Cheering Your Child on to Victory

At least half (if not all!) of the kids I correspond with around the world absolutely love playing soccer, so the World Cup games are going to be a very high interest item to write about.  Here are some ideas for writing letters using this theme.  First, create a fun World Cup soccer pizap photo of your child (or yourself).  You can send this as a photo, print it off on a letter of your own, or upload it into an email template.  If you're using the one of the beautiful Compassion templates, position your sticker designs away from the edge of the photo design in PiZap to allow for the long rectangular crop once you get it in the email template. Here's an example of a finished photo uploaded into one of Compassion's templates.  

This theme sets you up perfectly for encouraging your child in excelling in his love, faith, and obedience to Jesus, remembering that there is a "cloud of witnesses" who are watching, and telling your child that you too are cheering him on to victory.  While I've never played soccer in my life, I loved competing on my high school swim team.  I won most of my races, and wrote to my kids how that meant a lot of hard work, day after day, doing more than I thought I could do, and certainly doing more than I felt like doing.  I encouraged each child to do their best, in their studies at school, in their work at home serving their family, and in their faith, love, and obedience to God, and to keep up their good work even when they "don't feel like it."  Encourage your children to  "Excel in kindness...  Excel in faithfulness...  Excel in purity...  Excel in showing honor and respect...  Keep choosing to do the right thing, and don't give up even when it is hard.  I am confident that you are one who will live his life to win in God's kingdom, and that you will receive a reward that lasts.  I am here for you, cheering for you, and praying you on to victory.""  

Include a verse on "running the race" or one related to winning, competing, or preserving, such as the ones included on this web page of 14 inspiring Bible verses for athletes.  I'm selecting one verse for each child, and writing a little something about it. 

If you want to send some items snail mail, there are many soccer printables to choose from online.  Here are my favorites...

 

http://kidsprintablescoloringpages.com/img-soccer-coloring-pages-2-6926.htm

 http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/goalkeeper-girl-colouring-page

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/playing-beach-soccer-colouring-page

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/kicking-a-ball-with-dad-colouring-page

  

http://www.freekidscolorpages.com/coloring-pages/soccer/attachment/voetbal005/

http://www.freekidscolorpages.com/coloring-pages/soccer/attachment/voetbal006/

http://www.colornimbus.com/a-soccer-player-doing-a-bicycle-kick-coloring-page/

http://coloringkids.org/soccer-coloring-pages/soccer-coloring-pages-1-2/

http://www.supercoloring.com/pages/tag/soccer/

 http://www.klaarwerk.nl/voetbal-doolhof/

I'm also sending my kids a copy of a bracket...  I didn't even know what this was before the games started, but have learned since then.  ;o)  It's a page for keeping track of the winning team for each game as they head for the World Cup.   There are many choices online... this one is designed with the old computer pixel look...

 

http://extramustard.si.com/2014/06/10/world-cup-pixel-bracket/

I just returned from Honduras a couple weeks ago where I was incredibly blessed to visit two of my sponsored children.  While there, I witnessed the Latin American kids' passion for soccer.  My heart is still very much in Honduras!  This sweet boy has been tugging at my heart to help him find a sponsor.  Josué David will be 11 years old on his birthday this August, and it is significant to note that he is above average in school.  He lives with his mother who is sometimes employed, and there are 4 children in the family.  If he is tugging at your heart, please sponsor Josué David here.

Blessings,