Breaking the Chains in Jesus' Name: Children's Ministry Lesson/Craft

I've really started to get involved with my local church and I absolutely love it. I've never felt better, and more secure about who I am and what I am supposed to be doing.

As David once said, "One day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I'd rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God, than live the good life in the homes of the wicked." (Psalm 84:10 NLT)

Serving in the Children's Ministry, just helps me to keep my focus and priority on God. I love him, and this is how I can show him that I do. I can serve his people with gladness.

Ok, so with that, I was blessed with this idea about using Jesus Name to Break the Chains in our lives.

Have you ever heard that song Break Every Chain, by Jesus Culture? You should. Click on the title for the YouTube link. For me, I find it to be a very powerful song.

Lyrics to the Song

There is power in the name of Jesus, to break every chain! Powerful, isn't it! Praise the Lord for that ability! Can you ever learn that soon enough?

I wanted to teach the children about being able to use the power and authority of Jesus name. How we, as believers, are more than over comers.

There are so many bible verses to look at where it talks about using Jesus name for power and authority. I chose these two as an example, and yes, there are more and probably better ones to use, but I chose these two.

I have really started to enjoy looking at the meanings of words. Especially in how they apply to the bible. I looked up the the English and Greek words for power and defined them.

Each kid, got a copy of all three of these items. We read them aloud and discussed them as a class. I wanted them to understand how to apply this to them. I remember when I was younger, that I would read something and sometimes I never really took the time to understand what it was I actually read. Then other times, I just kind of sat puzzled at what I had just read and then dismissed looking into it further.

After we had talked about the verse and what it means to have the power to use Jesus name, we then applied it to breaking the chains!

We made up 20 paper chains before hand (we used craft glue to hold them together, because we thought staples might pose a cut risk).

We handed all the kids a few strands of chains, and had them name something they wanted broken off of their life. For example, one was afraid of the dark.

With his chain in hand we said together with him, "I break the chain of fear in the name of Jesus," and then he pulled apart the chain.

Of course, with kids, just pulling it apart isn't enough, they had to completely rip the chain to shreds. Which was completely fine by me!!!

BTW-If you LOVE the shirt, check out Sweet Pea ala Mode's shop!!!!

After all the chains had been broken we took all the remnants and threw them up in the air like party confetti! We just celebrated the fact that we had destroyed the chains and burdens in our lives. What an awesome day!

We all had such a wonderful time, and I hope that if you can use this activity and event for your church, that you enjoy it as much as we did!

Let me know if you enjoyed this, or have ideas to make them better! I love being able to share with all of you!

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I've Changed My Mind

Over the past year, well, really two years, I've been under going a caterpillar like transformation.

I've become an adult. Like, a real one. Having children, buying a house, being married-the whole package. Um, reverse that order.

I've also learned that I've got incredible power and strength. I've found out that I'm an amazing person. I'm not saying this to sound arrogant or proud, I'm saying this because it's true of all of us!

I noticed during the beginning parts of being a mom, when all those sleepless nights seemed to drag on for weeks, months and even years, that I just kind of was lost.

I felt at times, I wanted to be joyful, but found myself being hateful and jealous instead.

I would see photos of other people on family vacations on Facebook, and as much as I wanted to be happy for them, I just sat there and was just so jealous!

Jealous is an evil thing. No good comes from it. I am a big runner, so let me put this analogy into a form that I can relate.

When I found myself in jealous feelings and thought, I realized that, for me, it was like running circles around a track. The two mile, or even the one mile run around the track, just kind of sucked for me. 

The two mile was always the first even at our track meets. This event always seemed to be the one no one cared about, and honestly, I always kind of felt like someone was just kind of laughing at me as I would pass them and do laps.

Just like a track, running circles in a hamster wheel gets you no where.

Jealous is a lot like that-you keep circling around and around and around. You keep seeing the same things and keep feeling the same things and it never gets better. You're in the unloved event. Sometimes it seems like it's the most pointless two miles ever. 

