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International Association for Children's ...

The IACS supports the International Conferences on Children’s Spirituality and is planning an on line symposium called ‘Children’s Spirituality: Meeting New Challenges’ on 20/21 and 24/25 July 2023.

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All Will Be Well: Learning to Trust God's Love ...

Mima is very sick, and just thinking about it makes Julian very sad and very angry. Julian is worried about Mima and wonders if God can hear her or if God cares. So Mima explains to Julian that God loves us and that God can be trusted—even when we are sad or angry. This gentle story of a grandmother's love for her granddaughter incorporates the timeless wisdom of Julian of Norwich: because of God's great love for us, all will be well.

All Will Be Well: Learning to Trust God's Love Children's Picture Book
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Children Spirituality and Spiritual Direction ...

Join me this Autumn for two classes through the Companioning Center: 1. Children Spirituality 2. Spiritual Direction with children. Registration is open!

Children Spirituality and Spiritual Direction with Children Courses Through the Companioning Center
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The Good, Good Work of Testing Boundaries: Luke ...

Like all human children, Jesus learned his boundaries and even flopped his toe over the edge to see how far was too far. He used the question, “Why were you searching for me?” and “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” as boundary markers. Jesus is without sin; therefore, this boundary testing isn’t off the mark, but right in line with human development. Verses 51 and 52 show us that once he located the boundaries, he honored them.

The Good, Good Work of Testing Boundaries: Luke 2:41-52
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Cultivating Resiliency in Children: 5 F-Words ...

In this season we are all stretched thin. Many of us are pushed to the edge of our resources. In our family we feel it too. The following is a short video series with small group discussion questions for adults and a few spiritual practices for parents and families.

Cultivating Resiliency in Children: 5 F-Words to Remember

tools for tilling

Fasting

Fasting: Giving up something on purpose so we can hear God better

Some ideas for practicing:

  • We never encourage children to fast from food; it goes without saying that children are growing and need the nutrients. However they can give up desserts, sweets, video games, TV, etc.
  • During Advent and Lent, invite your family into a reflective time asking the question: What “thing” is keeping me from hearing God clearly? Or What “thing” do I love more than God? Give that “thing” up during these seasons.

Learn more about fasting.

Study

Study: Learning about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

Some ideas for practicing:

  • On the first day of each new earth season, go on a nature walk, collecting items like leaves, rocks, flowers, dirt, feathers (in our case we collected animal poo). Bring them back and look up information about them.
  • Engage your family in a reading of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) using your imagination. After reading a passage invite people to answer: What did you see? What did you hear? What did you smell? What did you hear? What did you feel? And lastly, what did the Holy Spirit teach you?

Learn more about study.

Prayer

Prayer: Talking with God

Some ideas for practicing:

  • Create an atmosphere in your home where talking to God out loud is welcome, by talking out loud to God yourself.
  • While prayer is talking with God, any good conversation involves listening as well. Many families pray at meals; try starting those prayer times with a minute of silent listening. Extend an invitation during the meal for people to share what they heard God saying.
  • Memorize the Lord’s Prayer together as a family. Pray it each morning before people bound off to their days. Or invite the whole family to help rewrite the Lord ’s Prayer specifically for your family, and pray it daily.

Learn more about prayer.

Meditation

Meditation: Focusing our minds on God and his words to us

Some ideas for practicing:

  • First, I think we have to say that technology is often the enemy of meditation, for the simple fact that it keeps our monkey-minds running. Meditation slows the mind down to a walk and even gives it the chance to sit still. In our culture this takes some practice. Try laying out in the yard staring up at the clouds and use your imagination to find pictures.

  • Watch some ants, notice where they have been, where they are going.

  • Read Luke 12:22-24 aloud. Then go outside and actually consider the flowers and the birds.