! lead by: Jacob Thrasher
We will be introducing in more depth at the May 5th meeting, if you have any questions beforehand contact them at

Micole_thrasher@tx.rr.com

In Him,5+2, making a difference in the community around us, one step at a time!

To have a spiritual Child you need to be a spiritual Parent!

Make today a new beginning. Become a brave parent and celebrate your child and your life together boldly by Parenting from a spiritual perspective and discover the glory that choice brings. Remain open for the incredible blessings and joy that come from living life in this way -- for both you and your children.

Our intuition about our kids is finely tuned. Make the decision now to trust the Holy Spirit with your feelings, hunches, sixth sense etc... There is no one better prepared to parent your child than you. When you follow the Holy Spirits (intuition) about ways to best help your child, you are the expert. If you sense your child needs more limits, they do. If you think they are self-absorbed, honor that inclination and follow through on ideas to help them move outside themselves. Give your children the opportunities each day to try out their intuition with small things. "What do you think should go in this soup?" "Where do you think this flower ought to be planted?" "Why do you think your sister is upset?" "How should you handle the teasing at school?" ..Help them understand how to press into the Lord for guidance on larger decisions.. Then reward them when they take their gut feelings out into the world and take action based on their spiritual intuition.

Beginning today, refuse to hold any grudges. Forgive your child as God forgives us all: each moment. Teach your child to trust his intuition even when his world tells him to distrust anything but visible, tangible logic. Allow your child the room to discover who he is meant to be -- paying close attention to your own guidance for information with your role in his journey. Create rituals, ceremonies, and traditions to nourish your child's soul. Construct a family life that makes room for silence. Keep your child's life in balance: learning, playing, praying, loving. Children are radiant spiritual beings, but they are also mischievous, energetic, testing, growing individual who need their parents to help them live in this world.. By being a spiritual parent your children will reap the incredible blessing of being a spiritual child. some lessons are better caught than taught. Lead by example and you too will discover its joy.

LEADERSHIP
The Will to do what is right! "And being in agony, [Jesus] prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like drops of blood." Luke 22:44 Discipline is doing what you really don't want to do, so that you can do what you really want to do. It's paying the price in the little things so that you can buy the bigger thing. This holds true in sports as it does in any 5+2 project. You need to work on the not so great stuff, to enable you to be great. In leadership you have to be disciplined..Disciplined leaders must possess . . .

1. Disciplined Thinking: You can't get far in life if you don't use your head. If you keep your mind active and regularly take on mental challenges, you will develop the kind of disciplined thinking that will help you with whatever you endeavor to do. Yes, this can be difficult and may not land in your comfort zone, but, you will always emerge better for having challenged yourself.

2. Disciplined Emotions: People have just two choices when it comes to their emotions: they can master their emotions or be mastered by them. You shouldn't let your feelings prevent you from doing what you should or drive you to do things you shouldn't.

3. Disciplined Actions: Sharpening your mind and controlling your emotions are important, but they can take you only so far. Action is what separates the winners from the losers. Your actions always reflect your degree of discipline.

PRAYER: We continue to encourage you to practice praying with your children in this new series memorizing Scripture. In continuation of this series, this week we center on Self Control.
But first, let us answer a question from our 1st grade Sunday school class.."Why memorize scripture when I can go to the bible and read it when I need to?"
Well, we suggest that you memorize scriptures that touch your heart and fill your soul with understanding. When scriptures are used as the Lord has caused them to be recorded, they have intrinsic power that is not communicated when paraphrased. Sometimes when there is a significant need in my life, I review mentally scriptures that give me strength. Sometimes it may be at Mile 21 of a marathon or needing patience with my children...There is great solace, direction, and power that flow from the scriptures, especially the words of the Lord."Jesus then went into the wilderness; Lucifer came tempting Him. Jesus deflected each temptation with scripture." Think on it carefully. When facing Perdition himself, the Lord drew upon scriptures for protection.