Every once in a while, you'd have a friend try and cheer you on for a few laps, but they never really stayed for the whole course. I can't say I blame them. It gets old.

So does feeling and thinking jealously.

I've learned on those days, when I was running around the jealousy track, that Bitterness and Hate would always show up to be my only cheerleaders. The Enemy at his finest. You know, when that's who you have cheering you on, you find that you will run yourself into the ground. When you cross the finish line and turn back to look at them, they're both just standing there clapping their hands, laughing at you. See it doesn't bother Bitterness or Hate. In fact, they loved it! They knew the longer you circled around that track and them, the worse off you'd feel when you finally stopped, and they knew exactly how you'd affect everyone else in your life because of it.

They're really sneaky. 

I was absolutely tired of letting something so small and insignificant steal my joy. Besides, there will always be someone who has a "nicer" house, "better" car, "more talent," and so on and so forth.

Besides stealing my joy about life, I noticed that I was poisoning my relationships around me. I wasn't being thankful for the amazing job my God does at providing for us. I wasn't thankful to husband for all his hard work, that he does every day.

I needed to start transforming my mind! I found Dr. Caroline Leaf's program-The 21 Day Brain Detox. Wow! I watched this video on her first, and I was just floored. She explains amazing scientific discoveries in a very simple way!

The toxic thoughts we have in our brains, like jealousy, hate and all the rest of the negative junk, affect our brains AND bodies in a negative way! But, we as amazing, God created beings, can actually change the way we think!! We are not victims about how our brain thinks, WE CONTROL OUR BRAINS! Not the other way around.

I thought, "This is exactly what I need!" I started this program two months ago and I have absolutely noticed a huge difference!

I have been able to completely kill of those thoughts of jealousy. I have noticed that I am so much happier for EVERYONE! Including myself.

I can see people that get a new home and think, "That's just so awesome for them! They totally needed it!"

Someone else gets a new job I can easily say, "I'm so thankful that God blessed them and they have something so wonderful!" And most importantly, I sincerely mean all of those things. I can say it with a heart filled smile. It isn't generic. It is genuine.

Day by day, with her program I totally started to see myself killing all these nasty things.

Again, using a running analogy, I ran cross country as well. With feelings and thoughts of Jealousy, it was like running two miles around a circle track. You never went anywhere. You just finished and felt tired and exhausted and just "Eh."

But, after starting and finishing this program, I noticed that it was a lot like a cross country race. I may have run two miles, but I got to see so many cool things along the way. 

Beautiful possibilities of countryside.

Sometimes, when I was running, I would find myself so amazed at the landscape that it was hard not to be drawn to the beauty of the countryside. Or laugh at a cow that you'd just passed by!

In cross country races you'd find yourself running up and downhills, around buildings, going here there every where! Kind of like a Dr. Seuss book. I remembered when I finished the race I had such a sense of accomplishment and it was always fun to see all the different people cheering you on! No one got bored watching you run circles, no-your friends would run to keep up with you! They'd race around the track to keep cheering you on.

When you were done, you were smiles. You knew where you started and you knew exactly how far you'd gone. 

That's what this program does. It takes you on a journey-it helps you conquer your hills and it cheers you on along the way. I makes you enjoy the journey and discover things along the way that make you realize how awesome and how much power you really have!

Additionally, you help to change the people around you. When you start to become a non-jealous person, filled with positive thoughts, you attract more people to you. People who want that feeling too!

I'm already almost done with my second toxic thought and I can't wait to just keep continuing my positive journey! Life doesn't seem to be the rat race it once was. I have an incredible sense of peace now. Joy. God has truly blessed me and my family! I have fully started to appreciate all his Glory and Wonder for our lives and those around us! What an amazing thing to feel.

If you are struggling with these same types of thoughts, try this program! I promise you, you will see the difference in your life!!!  This might be one of those things that I need to "giveaway," on my blog, because this is really what my life and journey on here has been all about.

