Today’s author is Melanie Hill, Prince of Peace’s new interim director for Children & Family Ministry. Meet Melanie this Sunday, September 18 at 10:00am in the Reception Room.


God’s promise that Sarah and Abraham would have a family that numbered the stars in the sky started with one against-all-the-odds baby: Isaac.

Isaac means laughter—which is what Sarah did when she heard that God had promised them a baby in their past-golden years. But they were elated with this child of promise, this baby who had to have come from God.

When I tell this story to kids I point out one of the stars in our story time sky, indicating that this one is Isaac.

Then I point to one beside it and say, When Isaac grew up, he married Rebekah. I point to two more stars. They had twin boys–Jacob and Esau. 

And when those two boys grew up they married and they each had lots of children.

As the years and generations went by, there were more and more people in Sarah and Abraham’s family—more and more people in God’s family. I tell the kids about some of them—changing it up each time.

There was Ruth…and Naomi – loyal to God and best friends forever.

And Rahab, who helped God’s people get into the Promised Land. She was the great grandmother of King David.

There was Boaz, King David’s great grandfather, and Obed…King David’s grandfather…and Jesse, King David’s father.

And still there were more people—God’s family grew and grew.

There were queens and kings, who ruled sometimes well…and sometimes badly.

There were poets and prophets who reminded people of God’s love, and how to live, and how to worship God.

There was Elizabeth…and her husband, Zechariah, who told people about the coming of the Messiah. Their son was John—John the Baptist.

God’s family grew with each new baby, each new child…..

And then I say, One night, there was a very special star in the sky…. Angels filled the night sky singing. Shepherds and wise ones followed the special star….

I bet you know whose star this is…. Do you know? (They know! They delight in knowing and they want to HOLD the special star in the sky. They want to touch it—even the older ones.) That’s right—it’s the Bethlehem star, the star of Jesus.

Jesus was born and the world turned upside down and changed forever. But, the birth of Jesus was not the end of God’s story. Far from it!

And then I sprinkle more stars on the already starry tableau.

Many, many more people have become part of God’s family. And God’s family continues to grow today. Grandparents, parents, kids, and babies all over the world are part of God’s family. You are part of God’s family. Each of us is one of the stars in the sky. 

I invite them to pick their very own star from the sky to keep in their pocket. I once had a teenager show me the star he had picked when he was four years old! He carried it still. “Not every day,” he said, quickly. “But kind of a lot, actually.” ????