Here is a 30-minute lesson plan that highlights the following lesson objective: “Understand that difficulties, trials, and obstacles are a part of life, and through learning to work through them, one can gain valuable understanding through these experiences; study and memorize Bible verses upon which this principle is based.” (Christian Life and Faith: Biblical and Christian Foundation: Overcoming Obstacles-2a)

Ask your child what they think an obstacle, adversity, or difficulty may be. Discuss some of the types of obstacles or adversities someone may face in their life—it could be a physical disability, difficulty remembering facts and figures at school, or it could be that they are from a poor country or background where they are often told it can’t get better for them. The conclusion of this short discussion should be that we all face obstacles or adversity, no matter what it is—life is full of them. So what do we do?

Watch “Overcoming Obstacles” (YouTube video by Steven Claunch).

Discuss how not everyone has to overcome a physical disability, but as Steven Claunch brought out, there are other obstacles that we each face in our lives that are unique to us. The goal when faced with a big or small obstacle is to not allow the obstacle to overcome us, but for us to overcome the obstacle. Often an obstacle can overcome us when we become negative and focus on what we don’t have, instead of what we do have.

Read “Overpowering Negative Thoughts.”

Read “Growing Stronger, No. 2: Hidden Fortune.”

Discuss how this story shows that we often find out new things about ourselves—new gifts and blessings—when we hit an obstacle. In the story, Moira discovered that she had a talent for poetry when she thought she would only ever love to dance. Ask your child to think of something they may have discovered about themselves at a time when they were sick or unable to participate in something they had wanted to do. Encourage them to think of a good thing that came out of an adversity they faced.

Study these verses “Crazily Cool Cards Set: Overcoming Difficulties” and “Crazily Cool Cards Set: Overcomers.” Your child might want to choose one or more cards to print and color.