Spring 2023

Spring 2023

A quarterly journal of Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Restoration

4 RESTORE A CHILD 8 HURRICANE IAN RELIEF 12 CAMP MEETINGS

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

HE MAKES ALL THINGS NEW “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone; the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The signs of spring can be hard to spot here in Florida, but you can find them if you look closely. Winter can be dry and cold, but rain comes down in spring to end droughts and make plants and flowers flourish.

Much like what spring does to nature, a heart devoted to Jesus can change—can restore—a person completely. No matter how dark, cold, or dry the winter was, spring will always come. No matter what happened in the past, the Lord can transform any situation and restore any soul. With spring, He shows us that He can make everything new.

In Isaiah 49, He declares, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland,” Isaiah 49:18-19.

The restoration Jesus wants to give us does not end here on earth. God created us in His image, according to His likeness, and we were to live in constant communion with Him. Humanity lost this relationship through sin, but Jesus Christ took it back through His sacrificial death, by the shedding of His blood, and His resurrection from the dead. When He returns for us in the clouds, we will be restored to our rightful place as His sons and daughters. I have great hope for this glorious day.

The Spring 2023 edition of Florida Focus is all about restoration. It is my prayer that this issue encourages you and fills you with the hope that God can restore all things. In these pages, you will read the remarkable story of Norma Nashed’s mission to care for children through the humanitarian organization Restore a Child, how our communities in Florida rebuilt after a devastating hurricane, and much more.

Spring in Florida means many beautiful things, especially because our Camp Meeting is coming up on April 21-23. I hope to see you in Camp Kulaqua or say hello through our live stream. Our theme for this Camp Meeting, and the next five years, is Building the Kingdom of God. Because of His grace and through His restoration, we are called to care for and minister to others, bringing them to Jesus as the only true foundation. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

May the Lord bless you always,

Allan Machado, D.Min. Florida Conference President

Table of CONTENTS

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4 THE GOD WHO RESTORES 7 CARING FOR THE TEMPLE: BACK TOGETHER AGAIN 8 RESTORATION THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE

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10 INNOVATION FOR THE FUTURE 12 CAMP MEETING 13 CAMPESTRE 14 ABC CAMP MEETING SPECIALS

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15 ABC BOOKS & FOODS 17 ABC DELIVERY SCHEDULE 19 WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS: THE MISSION OF RESTORING BROKEN HEARTS

20 LITTLE READERS

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22 FUNDRACE 23 FIT TOGETHER FLORIDA FOCUS is published quarterly by Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® and mailed free of charge to constituent members with nonprofit standard postage paid in Orlando, Florida.

Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® 351 S. State Road 434, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714-3824 (407) 644-5000 • www.floridaconference.com • floridafocus@floridaconference.com President: Allan Machado floridaconference Executive Secretary: Tim Goff floridaconf Treasurer: Elisa Rahming florida.conference Editor: Raquel Levy Editorial Staff: Gladys Neigel / Public Relations Department

THE GOD WHO RESTORES

Restore a Child Commemorates 25 Years of Providing for Children

by Norma Nashed I’ve always looked for opportunities to help children. This may be due to the need to find ways to escape the grinding poverty of my childhood, or the example of my mother, who always helped those less fortunate. Though we lived in a one-room home with nine people, we always sought ways to help others. My mother always told me, “Norma, only these two things matter: love God and love your neighbor.”

Later in life, I developed cancer which provided me time to reflect on the opportunities around me. While fighting cancer, I visited my homeland of Jordan after many years and saw a great need for someone to stand up for kids. I put aside my personal challenges and focused on the need for global relief of children.

That same year, I quit my job and started to work on my calling, which would become Restore a Child.

Inspired by Hardship

It was not an easy journey, but God’s grace led the way. Through the challenges, I could hear a still, small voice saying, “Don’t give up, don’t give up.” My health crisis, coupled with no health insurance or job, did not affect my decision. I left my only source of income and started on an unknown path, a journey of 25 years of service to orphans. “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…He restores my soul…” was daily on my mind. All I knew was that God had a good plan for my life.

