Theme/Topic: Names

Visual: Mask

Explanation: Names back in bible times was an explanation of who you are. They were so important that people didn’t even use God’s real name because they were afraid that they would misuse it. One of the words they used for God was Yahweh which means loving God. Another example is Israel means struggles with God and that is pretty true. Nowadays a name is just something your parents give you when you’re born and people put a label on you by what you say, what you do, and even your looks. And sometimes it can be really hard to find out who you are and what your identity is because you’re trying to be fit for society. People define you by physical characteristics and not who you really are as a person. And so sometimes I think people forget themselves in an attempt to be like other people because the pressure to change yourself is everywhere. Something I learned from this is how important names are. God could change people’s names, just like you can change yours. If you have a bad reputation you can still fix it and change the way people view you. They are important because they do explain who you are. I chose a mask for my visual because people put on a “mask” to hide who you really are. Also society beats you down for actually showing your real emotions so you put on a mask to hide how you’re really feeling, so you put on a smile to hide everything.

 

Theme/Topic: Conflict/Doubt

Visual: God blocking rocks   

Explanation: Everybody is going to have doubts and struggles at some point in your life. Israel means struggles with God, even though they are his chosen ones. Sometimes you might feel like you’re so far away from God and you think you’re never going to be able to get close to him again. In our world, when things are going great and you have everything you need, you don’t stop to thank God for that. But when you start having conflict and doubts, you need God, but he’s far away and you feel so lost. We start blaming the stuff happening on him and you doubt that he even loves and cares for you anymore. I chose a picture of God blocking a ton of rocks for someone and one stone hits the person and he automatically thinks God has turned his back. I chose that as my visual because sometimes we are so ungrateful. Even when it seems like you have nobody and even God has left, God is probably doing so much for you but you just don’t realize it and you doubt he’s there. Something I learned from this is God never leaves you. And if I get mad at God, I’ll try to remember that he still loves me, even when I don’t love him as much as I should. When he puts you through stuff you feel like you can’t get through, just remember that he would never throw stuff at you that you can’t handle, it’s just do that you get emotionally stronger, and maybe even have a better relationship with God.

 

Theme/Topic: Covenant

Visual: Shaking hands

Explanation: A covenant is an agreement or a promise made in between two groups. An example of a covenant is the ten commandments, or the story of Noah and the ark. There are two kinds of covenants, a conditional covenant and an unconditional covenant. A conditional covenant is when both of the groups have to uphold the promise, which is what the ten commandments were. An unconditional covenant is when just one of the groups have to keep their promise, which was Noah and the Ark. If you disobey a covenant there will be consequences, but if you obey it you will be blessed. I chose a picture of people shaking hands as my visual because when you shake somebody’s hand, it’s making an agreement or promise. Some promises are bigger than others, but they are all important. And chances are, no matter what promise you make with somebody, if you break a promise you will be punished in some way, shape, or form. You can make a covenant with anybody, it could be with your friends, family, or anyone. Something I learned from this is that you should only make promises that you know for sure that you can keep. Because I have broken a promise and it destroyed people’s trust, and sometimes relationships with people you care about. And even if the promise is small to you, it may be big to someone else, and no matter what the situation is you have to keep it.

 

Theme/Topic: Call

Visual: Hearing aid

Explanation: A time where God called people in the bible is when he called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to go to a new land. The people that he called where the three patriarchs. God still calls us today, even though it can be hard to tell when he is. Some of the ways he calls us today is adoption, a career, to move, etc. We are always so busy, going to school, sports, hanging out with friends and we forget to have time with God and listen to what he is trying to tell us. Even if we do hear God, we might still think that our plan is better than his or is inconvenient so we do our own plan. Or if we do have a free time that we could use use to listen and be with God, instead we go on technology or hang out with friends. I’m guilty of doing all of that. I feel like I’m too busy for God and his plans and I have the rest of my life to get close and listen to God. Or i just don’t listen because I’m just a kid and I think I can’t do anything that significant, even though I probably can. I chose a hearing aid as my visual because sometimes we are deaf to God, and we just ignore him. So we need to turn up our “hearing aids” and just stop to listen to God, and God only. I learned that even if you’re the busiest person in the world, you should still be able to find a time to be with God. His plans are definitely going to be better than yours so you need to listen. Even if you think what he is calling you to do is insane or unnecessary, he wouldn’t want you to do anything like that and even if it’s a struggle there will be benefits in the end.

