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Category: Uncategorized

The Kidologist’s Camp Closet (and CONTEST!)

I am back at Camp Timber-lee! I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been here since 1998, since I’ve only missed a few years but spoke multiple times other years – it’s like a home away from home for me. And while it was once the camp for the kids at my church, it’s now a camp in Wisconsin I fly back to speak at from Colorado – so I guess they like me! I feel like family here, even though I only get to be a small part of the massive operation here for only one week of the year, but I count it an honor and a privilege every time! This year the theme is TRANSFORMED and what a great opportunity to challenge kids to allow God to transform them or some area of their life. I just got all unpacked and moved in after a long day of travel, so I thought – just for fun – I’d post a picture of my closet in my cabin for you to get a glimpse into my style of teaching. Here it is: I’m posting this for a few reasons. First of all – It just looks like…

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Book Review: Emory’s Gift

I am not one to toss around the words “favorite” or “best” lightly or often, so when I say that W. Bruce Cameron’s novel Emory’s Gift is my favorite novel, I mean it quite sincerely. It is TRULY the best novel I have ever read. Never before have I laughed out loud reading a book, turned away from others lest they see my tears, or just cried boldly on a plane because I no longer cared if anyone saw my tears. I have read lines to strangers who had no idea what I was trying to express because they lacked the context, but I didn’t really care, because I just couldn’t keep that line or paragraph to myself. Cameron’s writing style and insight into the mind of a young boy is truly amazing, insightful, and downright hysterical at times. Truly, I am Charlie Hall, the main character – a middle schooler, around whom the book revolves. And I miss him now like I lost a childhood friend I’ll never get to see again. So real did the author make him, and so vivid did he paint his memories, his experiences, his deep loves, such as Kate, a teacher he was…

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So What’s New?

It can be easy to get stuck in a rut. Routine can settle into our lives and we can find ourselves becoming creatures of habit. Life becomes a matter of daily survival instead of an Adventure. On my podcast today, Nicki Straza, my Canadian sister, joins me as we discuss how to discover NEW things, the importance of trying NEW things, and most importantly, allowing God to do a NEW thing in you. Let me encourage you to check it out!

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A New Awana Sparky App!

As I recently blogged, I’m a huge Awana supporter and grateful for its impact in my life personally as a child and in the ministries I have led. Of course, like Awana, I’m a huge fan of reaching boys and girls for Jesus. I’m also a huge fan of my iPad and my iPhone. So, how excited could I BE when Awana started making Apps for the iPhone and iPad. (and, that other mobile OS too, what it’s called, Robot? AI? Droid?) First, they had the 100% Free Gospel App, which was fitting, since the Gospel is free, after all. And it adapts for the age of the person you are sharing the Gospel with. It works for adults, teen or children and has an iPhone and iPad version. Every Christian should have this on their device so they are “Always prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks… the reason for the hope that you have.” (I Peter 3:15) But now, Awana has released a BRAND NEW app called the Sparky App – and if you listen to my latest Kidmin Talk Webcast, you can even WIN A FREE download! The Sparky App is a very cute storybook…

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Day 17 – Thankful for Awana and Sunday School

This is part of a series called 24 Days of Thankfulness. These posts are in RANDOM order, NOT priority order. Each is something I am thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving. DAY #17 : Awana and Sunday School I was just serving at an Awana last night in Colorado Springs. I was reminded as I watched these clubbers of the impact of Awana in my own spiritual journey as I realized how blessed these kids are – and they don’t even realize it yet. For them, it’s just something fun their parents have enrolled them in. Yet they are having a spiritual foundation laid that is going to serve them for the rest of their life. Some will come to Christ at club, others will memorize hundreds of Bible verses which will become the building blocks of spiritual thought that will form a biblical world view which will become the super structure upon which will be built a life of critical thinking. And I’m not over-stating it. Objective studies by outside researchers have found that most kids trained in Awana continue to faithfully follow Jesus as adults. (source) Awana is also where I got my beginning as a children’s ministry…

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