{"id":5107,"date":"2019-07-05T11:50:20","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T16:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/?p=5107"},"modified":"2019-08-16T11:10:34","modified_gmt":"2019-08-16T16:10:34","slug":"seizing-those-pivotal-moments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/2019\/07\/05\/seizing-those-pivotal-moments\/","title":{"rendered":"Seizing Those Pivotal Moments"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t

Whether you are a parent or a teacher, I am sure you can look back and recall moments in time that became powerful teaching moments. Or, perhaps you can think of a few times where you realized later that you missed the perfect opportunity to teach a valuable lesson.<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s instructions to the Christians in Thessalonica set a clear example for us regarding our Christian lifestyle. \u201cRejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV). On the surface, those mandates seem like an impossible task, and humanly speaking, they are. Can I really rejoice when my car won\u2019t start and I\u2019m late to my Girls\u2019 Ministries meeting? How do I pray while I\u2019m on the clock at work? How do I give thanks when my circumstances have gone from bad to worse?<\/p>\n

The answer to those questions comes directly from the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 19:26 when he said, \"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible\" (NIV). Faith in God allows us to see beyond circumstances and believe for answers. I learned some of these lessons early on through life experiences that my parents used as pivotal teaching moments.<\/p>\n

As the daughter of church planters, life had its challenges. My parents followed the call of God to several new locations to plant a church where there was no P. H. church. No established church meant no salary compensation, no parsonage to live in, no guarantees on anything. When he had no car, my dad would hitchhike to his job of driving a school bus to help provide for his family. He and my mother relied fully on the fact that God turned impossibilities into possibilities. Prayer and faith were integral factors in daily life. They chose to involve me and my sisters in praying for our needs to be met. On more than one occasion, I can vividly recall them calling us together to pray for groceries. The pantry was bare and there was little or no food left for the next meal. We would pray together as a family and without fail, our prayers would be answered. Usually, it came as a knock on the door and we would find a bag of groceries and no one in sight. These faith-building moments were incredible experiences for me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmphasize that prayer is our way of having a conversation with God; it involves talking to him and listening to Him.\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t

While I am grateful that David and I never had to worry about where our next meal might come from, I had learned the importance of being involved in praying for answers. I did my best to seize any opportunity to involve our son and daughter in faith-building prayers. One of those \u201ctop-of-the-list moments\u201d came early in 1989 when our 8-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter were watching Alvin and the Chipmunks (one of my personal favorites). I was working that morning in my home office and my son came to me in tears. In that episode, Alvin and the Chipmunks were traveling to Berlin. As the story played out, it showed how families had been divided by the wall. His heart was broken as he asked me if this was real. As we talked about the unfortunate events, I realized that God was giving me a great opportunity to turn this into a faith-building experience. We immediately prayed for those affected by the Berlin Wall and proceeded to pray over the few months on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

Early on the morning of November 9, 1989, as I watched the morning news, they showed a breaking report of ordinary citizens knocking down the wall! I ran to Ryan\u2019s room to wake him up. I wanted him to see first-hand that God was answering his prayers. It was a powerful faith-building experience for him and his sister. Our prayers combined with the prayers of untold hundreds had touched the heart of God and we witnessed the results that morning. It was neat too that their Grandpa was in Berlin during those days when the wall came down. The kids were able to hold a piece of the concrete that he had picked up from the crumbled wall.<\/p>\n

Lesson plans are valuable tools for teachers. However, some of the most powerful lessons happen when you allow God to take over the moment and you follow His lead. Remind children that God\u2019s timing is perfect. When we were praying for food, the groceries almost always arrived in hours. However, not every prayer is answered immediately, so continue to pray for specific needs. Over the months, as we prayed for Berlin, we talked about Germany and learned about the culture that the war had created. It took months for us to see our prayers answered, but when it happened, we acknowledged it for what it was\u2013the hand of God at work. We celebrated it!<\/p>\n

