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Need another resource? Looking for advice? Please contact Kathy Pittenger.
Want to go deeper in the story of Joseph? The Celebrate Wonder All Ages curriculum includes Bible Stories and activities that you can use with your family to go deeper. This also works very well with the Celebrate Wonder Bible Storybook.
Joseph Forgives
How to use this digital faith playlist…
- Read/watch the story of Joseph and his brother reuniting in your favorite Story Bible, or from Genesis 42:1-46:34
- Wonder about one or more of the questions
- Pray together
- Do one of the activities and/or use the spiritual practice
- Learn more about forgiveness
Bible Story
- Read the story about Joseph in Egypt in your favorite Story Bible, or from Genesis 42:1-46:34, or watch the video.
- Wonder about the story together:
- I wonder what Joseph was thinking when he saw his brothers come for food.
- I wonder if the brothers ever thought they would see Joseph again.
- Think about a time when you met someone who was in a costume and had a mask on their face and you weren’t sure who they were. I wonder if you talked with that person differently when you knew who it really was.
- I wonder if it was easy or hard for Joseph to forgive his brothers
- I wonder if it is easy or hard for you to forgive others
- I wonder what might happen next.
- Prayer:
- Dear God, thank you for people who take care of the needs of other people. Thank you for the example of Joseph, who forgave his brothers, even if it was hard. Help us to learn from Joseph’s story and be caring and forgiving. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Watch the video about Joseph from Amplify Media (subscription service)
Activities
- Pick one of the books or videos to read/watch and then talk about how the opportunities for forgiveness.
- Role-play – play with your child and role play forgiveness. Use action figures, Lego, dolls, etc. Pretend one character gets hurt (either a mean word or physically) and practice forgiveness. Practice both offering forgiveness and extending forgiveness. Remember, it’s ok if the person who has been hurt says, “Thank you for the apology. I am still hurt and not ready to forgive yet.” Forcing an apology is not the same as practicing forgiveness. Read more above to learn additional ways to practice forgiveness.
- Play a Forgiveness Game
Media
Listen to the Spotify Playlist about Joseph, listening, and not being afraid.
Watch one of the videos about forgiveness.
Family Spiritual Practice
This spiritual practices comes from 10 Simple Spiritual Practice Ideas for Children & Youth
Sharing Gifts
This is about finding ways to be generous. We can help kids think about simple ways they an use their own money (allowance, birthday money, money they earned) to help others—buying a pair of socks or gloves to help someone who’s homeless; donating to an animal shelter, helping to build a well where there is no clean water, etc. Kids understand these acts of generosity. But we can remind them that they can also be generous in other ways—with their time, with their ideas, with the way they regard others, etc.
Forgiveness
The Hopeful Family: Raising Resilient Children in Uncertain Times by Amelia Richardson Dress has a chapter dedicated to forgiveness. It is wonderful. You can get it on Amazon (print or Kindle) or your favorite bookseller.