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Building on the Rock

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Opening pagesBefore You Begin Building on the Rock PEACE BEFORE PROMISE Building on the Rock A 13 Week Family Devotional for Elementary Through Middle School Monday • Wednesday • Optional Saturday Bonus A youth companion to the Peace Before Promise 90 Day Devotional Journey Published by Kristal Walden For Parents and Kids This devotional is designed to move alongside the 90 day Peace Before Promise journey the adults in your home are walking through. The adults have a daily study. Kids meet here on Monday and Wednesday, with Saturday as an optional bonus day. That creates 39 youth studies across the same 13 weeks. Adults are responsible for their own choices, repentance, leadership, boundaries, and healing. Kids are responsible for learning to walk with God, tell the truth, grow in self control, carry age appropriate responsibility, ask for help, and become safe people themselves. That matters because a peaceful home is not created by one person doing all the work. Children should never have to carry adult responsibilities, but they can contribute to the atmosphere of a home. They can learn to respond instead of react. They can apologize without excuses. They can disagree without attacking. They can respect boundaries. They can bring hard feelings to safe adults. They can encourage growth when they see it. For young men, these studies begin laying foundations for strength under Christ's authority. Leadership begins with being led by Jesus and learning self government before trying to govern anyone else. Strength should make the people around you safer, not more afraid. For young women, these studies build identity, discernment, courage, boundaries, and peace. Caring for people does not require carrying everyone's emotions or shrinking your own voice. You can be kind and firm, soft hearted and discerning, peaceful and strong. Most importantly, this is not a program for creating a perfect family. Jesus is the foundation. Matthew 7 teaches that the wise person hears Christ's words and does them. That is what it means to build on the Rock. How to Use This MONDAYBuilding on the Rock PEACE BEFORE PROMISE Building on the Rock A 13 Week Family Devotional for Elementary Through Middle School Monday • Wednesday • Optional Saturday Bonus A youth companion to the Peace Before Promise 90 Day Devotional Journey Published by Kristal Walden For Parents and Kids This devotional is designed to move alongside the 90 day Peace Before Promise journey the adults in your home are walking through. The adults have a daily study. Kids meet here on Monday and Wednesday, with Saturday as an optional bonus day. That creates 39 youth studies across the same 13 weeks. Adults are responsible for their own choices, repentance, leadership, boundaries, and healing. Kids are responsible for learning to walk with God, tell the truth, grow in self control, carry age appropriate responsibility, ask for help, and become safe people themselves. That matters because a peaceful home is not created by one person doing all the work. Children should never have to carry adult responsibilities, but they can contribute to the atmosphere of a home. They can learn to respond instead of react. They can apologize without excuses. They can disagree without attacking. They can respect boundaries. They can bring hard feelings to safe adults. They can encourage growth when they see it. For young men, these studies begin laying foundations for strength under Christ's authority. Leadership begins with being led by Jesus and learning self government before trying to govern anyone else. Strength should make the people around you safer, not more afraid. For young women, these studies build identity, discernment, courage, boundaries, and peace. Caring for people does not require carrying everyone's emotions or shrinking your own voice. You can be kind and firm, soft hearted and discerning, peaceful and strong. Most importantly, this is not a program for creating a perfect family. Jesus is the foundation. Matthew 7 teaches that the wise person hears Christ's words and does them. That is what it means to build on the Rock. How to Use This MONDAY: Begin the week's formation theme together. WEDNESDAY: Practice the theme in relationships, emotions, choices, school, friendships, and home life. SATURDAY BONUS: Slow down, practice, enjoy family life, and connect the week's lesson to ordinary living. Parents can read the youth study with younger children. Older children can read independently and then talk about the questions together. Do not force children to share private journal answers. WEEK 1 DAY 1: MONDAY: Start With God, Not the Noise DAY 3DAY 3: WEDNESDAY: Peace Can Feel Strange at First DAY 6DAY 6: SATURDAY BONUS: Rest Is Not Being Lazy WEEK 2 DAY 8WEEK 2 DAY 8: MONDAY: Trust God When You Cannot See the Plan DAY 10DAY 10: WEDNESDAY: Forgiveness Does Not Mean No Boundaries DAY 13DAY 13: SATURDAY BONUS: Make Room to Breathe WEEK 3 DAY 15WEEK 3 DAY 15: MONDAY: Peace Does Not Mean Everything Is Easy DAY 17DAY 17: WEDNESDAY: You Do Not Have to Be Needed to Matter DAY 20DAY 20: SATURDAY BONUS: Growth Takes Time WEEK 4 DAY 22WEEK 4 DAY 22: MONDAY: Do Not Let Loneliness Make Your Choices DAY 24DAY 24: WEDNESDAY: Strong Feelings Are Not Always Directions DAY 27DAY 27: SATURDAY BONUS: Let God Finish What You Cannot WEEK 5 DAY 29WEEK 5 DAY 29: MONDAY: When God's Way Is Different From Yours DAY 31DAY 31: WEDNESDAY: Love Helps Without Taking Over DAY 34DAY 34: SATURDAY BONUS: Not Every Problem Needs Today WEEK 6 DAY 36WEEK 6 DAY 36: MONDAY: Learning to Trust Calm DAY 38DAY 38: WEDNESDAY: Guilt Should Lead You Back, Not Keep You Stuck DAY 41DAY 41: SATURDAY BONUS: Enjoy the Good Without Waiting for Something Bad WEEK 7 DAY 43WEEK 7 DAY 43: MONDAY: You Can Take the Next Step Without Knowing the Whole Road DAY 45DAY 45: WEDNESDAY: You Are Allowed to Need Help DAY 48DAY 48: SATURDAY BONUS: You Do Not Have to Catch Up on Your Whole Life WEEK 8 DAY 50WEEK 8 DAY 50: MONDAY: You Cannot Control the Ending DAY 52DAY 52: WEDNESDAY: Protect Without Controlling DAY 55DAY 55: SATURDAY BONUS: Real Strength Does Not Need a Show WEEK 9 DAY 57WEEK 9 DAY 57: MONDAY: Lead Yourself Before You Try to Lead Anyone Else DAY 59DAY 59: WEDNESDAY: You Do Not Have to Fill Every Quiet Moment DAY 62DAY 62: SATURDAY BONUS: Slow Is Safe Sometimes WEEK 10 DAY 64WEEK 10 DAY 64: MONDAY: Love Is Not Something You Have to Earn DAY 66DAY 66: WEDNESDAY: Other People's Feelings Are Real, But They Are Not Yours to Control DAY 69DAY 69: SATURDAY BONUS: Solve What Is Yours, Release What Is Not WEEK 11 DAY 71WEEK 11 DAY 71: MONDAY: You Can Have Peace Before You Know DAY 73DAY 73: WEDNESDAY: Let Go Without Giving Up DAY 76DAY 76: SATURDAY BONUS: Teach Your Body That Rest Can Be Safe WEEK 12 DAY 78WEEK 12 DAY 78: MONDAY: Let Peace Become Normal DAY 80DAY 80: WEDNESDAY: Do Not Build a Story From What You Do Not Know DAY 83DAY 83: SATURDAY BONUS: A Day Does Not Have to Be Productive to Matter WEEK 13 DAY 85WEEK 13 DAY 85: MONDAY: Your Worth Is Already Bigger Than Your Performance DAY 87DAY 87: WEDNESDAY: A Good No Can Protect a Good Yes DAY 90DAY 90: SATURDAY BONUS: Build Your House on the Rock