Noah's Ark Word of Wonder: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23a)

Kid's ROCC Memory Verse: "Wait for the Lord. Be Strong and don’t lose hope. Wait for the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14 NIRV)

Nine short years ago, I dropped off my baby at the “big school” along with her brother and sister. A scared kindergartener, not quite sure what lay ahead but ready to be with her siblings, she boldly hopped out of the car at carline and never looked back. Now, as she finishes her eighth-grade year, ready to graduate and move on to a new school with new friends and new teachers for high school, it has officially hit, I’m not quite sure I’m ready for my baby to grow up. And as much as I was expecting graduation to be an emotional rollercoaster, I wasn’t truly prepared for the fullness of it all. At graduation and chapel the following day, my daughter, along with several other eighth graders who we have known since kindergarten, stood up on stage, and boldly shared their testimony, a story of how God has worked in their lives and the many ways they have seen His goodness.  And yet, as each student shared their testimony, one common theme ran true in almost every story, a theme I wasn’t fully expecting. Yes, all the stories talked about God’s grace and His mercy, but almost every story also talked about something else too, hardship.
 
There were stories of moving hundreds of miles away from the place they had grown up in, stories of overcoming learning disabilities, stories of the loss of friends and family, in short, each one of these eighth graders had already experienced so much heartache and suffering in just a few short years. But as sad as each of these stories was, the heartache was not the end. For each student, the hardship and the heartache led to something much greater, the true knowledge of who God is and how much He cares about each one of us.
 
For the students on stage, no matter the hardship they had endured, each one could honestly say that God had helped them through their heartache. For my daughter, she boldly shared about questioning God after her sister’s diagnosis and wondering how a good God could allow such suffering. She also shared the way God comforted her after the loss of a dear friend to cancer at just 16 years old. And through it all, through the tears and questions and doubts, God showed up. And in every story shared from the stage the answer was the same, in hardship, God showed up.
 
Not a single child stood up and told of how great their life was, how easy and carefree things had been, and how this had led them to know God deeply. No, in every story, in every word, in every testimony, it was through the adversity and hardship that the child came to fully know God. All of the children had been raised in Christian homes, all had been taught about God and Jesus from an early age, but it wasn’t until they experienced suffering for themselves that they really came to understand who God is. And for us parents, I think that is the ultimate lesson. As much as we want to keep our children little, to protect them from all the evils and horrors and sadness of this world, we can’t. And that’s a good thing. It’s in the moments of adversity that our children truly have a chance to question God and dig deeper into who He is. Not simply adopting the faith of their parents, but learning to grow in their own faith, and stand on their own beliefs. And when given the chance to really examine God and see who He is, God will show up. Every time. Full of goodness and grace and mercy and comfort. And in the end, getting to experience the fullness of God is greater than any momentary hardship we may suffer on this Earth. And as each one of those brave eighth graders shared, God’s glory shines brightest when things here on Earth look the darkest. And in the end, maybe there is beauty in adversity after all.
 
In His Service,
Marie Harrison
Kid’s ROCC Director

River Oaks has transitioned to Wonder Ink, a curriculum that creatively engages children in God’s Word – helping families stay connected throughout the week by reinforcing Sunday’s lesson at home. This consistent review helps the stories and truths stick, building a strong foundation for each child’s knowledge of—and love for—God.

We invite you to access the curriculum portal. To get started:

Once approved, you can log in to the portal anytime at Wonder Ink for River Oaks.

Parent Cue (Orange Curriculum) helps connect you with practical things to read, do or say to help you engage with the heart of your child this week. These prompts will come in the form of videos and things to talk about in the morning, at mealtime or while you are cuddling with your toddler or driving in the car. Each week there’s even a Phase Cue to help you understand the developmental phase your child is in today. Download the Parent Cue App today!