2026 January-March
Upcoming Events
Discipleship Focus
Discipling your children and teens is a daunting task.
There’s a lot of information out there about how discipleship should be done. i can’t tell you the perfect way to do it because the “perfect” way doesn’t exist except by Jesus. We’re all humans. We all mess up.
Discipleship, at its core, is walking alongside someone as you both go through life and encourage each other to look to God for wisdom and guidance. It seems simple, but, in practice, it is much more difficult.
I found a Lifeway resource that breaks down foundational belief concepts into 10 categories as well as what each age group is able to understand within that category.
This quarter’s focus is:
GOD
I have broken up the information below by age group. The Bible verses that talk about God are the same for each age group, but how their view of the world is developing and what specifics they are able to understand differ by age. To see all of the activities for all of the age groups in one location, click the button below and you will be taken to a page where you can download pdfs.
Younger Preschoolers
(0-2 years old) are:
- Developing a sense of trust as needs are met consistently
- Sensing attitudes and expression of love
- Growing in trust of adults
- Beginning to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors
- Beginning to recognize simple pictures of Jesus
- Singing simple songs about God and Jesus
- Saying thank you to God
- Listening to Bible stories
Middle Preschoolers
(3-4 years old) are:
- Identifying some Bible people and stories
- Understanding that God, Jesus, and the church are special
- Beginning to develop a conscience and are sensitive to feelings of shame and guilt
- Retelling Bible stories
- Recognizing that God and Jesus love people and help people in special ways
- Expressing love for God and Jesus
Older Preschoolers
(5-6 years old) are:
- Remembering Bible stories
- Retelling Bible stories
- Recognizing how God and Jesus love people
- Seeing how God helps people in special ways
- Using the Bible to ask questions about God
- Making life application of Bible verses
- Seeing Jesus as a friend and a helper
- Starting to make conclusions about God
Younger Kids
(7-8 years old) are:
- Seeing Jesus as a friend and helper
- Enjoying learning from the Bible
- Beginning to have a simple understanding of sin
- Seeing consequences to sin
- Beginning to have a simple understanding of the Gospel
- Knowing the right answers but may not understand application
- Interested in finding out more about God and Jesus and His plan of salvation
- Using the Bible to ask questions about God
- Making life application of Bible verses
- Starting to draw conclusions about God
Middle Kids
(9-10 years old) are:
- Asking serious questions about religion
- Developing values
- Learning about being truthful and honest
- Having difficulty making decisions
- Beginning to feel the need for a Savior
- Growing conscious of themselves and of sin
- Wanting to do things the right way
- Thinking in terms of right and wrong more than good and evil
Preteens
(11-12 years old) are:
- Developing concepts of love and trust
- Hearing their conscience
- Developing a value system
- Forming concepts of personal worth
- Seeking spiritual answers
- Making many choices but may not follow through on long-term commitments
- Feeling deeply about their experiences
- Beginning to adopt a religious belief system of their own
Middle Schoolers are:
- Continuing to develop core beleifs and values during these years
- Beginning to think critically about their worldview and the worldviews of others
- Dealing with issues surrounding identity and self-image
- Asking questions about God’s will for their lives
- Learning the social and cultural norms in relationships
- Developing a strong ability to connect Biblical truths to life situations
- Being taught the importance of having boundaries in all spheres of life
- Learning to consistently practice spiritual disciplines
High Schoolers are:
- Comfortable in articulating their beliefs and values to those around them
- Conscientiously aware and socially active regarding the cultural issues surrounding them
- Asking how their faith is consistent or contradictory with other beliefs
- Continuing to develop ideas pertaining to personal identity and self-image
- Learning to navigate social and cultural norms in relationships
- Exercising more independence and looking forward to life after high school
- Learning fiscal responsibility through work and stewardship
- Capable of exercising more leadership responsibilities within the church
Pictures and Videos
I have officially been on staff for a year, and I have had an absolute blast with your kids and teenagers. Thank you so much for trusting me with them, and for allowing me to be part of your family. I put together this video of all the things from this past year that I remembered to capture (because, let’s face it, I’m human, and I didn’t get pictures or videos of EVERYTHING). Please enjoy!
Here’s a link to a Google folder with all of the pictures in it as well. I will leave them uploaded until February 1st, and then I have to pull them down because they take up A LOT of memory. If there’s a picture that you want, though, feel free to grab it while they’re up. You can also reach out to me, and I’ll get it sent to you.