At age 12, I reached out first to the poor children in my neighborhood in Amman, Jordan. When my mother became blind, I helped her so my siblings could attend school. My mother was my guiding star. She taught me the importance of compassion. Because of her, my childhood brought many opportunities to serve, including Branch Sabbath Schools to children in my neighborhood on Sabbath afternoons. By age 13, my mother asked me to start giving Bible studies to adults. A year later, tragedy struck our family when my father died, and my mother was left a penniless widow with seven children.

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He began performing miracles for me. The first came from a friend, Galal; his wife was my best friend who died of cancer in her 30s. When he heard the news of my diagnosis and the

mission I was embarking on, he called me to say, “If I don’t help you, I will never forgive myself.” He offered to pay my rent, medical bills, and supplies until I was totally healed. That took three years.

In 2007, a devastating fire destroyed my home and office. The Washington Post reported on December 18, 2007, that 140 firefighters battled the blaze that damaged or destroyed 34 units.

Yet, the Lord protected me. The morning of the fire, I had arrived in Ethiopia to help build our first home for 45 orphans. The ashes became the seedbed for a larger dream and opportunity. A Jewish man saw the coverage of the fire on FOX 5 TV and called the station, offering to help an Arab woman. He supported our ministry for 13 years until his death in 2022.

The Impact As I studied the Bible, I saw clearly that God is deeply interested in orphans and has commanded us to care for them.

In Proverbs 31:8-9, the Bible tells us to “Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves... Defend the rights of the poor and needy.” In Arabic, my mother tongue which is closer to Hebrew, the verse reads, “Open your mouth in the case of every orphan.”

God gave orphans rights and expects us to give them justice by defending them. On the eve of His crucifixion, Christ’s thoughts to His disciples in the upper room were, “I will not leave you orphans,” John 14:18.

This year, 2023, is the 25th anniversary of our mission to children.

With God’s guidance over these 25 years, Restore a Child has: • Helped more than 17,000 at-risk children • Opened projects in 22 countries • Organized eight homes to shelter 400 orphans • Dug seven wells to provide clean drinking water • Feed 4,000 hungry children every day • Provided free medical care to 1,500 children every year • Built 21 schools for the Adventist Church • Paid tuition for 2,500 students • Distributed 500 Bibles in several countries Restore a Child is intentional about sharing the gospel with children, showing them that Jesus loves them and wants to provide for their health, shelter, and education. This is the core of who we are as an Adventist ministry. We do not accept government funds, so we can be free to teach children to pray and bring them to know Jesus.

Merlina’s Story Restore a Child has many success stories in many countries, but the story of Merlina Situmeang is special. On December 26, 2004, 150,000 children were orphaned by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that battered the shores of Indonesia.

Seeing the destruction and hundreds of thousands of lost lives, I reached out to Dr. Jonathan Kuntaraf, the Sabbath School Department director for the General Conference, as he is from

Restore a Child is a humanitarian non-profit organization, registered as a 501c(3), that provides education, water, food, shelter, and health to thousands of children in 15 countries.

Indonesia. With his help, Restore a Child got to work immediately.

We provided food, water, and medical help, and paved the way for education for thousands of orphans.

Today, our education work in Indonesia over the past 18 years has produced 328 baptisms, 351 high school graduates, and 91 university graduates, 29 of which graduated with a degree in theology.

Merlina was one of these exemplary children. She lived in an orphanage in Medan, Indonesia, and was very bright. In addition to providing aid like food and water, Restore a Child paid for her Adventist education. She went on to complete a university degree in mathematics and is currently pursuing her master’s. Merlina and her husband teach at the Adventist school in Kupang and visit the orphanage twice a week to tutor the children in math and English. “You helped me, and now I want to help other children and give back,” she states. “I want to teach my daughters to care for others like you cared for me.”

