Fruit of the Spirit series: Patience

We are taking a closer look at the Fruit of the Spirit; last week, we looked at Peace. This week we are looking at the fruit of patience. Most people struggle with having patience, including myself at times. We struggle with trusting God with the timeline of our lives, and we feel that we know that now is the right time for whatever it is that we are waiting for – a godly Christian husband, a family member to come to Christ, a baby, a new car, or something else. In any case, we struggle with waiting on God to move. We can try to fake having patience, which is maybe not sharing our frustration with waiting on the outside while still being miserable while waiting on the inside. However, that is not true Gospel Patience. The Holy Spirit is the One who develops the fruits of the Spirit in us, and we cannot produce this on our own. We rely fully on Him for this to grow, but we can add this through obedience to Christ (not a working for our salvation but from our salvation). The full list of the fruit of the Spirit is found in Scripture:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

Gospel Patience

Today, we will look at how the Holy Spirit builds patience in our hearts and continues developing it in our lives. We must believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ to have patience begin growing in our lives.

God so loved the world in this one particular way – He sent His Son Jesus to live a sinless life on earth, to die on the cross taking the punishment for sin (also called substitutionary atonement) and paying the debt we incurred when we sinned. By believing in Christ for salvation and repenting of our sins (agreeing with God that sin is sin), we are then able to have the hope of eternal life with God through Christ Jesus. This is the ONLY way; there is no other. (You can see John 3:16-17; Romans 3:23-25; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 2:24-25; 1 Peter 3:18).

Then, when we believe in Christ for salvation, we are granted the Holy Spirit and are sealed with Him. This is when the transformation (or sanctification) begins, where the Holy Spirit begins to make us more and more like Christ everyday. Through that process, He produces His fruit in our lives (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). The process involves: reading the Bible, prayer, being active in a local church that preaches sound doctrine, living in such a way that glorifies Christ, repenting each day as we sin yet again and fighting against that sin, and doing the good deeds that God has prepared for us (see Romans 8).

Patience

What is patience, and how do we have more of it in our lives? The world pushes patience away when it offers 24 months with 0% interest and 0 payments; the world encourages people to pursue instant gratification. Another way that the world creates a false patience is by saying that there will not be consequences. The world mocks believers and God by asking “Where is the promise of His coming?” However, true patience believes God and asks to grow in wisdom, maturity, and patience. My uncle wisely told my cousin years ago:

Maturity is the ability to postpone pleasure.

My Uncle Bill

When we grow in maturity in Christ, we are able to postpone pleasure and understand that we can wait for the answer to our question, we can wait for our circumstances to change, and we can wait on God’s timeline. Christ has shown us an example of how to wait patiently; one such example was His great patience that He had with Jerusalem and Israel who rejected Him, and then even with the patience that He showed them, He knew that the time had come for the consequences of their rejection of Him. Jesus lamented over their stubbornness and rejection of Him:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'”

Matthew 23:37-39 (NASB)

It is our faith in Christ that helps us grow in patience. When we believe that Christ is who He says He is, Lord, we are then changed more into Christ’s image. When we believe that Christ is presently reigning, we can set aside our need to be in charge and our need to have things happen on our timeline. We can trust that Christ will accomplish everything that needs to happen when the Father has told Him to do it.

This type of patience can help us take a deep breath and face whatever may come our way – persecution, troubles, trials, and waiting.

As we go through these next few weeks of delving into what the Fruit of the Spirit is in our lives as believers, reflect on how you can grow more in the Fruit of the Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit is ultimately the one who grows the fruit in you and me, but you and I have a responsibility to meditate (fill our minds with, not empty our minds) on God’s Word on what patience and each fruit of the Spirit is. What is one way that you and I can show patience in Christ this week?

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

• What fruit of the Spirit do you hope to grow more in?
• What fruit of the Spirit do you want to learn more about?
• What fruit of the Spirit do you struggle most with?
• How may I pray for you? (If you would like to private message me a prayer request, please feel free to message me via Instagram, Facebook, or X.com. I will gladly pray for you.)
• What are your favorite examples of patience in the Bible?
• Who is someone in your life that has a deep patience in Christ?

Wilstem Wildlife Park

Wilstem Wildlife Park is a family favorite place in Southern Indiana. My Mom says often of the place, “Who would have thought that a place like this would be here in Orange County, Indiana?” It is definitely a special place in our area that families can enjoy, and they have added to their park over the years. My Mom and I first went during a COVID-19 year, which is when Wilstem was really beginning their Drive Thru Safari. It has since grown to add more animals and more land.

