Medal Rounds: August 6-7 (Team); August 11-12 (Individual)
Get Out and Play!
Gather:
sidewalk chalk
water balloons
single-handled sieve or colander
Go:
1. Using chalk, draw a colorful target on the sidewalk or driveway.
2. Fill water balloons and tie them shut.
3. Each contestant takes turns flinging balloons at the target. Hold colander behind your head and whip it up and over like a catapult.
4. Anyone who hits a bulls-eye gets to throw a water balloon at one of the adults.
A Champion’s Heart
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. —Proverbs 4:25
During the qualifying rounds, each archer fires 72 arrows. They can’t afford to get distracted by the crowds or the heat. Instead, they block out everything around them and focus on the target.
God wants you to “fix your gaze” on Him… with Jesus as your bulls-eye. You can start by spending time with Him every day: singing praises, praying and reading your Bible. Then find a mentor who also loves Jesus—maybe a parent or pastor. As you grow closer to God, you’ll enjoy serving Him with your gifts and talents.
But what about homework or sports—aren’t you supposed to focus on those things too? Yes… and no. God’s plan for you probably includes school, but if chasing straight A’s tempts you to cheat or skip church, then you need to stop and reevaluate your priorities.
In Luke 9, several people tell Jesus they will follow Him… after they do something else. Until Jesus is your No. 1 priority, whatever you love most will get in the way of following Him.
Do you ever get distracted by “good” temptations? How can you fix your gaze on Jesus instead?