"Be Self-controlled" 1 Peter 1:3
(please read 1 Samuel 24 with your children)
Self-Control is making yourself do what you know you should do, and keeping yourself from doing what you know you shouldn't do. King Saul's plan was to kill David. What do you think David might have been thinking when he saw Saul so close to him? What did David's men tempt him to do? Did David choose to use Self Control or not? What happened because of the choice David made? Tell about a time when you didn't do something wrong that you were tempted to do..then ask your children the same....

CURRENT PROJECT ! Project: Chicks for Orphans!! lead by: Jacob Thrasher
We will be introducing in more depth at next Wednesdays meeting, if you have any questions contact them at Micole_thrasher@tx.rr.com

Congratulations Gilbreaths on a Project well done at Samaritan Inn !! lead by: Colin and Aiden Gilbreath

Blessings,5+2, making a difference in the community around us, one step at a time!

David's Example of God-led Leadership

INTRODUCTION

In difficult times take your problems to God – David, provides some insight on how to handle joy and sorrow...what a great lesson for our children?


We are living in difficult times.  The world economy is in the middle of a deep recession.  There are many hot spots in the world that could erupt into war at any time.  Many people are dealing with financial or physical difficulties. Difficult issues come and go for each of us.  Adversity forces us to make choices and decisions that may affect our lives and others for years to come.


How do you handle adversity?  Do you respond with fear, anger or anxiety?  Maybe your response is why me. How should a Christian handle them?  The answer is in the Bible.  The Bible is full of accounts of people dealing with difficulty.  Some handled it wisely and some foolishly.  We can take comfort in knowing that there is a godly way to handle times of trouble.


The first step in dealing with trouble is to take it to God in prayer.  God cares about us and what happens in our lives.  There is nothing that can happen to any of us beyond Gods control.  David provides us with an example of taking our problems to God (we move from praying scripture to memorizing scipture in our prayer section, vital parts to aid in your communication to God and a life long lesson for your children).  The life of David was full of joy and sorrow.  He endured many trials.  Some of his own making and many a part of life.  We can all identify with that.


I’ve always been fascinated by the life of David.  Musician and warrior, poet and king, he is the only person described in the Bible as a “man after God’s own heart” (see 1 Samuel 13:14).  You know, when you read his story, at least for me, I often find myself wondering: What does it take to become a person who chases after God’s heart?  David offers an answer in the shape of his own life . . . a life lived for the glory of God. In battle, he modeled invincible courage. In decisions, he judged with wisdom and integrity.  In loneliness, he wrote with transparent vulnerability and quiet trust.  In friendship, he was loyal to the end.  Whether a humble shepherd boy, a musician in the court of King Saul, or a King himself, he remained faithful and trustworthy.
But his journey with God began in a very unlikely place, because, Bethlehem was a tiny, unimportant town, eclipsed in the shadow of larger cities. And David was the youngest son of Jesse, living in the shadow of his seven brothers.


As Pastor said this past Sunday, David’s early years as a shepherd were lonely, monotonous, and grounded in the messy reality of daily life.  God placed him in the wilderness outside of Bethlehem with smelly, dirty sheep in order to quietly shape and carefully equip him for a future David never could have imagined.  Over time, he developed into a young man whose heart yearned to please God in every way.


You see, greatness is not made through one trial or one victory, it is hammered out over and over on the anvil of daily demands that we face. Most often this work is done alone—in complete obscurity. But God sees every word, every choice, and every action. Devoted hearts are never wasted. When you look through the Bilble you find that God frequently uses the obscure, the broken, or the outcast for some of His greatest work.  And when God looked at young David, out in the middle of nowhere, obeying his father and tending his sheep, He said, “That's my man.”  Then the prophet Samuel anointed David as king over all Israel.


I believe that God has provided biblical accounts of men like David as models for us to follow as we move forward in our spiritual journeys.  The more I look at David's life the more I am inspired to pursue God with renewed passion.


Sit down with your children this week and go through some of Davids life with them, it will take time but stories of his life with help shape a leaders heart in your child, and you will both learn and grow from your time spent together.


