Amy Scott's Thoughts

Sharing the thoughts that bounce around in my brain!

The Global Leadership Summit August 17, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 8:00 am

This last week I had a great opportunity to attend a highly acclaimed leadership conference. The Global Leadership Summit is put on by the Willow Creek Association and it is always a top-notch event. The speakers are always amazing and truly gifted in their fields. For two full days, the amount of leadership knowledge that gets poured into those that attend is astounding.

Today, I went back through my notes and highlighted the points that really stood out to me through conference. The worst part of a conference like this is it’s easy to fill your head with all this information and then slowly let it seep out. Reviewing a couple days after the conference gave me a chance to clear my head and then go back in and intentional remember the points that I want to take away.

Below are the points that I found myself highlighting. I figured typing them out would be another way to reinforce their place in my memory. I also thought they might be of some benefit to you. Each point is just a small piece of the great leadership expertise shared by this amazing line-up. I hope that some of the thoughts below jump out at you and strengthen your leadership just as much as it did mine.

  • You do your best work when you right over the over-challenged line at work. Not when you are appropriately challenged, not when you’re dangerously-over-challenged and not when you are under-challenged. (Bill Hybels)
  • You set a bad example when you live in crazyland (in reference to the dangerously-over-challenged work environment). (Bill Hybels)
  • Believe in the future by creating it first. (Len Schlesinger)
  • Historical results do not show future results. (Len Schlesinger)
  • Baby steps and small wins go farther then you realize. (Len Schlesinger)
  • Use your blessings to move you forward – don’t allow them to make you dumb, fat, and lazy. (Honorable Cory Booker)
  • Everyone is born an original, but most die a copy. (Abraham Lincoln, quoted by H. C. Booker)
  • How you see the world reflects your heart and character. (H. Cory Booker)
  • Look past the current problem and see the opportunity. (H. Cory Booker)
  • When you catch on fire, people will come to watch you burn. (Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil)
  • We are not called to survive the world, but to change it. (Steven Furtick)
  • Only God can make it rain. We can do all we can do, but God is the one who sends the favor and blessing and healing. (Steven Furtick)
  • If what you’re doing isn’t intimidating you, then it’s probably insulting to God. (Steven Furtick)
  • If you want to see the land filled with water, then you must dig ditches. You prepare for what you believe is coming. 2 Kings 3:9-20. (Steven Furtick)
  • Sometimes we only need to see the next step. (Steven Furtick)
  • Don’t confuse your behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel – it took a lot of ditching digging to get to those highlight moments. (Steven Furtick)
  • What I’ve learned – Silence your body, listen to your words. Silence your tongue, listen to your thoughts. Silence your thoughts, listen to your heart. Silence your heart, listen to your spirit. Silence your spirit, listen to the Holy Spirit. (Mama Maggie Gobran)
  • Wise people see the light and adjust to it. Fools see the light and try to adjust the light, not themselves. Evil people see the light and run. (Dr. Henry Cloud)
  • Show people you are willing to do what you are asking them to do. (Patrick Lencioni)
  • Honor others by being interested in them. Put them first. (Patrick Lencioni)

The other speaker I would like to highlight was an interview with Michelle Rhee. In 2007, Rhee was made Chancellor of the Washington DC public school system. From the very beginning she made drastic changes to the school system that rocked the city. She is a woman with high standards for education and a desire for quality in the classroom. I’m not a school teacher, but my job does involve working with the next generation. I got very wrapped up into her story, because she fights for the next generation. She wants to make the next generation better and bring them to a place where they will succeed in life. This goal is very close to my own heart. I want to make sure that I make decisions that are best for the kids in my life. I don’t want to make my decisions based on popularity or pressure. High standards ensure that the kids we come into contact with will have best opportunities possible. Her story and her fight impressed me greatly. While I took down no quotes from this session, it was one that deeply impacted me.

I was so glad that I was able to go to the conference this last week. The Global Leadership Summit always leaves you full of thoughts and ideas. It challenges you to take what you have heard and do something with it. Investing in leadership training is something I value so much about the team I work with. It was great to go as a church staff. I look forward to all that God is going to grow out the time invested into our leadership.

