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Kristin Charles

Children’s Books That Engage True Princesses

08 September | by Kristin Charles
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My three-year old is sleeping right now, all snuggled up under her beloved princess blanket.  Most likely, her dreams have set her on a frantic search for Cinderella’s lost slipper in a faraway land.  I adore this stage of her life – the tea parties, the dress-up gowns, the pretend play and the creativity.  However, [...]

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Building Self-Control : A Lesson Plan for Children’s Church

05 September | by Kristin Charles

Objectives:  To define self-control and lack thereof.  To identify tools that the students can use to build self-control.  To develop students who display self-control in their personal lives.  This lesson is geared towards a children’s church classroom setting of 1st -5th graders.
Materials:  A game like Jenga or Operation, cardboard bricks or building blocks with words [...]

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International Justice Mission: Defending Children from Abuse Globally

01 September | by Kristin Charles
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Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”  That quote unsettles me, partly because it describes me.
International Justice Mission (IJM) is an organization that allows you to extend that influence  to vulnerable children around the world.  Their purpose is articulated in Isaiah 1:17, “Seek [...]

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5 Simple Relationship Builders for Children’s Ministry

02 August | by Kristin Charles
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There’s no doubt – if you want an effective children’s ministry, you have to build relationships.  Though relationships take time,  here are five simple ideas you can utilize to demonstrate Jesus’ love to your students.
1.  Remember birthdays – Send out birthday cards/postcards to the children in your ministry.  Get a silly birthday hat from a [...]

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Children’s Development From Age 0-3

30 July | by Kristin Charles
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Children learn through play.  They’re naturals.  It’s us adults that sometimes need help!  We’ve forgotten how.  Plus it’s difficult to know how much babies and toddlers understand anyway.
Next time you serve in the nursery, play with your own little tikes, or take care of children this age, use these developmental ages and stages as a [...]

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Compassion International: One Way To Welcome Children In Jesus Name

25 July | by Kristin Charles
compassion international

These are verses that we all know too well.  So well that we might not even read them.
“He took a little child and had him stand among them.  Taking him in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not [...]

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Church Summer Reading Programs for Children

24 July | by Kristin Charles
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Libraries all over the nation conduct summer reading programs, so why shouldn’t we?  There is a plethora of quality literature out there and children looking for something to do.  All they need is a little encouragement!
Goals: Summer reading allows children to maintain skills and develop a lifelong love for books.  Reading also allows students to [...]

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5 Creative Sunday School Activities Using Post-It Notes

22 July | by Kristin Charles
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I think we’ve all been there.  We’re finished with our prepared lesson and there is still a LOT of time remaining.  There are also a LOT of children staring up at you, anxiously awaiting their next activity.
Next time you’re caught with too much free time, here are some fun and easy activities to do with [...]

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Children’s Sermons In A Sack

26 June | by Kristin Charles
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I’m not certain who first coined the idea of “Sermons in a Sack,” but if you need a break from the usual children’s sermons, this is a good alternative for summer. These kids messages in a sack are creative, interactive ways of sharing Bible lessons, scripture passages, or characteristics of God.  It’s an object lesson, [...]

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In Pursuit of What Matters

17 June | by Kristin Charles
Serving Others and Following Jesus

Do you ever find yourself forgetting what is most important? I know I do. My keys, my debit card, my license. Yep, they have all been lost this week to my husband’s horror. But at least I haven’t yet forgotten our kids anywhere. Or maybe I have.
Sometimes I beam with [...]

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Family Ministry Idea: Send Barnabas Bear On Vacation

10 June | by Kristin Charles
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Here is a great way to encourage family discipleship over the summer vacation. It’s also a fun approach to stay connected with children. If you are looking for creative family ministry ideas, then this post is for you – all this from one helpful little teddy bear.
Barnabas Bear travels along with families to their summer [...]

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12 Practical Ways to Help Families in Crisis

30 May | by Kristin Charles
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Was I the only one who sat glued to the season premier of Jon and Kate Plus Eight the other night? After all the media hype, I had to see what was going on. Though I’m not a regular follower of the show, it broke my heart to see two sad, distant, and [...]

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Thank You For Your Sacrifice

25 May | by Kristin Charles

Memorial Day has traditionally been a day set aside to honor brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we hold dear in the United States. As GK Chesteron said, “Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness [...]

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