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When I think about joy in the Bible, I think of that old Sunday School classic song - I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart! What a sweet song of praise. And yet, sometimes joy seems so hard to capture. It's more than happiness, but it is the deep and abiding presence of contentment, peace, and pleasure. We find our true joy in Jesus!

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Here are 3 Bible stories to teach your kids about joy.

3 Bible Stories That Teach Kids About Joy

Sarah and Isaac

The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Sarah said, 'God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.' And she said, 'Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.' (Genesis 21:1-3, 6-7 ESV)
God brings joy through unexpected blessings. The name Isaac means 'laughter'. Sarah found joy in the unexpected and long-awaited blessing of her son. Of course, she felt happy after finally receiving the child she longed for but her deep joy came in recognizing that God's timing was best. Use this story to share with your child that since life almost never turns out the way we imagine, we must always be on the lookout for hidden blessings. This may come in a surprise gift or connection or experience but it also may simply come by recognizing God in all that surrounds us. Sarah may have moved on from her desire to have children. She probably thought it would never happen. But God brought her this blessing when she least expected it and she was ready to receive him with joy.
Related Verse:For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. Psalm 92:4

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Jesus' Birth

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:10-11 ESV)
Jesus is the source of our joy. The wise men only knew so much about who Jesus was and why he came and yet, the Bible says they were filled with great joy. Knowing all that we know today, I wonder why we don't join in their exceeding joy. Use this story to explain to your child that Jesus is the ultimate promise fulfilled. Jesus is God's greatest gift. Because of Jesus, we have the hope of heaven and the promise of peace as we go through life here on earth. I cannot think of a better reason to be filled with joy. When life gets hard and we feel joy slipping away, we can refocus on Jesus and be filled again.

Related Verse: These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. John 15:11

Related Episodes on Minno:

Check out all of the Christmas episodes on Minno here

Paul and Barnabas Share the Good News

And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:49, 52 ESV)

Our joy is spread through the good news of Jesus' love. It's not enough to be filled with joy and keep it to ourselves. God made us for community. He wants us to share his love with others. Use this story to share with your child that when we share our joy with others, we are sharing the good news of Jesus' love. And this is the whole reason he came to us on Christmas in the first place! Paul and Barnabas were asked by God to spread the good news of Jesus' love. They traveled and ministered to people all over to make sure they understood the joy that could only be found in Jesus. We may not travel the world (well, not yet but maybe someday) but we can share the love of Jesus with family and friends right where we are.
Related Verse:May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

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Continue learning together with the Joy - Fruit of the Spirit 5 Minute Family Devotional from Micah's Super Vlog.

Tech & Media

BY JENN COX
PHOTO © Cathy Yeulet/123RF

Jun 23, 2017

Kids' books these days are a dime a dozen, and while books that are entertaining are always fun, they don’t necessarily impart any wisdom. However, these titles teach a good lesson that will help your child learn about self acceptance, self confidence, being generous, finding the silver lining and overcoming fears. And we’ve included a few fun activities you can do with your kids after reading these great books.

Make sure these 10 titles are on your child’s bookshelf.

Shark Lady (Jess Keating, Illustrated By Marta Alvarez Miguens)

Do you know the name Eugenie Clark? Otherwise known as “the shark lady,” this scientist revolutionized how we study and learn about sharks, and this is a fun illustrated version of her life. Not only does Shark Ladyteach little ones about following their dreams despite there being obstacles, but it also schools children on respecting nature.

Spend time together doing this: After reading this book, your kids will undoubtedly have an insatiable thirst for everything sharks. So make a fun shark hat out of some construction paper or cardstock — it can be the face of a shark or just a frightening fin. (Wait, is it frightening?)

This Is How We Do It (Matt Lamothe)

We all want our kids to have compassion (wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all practiced more compassion?). In this great read, kids get to explore a day in the life of children from seven different countries: Italy, Japan, Iran, India, Peru, Uganda and Russia. Despite the fact that we may play different games or eat different types of food, in the end, we’re all people just trying to live our best lives. And This Is How We Do It illustrates that.

Spend time together doing this: Make a globe out of papier mâché! Blow up a balloon and then cover it in strips of newspaper that you’ve dipped in a glue and water mixture. When it’s dry, pop the balloon and you’ll have a perfect sphere to paint and decorate!

Have You Filled A Bucket Today? (Carol McCloud, Illustrated By David Messing)

The 10th anniversary edition of Have You Filled A Bucket Today? was released last year, and it’s not surprising why — this continuously popular title encourages children to “fill their bucket” with acts of kindness. But what happens when you dip into that bucket with negativity? Yep, the bucket gets depleted. Instilling thoughtfulness and encouraging benevolence is at the core of this feel-good title.

