Share a high and a low from the past week.

Answer this question again: “I am… (noun)”— something that describes you, or how you are feeling right now, other than your name!

John 6:27-35  (NRSV)

27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Share a High and Low from the past week.

Finish this sentence: " I Am...(noun)" --something that describes you, or how you are feeling right now.

Exodus 3: 13-14 The Divine Name Revealed 
  13 But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

(Name), just as God spoke to Moses, may God speak to you.

Amen.

As a dad of two elementary age kids, I find great joy in seeing my kids involved in so many activities. From dance, tennis and tae kwon do, to snowboarding and choir, they each are finding activities they enjoy and are excited about doing! But no matter how much I try to talk up tennis to my son, he just doesn't want to play! He tried for a couple of years, but he just didn't get into it. He took lessons from other coaches and even myself, but after a couple of years, he asked if he could stop playing. 

Sometimes as parents we think if we could just get our kid to church, to worship, to youth group, or on a trip, they will connect with their faith in a new way and it will light a fire within their soul and they'll be able to see the importance we have been talking about. As it was with my son, I thought if he could just get out on the court and play, he would like it and play it for the rest of his life. ;) 

Of course there is a difference in connecting with an activity or sport and having some sort of faith in a God who loves us and created us. But the idea of just getting our kids to the court, to church, to the pool, to the rehearsal, or to youth group, will give them an understanding of why it is important, or will help them feel connected in some way. And sure, sometimes this works, but over time the excitement may go away.

A couple of years ago Fuller Youth Institute in California helped in one of the biggest faith studies among teenagers ever done, The National Study of Youth and Religion. (You can read much more about this study here.) Through this study and subsequent studies after some of the teenagers were in college, one of the biggest findings was, "When it comes to kids' faith, parents (guardians) get what they are."