Building Them Up
(3 Minute Read)
By Heidi Schartner
The game “Would You Rather” is a fantastic icebreaker to play with kids. Whether you’re in a small group or a larger one, they soon discover similarities with those around them as well as a few surprises from their closest friends! The reactions truly do break the awkward silence and soon what was uncomfortable now seems somewhat ok. Some of my favourite questions are:
Would you rather be invisible or have the ability to fly?
Would you rather eat ice cream or fries? (Pro tip: eat your ice cream with the fries. Trust me. It’s delicious!)
Would you rather read a book or watch a movie?
Would you rather eat worms or eat crickets? (Like, a hard no to both!)
Would you rather play in the sand or play in the snow?
These are simple questions that don’t mean a whole lot. The point of the game, though, isn’t to create a team worms vs a team crickets. The point is create dialogue and have kids share something personal (even if it is which insect they’d enjoy the most;). This is exceptionally important for your programs - church needs to be seen as a safe place to share and ask questions. Once we have that foundation laid, the building can begin.
Building the foundations
Building something that lasts takes time and a lot of planning. Unfortunately, we always seem to be short on time, don’t we? Whether its only seeing your crew once or twice per month, your own busy schedule or simply running out of ideas, the careful preparation we need to cultivate authentic relationships just takes time.
Proverbs 16:9 brings me such comfort when I feel like I’m just not measuring up. It states “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”
While it is important for us to plan, it is also important for us to find rest in the promise that the LORD is the builder. Not us. He is setting their course. Not us. It is a huge honour and blessing for us to be a part of this faith journey. It is my prayer that this proverbs gives you a sense of calm. Remember, God’s got you covered, too. What a joy to know that the one who cares for the little ones also cares so deeply for you and me!