children's christian magazine

By Brandi Clemons • Illustrated by Linda Undernehr
Who Am I?
I Am Mouse!
Mice are careful, quiet creatures. They must
always remember to be quiet and listen carefully
to everything around them so they can stay out
of harm’s way. Like the mouse, we must listen
carefully in our lives. God wants us to listen and hear
the Holy Spirit, His voice, in our hearts. To do this,
we need to be quiet sometimes.
So what does it really mean for us to be quiet? When
the Bible talks about being quiet, it means to be at
rest, or at peace, in our hearts. When we talk to God
and listen for His voice and guidance, He brings a
special quietness, or peacefulness, into our hearts.
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Once upon a time, there lived a missionary named Mr.
John Ronald. He had been serving God for over twenty
years. He had a seven year-old son named Mathew.
The Lord revealed to Mr. John in a dream to go on a
mission trip to Uganda. Mr. John wanted to leave his
son behind to stay with his grandmother in Canada;
however, after fervent prayers, Mr. John, resting quietly
on his bed, heard the voice of the Holy Spirit.
The voice said, “Take Mathew along with you to Uganda.”
Mr. John was surprised and wondered why the Spirit
of God wanted Mathew to go along to Uganda. He was
confused and doubted if it was really the Holy Spirit
who had spoken to him.
A week before he was to depart, he heard the voice
again while he read the Bible in the living room. The
voice said, “Read Psalm 8:2.” He quickly turned his
Bible to that chapter and verse. It read: “Through the
praise of children and infants you have established a
stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe
and the avenger…“
Mr. John then made up his mind to take Mathew along
with him. Mathew was very glad when his father told
him the news, because he loved being with his father.
When Mr. John and Mathew arrived in Uganda, they
stayed in a small bungalow. Mr. John enrolled Mathew
in a local school some distance away from where they
stayed.” Mathew made friends with Ibiru and Sadiku
in his new school. One day, Mathew was walking home
from school with Ibiru and Sadiku, when something
unexpected took place.
“Let us take this way,” Ibiru told Mathew and Sadiku as
they reached a crossroad.
“It is a longer route,” Sadiku replied.
“Yes I know, but we can pluck some mangoes on our
way,” Ibiru said.
Mathew walked along with them, though he had never
been on this route before. The path was surrounded
by bushes, and no one was walking there except the
three boys.
Mathew noticed Sadiku looking right, left, and backwards
most of the time, as if he were afraid.
“There it is!” Ibiru said, as he saw the mango tree just
ahead.
As they plucked mangoes, BAM! A big snake fell from
the mango tree. Ibiru and Sadiku shouted and fled in
different directions. Mathew also took to his heels but
could not find his two friends.
Mathew did not know his way home, so he began to
sing, “Jesus is the way……..”
As he roamed through the bushes, he found himself in
the midst of a local tribe that worshipped idols. They
were dressed in animal skins. Three of the tribe’s warriors,
holding spears, took Mathew to their leader. He
was the chief of all Talaka.
The chief, seated on his throne with his crown on his
head, was very sad. Mathew could see this on his face;
he knew something must be going on inside the chief’s
palace.
A traditional healer came to the palace to see the chief.
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The healer went inside the chief’s palace along with the
chief, but they came out shaking their heads. Mathew
could hear women crying inside the palace.
The Holy Spirit spoke to Mathew, instructing him to go
inside the chief’s palace, and he obeyed. The chief and
the traditional healer followed him. Mathew entered
the room where the chief’s daughter was about to die.
He prayed for her. “In the name of Jesus, be healed.”
Suddenly the chief’s daughter rose up. The chief and
everyone else in the tribe who heard and saw this were
stunned.
Mathew’s father eventually found him, and everyone
in the tribe gave their lives to Christ after Mr. John
preached to them through a local interpreter.
Illustrated by Edward Letwenko
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STUDY PAGE 1
by Donna Huisjen
“ The Quiet Wise”
“the quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.”
(Ecclesiastes 9:17 NIV)
I’m a grandma, but some of my favorite people are much younger. I pay attention to what
kids say, because they’re often pretty wise. A few years ago my four-year-old granddaughter said
something simple but important when she asked me to turn down the TV: “I’m not the loudest girl.”
