Key Question: How can you be a friend this week? At some point in a person’s life, he or she is going to need someone they can trust to help them through it. Kids know what’s happening in their friends’ lives. However, they don’t always know how to help. Through the discussion this week, we hope to help kids come up with simple ideas they can put into practice to encourage those friends no matter what they’re going through.
  
We close out the month with something Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, "So encourage each other and build each other up. Just as you are already doing" (NLT). When Job experienced trial after trial, his friends decided to help. They didn’t bring meals or tell jokes. Rather, they came along side and grieved with Job. Now, we find out they didn’t always get it right, but for that first week, they let Job know that they were there for him. 　
  
Bottom Line: Friends encourage one another. Kids might not always know what to say or do when it comes to helping cheer up their friends. We pray they discover that they can encourage each other even if it simply means being a shoulder to lean on.
 
Memory Verse: So encourage each other and build each other up. Just as you are already doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:11. NLT
 
Have a blessed week!
 
The Reign Forest Team

​Hello Reign Forest Friends,

Key Question: When a friend hurts you, how do you respond? When kids are teenagers, it doesn’t take long for best friends to become worst enemies. We hope to guide them through figuring out strategies for how they can respond when they get hurt by a friend. It’s inevitable that friends will get into an argument, but when kids are equipped with how to respond, forgiveness might be an easier option for building bridges in the broken relationship.
In Colossians 3:13, Paul writes Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  (NLT). Towards the end of the book of John we see through Jesus and Peter. After denying Jesus three times, Peter was feeling guilty and ashamed. But Jesus still had plans for Peter. Jesus forgave Peter and restored the broken friendship. And when we put our faith in Jesus, Jesus offers that same forgiveness to us. In turn, we can offer forgiveness to others.
Bottom Line: Friends forgive one another. While it’s true that people will do things that hurt us, we need to be willing to let it go and forgive because God forgave us first.
Memory Verse: Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 NLT
Blessings,
The Reign Forest Team

Key Question: What does it mean to accept a friend? Even kids will tell you that some people are easier to get along with than others. But just because we get along with some people better than others, doesn’t mean we ignore them or treat them poorly. We’ll help kids figure out how they can be friendly and accept others in a way that honors God.   
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In Romans 15:7, Paul writes, Christ has accepted you. So accept one another in order to bring praise to God, (NIrV). We see this played out perfectly through Paul and Barnabus. Paul had a terrible reputation, one that was well deserved. But after his encounter with Jesus, Paul changed. Barnabus believed that about Paul, accepted him, and stood up for him as he introduced Paul to the rest of the apostles.
 
Bottom Line: Friends accept one another. We pray that kids start to realize that regardless of how people dress, what they own, or are able to do, we are called to accept them and show them how much God loves them with our friendship.
 
Memory Verse: Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. Romans 15:7 NLT ​