Last week, we talked about the three visitors who came to Abraham’s tent and promised that Abraham, who was 99, and Sarah, who was 90, would have a son. True to God’s promise, they had a son named Isaac, which means “He Laughs.” Later, Isaac had a son named Jacob.

When we meet Jacob, he’s on the run. Jacob had tricked his father into giving him his older brother Esau’s birthright, and now Esau wants to kill him for it. So Jacob flees. After a long journey, he stops to rest, and while he’s asleep, God appears to him in a dream. In the dream, God promises Jacob land, many descendants, and His protection, just as He did for Abraham. God also promises to be with Jacob always. God keeps His promises and is always present with us.

We look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday to talk more about God’s promises!

It may sound early, but we’re already preparing a Christmas program for the kids. During church, they’ll present the program, and if we’re lucky, St. Nick himself will join us after lunch! Parents, please let Miss Vickie or me know if your little ones will be part of the program, so we can make sure Santa has enough stockings filled with goodies for each child.

Blessings…

This Sunday, we talked about the amazing journey of Abraham and Sarah. God promised them that their family would grow into a great nation, even though they had no children. It had been 24 years since they left their home in Haran, and by now Abraham and Sarah were very old—almost 100 years old! Abraham must have wondered how God would keep His promise.

One day, three visitors came to Abraham’s tent, and he welcomed them kindly. What Abraham didn’t know was that these men were actually messengers from God. During their visit, they told Abraham something unbelievable: that he and Sarah would soon have a son. Sarah, listening from inside the tent, couldn’t help but laugh. After all, she was 99 years old!

But sure enough, just as God promised, Sarah had a baby boy, and they named him Isaac, which means “he laughs.” Isaac was a reminder of God’s promise and faithfulness. Even though it seemed impossible, God gave Abraham and Sarah a family, and through them, God built a great nation. This story shows that with God, anything is possible, and His love and promises are always true.

This week, we learned about how God asked Noah to build an ark. God saw that the earth had become very corrupt and filled with violence. So, He said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I will destroy them along with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and out with pitch.” Although it wasn’t raining yet, Noah listened to God and began building the ark as instructed. The ark was to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, with a window and a door on its side. It would also have lower, second, and third stories.

(A cubit was a measurement used in ancient times, typically the length of a person’s forearm—from the elbow to the tip of the fingers. This would make the ark about 450 feet long!)

Can you imagine building something this huge without any power tools? Noah got busy and worked hard, doing exactly what God asked. Once the ark was finished, it was time to load the animals. Noah, his family, and the animals God selected entered the ark, waiting for the flood to begin. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. When the rain finally stopped, Noah sent out two birds to see if the land was dry. However, it was God who ultimately told Noah when it was safe to leave the ark. Noah continued to trust God and follow His instructions.

God’s promise to Noah extends to all of us. In return, He asks for our trust and faithfulness. Join us this Sunday in church, and together we’ll learn more about how God wants us to follow His teachings!

Jonah was a man who didn’t want to do what God asked. God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and warn the people to change their bad ways, but Jonah was afraid and ran away. He got on a boat, hoping to escape, but a big storm came. Jonah knew the storm was because he didn’t listen to God, so he told the sailors to throw him into the sea.

Instead of drowning, Jonah was swallowed by a giant whale! He stayed inside the whale for three days, thinking about what he had done. Jonah prayed and promised to follow God’s instructions. So, God had the whale spit Jonah out onto dry land, and Jonah went to Nineveh to share God’s message. Because Jonah finally listened, the people of Nineveh were saved.

The story of Jonah reminds us that it’s important to do what God asks, even when it’s hard. God knows what’s best, and following His plan is always the right choice.