We live in a world that values loud, outspoken people. Shyer—and often younger—people tend
to fade into the background. Others might not expect them to have anything worthwhile to say. But
the one audience member who really counts, hears and listens to the whispers, prayers, and even
the unspoken thoughts of the quiet wise—many of whom are kids!
Mathew in the “Miracle in Talaka” story was definitely one of those wise people God values.
When he walked—uninvited!—into that tribal palace, both the chief and the traditional healer
“heard” his wisdom too and silently followed. And I don’t think Mathew’s prayer for the chief’s
dying daughter was shouted in big-shot tones.
A wise man named Henry David Thoreau once said, “There are many fine things which we
cannot say if we have to shout.” I like that! Sure, kids like to shout when they’re having fun. But their
wise words are often spoken in something closer to a whisper. I think God likes that . . .
Think about it:
1) Some well-loved Bible stories show how
God respects and values kids. How does
young Samuel’s encounter with God show
this? What about Jesus’ words when his
disciples wanted the moms and kids to back
away and give him some space?
2) Think about the quote from Henry David
Thoreau. What are some fine things you
couldn’t say—or couldn’t say well!—in a
loud or bossy voice?
3) When have you been brave enough to offer
your respectful opinion on an important
matter? Did others listen?
Pray about it:
Thank you, Lord, for the quiet gift of
wisdom. Thank you that we kids don’t have
to wait until we’re all grown up to experience
and exercise that gift. Thank you that you
value me so much—right here and right now.
Amen.
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12-28-13
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A LIFE
Lived
for
GOD!
My name is Malcolm. I was born in
America, but what is unique about me is that
I moved to Central Asia when I was three
months old. I have grown up here. I am now
eight years old. I have never spent a whole
year in America. I have one sister, whose
name is Emily. She is five. I will be in the third
grade. I have been going to an international
school where there are eight kids in my class.
My teachers are from England and New
Zealand.
Where I live, the kids play a lot on the
street. They have lots of different games they
like to play. Sometimes, the boys run with a
metal hoop and a stick. They use the stick to
try to keep the rolling metal hoop from falling
over. They also like to play soccer, volleyball,
and ride scooters. The girls like to play house.
They use broken bits of pottery for their tea
parties. They like to play hopscotch and a
game like Ring-Around-the-Roses.
I sometimes help my mom with
neighborhood projects. Once, we had a
kids’ picnic for all of them. When I am not in
school I like to help at a preschool, and play
with the kids there. Lots of the kids here don’t
have a lot of money and have to work hard.
For a while I was collecting cans to give to
my friend, so he could sell them for money.
I live in a mud house. Lots of houses
here are built from mud and stone, because
they don’t have many trees. I like it that
where I live, I have a lot of friends. I like that
they have wide open spaces and lots of
mountains. I like that I don’t have too many
toys, and that my yard has a big wall around
it. It is like a courtyard. In my yard, we have
turtles. We have a dog named Mattie. We
also have four chickens. Their names are
Silverbells, Blackbells, Hawkeye, and Eagleeye.
We eat their eggs, and I help get them
from the chicken coop.
My favorite food here is called Pialu.
It is a dish made with rice, raisins, and
sometimes carrots. You get to eat it with your
hands. Another food I like is called Bolagna.
It is fried bread with mashed potatoes inside.
They have French fries here, but they call
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them chips. They are a little thicker and fried
in oil. In the winter, you can buy fried fish in
the market. I like that, too.
I pray for my friends and what is
happening around them. I pray that they
will live in a safe country. When I get older I
would like to come back here, and help out
like my dad and mom do. I would also like
to travel the world and help other countries
because Jesus wants us to love others.
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STORIES FROM LONG AGO. . .
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A LESSON ON quietness
A LESSON ON quietness
Written & Illustrated by Edward Letwenko
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A-MAZING
Help Covert Cully find his way to the treasure.
Illustrated by Tom Finley
Like all mice, Covert Cully hides and sneaks around trying to find treasures. Sometimes,
what looks like a treasure is really a trap, like cheese in a mousetrap. By listening to God
and obeying His commands, you, too, can stay out of traps and find real treasures.
