The faith of children amazes me! This semester I taught a group of kindergartners. The open hearts with which they welcomed the Gospel message was striking. With wide eyes and full attention, they listened and believed God’s Word – just like that! I can’t help but wish that as adults we were as easily impressed by the wonders of God’s Word. I see why Jesus said, “unless you…become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
As adults we need to prove, test, and question. These children had questions too, but their questions showed belief, not unbelief. Here are some of the questions our volunteers were asked. How would you answer them?
“If Jesus is alive, why is He still on the cross?” (pointing to picture of Christ on the cross)
“Does God eat?”
“How do I know which prayers I need to do [the sign of the cross] and which ones I don’t.”
“My mom’s friends died. It was from drugs. I guess they didn’t go to heaven, did they?”
“Why did God make the terrible (pronounced “tewwible) dinosaurs?”
Our Good News Clubs are full of children with questions, children with simple faith. Jesus said the fields are “ripe unto harvest”, but the “laborers are few.” We see this to be true in our clubs and camps. We are praying, as Jesus told us to, for more laborers. Are you one of those whom He is calling? Call the CEF office to find out how you can be involved. It’s time to be part of the harvest!
Linda
Elizabeth’s Corner:
This month feels like it has been a whirlwind! In Good News Club® we began learning lessons about the life of Jesus. I learned that, even though all four children at club know a lot of the stories of Christ’s work on earth, they love to go a little more in depth and learn the context of the stories. When learning about Jesus turning water into wine, they loved hearing how weddings in that time period would have been different than weddings today. They all said that they learned something new.
When the schools announced they were closing for 2 weeks, I was unsure of what that looked like for me. However, God always provides, and I am blessed to be able to be helping to reorganize the lending library here in the office during the time off. With all of the uncertainty around the COVID-19 situation, the Scripture that comes to mind is 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” What a great reminder that God is in control and that in the middle of a time when a lot of people are feeling afraid, we have the chance to show the love of God.
The Community Aid:
The Community Aid bin is located at:
1315 Long Run Road
(Route 443 West)
Friedensburg PA 17933
Community Aid takes donations of clothes and sells them in their stores. What is not sold is bundled and donated overseas. CEF of Schuylkill County receives $ .04 a pound.
Another Goodbye.
In 2017 Pastor Justin Whitenight joined the CEF local committee. I met him several years prior when I visited the church where he served as the youth pastor. He already knew all about CEF and valued the ministry, so when he was asked to share youth devotions at Good News Day Camp in Auburn, he immediately said, “yes.” Pastor Justin also served as a leader of the youth retreats we held in the springs of 2015 through 2018.
We will miss his quiet leadership. He has a passion for ministry and seeing the youth come to know Christ as Savior and to grow in their relationship to Him. Join us in praying for Pastor Justin, his wife Beth and their children Emma and Craig as they begin to minister in a new area outside of Schuylkill County.