Outgoing Mail: February

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For 2026 Easter letters, I modified the devotional from the Kid's Corner. I am also sending a fun Easter scavenger hunt, and some pages from the Kid's Corner for the younger kids.

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Happy Writing!

Birthdays

For our Love Lempira children, I wrote a New Year themed letter about studying God's Word for the kids 6th grade and younger, thanks to Risen Mother's resources, and shared an article from Pastor Don Stubbs about perseverance for the kids 7th grade and older. In considering what to send to my Compassion children for their birthdays, I decided to send the same letters. I added a few coloring pages for fun, and varied them for kids' ages. 

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 I have both letters available in English and in Spanish, in PDF. Feel free to email me at berry31(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like a copy. Happy Writing! 

Outgoing Mail: June

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I have been writing to my Compassion kids, but it has been primarily responses and family updates. But I wanted to share two letters with you today. The first one is the story of José Hernandez, an astronaut. And the other is a letter regarding failure, that my friend Kristen wrote. Please feel free to share these letters with your kids. 

My dear friend, I wanted to share a story with you about an astronaut named José Hernandez. When he encountered hardship and trials, he worked harder and continued. José Hernandez wanted to be an astronaut and applied TWELVE times to become one. He was rejected ELEVEN times!! He never gave up. In 2009, Mexican-American engineer José Hernández fulfilled a lifelong dream: to travel to space as a NASA astronaut. Getting there was harder than for most. Born into a family of migrant farmworkers, José lived his childhood on what he calls the ‘California circuit’. He’d spend the winter holidays with his family in Mexico’s south, then follow the seasonal harvest across the US state, changing schools every few months. His ambition saw him become the first person in his family to go to university, as well as learn to pilot, dive and even speak Russian. As he tells us in this interview, the hardships of his early life are what gave him the resilience needed to succeed. "My dream was conceived when, as a 10-year-old, I watched as the very last man stepped foot on the moon, live on my family’s black-and-white TV. I heard astronaut Gene Cernan talk to Mission Control Houston, and reporter Walter Cronkite — I still remember his name — narrate that moonwalk. I knew I was a farmworker, but I didn’t know I had such a disadvantage. Despite having a third-grade education, my father empowered me to believe I could do it. He gave me five ingredients for success, a recipe I still use: define your goal; recognise how far you are from it; draw a roadmap to get there; prepare yourself according to the challenge; and develop a work ethic second to none. I added a sixth: perseverance. I was rejected by NASA 11 times, but I kept trying and finally succeeded in 2004, on my 12th attempt." José shares about disapointed gave myself one or two days to mourn, but then I’d look at the glass half full. What’s the worst that could happen if I never got selected? Wanting to be an astronaut motivated me to go to college, to graduate school, work at a premier research facility, learn how to be a pilot, a scuba diver, study a third language. The consolation prize was not a bad one compared to working as a kid, picking cucumbers for 50 cents a bucket. It’s why I always tell people they have to enjoy the journey. Sometimes life takes side roads and detours, and sometimes you don’t get there at all. If you’re not enjoying the journey, chances are you’ve got the wrong destination picked for yourself." And he describes what it was like to look at the earth from space, "The first time I looked down, I saw North America — Canada, the US, Mexico. The beautiful thing is that you can’t tell where countries end and begin."

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Kristen's letter was so excellent and I wanted to remind my older kids of these truths. I sent this to my kids age 13+.

 

Dear Friend, 

My friend shared what she heard from a speaker at church. The speaker said, “Failure is an event, not a person.” She shared it with me because the message behind that statement is really important. 

I am a person who has always had high expectations for myself in every aspect of life. When I was a student in high school and college, I always wanted to the best student with the highest grades possible. I put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve this, and sometimes I failed, honestly. What I know now is that failing to achieve something isn’t the end of the world. It is an event in my life, but it doesn’t define me.