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Silent Praise
- Puzzle by Donna Huisjen

y Pastor Eli Sauseda
DEAR NOAH
1. What does it mean when people say “God’s timing”?
Sometimes we want to rush into things before God wants us to. God’s timing simply means that
we do WHAT God wants us to do WHEN he wants us to do it.
2. How can Jesus be in my heart and in Heaven?
Jesus lives in Heaven. To ask Jesus to come into your heart is another way of asking Him to be the
Lord or Leader of your life because you believe He is the Son of God.
3. How old was David when he fought Goliath?
We don’t know exactly, but Goliath called him a boy, so it’s safe to say he was young. David was
given King Saul’s armor and had the strength to lift Goliath’s sword, so we know he was strong.
4. My mom says God sees my heart. What does that mean?
It means God knows what you’re thinking. He is the only one who can do that. Lots of people try,
but only God is omniscient, which is a big word that means God knows everything
5. How come everyone I pray for doesn’t get healed…only some?
Never stop praying and never stop believing! Sometimes people are healed quickly and sometimes
it takes time.
6. What does the word “righteous” mean?
It means “in right standing” with God. It means that you are no longer guilty. When we make Jesus
our Lord we are made righteous and will live forever with God in heaven.
7. Can I be friends with someone who doesn’t believe in God?
It just depends on what your definition of friend is. The Bible tells us that “bad company corrupts
good morals,” which means if you hang around people who are negative toward God...you will
start to be negative toward God too.
8. Why doesn’t God always answer all my prayers?
God always responds to his children who pray with faith. Sometimes we don’t see the answer
quickly because there is a spiritual battle going on. That is why you never quit...the Bible calls this
perseverance!
9. Do I have to lift my hands during worship at church?
You don’t have to but you can. Lifting your hands is just one of many forms of worship. The Bible
records people singing, dancing, shouting, and many other ways people worshiped God!
10. Even when my parents put my night light on when I go to bed, I am still very
frightened. What can I do?
God gives us lots of promises that He will protect us. You need to do two things! BELIEVE God
when He says He will protect you, and TRUST that He is strong enough to do it. You are safe and
protected!
If you have any questions for Noah, please write to:
Dear Noah
P.O. Box 3160 Victoria, Texas 77903 or e-mail noah@thekidsark.com
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STUDY PAGE 2
by Donna Huisjen
God’s Holy Temple
“The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be
silent before him.” (Habakkuk 2:20)
As I mentioned on the first study page, I’m a grandma. So it’s pretty amazing that I still
remember words from a church service w-a-a-y back when I was two years old! I remember
them because at our church those words above, from the prophet Habakkuk, were repeated
every Sunday morning. They reminded us to be respectful in our worship.
A well-known Christian missionary named Mother Teresa knew about quiet reverence
before God. She once said, “God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers,
grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. . . .
We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
There’s nothing wrong, of course, with noise, both in our worship and in our living. God
loves our energetic songs, our clapping, our dancing, and our shouts of praise. God loves
to hear happy children, like Malcolm and his friends, at play in his wonderful world. But he
also realizes that we can’t listen for his quiet voice unless we allow some time for stillness.
Think about it:
1) Are there some quiet times built in
to your church’s worship? At what points
in a service does your congregation get
quiet? Why is that important? What kind of
listening can you do in church?
2) Where is God’s holy temple? Do you
think Habakkuk meant only church, or could
the prophet have been thinking much closer
to “home”?
3) What parts of your church’s worship
do you think you’ll remember many years
from now? The singing? The prayers?
The readings? The praises? The children’s
sermon? Something else?
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Pray about it:
Thank you, Lord, for meeting me in
your holy temple—both on your special
day of the week and every day—and
night. Teach me to quiet down, even in
my praise and worship, enough to hear
and appreciate special words you might
have for me. Amen.

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HORSEGATE
Written by Larry Killam
Quietness
What is the absence of noise?
Quietness comes to mind. In both the
Old and New Testament it means to
be undisturbed, inactive, at ease, or
silence.