 

The Fall Transition August 16, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry — Amy Scott @ 8:00 am

There is no doubt about it! It’s back to school time! When I enter Wal-Mart, I see back to school lists and shelves stocked a mile high with school supplies. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. I have no idea why seeing all those school supplies makes me happy, but I know for sure it does! I actually miss being a student and having a “need” to buy them. I still browse the aisles for old time’s sake!

For some students, school starts in two weeks. It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over and fall is almost here! However, the weather we’ve been having in Washington state does make it a little easier to accept. The weather has been in fall mode much before the rest of us. Back to school is a big time for students, schools, and families, but it is also a big time in children’s ministry. It’s our transition period where our students move up to the next grade.

As a 5th/6th grade teacher in my church, this transition time always hits me the hardest, because it means saying good-bye to many students who will now be moving up into our youth ministry. It’s a good time to watch them spread their wings and there is always another class moving up to fill their shoes. Every year the transition flow is the same, but the faces of the kids are different.

Tomorrow night will be a “last” class party for my Wednesday night girls. We will take down our bulletin board and our class poster. We will pass out our binders and clear them out for the next class moving up. This is a clean up the room night and get ready for the new school year. After the cleaning and sorting is finished, we will play games and just hang out as a class for the last time.

The last two Wednesday of August will be spent in Fusion, our youth ministry at Bethel Church. We all go and sit together as a class. For my 6th graders who must move up, this gives them a chance to move up with familiar faces surrounding them. For my 5th graders, this gives them a chance to see what Fusion is all about and make up their mind if they would like to move up or stay in my class another year. No matter what decision my girls make, I want them to be well informed and make the decision that is best for them. These two weeks almost feel like a mini-vacation for me. I don’t have to plan a game, a lesson, a craft and make a snack. It’s a nice way to end the summer.

Come the first Wednesday of September, I will have a new class on Wednesday nights. All the 4th graders will officially become 5th graders and my 5th graders that stay will be my 6th graders. The beginning of a new year is always fun. I get to redecorate the bulletin board with fall colors! Something I always love to do. We will make a new poster that everyone will sign their names on and we will make new binder covers for another year of lessons and learning. It’s a great time to play ice breaker games and get to know the new vibe of the class.

Every class is different and it always changes each year as new girls move up. I’m truly blessed by my girls and they bring so much joy to my life. The transition period is always hard for me to say good-bye to the students that are moving up. I tell them that they can always come visit my classroom before and after church! I’m still available for hugs and chats! They must promise never to get “too cool” to hang out with me. While it is hard to let go of some students, the void doesn’t stay empty. My new students are waiting for me to get to know them and invest in them. Each year brings so much promise and opportunity. I am blessed by each class I teach. I’m sure this new class will be no exception!

 

Kid’s Camp 2011 August 6, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Travels,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 9:39 pm

358 kids and adults joined together this week for Kid’s Camp 2011 at Camp Berachah! The theme was “Extreme” and every part of the week lived up to the name! Extreme activities, extreme worship, extreme fun, extreme exhaustion! The mornings were early, the pace was fast and the nights were late. Overall, every moment was used to the fullest.

The great thing about our network kid’s camp is how intentional they are with the flow of the day. We have 3 environments where kids get the same message repeated to them and allow them to soak it in using different opportunities. The first environment is morning chapel. This chapel is high energy and extremely engaging. It introduces the message for the day and give the first opportunity for response. The second environment is cabin devotions. This time allows the cabin to discuss the topic of morning chapel and dig through the message. The third environment is response chapel. This falls right after cabin devotions and right before bed. As a close to the day, the kids are invited into a quieter chapel environment for one more chance to act on what has been spoken over them all day. This might look like visiting a prayer station or singing along to a passionate worship song or praying with a leader. All day the kids have had the opportunity to let the Holy Spirit speak to them about the message and the last thing they do before bed is a have a chance to respond to what the Lord might be working in their heart.

