HEY PARENTS… DID YOU KNOW? Here’s something you won’t hear everyday: “Hey! We are all ordinary.” That’s right! We have a secret code in the cells of our bodies that tell us the color of our skin and eyes and hair. It’s one very small change in that secret code and our skin is a little darker or lighter. Sometimes we focus on those things and think we are different but really we are all the same—just ordinary. Now here’s the great news: It’s God who makes us special! I love that. When we become a child of God and then choose to live according to His Word, we become special and God does special things through us—just like He did through Joseph, Jacob’s son. The story of his life is found in Genesis.

Joseph Joseph was Mr. Jacob-Israel’s favorite child and Joseph made sure everyone knew it. He was spoiled and his brothers hated him. They hated him so much, they threw him into a pit. But God had a plan.

Mr. Jacob-Israel Jacob had to run away from his home because he was a cheat-er and a trickster. Born with the name Jacob, God wrestled with him and changed his name to Israel when he was an adult on his way back to his homeland to meet his brother Esau.

Isaac The promised son to Abraham, Isaac grew up and had two sons: Jacob and Esau. He picked favorites and Jacob was Isaac’s favorite son.

Abraham He was too old to have children but God promised Abraham a son and that from his son, a great nation of people would grow. And from that great nation, our Messiah Jesus Christ would come and save His people from their sin.

Connecting your child every weekend to the Word of God through story

P WEEK #1 SEPTEMBER 2/3 2017 PARENT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE

ASK YOUR CHILD: Do you need to guard your way? DISCOVER & LEARN: OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO PSALM 119:9. Read out loud again. IMAGINE & SOLVE: Yes, we need to our guard our way and keep it pure. Something that isn’t pure is sin. (Read the definition of sin in BEYOND THE WORDS.) What can we do to keep our way pure? IMPROVE & TRY AGAIN: It starts with asking God to give us a pure heart and asking God to teach us what is right and wrong. Read Psalm 51:10. PRAY OVER YOUR CHILD: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Please give ________ and me a pure heart to guard our way and teach us what is right and wrong. In Jesus’ name, amen.

ASK YOUR CHILD: What does it mean to guard your way? DISCOVER & LEARN: OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO PSALM 119:9. Read out loud one more time. IMAGINE & SOLVE: Guarding our way means protecting it and staying away from something that may harm us. Sin harms us and is never good for us. Ever. Not one single time. What are some things that cause you to sin that are right in front of you? (Like sharing, obeying the first time, saying “I’m sorry”, and not bragging about what you own!) IMPROVE & TRY AGAIN: Read more. Turn to Psalm 1:1-2 PRAY OVER YOUR CHILD: Heavenly Father, protect us from sin. Give us the strength to say “no” to sin. In Jesus’ name, amen.

WHAT IS THE WEEKLY WORD? Ch

ildren of all ages are able to learn te

n new words a

day! During ORDINARY KIDS we ar

e teaching children eight new words

in 11 weeks.

These words are intentionally chos

en to enrich a child’s experience an

d grow them in

their young faith.

PARENT: It’s important to engage your child with God’s Word everyday. Here are three days to guide you and then you share for three days about what God is teaching you. Save day seven to talk about what you learned in church this weekend. This is storing up God’s Word in their hearts.

WHAT DID WE DO THIS WEEKEND?

We set up the story of Joseph beginning with his great grand-

father Abraham. We learned how Joseph’s family moved

around the Middle East of the World and then settled back in

Canaan. And, we experienced engineering for the first time.

Engineers simply find problems, ask good questions and then

use ordinary materials (like paper) to solve the problem.

GUARD: To protect … and reme

mber

we only guard what is valuable

ASK YOUR CHILD: Why does God want us to guard our way? DISCOVER & LEARN: OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO PSALM 119:9. That’s the very middle of your Bible. Read out loud. IMAGINE & SOLVE: You and I need to guard our way. Guarding our way means we protect it because the road the Lord has for us is valuable. It’s valuable because He has a special plan for us. God wants us to guard our way according to His words because He has a plan for us. We find God’s words in our Bibles. IMPROVE & TRY AGAIN: Read another verse. Turn to Jeremiah 29:11. PRAY OVER YOUR CHILD: Heavenly Father, help __________ and me to guard our way by learning Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Psalm 119:11 (ESV)

I have stored Action: Pull both hands to your chest like a gathering motion

up your word Action: Hands in front together like a Bible

in my heart Action: Hands over heart

that I Action: Two thumbs to self

might not sin Action: Shake head “no”

against you. Action: Point upward

BEYOND THE WORDS: STORED: Saved up for when you need it the most

WORD: Actually spoken out loud as a command

HEART: The center of everything inside a person … feelings + will + intellect

SIN: To miss the mark. To forfeit (think about forfeiting a game, we say “I give up. I can’t win.”)

AGAINST: Above, over, upon

THREE STEPS to BEING SPECIAL for YOUNG CHILDREN 1. Become God’s child. (John 3) Motion: start at the top of your head

and move hands over body

2. Learn God’s Word. (Psalm 119:9) Motion: place hands over your heart

3. Ask the Lord to teach you. (Psalm 119:12) Motion: fold hands in praying position