I want to encourage you to remember this for when you feel as though you have failed at something. YOU are not a failure. Keep your head up and remember that the failure is just an event. Learn from it and grow from it. We all will fail at some point in our life. Failing is a learning experience so that we can do better next time. God is always near and if you fall, He will pick you up and dust you off.

Keep on pursuing righteousness and use God’s strength. We must have faith in the Lord at all times, even during times of failure. But remember if we do fail, He has a good reason for allowing it to happen. We might not understand it at that moment, but God will prove faithful in the end.

As I type this to you, my words are resonating within me. This is a message that even I need to remember- I am so much more than my failures. No matter what I have failed at, I am good enough. God loves me just the way I am- failures and all. 

- Deuteronomy 31:8- “The Lord is the one who is going ahead of you. He will be with you. He won’t abandon you or leave you. So don’t be afraid or terrified.”

- Philippians 4:13- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

- Jeremiah 29:11- "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give youhope and a future."

Much love to you always

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Happy Writing!

Outgoing Mail: January

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I am continuing the monthly faith-themed letter series after taking a break in December to respond to our kids' letters. The kids who are 14 and under are learning about the names of God, based off of Diane Stortz's book, I Am: 40 Reasons to Trust God. Sunday School Zone sometimes has some great activity pages!

✯✶✰☆ The Word ☆✰✶✯  by Diane Stortz ~~ John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." ~~ From Luke 10. "In the village of Bethany lived two sisters--Mary and Martha--and their brother, Lazarus... "Welcome, Jesus!" Martha said when Jesus arrived. "Come in and sit for a while." Jesus made Himself comfortable in the living room, Martha ran to the kitchen to begin making dinner, but Mary came in and sat on the floor near to Jesus. Oh, how she loved hearing Jesus teach about God! She listened to every word He said. In the kitchen, Martha heated the oven. She chopped vegetables. She stirred a sauce for the meat. She mixed flour and oil for bread, and she rolled and kneaded the dough until it was ready to bake. This dinner was important! Everything had to be just right for Jesus! Would everything be ready on time? Martha was getting worried. Where was her sister, Mary, and why wasn't Mary helping her? Martha wiped her hands on a towel and went to look for Mary. She wasn't outside. She wasn't doing laundry. She wasn't taking a nap. Oh, there she was! Mary was sitting on the floor, not doing anything, just listening to Jesus... Martha stomped in, "Jesus!" she said, "I have a lot of cooking and serving to do! Don't you care that my sister isn't working with me in the kitchen? Tell her to come and help me!" Jesus looked at Martha and smiled. "Martha, Martha," He said, "You're so worried and upset about many things. But only one thing is necessary, and that is what Mary has chosen. She's chosen the good thing--listening to Me. And that will never be taken away from her. ~~ Words, words, words! Words are everywhere. Most grown-ups speak sixteen thousand words every day! We talk to our friends. We hear words on the TV. We hear words on the radio. We read words in books and on apps. Some words are very important to say and hear, words like "I love you," "Can I help you?" and "I'm sorry." But the most important words of all are God's words. When Mary listened to Jesus, she was listening to God's words. We listen to Jesus, The Word, when we read the Bible. Listening to Jesus is the most important thing we'll ever do! Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "Long ago... God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken by his Son,... through whom he also created the world. Jesus taught about what happens when people hear God's Word. You can read the story and His explanation in Mark 4:3-9, 13-20."

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I am continuing with a study on the book of Proverbs for the older kids. I am including a helpful journaling page with each letter. I also included a James 1:5 coloring page.

Dear Friend,

Here is the lesson for chapter 7 of Proverbs.

"PROVERBS 7

Proverbs 7:4: “Say to wisdom, “You are my sister, and to insight, “You are my relative.”

Wisdom and insight are two of the most important things in life.

I have two sisters who live over 1,000 miles away. Even though we can't see each other every day, I am intentional about prioritizing our relationships. We text in our group chat daily... I know my sisters have my back, and I care about what they have to say and look to them to help guide me in the right direction.

To say wisdom and insight are like sisters and relatives means a lot! It's so important to God that you learn what is right and apply it to your own life. Do you prioritize understanding and applying what is right in God's eyes?"