Be the change that needs to happen. Be the change for someone else. Let's help each other!

Have you had thoughts that you've struggled with that just affect your whole life? Your relationships? Do you ever just feel tired of thinking and feeling that way? 

I'd love to hear your stories or comments. Have you heard of her program and tried it?

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We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)


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Children's Ministry: Jesus Gets Excited When We Pray!

Looking for some fun lessons for teaching children (and getting them excited!) about Jesus, can kind of be difficult. Especially when you have children in your classroom that can range in age from three months to almost 6th grade.

I found this on Pinterest- Fizzy Forgiveness Prayer Station.

What I really loved about this was the fact that you can take something relatively easy to find (fizzy tablets) and turned it into something really cool!

Kids LOVE fizz. Even I as an adult, feel child like exuberance when I see fizz. There is something just so awesome about effervescence. 

I took this fizz idea and made it my own. Sometimes to come up with a cool idea, we just need a little help from above-and others!

My lesson was to teach children about prayer. I don't think you can stress enough, the importance of building a strong relationship with our Lord. Prayer does this along with reading His word.

Welcome to the lesson of:
 "Jesus Gets Excited When You Pray!"

I used 1 Timothy 2:1-6 (NLT). I wanted to stress that Jesus hears all prayers, not just prayers that come from adults, and we should pray for everyone!

Also, I wanted the children to understand what praying actually means. I looked up and printed out the definition, and some easier words, to help describe what it means to pray.

After we took turns reading and discussion what prayer means and how it applies to the verse I showed the kids what happens when we pray.

I used two glasses and filled them with some regular tap water and for extra "fizz" some sparkling water.

I went to our local City Market and bought these Alka Seltzer generic tablets. We got 30 tables for roughly $2. I wanted to make sure we had enough for two child, at the very least.

I allowed the children to pick what color we would make the water-they chose green, purple. My children at home chose orange.

I had them gather around and I said, "Tell me how this makes you feel." I dropped a tablet into the water and it immediately began to fizz.

The excitement on their faces was extremely evident and also, they said it was pretty cool.

I asked them if it was exciting to watch the fizz, and they all said, "Yes!"

I told them, that every time we pray to Jesus, that's how he feels. He feels excited, because we're building a relationship with him. We're talking to him, we're including him in our lives. Jesus loves us so much and he wants to be a part of our lives.

I handed each kid two tablets (there are two in each pack) and said that each one of us could pray together for someone or about something in their lives. I also gave them personal discretion that if they didn't feel comfortable praying out loud, we would just pray in agreement silently with them.

To watch the kids pray with excitement was just amazing! I know it partly had to do with the fizzy tablets they got to play with, but we also got to watch them gain understanding that praying is a good thing. Praying can be fun!

If it's fun to go to the movies, shouldn't it be fun to spend time praying to God too? I think so!

Also, I told the kids, after we had gotten into a few prayers, that we needed to be quiet and listen. They could hear the fizzing noise in action. I said sometimes that's how God works. He answers our prayers, but sometimes we have to be quiet and listen. God is a gentleman and he never forces us to do anything.

At the end of the class, I allowed the kids to save up their fizzes and they all dropped their remaining ones in together to see if they could over flow the water (which of course they managed to do! I'm pretty sure that was the one silent prayer we had!!).

We finished up the lesson with another coloring page from TwistyNoodle! I mentioned them before in our Lamb of God lesson we did over Resurrection Sunday.

I hope you found this fun and can some how use it to teach your kids about how awesome and amazing Jesus Christ is!

Just an FYI-I have a few left over tablets and I kept the orange glass out for our kids, and when they pray I let them drop a fizz into the water. 

Make sure to monitor your kids too! If you use the alka seltzer tablets, make sure they don't eat them or drink the water that you use. I'm not sure what exactly could happen, but we don't need to try to imagine it either!

Have fun sharing and learning about God! I'd love to hear your ideas or how you've incorporated this into your own lessons and teaching!