Sitting on a quiet horse looking out
over a meadow of wild flowers in a
valley would suit me. I enjoy quiet
mornings when I go to feed my
horses. The sun is coming up and
birds are singing, and it is a great
time to be still and know that God is
who He is.
Sometimes it is very hard to find
a truly quiet place and time. There
is so much noise, activity, and
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unsettledness in this world that quiet
and peace escape us. Of course,
this is not new, for God says there
is nothing new under the sun. King
Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 3:7,
“there is a time to be silent and a time
to speak.”
I wonder, in the story of Philip and
the Ethiopian, if the horse was quiet
or noisy when Philip was explaining
Isaiah 53:7-8 to the Ethiopian as they
rode in the chariot. I can’t imagine
trying to explain something to
someone if my horse is yelling to
his buddy or stomping the ground. If
you read that story you will see the

HorseGate Ministry
Larry R. Killam
Cohorsegate@q.com
www.horsegateministry.org
Ethiopian understood and was willing
to stop the chariot and be baptized.
Gee, I wonder if the horse stood
quietly for that as well.
Or how about when Paul was taken in
the late of night to Caesarea with 70
horsemen (Acts23:12-35)? Imagine all
those horses neighing and snorting,
along with all that Roman armor
clanging and making noise. So much
for sneaking Paul out of Jerusalem!
To me, God is the picture perfect
example of quietness. We can join
Him beside the still waters, as Psalm
23 states. I can imagine sitting on a
horse alongside Jesus on His horse,
letting both horses drink from the
stream as I drink in all that Jesus is
saying. We can’t do that if we do not
seek quietness in our hearts for Jesus.
So try this next time you are in the
middle of confusion, trouble or a lot
of noise. Take time to be quiet and
listen for His quietness!
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Hearing
by Teresa Taylor Williams
God
“In quiet and calmness shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)
When her alarm clock went off, Jessica jumped out
of bed. The day was finally here for talent show
auditions. She went to look for her mother to remind
her that she would be staying after school.
“Today’s the big day, Mom!” She swung the door
open to her mother’s home office and found her
praying. “Oh, sorry,” she whispered. “I forgot this is
your prayer time.”
“Hold on just one minute, honey. I just need to finish
this note to myself,” Mom said, grabbing the pen and
notebook beside her Bible.
“A note to yourself? About what?” Jessica asked.
“Why are you writing during your prayer time?”
Mom explained to her that prayer time consists of
reading her Bible, praying, and writing down what
God tells her.
“God talks to you? What does He say?” Jessica
asked.
“Sweetie, He talks to all of His children. That is why
my morning prayer time is important to me. I try to
wake up before you because the house is nice and
quiet. I want to hear clearly with my ears and my
heart, without distractions,” Mom said.
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Mom noticed that Jessica looked a little afraid of the
idea of hearing God speak.
“OK. When God speaks, it can be as loud as the
thunder, or as quiet as a whisper,” said Mom. “He might
want you to do something nice for someone else. Or
He might remind you to pray for someone who is sick.”
Jessica looked at the list written on her mother’s
notebook. “Send ‘Thank You’ card to neighbor. Pray
for co-worker who has lung cancer. Drink water. Pick
up Jessica from school.”
“Drink water? Did God really tell you that?” Jessica
asked with a laugh.
“Why yes, and I’m glad He did. Water is very important
for us to have healthy bodies, and I haven’t been
drinking enough water lately. You see, Jess, He loves
and cares about us. He wants to help us through life,
but we can’t hear Him as clearly if we’re too busy or
distracted.”
“Mom, do you have an extra notebook for me? I’m
gonna try to hear God the next time I pray,” Jessica
said. “I can’t wait to hear what He has to say!”

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Written by Evelyn Horan
Illustrated by Samantha Bell
Finding Jesus in Many Ways!
How do I know
Jesus is a part of my daily
life? Every time I begin to
think Jesus is too busy to
remember my needs and
wishes, I try finding His help
in my routine activities.
I remember one
morning I had to shop in a
short time. I needed a gift for
my friend Mike’s birthday
party. The party was the
very next day. I wondered
where I should go to shop.