To go through the Drive Thru Wildlife Safari, follow these steps:

• When you first drive up to the park, you drive over a bridge and the road winds up through the hills.
• First, pull up to the gift shop, where you get your tickets and sign up for feeding the animals and extra animal encounters.
• Then, you can drive through the park, first stopping at the ticket house to get the rules. For example, you may open your windows to feed the animals; however, please do not get out of the vehicle or open the doors.
• In the first area when we went through, there were beautiful cows, a few donkeys, and then some emu birds that have a wild look in their eyes. You can feed these animals right from your window. Just keep your hand out flat with the food in it, so they will eat the food and not chew on your hand. Heads up though! The emu birds will probably make a mess of the food in your car. I enjoyed feeding and petting the cows though; they are very calm. I think my favorite cow was the Watusi cow; I would have taken her home because she let me pet her for a good long while (she is pictured below). The donkeys could be moody; they really wanted the food in our cup.
• The next area, from my memory, had some llamas.
• They also had begun to build the Grizzly Bear Encounter, but it was not open when we went.
• Then it loops around to where you can view zebras and feed camels.
• Then, in the barns, they had giraffes, turtles, birds, and all kinds of animals. I always skip looking at the snakes (one of my biggest fears, by the way), but they have some if that is your thing.
• Also, up towards the front by the gift shop, they have some kangaroos. It was neat to see that they had some baby joeys in their pouches.

The signs say to not touch the zebras; however, you can feed the camels. The camels get pretty excited about their carrots, and sometimes they spit.

Wilstem Wildlife Park is a great place to take your family to learn more about the animals and get to pet them too. Wilstem’s current species list can be found here: https://www.wilstem.com/species-list. They also have some lodging options now as well as zip lining, horseback riding, and fall and winter light shows. Next time you and your family are in the Southern Indiana area, consider a drive through Wilstem and enjoy an adventure on the wild side.

Join in on the Conversation

I always love hearing from my readers. Feel free to comment below.

• Have you ever been through Wilstem?
• What is your favorite animal to see?
• What adventures does your family enjoy?

My Experience with Hello Fresh

My Mom and I have been using Hello Fresh for our weekday dinners for almost a year (since March 27, 2023). Hello Fresh is a great program for us because it gives you the recipe, the ingredients in portioned sizes, and it usually tastes good. The meat has been good quality, and I have only found gristle or chewy parts in the meat a couple of times.

Shrimp and Scallop Scampi – Our first meal from Hello Fresh.

How It Works

You choose your dinners, or you allow Hello Fresh to pick them for you. You choose whether you want the 2 serving or the 4 serving option. We have the 2 serving option, and I have not been hungry after a meal. The box which also has a cooling pack and insulation is shipped to you, and for us, it usually arrives on Fridays. When we get home and see that it has arrived, we put the brown bagged items in the refrigerator, and we put the meat in the freezer. We typically use our meals Monday through Thursday, and we have other meals Friday through Sunday. Because I have church on Wednesday nights, I usually pick the recipe that takes the least amount of time to prepare for that night. Each meal comes with a large recipe card with all the instructions you need. (If you are missing an ingredient or a recipe card, contact Hello Fresh, and they will help you.) Also, you can pause your subscription if needed; for example, if you are out of town for a week, you can pause the subscription so that you will get a delivery when you get back.

Pineapple Chicken Tacos

Gouda Vibes Burgers

Lemony Shrimp Salad

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Parmesan meatloaves with Spaghetti

Gouda Vibes Burgers

Zuccini and Tomato Couscous

There have been many recipes that my Mom and I enjoyed. One of our absolute favorites is the Gouda Vibes Burgers. We also enjoy the Sweet Potato Mashed Potatoes. I have learned that I enjoy couscous; before trying Hello Fresh, I had never had couscous. It is delicious!

Fun Freebies

Every once in awhile, Hello Fresh sends us free samples. It is always fun to open the box and find surprises.

Polar Seltzer Water

Zespri Kiwi Fruit

Mentos Vitamins Gum

Cooking Fails

Sometimes, I am not successful in creating a good looking meal, even if it still tasted good. Using Hello Fresh is a cooking adventure and a learning opportunity. When a cooking fail happens, remember to try again.