If you use the Mpact and TGM curriculum, there are units on prayer in each age level and plenty of suggested activities in the resource sections. If you don\u2019t use that curriculum, look for books or articles. Check out the website for helps such as the Five-Finger Prayer and the ACTS guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here are other great ways to encourage prayer:<\/span><\/strong>
\n1. Emphasize that prayer is our way of having a conversation with God; it involves talking to him and listening to Him.
\n2. Put legs to your prayers by doing a prayer walk around your church or nearby neighborhoods.
\n3. Make a prayer wall in your classroom for prayer requests and answers.
\n4. Decorate a prayer chair for children to sit in for special prayer.
\n5. Help them see that prayer should be part of their daily lifestyle by using everyday occurrences as pivotal teaching experiences.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":5108,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,27],"tags":[251,409,125,48],"class_list":{"0":"post-5107","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general","8":"category-girls-ministries-childrens-ministries","9":"tag-girls-ministries","10":"tag-irvina-parker","11":"tag-leadership","12":"tag-prayer","13":"entry"},"title_es":"Aprovechar esos momentos fundamentales","content_es":"

\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\r\nSi usted es un padre o un maestro, estoy seguro de que puede mirar hacia atr\u00e1s y recordar momentos en el tiempo que se convirtieron en poderosos momentos de ense\u00f1anza. O, quiz\u00e1s pueda pensar en algunas ocasiones en las que luego se dio cuenta de que perdi\u00f3 la oportunidad perfecta para ense\u00f1ar una valiosa lecci\u00f3n.\r\n\r\nLas instrucciones de Pablo a los cristianos en Tesal\u00f3nica nos dieron un ejemplo claro con respecto a nuestro estilo de vida cristiano. \u201cAl\u00e9grense siempre, oren sin cesar, den gracias en toda circunstancia; porque esta es la voluntad de Dios en Cristo Jes\u00fas para ti \u201d(1 Tesalonicenses 5: 16-18, ESV). En la superficie, esos mandatos parecen una tarea imposible, y humanamente hablando, lo son. \u00bfPuedo realmente regocijarme cuando mi auto no arranca y llego tarde a mi reuni\u00f3n de Ministerios de Ni\u00f1as? \u00bfC\u00f3mo rezo mientras estoy en el reloj en el trabajo? \u00bfC\u00f3mo doy gracias cuando mis circunstancias han ido de mal en peor?\r\n\r\nLa respuesta a esas preguntas proviene directamente de las palabras de Jesucristo en Mateo 19:26 cuando dijo: \"Para el hombre esto es imposible, pero para Dios todo es posible\" (NVI). La fe en Dios nos permite ver m\u00e1s all\u00e1 de las circunstancias y creer para obtener respuestas. Aprend\u00ed algunas de estas lecciones desde el principio a trav\u00e9s de experiencias de vida que mis padres usaron como momentos de ense\u00f1anza fundamentales.\r\n\r\nComo hija de plantadores de iglesias, la vida ten\u00eda sus desaf\u00edos. Mis padres siguieron el llamado de Dios a varios lugares nuevos para plantar una iglesia donde no hab\u00eda una iglesia PH. Ninguna iglesia establecida significaba que no hab\u00eda compensaci\u00f3n salarial, ninguna casa parroquial para vivir, ninguna garant\u00eda sobre nada. Cuando no ten\u00eda auto, mi pap\u00e1 hac\u00eda autostop en su trabajo de conducir un autob\u00fas escolar para ayudar a mantener a su familia. \u00c9l y mi madre confiaban plenamente en el hecho de que Dios convirti\u00f3 las imposibilidades en posibilidades. La oraci\u00f3n y la fe fueron factores integrales en la vida cotidiana. Eligieron involucrarse a m\u00ed ya mis hermanas en la oraci\u00f3n para que nuestras necesidades sean satisfechas. En m\u00e1s de una ocasi\u00f3n, puedo recordar v\u00edvidamente que nos llamaron a orar por los comestibles. La despensa estaba vac\u00eda y quedaba poco o nada de comida para la pr\u00f3xima comida. Rezar\u00edamos juntos como familia y sin falta, nuestras oraciones ser\u00edan contestadas. Por lo general, era un golpe en la puerta y encontr\u00e1bamos una bolsa de comestibles y nadie a la vista. Estos momentos de construcci\u00f3n de fe fueron experiencias incre\u00edbles para m\u00ed.