My Wonder Studio

Note to the parent or teacher: Here is a 40- to 60-minute lesson plan that covers the lesson objective, “Learn that no problem one experiences is too big, bad, or ugly to take to Jesus; learn of the comfort and strength Jesus gives.” (Christian Life and Faith: A Personal Connection with Jesus: Jesus, Your Best Friend-1c)

Listen to “Audio: Me and You.”

Read “Standing on God’s Word: Heavenly Joy.” After reading this article, talk about possible reasons the girl felt better after prayer.

• Jesus always answers when we ask for help.
• By looking to Jesus in prayer, she was relying on His strength and not her own.
• Because she knew Jesus loves her, it gave her peace knowing she had asked Him for help.
• (Read the accompanying Bible verse.) Jesus gives us the joy and peace that comes from knowing He understands our needs and will help us.

Read “Standing on God’s Word: Guidance.” Possible discussion points on this article:

• Joe didn’t know what to do, but he asked Jesus for help because he trusted Jesus to give him a solution.
• The Bible verse in the article promises that Jesus will give us the guidance we need when we look to Him for it. Ask your children if they can think of times when Jesus gave them the guidance they asked for.
• Ask your children about times they faced taking part in a game or activity that they don’t agree with. Talk about how Jesus can guide them to solutions. In this case, the solution was suggesting a positive type of play. Sometimes the solution will be to simply not take part and do something else, even if that means playing on one’s own.

Read “Standing on God’s Word: Contentment.” Possible discussion points on this article:

• Has your child felt disappointment when comparing with a friend’s talent? Talk about it, and discuss the talents your child has.
• The verse says there is “great gain” with being content. Can your child think of things that can be gained from being content?
  --Instead of comparing, you can be happier by being thankful for your own talents and blessings.
  --When you focus on being thankful for what you have, you are then free to strive to do the most with what you have and often find out it’s far more than you realized.
• Aimee wishes she could bake as well as Melissa can. Perhaps Aimee could spend time with her mother or another teacher to learn how. Talk about how being content doesn’t mean not striving to gain new talents.
• How does practicing contentment strengthen a person? What verse from “Strength for the Day” could be applied?

Read “Standing on God’s Word: Making Friends.” Possible discussion points on this article:

• The girl didn’t know anyone, but when the other children invited her to play, she responded by joining in and was able to make new friends. Talk about how that was showing friendliness, like what the Bible verse talks about.
• Ask your child if they can think of times they have gained friends by being friendly or if they can recall times when they could have been friendlier.

Read “Standing on God’s Word: Rising Above.” Possible discussion points on this article:

• How does the Bible verse in this class apply to what the boy’s reactions were to the events he describes?
• What helped him be happier?
• What experience has recently robbed your child of his or her joy? Talk about ways to apply the Bible verse and rise above such an experience.

Read “Standing on God’s Word: Strength for the Day” and talk about ways your child can gain strength from each Bible promise.

Additional materials:

• Other articles from the series “Standing on God’s Word” that apply to areas in your child’s life that need strengthening. Apply the principles of placing their confidence in knowing Jesus will help them.
• “Crazily Cool Card Set: Want Some Power?”
• “Rise Above in Joy”
• “Coloring Page: Me and You”

Note to parent or teacher: Here is a 30-minute lesson plan on the following lesson objectives: “Learn of Jesus’ love for us, and how important Jesus considers each person,” and “that no problem one experiences is too big, bad, or ugly to take to Jesus; learn of the comfort and strength Jesus gives.” (Christian Life and Faith: A Personal Connection with Jesus: Jesus, Your Best Friend-1a; Christian Life and Faith: A Personal Connection with Jesus: Jesus, Your Best Friend-1c) 

Read Psalm 23. (An audio of this Psalm can be found here.)

Learn about Psalm 23.

Read “Follow Jesus Today.”

Talk about an experience your child has had where he had to trust that Jesus was out front and going to take care of him. Perhaps it was a new situation that he had not experienced before, and worried about, but then discovered that everything turned out well.

Listen to or read “Billy and the Big ‘What If,’” and point out how Billy learned to pray and trust that Jesus was caring for him.

Listen to or read “Trudge and Zippy.”

Read Luke 15:4–7 and point out how special each individual is to Jesus.

Do the activities found in “Bible Space Trek: The Parable of the Lost Sheep.” (Find the answer key here.)

View “Jesus’ Little Lambs.”

Be the artist by tracing or copying your choice from these figures to make your own picture or story of Jesus’ care for you. You could also use these figures to draw a picture of Jesus’ care for a friend of yours, to give to him or her as a present.

Additional resources:

• 0–5 Lesson Plan: Jesus—Our Good Shepherd

After you and your children have read “Gift of Joy,” here’s an activity to help reinforce what they’ve learned.

Along with the children, take turns acting out a scene of something that you probably would be unhappy about. You and your children can then suggest things that could be done in order to experience the joy Jesus gives, even in a situation that might not seem so good at first.

“Video: The Sinking Canoe” highlights the following learning objective: “Recognize whether a chore, a challenge, or an assignment calls for help from an outside source, and learn how to ask for help.” (Character Building: Social Skills: Teamwork-2c)

Discuss the following with your child:

• Why is it better to sacrifice pride to save yourself or another from disaster or going the wrong direction in life, than it is to save your or another's pride?
• Discuss a time when you needed help, whether with a personal problem or a physical challenge, but didn't ask for it.
• Why didn't you ask for help?
• How do you think that situation could have worked out better if you had asked for help?
• Think of a time when you saw a friend doing something detrimental or dangerous, and you needed to warn him or her.
• What could have happened if you hadn't warned your friend?