Week 1 June: My Heart Rejoiceth in the Lord

Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7

When life doesn’t go as planned, it can be easy to feel forgotten. But the stories of Ruth and Hannah remind us that God always sees us and has a beautiful plan waiting to unfold. Ruth’s kindness and Hannah’s faith show that when we trust in the Lord and keep doing what’s right, He turns even hard times into blessings.

Teaching Ideas for Families

1. Ruth Shows Kindness

Read the story of Ruth and Naomi together (Ruth 1–2). Talk about how Ruth chose kindness even when life was hard. Act it out with dolls, action figures, or simple drawings.

Activity idea: Make a “Kindness Chain.” Each time someone in your family does something kind, write it on a strip of paper and link them together. By the end of the week, you’ll have a kindness chain to hang up and remind you of Ruth’s example.

2. Hannah’s Prayer

Read about Hannah praying for a child (1 Samuel 1). Talk about how she showed faith and patience.

Activity idea: Create “Prayer Jars.” Each family member can decorate a small jar and fill it with slips of paper listing things or people they can pray for. It’s a wonderful reminder that Heavenly Father always listens.

3. Samuel Hears the Lord’s Voice

Read 1 Samuel 3:1–10. Practice saying Samuel’s words together: “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.”

Activity idea: Play a listening game. Whisper a kind message (like “Jesus loves you”) from one person to another. Talk about how listening carefully helps us hear the Spirit.

Preschool Add-On

Letter of the Week: S for Samuel

Number: 3 (Samuel 3 – the Lord speaks to him three times)

Shape: Oval (like Hannah’s jar)

Color: Purple (a color of royalty and faith)

Sight Words: I, can, hear, God

Tracing Sentences:

I can hear God.

I can be kind.

Math Connection:

Count to 3 as you retell the story of Samuel hearing the Lord’s voice. Line up three small objects (like blocks or pebbles) and say, “One, two, three—Samuel listened to the Lord!”

Reading Connection:

Read a simple story about helping or kindness. Pause and ask, “What would Ruth do?” or “What would Hannah do?” Encourage your child to point to sight words they recognize.

Craft Idea:

Make “Samuel’s Listening Ears.” Cut out paper ears, color them purple, and tape them to a headband. Talk about how we can use our ears to listen to Jesus.

Early Elementary Add-On

Reading & Writing Extension:

Write a short journal entry titled “When I Felt God Heard Me.” Children can write or dictate a time they prayed and felt peace or comfort.

Math Connection:

Create “Blessing Counters.” Draw ten hearts and number them 1–10. Each heart represents a blessing—family, home, friends, food, the scriptures, and more. Have your child count each blessing out loud, then group them into sets of two or five to practice skip-counting.

For an extra challenge, use simple addition or subtraction:

10 blessings − 2 things I can share = 8 I can still thank God for.

5 friends + 3 family members = 8 people who love me.

Art or Reflection Project:

Make a “Faith Flower.” Each petal shows something Ruth, Hannah, or Samuel did to show faith (kindness, prayer, listening, obedience). In the center, write “My Heart Rejoiceth in the Lord.”

Family Thought:

Sometimes we have to wait for blessings, just like Ruth and Hannah did. But if we trust the Lord and keep following Him, we can always find reasons for our hearts to rejoice.