Recess - Week 3
For a lot of us, recess is one of our favorite parts of our kids school day. Our kiddos get to play dodgeball, hopscotch, or race friends around the play area. Recess helps our kids to stay active so they can grow strong, but it also gives them a chance to grow in their relationships. In this five-week series, our families will discover through the stories in the books of Judges, Ruth, and 1 Samuel the unexpected ways God can help them grow. As they do, they’ll learn how God helps us grow stronger, helps us belong, answers our prayers, tells us what is true, and can use anything we give.
BIG IDEA: God answers my prayers.
BIBLE: 1 Samuel 1; Psalm 20
MEMORY VERSE
Elementary: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1A (NIV)
Toddler Twist: "We are part of God's loving family!" 1 John 3:1
WATCH:
Preschool- teaching video
Elementary- teaching video
SONG: Friend of God, and In You Alone
DISCIPLE:
Let's get into “prayer mode” by slowing down our breathing and clearing our minds. Let’s practice taking in some deep breaths as we focus on the word “prayer.” Keeping your palms together like prayer hands, reach straight up and breathe in. Separate your hands and move your arms down to your side and breathe out. Let’s try this a few more times.
Now say all the words that come to mind when you hear the word “prayer.”
What are some things you pray for?
How does God answer our prayers? How can we respond when the answer is “no” or “not now?”
Today's Bible story is about how God hears our prayers. For some people, this is very easy to believe and understand. Maybe you have even experienced the joy of an answered prayer! For others, we may feel like our prayers are going nowhere, and we are growing tired of praying the same prayers. God hears and
answers your prayers.
Even when it doesn’t feel like much is happening on the surface, God is in your corner. God answers my prayers, and God answers yours, too!
Pray: Dear God, thank you that you answer our prayers. You hear us when we cry out to you, and even when the answer doesn’t come as fast as we’d like or it’s not the answer we expected, help us to trust that you give us what is best. Thank you for being with us, for remembering us, and for loving us. Amen.