Yakon’s Story When I visited Tanzania and the Massai tribe in 2017, young Yakon was my translator. He was in fourth grade and studying at the local Adventist school. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, and he said, “I would like to be a pastor in order to teach people about God.” We provided for the needs of the Massai people with food, water, and medicine, but also supported Yakon’s education. Now, praise the Lord, he is in high school and a young pastor at the Adventist church.

“I am very thankful to God for giving me this chance to become a pastor,” Yakon says. “Later, I want to help people in need, just as I have received help. I say thank you so much to those who are supporting me. I have nothing to give in return, but God has the most grace for you.”

Through this work, and the help of our supporters, God is daily restoring my life to one of meaning, purpose, and significance.

Life presents all of us with opportunities. My challenge to you today is to focus on those opportunities that restore.

Norma Nashed is the president and founder of Restore a Child, formerly known as Reaching Hearts for Kids.

Throughout her childhood, she experienced extreme poverty. She believes this has prepared her heart to be sensitive to the needs of economicallydisadvantaged children and orphans.

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“I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 30:17

Back Together Again

by Dilyn Henry, MA, LMHC, NCC My daughter’s teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, had gone through a lot and was now torn open. Inspired by watching the movie, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, my children asked to operate on him. My husband led the surgical team. With the tune of classical music in the background, he took the needle and thread and started to operate. The operation was a success, Winne-thePooh was all stitched up, and my daughter was able to play with him again. However, post-op, we could all tell he wasn’t exactly the same.

state, and we will be perfect, just as Jesus is perfect. We will no longer have scars reminding us of our trials and tribulations. We will not dwell on past trauma, nor will past hurts come back to haunt us.

Like Winnie-the-Pooh, we’ve all gone through a lot. Maybe we have been torn by depression, anxiety, and trauma. These infirmities have affected so many of God’s children, so please know you’re not alone.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are a few available mental health resources:

The good news is that there is help and support for those who need it. Talking to a professional therapist can help you learn to see things from a different perspective and help you manage your emotions better.

A therapist is someone who will walk alongside you during your darkest times. They will listen and teach you healthy coping strategies along the way. Learning how to reframe your thinking and the importance of self-care, exercise, and fresh air out in nature are among the things you may learn, and that’s just the beginning.

Counseling can help you forgive past hurts and, most of all, accept forgiveness for your wrongs. Therapy can also help you realize that you have a purpose in life and encourage you to embrace your future. And yes, we may still have scars that remind us of the battle we were in, yet those same scars also remind us that we are overcomers.

Oh, how our Heavenly Father longs to put us back together again.

When God returns in all His glory, He will restore us to our original

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:10, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come!

• ABIDE Network: abide.network • Directory of Counselors - NAD Family Ministries: nadfamily.org/resources/counselors/ • NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness: nami.org • SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: samhsa.gov • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | Mental Health America: mhanational.org

Dilyn Henry is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida and also a National Certified Counselor. She serves as the School-Based Mental Health Counselor for Florida Conference. Dilyn enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, Dion Henry, and their two young adult children.

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Restoration Through Community Service

by Ryan Amos

On September 30, 2022, Hurricane Ian hit the State of Florida, affecting cities from Fort Myers to Daytona Beach. It was recorded as the third-costliest weather disaster and the deadliest hurricane in the continental United States since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Community Services teams from Florida Conference and Southeastern Conference, in conjunction with Volunteer Florida and the State of Florida, began the process of opening two large warehouses to meet the needs of people in the 26 affected counties.

Our churches, members, and friends found themselves and their homes torn apart by this powerful storm. However, God, through Adventist Community Services and the work of many of our mission-minded congregations, began the work of restoration for those in need.

The warehouses served a critical function in restoring these communities. In Cape Coral, the team from Southeastern Conference worked diligently to bring in trucks of donated goods to help those in need. From there, trucks took the goods to the facility in Fort Myers. In Fort Myers, the team from Florida Conference received and distributed the items to agencies on the

Within seventy-two hours of the storm making landfall, Adventist 8

FLORIDA FOCUS | SPRING 2023

ground helping people in need. In total, more than 2.6 million items were distributed to survivors. God was using Adventist Community Services to meet the needs of thousands. Dedicated volunteers came together to sort, package, and distribute essential items in the hopes of helping communities regain some sense of normalcy.