Spend time together doing this: Have each member of the family make a bucket from a plastic cup and pipe cleaners for handles. Display them in a common area of the home (such as the kitchen) and, as each person does something kind, they can write it down and add it to their bucket. At the end of the week, read about each person’s kindness accomplishments.

You'll Also Love:10 Beautiful Indigenous Children’s Books To Add To Your Library

The Darkest Dark (Chris Hadfield)

You might be surprised to know this, but Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was afraid of the dark. How did this space explorer overcome his fear? Hadfield, in his down-to-earth, inspiring way, explains in The Darkest Dark how he got over his insecurities and today loves the dark more than anything else!

Spend time together doing this: Discuss your child's fears and ways in which you can conquer them. Is your child afraid of monsters? Maybe they need “monster spray” (which is really coloured water in a spray bottle). Scared of bad dreams? Make a paper plate dreamcatcher to hang in their window. Help them work through their fears, just like Chris did!

Barnaby Never Forgets (Pierre Collet-Derby, Illustrated By Pierre Collet-Derby)

Barnaby always remembers ice cream night and to feed the grasshoppers, but then, something slips his mind. He can’t remember! And the thing he forgot is right under his nose! Barnaby Never Forgets is a funny little tale that reminds us that nobody is perfect, even super-memory Barnaby! We all have things we’re good at and things we’re not so good at — no one is perfect and no one is the same. And that’s okay.

Spend time together doing this: Gather some old magazines and cut out the eyes, noses and mouths of different people in the articles and ads. Then, create your “characters” from the odds and ends by “building” new faces. In the end you’ll see that no two people are the same!

There, There (Tim Beiser, Illustrated By Bill Slavin)

Sometimes things are terrible, but to Rabbit, everything is terrible. That is, until his friend Bear shows him a valuable lesson about appreciating things using just an earthworm. And it turns his mood around. Use There, There to teach your children that, while things may not always go your way, you still have much to be grateful for.

Spend time together doing this: Hang a string or piece of yarn and, each day, have your child write something they are thankful for on a piece of paper (it could be paper leaves, butterflies, whatever you choose). Clip them onto the string and, at the end of the month, sit and read aloud all the things you appreciate. Your children just may be surprised to see all their blessings!

The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein)

'Once there was a tree… and she loved a little boy.' This line has been read to kids for more than five decades! While The Giving Tree may not be a new title, it should be a staple in every child’s library. This classic story by Shel Silverstein tells the heartwarming story of a tree who loved a little boy, giving and giving of herself until she could give no longer. It imparts lessons of love and the capacity of love.

Spend time together doing this: Draw a brown tree trunk on a big piece of paper and have your child (or children) make green handprints for the leaves. Then write on each leaf things that they could “give” to others (for example: hugs, smiles, compliments and more).

You'll Also Love: 8 Books For Kids Growing Up In Modern Canada

The Boy Who Wouldn’t Share (Mike Reiss)

Almost every parent has endured the sharing battle with littles ones, and The Boy Who Wouldn't Share is an adorable book (with super cool illustrations) that explains what happened to the little boy who wouldn’t share. In the end, it seems it’s better to share than to not!

Spend time together doing this: Do a kitchen activity together — like baking cookies — and have your child save a few for themselves and then package up the rest to hand out to neighbours, teachers or their friends. When they see how pleased everyone is with their shared treats, hopefully they’ll understand the positive reaction to sharing.

Beautiful Oops (Barney Saltzberg)

Beautiful Oops is such a beautiful interactive book. Ideally suited for younger children (but just as much fun for preschoolers), the lesson here is: “When you think you have made a mistake, think of it as an opportunity to make something beautiful!” Whether it’s a splotch of paint or a crumpled piece of paper, there’s beauty in everything around us.

Spend time together doing this: Do some messy art (like splatter paint, sloppy paint-stamping or even just scribbles on a page), and then turn it sideways or upside-down to see what it could be. Maybe that ink spot looks like a turtle on the beach, or that drip of paint is beautiful rain falling. Or randomly tear up pieces of paper and see what shapes they are to turn them into something else.

Drum Dream Girl (Margarita Engle, Illustrated By Rafael Lopez)

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Give your girl some girl power — and boys can build confidence with this read too. Inspired by the childhood of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba's traditional taboo against female drummers, this book tells the tale of a girl who loved drumming, but had to keep it a secret in a world where only boys could drum. Drum Dream Girl will inspire and encourage kids to follow their dreams, no matter what.

Spend time together doing this: Get a paperboard and write across the top “I AM.” Then add different words (like “strong,” “funny,” “smart”), images and anything else you can think of that will empower your child and build up their confidence.

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