July 2011 Issue
by Kathy Gilbert
We had a great time at VBS this summer. I hope that you were able to join us. We learned that Jesus was a child and had feelings like we do. He had a mother who loved him and was proud of him. He went to school, had friends and family. Jesus came to show us how to live a life that was pleasing to God. We can do this every day when we love our friends, and those that are hard to love, and treat them with kindness and love. I hope you have a wonderful summer.
Jonah Ignored God
Jonah 1 – 3
One day God said to Jonah, “Get up and go to Nineveh! The people there are evil. Go and teach them the right way. I can’t ignore their behavior any more.” Jonah did not like the people of Nineveh. He ignored God and went in the opposite direction to Tarshish. He ran away from God.
Jonah went to the port and found a ship headed to Tarshish. He paid his fare and boarded the ship. He was trying to get as far away from God as he could go.
God sent a huge storm at sea, the waves were huge! The ship was about to break into pieces. The sailors were afraid. They called out to God for help. They threw everything they had on the ship overboard to make the ship lighter. Meanwhile, Jonah was down in the hold of the ship sleeping. The captain saw him and said, “Get up and pray to your God! Maybe your God will rescue us.”
Jonah knew that he was the cause of the storm. Jonah told the sailors, “Throw me overboard, into the sea. Then the storm will stop.” The men didn’t want to throw him overboard so they tried to row the boat to shore but it didn’t work. So, they threw Jonah overboard and immediately the storm stopped.
God sent a large fish, a whale, to swallow Jonah. Jonah spent 3 days in the belly of the fish. He prayed to God and God had the fish take Jonah to the shore of Nineveh. Jonah went to Nineveh and told the people to change their ways or God would destroy their city. They listened and changed their ways. God saved them.
But, the story didn’t end there. Jonah was angry that God saved the people of Nineveh. He didn’t understand that God loves all people and wants everyone to know him. God was patient with Jonah and showed him that everyone deserves to be forgiven and to be loved.
God has a mission for you and me too. He wants us to love one another even those that are hard to love. The Bible tells us, “Friends let us love each other since love comes from God.” 1 John 4:7
Print the crossword puzzle and word search and see if you can find the answers.
july crossword puzzle