The other great thing about kid’s camp is the flow of the messages through the week. The first day message is usually about getting sin out of our lives and salvation. It’s all about getting right with the Lord. This is great for first time campers and those not familiar with Christ. It’s also a good reminder and a fresh start for those of us who have been in church and camp environments before. The next day focuses letting go of things that hold us back. We talked about how God made us very good and has created us with all we need for life. As things happen to us, we have added different things into our lives that God didn’t intend for us to have. The second day message dealt with the baggage we carry through life and need to let go. Day three focuses on the Holy Spirit and His power to give us boldness to share about Jesus and what He has done in our lives. We also shared how the Holy Spirit give us passion and peace. This is one of my favorite days because we ask kids to pray for the Holy Spirit’s empowerment! I know a lot of kids get excited to know that God wants to help them talk to their friends. With the Holy Spirit’s help they can do more then they ever imagined. Day four focuses on service and how we can serve anywhere, at anytime. Not everyone is called to be a full time pastor or a missionary, but they are called to serve in someway. Kids were invited to seek the Lord about where He might want them to serve. The last day is always a celebration of what God has done and a commitment to follow through once we leave camp.

Power Play is a great opportunity for the kids to engage in fun challenges and hear stories from missionaries. Power Play is formatted by having the kids go to different locations around the campground based on clues. At each station they hear powerful and extreme stories about missionaries. This section of the schedule is so amazing because kids can see how exciting missions can be. Our other missions theme at camp revolves around our offering project. This year our goal was to raise $1500 toward building a roof for a christian school in Tanzania. I’m happy to report that we did reach our goal and as a result the camp leadership team got soaked by the kids in the giant water fight.

As you can tell there are a lot of spiritual moments to look forward to at summer camp. Mixed in with these extreme moments with God are extreme activities and kids just being kids! Many of our students conquered their fears and went all the way to the top of the big swing. They raced each other at go-karts and pigged out on candy at snack shack. Jeremy’s favorite time with the kids is during the swimming hour. Every day the kids ran off their energy playing wacky outdoor field games. Also there was a campfire with silly songs and S’mores the first night. Fun is mixed in with everything at summer camp!

Summer camp is an awesome experience for students to get out of their normal routine. It gives them dedicated time to focus on God and deepen relationships with others. It was certainly an extreme time and one that hopefully won’t be forgotten quickly! I praise the Lord for the moments I had to pray with students and hear their hearts. Join me in prayer that what God started at camp will come to completion in the lives of our students!

 

Off to Summer Camp July 29, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Travels,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 4:53 pm

Thanks to my job, I think I’m one of the few adults I know who can say they go to summer camp each year. On Monday morning, we will load up from the church and take off for a week away at Camp Berachah in Auburn, WA. Summer camp is a great opportunity for each kid that gets to go. There is something special about getting out of routine and way from the everyday influences that surround students. Not only does camp have a lot of fun activities to offer students, but the greatest thing it can offer the students is a chance to connect with God on a deeper level. Through worship experiences and gifted camp speakers, students are given the chance to hear God above the noise of televisions, MP3 players, and video games. Each camp is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m always excited to see kids worshiping the Lord without reservation. You can see how tender their hearts are. My favorite moments at camp happen around the alters praying for students and getting to hear what God is doing in their lives. I also love the chance to just hang out with the kids as we go through activities and at meals. Getting to know each student better is one of the highlights of summer camp. If you think of us next week, say a little prayer for the kids at summer camp. I know we’ll be having a fun filled week. I’m positive that God is laying the ground work right now for some awesome things to happen in the lives of our students and I’m so excited to watch and see what unfolds this week!

 

Lessons Learned from VBA! July 17, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry — Amy Scott @ 8:21 pm

Jeremy and I just finished our week of VBA! For those that wonder about about the “A”, we have a Vacation Bible Adventure, because kids are in school for most of the year and it’s summer time! Not time for more school, but time for some adventure! It was hard not to love this year’s theme from Group Publishing (our one stop VBA shop) – PandaMania! I happen to be very fond of pandas and the Chinese theme was a lot of fun to work with! We turned our long hallway at the church into a bamboo forest!