Couscous

Benefits of Using Hello Fresh

I recommend Hello Fresh as a great way to plan out your family dinners. My Mom and I have really enjoyed using Hello Fresh, and we plan to continue with it. Benefits include:

• Cooking time together
• Trying new foods
• Learning how to better cook
• Saving time at the grocery store
• Using less processed foods, which means it is usually healthier options
• Less wasted food since the portions are more controlled

Join In on the Conversation

I always love hearing from my readers! Feel free to comment below or begin the conversation on X.com (my username is @sarahderinger88).

• Have you tried Hello Fresh or another meal planning program?
• What was your experience with these kind of programs?
• What type of food would you like to try?
• By the way, if you would like to try Hello Fresh for a discount, you can click here.

Introducing Betelhem

At another For King and Country concert in October 2021, Mom decided we needed to sponsor another child through Compassion International. The first packet we were given, when we asked for a girl, was Betelhem. Betelhem is little girl from Ethiopia. Her name seems to be a little different spelling for Bethlehem, and therefore seems to be in relation to Jesus’ birthplace.

Betelhem is six years old and lives with her mom, dad, and little sister. Bethlehem’s mom is a housewife, and her dad is a labor worker.

Betelhem is in Kindergarten. Betelhem helps around the house by carrying and gathering the firewood. Their family lives in a one room rental house. She enjoys Sunday school and church, and she likes dolls and playing hide and seek.

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post. Do you have a sponsored child? Have you ever been to Ethiopia? Do you have any prayer requests?

Sponsor a child

Please consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International, Haiti Outreach Ministries, or Eden Ministries. By sponsoring a child through any of these organizations, you will help a child and their family. They will receive an education, food, clothing, health care, shelter, and the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Fruit of the Spirit series: Peace

Awhile back, we had started looking at the Fruit of the Spirit, specifically at the fruit of Joy, and now we are going to re-look at the Fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the One who develops the fruits of the Spirit in us, and we cannot produce this on our own. We rely fully on Him for this to grow, but we can add this through obedience to Christ (not a working for our salvation but from our salvation). The full list of the fruit of the Spirit is found in Scripture:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

Gospel Peace

This time, we will look at how the Holy Spirit brings us peace and continues developing it in our lives. We must believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ to have peace begin growing in our lives.

God so loved the world in this one particular way – He sent His Son Jesus to live a sinless life on earth, to die on the cross taking the punishment for sin (also called substitutionary atonement) and paying the debt we incurred when we sinned. By believing in Christ for salvation and repenting of our sins (agreeing with God that sin is sin), we are then able to have the hope of eternal life with God through Christ Jesus. This is the ONLY way; there is no other. (You can see John 3:16-17; Romans 3:23-25; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 2:24-25; 1 Peter 3:18).

Then, when we believe in Christ for salvation, we are granted the Holy Spirit and are sealed with Him. This is when the transformation (or sanctification) begins, where the Holy Spirit begins to make us more and more like Christ everyday. Through that process, He produces His fruit in our lives (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). The process involves: reading the Bible, prayer, being active in a local church that preaches sound doctrine, living in such a way that glorifies Christ, repenting each day as we sin yet again and fighting against that sin, and doing the good deeds that God has prepared for us (see Romans 8).

Peace

What is peace, and how do we have more of it in our lives? A lot of vacation resorts and meditation apps claim to bring you peace. However, what they are offering is a cheap imitation or a false, temporary, and empty “peace” which usually just means a time of quiet, relaxation, and solitude. True peace is everlasting, eternal, and to the fullest, the kind of peace that passes all understanding. True peace is a working peace, not just a resting peace. This kind of peace is with you even during the most difficult trials of your life, whether you are on vacation or at work. Having peace does not mean that you downplay or dismiss your trials and difficulties; it means that you are holding on to the hope and knowledge that Christ is reigning on His throne in the cosmos right now and forevermore. Peace like this is knowing Who holds you in the storm. True peace is knowing that Christ is the One who calms the storm, quiets your soul, and is your “Shield” (Genesis 15). And because of that, you do not need to fear but only trust and rest in Him. The apostle Paul writes about obtaining peace with God through faith in Christ:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1 ESV