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\r\nAunque estoy agradecido de que David y yo nunca tuvimos que preocuparnos por saber de d\u00f3nde vendr\u00eda nuestra pr\u00f3xima comida, aprend\u00ed la importancia de estar involucrado en orar por las respuestas. Hice todo lo posible por aprovechar cualquier oportunidad para involucrar a nuestro hijo e hija en las oraciones de fomento de la fe. Uno de esos \"momentos top of the list\" lleg\u00f3 a principios de 1989 cuando nuestro hijo de 8 a\u00f1os y su hija de 5 a\u00f1os miraban a Alvin y las Ardillas (uno de mis favoritos). Estaba trabajando esa ma\u00f1ana en la oficina de mi casa y mi hijo vino a llorar. En ese episodio, Alvin y las Ardillas viajaban a Berl\u00edn. A medida que se desarrollaba la historia, mostraba c\u00f3mo las familias hab\u00edan sido divididas por el muro. Su coraz\u00f3n se rompi\u00f3 cuando me pregunt\u00f3 si esto era real. Cuando hablamos de los desafortunados eventos, me di cuenta de que Dios me estaba dando una gran oportunidad para convertir esto en una experiencia de construcci\u00f3n de fe. Inmediatamente oramos por los afectados por el Muro de Berl\u00edn y procedimos a orar durante los pocos meses de manera regular.\r\n\r\nTemprano en la ma\u00f1ana del 9 de noviembre de 1989, mientras miraba las noticias de la ma\u00f1ana, \u00a1mostraron un informe de \u00faltima hora de ciudadanos comunes que derribaron el muro! Corr\u00ed a la habitaci\u00f3n de Ryan para despertarlo. Quer\u00eda que viera de primera mano que Dios estaba contestando sus oraciones. Fue una poderosa experiencia de construcci\u00f3n de fe para \u00e9l y su hermana. Nuestras oraciones combinadas con las oraciones de cientos no contados tocaron el coraz\u00f3n de Dios y fuimos testigos de los resultados esa ma\u00f1ana. Tambi\u00e9n fue estupendo que su abuelo estuviera en Berl\u00edn durante aquellos d\u00edas en que se derrumb\u00f3 el muro. Los ni\u00f1os pudieron sostener un pedazo de concreto que \u00e9l hab\u00eda recogido de la pared desmoronada.\r\n\r\nLos planes de lecciones son herramientas valiosas para los maestros. Sin embargo, algunas de las lecciones m\u00e1s poderosas suceden cuando permites que Dios tome el control del momento y sigues su gu\u00eda. Recuerde a los ni\u00f1os que el tiempo de Dios es perfecto. Cuando or\u00e1bamos por comida, las compras casi siempre llegaban en horas. Sin embargo, no todas las oraciones se contestan de inmediato, as\u00ed que contin\u00fae orando por necesidades espec\u00edficas. A lo largo de los meses, mientras or\u00e1bamos por Berl\u00edn, hablamos sobre Alemania y aprendimos sobre la cultura que la guerra hab\u00eda creado. Nos llev\u00f3 meses ver c\u00f3mo respond\u00edan nuestras oraciones, pero cuando sucedi\u00f3, lo reconocimos por lo que era: la mano de Dios en acci\u00f3n. \u00a1Lo celebramos!\r\n\r\nSi utiliza el plan de estudios Mpact y TGM, hay unidades sobre la oraci\u00f3n en cada nivel de edad y muchas actividades sugeridas en las secciones de recursos. Si no usa ese plan de estudios, busque libros o art\u00edculos. Visite el sitio web para obtener ayuda, como la oraci\u00f3n de cinco dedos y la gu\u00eda ACTS.\r\n\r\nAqu\u00ed hay otras grandes maneras de fomentar la oraci\u00f3n:<\/span><\/strong>\r\n1. Enfatice que la oraci\u00f3n es nuestra manera de tener una conversaci\u00f3n con Dios; implica hablar con \u00e9l y escucharlo.\r\n2. Ponga las piernas en sus oraciones haciendo una caminata de oraci\u00f3n alrededor de su iglesia o vecindarios cercanos.\r\n3. Haga un muro de oraci\u00f3n en su sal\u00f3n de clases para las peticiones y respuestas de oraci\u00f3n.\r\n4. Decore una silla de oraci\u00f3n para que los ni\u00f1os se sienten en una oraci\u00f3n especial.\r\n5. Ay\u00fadeles a ver que la oraci\u00f3n debe ser parte de su estilo de vida diario, utilizando los acontecimientos cotidianos como experiencias de ense\u00f1anza fundamentales.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","author_name":"Irvina Parker","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/07\/GM-Q3.1-Article-Graphic-Parker-Seizing-Those-Pivotal-Moments-e1562340191345.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4T9u2-1kn","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}