The "Wisdom Hunters Devotional" says, "Wisdom can sometimes be thought of as being the same as knowledge. [However] "Knowledge is really about facts and ideas that we acquire through study, research, investigation, observation, or experience. Wisdom is the ability to discern and judge which aspects of that knowledge are true, right, lasting, and applicable to your life".  

So knowing the difference we can agree we need to be taught wisdom... wisdom comes through understanding and applying God's Word to life experience.  In other words, wisdom guides us from unwise decision-making... God's wisdom will follow us all of our lives."

Proverbs speaks over and over again about wisdom, and how precious it is to walk in God's wisdom. I love the book of James in the Bible, and how it speaks of wisdom. I hope these verses will encourage you to seek God and know that He will give you wisdom for your life! I am asking God to guide you and give You His wisdom.

James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

James 3:17, "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

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Happy Writing!

Birthdays 2025

This year I am keeping birthday letters simple. For Compassion sponsored children, I will send these using the letter templates. There are some fun new designs that aren't birthday-specific, but I thought they looked cute. I am including Encanto Paper Dolls, and for the boys, an activity page also. The bigger boys will get a bird eye spy and the younger boys animal cutouts. For Manna kids, I will handwrite the message into a birthday card (and will plan to send them with the Easter card mailing). 

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✩‧｡˚ ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･*ੈ✩ Happy Birthday ✩*ੈ･:*࿔.ೃ⋆˚｡‧✩

We send lots of love, and we are praying for you as you begin a new year of life! May God watch over you, care for you, and guide your steps this year. None of us know what lies ahead, but we can take comfort in knowing that God is ahead and has a plan for our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." 

We are so proud of you, and look forward to seeing how God directs you. We pray that you love Jesus Christ more and more, and that you are daily reminded of his love and care for you.

I say goodbye with a big hug!

The letters are very simple, and I only changed the verse and attachments to make four different cards. The other verses I sent were: 

Isaiah 43:1-2, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."

Psalm 121:1-2, "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

Matthew 28:20b, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

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Happy Writing! 

Outgoing Mail: November

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I took a break from my usual devotion series to write Christmas and New Year-themed letters. And then in December I will take some time to respond to the letters that my sponsored kids have sent. I created four slightly different Christmas letters based on the Kid's Corner Advent Devotional.

Merry Christmas Friend! 

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries. 

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Hope ~~ "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.'" Lamentations 3:21-24

"Have you ever said, "I hope we win our game tonight," or "I hope the teacher doesn't give us homework over the weekend"? When we use the word HOPE, we are usually talking about something we really want to happen, but are not sure will happen. The Bible uses the word hope in a different way. In the Bible, our hope is in something that has not happened but that we know for sure will happen because God says so. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, God promises that he will never stop loving us and being kind to us. We can share our hope with others by showing God's love and kindness in the things we do and say. 

[This] verse comes from the book of Lamentations. Jeremiah wrote this very sad book after he saw his city, Jerusalem, destroyed because the people who lived there did not obey God. In fact, the word Lamentations means "tears." But even in his sadness, Jeremiah found hope in God's promises to send a redeemer to restore Jeremiah's city and to save his people from their sins. We can trust in God's promises too! We know he always loves us and is kind to us and that he sent his son, Jesus--the redeemer Jeremiah was waiting for--to save us from our sins and offer us eternal life. This is our great hope! 

[As we celebrate Christmas], we can share this hope with our families, friends, and classmates by showing them God's love and kindness. Let them know that no matter how bad their troubles are, God loves them... and so do you. Think of someone this week who is sad or in need. Find a way that you can show them God's hope this week. 

Can you think of a time when someone showed you God's love and kindness? How did that remind you of the hope we have in the Lord?"

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Much love, 

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Merry Christmas Friend! 

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries. 