Our faith in Christ is what originally brings us peace – the peace with God. Our peace was broken with God when sin first entered the world (Genesis 3), and ever since the Garden of Eden until the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ (Matthew 27-28), man has had to use the sacrificial system (peace offerings, sin offerings, etc.) to keep a right standing relationship with God. However, the sacrificial system was temporary and insufficient for the propitiation of sins and the justification that God had ordained for our salvation, and therefore, Jesus came to live a life that fulfilled the Law and fulfilled the prophecies foretold about Him, die to satisfy the price to be paid for sin, and resurrect again to conquer death, and He did this in our place. Now because of Christ, God looks at us (believers in Christ, those who have fully placed our trust in Him) as though we had Christ’s righteousness on us; that is called the great exchange or the substitutionary atonement. Only Christ could bring us that peace, and now we can have that true peace growing in our lives. Jesus Christ spoke of the peace that He would bring into our lives:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27 ESV

This type of peace is one that will help us through the tough times, whether it is a trial or being persecuted for being a Christian. This peace will enable us to be courageous (choosing to do what is right and Christ-honoring) even when facing trouble. Yes, we may face trouble, but we do not have to let our hearts be troubled. We can have the true peace that comes from Christ.

One Biblical example of someone who had peace even when facing trials and persecution was the apostle Simon Peter. Peter carried around a sword (Matthew 26:51) and was ready to go to war for Christ; however, he also denied Christ three times (Matthew 26:69-75). Peter is an example of a man who had a troubled heart until he truly knew Christ’s power, and through repentance and turning back to Christ (John 21:1-11), Peter was granted peace with God and peace to face trials and persecution. Peter could then stand for Christ (Acts 2:14-26, 3:11-26, 4:8-12, 4:19-20, 5:29-32, 10:34-48).

As we go through these next few weeks of delving into what the Fruit of the Spirit is in our lives as believers, reflect on how you can grow more in the Fruit of the Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit is ultimately the one who grows the fruit in you and me, but you and I have a responsibility to meditate (fill our minds with, not empty our minds) on God’s Word on what joy and each fruit of the Spirit is. What is one way that you and I can rejoice in Christ this week?

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

• What fruit of the Spirit do you hope to grow more in?
• What fruit of the Spirit do you want to learn more about?
• What fruit of the Spirit do you struggle most with?
• How may I pray for you? (If you would like to private message me a prayer request, please feel free to message me via Instagram, Facebook, or X.com. I will gladly pray for you.)
• What are your favorite examples of peace in the Bible?
• Who is someone in your life that has a deep peace in Christ?

Short-Term Mission Trips: American Indian Christian Mission

In high school (before 2007), I went on two short-term mission trips with my church youth group to American Indian Christian Mission (AICM) in Show Low, Arizona. AICM is a Christian non-profit that brings the Gospel to the peoples on the Navajo and White Mountain Apache reservations in Show Low, Arizona. They take a bus around to the neighborhoods to play with the kids and teach them Bible stories, something like a mobile Vacation Bible School. AICM also has a boarding school for children in the area.

It was a great experience (minus a little high school drama), and it was where I figured out that I wanted to work in libraries. I got to catalog books with their school’s computer library cataloging system. Before deciding to go after a degree in library science, I had wanted to become an editor of my own Christian teen magazine, which I called InTeenz. My parents were not sure about my career path in Christian journalism, and so I was praying that God would help me find something else. Through the short-term mission trips, I saw that library science might be in my future.

On the trip, I also enjoyed going on the bus and playing with the children, who desperately want attention since they do not get much at home. The families on the reservations typically live in poverty, and the drug and alcohol abuse rates are high in the area.

Short-term mission trips can be a good way for teens to learn to serve others and not just focus on themselves. It can show teens different trades as well so that they can learn some skills for future work. Most importantly, short-term mission trips can be a way for teens to disconnect from their regular life schedules and create group bonds with their church youth group and focus on learning more about Christ.

Short-term mission trips can also come with their own sets of problems if teens end up having unresolved drama between them due to jealousy, rivalry, and pride. This is some of what I experienced during the two short-term mission trips to AICM; however, it did not make the entire trip a bad experience. One of the great things that happened on the two trips was getting to spend some more time with my Nana and my Mom.

When short-term mission trips are focused on Christ and serving others, they can be a blessed experience.

Join in the conversation below. Have you ever been on a short-term mission trip? What were some of the highlights of the trip? What did you learn from the mission trip? How did the mission trip inspire you?

