Joshua Leads the People
The Israelites have wandered in the desert for a long time. Moses died. Now Joshua is the leader and the only thing that stands between the Israelites and the Promised Land is the swollen Jordan River. As a note for parents, this Scripture passage refers to the wars that the Israelites were about to wage on the people (Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites) who inhabit the land. This can be a challenging topic for adults and kids. You may find it helpful to read about the problem of violence in the Old Testament by Adam Hamilton.
Start by reading the Bible Story or watching the video and going through the wondering questions. Then pick the activities your family would like to do, as many or few as you like. Close your family faith time with prayer – use your own or the one provided.
Bible Story
- Read the story of Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan River in your favorite Bible Story Book, in the Deep Blue Bible Storybook, or in Joshua 3:1-4:24. Wonder about the story together:
- I wonder what you would be thinking about if your family stopped on the edge of a raging river and wondering how you were going to cross.
- I wonder how it would have felt to walk across a dry river bed with a wall of water in the distant view.
- I wonder how big the stones were.
- I wonder what you would say to someone who saw the monument and asked what it was about.
- Prayer:
- Dear God, thank you for guiding the Israelites across the Jordan River and for keeping them safe as they entered the Promised Land. Help us to have faith and courage like Joshua. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Activities
Activity about Remembering
The Israelites created a monument as a way to remember a significant event in their life and journey. What are symbols in your home that help you remember important events in your life?
Songs
Feelings Wheel
This wheel shows a lot of feelings, starting with basic ones in the center and getting more complex as you move out to the edges of the circle. You can use this wheel with older children who want to go deeper and learn more specific words for complex emotions.
Exploring Emotions with Young Children
If you have preschoolers or younger children, you may want to use the Bible Story and then explore the Exploring Emotions topic from Sesame Street. Including this great Feeling Faces printable.
5 Ways to Teach Your Child Anger Management Skills
Help your child learn healthy ways to deal with angry feelings from verywellfamily.com.
Special Thanks
Rev. Michelle King for curating this playlist