Wondering Questions
What is one way you've grown in the past year?
Singing Prayer: Grow, Grow, Grow
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(to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)
Grow, grow, grow your heart;
Grow your body too!
Grow in faith, in strength, in love,
In everything you do!
Can you write a prayer song of your own using a familiar tune?
Luke 2:41-52
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The Bible gives us very few stories of Jesus before he began his public ministry, so this story helps us to see Jesus growing from the baby of the Christmas story into a curious boy who was listening and asking questions. Imagine yourself in the story of Jesus in the temple as you read it together from Luke 2:41-52. Notice the responses of Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the temple leaders, and the people who were present. Choose an emoji to depict how they might have felt or looked at different points in the story. What might each person have learned that day?
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Reread or ask a child to read verse 52.
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o What does it mean to grow “in wisdom and in stature”?
o What helps you grow in each of those ways?
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Did you know that faith in God can also grow? Talking with God through prayer, reading the Bible, noticing the ways that God is at work in the world, and remembering that God is with you through good and bad times are some of the many ways that our faith g rows. Share stories of things that have helped your faith and love for God grow.
Faith Practice: Noticing God's Love in the World
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Noticing God’s love helps grow faith. Print and post the question, “How did you see, share or feel God’s love today?” in a prominent place (refrigerator, whiteboard, bathroom mirror) or use art supplies to create your own poster. Make time in your day or on a weekly basis to reflect on this question together.
Read: Learning from our Mistakes
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One way that we grow is by learning from our mistakes. No one wants to make a mistake, of course; mistakes can be frustrating or even hurtful. However, when they do happen, we have the opportunity to learn and to do better the next time we find ourselves in a similar situation. Through this learning, we grow to be kind, curious, and adaptable. Explore one or more books about growing from mistakes, including:
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The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken
Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzburg
It’s Okay to Make Mistakes by Todd Parr