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Birthday Treats for YOU to Share!

*******This is now over! Thanks for participating!!!*********
Congrats, Allison E!!! Message ME!


Again, my 3oth birthday is right around the corner.

Since I really love to give people gifts, I'm treating this birthday as the mother of all giving, birthdays. Think back to when you were in elementary school-remember how weird it was that YOU had to bring the treats to celebrate your birthday. (I never really understood that, until I found out how awesome it really was to give than to receive!) 

I want to treat one of YOU, instantly, to a gift of coffee or appetizers with a girlfriend, or whatever!

It is so important that we as women (or men too!), mom's and friends, get together for some good companionship! We really can understand each other and every once in awhile we need to get out of the house! If not for just the sake of your sanity, do it for the sake of your wardrobe! You know you have some cute jeans, shoes, earrings or something that you want to wear out! (Guys, we know you love wings....)

What you'd win:
I'm giving away one $10 Yiftee. Check these out here!

How do you win it:
Comment on this blog down below why you really need to see a friend for coffee! (Only one comment per person!) Be sure to leave your name so that if you win I can get a hold of you!!

For additional entries:
Like me on Facebook and leave a comment that you did.
Share me on Facebook and leave a comment that you did!

You can have a total of three entries to win!

Ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 7th, 2013. 
This is only good for US residents (Sorry anyone else, but that doesn't mean I don't love you too!).

Also, this is in no way sponsored by Yiftee or Facebook. This is of my own generosity.

Don't forget my other giveaway-A Diamond Candle! Go check out my post, and don't forget to enter!

"They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,"

1 Timothy 6:18

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Marshmallow Heart Stamps

You know how awesome your Sweet Potato Casserole, with the marshmallow topping tastes? Amazing, right?

We have it for all the major holidays, and of course, a few special occasion dinners in-between.

We once in awhile, don't use all the marshmallows. I know! Crazy, right? Why wouldn't you use all of them? We also, sometimes, don't use mini marshmallows. Can't help it, the big ones seem more, multi-functioning.

I ran out of toilet paper rolls to do heart stamps. (I didn't actually run out, my husband found my stash and threw them away. He thinks I hoard garbage. But toilet paper rolls are the exception to the garbage rule, don't you agree??)

I was scouring my house looking for ANYTHING that might work to make a heart stamp-and with the help of my 3 year-old-son, we found it. Rock hard, old, marshmallows!

If you squeeze them together at the bottom, and push in the dent for the "top" of the heart, you can eventually get the shape of a heart.

See, squishy marshmallow heart stamper.

If you're in a pinch, these work pretty well. A little side note-globs of paint, don't show the heart shape very well, at all! Make sure the paints are spread pretty thin, to actually make it "stamp."

Also, please supervise the kids-mine wanted and tried to eat them...even with the paint. And, even with them being rock hard. What can I say, kids love marshmallows.

By the way-Have you entered my **giveaway**on Facebook?!
It pays off to follow me! Check out this post, and find out what I'm giving away!

I'd love to hear comments of how this worked out for you! Or what you're up to, how you're feeling. Just any comment is always fun!

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Need a Valentine's Idea for your Man? Check out my gift, last year!

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

Matthew 5:8

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Happy Birthday....to YOU!

Remember, back in school, when it was your birthday and you had to bring treats to share with everyone?

That's kind of what I'm doing with my birthday! I'm sharing. With a lot of people!

I have a big activity planned to kick off the big 3-0! The new decade of being awesome.

In honor of this, one of you lucky readers will be the recipient of my first gift. 

I'm giving to someone, a NEW Honeydew Melon Diamond Candle! (BTW this candle smells so sweet, I almost want to EAT IT, instead of light it!) Never heard of these you say? Well, let me just fill in the blanks for you!

They are soy candles, that smell awesome! But, not only do they smell, they have a ring inside it! 

These very well could be a new addiction for me. I got one for my sister for Christmas. And one for myself, too!

