The first time I heard the Lord speak to me I was so excited that for about 2 week I wasn’t so focused on what He said, but that God actually answered me. About a month after receiving the Lord Jesus as my Savior, I knelt beside my bed in prayer.  This was something I hadn’t done since early childhood. At age 54 I was kneeling and humbly dedicating my life to the Lord. Confessing how I hadn’t done too well on my own up to that point, I surrender the remainder of my life to Him.  Asking God what He wanted me to do, I proclaimed that whatever He said I would do.

So, what did God say? In quick response, with a nearly audible voice He said, “Teach the children Jesus loves me.” After recovering from my excitement, I began to ask, “What does that mean and how do I do it?” Who are the children? Are we all children of God? Is it the Israelites? Did He mean little kids? And how would I teach them? What is Jesus’ love all about?  I was told that the entire Bible is a love letter from God about Jesus.

Being a babe in the Lord, the Bible was all new to me. I had just started reading it and couldn’t get enough, but my understanding had much growth ahead of it. So, I wasn’t ready to teach anyone anything about God’s word. One beginning in unraveling this assignment was when I talked to my sister who had spent many years praying for my salvation.  Intuitively (I think by the Holy Spirit) she said that since the phrase so resembled the children’s song, “Jesus Loves Me,” the intended audience must be little children. Now I was getting somewhere.

After several years (11 to be exact) of Bible studies, conferences, works shops, extensive reading and two years of Bible College, I was beginning to get the picture.  God IS love, another big piece of the puzzle. After being saved (topic for a future blog) I wanted no part of my previous career life.  Did I mention it was producing video for 30 years, half of which was instructional media, predominately for children. Helloooo…. Ok God, I’m beginning to get it. Following periods of denial, infirmity, density, and misdirection, light was being shed upon my search for how to fulfill the commission God had put forth to me. The result of that search is Children’s Ministry Workshop.

Author: Timothy Swartz