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Peace ~~ "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6-7

"Have you ever heard somebody say "Be part of the solution, not part of the problem"? What they meant was that you should find a way to make things better for people, by being a peacemaker. When someone has peace, it means they don't have anything to worry about or be afraid of. As followers of Jesus, we should always look for ways to help people be at peace, just as Jesus did for us. But how exactly did Jesus bring peace into the world?

When Adam and Eve were created by God in the Garden of Eden, they were friends with God. But then they disobeyed and their sin separated them from God. It made them--and us, because we are related to them--God's enemies. There is nothing we can do on our own to be at peace with God. But there was something God could do, and he did it. He sent his Son, Jesus, so we could one again be at peace with god. In the verse above, Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would come to earth as a baby, grew up, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again to give us life and peace forever. 

Christmas is the celebration of when Jesus came to earth as a baby. But not everyone feels peaceful during the holidays. Life can be busy and stressful, families can fight, and people can be lonely. Look for ways you can be a peacemaker this Advent season. If you have any friends or family members who haven't trusted Jesus, tell them about how he came to earth to bring peace between us and God. You can also find ways to make things easier, less worrisome, or less lonely for people in need.

What is the one thing that you are worried about or afraid of? How can other members of the family help you be at peace?"

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Much love, 

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Merry Christmas Friend! 

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries. 

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Joy ~~ "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is not law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit," Galatians 5:22-25

"During the Christmas season, we often hear "Joy to the World, the Lord has come..." But what exactly is the joy of Christmas all about? Many people confuse joy and happiness. Happiness is often based on your circumstances--like whether you win your game, get an A on your test, or finally get that present you've been wanting. But joy is a deeper emotion, one that lasts through good times and bad. It comes from seeing God at work in the world. 

Sometimes joy makes your heart feel like it wants to explode with hope and excitement about something to come. Other times it's a strong sense of peace, like everything is just as it should be. During Christmas, we remember with joy the gift of Jesus, we enjoy his blessings now, and we delight in the promise of his coming again. 

Galatians 5:22-25 tells us that joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit. This means that God is the source of the joy, but the Holy Spirit helps us to see it, practice it, and give it away. The Spirit draws our attention to beautiful things and helps us remember God's faithfulness in the stories of the Bible and in our lives. When we are "in step with the Spirit," we can be joyful in all circumstances. 

The Spirit also helps us see people who are in need of god's joy, so that we can share it with them. When we are filled with joy, we know how to give it away. Christmas is a perfect time to remind others of good times and stories of God's faithfulness. We can show them examples of God's goodness and beauty all around us. We can share God's promises from the Bible and we can also bring joy to others doing simple acts of kindness and service. What a joy to share God's good gifts! 

Have you ever made a special gift for someone? How does this experience remind you of the gifts God has already given you? How can you share this joy with others?"

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Much love,

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Merry Christmas Friend! 

As we approach Christmas, I wanted to remind you of the hope we can have through Jesus Christ, and wanted to share this study on hope from ReFrame Ministries. 

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Love ~~ "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Isaiah 9:6-7

"Please usually think of love as a feeling. Did you ever think of love as an action? Well, God's love is active!

In John 13, Jesus told his disciples that he would soon be going into heaven and that they would have to wait for him to return. But Jesus gave his followers something to practice while they waited: loving one another with the same love that he had shown them. Jesus' love is self-sacrificing love that puts others' needs first. It's not just a feeling; it's a love that acts! It touches people, heals them, feeds them, comforts them, cries with them, washes their feet, and even dies for them. That is a difficult kind of love! The Holy Spirit gives you this kind of active love as one of the "Fruits of the Spirit." Sharing that gift shows people that you are followers of Jesus. 

Advent has been a time of waiting. But while you waited, you loved others by sharing your gifts of kindness. You practiced the job Jesus gave to his disciples: to love one another! 

Jesus loved people that were outcasts in his society. He touched those that others forgot or looked down on. Who does our society forget or ignore? How can you show them the active love of God?"

     ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 

Much love,

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Happy Writing!

