God is Always With Us
This week’s lessons are from the book of Jonah! The first 3 days cover the well-known story of Jonah running away from God, hopping on a boat that gets caught in a God-sent storm, and Jonah thrown overboard and swallowed by a giant fish. The verse of the week is Psalm 73:23, “I am always with you,” and we will focus on that throughout the events that happen to Jonah. Days 4 and 5 will focus in on Jonah’s obedience to tell the Ninevites about their sin and God’s forgiveness, and then Jonah’s anger and pride when he thinks the Ninevites shouldn’t receive God’s mercy. This week is packed with adventure and deep truths about God!
Teaching toddlers is sometimes tough, but it is oh, so worth it anyway! Some days are frustrating and can be disappointing (like today, Day 1 of this week’s lessons). Katelyn woke up early and was grumpy all morning. We made Bible Time short (10-15 minutes), which was easy since it was a short and simple lesson anyway. But other times I will split the activities if we need to make things shorter. Often the songs and a fun activity are intriguing enough to cheer her up a bit. :)
But then there are the moments when I am so proud of the time and effort I’ve spent pouring into her and teaching her God’s Word. Last week we built the “Ark of the Covenant” out of popcicle sticks – and put a cross on top for Jesus. She was pointing to the cross and saying, “Craw.” Then yesterday at church we sang a song about the cross. There was a cross on the big screen, and Katelyn was just gazing up at the musicians singing about Jesus and the cross. Then she said, “Craw.” I was beaming inside. It’s so rewarding to see these important truths being ingrained in someone so young!
So don’t worry if the lessons are spread out across weeks and not consistent every single day. Or if your toddler throws a fit or antagonizes the cat and gets scratched in the middle of the lesson. Or if some lessons just seem to flop. Integrating God into the week is worth every effort, and little toddler eyes and ears are always watching and listening – ready to soak up anything and everything around them (even if it seems like they are distracted).
- Weekly Routines – page 2
- Day 1 Lesson and Activities – page 3
- Day 2 Lesson and Activities – page 4
- Day 3 Lesson and Activities – page 5
- Day 4 Lesson and Activities – page 6
- Day 5 Lesson and Activities – page 7