Family Time with God: September

One of the best ways parents can model a living, active relationship with Christ is to emphasize the importance of the Bible in day-to-day family life. These calendar pages from Awana can help you do just that! The verses are divided into three parts. Preschoolers memorize the words in bold. Elementary boys and girls memorize the words in bold and italics. Older teens and parents learn the complete verse.

Calendar Highlights

Names of God (August)

Challenge older children to search the Bible for various names of God. (The list below is just a starting point.) Work together, using a concordance or other Bible study tools.

Old Testament

(August 11)

Shield—Psalm 3:3

Rock—Psalm 28:1

Fortress—Psalm 46:7

Holy One—Psalm 71:22

Most High—Psalm 92:1

King—Psalm 145:1

New Testament

(August 22)

Father—Matthew 11:25

Most High God—Mark 5:7

The Word—John 1:1

Abba—Romans 8:15

Lord Almighty—2 Corinthians 6:18

Judge of all men—Hebrews 12:23

Johnny Appleseed (September 26)

Johnny Appleseed was born John Chapman on September 26, 1774. He's famous for planting apple trees throughout the East and Midwest, but he was also a missionary of sorts. Before he left home, his father gave him a Bible and said, "As long as you carry God's Word, your path will be a straight one." Johnny listened to his father's advice; while he planted apple trees, he also planted God's love, announcing, "My name is John Chapman, and I enjoy planting apple trees and bringing God's Word."

(Go online or head to your local library to learn more about Johnny Appleseed.)

Praying for Missionaries (October 4)

During your family prayers, be sure to include any missionaries you or your church support.

Ask God to:

• give them wisdom as they minister to people from other cultures
• keep them healthy
• help them work in unity with other missionaries
• bring good friends into their lives

Ask God to help you:

• encourage them with your prayers and letters
• remember them as they do God's work in the world
• learn more about the people they work with
• find ways to offer emotional, spiritual, and financial support

What Is Awana?

Awana® is a nondenominational youth ministry committed to reaching boys and girls with the gospel of Christ and training them to serve him. Each week, more than one million kids in over 110 countries attend Awana clubs where they play games, memorize Bible verses, and learn practical truths from God's Word. From preschool through high school, Awana offers a fun environment in which children and youth hear the life-changing message of the Bible.

To learn more about Awana and locate an Awana club near you, visit www.awana.org/about.asp

How can you help children memorize? Here's some advice from a group of kids in North Carolina:

"Sing, write, and study."

—Lisa, age 9

"My secret is saying the words over and over."

—Jesse, age 10

"I look over it and say it to myself."

—Shelby, age 8

"I say my verses 15 times over and over every night."

—Myles, age 11

"I try to make a song out of it as I memorize a little bit of it at a time."

—Holly, age 9

September

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