Invite your child into a time of worship, you might sing familiar songs of praise or use your own CD, album, or media player. A number of worship songs are available through online sources like Youtube and can be played through your computer, tablet, or mobile device. The following songs might be familiar and correspond with this weeks lesson:

• You Make Me Brave – Bethel Music Kids, Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8F3I05ZXW0
• I Will Trust in You – LifeWayKids, Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlJU3te81Dg
• Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus – Group VBS, Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSURGdQediE
• Proverbs 3:5-6 (Trust In The Lord) – The Rizers, Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUR1ufexry0
• Trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6) – Scripture Rock, Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN7Lwved3n8

Materials: Paper, marker, small ball

Preparation: Write Proverbs 3:5 on a piece of paper.

Explanation: Read Proverbs 3:5 with your child.   Say: This verse tells us one thing we should do and one thing we should not do.  Can you underline the phrase that tells us what we should do?  Allow your child to underline the phrase, “Trust in the Lord.” What does it mean to trust God?  Allow child to answer.  When we trust God, we believe that He can take care of us.  When we believe that He can take care of us, we do not worry.  

Can you underline the phrase that tells us what we should not do?  Allow your child to underline the phrase, “Do not depend on your own understanding.” What word in this phrase means to trust? Allow child to point to the word “depend.”  Yes, when you depend on someone, you trust them.  God doesn’t want us to depend on ourselves.  Sometimes people think they don’t need God’s help.  They think they are smart enough or have enough money to take care of themselves.  But God doesn’t want us to trust in ourselves or our money, He wants us to trust in Him.

Memorization Activity: Have your child face you, if if there are multiple children form two lines, facing each other. Give your child a ball. Ask him to say the first word of the Bible verse as he throws it to you, or the child standing across from him.  You, or that child, says the second word of the Bible verse and throws the ball back.  Continue tossing the ball back and forth until children have said the entire verse. When children are familiar with the verse, hide the poster board and let them play the game from memory.

Materials: Bible

Preparation: Read and study Luke 8:22-25.

Presentation: Read Luke 8:22-25. Say, Today, we are going to talk about a time that Jesus’ disciples forgot to trust Him. Jesus, together with His disciples, had been traveling to many towns teaching, preaching, and healing people.  One day, He told them that they needed to travel across a huge lake to the other side.  They got into a boat and began the trip.

Jesus was very tired and soon fell asleep. Many of the disciples had been fishermen before they became Jesus’ disciples, so they were probably confident that they didn’t need any help getting the boat to the other side of the lake.  

However, the sky suddenly became dark and a huge storm began.  The waves were very high, and the disciples were afraid.  They thought they were in danger of drowning.  

They woke Jesus up to tell him that they were all going to drown.  Jesus got up and looked at the waves and the storm.  He calmly told the storm to stop, and it did!  The water was calm and quiet again.

Jesus looked at his disciples with sadness.  He asked why they didn’t trust Him.  The disciples should have known that Jesus would never let the storm harm them.  Jesus had told the disciples they were going to the other side of the lake, and He planned to get them there safely.

Discuss the following questions:

• Who suggested they get into the boat? (Jesus)
• Why were the disciples not scared when they first got into the boat? (Most of them had been fishermen, and they trusted in themselves to sail the boat.)
• When the storm came, could the disciples take care of themselves? (No)
• Instead of trusting that Jesus would take care of them, what did the disciples do? (They woke Jesus up to tell them that they were all going to drown.)
• What did Jesus do? (He calmed the storm.)
• Why was Jesus sad? (The disciples had not trusted Jesus to take care of them.)

Say:  Instead of trusting in ourselves, we need to put our trust in Jesus.  He will always take care of us and help us.

Materials: Paper, marker, tape or other adhesive

Preparation: Write the following phrases on separate sheets of paper:
Worry
Trust in Themselves
Trust in God

Attach the papers to three different walls in the room. 

Presentation: Say, Sometimes it is hard to trust God.  We either worry about something, or we try to fix it ourselves.  I am going to read you short stories about five children.  Decide if the children worried about their problems, trusted in God, or trusted in themselves.  Ask child to stand by the correct sign when they decide if the child in the story worried about their problem, trusted in God, or trusted in themselves.

Story 1: John has always slept in the same room as his brother, but his brother is going to be away for a week.  John is going to have to sleep in a room by himself.  He hides a flashlight under his pillow, so he can use it if he gets scared.

Story 2: Mary has a math test at school tomorrow.  She doesn’t like math and usually does poorly on tests.  Mary is awake all night worrying about the test.

Story 3: Steve and Jane can hear their parents arguing in the other room.  They hate it when their parents yell at each other.  They kneel by their bed and begin to pray for their parents.

Story 4: Jeremiah has been sick for a week.  He begins to think that he is never going to feel better.

Story 5: Katrina’s family is moving to a new town.  She has to leave all of her friends. She prays and asks God to send her new friends.

Materials: Signs used during the application activity

Preparation: None

Presentation: Say, You may struggle with worry.  Instead of worrying, Jesus wants you to trust Him.  When you have a problem, you might try to fix it yourself.  Instead of trusting in yourself, Jesus wants you to trust Him. Invite your child if they struggle with worry or tend to trust in themselves to stand by the corresponding sign.  Pray with your child.  When finished praying, ask your child to stand by the “Trust in God” sign and say with them, “We will trust in God.”