What to do With All Those Christmas Cards?!?!

Has your mailbox been full of beautiful family Christmas cards? Do you ever wonder what to do with them once the season is over? Here's a great idea from our FamilyQuest opening teacher, Mrs. Jess Corkern:

Children (and adults) are so busy and excitable during the Christmas season.  Shopping, concerts, Christmas parties, and busyness sometimes greatly impact a family's normal schedule.  Sometimes we seem to actually   breathe a sigh of relief when we are able to get back to some normalcy when the rush of the Christmas season passes.  Here is a devotional idea for you to do with your children to spend additional time reiterating what the season is actually about.  Remember all the Christmas cards, texts, and Facebook greetings that you got before Christmas?  You opened the card, oohed and aahed over pictures included, quickly read the updates on family and friends, and then tossed the card in a stack to be thrown away or recycled when decorations were being packed up.  This year, keep the card and also write down names of all the people who text or give you a Facebook holiday shout out.  When the holiday is over, select one card daily to slowly look at with your family.  Use that time to reconnect with that person but primarily use it as a time to pray for that person.  When our daughters were young, they would enjoy hearing stories of how their parents knew people that were unfamiliar to them.  It was a great opportunity to share challenges walked together, answered prayers that had been seen, and precious times shared.  We would then lift that family up in prayer being sure to pray for specific needs if known and praying for God to bless and use them in the upcoming year.  Now in this age of social media, it would be especially sweet to notify the friend and let them know that they had specifically been remembered in this way.  Or, your children could make them a card or picture to be mailed to them to let them know they'd been thought about during your family devotions.   Whether a family member, friend, or even a business, letting them know what you have done will inspire and bless them! 

Old Testament Heroes: Gideon, Week 5

This year in FamilyQuest we’ll be looking at some Old Testament heroes of the faith. We’ll see how God took flawed human beings and accomplished great things while showing many, including us, just who He is. These famous heroes faced many hard choices and had to trust God to do miraculous things. We pray that as you study these real, live heroes your families will be encouraged that you, too, can trust God to do the big things that seem impossible to us.

During this unit, we will be looking at Gideon. When we first meet Gideon he is hiding out, frustrated that God has abandoned His people. When God meets with him, he calls him Mighty Warrior. Gideon looked nothing like a mighty warrior at the time! BUT GOD can take even the most insignificant member of the weakest tribe and make him a mighty warrior when that man is willing to trust and obey God. God can do the same with you!

IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!
This unit's giveaway is a bundle of three Family Night Tool Chest books from Heritage Builders. These books will give you great ideas for family nights that will point you to Christ. It will also be a great way to get in your family devotion or family fun event for the workbook! You can enter to win by leaving a comment on the blog sharing your favorite family fun event you've done so far.

Old Testament Heroes: Gideon, Week 4

This year in FamilyQuest we’ll be looking at some Old Testament heroes of the faith. We’ll see how God took flawed human beings and accomplished great things while showing many, including us, just who He is. These famous heroes faced many hard choices and had to trust God to do miraculous things. We pray that as you study these real, live heroes your families will be encouraged that you, too, can trust God to do the big things that seem impossible to us.

During this unit, we will be looking at Gideon. When we first meet Gideon he is hiding out, frustrated that God has abandoned His people. When God meets with him, he calls him Mighty Warrior. Gideon looked nothing like a mighty warrior at the time! BUT GOD can take even the most insignificant member of the weakest tribe and make him a mighty warrior when that man is willing to trust and obey God. God can do the same with you!

Here's a short video you can watch as a family and then discuss:

Gideon's Victory Lap