Knowing that gifts can be
expensive, and because I
didn’t have much money in
my allowance, I asked Jesus
in a little prayer to help me
think about where to shop.
Then I thought about
a Christian store nearby
that often had sales. It also
carried items for younger
people.
When my mom drove
me to the store, right inside
I saw a table of discounted
games. As I searched
through them, I found a big
Monopoly game. I couldn’t
believe it! Mike and I had
been playing on my old game
board for a long time, and I
knew he wanted a game for
himself.
“Thank You, Jesus,”
I whispered. “Thank You
for helping me find this
Monopoly game”
Then, to the right,
another sign caught my
eye. Children’s books were
being offered at special discounted prices. While waiting for my
birthday package for Mike to be gift- wrapped, I browsed along
the shelves of books for young people. I found an interesting
book about Jesus and his life. It had many beautiful, colorful
pictures. I decided to buy it for my little sister. I remembered
she had wanted a book of Bible stories for a long time.
“Thank You, Jesus for sending me to this store,” I thought
to myself happily, reaching for the special Bible story book.
At home, Mom, my little sister, and I enjoyed a bowl
of her tasty vegetable soup for lunch. We talked about my
shopping experience and about the gentle voice that encouraged
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me to go to the Christian bookstore to shop.
“Aiden, do you have any idea Who might
have helped you today?” Mom asked with a
little smile.
“That’s easy, Mom,” I said quickly.
“It had to be the Lord Jesus. I’m sure of it.
Things worked out too perfectly for it not to
have been Him.”
Mom nodded and said, “Yes, Aiden, He’s
always there when we need Him.”
My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27-28
I had to remind myself once again--
when I am quiet and take the time to look for
Him, it’s easy to find Jesus doing wonderful,
unexpected things in my life. I just have to
stay alert and recognize them. When I do, I
know these little unexpected things are Jesus’
way of showing me that I am not alone. They
tell me that Jesus is here with me, helping me,
and smoothing out my way.
Isn’t it wonderful how Jesus makes His
presence known to us in so many ways all the
time? I am so glad to know that Jesus is here
in our lives, helping us, and blessing us every
day with His faithful love.
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STUDY PAGE 3
by Donna Huisjen
Quiet!
Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the
waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down
and it was completely calm.” (Mark 4:39 NIV)
In the story, “The Camping Trip,” Ben and his dad rowed all day. They enjoyed both the
unusual silence of the wild and the unusual sounds of nature. Their trip was uneventful in
terms of weather, but it isn’t always that way. Sometimes nature itself can be plenty noisy—
as in the furious storm Jesus’ disciples endured in the story told in Mark 4:35–41. Jesus was
there too—fast asleep in the boat.
Jesus wasn’t afraid of the wind, waves, and thunder, because he created them and is
their boss! In his human nature Jesus needed silence, just as we do. But he also cared
about his friends’ fears and need for quiet. That’s a need he created us to have. Listen:
SSSsssHHHhhh! Quiet! Please be
silent,
for the Healer’s day’s been long.
His oh-so-human self needs
rest. Disruptions, move along.
Wind, listen! This means you! You
rolling waves, stop crashing now.
Disciples, keep your voices down.
Hush! To your rowing bow.
“SSSsssHHHhhh! Hush now!
Peace!
Be silent,” the Lord of sea and sky
rebukes them both in quiet
tones. “We’re not about to die!”
His friends, though dazed in shock
and awe, accept this certainty.
“What kind of man is this who
speaks with such authority?”
Think about it:
1) What other needs are built in you as a
human being? What benefits do you
get from being quiet in a quiet place?
2) What are some other ways in which
Jesus showed concern for people’s
needs while he was on Earth?
How was it important for Jesus to
experience being human?
3) Think of a time when Jesus has
quieted either your circumstances or
your heart and mind when you really
needed a break. What did this mean to
you?
Pray about it:
How wonderful, Lord Jesus, to rest in
the silence that only you can bring to
my heart, mind, and soul. I pray that
you will order “Quiet! Be still!” on my
behalf when I need silence too. Amen.
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