Outgoing Mail: October

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I am continuing the monthly faith-themed letter series after taking a break in September to respond to our kids' letters. The kids who are 14 and under are learning about the names of God, based off of Diane Stortz's book, I Am: 40 Reasons to Trust God. Sunday School Zone sometimes has some great activity pages!

✯✶✰☆ I AM ☆✰✶✯  by Diane Stortz ~~ Matthew 14:27 "He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid." ~~ From Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 6. "Soon it would be night. "Go aback to the boat now,," Jesus told his disciples, "and head back across the lake. I'll say goodbye to all the people here." After the disciples rowed away and Jesus sent the crowd home, He climbed up the mountainside by Himself to pray. When it was dark, Jesus was still praying. The disciples were a long way from land, but Jesus could see they were having trouble. A strong wind blew against the boat and made it hard for them to row. Jesus prayed a little while longer. Then He climbed down the mountain and went to join the disciples. But Jesus didn't go in a boat--He walked on the water! The disciples saw Jesus coming toward them, but they didn't know it was Him. "Look! A ghost!" they cried out. "Have courage!" Jesus called to them. "I am with you! Don't be afraid!" Peter, one of the disciples, said, "Lord, if it is You, tell me to walk to You on the water." Jesus smiled. "Come on then, Peter!" He said. Peter climbed up on the side of the boat. Then he climbed down and stepped on to the water. Would he sink? No! Peter kept his eyes on Jesus and started walking toward Him on the water! ... But then Peter looked away from Jesus and looked at all the waves instead--and he felt afraid and began to sink. "Lord, save me!" he cried. Jesus reached His hand and pulled Peter up. "Oh, Peter," He said. "Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?" Together they got into the boat. And when they did, the wind stopped blowing, and suddenly the boat was at the shore. Peter all and the disciples worshipped Jesus right there in the boat. "You are the Son of God!" they said. ~~ People can learn to swim, and some people can learn to do special dives with somersaults and twists. But when it comes to walking, people were made to walk on dry ground, not on water. How could Jesus was on water? Because Jesus is God. Do you remember reading about Moses and the burning bush? God talked to Moses from the bush. When Moses asked God His name, God said, "I AM." When Jesus walked on water toward the disciples, He told them the same thing. He said, "I AM. Don't be afraid." Jesus had power to walk on water, and He had power to let Peter do it too. Jesus, I AM, is always the same powerful ruler over all. We can trust and worship Him! Many people didn't believe Jesus was God's Son. But Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was, I AM!" (John 8:58)."

~~~

I am continuing with a study on the book of Proverbs for the older kids. I am including a helpful journaling page with each letter. I also included a Genesis 50:20 coloring page.

Dear Friend,

Here is the lesson for chapter 6 of Proverbs.

"PROVERBS 6

Proverbs 6:20-21: “My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck.”

God has blessed you with your mom, dad, and other authority figures to point you in the right direction in life.

It's weird to realize that parents don't always have it all together or know what they're doing... [They make mistakes, but] they want the best for their kids. They love them and want to see them accomplish great things.

While your parents are imperfect people who make mistakes, they want what's best for you. When they give you critique or advice, you should humbly take it to heart. Respect your authority figures and appreciate their guidance. God is using them as guiding lights in your every-day life.

Are you appreciative of your parents guidance and humbly applying it to your life?"

This reminded me of when Jesus said in Luke 11:9-13, "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

God allows hard things to happen, and sometimes we can wonder why, but God promises to work all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Have you read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50? It is my favorite Bible story. I love this story because even though God allowed Joseph to pass through many trials and hardships, God redeemed all the suffering and used Joseph's life to care for many others (Genesis 50:20). 

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Happy Writing!

Outgoing Mail: June

 

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I am continuing the monthly faith-themed letter series after taking a break in May to respond to our kids' letters. The kids who are 14 and under are learning about the names of God, based off of Diane Stortz's book, I Am: 40 Reasons to Trust God. Sunday School Zone sometimes has some great activity pages! The coloring page I got here. 

