Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity—Define New Words
Materials: paper, scissors, markers
Write the words suffering and glory in big letters on paper and cut each letter apart. Scramble the letters up and give the kids some time to see if they can figure out the words. If the kids in your group are new readers, you and other volunteers may have to help. Ask kids if they know what the words mean. Explain that suffering is when people experience something really hard in their lives. Glory is the highest honor anyone can receive! Say the Weekly Verse together.
Live It Out
Game—Catch the Teacher!
Materials: none
Repeat the Weekly Verse several times and instruct kids to pay close attention. Then repeat it again but change it a little bit. Either leave a word out, add a word, or say a different word. Kids should try to catch the mistakes and tell you what is correct. Do this several times and then repeat the verse together as a group. Remind the kids that God is with people when they struggle through difficult times.
Craft—Make a Jail
Materials: white cardstock, black yarn, hole punch, markers or colored pencils
Tell kids to spend some time drawing a picture of Paul worshiping. Kids can be as creative as they’d like. After the pictures are drawn, help kids punch out holes in the top and bottom of the page. Five or six holes on the bottom and top. Help kids tie a long piece of yarn through a hole in one corner, then through the hole directly opposite the first hole, then through the back of the hole next to the second, then to the opposite hole, and so one until all the holes have been used. They can tie the end of the yarn around the last hole. The result should be 5 or 6 vertical lines that resemble jail bars on the front of the page. Remind kids that no matter the suffering Paul went through, he still worshipped God!
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity—Interview Someone
Consider inviting someone in your church who has a testimony of a time when God allowed them to go through a hard circumstance. Ask them the following questions or come up with some of your own.
1. Tell us about a time God allowed you to go through something really hard.
2. Did you trust that God was using your circumstance for good at the time?
3. How can you see how God was working in your heart during that season now?
4. How would you suggest people trust in God during hardship?
Say the LifePoint together.
Live It Out
Game—Memorize it Quick!
Materials: dry erase board, marker, eraser
Write the words and references of Romans 8:18 on the board. Gather students in front of the verse and read the verse three to four times as a group. After reading, start the timer, erase a few random words, and recite the verse again. Continue erasing and reciting until the group can say the entire verse from memory. Stop the timer to see how quickly you were able to memorize the Bible verse. Remind the kids that God was with Paul during a difficult time.
Craft—Break the Chain
Materials: scissors, black construction paper, tape, silver permanent marker or paint pen
Help kids cut black construction paper into strips. Circle the first strip together and tape the ends together. Then make a chain by threading the next strip through the first circle and taping the ends together and so on. Kids can make their chains as long as they’d like. On the middle four links, kids should write the following words on each one: Christians can trust God. Remind kids that God was with Paul during his difficult times.
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