Wolfe Stew

As November nears our thoughts turn to thankfulness. I hope this year your gratitude lists are overflowing, and if they are not, I hope you are able to find a blessing or two in every day. They are there, even though they are harder to find on some days than others. A few ideas we're pondering this November are forgiveness and salvation. Often, we don't think we need forgiveness or salvation but are looking for ways to extend forgiveness and salvation to others. What if this November we took time each day to seriously consider, and be thankful for, the forgiveness and salvation we have been given? A few practices we plan to put into action include: Letting others - learners included - help us and express genuine appreciation for it.  Giving others - learners too - the chance to forgive us by apologizing when we've wronged them. Sure, you can do it on your own, and maybe an apology isn't necessary. But perhaps you need to learn to let others save you from time to time. M

Home is a place we long for, a place that welcomes rest, offers encouragement, and strengthens us to face our tomorrows. This type of home is the source of unending JOY, the kind of joy that you carry with you wherever you go. Stay at Home Because You're Well Day | November 30th Annually JOY for Today Offerings: Did You Know...  Facts about home. Wolfe Stew Connects  To feeling at home. Bible Verses and Quotes  About home. Activity Suggestions  Read books, listen to music, improve your home, discuss questions, and challenge your family. UPCOMING HOLIDAYS:   The First Day of Advent  (The Sunday Nearest November 30th) St. Nicholas Day (December 6th Annually) Worldwide Candle Lighting Day  (December's Second Sunday) Did You Know: Housewarming was originally about warming a house? Before electricity, neighbors would bring firewood to new homeowners and light a fire in the fireplace. The practice was not only to warm the house but also to ward off evil. ( PJ Fitzpatrick ) Americans

Being in the open air opens our minds and our hearts. It helps us connect with the environment that surrounds us, with the people who accompany us, and with God who created all of it. Embrace the moment. Let JOY wash over you. National Take a Hike Day | November 17th Annually JOY for Today Offerings: Did You Know...  Facts about hiking. Wolfe Stew Connects  To walking and resting. Bible Verses and Quotes  About hiking Activity Suggestions  Read a book, take a book hike, discuss questions, and challenge your family. UPCOMING HOLIDAYS:   Thanksgiving  (November's Fourth Thursday) The First Day of Advent  (The Sunday Nearest November 30th) Worldwide Candle Lighting Day (December's Second Sunday) Did You Know: Hiking is not the most popular outdoor activity in the US?  It actually ranks third. Coming in ahead of it are running and fishing. See the top  10 popular outdoor activities at Travelness .  Switzerland is home of the most densely packed trails in the world? On average, th

All Souls' Day traditions center around one answer to a big question: what happens after we die? Wrestling through this question and settling on an answer is a lifelong process for many of us. Yet, it is well worth the journey. For we believe that when you find the answer, you will see nothing but JOY in time to come. All Souls' Day | November 2nd Annually JOY for Today Offerings: Did You Know...  Facts about All Souls' Day Wolfe Stew Connects  To thoughts about the afterlife. Bible Verses and Quotes  About souls. Activity Suggestions   (*Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, we recommend these activities for families only. ) Movie suggestions, discussion questions, and family challenge. UPCOMING HOLIDAYS:   Halloween  (October 31st Annually) Veterans Day  (November 11th Annually) World Kindness Day  (November 13th Annually) Did You Know: A "soul" is defined as an immaterial aspect of a living being?   What a soul encompasses, precisely, varies widely. Explan

With November on the doorstep, our minds turn toward Thanksgiving, enjoying all that is left of autumn, and making meaningful memories for our learners. Where are your minds as November nears, Leaders? We are praying your November overflows in gratitude and all your reasons for grumbling subside. Let's commit to finding the JOY in every day. To aid you in finding JOY in your home and classroom, our November 2023 offerings include: November 2023 Ideas for  Every  Day Calendar  (family friendly, educational)  November 2023 Growth for Today Calendar  (personal growth, Bible-based) Blank 2023 Calendars   Bible verses  Inspirational Quotes November 2023 Ideas for EVERY Day View the  current month's calendar   at the Learning Lab Tab. Or download your  November 2023  through  OneDrive . View  archived calendars  on our JOY for Today page. Add " Would you rather... " questions into your daily holiday festivities this November to welcome even more JOY.  Also, consider sam

Amid the rush of Thanksgiving preparations, I find myself thinking about waiting. Waiting is hard. But the hope of JOY when waiting ends is what fuels us to persist. As we wash off our Thanksgiving platters and get out the Christmas boxes, let's fill our hearts and minds with thankfulness for His coming and in expectancy of His return! Advent photo  (in background) by Dennis Skley via flickr. Shared with a CC BY-ND 4.0 license. JOY for Today Offerings: Did You Know...  four we didn't. Wolfe Stew Connects  to living a life of expectancy. Bible Verses and Quotes  about Advent. Activity Suggestions  to bring the holiday spirit into the classroom and home. Ideas for teachers and families.  Did You Know: The Advent wreath is full of symbolism?  The wreath consists of four candles (three purple and one pink) dispersed around the outside and a large, white candle in the middle. The candles around the outside represent hope (prophecy), preparation (Bethlehem), joy (shepherds), and lo

(Updated 11.16.2023) With a heart full of praise, that's how we hope you're entering this Thanksgiving season. There are many reasons to be thankful in every circumstance. Challenge yourselves (and others) to find those reasons - even in the difficult moments. This is how we stay rooted in JOY, friends! JOY for Today Offerings: Did You Know...  Five Thanksgiving facts we didn't know. Wolfe Stew Connects  To the difficulty of thanksgiving.  Bible Verses and Quotes  About giving thanks. Activity Suggestions  for classrooms organized in grade level bands, "Would you rather..." questions, and a family challenge. Did You Know: There were only four women present at the first Thanksgiving? While there were around 140 attendees - 90 Wampanoag and 50 colonists - only four of them were women. ( The Fact File  & History.com ) Turkey is now the most commonly served food on Thanksgiving?  So much so that Thanksgiving is often referred to as "Turkey Day." As a cou