Happy Harbor Saddleback Kids

Today, Tilly teaches the friends all about someone named Joseph! Joseph had some crazy dreams and a big family. Check out the whole story in this episode!
And for more great stories, don't forget to look for Stories of the Bible from Saddleback Kids!
“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, NLT)
Genesis 37 
The same question gets asked in a variety of forms: Where is God when it hurts? Why do bad things happen to good people? How can a good and loving God allow suffering?
Joseph could have asked these same questions; maybe he did. Mistreated and abused by his brothers, and eventually sold into slavery by them, Joseph could have easily chosen to believe that this was all evidence that God didn’t love him or wasn’t “on his side.” Isn’t that the same place our minds are often tempted to go when we face difficulties or troubles? “God must not care about me. If He did, these things wouldn’t be happening to me.” This seems to be especially true if our troubles come about because of other people’s meanness or sin, while we were simply trying to live our lives following God.
Joseph was living a life of obedience even as a young boy. He wasn’t perfect, as evidenced by his somewhat boastful interactions with his brothers, where he relayed his dreams of ruling over them. But he definitely didn’t deserve to be thrown in a pit and then sold as a slave by his own family members! Can you imagine how he must have felt when his brothers ripped off his colorful robe? This robe represented the special bond he had with his father and his brothers, in their jealousy, destroyed it.
Have you ever seen something you treasured be ripped apart before your eyes? Maybe it was a tangible object like Joseph’s robe, or maybe it was a long-treasured dream that you saw crumble. In those moments, it’s easy to ask, “Where are you, God? Don’t you see me?”
One thing we can learn from Joseph’s life is that God never leaves us. Even when we can’t see Him or feel Him, He is there and He is working on our behalf. Joseph must have wondered what God was up to as he was being led off to Egypt as a slave, but he didn’t waiver in his trust and obedience to God.
Questions to think about:
How does it feel to be mistreated when you have done nothing wrong?What do you learn from Joseph’s life that can help you respond to people who mistreat you or are jealous of you?Do you ever struggle with envy like Joseph’s brothers did? If so, what are some healthy ways you can deal with it?

The friends at Happy Harbor learn about someone who was good friends with God. His name was Daniel! His story is in God's special book, the Bible. Let's check out his story!

When there is a big scary storm going on, what do you do to stay brave? Do you find your parents and hide under them? Maybe you even like storms? Arlo and the gang learned about a storm that was especially scary for some fishermen, but Jesus took a nap right in the middle of it!
Jesus Calms the Storm
“When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’ Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39)
Mark 4:35-41
Jesus told us in scripture that we will face many trials in this life (John 16:33). This is a fact of life – not an “if,” but a “when.” Maybe you have not experienced trials yet or maybe you have been through more than your fair share of struggle. Whatever the case may be, God can handle it.
Jesus demonstrates His power to the disciples by effortlessly calming a raging storm after suggesting He and the disciples cross the lake in a boat. Soon after setting off on their journey, a storm, described as “fierce,” comes upon them. The boat began to fill with water and, understandably so, the disciples began to panic. They looked around for Jesus, but could not find Him. Eventually, they found Him sleeping peacefully in the back of the boat. He was unfazed by the storm because He was not afraid. The disciples began yelling, “Don’t you care that we are going to drown?” Jesus woke up and using only His voice, instructed the waves and wind to be still. Immediately, the storm subsided.
Once the storm had ended, Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” In the midst of a raging storm, Jesus felt peace because He knew He was stronger than the storm. He would not let it bring down the ship. Yet, the disciples let fear consume them when they faced the storm, not believing that Jesus could save them.
When trials or “storms” enter our lives, it is easy to let our fear lead us. Let this miracle be a testament to the power of Christ in our lives. By calming the dangerous storm, He showed us that He can calm any type of storm we are facing. When something scary happens, we do not have to be afraid because Jesus has proved that He is more powerful than anything we will face, including nature.
Questions to think about:
What storm are you facing?What stands in the way of you handing over your fear to Christ?Is there a time in your life when Jesus has calmed a storm you faced? Trust that He can do it again.

Have you ever wondered who made everything? God did! That's why God loves you so much, because He made you! Let's hear about from our friends.
thing just for you to enjoy this Bible story for yourself. We encourage you to read over this devotional sometime this week as a way to reflect on the Bible story your child saw from Church at Home. We love you!
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Elementary Activity Sheets
Each week we have a variety of activity pages to help your child remember the week’s lesson. They include new coloring pages and activity sheets to enjoy!
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Navigating Parenthood
Hey parents! Saddleback Parents has great training, tips, and tools to help you win. Check out this Two-Minute Tip, The Universal Talk, all about communicating your child’s value as someone created by God.
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Happy Easter everyone!

Who is in Kelby's treasure chest this week? Kelby, Arlo, and Tilly all learn about an amazing woman named Esther this week! Come along with us to Happy Harbor to pop some bubbles, ride the Bible train, and hear an amazing story all about God's love.Esther
Hey parents! Use these questions as a guide to talk over this week’s lesson about Esther with your child after they’ve watched the video service!
Who was today's Bible story about?Esther. God made Esther and she loved God.What did Esther wear on her head?A crown! The crown showed everyone that Esther was a queen.One day, she heard someone was going to do something bad. Uh oh! Did Esther stop the bad thing from happening?Yes! She stopped the bad plan. Shake your head “no” because the plan was not good.Esther had to do something brave and tell the king to stop the bad plan. Can you be brave, too?Yes! God helps us be brave. Show me your strong arms because God made us to do good and brave things.Take some time to pray with your toddler. Encourage your toddler to sit with you and fold their hands, saying something like:God, thank you for loving us and wanting to be our friend. Thank you for making us. Help us do good things and be brave like Esther! We love you! Amen.Parent Encouragement - Esther
Hey parents! Here's something for you to be encouraged by and get ideas to bring this Bible story into your everyday conversation with your child at home!
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Toddler Craft – Esther Character Stick
In this craft, your toddler will create their own Esther Character Stick to remind them of the main character from the Bible story. God made Esther, and God made them!
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Toddler Activity – Talk Like Esther
In this activity, your toddler will bring the craft they made to life. They will practice saying and doing things with their Esther Character Stick to remember this Bible story about Esther.
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Toddler Coloring Page - Esther
We have a variety of coloring pages to help your child remember familiar faces from this month’s lesson!
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Navigating Parenthood - Esther
Hey parents! Saddleback Parents has great training, tips, and tools to help you win. Check out this blog post all about how to foster healthy obedience in our children that comes from a place of love and respect rather than rules they follow out of obligation
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At Saddleback Kids we believe every kid should be known, connected, equipped and empowered. KNOWN by another kid and a leader. CONNECTED to a group where they can grow spiritually. EQUIPPED with the tools and the knowledge to develop a strong faith in Jesus. EMPOWERED to serve others and share Jesus in the world.
To sum it up, Saddleback Kids exists to connect kids to God and others while helping them live a purpose driven life.
Stories of the Bible Jr is a part of the Lumivoz Podcast Network for more great shows like Happy Harbor, Stories of the Bible Jr., and others, just search "Lumivoz" in your favorite podcast app!