Strong Inside
Do the following experiment to start a conversation about God’s presence in us, which can help us get through hard times.
Ask:
What do you want to do when bad things happen? (Get angry; feel sad; cry; etc.)
Do you ever feel like you will just explode?
Blow up a balloon and tie it. Hold it over the lit candle. POP! The balloon explodes! Now take another balloon, and fill it halfway with water. Blow it up and hold it over the candle. What do you think will happen? Will it explode, splashing water everywhere? Continue holding the balloon over the candle (it won’t break). (WHY? The water in the balloon is absorbing the heat from the candle. The balloon conducts heat very well, so the candle flame transfers to the water without harming the balloon.)
When we become Christians, God sends His Spirit to live in us. He will help us handle the hard things that happen. He will keep us from getting bitter when things aren’t fair. He will keep us from exploding! Just as God helped Joseph and was with him, God will be with and help us too!
Ask:
What were some of the hard things Joseph went through? (His mother died; his brothers hated and wanted to kill him; he was sold as a slave)
God has promised to take those bad things and make something good out of them. The bad things that happened are not good, but God is so powerful that He can turn things around and work good out of them.
Bedtime Checkup
Before prayer at bedtime, ask your child:
Are you going through a difficult situation?
Are you having a hard time doing the right thing?
Do you need God’s help?
Share with your kids about a hard time you had (a temptation that God helped you overcome; a trial where you felt distant from God; a time of need when you wondered if God was going to help you). Share with them what helped you get through it.
Pray for your child and then give him or her a big hug!
Trusting in Jesus
Bake a loaf of bread.
There are many recipes (with pictures) online or go to: http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Bread-Recipe/, for an easy recipe.
As you are eating the bread (with some yummy butter), talk about how Jesus provides what we need.
What does bread and drink do for you? (Satisfies your hunger and thirst; provides what your body needs; keeps you alive; etc.)
Just as food and drink satisfy our physical cravings, Jesus can provide all we need to be satisfied. Trusting in Jesus can bring us true joy.
How can you trust in Jesus as Joseph did? (What you think about, the way you spend your time and money are good ways to see what you are trusting in. Do you think more about how you can help yourself or how you can trust God to help you?) Joseph trusted God to take care of him, and we can too.