Welcome to the Epic Families Monthly - our new format for sharing news and encouragement with all our Epic families. This will be one place we are looking to equip each person in your family on their faith journey. You are welcome here!

This month the Epic Kids lessons are all focused on trusting God. This important faith concept for parents and children is a great launch into the fall season as we learn to rest in our Father’s arms, even though we are busier with new rhythms and changes at school, work, and home. Trusting God isn’t easy, but when we do, we find that our faith deepens.

Personally, my husband and I are in a season where we need to trust God even more, as we are learning how to parent our daughter who attends college. It can be nerve-wracking to hear reports from other parents about security concerns, health data, or lack of access to desired classes. We daily need to set aside our worries for our daughter, praying for the faith to trust in God’s protection over her, asking for discernment for all three of us in how we communicate and spend our time, and most of all, trusting God will grow our faith as we learn to walk in his will for our lives.

What does trusting God look like for you in this fall season? Maybe you are taking steps to use your God-given talents and abilities to honor God. Perhaps you are learning from scripture how your family should live in this culture. Or maybe life is so challenging right now, the best you can do is cry out to God in the midst of troubles or difficulties, laying your prayers at his feet.  As you navigate trusting God in real life, think on this September memory verse:

“Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 (CSB)

To give you context on this verse, it’s found at the end of a section where Paul is encouraging the believers in the Colossian church to ‘put off’ earthly practices which bring pain, like lying, wrath, and idolatry. Instead, Paul says, ‘put on’ a new self in Christ with practices like kindness, patience, humility, and love which together, bring harmony. We challenge your entire family to learn this verse, and encourage your kids to recite it to their teachers at Epic.

Now this ‘put off/put on’ concept sounds lovely, but we know in practice this is hard work! However, if we trust in God’s Holy Spirit to equip us in the moment, we can demonstrate to our children what it is to ‘put off’ and ‘put on’ enough that they will make a habit of that practice too. And what joy it is to observe your child exhibit patience and love toward you or a sibling in the midst of a conflict—thanks to Jesus!

We hope this new monthly blog is encouraging for your family. For more week-to-week information on Epic Kids @ Home family lessons, activities, and prayers, please join our Epic Family Facebook Group. We post resources each week to support your family in Bible study.

Thankful to be growing in faith alongside you,

Annikki

‍