Now every VBA is different. Of course, the theme changes every year, but so does the vibe of the students and the leaders. We’ve had VBA where the attendance close to 70 and then we have years, like this one, were we top over 120 (122 kids to be exact). We have a lot of BIG events in our Bethel Children’s Ministry, but VBA would fall under probably the biggest because it is the longest. We’re not talking about a 2 hour in and out event! We have 4 days of a fun and then a parent’s night to showcase what the kid’s have learned over the week.

There is a lot of planning that goes into each VBA and there is a lot of evaluating once VBA has taken place. As a leader, I’m constantly growing through each opportunity the Lord gives me. This week has been no exception! Here are some things that I’m trying to master as a growing leader!

  • Expect the unexpected! It seems that even when I think that I have every detailed planned out, there is always something that is out of my control. This year, we had supplies for 120 kids. We order 110 supplies thinking we would have extra (since last year we had 86 kids at VBA), but when our registration deadline came in with 103 kids, I knew we needed more supplies. Even with ordering 10 extra supplies, we still had 2 surprises that put us over the limit. Situations like this cause me to stress! I want everything to be fair, I want everyone to be happy, but we were low on supplies! We were able to get creative and somehow it all worked out! We have great kids at our church who were super flexible and shared their crafts willingly with others (major shout out to Caleb Angat).
  • It’s all about people! With such a detail driven event, it’s easy for me to forget the true meaning of VBA! It’s all about connecting kids with God. Greeting parents and helping leaders all goes into this overall success of the week. I was blessed by the conversations I had with parents about how they were impressed with that their student had learned that day. I was honored to work beside wonderful volunteers who gave 110% and made the week so exciting for the kids. The greatest gift of all was the conversations I had with the kids and the looks on their faces! It was a joy to watch them bust a move and sing loud and proud about how God was wild about them!
  • Take an afternoon nap! Jeremy and I came down with a cold bug that seemed to be going around a lot of our leaders. This made resting and taking advantage of down time a necessary part of VBA week. I’m learning that I have a limited energy supply (I’m totally shocked by this). I took part in many an afternoon nap during VBA. A lot of things can demand my time during such a busy week, but the only way to get through an event like VBA is to recharge the batteries in some way each day so you can be ready to go for the next day! Also, with such an active event, I’ve learned that good walking shoes are a must as well! Happy feet are very important!

As always, there will be things to tweak and improve! Each VBA is a learning experience. God has blessed me with the opportunity to grow and serve in such a  wonderful environment.  I want to say thank you to all the leaders and parents that made this last week such a success for our students! Since I am so impressionable with music, I would like you all to know that the theme song for the week is still very much stuck in my head!

“He’s WILD, He’s WILD, God is WILD about us!”

 

Get Down June 21, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 5:30 am

I will admit that my legs are sore today. However, they are feeling a lot better when I compare them to Sunday and Monday. You might wonder why I am so sore. At children’s church on Sunday we sang “Get Down”. The song is originally performed by Audio Adrenaline. Google it if you are unaware of the song. The song sings the line “get down” numerous times. Every time it is sang, you squat to the ground and then get up. Thus, “I get down and he gets me up.” Over and over and over again!!! Well, after my many “get downs”, I was feeling it and continued to feel it.

As a leader in children’s ministry, I often have to make the choice to go all in. I could have not done the motions to this song because it would make me look silly and it would make me hurt for the days to follow. However, I choose to be a good example for the kids in that room and I got into it so that way they felt free to get into worship as well.

Sometimes we don’t want to go all in. We would much rather do certain things and not all things that pertain to our ministry. I’m wondering what spiritual muscles we are allowing to un-strengthened when we choose not to use them. It takes a lot of energy when you decided to give it everything you got. It may not be seem like a big deal whether I do the motions with the kids at worship, but I’m choosing to totally enter into my ministry role. Giving it 100% might hurt at first. Just like all muscles, its takes time to build up strength. I’m sure if I “got down” enough it would no longer cause my legs to be sore. It just takes practice and consistency.

