Pray & Ponder

I wonder how you know God's promises are true? Do you SEE how his promises come true? Do you HEAR how his promises come true? Do you just KNOW? Follow along as we  read  about how Mary saw and heard and knew that God's promises were true -- and that anything is possible with God! Come! Let's pray and ponder. Together. Looking for a daily reading guide for Advent? Check  this  out. Head over to  re...

I wonder if you have ever heard something so surprising that you were . . . speechless? Follow along as we  read the story of Zechariah  -- a man who heard some amazing news from an amazing visitor -- all of which left him speechless. Come! Let's pray and ponder. Together. Looking for a daily reading guide for Advent? Check  this  out. You can find the NIRV version of today's reading  here. Head o...

I wonder about a time you may have run away or tried to hide from God? I wonder if there is a time when you wanted to argue with God? I wonder what you notice about how God is with you, even when you try to go away from him? Follow along as we read about a time the prophet  Jonah ran away from God  and a time when  Jonah argued with God  as we wonder about how our God is a God who is with us. Come...

I wonder if you've ever had something unexpected happen to you? I wonder how you respond to unexpected things? Follow along as we read from  2 Kings 5  and see the unexpected ways God is at work in the life of a man named Naaman -- changing not just his outsides but his insides, too. Come! Let's pray and ponder. Together. Head over to  restorationarlington.org  for more information on  Restoration...

I wonder what silence sounds like to you? I wonder what you hear in the silence? Follow along as we read from  1 Kings, the Psalms, and the Gospel of Mark  and see and hear how God speaks. Come! Let's listen and talk to God as we pray and ponder. Together. Head over to  restorationarlington.org  for more information on  Restoration  and  Pray & Ponder.  Remember to subscribe so that you never miss...

I wonder if you've ever seen something so powerful that it changed the way you thought about things? I wonder if it changed what -- or rather who -- you put your trust in? Follow along as we read  1 Kings 18  from the Old Testament and witness the power of God and how His power changed the hearts of those who worshiped something else other than God. Come! Let's pray and ponder. Together.   Head ov...

I wonder if you've ever taken a wrong turn and gotten lost? What did you do when you discovered that you were not where you needed to be? Today's story shows us where to turn -- to whom we should turn -- when we see how our "wrong turns" land us in a place where we should not be. Follow along as we read  Numbers 20-21  from the Old Testament and reflect on what it means that the Lord always makes...

I wonder if you've seen a situation differently from others because of what you believe? In today's story, we'll see how Joshua and Caleb see things differently because of what they believe about WHO God is -- loving and kind, trustworthy and true, a faithful promise maker and promise keeper. I wonder what you'll -- uh -- SPY as you listen today? Follow along as we read parts of  Numbers 13:1-14:3...

Have you ever noticed a shadow that made you wonder what the actual thing making the shadow was like? In today's story, we'll take a look at God's love for his people and how laying out the best ways to live show us who God is AND create a shadow that hints at his ultimate rescue of his precious people. I wonder what you'll notice -- as a shadow or in full -- as you listen today? Follow along as w...

Do you ever wonder about God's power that is both gentle and mighty? In today's story we'll hear about the ways in which God sees and listens and rescues as he keeps his promise to protect his special people. I wonder what you know about God's gentle and mighty power? I wonder where you have seen that kind of power? Join us today as we look at God's faithfulness to Moses and God's power at work in...

Do you ever wonder what it means to be a promise maker  and  a promise keeper? God, who is faithful and true, is the BEST promise maker and promise keeper! He promises things and he follows through on those promises -- no matter how much time there is between when he makes that promise and when he keeps it. He tells us in today's story that he has given a reminder of his promise to us. But I wonde...

Do you ever wonder about how God made us -- and what that tells us about how he feels about us? Do you ever wonder about that perfectly perfect relationship with the God who created us and how it was broken? Do you ever think about the whole story from God's perspective? Join us today as we wonder together about God's BIG love for us and what that love looks like. Follow along as we read from  Gen...

