By En Poli (Children's Ministry Director)

Welcome to Children's Ministry of First Evangelical Church of San Gabriel Valley! My name is En Poli, and I am a full time mom of two.

When my husband and I became first time parents in 1994, we prayed and asked the Lord how we should parent our child/children according to His will. From that point, He has been guiding our parenting journey with verses from His Word. Throughout the years, those verses have also been the foundation of our ministry.

Two children and almost 18 years later, the Lord entrusted me to be the Children's Ministry Director of His church, FEC-SGV. I believe the Lord wants me to continue what He has strongly placed in my heart in training children spiritually. Please allow me to share some of the wisdoms that I have learned over the years:

1. As parents, it is a privilege from God to daily guide our children in their spiritual journey.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

2. Our children have to be filled with God's Word. They need to memorize God's Word.

Psalm 119:9 and 11. How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

3. As we daily nourish our children with healthy physical food, we need to make sure we also speak God's Word to them daily, so they will have balanced lives.

Matthew 4:4. Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

4. As our children are expanding their academic knowledge, and trying to understand how lives work, it is a must for them to know that God’s wisdom should be their guide, and they are to follow whole heartedly.

Proverbs 9:10. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

5. Our children need to know the purpose of their lives: they are chosen to serve God through serving others.

Mark 10:43. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others.

6. Our children are called by Jesus himself for a Great Commission.

Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus came to them and said, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world."

So, it is my prayer that Children's Ministry, partnering with parents, will provide programs that point the way for our children to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Through our programs, may our children learn how special they are to the Lord. May they know that the Lord has a wonderful plan for them. May they respond to the Great Commission by embracing the tasks that the Lord has chosen for each and every one of them. And in the end, like what the psalmist said in Chapter 1, that our children will be like a tree firmly planted by the streams of water, which yield its fruit in its season, and its leave does not whiter; in whatever they do, they prosper.