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To create an atmosphere where you see the children releasing what is in them to give. You must continually foster a hunger in yourself for the Person of the Lord in them.

Study children in scripture.

Ask the Lord to show you visions and dreams of who they are and what they will do.

Look for the things that make each of them unique and begin discovering each of their individual identities so that you are hungry for that in them to be full, experienced and received in your presence.

Believe. You must fully believe in your heart that the Lord has been with them, talking to them all week long. For then when you come together with them, you are looking for what He has been saying to them.

Believe that what He has said is true. That if you receive them, you receive Him. This makes you want to receive all that is in them no matter the cost!

Allow your hunger to ask them questions. When you teach, before you teach, ask them to teach you. Genuinely ask them. Not looking for what the Lord said to you to come out of them. Not looking for things that are in your lesson. You are not asking so they can “feel” like they can teach you. You are asking the Lord in them to actually teach you. It is for real. You will find things in their answers that you have never thought of. Let them see you truly and deeply learn from what Jesus says to them. Receive the way you like to be received.

Look for the Lord in their answers, and when you find Him, stop. Stay there. Confirm it. And feast on it together. Draw them into your process of learning and how Holy Spirit is connecting the pieces within you. Draw them all into the Jesus you find, and give opportunity for Him to speak to your heart and their hearts in those moments. Put to the side the pressure to move on prematurely. I always tell my kids that when we read scripture, we are looking to find Him. And when we find Him, we put it down and go into Him right there in that place, to experience His heart for us. For me, when we hit a place like this, I have everyone close their eyes and we put our hands on our hearts and we breathe Jesus into our bellies. I have them ask God “what do you want to say to my heart?” or “show me what this looks like” or “what does Your heart see, God?”.

When they start sharing, listen. Believe that God is talking to them so that you can hear Him.

When something feels like it is coming from out of the blue, hold on to it and trust the Lord to reveal it in its time. Don’t shut it down because it doesn’t seem to fit, but also don’t force it to fit. Just hold it expectantly for when the Lord wants to open it up.

Be fully reliant on Holy Spirit to show you what He is showing them. He is your Helper. You cannot prepare for this other than to prepare your heart and rely on Him.

Don’t forget to give them what you have brought as well. They need you and your investment and learning in the Lord, your heart to teach them. It communicates their value to them that you have studied and prayed for them, and will give your very real best to them from the Lord in you. And they will receive you as you have received them.