 

Theme/Topic: Slavery/Salvation

Visual: Prison bail

Explanation: Joseph was sold into slavery because they were jealous of him, but when they thought he was suffering, he was actually second in command and he lead his family out of famine. Moses had a similar story, he was also a slave in Egypt but he ends up delivering the people from Egypt. When it feels like people just want to hurt you and make things bad, God may be using that to be something good. God says that he is “I am who I am” which is faithful, unchanging, and always present. I chose a prison bail for my visual because sometimes you feel like you’re in prison and everyone is against you. It may seem like even the people you thought loved and cared about you betrayed you and made you face the brutal truth that they don’t. I learned that not everyone you meet is meant to stay, but more to be a lesson. And even if things seems like nothing’s going right, you weren’t placed on this earth just to be hated on and to struggle, even if you are right now, everything is going to come out ok in the long run. Sometimes you just need to look on the bright side, even if it seems like there isn’t one. Just trust God to get you out of stuff and know that he could be using your problems to be something significant in your life. This relates to my life because I have had “friends” who put me through stuff that wasn’t needed. But I found friends who lift me up instead of just crashing me down, because the people who you surround yourself with is crucial.

 

Theme/Topic: Sinai Law

Visual: Fights with parents

Explanation: The ten commandments was to show us how to live in covenant with God. Even though you might not agree with some of them they are all important. Law covers every single part of our lives. And we have things that are distracting us from the law. That stuff could be anything but some of the most common ones are money, sports, music, school, stuff, popularity, and attention. Some of the rules that you have you probably think they are stupid, useless, and are just to make you mad. I chose fighting with parents for my visual because you might get into fights with your parents because you don’t like their rules or you just want to be like the other kids who get to do whatever they want. But the rules that you have are just meant to keep you safe and so you can grow up well. Just like God’s rules are meant for us to have a good relationship with him and a good life. I learned that even if the rules don’t seem fair, they were made for my own good. And God’s rules might not make sense or they seem hard to follow but you’ll thank God and your parents in the future. My golden calfs are my phone, soccer, and friends. I don’t pay attention to rules or God because I’m too busy with those things.

 

 

Theme/Topic: Sent to the Promised Land

Visual: Trust fall

Explanation: Moses and Joshua were sent to the Promised Land but they had to go through the desert, the Jordan River, crossing the Jordan River, Jericho, and Shechem. And it wasn’t easy. If you obey God you’re going to be punished, and if you obey you will be blessed. God doesn’t force you to serve him, he gives you the freedom to serve whoever and whatever you want. But the right one to serve would be to choose God because he leads you through your life. I chose a trust fall as my visual because you need to trust God to catch you when you fall. And trust him when he’s leading you throughout your life even if it makes no sense. The more you trust God the better your life will be, if you don’t trust him things will be confusing and bad because it was not what you were meant to do with your life. I learned that the more trust you put into God the better things will be. He will lead you to where you have to go and if you trust him, you will find yourself doing the right thing, you still will make mistakes though. Sometimes I decide to take control of my life and it just gets messy, but it feels like I haven’t completely given my life to God.

 

Theme/Topic: Salute to a King

Visual: Binoculars

Explanation: There was a cycle of judges and it went like this: People sin, God allows destruction, people cry out, people repent, repeat. They were never satisfied. People wanted a strong king, but God gave them Saul, who was a servant instead. And it’s just like us wanting what everyone else has. They wanted a strong king because everyone else had one, but they didn’t. These days we don’t beg for a king, but we beg for technology, clothes, privileges, etc. just so that we can fit in, just like they wanted a king to be like others. I chose binoculars as my visual because we don’t focus on what we have, we focus on what everyone else has. It feels like we are never satisfied and we are always on the lookout for stuff that could make us cooler. This connects to me because I’m very guilty of envying what other people have. I always want to make myself better with physical characteristics, not as a person. I learned that you should be satisfied with what God blesses you with and gives to you.