Note to parent or teacher: Here is a 30- to 40-minute lesson plan on the following lesson objectives: “Learn of some of the well-known great men and women of God throughout history;” “be able to identify the benefits of reading God's Word daily and becoming a student of the Word;” and “be able to list benefits of Scripture memorization.” (Christian Life and Faith: Witnessing and Missionary Training: Great Men and Women of God-1b; Christian Life and Faith: Biblical and Christian Foundation: God’s Word-1c,d)

Read “Fanny Crosby and Her Great Love for Jesus.” (Note: The page numbers mentioned throughout this lesson plan refer back to this story.)

Listen to “Psalm 19.”

Look up Psalm 19:1-6, and talk about how Fanny’s grandmother taught her about God through describing and discussing the beauties of God’s creation when she was a girl. (See pages 3 and 4.)
Encourage the children to talk about some of their favorite parts of God’s creation, and how they see God’s love manifested in those things and/or places.

Look up and read Psalm 19:7–11. Help the children list the five different descriptive names for the Word found in Psalm 19:7–9 (perfect, sure, right, pure, clean), and talk about how each description applies. Also talk about the application of verses 10 and 11 and about the benefits of the Word in our lives.

Look up and read Romans 10:17 and talk about the faith we gain from reading God’s Word.

Look up and read Psalm 37:31 and Psalm 119:11, about the benefits of memorizing God’s Word.
Talk about how the Bible verses and stories that Fanny memorized as a child gave her strength and faith. (See pages 4 and 11.)

Read “Bright Pebbles: A Hidden Treasure.”

Look up Romans 8:28 and point out how God turned a difficult situation in Fanny’s life (see pages 5 and 6) into something beautiful. Talk about how God is always eager to turn what looks bad to us into something good and wonderful.
Fanny is quoted as saying, "It seemed intended by the blessed providence [divine intervention] of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation [privilege]. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow, I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me."

Listen to “All Things Work Together for Good.”

Discuss Fanny’s poem about an unkind word versus a smile (see page 7), and ask the children for examples of how they can apply this principle in their own lives.

Read “Keep Me Thine,” a poem by Fanny Crosby.

Look up 2 Corinthians 1:4. Bring out how God was able to use Fanny to encourage Ira Sankey when he became blind. (See page 13.)

Look up some (or all) of the poems and hymns mentioned in the story that are written by Fanny Crosby, following the links given with the poems in the story. Talk with the children about how, though these songs may not be contemporary, they were the style of music for Fanny Crosby’s day and were a testimony to many of the love of Jesus.

Additional activities:

• Coloring Page: Live in God’s Word