THE PUZZLE
READ IT: Memory Verse: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV
HEAR IT: Perfect Fit
Puzzles are a fun way to pass the time. Finding where each little piece fits is very satisfying. In the end, you can see the whole picture put together. At first though, when you dump all 1,000 pieces onto the table, it can be a bit overwhelming. You don’t really know where to begin. Should you start with the toughest area, the easiest pieces, or your favorite part? It doesn’t even look like a picture at all, just a jumbled mess. It’s easy to get frustrated and confused. It’s tempting to just throw up your hands and say, “Forget it! I’ll never finish this thing.” However, if you stick to it, slowly and carefully, you form the outside border. Then, one by one, the pieces fall into the right places. It’s like that with God’s plan for our lives. God knows the finished picture even though we can’t see it along the way. Each experience and even our troubles build us into the masterpiece God has created. Don’t get stressed with the puzzle pieces of life. God knows the perfect place for each and every piece. Trust the puzzle Master to put it all together.
PRAY IT: (Pray with your group)
STUDY IT: Floating Moses
Moms can be a bit overprotective at times, right?
“Don’t run with scissors, Honey. Be sure to look both ways before crossing the street. Wear these five layers of clothes so you won’t catch a cold, sure it’s June and it’s 100 degrees outside, but Mom knows best, Sweet Pea.”
Moms- you gotta love them! They are responsible for keeping kids safe. So, when Moses’s mom chose to send her baby floating down the Nile in a flimsy woven basket, you know something was messed up. It turns out that the king was killing all the baby boys. Suddenly, the river is looking like a much better option. Thankfully, God was in control of this picture. Moses’s mom had no idea that by setting her son afloat in the river that day, he would be found by Pharaoh’s daughter, handed back to Mom to raise, given a home in the palace, see God in a burning bush, and go on to lead an entire group of people to freedom. Wow! God had great plans for Moses! I know… you’re asking, “How does this help me?” Don’t get discouraged if things aren’t working out perfectly. Think about Moses, and his rocky beginning. God was there the whole time, watching, working, and loving Moses. He was putting together His plan, piece by piece. Let him do the same for you!
Want to know more? Read Exodus 1-2.
TRY IT: Rising Pieces
Items needed:
Piece of tissue paper, scissors, sweater, and comb
Directions:
1. Cut the tissue paper into very small pieces.
2. Rub the comb against a sweater about fifteen times, or comb through your hair several times to get the same effect.
3. Spread the small tissue pieces on a table.
4. Hold the comb over the puzzle pieces and watch the reaction.
Discussion Question:
Did you expect the pieces to rise to the comb? Did you pick up all the pieces or just some of them? How could you pick up more? The more you rub the comb against the sweater, the more pieces it picks up. The comb gets “charged up” and then it can pick up more. How can we get more “charged up” for God?
LIVE IT: Waiting, Waiting, W-A-I-T-I-N-G
There will be challenging spots down the road of life. Mark my words, Honey. Don’t let that get you down. Keep Romans 8:28 in your back pocket and pull it out when you need a reminder that God will work things out for you. Each time you start to worry, think about this verse and smile. Not just a grin, bust out with the wide-toothed, confident smile. God ahead, try it now! Smile because God works for good, not bad. Have you ever had to wait for a gift? I don’t mean just a few minutes. I mean wait for weeks or even months. Christmas gifts and birthday gifts are so much fun because you have to wait to receive them. That’s how it is with God’s plan for our lives. You might have to wait to see how things will work out, but like a good present, it’s definitely worth the wait.
SHARE IT: Piece By Piece
Choose a puzzle, with lots of pieces, and get to work. Invite some friends or neighbors over to join in on the fun. Put each piece carefully in place and share your verse for the week with whoever your puzzle-putting-together partner is.
READ IT: Memory Verse: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV
HEAR IT: Perfect Fit
Puzzles are a fun way to pass the time. Finding where each little piece fits is very satisfying. In the end, you can see the whole picture put together. At first though, when you dump all 1,000 pieces onto the table, it can be a bit overwhelming. You don’t really know where to begin. Should you start with the toughest area, the easiest pieces, or your favorite part? It doesn’t even look like a picture at all, just a jumbled mess. It’s easy to get frustrated and confused. It’s tempting to just throw up your hands and say, “Forget it! I’ll never finish this thing.” However, if you stick to it, slowly and carefully, you form the outside border. Then, one by one, the pieces fall into the right places. It’s like that with God’s plan for our lives. God knows the finished picture even though we can’t see it along the way. Each experience and even our troubles build us into the masterpiece God has created. Don’t get stressed with the puzzle pieces of life. God knows the perfect place for each and every piece. Trust the puzzle Master to put it all together.
PRAY IT: (Pray with your group)
STUDY IT: Floating Moses
Moms can be a bit overprotective at times, right?
“Don’t run with scissors, Honey. Be sure to look both ways before crossing the street. Wear these five layers of clothes so you won’t catch a cold, sure it’s June and it’s 100 degrees outside, but Mom knows best, Sweet Pea.”
Moms- you gotta love them! They are responsible for keeping kids safe. So, when Moses’s mom chose to send her baby floating down the Nile in a flimsy woven basket, you know something was messed up. It turns out that the king was killing all the baby boys. Suddenly, the river is looking like a much better option. Thankfully, God was in control of this picture. Moses’s mom had no idea that by setting her son afloat in the river that day, he would be found by Pharaoh’s daughter, handed back to Mom to raise, given a home in the palace, see God in a burning bush, and go on to lead an entire group of people to freedom. Wow! God had great plans for Moses! I know… you’re asking, “How does this help me?” Don’t get discouraged if things aren’t working out perfectly. Think about Moses, and his rocky beginning. God was there the whole time, watching, working, and loving Moses. He was putting together His plan, piece by piece. Let him do the same for you!
Want to know more? Read Exodus 1-2.
TRY IT: Rising Pieces
Items needed:
Piece of tissue paper, scissors, sweater, and comb
Directions:
1. Cut the tissue paper into very small pieces.
2. Rub the comb against a sweater about fifteen times, or comb through your hair several times to get the same effect.
3. Spread the small tissue pieces on a table.
4. Hold the comb over the puzzle pieces and watch the reaction.
Discussion Question:
Did you expect the pieces to rise to the comb? Did you pick up all the pieces or just some of them? How could you pick up more? The more you rub the comb against the sweater, the more pieces it picks up. The comb gets “charged up” and then it can pick up more. How can we get more “charged up” for God?
LIVE IT: Waiting, Waiting, W-A-I-T-I-N-G
There will be challenging spots down the road of life. Mark my words, Honey. Don’t let that get you down. Keep Romans 8:28 in your back pocket and pull it out when you need a reminder that God will work things out for you. Each time you start to worry, think about this verse and smile. Not just a grin, bust out with the wide-toothed, confident smile. God ahead, try it now! Smile because God works for good, not bad. Have you ever had to wait for a gift? I don’t mean just a few minutes. I mean wait for weeks or even months. Christmas gifts and birthday gifts are so much fun because you have to wait to receive them. That’s how it is with God’s plan for our lives. You might have to wait to see how things will work out, but like a good present, it’s definitely worth the wait.
SHARE IT: Piece By Piece
Choose a puzzle, with lots of pieces, and get to work. Invite some friends or neighbors over to join in on the fun. Put each piece carefully in place and share your verse for the week with whoever your puzzle-putting-together partner is.