There’s over a month of summer vacation left for kids in Fairfax County, and you might be running low on ideas to keep your family entertained. To help make the most of the last days of summer, we’ve compiled our favorite list of fun activities for kids in Northern Virginia. Best of all, everything on the list is completely free.

For many of us, the final weeks of summer are the last chance for reading before the deluge of fall begins. Summer reading is also a great opportunity to reflect on the big spiritual questions of life, such as wisdom, grief, and calling.

Taking a break from work or school during the summer doesn’t have to mean taking a break from your spiritual life. Use our tips to add spirituality and reflection to your summer vacation.

The 23rd Psalm says that God prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies. I have wondered who those people might be. I think of faceless enemies, arrayed around the wall, not at the table. The psalmist did not say I would share the table with them, necessarily, but that they would see that I have a source of health and well-being, protection and love.

In addition to her credentials and experience, Pastor Katie also has amazing stories to tell. In hopes of hearing some of those stories, we asked her a few untraditional introductory questions.

Susan Graceson has served as Immanuel’s Interim Director of Children’s Ministries since August of 2015. As part of our introductory blog series, we asked Susan a few fun questions about her background and interests.

I love this passage—even though I have no idea what Jesus is talking about. Lots of things flow out of my life; I doubt any of them are living water. I think on my best days I am better likened to a tepid, dripping tap.

As fall begins, so does a new season of stress. But returning to school and work after time off during the summer doesn’t have to bring anxiety. Try one of the tips below for a calmer return to your autumn routine.

Who said that back to school books were only for kids and college students? The fall is a great time for reading. Here are three great books to consider adding to your list.

Coloring quickly became a way for me to pass the time, sitting with my Mom, ready to chat when she wanted to. And there were pretty pictures to show her along the way. When I was at home and couldn’t sleep in the middle of the night, coloring became a way to fill the void.