Series Overview
Choose joy! This may be a commonly used phrase you’ve heard, but what does it actually mean? Joy is more than being excited about the good things that happen to us. Joy is an attitude—a decision to trust God no matter what is going on in our lives. From the very beginning, God had a plan for the world. As we dive into the Bible, we’ll discover God’s plan for us and how God has been at work through it all. When we see and celebrate what God is doing, we can find true joy!
Memory Verse
“A cheerful heart makes you healthy. But a broken spirit dries you up.” – Proverbs 17:22, NIRV
Week One (June 2)
Lost + Found
Bible Story: The Story of the Lost Sheep | Luke 15:1-7
Bottom Line: We can have joy because of Jesus
Virtue: Joy – Choosing to celebrate what God is doing.
We start the month with Luke 15:1-7, where we find Jesus telling a parable about a shepherd who goes to find his lost sheep. Jesus explains that the shepherd cares so much about the missing sheep that he leaves the other 99 sheep to go look for it. After the shepherd finds his sheep, he invites his friends to help him celebrate!
In Jesus’ story, the shepherd is full of joy when he finds his lost sheep. He rejoices with his friends. When we recognize that we are like the lost sheep, we can have joy because we know that God sent Jesus to rescue us! And this joy isn’t just something we keep to ourselves. We can share the good news about Jesus and celebrate when others put their faith in Him too.
Week Two (June 9)
Over + Over
Bible Story: Feast of Booths | Deuteronomy 16:13-17
Bottom Line: Make a habit of choosing joy
Virtue: Joy – Choosing to celebrate what God is doing
In Week 2, we see how God set aside times and rhythms for the Israelite people to reflect on and remember everything God had done for them. In Deuteronomy 16:13-17, we read about one celebration in particular called the Feast of Booths. We see in Scripture how God’s people celebrated this feast on several important occasions throughout their history.
Whether it’s a birthday party, slumber party, or festive holiday, kids love celebrating with their family and friends! Just as those celebrations are a part of our everyday rhythm, we hope that kids will learn how to find moments of celebration throughout their lives that will help them remember what God has done for them.
Week Three (June 16)
Build Your Kingdom Here
Bible Story: Ezra + The Rebuilding of the Temple | Ezra 3:10-13
Bottom Line: Celebrate each step of the way
Virtue: Joy – Choosing to celebrate what God is doing
For Week 3, we head to Ezra 3:10-13. At the time, God’s people were living as captives in Persia, when the new king, Cyrus, allowed them to return home to Jerusalem. However, when they returned, everything was broken down and destroyed. The people got to work rebuilding the temple . . . but before they got far, they stopped to worship God and celebrate the ways that God had helped them.
Some tasks seem to take longer to complete than others. Whether kids are learning how to ride a bike, bake a cake, solve a math problem, or talk to new people, they learn that each step is important. The same thing is true about our relationship with God. We can choose to trust God and find joy, even when we can’t see the whole picture. We can celebrate how God is working in our lives with every step we take.
Week Four (June 23)
Look Around
Bible Story: Joy In The Psalms | Psalms 8; 16; 19
Bottom Line: Find joy in what you see around you
Virtue: Joy – Choosing to celebrate what God is doing
In Week 4, we take a look at some of David’s Psalms— specifically, Psalms 8, 16, and 19. David wrote a lot about the things he observed in nature and the world around him that God had created. Through creation, we notice how God is at work—even if sometimes we struggle to see God’s work in our own lives. Joy is all around us. We just have to look.
God has given us the amazing ability to use our senses so we can find joy through the beauty of God’s creation. When kids tap into these senses, they can discover God in a whole new way. Even if not all of our senses work perfectly, we can find ways to see how God is at work in the world around us.
Week Five (June 30)
Reason To Believe
Bible Story: God Will Give Us Joy | Habakkuk 3:17-18
Bottom Line: There’s always a reason to celebrate
Virtue: Joy – Choosing to celebrate what God is doing
We finish the month in Habakkuk 3:17-18. Habakkuk wrote these words as God’s people were about to be taken captive. Everything was going wrong in Habakkuk’s world . . . but still, he chose to trust God and choose joy. Habakkuk ultimately found joy because of God’s faithfulness and love that nothing could take away.
Even when we face tough challenges in life, we can celebrate because we know that God sent Jesus to be our Savior. That doesn’t make our current troubles any less difficult. But it does mean that we can find peace and joy in the midst of them. We can find joy in knowing that God is ALWAYS up to something good—even when we can’t see it.