Do you ever think about all the things that God made? I wonder if you have a favorite thing that he created? Join us as we wonder together about the ways God made the world and everything in it and what that tells us about WHO God is! Follow along with these scriptures as we read from  Genesis 1:1-28, 31; Genesis 2:1-3  and begin at the beginning to tell God's BIG story of his BIG love for his peo...

Do you ever wonder why we say the three most important things at the end of each episode of Pray & Ponder? Do you ever wonder what those words really mean? Join us today as we listen to God's Word that tells us that "God really does know you! He's crazy about you! And he goes with you everywhere!" Follow along with  these  scriptures. Head over to restorationarlington.org  for more information on ...

Wild Wondering With God — Episode 10 — clouds write about what you are thinking and seeing and experiencing: print these  journal response pages  as a booklet do some creative or playful things: stretch out on a blanket and look up at the clouds in the sky try these experiments  to make clouds at home learn how to  paint a "happy little cloud"  with Bob Ross read with a buddy or by yourself: watch...

Wild Wondering With God — Episode 9 — ROCKS write about what you are thinking and seeing and experiencing: print these  journal response pages  as a booklet do some creative or playful things: clean  some rocks paint  rocks stack some flat rocks to build a cairn read with a buddy or by yourself: read  A Rock Is Lively   by Dianna Hutts Aston read  Sylvester and the Magic Pebble  by William Steig r...

Wild Wondering With God — Episode 8 — trees write about what you are thinking and seeing and experiencing: print these  journal response pages  as a booklet do some creative or playful things: climb a tree and see how the view changes make a  neighborhood tree identification guide  using  this  online tool for help if you need it do a bark rubbing play this game in an area with several trees: In p...

Wild Wondering With God — Episode 7 — birdsong write about what you are thinking and seeing and experiencing: print these  journal response pages  as a booklet do some creative or playful things: scroll down to capture the instructions and inspiration for  creating mixed-media bird nests grab a paper lunch bag, roll down the sides to make a nest, then gather and fill and "feather" your nest with f...

write about what you are thinking and seeing and experiencing:  print these  journal response pages  as a booklet do some creative or playful things: make a bee-utiful craft  while also working on those fine motor skills make a dragonfly  with a straw and some paper go on a bug hunt to see what kinds of insects you can find  stay up late to watch or catch lightning bugs read with a buddy or by you...

write about what you are thinking and seeing and experiencing: print these  journal response pages  as a booklet do some creative or playful things: here are some  nature play ideas  for littles play with colors and textures — and grow independence — as you  do a little floral arranging read with a buddy or by yourself: read aloud together  The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden  by Karina Yan Gl...

write about what you are thinking and seeing and experiencing: print these  journal response pages  as a booklet do some creative or playful things: make some art  like Eric Carle, inspired by his book  The Tiny Seed grab a little bag of seeds and sort and classify them: How are they alike? How are they different? Use  this site on seeds  to help you understand more in depth. gather some fallen tr...

write about what you are thinking and seeing and experiencing: print these  journal response pages  as a booklet do some creative or playful things: create a  water-based sensory bin  for younger kids check out these ideas for  water play for older kids here are some wonderful ways to  explore with watercolors quench your thirst with these  infused water recipes have a "leaf race" — toss two leave...

do some creative or playful things: mix some dirt and a little bit of water and  paint with mud make "clean" mud dough make "mud muffins"   play "Stuck in the Mud". It's just like freeze dance. Sort of. And it's played without mud. :) read with a buddy or by yourself: read  Mud  by Mary Lyn Ray read  A New Green Day  by Antoinette Portis read  Yucky Worms  by Vivian French — then go dig in the mud...

Wild Wondering With God — Episode 1 — Wind do some artsy things: gather sticks and string to  make a wind chime https://www.mudandbloom.com/ blog/windchimes   make a wind sock https://www.wikihow.com/Make- a-Windsock-for-Children   paint with watercolors using a straw by dropping paint on the paper and blowing the  paint with the straw instead of a brush https://babbledabbledo.com/ how-to-do-blow-...

Season 4 of P&P starts next week! Enjoy this trailer, and don't forget to listen beginning next Friday, July 2! Head over to restorationarlington.org for more information on Restoration and Pray & Ponder. Remember to subscribe so that you never miss a new episode.