Bible Reading Plan
Reading the Bible as a family is incredibly important. In fact, research from ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) found that families who prioritize reading and studying the Bible together have some pretty significant benefits.
There is a 15% increase in children feeling comfortable talking with their parents about faith, a 20% increase in the amount of quality time that families spend together, and a 12% increase in the parent’s willingness to discuss anything with their children.
With how un-family-oriented our culture is becoming, protecting your families’ relationships is becoming more and more difficult and more and more important.
We’re all human, though. If reading and studying the Bible together every day doesn’t happen, please, please, please don’t beat yourself up about it! Instead, look at it as a great way to set an example of grace for your kids and teenagers.
In my own personal journey with God, there have been many times when I have neglected spending daily time with God. When that happens, I am consumed by guilt and beat myself up, and have 0 grace for myself. Over time, that has actually led to negative feelings about spending time with God because if I can’t do it perfectly, why should I even try? I’m just going to feel worse the next time I mess up.
I’m still working through that. I’m still struggling to remember that God has never once expected me to be perfect. What He does expect is that I will humbly return to Him and ask Him for His help. When I fail to be a perfect Christian, God isn’t surprised. He wants a relationship with me, and He is excited when I choose to spend time with Him.
If God isn’t angry with me for failing to read the Bible everyday, why should I be angry with me?
I have included a simple reading plan for your family this quarter. All of the verses are about God (the spiritual focus for the quarter), and they can be read and discussed several at a time, one at a time, every few days, whatever works for your family. There aren’t enough verses for you to do one every day with no repeats, but if you are interested in a daily reading plan either for yourself or your family, there are countless options available on the internet or in the YouVersion Bible app. If you want a suggestion, I’m happy to offer help.
Also, if you are interested in learning more about the importance of family Bible time, Focus on the Family has a short article that you can read in about 3-4 minutes that even includes some tips for that time.
Kids’ and Teens’ Schedules
I would absolutely love to come support your kids and teenagers in their endeavors. If they have a performance, a game, a competition, an event, basically ANY WAY that I can show up for them, please let me know. I would love to come!
A Word of Encouragement
The Greatest Parents on Earth
by Ron Tranmer
I will never take for granted
How greatly I’ve been blessed;
For when it comes to parents,
Mom and Dad, you are the best!
You nurtured and protected me
And taught me with great care.
And every time I’ve needed you,
You were always there.
If you could look into my heart,
How quickly you would see
The special place you hold there
And how much you meant to me.
May you receive the blessings
You are so deserving of
For your caring and your sharing
and each sacrifice of love.
And may you carry in your hearts
These words forever true…
No parents anywhere on earth
Could be more loved than you.
Despite attitudes, backlash, anger, and a lack of appreciation, I speak from experience when I say that your kids and teenagers just need to know that you’re not going anywhere. When they see over and over again that you will stay present, that nothing they do will scare you away, you become their safe space. And for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, there isn’t a bigger need within a family than to have a safe space.
I love you all, and I am extremely grateful for your presence in your kids’ and teenagers’ lives. If there are specific ways that I can be praying for you, please let me know.
What God Says About Parenting
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Ways to Get and Stay Connected
January 18th starts the Bible 101 class during the Sunday School hour. Even if you miss a week, come! Even if you’re involved in a different Sunday School class, come!
The bulk of the people in this class will be the people who have kids and teenagers. Come build tighter relationships with other parents in our church and allow your kids and teenagers to build relationships with their peers as well 🙂
The nursery is open for birth-4 during Sunday School. We also have two classes downstairs (Pre-K through 2nd and 3rd through 5th). Our 6th-12th graders meet above Faith Hall.
If you’re not sure where these classrooms are, text me or flag me down, and I will JOYFULLY take you to the room and make introductions.
Wednesday night, January 28th, Family Nights start back up. We will eat a free meal (yes, you can come feed yourself and your kids and teens for free without even having to think up a meal or anything!!) at 6:15pm and split into Bible study groups at 7pm. Adults will all meet together in one of the classrooms just off Faith Hall. 6th-12th grade girls and guys meet separately in rooms above Faith Hall. Pre-K through 5th grade meet in 2 separate classes downstairs. Birth-4 will be in the nursery.
Cedar Grove Baptist 