My Favorite Books on Discipleship

Once someone has become a born again believer, the Church has the job of helping disciple them both as a congregation and individual believers. Of course, it takes some practice and studying to know how best to disciple someone. However, we have an example in Christ of how to disciple someone:

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:16-20 ESV

What do we teach others when discipling them? We teach them about Jesus, the Bible, and everything He has commanded us. One way to learn how to do this is by reading some books and looking at resources that help with this. These are some of my favorite books on Discipleship outside of the Bible to get started with:

• Family Worship
  • Family Worship by Donald S. Whitney – Not only are we supposed to disciple our friends (brothers and sisters) in Christ, we are to teach the people closest to us about Jesus … in our own homes. If you have children or a spouse, you are to be discipling them to observe everything that Jesus has commanded us. One way to accomplish this is by having a time at home that you worship Jesus together, also known as Family Worship time.
  • Family Worship Bible Guide by Joel R. Beeke
  • Exploring the Bible Together by David Murray
  • Beginning: Family Worship in Genesis by Joel R. Beeke
  • A Practical Theology of Family Worship by Jonathan Williams
• Discipleship Books to Read Together with the Person You Are Discipling
  • Gentle and Lowly by Dane C. Ortlund – This book will show you and the friend that you are discipling the true nature of Jesus; He is gentle and lowly in demeanor. This is a book that my church has read together.
  • The Gospel-Centered Life by Robert H. Thune and Will Walker – This is a book that my Bible study group at church has gone through together.
  • One to One Bible Reading by David Helm – Read the Bible together, and this guide will help you read it together well.
  • Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life by John Calvin
  • The New City Catechism
• More Resources on Discipleship
  • Ligonier Ministries
  • Monergism

What resources and books would you recommend for using to disciple others to be more like Christ? Join the conversation below.

Adoption Resources and Assistance

Adoption Resources and Assistance are available.

In light of the Roe v. Wade decision being overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States, there are resources available that can help mothers – whether they do not want to be mothers or whether they are in need of assistance in obtaining resources, such as diapers and formula. Please do not feel as if you do not have any options because there are more options to you than just abortion. There are so many Christians who are willing to help.

For those mothers wishing to give their child(ren) up for adoption and / or in need of resources for their babies, there are a few great resources that I know of that are willing to help:

Lifetime Adoption: Go to the website and click through the prompts to get information about giving up your child for adoption.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes: Go to any of their locations to give your child up for adoption. This option allows the mothers to be completely anonymous, no questions asked. Once you place your child in that box, the child goes to DCS, where they will be placed with a foster family for 30 days where they verify that all parental rights are given up. Then, the child will be adopted immediately.

Miriam Pregnancy Counseling Center: This is a chain of resource centers that are Christ-centered. They have counselors, resources, and a network of support for mothers. There are locations in Indianapolis as well as Texas.

Hope Resource Center of Bedford, Indiana: This is a resource center where they have counselors ready to help you through the process of giving your child up for adoption. They also have many free resources such as a ultrasound machine to take pictures of the baby growing in your womb, free diapers, free clothing, and lots more.

LIFE Family Resource Center of Orange County, Indiana: This resource center has counselors ready to help you through the process and look at your options. They also have many free resources, such as free diapers, free clothing, free baby wipes, free pregnancy tests, and so much more.

For Christians who are looking to adopt, there are many options as well:

Adopting through DCS, which is typically free.

Adopting through an Adoption Agency, such as Lifetime Adoption

Adopting with the help of an Adoption Consultant, such as Christian Adoption Consultants or Faithful Adoption Consultants

If you need any assistance in finding a pregnancy resource center near you or if you need prayer or someone to talk to, please comment below or contact me. I am willing to help.

P.S. I am willing to adopt your baby, and I know of many families in my church that are willing to adopt your baby.

Big List of Trunk N Treat Theme Ideas

Are you looking for ideas for how to decorate your trunk for your church’s Trunk N Treat? This year, our church is doing a Trunk N Treat for the first time in a long time, and I have been looking at my big list of ideas to get inspired. And I would like to share this list with you as well. These ideas are ones that would be good for using at a church’s Trunk N Treat, so in this list will be biblical themes.

My theme for this year’s trunk is based on the Secret Garden with a combination of 1 Peter 1:24-25. I have flower decorations, and a poster board with the Bible verse on it. I even have a flower garland with fairy lights in it to make it stand out.

For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word which was preached to you.”