✯✶✰☆ Bread of Life ☆✰✶✯  by Diane Stortz ~~ John 6:35 "I am the bread that gives life. He who comes to me will never be hungry." ~~ From Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9; John 6. :Jesus took a boat to Bethsaida!" people told one another. "If we hurry, we can see Him!" The road along the shore filled quickly. Healthy people ran. "Oops, sorry! Didn't mean to bump into you." Sick people walked or rode a donkey, or someone carried them. Jesus saw the crowd coming. He smiled at people to welcome them. How much they needed Him! All day, He healed the sick and taught about God's kingdom. But late in the afternoon, Jesus' disciples began to worry. "What are we going to do?" they asked Him. "We're out here in a lonely place, and all these people are hungry! We'd better send them away to buy food, or they won't have the strength to walk home." "We don't need to do that," Jesus said. " You can feed them." What did Jesus mean? "We don't have food for all these people!" the disciples said. "And we don't have enough money to buy food for everyone." But Jesus wasn't worried. He knew what He was going to do. "What do you have?" he asked.... Andrew found a boy with a little lunch--five loaves of barely bread and two tiny dried fish. He brought the boy to Jesus. "This young man has a small lunch," Andrew said. "But it's not enough to feed thousands of people!" "Tell everyone to sit down in groups," Jesus said. When everyone was settled, Jesus looked up to heaven and thanked God for the food. Then He broke the loaves and fish into pieces for His disciples to take to the crowd. In their groups, people passed the bread and fish to one another. "Mmm, this tastes heavenly," they said. "And there is so much! Would you like another piece?" Little children held bread and fish in each hand and laughed and smiled as they ate. The five little loaves and two small fish didn't run out until everyone was full and no one wanted to take another bite... Jesus said, "Gather up the leftovers." the disciples filled twelve big baskets with fish and bread. "Amazing!" the people said. "Our ancestors ate manna, and we ate this fish and bread! Jesus must be the One we have been waiting for." The next day, Jesus talked about what He had done. "I am the Bread of Life," He said. "Listen to me and believe. Then you will live and never be hungry." ~~ Jesus said He is the Bread of Life. Just as our bodies need food so we can live and grow, we need Jesus so we can live with God in heaven someday. Even after a good meal, we will get hungry again. But when we believe in Jesus and He fills us up with His words and His pretense, we have life right now and later on in heaven too!"

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I am continuing with a study on the book of Proverbs for the older kids. I am including a helpful journaling page with each letter. I also included a Psalm 51 coloring page.

Hello!

Here is the lesson for chapter 5 of Proverbs. I appreciated the author's illustration of when sin seemed fun at the time but then she had to reap the consequences. It is a serious lesson to consider. King David (Solomon's dad, and Solomon is the author of Proverbs) learned that hard way that often when we start down the path of sin, it takes us further than we mean to go. Have you heard the story of David committing adultery and his baby dying? If not, you can find this story in 2 Samuel chapter 11. David ended up in this horrible situation by beginning with a small sin: when his soldiers went to war, he stayed home. As king, David should have gone to war and led his soldiers. It may of seen a small thing, but David disobeyed God and as he continued in disobedience, David's sin took him down a dark road with more and more sin. The good news is that in God, there is always forgiveness! Please take a minute to read Psalm 51 to learn about how God forgave David! There is no sin we can commit that is too much for God to forgive. I love 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 

"PROVERBS 5

Proverbs 5:3-4: “For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.”

Often times, sin that seemed fun and satisfying at first ends in bitterness and pain.

I loved riding my bike as a kid. My parents would let me ride all over the neighborhood, aside from one gravel hill that was off limits. One day, I disobeyed my parents and walked my bike to the top of the path. I wanted to feel the rush of going fast with the added rush of breaking a silly rule. I started down the hill, and it was exciting and fast. Until I hit my break. Bike breaks don't work the same way on gravel. I crashed so severely that my helmet broke in half, and my parents had to extract tiny pieces of rock from all over my arms and legs.

Sin is tempting because it is usually fun for a little while! It feels good until it causes you to fall fast and hard. Recognize the long-term dangers of temptation. Hold firm to what you know is right and true.