My sister isn't a very patient person and literally dug into her candle to get her ring. It was a really gorgeous $10 one, but still, she also has a nice smelling candle too!

Her New Ring!

Anyhoo-they AREN'T sponsoring this or part of this in any way. I just thought, since I'm pretty sure you're all women who read this, that one of you, if not all of you, would really enjoy this candle! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!



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Felt Gingerbread Ornaments (ok, an Egg Carton Snowman Ornament too!)

So, I'm not overly crafty. I've stated this many times before in my blog. Like here, and here.

But, with the holidays upon us, I felt the need to attempt to make ornaments. I'm trying to do this every year for/with the kids. Last year, we made a snowman ornament, out of pipe cleaners, felt, ribbon and an egg carton.

See, painting the egg carton.

Finished product. Snowman, via felt, pipe cleaners, ribbon.

Just take the egg carton and cut out the three piece for the snowman.

Paint the snowman.

Glue on arms, and nose.

Glue on scarf.

Write date and name of child on the inside, and hang with ribbon.

Viola! You, are a master crafter now!

This year, I thought I'd try to carry on this tradition, but with something a little more, stable. You see, I have two small children. Last year, I had two small children too, but one couldn't get to the tree and the other one didn't seem as fascinated with it, as he has been this year.

This snowman ornament has come off the tree several times this year already, and I'm afraid for it's life. Poor guy. It's like he's a real snowman, and every time one of the kids touches him, it's the equivalent of someone holding a blow dryer to the real Frosty.

The idea I had this year, actually came from a decoration I pulled out-gingerbread men.

They seem easy enough to make right? I thought of making it out of felt, to ensure its longevity. I found a gingerbread template on Kaleidoscope of Color's Blog that looked really simple.

I printed it out on card stock. I cut out my little gingerbread man template, and then traced him onto felt.

They are holding hands. 

Pretty easy huh? I know, I know. We are amazing crafters, huh? People will be amazed at our awesomeness.

After I did four gingerbread men cut outs (I doubled them up, to re-enforce the ornament. Remember, thinking kids and longevity.), I took more felt and started to cut out the facial features.

I used the bottom of the gingerbread man foot to make the smile. And the eye brows.

How can you not want to make one of these?

Wasn't sure about black eyes, or googly eyes.

I am going googly eyes! The kids go crazy over these eyes.

Have some Christmas Twine to hang on the tree! 

After cutting out some pink cheeks and red cheeks (pink for my daughter, and red for my son), I also cut out little circles for the buttons down the front. I let the kids pick out which felt colors they liked. 

I couldn't decide on the eyes. I had some black eyes, which you can see in the photos up above, and then I pulled out my container of googly eyes. 

(If your kids are like mine, you might consider just giving them googly eyes to play with. They ran wild and played non stop with them for about an hour and a half. My son's room looked like a graveyard of googly eyes, because they were ALL OVER THE FLOOR! Apparently, they're fun to hold, shake, stack, throw, put in a bulldozer, garbage truck, hauler, loader, Buzz Light Year's Helmet, and Oh! So much more!)

After careful consideration, I went with googly eyes. I did debate about sewing these, but, I thought since I was going to have to glue the eyes and the twine on, I could just go ahead and do the whole thing. You might be able to see it, but I did have some issues with my hot glue gun. (I have not gotten my master glue gun crafter certification yet, so pardon the big glue goop spots.)

The kids LOVE these. They have made their way off the tree already and have taken rides on the school bus and in the tractor. Who knew gingerbread men were so social?

Enjoy making these! They're pretty cute. How can you not smile back at these awesome little guys?!

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"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2:10-11

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Simplify! My Life Lesson with Stuff

If you follow me on Facebook, (and of course you should) you'll see that I was posting about the Simplifying Challenge.

I tried to take part in the week long challenge of getting rid of 8 items, every day, for a week. (I had heard about this from a friend, who heard it from another friend.) Also, after I googled, I found it on this website, The Everyday Minimalist.