It might seem like a silly example, but it’s a simple truth stuck out to me today. Going all in can take a lot of effort and energy. There might be a season where it makes us sore because our muscles just aren’t used to the work yet. Going all in and getting involved will eventually grow those muscles and tone them so you don’t even break a sweat. Maybe someday I’ll actually experience that after we sing “Get Down”…

 

Wacky Wednesdays June 9, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry — Amy Scott @ 2:38 pm

I have the joy of teaching a midweek class at my church to 4th-6th grade girls. The night we meet is Wednesday so thus the title Wacky Wednesdays. This is a special night once a month.  We do something out of the ordinary and give the kids something to get excited about. It could be a dress up day or bring your favorite “chose an item” to class night. This gives the girls a way to express themselves and we all get to know each better as a result. For example, on bring your favorite stuffed animal to class night, I get to know the stories why that toy is their favorite. It gives background on their family and on what they treasure. This sharing time works great in a small group environment. If your group is too large to have everyone share, try having the kids pair up in groups of two or three to share their stories. The dress up days are the ones my girls look forward to the most. We have had red carpet night where they dress up in their fanciest outfit. I even put red craft paper on the floor to make the red carpet feel. Once the girls arrive we take glamour shots on the red carpet.  Another favored dress up day is pajama day. Honestly, who doesn’t want to wear pajamas more often! When my class dresses up, it draws the attention of others about the fun we’re having and I have great conversations with parents and other congregation members about the exciting things going on in our classroom. The nice thing is it’s only once a month so you only need a couple of creative ideas to get you going. Listed below are some of the Wacky Wednesdays I’ve done before:

  • Red Carpet Dress Up Day
  • Pajama Day
  • Backwards Day (wear as much of your clothing backwards)
  • Mismatch Day (a day where clashing is okay)
  • Bring your favorite stuffed animal to class
  • Bring your favorite book to class
  • Smurf Night (dress in all blue)
  • Crazy Scarf Night
  • Crazy Hat Night
  • Bed Head Night (see who comes with the worst hairdo)

The great thing about Wacky Wednesdays is they can be adapted to any group.  Different ages and genders like different things so capitalize on who your group is. There is a shared identity when we do something silly or out of the ordinary together. I find that kids ask about these special days all the time. Even older students who are out of my classroom still talk to me about them. So make a memory and so something wacky every once and a while!

 

The Sleepover Sensation May 24, 2011

Filed under: Children's Ministry — Amy Scott @ 8:50 pm

Who doesn’t love a good sleepover? I remember as a child sleepovers where the highlight of my friendships. There was something so fun about staying up late, doing fun activities, eating a little junk food and staying away from home. It was truly the best! Now that I’m a grown-up, I still think there is something powerful about the fun that can be had a sleepover.

Every year, our church throws a big sleepover for all our 1st-6th grade girls. We take over the whole church and spend the evening in our pajamas having a blast. Each year we have a new theme that sets the stage for the sleepover. This year’s theme was “All Around the World”.

We start the night off with dinner and door prizes (who doesn’t love getting a prize?). After we eat,the girls are divided up into different groups and are sent off to rotations with leaders. Since we had an international theme, all our rotations represented a different country. We had crafts from Japan and Australia. We played games from France and China. The highlight rotation was our snack rotation where the girls got to try foods from different countries and try to guess where it all came from.

The rotations keep the girls hopping and moving right along through the night. As it starts to get later, we need to wind things down, so they actually can get some sleep that night. We have a short devotional time which includes a gospel presentation. We use this event as an outreach for girls to invite their friends to church and show them how fun it can be. For some girls who attend, this is their first time ever hearing about Jesus and how he loves them.

Once the devotional time wraps up, we split the girls into two groups. The younger students (1st-4th grade) head to our gym to watch a 30 minute movie. The older girls (5th-6th grade) go to a different room where they get to watch a full length movie.  We’re very intentional about doing the devotion time as a “calm down” period of time but they are still alert and awake. Once we move into the movie portion of the evening most just drift off to sleep as the video plays.

After we get a less than full night of sleep, we wake up (normally to the army bugle melody) and have breakfast together and clean up the church. Both girls and leaders help us tidy up the building so it seems as if we were never there. My favorite part is when parents ask the girls if they’ve had a good time and their daughter goes off into instant stories and shows off her crafts she made.