1 Peter 1:24-25 (NASB)

Biblical Themes

• Noah’s ark
• Christmas – Jesus is the greatest gift of all!
• Christmas nativity
• Philippians 3:14 – “I press on toward the goal of the upward call in Christ.” – paired with a Sports theme
• David and Goliath
• John 3:16 paired with a globe
• Matthew 28:18-20 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – paired with a globe
• Resurrection of Jesus
• Lamb of God
• Angels
• Galatians 5:22 – Fruit of the Spirit – paired with a fruit stand
• 10 Commandments
• Reformation Day and the 95 Theses
• Wandering in the wilderness – manna and quail
• God’s creatures paired with the zoo
• Jonah and the big fish
• Paul shipwrecked
• Garden of Eden
• Job 28 – Mining for wisdom as you would mine for gold
• Jesus feeds the multitude (fish and bread)
• Owl you need is Jesus
• Fishers of men
• Fall in love with Jesus
• ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus – paired with Candy Land
• Let my people go – plagues in Egypt
• Fully Rely On God – FROG
• Bee attitudes – Blessed are the …
• The woman at the well – Jesus cares for us and is the Living Water
• Taste and see the Lord is good
• Store up your treasure in heaven
• Daniel in the lion’s den
• Ruth and Naomi – God takes care of us / Friendship
• Zaccheus in the tree
• Jesus walking on water
• A mighty fortress is our God – castle
• The Lord’s Army – dress like a soldier
• “Be not afraid … for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15 – paired with army theme
• God’s Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path – paired with glow in the dark
• Ephesians 6 – The full armor of God
• Philippians 1:6 – “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – paired with a construction theme and He’s not finished with me yet.

Fall Themed

• Pumpkins
• Apples
• Fall leaves
• Corn / Harvest

Christian Culture

• Veggie Tales
• Adventures of Odyssey
• Chronicles of Narnia
• Lord of the Rings
• RefToons
• The Biggest Story
• Pilgrim’s Progress
• Polar Express
• Whatever the Vacation Bible School theme is for this year (review) or next year (sneak preview)

General Themes

• Around the world – different countries
• Ocean
• Desert
• Forest
• Prairie
• Rainforest
• Tropical / Luau
• Frozen tundra

Quick Themes and Easy Hacks

• Oriental Trading Company has a few theme kits for sale: https://www.orientaltrading.com/teaching-supplies-and-stationery/sunday-school/trunk-or-treat-a1-553757-1.fltr

I have seen a church in Florida do a “The Biggest Story ABC” theme, where each trunk was a different letter of the alphabet; of course, you would need 26 cars or tables for that theme.

If you are in the Paoli, Indiana area, I invite you to our Trunk N Treat!

ABCs of Child Sponsorship Letters: Z

Are you looking for ideas for what to write to your sponsored children? Throughout this ABCs of Child Sponsorship Letters series, I am going to share lots of ideas with you on letter writing. These ideas are useful for any child sponsorship program, but I may give some specific ideas for Compassion International, Haiti Outreach Ministries, and Eden Ministries.

Yay! We have made it to the end of the series! Thank you for following along as I share all sorts of ideas for writing to your sponsored children. I hope you got a lot out of the series and that your letters are feeling fun and exciting again.

Today’s ideas are about the Zoo and animals. Your sponsored children most likely love learning about animals. My Edith hopes to be a veterinarian one day, so she definitely enjoys hearing about animals.

So what sorts of things about animals are worthy of writing about? Here are some topics to write about, and if you need questions to ask your children, these will work for some of the questions as well.

• What are your favorite animals?
• Do you have any pets?
• What kinds of pets do you have?
• Do you have names for your pets?
• What animals are found near where you live?
• What animal do you wish you could see someday?
• Are you afraid of any animals?
• What kinds of animals are considered pests in your area?
• Does your community or family use an animal to help them in farming?
• What animal would you like to know more about?
• Have you ever been to the zoo?
• What animals can be found at the zoo?
• Send pictures of animals that you see when you visit the zoo. You can also send your sponsored children pictures of animals that you want to write to them about.
• Send pictures of animals that you see when you are traveling (the ocean, the mountains, etc.)

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post. What are some ideas you have for writing to your sponsored children? Do you ever get stuck on what to write to your sponsored children?

Sponsor a child

Please consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International, Haiti Outreach Ministries, or Eden Ministries. By sponsoring a child through any of these organizations, you will help a child and their family. They will receive an education, food, clothing, health care, shelter, and the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.