My Wonder Studio

Note to parent or teacher: This 20- to 30-minute lesson plan highlights the following lesson objective: “Study the fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness.” (Christian Life and Faith: Biblical and Christian Foundation: The Fruits of the Spirit-2h)

Read “Power-Up Devotional #8: Spirit Fruit: Kindness.”

Memorize or print out the following and place somewhere easily viewable throughout the day: “Kindness is an action of love: it is the visible part of a caring heart.”

Discuss how kind deeds begin with thinking about others and their needs. Read “Love Memory Joggers,” Part 1 and Part 2.

Do the “The Loving Deeds Contest” and praise your children for the areas they do well in, and encourage them in the areas they can do better in.

Optional: Print out on cardstock the pages of “The Loving Deeds Contest,” cut out the eight bookmark-shaped pictures, and color them. You can then use these as bookmarks in your schoolbooks, a magazine, or to mark a favorite recipe in a cookbook. Spread them around in ways that you see them here or there as reminders, or give them out as gifts.­­

Here are some articles on kindness that can be read when you have the time:

• “Let It Pass”
• “Hurt by Unkindness”
• “1 Corinthians 13 for You Today!”
• “Fill Up to Pour Out!”

Note to parent or teacher: This 20- to 30-minute lesson plan highlights the following lesson objective: “Study the fruit of the Spirit: Goodness.” (Christian Life and Faith: Biblical and Christian Foundation: The Fruits of the Spirit-2i)

Read “Power-Up Devotional #9: Spirit Fruit: Goodness.” 

Read “Psalm 23” or listen to the audio and discuss all the many ways that God’s goodness is shown to your family. (If you haven’t done so already, include the “Action” found on the last page of “Power-Up Devotional #9: Spirit Fruit: Goodness.”)

Talk about how goodness is a fruit of God’s Spirit in our lives and is not something we can try to work up on our own. Everyone makes mistakes, and God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. But the more we spend time with Jesus, through studying His Word and putting into practice what we learn from His Word, the more we receive of His Spirit, which is full of goodness. 

Read “Power-Up Devotional #2: Why Learn About Fruit?”

Additional material:

• “Crazily Cool Card Set: Fear Not.” Print out your children’s favorite verse from this set, for them to place somewhere they like and commit that verse to memory.

Note to parent or teacher: This 20- to 30-minute lesson plan highlights the following lesson objective: “Study the fruit of the Spirit: Faith.” (Christian Life and Faith: Biblical and Christian Foundation: The Fruits of the Spirit-2j) 

Read “Power-Up Devotional #10: Spirit Fruit: Faithfulness.”

Discuss the following: “David and Jonathan were faithful to their friendship and protected one another’s families (1 Samuel 18:1–4; 1 Samuel 19:1–7; 1 Samuel 20; 2 Samuel 9). Ruth was faithful to her widowed mother-in-law and took care of her (Ruth 1). Job was faithful to God even in times of extreme hardship. He said, “Though he (God) slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15 KJV), and in the end, God gave him many times over what he had lost. Joseph was a faithful steward and an honest man even though his master was unfair to him (Genesis 39). Can you think of other examples of loyalty and faithfulness?” (Excerpt from “Power-Up Devotional #10: Spirit Fruit: Faithfulness,” page 6.)

Talk about what faithfulness looks like and different situations where it might be needed. For a springboard you could use the Scriptures on page 5 of “Spirit Fruit: Faithfulness.”

Read “Choose Things of Value: Stepping Stones for the Next Big Thing.”

Talk about God’s blessings for faithfulness and relate a time in your life, or a story you know of where you were blessed for your faithfulness. Ask if the children can think of any such stories of their own.

Read the verses in “Crazily Cool Card Set: Faithfulness.” Print out your children’s favorite verse from this set, for them to place somewhere they like and commit that verse to memory.

Additional material:

• See “Bible Space Trek: The Parable of the Talents” for an activity that goes with this parable of Matthew 25:14–29.
• The Dependable Honey Bee