In this first section, we want to help each child discover the personal love of God. We begin by reflecting on things that make them happy, and then draw on these experiences to explain the joy and benefits of being friends with Jesus. First graders are energetic and enthusiastic. They are very social and may already have a best friend. First graders need a lot of affirmation and are anxious to please. Knowing that Jesus affirms and loves them opens the door for a personal relationship with Him.

First graders enjoy learning about faraway people and places. This first section helps the child understand that while Jesus lived a long time ago, He is still alive today. First graders have a natural aptitude for prayer and are comfortable with spontaneous prayer. This paves the way for a personal encounter with Jesus during the guided meditation.

Be sure to create an appropriate environment for the guided Scripture meditation, free from noise and distractions. First graders are easily distracted. You may want to use instrumental background music during the meditation to help block distractions. Allow the Holy Spirit to direct you in what you say and the length of time you spend in the prayer. Be confident that the Lord will, in fact, speak to the hearts of the children. The journaling activity that follows will help them process their prayer experience.

As you draw this section to a close, help the children understand that they can talk and listen to Jesus anytime.