03/31/2018: With All My Heart: Gospel Work for Children

With All My Heart: Gospel Work for Children

An experienced gospel worker finds her niche.

I unlatched the gate and pushed it open. My fellow Bible worker and I walked up the path to the Australian home and were soon greeted by a young man we had been studying the Bible with. We had developed a great friendship, and it was a blessing to study God’s Word together.

Our friend invited us to study outside, as it was a sunny day, so we settled down with our Bibles. As we sat there, about to begin, the man’s two girls came and sat nearby, along with a couple of their little neighbor friends. The thought struck me: We should involve the children in the Bible study!

I turned to the girls’ father and asked, “Why don’t we let the children come over and study with us?” He readily agreed, so we invited the children to join our small group.

From that day on, we always studied with the children—the youngest being 5 years old. Of course, we had to change the way we studied the Bible, and think of ways to make the deep truths easier to understand. It was so refreshing to see young children joining in with such enthusiasm. We sang, we shared stories and illustrations, we talked about deep Bible truths in simple ways, and the children joined in with their small comments and questions. Other children began to participate, and after a while the father even began to livestream the meetings to other kids.

As I helped to teach these children, a strong feeling of purpose welled up in my heart. I realized just how much I loved doing this type of work. Through these experiences, other circumstances, and being led to read the promises in Isaiah 54:1-3, God confirmed my calling to work with young children.

I have since returned to Europe because I was not able to renew my Australian visa, but some of my friends there are following up with this small group. God is still blessing their efforts!

I am amazed at how this experience happened just before I had to make important choices for the next chapter of my life. God has led me to begin a new ministry called “With All My Heart.” My desire is to develop a ministry dedicated to helping children give their heart to Jesus. Along with this, I would love for the ministry to give parents tools and ideas for how to nourish the gospel seed in their children’s hearts on a daily basis (see Malachi 4:5-6).

“What can give greater satisfaction than to be laborers together with God in educating and training the children and youth to love God and keep his commandments? Lead the children whom you are instructing . . . to Jesus. What can give you greater joy than to see children and youth following Christ, the great Shepherd, who calls, and the sheep and lambs hear his voice and follow him? What can spread more sunshine through the soul of the interested, devoted worker than to know that his persevering, patient labor is not in vain in the Lord, and to see his pupils have the sunshine of joy in their souls because Christ has forgiven their sins? What can be more satisfying to the worker together with God, than to see children and youth receiving the impressions of the spirit of God in true nobility of character and in the restoration of the moral image of God—the children seeking the peace coming from the Prince of Peace?” Christian Education, 156.

 

AUTHOR

Stine Gro Struksnæs

Stine lives in Germany and is the founder of With All My Heart Ministry. Formerly she was a Bible worker for Highwood Health Retreat in Australia. stinegro78@hotmail.com

 

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Pray for Stine, her new ministry focus, and the children who will be reached for Jesus.

Like With All My Heart on Facebook.

Share her ministry with families with young children.

Schedule her for a weekend presentation with your church family or retreat. Details are available on the ministry
website: www.withallmyheartministry.org

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