At the same time, another Christian nonprofit, 2Serve, in conjunction with Florida Conference, began to deploy teams from all over the country to the Fort Myers area to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the community. Thanks to the hospitality and hard work of Pastor Travis Walker and the Fort Myers church, disaster relief teams helped thousands in the local community.

Teams from all over the United States and Adventist universities began the restoration process in the hardest-hit areas.

beacon of hope in a community that was desperately hurting.

God’s people stepped up for those in need and became the hands and feet of Jesus.

On Friday, February 3, Casey DeSantis held a press conference on behalf of the governor’s office at the warehouse operated by Florida Conference. She shared with the state of Florida the work being done by Adventist Community Services and all agencies working to bring hope to those in need. After sharing stories of recovery, the State of Florida presented Adventist Community Services with the largest gift we have ever received, $427,500, and asked Adventist Community Services to continue faithfully serving the great people of Florida.

For the third time in the past five years, we saw teams from Heritage Academy and other Adventist high schools in the Southern Union bring dedicated young people who desire to serve those in need. These young people did not just meet the physical needs of survivors but their spiritual needs as well. It was not uncommon to see our teams praying with people and engaging in Spirit-led conversations.

As this hurricane season comes to a close, we would like you to consider how you can become part of the restoration process.

Although the news cameras are off to another story, there are people across Florida who have been forever changed by this storm. My challenge to you is this, how do you become the hands and feet of Jesus in your community? Gather your young people, your deacons, your elders, and your congregation, and find that person who the Holy Spirit is calling you to help. You will be amazed at what happens when God’s people listen to His voice.

Amazingly, the work of restoration was not just in the Fort Myers area; members from all over Florida answered the call of those in need. In Port Charlotte, even with their own church receiving significant damage, Pastor Ben Shurtliff and his team organized to provide desperately-needed goods. Opening the church, they became a central distribution point in their community. We saw the Lord moving and inspiring all churches in the affected areas to respond in similar ways. The Adventist church became a

Ryan Amos is married to his beautiful wife Kayleigh, with whom he has a spunky five-year-old named Madi. Ryan served as the Associate Director for Disaster Response until transitioning to his new role as Associate Director for Property Development.

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INNOVATION FOR THE FUTURE Opening Soon: Florida Conference Institute for Leadership and Innovation

by Arianne Morgan

The Vision

The Implementation

At the corner of 436 and West Lake Brantley Road in Altamonte Springs, remnants of an old Walgreens can be seen. However, it won’t be an empty building much longer, as it will soon become the home of the Florida Conference Institute for Leadership and Innovation (FCILI). Dedicated as a hub for education, learning, and teaching, the institute will bless Florida Conference’s constituents and the community.

After acquiring the building, Florida Conference Administration and the Office of Education prayed over how this would become a space for God’s kingdom and glory. After many prayers and Spiritled committee meetings, the plan was hatched, and crews got to work.

The institute’s focus is to equip students with experiences to pave the way for opportunities in career and leadership development.

Our fast-changing world has brought about the need to innovate the learning process. Memorization is a standard element of education but not the only metric to identify a student’s strengths.

The key to being innovative is having an open mind and being willing to try new things.

Since 2017, Robert Henley, Director of Innovation, has inspired students to be the change they want to see in the world. With the intent to realign education through innovation, Henley and Betty Nugent, Associate Innovation Director, lead the initiative by implementing problem-based learning and design thinking. Cornell University describes problem-based learning (PBL) as a “studentcentered approach in which students learn about a subject by working in groups to solve an open-ended problem.” Empowering the willingness to try new methods creates a safe environment for students to fail and build off appreciative inquiry. Harvard University describes design thinking as “a mindset and approach to learning, collaboration, and problem-solving. In practice, the design process is a structured framework for identifying challenges, gathering information, generating potential solutions, refining ideas, and testing solutions.”