Here are some other sleepover ideas that we’ve used over the years – for boys, throw an indoor camp out. Make your rotations “manly” or camped themed. Even serve meals that would be served out camping. Depending on the time of year, location, and your bravery level, you could even make a campfire and roast marshmallows.

For my midweek class of girls, we do our own personal class sleepover. It’s just for 5th-6th grade girls and instead of being at the church, I invite them over to my house. I love that girls can see that I care about them outside of my classroom. It shows them that I love hanging out with them. Inviting them into my home really creates that environment of investment. We have dinner together, play games (Disney Scene It is always a hit), and we watch a movie. After a not so restful night of sleep, we have breakfast together and meet up with the parents. These smaller sleepovers are every rewarding for just having a good time with the kids you teach.

Bring back the popcorn and the late nights, talk until 2:00am, run around in your pajamas! The sleepover sensation will be a hit with your group of students. You might just find that you have as much fun as the kids!

 

Every word counts May 19, 2011

Filed under: Bible,Children's Ministry — Amy Scott @ 4:11 pm

I teach 5th/6th grade girls on Wednesday nights at my church. It’s an honor to teach the next generation about God’s Word. I have moments during my class where I am teaching them, but I’m also feeling convicted by the lesson. It’s almost like an out of body experience where I am the student and the not the teacher. There are verses that just jump out at me and I am struck again by their truth. I had one of those moments last night as I taught my girls about “Taming the Tongue” (that is our current unit we’re working on). Because I have grown up in church and studied the Bible for school, I feel like I have a lot of head knowledge, but there is a connection where the head knowledge must become heart knowledge. Even the things that I might have learned many years ago, I still need to be remind of today and challenged to live them out better.

Last night we were talking about how our words flow out from our heart. If our hearts are full of goodness than good things will come out. If they are filled with evil, bad things will come out. The focus verse was Matthew 12:33-37. Here is a portion of that passage from the Message: “It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.(Mt.12:35-37).” The NIV puts verse 36 this way, “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”

Even though I’ve known this truth for some time, I was deeply reminded how important my words are. Each one is acounted for. Nothing slips pass God. If I said, He hears it. If I think it, He hears it. I don’t want to be careless with my words. I don’t want to talk just to talk and hear the sound of my own voice. I’m not sure I think enough about the purpose of my words. One of the activities the girls had to do in response to the lesson was create a mission statement for how they wanted their words to reflect them. Here is my mission statement for my words – I want my words to reflect the love of my Savior and be used for His purpose and His glory. I want my words to be encouraging to all who hear. I want my words to strengthen the body of Christ. I want my words to be gentle and humble; may they point to Christ and not to myself.

Today’s reminder is that every word counts… So make the most of them!

 

More than Chocolate Bunnies and Egg Hunts April 23, 2011

Filed under: Bible,Children's Ministry,Women in Ministry — Amy Scott @ 4:48 pm

Today was a great day! We at close to 2,000 kids at Bethel Church for giant egg hunt! 40,000 plastic eggs full of candy were hidden in our fields for children to find. We had inflatables, pony rides, petting zoo, face painting, balloon animals. With such a big event on Easter weekend, it is very easy for my Easter to be all about Eggstravaganza. I mean I do Eggstravaganza for Jesus and for outreach, but what I am thinking about – prize eggs and signage and parking and volunteers… So right now I want to take a moment to remember the true purpose of Easter – beyond the bunnies!

My Savior died for me because I am sinner and separated from God. There is no way in my humanness that I could bridge the gap. He was God’s ONLY SON and he gave his life for me. He died while I was still a sinner. He died for me because He LOVES me. I have done NOTHING WORTHY of this love! The cross is so central to Easter, the suffering my Savior endured. However, death couldn’t hold Him down and the enemy was defeated! I have the glorious hope of heaven and purpose for each day here on Earth.

As I was thinking about Jesus in the midst of the egg hunt, Philippians 2:5-8 come to mind:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very natureof a servant,
being made in human likeness.
  And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me. Thank you for lowering yourself from the heights of heaven to human lowliness. I don’t deserve your love, but I gratefully accept it.I know that I serve a God that is living and the grave couldn’t hold you down. Help me to reflect your love to others and make the most of my time here on earth. I LOVE YOU! Amen.