Imagine learning to surf as a little kid, competing seriously by age 8, and winning competitions (as well as catching the attention of sponsors) by age 9. Imagine being 13, and well on your way to realizing a closely held dream, when disaster strikes in the form of a 14-foot tiger shark. Then imagine returning to the water and your board one month later, after having lost an arm and enduring several surgeries. Pretty remarkable, wouldn't you say? Nigh on to impossible? That's just part of Bethany Hamilton's faith story. In the eight years since the attack, this young woman, a believer, has not only refused to relinquish her dream, she has re-taught herself to surf, has become competitive again, and is now a professional surfer. She may have had doubts and questions (who wouldn't?), but she didn't let go of her faith in God, and she didn't quit, even when the odds were against her. (If you haven't yet seen the movie about her ordeal and comeback, Soul Surfer, don't miss it.)
You may never have a run-in with a shark, lose a limb, or have a movie made of your life. Likewise, you may never be thrown into a fiery furnace, tossed to the lions, or face down a nine-foot-tall Philistine. You may never put your life at risk simply by visiting your husband, the king, uninvited. But I bet you have at least one faith story to tell, some occasion that required you to step out in faith, that took perseverance, that necessitated God's help. Maybe you've had to make a choice between following God or following the crowd. Maybe you've faced a bully, or you've spoken up for someone who couldn't stand up for him- or herself, or you've made the wise choice when no one else did. Chances are, you've got several faith stories under your belt by now, even if you're a teen, and kids need to hear them.
That's why we're camping out in the book of Hebrews in August: so kids can learn about perseverance and how God uses faith to strengthen perseverance and vice versa. Hebrews was written to encourage early Christians to persevere in their faith.
Here's the lineup for August:
Week 1: When life seems impossible, remember what others did. (God has been helping people through impossible situations from the very beginning, and He'll help you, too. Looking back at what God has done in others' lives can strengthen our faith and help us persevere. (A cloud of witnesses, Hebrews 10:32-36; 11:32-40; 12:1)
Week 2: When life seems impossible, remember what Jesus did for you. Jesus gave up heaven to come live here as a human being and do what was necessary to save us. We can persevere because of what Jesus did, and does, for us. (Keep your eyes on Jesus, Hebrews 12:2-3; Matthew 28:20b)
Week 3: When life seems impossible, remember what God wants to do in you. God is so powerful and good to us that He can take the worst situation and use it to do something good for and in us. That's why we can put our faith in Him and trust that He will help us persevere. (God our Father, Hebrews 12:7,9-12)
Week 4: When life seems impossible, remember what you do can help someone else's faith. God can use our circumstances to strengthen our perseverance. Don't give up when things get tough, not just for your own sake, but for others' as well. Your perseverance can encourage others to keep going. (Persevere to strengthen others, Hebrews 12:12-15)
You can read it for yourself. The Bible is God's message to us. It tells us what He wants us to know about Him, how much He loves us, and how to have a relationship with Him. So it's important to know what's in it and how to use it. (Paul, Silas, and the Bereans, Acts 17)
In the meantime ...
Peace,
Melanie Williams
Editor in chief
252 Basics
The reThink Group
By Melanie Williams. © 2011 The reThink Group * www.rethinkgroup.org * All rights reserved. Used by permission