Are you good at math? I’ve always found it difficult. Math class is hard! But I could understand addition and subtraction. If I have 10 apples and you give me three, how many do I have now? (This isn’t a trick question. The answer is 13!)
Sometimes I wish that I could add and subtract things in my life just as easily. Add more sunny days on the calendar and subtract some rainy ones. Add more hours in the day so I can do more fun things. Subtract chores.
Although there are some things we can’t change, such as the weather or the amount of time in a day, we can still make small changes in our lives to add the good and remove the negative.
Add more time with family, more books, more kindness, more prayer and time reading the Bible. Add a few minutes into your schedule to say something nice about yourself, hug someone you love, sing or dance, or try a new hobby. Subtract bad habits, anger and jealousy, too much screen time, negative words and unhealthy snacks. Add more Jesus.
How will you add more Jesus into your life this week?
Your friend, Abby
John the Baptist and Jesus
In Judea, Jesus spent time with people, teaching them about God and baptizing them. John, a follower of God, also baptized people. Many people came to John, and he helped them learn how to follow God.
Some of God’s followers didn’t understand this. They noticed that more people were going to Jesus, not to John. They were worried. But John wasn’t upset. He explained that his job was to help people know who Jesus is, not to be more important than Him.
“He must become more important, and I must become less important,” John said. He told the people that God comes from above, and
John 3:22-36
He is above everything—including himself. Then he reminded them, “Anyone who believes in Jesus has eternal life.”
How many of each shape can you find?
Got a AboutQuestion God?
When you have questions about God, there are a few places you can go to find an answer.
Talk to God: Pray and ask your questions. God is always there to listen.
Talk to your corps officer or youth leader: Asking questions at church is a great way to grow in your faith.
Talk to friends or family members who follow God: Parents and trusted adults can be a good source of information about God.
Adapted from Orange 252 God Times, January 2020, week four.
Jesus Teaches People About God
John and Jesus Word Search
Find and circle these words from this week’s Bible story.
Hi kids!
What does it mean to be a good leader? When you think of a good leader, maybe you think about your teacher at school, your corps officer at church, your youth leader, a parent or an older sibling. Good leaders are courageous and confident, but they are also patient and caring.
God is the most important leader. He has great plans for each of us and helps guide us every day. We can follow Him and have faith that He will lead us in the right direction.
Your friend, Abby
Lead the Way!
A Roman Commander Has Faith
Jesus went to a village called Capernaum. When He arrived, a Roman commander came to Him. He asked Jesus for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant is at home and can’t move. He is suffering.”
Jesus said, “Shall I come and heal him?“
The commander replied, “Lord, I am not good enough to have You come into my house. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” The commander believed in Jesus so much that even if Jesus could not go to his house, He would still heal the servant.
When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. He said to those following Him, “What I’m about to tell you is true. I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.” Then Jesus said to the Roman commander, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And the servant was healed at that moment.
Jesus was amazed by the commander’s faith because, even though he led his own people, the commander knew that God is the most important leader of all.
“The Lord is my shepherd.”
What does this mean?
A shepherd is a person who watches and guides sheep. Like a shepherd, God takes care of His people. He watches over us, helps and leads us.
11-03/14/26 Just for Kids is a Ready to Explore resource, published weekly by The Salvation Army, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto, ON, M4H 1P4. Phone: (416) 422-6153; fax: (416) 422-6217; email: justforkids@salvationarmy.ca. Lyndon Buckingham , General; Commissioner Lee Graves, territorial commander; Geoff Moulton, editor-in-chief; Abbigail Oliver, editor; Rivonny Luchas, designer. International Headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, England, EC4P 4EP. Subscription for one year, Canada $12 (includes GST/HST); USA $15; foreign $17. Agreement No 40064794. All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, unless otherwise stated. Illustrations: stock.Adobe.com and gettyimages.ca unless otherwise stated. ISSN 2368626X
ISSUE12
Find 5 Differences
Mary and Martha
Luke 10:38-42
One day, while Jesus and His disciples were on a journey, they were invited to visit the home of two sisters named Mary and Martha.