What's one area where you're starting down that hill and need to ask God for the strength to turn back and do what's right?"

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Happy Writing!

Outgoing Mail: April

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I am continuing the monthly faith-themed letter series. The kids who are 14 and under are learning about the names of God, based off of Diane Stortz's book, I Am: 40 Reasons to Trust God. Sunday School Zone sometimes has some great activity pages! 

✯✶✰☆ Master ☆✰✶✯  by Diane Stortz ~~ Luke 8:24 "They went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we are perishing!'" ~~ From Matthew 8; Mark 4; Luke 6. Sometimes Jesus stayed so busy from teaching and healing people that He and HIs disciples didn't even have time to sleep. Jesus was so glad to help people in these ways, but sometimes He needed to rest. Near the end of one busy day, Jesus said to His disciples, "Let's go across to the other side of the lake." So they all got into a boat, and soon Jesus fell asleep on a cushion at the back of the boat. After a while, a strong wind howled and churned up the waves on the lake. But Jesus didn't wake up. "The waves are getting bigger!" the disciples said to one another. "Oh no! Hold on! Here comes a wave that's going to crash right on top of us!." The big wave rocked the boat on its side, and water began filling the boat. "We're gong to sink if this keeps up!" the disciples yellow. "We might drown!" But Jesus didn't wake up. Everywhere the disciples looked, giant waves were all they could see. The wind and waves kept pounding the boat. But through it all, Jesus didn't wake up. Finally, some of the disciples went to the back of the boat, where Jesus was still sleeping. "Master, Master!" they cried. "Save us! Don't you care that we're going to drown?" Jesus woke up. He saw the storm and His frightened friends. And He knew what to do. "Peace! Be still!" Jesus said to the sea. The wind stopped blowing. The waves stopped crashing, and the water was calm. Jesus turned to His disciples. "Why were you afraid? Where is your faith?" The disciples didn't know how to answer Him. But they said to one another. "How amazing and wonderful Jesus is! Even the winds and waves obey Him!" ~~ Do you like music? What is your favorite song? Have you ever heard an orchestra? In an orchestra are many kinds of musical instruments--violins, trombones, clarinets, drums, and lots more! Standing at the front of the orchestra is the conductor. All musicians keep their eyes on the conductor and play their instruments the way he wants them to because the conductor is the master of the orchestra--he's the leader, and he's in charge. One of Jesus' names in the Bible is Master. The disciples called Jesus that because He was their leader. But Jesus also is Master over the world. Everything about creation--even the weather--must obey Him. He's in charge." 

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I am continuing with a study on the book of Proverbs for the older kids. I am including a helpful journaling page with each letter. I also included a Psalm 1 coloring page. 

Dear Friend,

Here is the lesson for chapter 4 of Proverbs:

"PROVERBS 4

Proverbs 4:14-15: "Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way."

Solomon warns us repeatedly not to follow people onto the wrong path. Solomon tells us to avoid going down the wrong path with the wrong people FIVE times in two sentences! I think he repeats himself so many times to get our attention and reinforce how important this advice really is. You give the people you surround yourself with an abundance of influence over your life.

Are you intentionally avoiding tempting situations by spending your time with people who will encourage you to do what's right in God's eyes?"

This lesson from Proverbs 4 reminds me of Psalm 1:

Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

    or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked!

    They are like chaff

    that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Who are your closest friends? Have you chosen to spend time with people who encourage you to delight in God's word? I pray that you will walk in our Lord and be like a tree planted by streams of water. 

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Happy Writing!

Outgoing Mail: March

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For March, I am taking a break from our usual devotionals to write an Easter letter! I included a shortened Sense of the Resurrection devotional since I use it with my kids at home each year. And I wrote two versions, and included photos with each version. I also left space to reply to kids' letters. Email me at berry31(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like a copy (in English or Spanish). 

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Happy Writing!