Love Those Children

Author: Lynn Winters

Lynn and her husband live in Benicia California and they attend New Harbor Community Church. Lynn has been married to her wonderful husband Roger for 33 amazing years. Enjoys cooking, quilting and reading. She and her entire family love the outdoors and boating. Lynn works full time outside the home. Has been involved in children, youth and women’s ministries for over 20 years. Her greatest treasures are her adult children Joni, Hans, RJ and Carrie and her very precious grandchildren, Justin 6, Abby 4, and Dalton 1. Passing on their Christian Heritage is one passion she and her Husband love to share with family and friends.

When Melanie first approached me about writing an article for PPP my first response was let me “pray” about it. Then my very next thought was “I couldn’t possibly have anything of value that PPP readers could learn from me.” I pondered a few other negative thoughts for a moment before the Holy Spirit nudged me with another thought. Are you kidding?? Look how much the Lord has done for you and how much mercy he has had on you! With that said, I am grateful to Melanie for giving me the opportunity to think about how much the Lord has done for me and how much mercy he continues to have on me past, present, and future and the same for you.

PPP to me is about passing on to others the wisdom and knowledge we’ve gained from God’s word, and sharing those experiences with others. I have shared each and every article with someone in my life. And have applied some very good teachings to my life because of PPP. I love to hear when someone I sent it to then sent it to someone else!

I have worked in children’s ministries for the last ten years as an Awanna leader and then Cubbie director. My own personal mission statement in working with children in any program has always been that the children feel loved and valued. I want them to know just how special they are and how much they are loved by God. That mission statement is active and alive in my own life with my three precious and beautiful grandchildren, Justin 6, Abby 4, and Roger Dalton 1. My prayer is that they continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus. That they truly know how much the Lord had done for them. So that one day they will tell others how much the Lord can do for them too.

In Cubbies we share the Gospel message. We teach God’s word with great stories from the Bible. We memorize scripture, play games, sing praise songs and do crafts. Prayer is always a part of that time too and I can’t tell you what a privilege it has been to pray with so many children. Over the years I have had quite a few cubbie parents pray with their children to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior while they were in Cubbies. Those children’s names are written in the book of Life and also written on my heart. I remember Nathan sharing with all of us at cubbies when he invited Jesus into his heart when he prayed with his Mom on July 6, 2004. He was very excited to share with me at cubbies what he and his mom prayed.

During their Cubbie time Blake, Rachel, and Rachel (we had three that year)
Isabel, Katy, Olivia, all asked Jesus into their hearts. My grandson Justin also prayed with his Mom, my daughter, to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior in July of 2007. Last year, Malachi came into cubbies and proudly and loudly shared his testimony with all of us! In September 2009 I had the privilege of praying with my own sweet granddaughter Abby. She told me one night after cubbies that she wanted a new heart. When I asked her why she wanted a new heart she told me because hers had sin in it and it’s ugly. We prayed and she confessed her sins. She had a long list and wanted to tell Jesus everything. She then asked Jesus in to her heart and was very, very thankful she got a new heart.

Our children grow up so fast, and our time with them is so precious. Seize the opportunities to teach them to pray, and to remember how much the Lord has done for them! I use the prayer calendar every day and I laminate them and give them away as little gifts. I love to pray the word of God, just insert the name of who you are praying for. This is one of my favorite Prayers Eph. 3:14-21.

I am so grateful the Lord has allowed me to witness children making choices to follow Jesus.

Grandparent Inspired Parenting

Author: Sue Jones
Sue is a pastor’s wife, mother and grandmother. She lives in Tulare, CA with her husband Rich and three dogs. She has two married children so that makes four adult children and one brand new baby granddaughter. Sue has been involved in children’s ministry for over 25 years and holds children’s ministry as one her most important acts of service to the Lord. Sue also home schooled both her children through high school. Their church will soon complete their brand new building which started as a church plant in Tulare, CA in 1993.

In my previous article, Celebrating Friendship, written with my best friend Lynn Winters, we wrote about the joy of lasting friendships established upon praying the Word of God. In that article it was mentioned that God had blessed us both with the privilege of being grandparents.

I have been asked by members of the congregation my husband pastors and by family members, what is the difference I have noticed between parenting and grand parenting?
It goes without saying that you can spoil your grandchildren and then send them home providing opportunities for your grown children to discover more about parenting and the necessity of prayer! (Once a mother always a mother!) No, there is something much simpler and more profound: dedicated time.

When my children were young I resolved to enter their world and gave myself to them through game playing, schooling, church, friends, etc. Although I found this very enjoyable, I still had to limit myself because of all the other ‘responsibilities’ to which I was engaged: wife, teacher, bill payer, homemaker, counselor to other mothers, etc. Even while engaged in interaction with my children these other ‘hats’ I wore continually called out to me.

I have noticed with grand parenting that this ‘tension’ is not so prevalent. I still have my responsibilities of wife, employment, bill payer, homemaker, counselor to other mothers, etc., but when I have the opportunity to be with my granddaughter, all those other roles fade into the background. She receives my focused attention. Grand parenting has impacted my husband as well. If our granddaughter is over and I don’t have dinner made, his attitude is so what. Time with our granddaughter takes precedence over our other activities. We will re-arrange our schedules so that we can be available for her.

I realize that we are able to provide this focused attention because she is not in our care full-time. So what we are able to do as grandparents is not realistic for parents. Yet I believe that there is one area that can be duplicated: focused attention. I believe that every parent can schedule focused time with their child where all other responsibilities can be relegated to the background. No clock watching, no task expectations, no operation on reserve energy. This is purposeful focused attention planned and prayed for. Block it out if need be on your calendar. Leave your house if necessary. Let nothing keep you from providing that unrushed focused time together.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 states: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven (ESV) Let’s take advantage of the season of our children’s lives that the Lord has provided. Don’t wait until you are a grandparent to enjoy focused time.

Next Week's Author: Lynn Winters