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Walking into the institute, guests are greeted by reception and a cafe area for refreshments. Moving further down the building is the Innovation Lab, where students work on projects in collaboration with local industries. The center for teacher training, large workshops, and a testing center stand in the middle. To the right of the teacher training area are three classrooms where students will have a place to work on projects and collaborate. Moving to the left, there is a common area for group work, followed by the library for research and development. Towards the back, there is an area for Virtual Reality, conference rooms, office space, and more. The institute will engage local students and educators in person and through online resources such as Adventist Learning Community, where courses will be available.

In a morning worship to Conference staff members, Allan Machado, Florida Conference president, described how society teaches us to identify problems, collect data, and discuss issues without taking action or looking for solutions. At the institute, students and educators are equipped to identify, collaborate, and test methods of change with tangible results.

Contact Robert Henley at robert.henley@flcoe.org to learn how you and your child can participate in STEM. To support STEM education, including the contribution of a legacy gift, contact Arianne Morgan at arianne.goff@floridaconference.com

Summer Innovation Training Florida Conference invites educators to partake in a handson summer summit to bring PBL and design thinking to their classrooms.

Registration for FCILI’s Summer Innovation Institute is now open.

Teachers can: • Engage students in the development of creative problemsolving strategies.

• Learn how to plan and implement innovation in the classroom.

• Receive year-round support through the process.

The four courses are taught from June 5-16.

Contact Robert Henley or Betty Nugent at robert.henley@flcoe.org, betty.nugent@flcoe.org

Explore STEM Summer Camp With summer just around the corner, students can engage in problem-based learning and design thinking at Explore 2023 STEM Camps hosted by the Florida Conference Institute for Leadership and Innovation. In July, FCILI will conduct week-long STEM camps for students in grades 2-12. FCILI wants to provide all students with the opportunity to learn and is offering competitive pricing for STEM summer camps; however, space is limited. Be on the lookout for registration opening soon at floridaconference.com.

The Impact Measuring impact is an important tool for identifying success.

Over time, we seek to gather stories from students who go through the program. We’re interested in measuring high school graduation rates, gauging students’ curiosity in STEM as they advance to the next grade level, and noting those pursuing or completing STEMrelated degrees.

Students are creating, building, and developing tangible products that can positively change the world. The thinking process in building, revamping, and discovering new pathways creates a generation of thinkers, problem solvers, and Christ-centered individuals in all sectors.

Gabby*, a Forest Lake Academy student, has been part of the Innovation Initiative for the last three years. Rounding off her junior year, she has taken many steps towards completing a product she created to help stroke patients with their posture. In middle school, Gabby’s grandmother suffered a stroke, and she recalled the difficulty her grandmother had maintaining her posture, resulting in neck and back pain.

Through innovation, Gabby developed a prototype headband that signals through vibration and blinking lights when a person’s posture is off. I’ve known Gabby since her freshman year at FLA, and at the time, I had no idea she was interested in STEM. Her bright spirit and kindness toward others have always stood out to me. I’ve had the opportunity to witness Gabby present her project to multiple community members, from which she received positive feedback and support to improve and adapt her product.

Her confidence and knowledge of her project amaze me as she continues to make advancements. Gabby has enjoyed working with her classmates in the design and prototype process to create a product that directly helped her loved one. Gabby will continue working on her prototype and hopes her story can inspire other students. Anyone can positively impact this world and the next with the support of educators, caregivers, and their communities, trusting the Lord to guide them. *name was changed

Arianne Morgan is the Philanthropy and Faith Community Liason for Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

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And the One sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”

Revelation 21:5

THE MISSION OF RESTORING BROKEN HEARTS

by Edwin De Paula

It was a frigid winter day when the dashboard of my car displayed an orange flashing light with the message “low tire pressure.” I could not believe that this unfortunate event was marking the beginning of my week. In the previous month, I’d had to stop at the gas station on several occasions to fill up this exact tire. I was determined to find the underlying cause of this mystery, so I took the car to the experts. After a thorough examination, the mechanic informed me the problem was worse than I suspected; he found a small crack inside the aluminum rim. I could not believe it. As shiny as it was on the outside, the rim was defective on the inside. The kind man paused before delivering the news, “the rim needs restoration.”

to see. He is still restoring. He is still restoring marriages, relationships, health, and lives. He is still nursing emotional wounds.

