As you know, if you’ve been reading, for quite some time, I’ve occasionally been running little installments called “Mama’s K.I.S.S.” I know that lots of readers could give many more and far more creative ideas than I can offer, but these installments are just a few tried and true and mostly old-fashioned ideas for putting service hearts in our kids. This is number 45 of a list of one hundred ways we train our kids to serve. K.I.S.S. is an acronym for “Kids In Service Suggestions”.
This one’s a little different, in that, rather than making a single suggestion for serving, this time I’m recommending a resource that has lots of ideas for serving and growing in Him. The book G.I.F.T.S, by Hannah Colley Giselbach, is a thirteen chapter book for teen girls. Including a myriad of topics like evangelism, influences of the media, Bible study, prayer and dating, the book is Scripture-filled and practical. When Hannah wrote the book, she was sixteen years old, so her perspective was that of a peer rather than merely that of an instructor.
What makes the book fit into the Mama’s K.I.S.S. series is the projects feature included in each chapter. Every chapter concludes with a list of potential projects for girls to complete alone or in groups. These projects range from organizing spiritual events to participating in evangelistic studies. It’s a great way to organize the service efforts of teen girls in your own home and in your congregation. The book encourages fellowship and group completion of many of the activities. Because serving together is more fun than serving alone, this approach will leave teen girls enthusiastic about filling needs in congregation and community.
Below is an example of some of the many projects from which teen girls choose as they progress through the book:
Send five encouraging notes to five different younger girls during each week this
month. Include praise for positive attributes and a verse of scripture in each.
Ask a younger girl, or a group of younger girls to sit with you during each
service during the next month.
Take a stack of index cards, a marker, and a role of double stick tape to school
with you one day. Encourage at least twelve people by placing encouraging
“way-to-go-notes” on their lockers, desks, text books, etc. Include scripture
when appropriate.
Find five instances in scripture when lying or deception led to more sin. Bring
your list and Bible references to the next study sessions and discuss with mentor.
Write a children’s fable or fairy story about someone who gets in big trouble
because of a lie. Ask one of the young children’s teachers in your congregation if
you can visit a children’s class and read your story. Be sure to apply the story to
the children’s lives when you finish reading.
Check the newspaper0r a news website every day for a month for current events or court cases
that include deception. Compile these in a folder or scrapbook and turn them in
to your mentor at the next meeting.
It’s important to remember that our kids need to keep serving right on through the teen years rather than becoming self-absorbed as the culture in which they may matriculate tends to be. G.I.F.T.S. is a rich resource for teen service.
You can find G.I.F.T.S. at www.thecolleyhouse.org.