Hi kids!
Life is busy. Sometimes it feels like all we do is wake up, follow a schedule, then go to sleep—and repeat it all over again the next day!
School and learning are important, and so are doing homework and chores, helping out at home, being a good friend, going to church, visiting family and obeying rules. But it’s easy to get caught up in all the things we must do and forget about what’s most important: spending time with God.
God wants us to make sure that we take time to rest and listen to Him. In this issue of Just for Kids, you will read about Mary and Martha. They were sisters who hosted Jesus at their home, and while one of them was busy, the other stopped to spend time with Him.
So, how can you make more time for Jesus this week? Try taking five minutes in the morning to pray or read your Bible. Think of one thing you are grateful for and thank Him for it. Then do it again the next day!
Your friend, Abby
What does a clock do when it’s hungry?
It goes back four seconds!
Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him as He talked. But Martha was very busy with all the things that had to be done. She felt frustrated. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, my sister has left me to do the work by myself. Don’t You care? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered. “You are worried and upset about many things. But it is not important. Talking to Me is the only thing that matters.”
While Martha was worried and distracted, Mary had chosen to speak to Jesus and it was the most important thing she could do.
Just for Kids is a Ready to Explore resource, published weekly by The Salvation Army, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto, ON, M4H 1P4. Phone: (416) 422-6153; fax: (416) 422-6217; email: justforkids@salvationarmy.ca. Lyndon Buckingham, General; Commissioner Lee Graves, territorial commander; Geoff Moulton, editor-in-chief; Abbigail Oliver, editor; Rivonny Luchas, designer. International Headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, England, EC4P 4EP. Subscription for one year, Canada $12 (includes GST/HST); USA $15; foreign $17. Agreement No 40064794. All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, unless otherwise stated. Illustrations: stock.Adobe.com and gettyimages.ca unless otherwise stated. ISSN 2368- 626X
How to be an active
listener:
It is important to take time to show others they are important. One way to do this is to be an active listener. Here’s how to do it:
• Practise making eye contact when someone is speaking to you.
• Do not interrupt when someone else is speaking.
• Use body language such as nodding to show you are interested.
• Ask questions to help you understand.
• Put aside distractions to give the speaker your full attention.
If you spent an hour talking to Jesus, what would you talk about?
Answers: listen; Martha; important; sisters; Jesus
Hi kids!
This week, we celebrate Palm Sunday as we remember the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (see Matthew 21). Before He passed by, people put palm branches and coats on the road for Him to ride on. They welcomed Jesus as if they were welcoming a great king. As He passed, they shouted, “Hosanna,” which means, “Save us.”
The people in Jerusalem believed that Jesus would rescue them— and they were right. Later that week, Jesus was put to death on a cross. But only three days later, He rose again. You’ll hear more about that next week when we celebrate Easter.
This week, let’s praise Jesus, the King who saves us from our sins.
Your friend, Abby
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
As Jesus approached Jerusalem, He sent two disciples ahead of Him to the village.
“When you get there you will find a donkey and her colt tied up,” He said. “Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks what you are doing, say that the Lord needs them.”
The disciples did what Jesus told them to do. They brought the donkey and the colt and put their coats on them. Then Jesus sat on the coats.
As Jesus entered the city, lots of people put their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. They praised God and shouted, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Match each palm tree to its shadow.
Matthew 21:1-11
Palm Sunday Word Search
What type of tree fits in your hand? What is the most difficult key to turn? A palm tree A donkey!
Complete the picture by connecting
CALGARY—At Glenmore Temple, eight children are enrolled as junior soldiers. Let’s give a big congratulations to Jack Burgess, Jhair Mogollon, Jhaden Mogollon, Viktoriia Lesiv, Naipunya Bandari, Mahima Amin, Jadon Still and Harper Still! Way