I didn't say I didn't succeed, I just said I tried. When I started in my bathroom, I got rid of more than 8 items (you know all those dental flosses and mini tubes of toothpaste you get from the dentist?). That was really easy.

Then that night, as I sat and thought about my next task (my closet) I really felt anxious. I try to go through my closet often, but I find that I get so attached to my clothes. You know, you dig into the back and pull out a sweater from 2001, sigh, and think, "I remember that winter, when I got this sweater, and how awesome it was. The sun was sparkling just right, and I had my first (fill in the blank) and it was just the best winter EVER!"

Then, as that memory is fresh and new with all those feelings, you look at it and say, "Well, you know, I could TOTALLY wear this again. I can dress it up to be in style now." And with that statement, it goes right back into the BACK of the closet, where it will sit again, until we reminisce about it another day. Of course, without ever WEARING it.

But, back to my simplifying. I've been having quite the change of heart lately. I know it's because of several different things, but mostly because of the Lord. 

My husband laughs (not all the time) and calls me a hoarder. I beg to differ, because I'm totally NOT! And really, you should see his garage. Oye!

But, I honestly still have clothes from when I was in 8th grade (just to give you some perspective, I'll be 30 in just a wink of an eye). Pretty sure B.U.M. Equipment long sleeved shirts aren't still trending ANYWHERE! (Please feel free to laugh now.)

But, when I started this little challenge, I thought it would just be good to clean up a little and donate our items. Change is good. But I also realized, that perhaps it was meant as something more.

I tend to get so wrapped up in stuff. Mostly, just trying to make sure I have enough like everyone else. I felt that God was giving me a mission. He was saying, "Get rid of it. There are others out there who need it more, and I will always provide for you."

It was like a breathe of fresh air. Maybe some of you don't know what I'm talking about. But, I honestly felt that's what he was telling me in my heart.

The next morning, after my evening revelation, I set forth to doing it. I knew that if I didn't do it that day, that I would come up with more excuses as to why keeping all this stuff, would be OK. And I didn't want to keep doing that same old thing anymore. I wanted to break that cycle of clinging to the old, unused, unloved stuff.

This was difficult, but I did it. I have virtually an empty closet. I have a few pairs of jeans, work out clothes, and a few dresses and tops. Pretty bare. I even went through my jewelry drawers. Socks-ditto. (I had socks with bows on them. Yep, another phase. Moving on...)

I had a few different piles-homeless shelter, Salvation Army and rags.

When I went to drop everything off, again, I knew it needed to happen that day. I felt a little sadness as I approached the first drop off. But, as I got out of the car, I felt a rush. An "Out with the Old and in with the NEW!" I knew I was doing the right thing.

Someone else could use this stuff. They didn't just have to sit in my closet as old memories, collecting dust.

When I got home and took inventory of what I'd actually done, I was kind of in awe. I missed none of it. What a relief!

This was a new step for me. Laugh if you want to, but I think God was telling me that by getting rid of my "stuff" that I was clinging so hard to, I was showing him that I have faith in him. That the worldly "stuff," will come and go, and that I shouldn't be so attached to it.

And when I can be at ease with not being attached to "stuff," life gets a little easier to deal with at times.

There will still be times where I have wants. (What girl DOESN'T?) I still have a Christmas wish list and a few other little things that I'd like to have while here on this Earth, during this very short time. However, they aren't going to define who I am, and how I live my life. They are, in the end, just things. And as a wise man once said, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

So, in one sense, I didn't do the whole week. But in another, I got rid of WAY MORE than just the 56 items I was hoping too!

Happy Simplifying to you all! May you enjoy your new space!


Want some more great stories to check out!?

Blessing Bags, Coffee Surprise!, 1 Timothy 5:8

More Than Generous, Mother's Milk, Flying With Thanks, Coffee Dates, Library Fine, and Encouragement in a Balloon

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