In the same way, if our hearts need restoration, our lives can be impacted or even disrupted to the point that we cannot advance, all because there is a hidden problem. It is not enough to fill our souls with temporary solutions; we need to make a firm determination to address the root cause of our anger, depression, lack of integrity, and many more manifestations of the damaged condition of our souls. Ellen G. White wrote, “Sin has marred and almost obliterated the image of God in man. It was to restore this that the plan of salvation was devised,” Christian Education 63.3.

The beloved apostle John wrote, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work,” 1 John 3:8. Let us align our churches with Jesus’ purpose. May our churches become the local shop where the Master welcomes everyone in our community needing an expert in the art of restoring broken hearts. May our message be an anchor in the most significant promise of restoration, “I am making everything new!”

Revelation 21:5. Amen.

On a Sabbath day, Jesus encountered a man in need of restoration; the man was suffering from a withered hand. Jesus said to the man, “’Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored,” Matthew 3:5.

Every Sabbath in many of our churches, people with broken hearts need restoration. Let us guide them to the Expert; He is the one they came

I remember a Sabbath when one of the elders of our church came to inform me about a young woman he spotted crying inconsolably.

“Pastor, please pray with this young lady,” he said. Directing my undivided attention to our guest, I asked her, “Do you have any special prayer requests?” “Yes, pastor,” was her answer. “Four days ago, my boyfriend committed suicide; please pray to God to heal my broken heart.” After extending her some napkins to wipe her tears, I prayed for healing, hope, and restoration.

Edwin De Paula is the Senior Pastor of the Jacksonville and Palm Coast Spanish district.

In addition, he is the author of “From Zero to Infinity.” Edwin is married to Brenda, and they have been blessed with twin sons, Christian and Christopher.

FLORIDA FOCUS | SPRING 2023

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FIND THE HIDDEN ITEMS IN THIS PICTURE, THEN COLOR IT IN!

JESUS MAKES US NEW

FIND: banana, bone, macaroni, balloon, bow and arrow, horseshoe, dime, peanut, bell, and feather.

Color Me In!

It can be hard to talk about, but sometimes we all feel a little… "off." Maybe we feel bad because we did something wrong or are sad when someone hurts our feelings. Some things we go through can even make us feel a little bit broken: when we have a fight with a friend, when we're not doing well in school, or when someone we love has passed away.

We can start to feel hopeless, but there is great news.

Jesus makes a big promise to us in Revelation 21:5, "Look! I am making everything new! ...These words are true and can be trusted.'" This means that when Jesus comes back to take us to Heaven, He will restore, or permanently fix, everything. No more sadness, no more bullies, no more death, no more brokenness. We can have hope in this, because what He promises us is true.

A man who couldn’t walk wanted to be healed. He had great friends and big faith in Jesus. The man’s friends carried him to where Jesus was staying, but the house was full of people and there was no way in.

So his friends carried him onto the roof, laid him on a mat, and lowered him through a hole in the roof until he was in front of Jesus.

Jesus was impressed by their faith! First, He did what only He could do—He forgave the man’s sins. Then, Jesus healed the man so that he could get up and walk.

THINK ABOUT WHAT JESUS CAN RESTORE IN YOU. What can he make better if you have faith in Him? Once you have your answers, write them on the bandages.

Jesus can heal my...

CAN YOU FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH THE MAZE TO CONNECT THE WORDS IN THE CORRECT ORDER? “Jesus healed many people of their sicknesses, diseases, and evil spirits. He healed many blind people so that they could see again.”

Luke 7:21

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