Just as God prepared David for the calling on his life, He has continuously developed our 5+2 club to a calling to reach people with the truth of God’s Word and its application.  And like David, we will spend many years following His leading—moment by moment, day by day, and year after year—so that we might fulfill His ultimate will for the ministry of 5+2.  God has been faithful, consistently using familys and children like yours to prayerfully participate and support 5+2 as we seek to follow Him.


Even when you feel that your work is done in obscurity like David’s once was, God sees it all.  And in the same way, we celebrate each and every person who is standing alongside the 5+2 family. No individuals gifting is unimportant; the ministry of 5+2 is supported by people who simply give with what they are spiritually blessed with!


Beth and I want you to know that You are vital to our ministry, so please; don’t count on someone else to do your part. No one can take your place.  Make it a priority to attend each Monthly leadership meeting , Monthly Outreach and attend as a family.


We want to thank all of you for your support and making 5+2 such a success. I believe that you will find our coming meetings to be an inspiring time where we all (as a family) become men and women who diligently seek after God’s own heart.


Thank you for all your efforts you invest in 5+2 with your children. To be who your are today, somebody invested in you..please do the same for your children...




LEADERSHIP


A Leaders Heart


"But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samual 16: 7


The selection of David to be Israel's king illustrates how God often disregards human customs and traditions to accomplish His purposes. By human standards, David, as the youngest son of Jesse, appeared least likely to be considered for a leadership position. But God saw the heart of this young man and knew that His people needed a leader with a tenderness of spirit. David might have become a warrior, but gentleness was his defining trait.


David began his leadership journey as low man on the totem pole.  He did what was asked of him with a great attitude. While his own brothers looked down on him, God lifted him up.  David's life illustrates that faithfulness in small things often results in much larger assignments and greater responsibility down the road.  David loved the Lord and lived his life as a man after God's own heart.




PRAYER


We embark on a new segment in leadership prayer, shifting from praying scripture to memorizing Scripture.
We continue to encourage you to practice praying with your children as we continue on with this new series on memorizing Scripture.  Each week we will memorize a scripture that will aid us in our spiritual battle btwn flesh and spirit. This week we center on temptation.


"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."  Psalm 119:11


To tempt means, "to draw people toward sin by causing them to hope or believe that they will get something good out of it".  Look at temptation Satan tried with Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11.  Did Satan lie, or did he say something true?  If Satan said what was true, why would it have been wrong for Jesus to do it?  Jesus was tempted more than just this one time.  So, how did Jesus fight temptation?  Why do you think he quoted God's Word, the Scriptures?  If Jesus came to show us how to live based on Matthew 4:1-11, how should we fight temptation?


Memorize this scripture with your kids and say it every time temptation rears its face. Thank you for joining us on this journey of memorzing Sciptures over the next several weeks, I'm sure something very exciting will happen.

Blessings,


5+2, making a difference in the community around us, one step at a time!

Commit and Watch God Move

INTRODUCTION

These lessons will be best used when both parent and child interact together, and who knows perhaps you both learn something about each other and grow a little closer.
The lessons are intended to be short, direct and to the point, with the hope that the parents will make the lesson suitable for their own particular child, but, maintaining the overall emphasis..
Thank you for your time, contributions and the difference you are making in our community through 5+2.


LEADERSHIP
Commitment your first step:
But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God."  Ruth 1:16

While every 5+2 project leader needs money and human resources (people) to reach his or her goals, commitment should always precede those resources.
When it is your family's project month, be sure as a leader to demonstrates a commitment to the mission and goals of the organization, for that is when God will move and a whole stream of events will begin to flow.

In the very first chapter of the book that bears her name, Ruth chooses to stay with Naomi, her mother- in-law, even after she loses her husband.  She didn't know it, but her commitment would lead to all kinds of open doors.  Ruth finds work during a difficult time, makes friends in a foreign land, and eventually gains a new husband, Boaz.  Most impressively, God includes her -a Moabite adopted into the family of Israel-in the line of Christ.  The child she bore became part of the lineage of the Messiah.
The key?  Commitment.  Once a leader definitely commits, God moves and all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings, people, and material assistance will begin to stream forth.

