Child of God with The Rev. Elizabeth Link

Hello, child of God! Jonah was a prophet who ran away from God. He set to sea and learned the hard way that one cannot run away from God! In the belly of the fish in the middle of the sea, God heard Jonah's prayer and God still had a plan. When Jonah listened and followed God, he learned an important lesson that God's love and forgiveness is for everyone, even the people he didn't like very much.

Hello, child of God! One day, someone asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Instead of giving a quick and easy answer, Jesus told us an important story. It's about a man on a journey who fell into trouble along the way. Help was found in the most unlikely person. Listen and discover who our neighbors truly are.

Hello, child of God! Have you ever been so mad that you wanted to run away? Jesus tells a story in the New Testament about a boy who was so unhappy that he did just that―he ran away from his home and from his daddy. Join me as we hear this tale and learn that God's love is so big and so strong that even running away can't break it.

Hello, child of God! One day, lots of boys and girls and grownups followed Jesus out into the countryside to listen to him teach and preach. The day grew long, and the people grew hungry. There weren't any grocery stores or restaurants around... besides, Jesus had a better idea anyway! Taking the gifts of a young boy, Jesus found a way to feed a multitude.

Hello, child of God! Jesus was a very busy man. All day long, people came from far and wide to see him. He spent his days healing sick people and teaching others about God. The disciples thought Jesus was too busy and too important to spend time with little children. But when grownups brought their children to see Jesus, he made time for them and taught us all something special about God’s kingdom.

Hello! I wonder whether you have ever felt small, child of God? Sometimes, we all can be made to feel that way. I want to tell you the story of a man called Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus felt small. But one day, Zacchaeus meets Jesus, and everything changes.

Hello, child of God! In today's story, Jesus and his disciples were out on a boat when a big storm came upon them. The wind was loud and the waves were strong. The tiny boat was being tossed about, and the disciples were scared. With Jesus’ help, they learned they did not need to be afraid, for God was with them.

Hello, child of God! I want to tell you the story of how baby Jesus came to us. It is a story of good news for all people. Like the shepherds, may we share the good news this Christmas season and all year long!

Hello, child of God! Today, I want to tell you a story about a man named Daniel. Daniel loved God, and he was brave enough to pray to God even when it was against the rules. Listen to find out how God took care of Daniel, and how God takes care of you.

Hello, child of God! Babies need lots of special care, don’t they? God loves babies. Today, I want to tell you about a special baby boy named Moses. This Old Testament story shares about the ways God took care of baby Moses, and reminds us of the ways God takes care of us today.

Hello, child of God! Today’s story is about a big family with 12 brothers. Joseph was one of these brothers. Together, we will learn about the ways God was with Joseph through the good days and the bad. God never left Joseph’s side, and God will never leave YOU.

Hello, child of God! I just love a good rain. We need rain for drinking, cooking, washing, and growing. But sometimes, the earth can get too much rain. Today’s story is about a time when the earth got too much rain. Listen for God’s promise to Noah and to you.

Hello, child of God! I want to tell you the story about the very beginning . . . and how God created everything! I believe God still creates things today. You are a beautiful part of God’s creation, and God wants you to know it.

Hello, child of God! I wonder if you have ever witnessed a miracle before. A miracle is something wonderful that shows us the presence of God at work. Bartimaeus was a man who couldn’t see, but when he meets Jesus, he knows God is at work through him. Listen to hear about how Jesus transforms Bartimaeus’ life forever. Miracles happen.

Hello, child of God! I want to tell you about a disciple named Thomas. He was not with his friends on Easter night when the risen Jesus appeared to them. He wanted to see and feel Jesus for himself before he could believe the good news was true. We don’t get to see and feel Jesus in the same way his disciples did all those years ago, but we can still see and feel his presence with us if we look through the lens of faith. Jesus is with you each and every day – I believe it! I hope you believe it, too.

Hello, child of God! This week, we remember a sad day when Jesus died, and a happy day that followed when God made Jesus alive again! The story of Easter is told in all four Gospels. I chose to focus my episode on the accounts that you can find in Matthew 28:1-10 and Mark 16:1-10. May you and your family celebrate this Easter Sunday with joy. May Christ’s resurrection remind you of the promise he has for all of us. Happy Easter!

Hello, child of God! There is a story we retell and act out in my church each year. It always comes the Sunday before Easter. It’s the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The people were so excited to see Jesus riding in on a donkey that they laid down their coats and waved palm branches in the air. Since we can’t be together in person to celebrate this day, I have a great idea of a new way we can celebrate this story at home. Listen to find out my new plan! Let’s work together, even while we are apart, to celebrate Jesus!

Hello, child of God! I want to share a story that has special meaning to me this week. In the Old Testament book of Exodus, we read about how God’s people were on a long journey from one land to the next. It was a frightening and uncertain time for God’s people. But God gave them a gift that reminded them that God would care for them no matter what. That reminder is for us, too. God watches over us, cares for us, and takes care of us – not just in good times, but especially in uncertain or frightening times. May God give you little glimpses of that promise today and every day.

Hello, child of God! Today, we learn another story that Jesus told. This story is about a sower who sowed his seeds out in the field. Some seeds fell on good ground, while other seeds fell on the hard path, the rocky soil, or among the weeds. We will learn about how these four types of ground can be like our hearts – open, too hard, too shallow or too crowded to let God’s Word in. May our hearts be like the good ground, where God’s Word and love can grow.

Hello, child of God! Today, we learn about a story that Jesus told. The story is about a good shepherd and his sheep. This shepherd loves his sheep, and he goes to great lengths to take good care of each and every one of them. We learn that God is like that good shepherd. God knows each and every one of us, God loves us, and God takes good care of us.

Hello, child of God! Today’s story is about Jesus’ friends, the disciples. When Simon and his friends met Jesus, everything changed for them. They left all that they had – their boats, their nets, and even their amazing catch of fish – and followed Jesus. What does it look like to follow Jesus today? We can learn something from the ways they listened to Jesus and tried to follow the ways that he lived. With God’s help, we can be faithful disciples, too.

Hello, child of God! Today's story is about ten men who were very sick. In Bible times, people didn't have medicine or hospitals and doctors quiet like we do today. But one day, these ten men meet Jesus, and that's where our story begins. If you were to see Jesus, what would you say? I hope you have so much to say thank you for! God is good, and it is right to give our thanks and praise to God.

Hello, child of God! Today, I want to tell you the story about a man named John. People called him "John the Baptist" because he baptized people. He told others about what good things God was doing in his life, and how God could do good things in their lives, too. We baptize people today because John baptized Jesus, and Jesus told us to go and do the same. Through the waters of baptism, God claims us as his own. It is an amazing reminder that we are a part of God's family.

Welcome to Child of God, a podcast for children and the adults who love them. I'm Rev. Elizabeth Link, Associate Pastor for Christian Education at Second Presbyterian Church in Roanoke, VA. Through this podcast, I hope to bring God's story to meet you and your family right where you are. And, at its heart, is the message I want each and every child on earth to know: that each and every one of them – including you, grown-up – is a child of God!