June 16, 2024
K-3rd Grade
4th-5th Grade
Story Focus: For week 3, we head to Ezra 3:10-13. At the time, God’s people were living as captives in Persia, when the new king, Cyrus, allowed them to return home to Jerusalem. However, when they returned, everything was broken down and destroyed. The people got to work rebuilding the temple . . . but before they got far, they stopped to worship God and celebrate the ways that God had helped them
Bottom Line: Celebrate each step of the way. Some tasks seem to take longer to complete than others. Whether kids are learning how to ride a bike, bake a cake, solve a math problem, or talk to new people, they learn that each step is important. The same thing is true about our relationship with God. We can choose to trust God and find joy, even when we can’t see the whole picture. We can celebrate how God is working in our lives with every step we take
Key Question: What is something that took longer than you wanted it to? Joy is something that we choose every single day. And we can still choose joy even when the things we hope for end up taking longer than we would like or expect. As preteens think through this question, they can begin to see that no matter how long the journey might be, they can still choose joy along the way.
Memory Verse: “ A cheerful heart makes you healthy but a broken spirit dries you up." Proverbs 17:22 NIRV.
Joy: Choosing to celebrate what God is doing.