PRAYER
There are many ways to communicate to God through prayer, and praying scripture is the at the very foundation.  There is no single "right way" to do it. These prayers are appropriate to pray for yourself, a single person, or for two or more people at the same time.  We can pray God's word verbatim, or as a paraphrase using our own words.  Praying scripture keep God's Word at the center of our prayers, so that we are praying according to his will and his ways.  Here is a prayer for Spiritual Growth and Maturity.
Scripture:
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1John 4:18
"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,.." Eph 3:18

Paraphrasing scripture:
Father, I/we pray for______ .
Thanks you for your perfect love. Help ____ to be aware of your love, and
to experience that love in a real and tangible way.
Help ______ to realize that your love is so big, so long and wide, so high and deep, that_____ will
never understand it. Yet, may ______ know how much you love ______ ( him/her /them) with absolute certainty.
Most especially, help _________to return Your love, to love you will all _______(his/her/their) heart, mind, soul and strength. Matt 22:37


5+2, making a difference in the community around us,one step at a time...
Blessings
5plus2kidsclub@gmail.com
http://www.5plus2club.com/

Are You Listening?

INTRODUCTION

As the first installment of our weekly leadership email, this email will start off with a brief introduction on format, content, and intended use of these emails.
Each email is broken into three sections, Introduction, leadership and Prayer.
These emails are intended to better equip our children and ourselves to be better leaders and fuel spiritual growth.

Leadership- Each email will put emphasis on a particular leadership trait that is further emphasized during the monthly 5+2 meeting.

Spiritual Growth- Emphasis on spiritual growth will initially emphasize prayer, the cornerstone of our faith.


Each one of you on this email distribution has been designated as a leader within the 5+2 kids club (or your children have)..
These lessons will be best used when both parent and child interact together, and who knows perhaps you both learn something about each other and grow a little closer.
The lessons are intended to be short, direct and to the point, with the hope that the parents will make the lesson suitable for their own particular child, but, maintaining the overall emphasis..ie this week is being a "good listener"..
Thank you for your time, contributions and the difference you are making in our community through 5+2.


LEADERSHIP
Good Leaders are Good Listeners.
Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you.
Exodus 18:19


As the leader of a 5+2 project or a team leader asked to do something for a project , you set the tone for communication.  A leader's communication must be consistent, clear, and courteous.  But leaders must also be good listeners. When leaders don't listen...

• They stop gaining wisdom.
• They stop "hearing" what isn't being said.
• Team members stop communicating.
• Their indifference begins to spread to other areas.
• Ultimately, poor listening leads to hostility, miscommunication, and a breakdown of team cohesion.

How are your listening skills?  Parents, give both you and your child a comprehensive review of your listening skills.  Remember, to expand your feedback to include their ability and willingness to listen to you, their friends, and the kids they lead.  If you don't get good grades on all fronts when you review yourself, then quiet down, listen up, and work to become a better communicator.


PRAYER
There are many ways to communicate to God through prayer, and praying scripture is the at the very foundation.  There is no single "right way" to do it. We can pray God's word verbatim, or as a paraphrase using our own words, or as an inspiration for extemporaneous prayers.  Praying scripture keeps God's Word at the center of our prayers, so that we are praying according to his will and his ways.  His promise is that when we do, we can have whatever we ask!
So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11


Scripture:"Lean not on your own understanding, but, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path" Prov. 3:5-6


Paraphrasing scripture:
Father, help______ not try to figure things out on his/her own.
Help him/her to turn to you for guidance in every decision he/she has to make.
Show him/her how clearly you will help him/her understand what to do, if he/she will only pray and ask for your help.


We have chosen to start with paraphrase scripture, that this will help knit your children's heart's desire with the will and desire of our Father.  Perhaps this will even expand and increase your use of scripture in your prayers. May your prayers be strengthened in their effectiveness.
At the end of each week we will provide a paraphrasing scripture along with a leadership trait in an effort to improve our leadership and spiritual growth within 5+2.

Blessings
"5+2, making a difference in the community around us,one step at a time..."
5plus2kidsclub@gmail.com
http://www.5plus2club.com/