I was reminded recently while preparing to do a ‘God Talk’ for the DGJS school assembly, that God often answers our prayers in 3 different ways. Sometimes His answer to us is “Yes”, sometimes “No”, and sometimes “Wait!” I guess many of us can recall how God has answered our prayers in all three of these ways at different times in our lives. I am so grateful God has answered the Children’s Ministries cry for help for more volunteers with a YES by sending and stirring people from our congregation to join the Children’s Ministry team. I am truly thankful to those who heard and obeyed His call and did not WAIT for someone else to step in.

Each person involved in Children’s Ministry is a spiritual role model to the children. They need your prayers. The children are all at different developmental milestones in their spiritual and moral development. For instance our three year olds are observing words and actions of the adults around them. As they do, their moral and spiritual ideas and images of God are being formed. When a teacher is kind towards them by perhaps helping to cut a picture out for them that they find too difficult to do, this shows kindness. They are able to start to grasp the concept ‘God’ (who is still abstract to them) is ‘kind’ because they see kindness in action from the teacher. On the other hand, the ten year olds need ongoing encouragement that they have the capacity to learn and need to feel listened to and given honest answers to their questions. Sometimes a teacher can be scratching their heads wondering: ‘How can I answer this question?’

This is how you can help pray for our volunteers and children. During a staff devotion led by our Vicar, John Menear, I was encouraged to pray ‘yes’ prayers for not only myself but for the children and volunteers in Children’s Ministry. John shared that when we pray for God’s wisdom and knowledge this moves us to a deeper understanding of God and His ways. This realisation then moves us to humility and results in living a changed life for Christ. I long to see more of this happening in the lives of those who serve in Children’s Ministry and in the lives of the children this year. Please join with me and pray for the children, myself, Zara Villalba, and our volunteers that we will learn how to walk humbly with our God as we grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Thank you as you join with me. I know His answer is already: ‘YES I will answer that.’

Carol Strydom 

Children’s Ministry Director