danielle bell, Author at dandibell

In kidmin

Jesus is… 24 Hours 4 Him 2017

March 14, 2017 No Comments

twenty years ago, as i began my time in kids ministry, i looked at events in youth ministry like d-now and thought, why don’t the kids have that? through the desire to offer concentrated time in God’s Word and fellowship with other kids and adults, 24 hours 4 Him was born. this year as i participated in my 20th weekend i was blown away, yet again, to see God work in and through the lives of kids and their leaders. here are my favorite take aways:

leadership – dawson kids associate minister to children, jon meads, was the main one in charge of this event and he did such an amazing job with all the details. this allowed me to get to spend time and plan some special nuances like prayer stations and worship elements.
worship leaders – we have had a great history of worship leaders at 24 hours 4 Him. (i.e. yancy and the lads) this year was no exception. we were so blessed to have our centrikid camp worship leaders, johnathan and emily martin, lead us in worship.(that is them singing on the video below.) i so love their humble, Christ-centered hearts to lead children and families to the foot of the cross.
curriculum – we loved using the zip curriculum from lifeway. it was super flexible and came complete with interactive lessons, media, and special area options. i highly recommend it.
prayer stations – instead of a service project, we had kids rotate through prayer stations. (this went along with our church’s theme of prayer for the year.) this time was all planned out for the adults so they were able to sit back, enjoy, and experience it with the kids. i loved watching the adults and kids gather in smaller groups and walk through interactive prayer stations that all focused on one of the names of Jesus the kids were learning about for the weekend. at each station kids received a bead to spell out Jesus. at the end of the prayer stations they made a Jesus bracelet and wore it until closing worship. at the end of the 24 hours i challenged all the children to give that bracelet to someone who needs to hear about Jesus. i have been blown away by stories of children being the church and sharing Jesus with people in their missions field.
t-shirt day – this is always my favorite day after the long weekend. i believe that possibly one day children will not be allowed to wear scripture shirts into schools, so we are intentional about sharing God’s Word while we can. kids all wear their 24 Hours 4 Him shirts to school on monday and i love to hear the reports about how the name of Jesus and the Word of God trickles through the classrooms, hallways and carpool.

check out our video for the weekend below. also i have included some resources to give you insight into our scheduling and planning.

https://vimeo.com/206263499

In kidmin

His word is honey…

March 4, 2017 10 Comments

i feel in love with Jesus through his word and i truly believe as hebrews 4:12 states that God’s Word is “alive and active” and it changes lives. and as a kidmin leader, i want kids to not only know His word, but apply it to their lives. that’s why i am so excited that we discovered the honeyword Bible and devotional.

it has been fun for me to work with these folks recently and get to learn more about their method. they even said i can give away a Bible and a devotional on my blog. (instructions for that are at the bottom of this post.)

the honeyword appraoch takes scripture and ties it to a “clicker” – something that kids see or think about. this allows a bridge to be built from abstract concepts to the concrete truths that kids can grasp and apply to their lives. i love that they rhyme, because let’s be honest us adults could also use some memorization help.

each book of the Bible features an animal with a sound-alike-Bible book name. this animal might be like the person who wrote this book of the Bible or it may be like the person the book is written about. just another fun way to help kids remember the book and the message it contains.

i couldn’t wait for an opportunity to put these unique Bibles into the hands of our families. so, we gave away honeyword Bibles to each family at a vine family worship night last year. these families have loved them and have come back for more to give to unchurched families that are seeking truth. you have to love when you are asked for another copy of God’s Word to pass along to someone that might not know Jesus.

not only did we give away Bibles, we gave the devotional book to every family on first grade Bible sunday. we believe parents want to lead their family in Biblical devotions, they just need the tools to help guide them. that’s why this devotional book was such a neat gift to help them succeed in leading their kids in Bible-based leaning that lasts.

but who doesn’t like free stuff right? be sure to check out the honeyword app. i have it on my phone. this is a great resource to give to all of your parents so they can carry the honeyword devotionals with them everywhere they go. here are the links to download the app:
itunes app
android app

honeyword also sends out a weekly devotional. you can encourage your families to subscribe to that here.

okay, here’s how you can win a copy of either the Bible or the devotional book. comment below with the first scripture you memorized and how you memorized it. (was it by song? in vbs? at home?) on march 11th i will randomly draw a name for the Bible and another for the devotional and will ship them to you.

thanks honeywod for asking me to share and giving me free resources to give away.

congrats to our winners:
Bible – becky
devotional – kate

In kidmin

#kidmintrenchtalk give it to God

February 28, 2017 No Comments

In kidmin

#kidmin conference money saving tips

February 28, 2017 No Comments

5 money-saving tips for kidmin attendees

you’ve set up your children’s ministry budget to be a reflection of God’s calling and direction for the ministry. you’re also cautious of the budget and want to make every dollar count. here are 5 ways to ensure you’re spending your money wisely, and even saving money in the process.

lock-in the early-bird registration price. not only will you save $100 per person, but you only need $50 per person to lock in this rate. your full payment isn’t due until July 14, 2017. so how do you lock-in the early-bird rate with just $50? go online and simply register. it’ll take you through the process. or you can call Dawn at 800.635.0404 x4382. don’t have a credit card? that’s okay, you can even mail in a check.

track airline prices with fare watcher alerts. this is perhaps the easiest way to track airfares. many travel web sites offer emailed airfare alerts, letting you know when fares go down, and they all have something to offer. do a browser search for “airfare alerts” and you’ll see what’s available. they all work a bit differently; so sign up for more than one.

save $50 per night. it’s as easy as booking your hotel room at the Hyatt Regency with reservation code: KidMin17. Learn more….

share a ride and/or hotel room. one of the best things about attending conferences is connecting with like-minded people and who doesn’t want more ministry friends? often times, friendships that are forged are life-changing. ride and/or room sharing has the potential to foster not just cost savings, but also deeper, unanticipated connections that can change the course of your career. simply post in our private Ride/Room Share Facebook page that you either can offer a ride/room or you’re looking for a ride/room. sharing expenses is a win-win!

pack your own meals. it’s always a good idea to pack your own healthy snacks. this way, you get exactly what, spend less money, and stay on target with a healthy diet. bring an insulated cooler-type lunch box to store perishable food items like hard boiled eggs, string cheese, and yogurt. pack some bread, peanut butter, and jelly to make sandwiches. carrots, hummus, apples and granola bars are always a perfect snack on the go. bring your own water bottle, and fill it up throughout the day. the tap water in chicago is safe to drink!

i hope these help and i hope to see in you in chicago for #kidmin17.

In #kidmintrenchtalk

#kidmintrenchtalk – pleasing God

February 15, 2017 No Comments