Family Conversation Tips +  Resources

Read Psalm 23:1: The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

A shepherd’s job is to take care of sheep. He makes sure they have food to eat and water to drink. He leads them to safe places and protects them from danger. If one sheep gets hurt, he cares for it. If one wanders off, he goes and finds it and brings it back. Sheep can’t really take care of themselves, they need the watchful care of their shepherd.

God is our Shepherd, and we are his sheep. Every day we depend on him to guide us in the right way, provide what we need, protect us when life feels scary or hard, and stay with us always.

Read Psalm 23:2: He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

God gives us rest by providing peace, refreshment, and renewal for our hearts and bodies. In Genesis 2:2–3, we see that even God rested after creating the world, and he set apart a special day of rest for us too. Because we are made in his image, rest isn’t just a good idea—it’s something God designed us to need. We weren’t created to keep going nonstop. Rest allows us to pause, be still, listen to God, recharge, and enjoy the good gifts he has given us.

Read John 10:10: "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

Rich: Being rich doesn’t just mean having money or stuff. A rich life is filled with what truly matters—love, joy, family, friends, and special moments with God and others.

Abundant: Abundant means “more than enough.” Imagine a garden overflowing with fruits and vegetables! God gives us an abundant life by pouring out the fruit of his love, peace, and joy to overflowing so that we have more than we could ever need.

Full: Full means nothing is missing. Even when life is hard, a full life in Jesus means we still have what we need most—God’s love, his purpose for us, and the hope he gives.

When we follow Jesus, he fills our lives with all the things that matter most, giving us more than the world ever could. Because he is always with us, our lives are full and complete, never lacking what we truly need.

Read John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep."

For younger kids: Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and we are his sheep. A good shepherd loves and protects his sheep, even if it means giving up his life. That’s what Jesus did for us! Even though he lived a perfect life without sin, he chose to die on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. But the best news is that Jesus rose back to life, proving he is more powerful than sin and death! When we follow Jesus, we tell him we need his help and forgiveness. In return, he gives us a new heart, a close friendship with God, and the promise of living with him forever. Jesus didn’t just say he loves us, he showed it by giving his life. That’s why he is our very Good Shepherd.

For older kids: Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life. Because he loves us so deeply, he chose to take the full punishment for the sins of the whole world when he died on the cross. But the story did not end there; he rose again, defeating sin and death once and for all. When we put our trust in him, believe in his birth, death, and resurrection, admit our sin, and ask for his forgiveness, he changes us from the inside out. Through Jesus, we receive a restored relationship with God, a new life filled with purpose, and the promise of eternal life with him. And as the Good Shepherd, he promises to continue to protect, provide, and guide us on the right path, guaranteeing he will never leave us or forget about us.

Female sheep are called ewes, male sheep are called rams, and baby sheep are called lambs. Sheep like to stay together in groups called flocks because they feel safer that way. They eat plants, grow thick wool, and need their shepherd to take care of them. Sheep can get scared easily, run away, or wander off and get lost. That’s why it’s so important for them to recognize and trust their shepherd’s voice, the one who loves them and keeps them safe.

How are we like sheep?

• We need care and protection. Sheep can’t protect themselves, and neither can we. God watches over us because he loves us, helping us to feel safe and secure.
• We sometimes get lost. Like sheep that wander, we make mistakes, but God always calls us back, welcoming us to come near (Isaiah 53:6, James 4:8). 
• We need guidance. Just as sheep need a shepherd, we need God to lead us (Psalm 23:1, Proverbs 3:5-6).
• We need community. Sheep feel safe in flocks, and we feel safer with family, friends, and our church community.
• We need to recognize and listen to trusted voices. Sheep know their shepherd’s voice. We can learn to listen to God’s voice through his Word (John 10:27).

In so many ways we are like sheep, and God is our loving Shepherd!

The Bible shows us in many ways just how much God loves us. Psalm 136 says his love never ends, it lasts forever. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world so much that he gave his Son, Jesus, to save us from sin and death. In 1 John 4:8, we learn that God is love and everything about who he is and what he does is love. And 1 John 4:19 reminds us that God loved us first, even before we knew him. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says that faith, hope, and love are all important, but the greatest of these is love. Jesus is the perfect picture of that love—a love so deep and wide it’s even more wonderful than we can fully imagine (Ephesians 3:14–20).

The Bible says in James 1:5–6 that when we need wisdom, we can ask God and he will gladly give it. He never grows tired of our questions because he loves to help us, but we must ask with faith, trusting that his way is always best. Even when we do not understand, we can trust that God’s thoughts and ways are higher and better than ours (Isaiah 55:8–9). Romans 12:1–2 teaches that when we give our lives to God and let him change the way we think, we begin to recognize his desires and purpose. To do this, we must listen for God’s voice above all the noise of the world. Together, these verses remind us that God guides us through faith and transformation, and when we seek him with all our heart, he will lead us in what is good, pleasing, and perfect.

God is our greatest guide because:

• He gives us wisdom when we ask.
• He is generous and kind.
• He helps us know the right thing to do.
• He patiently leads us as we learn to fully trust him.

The Bible tells us that God created man and woman in his very own image (Genesis 1:26–28). He formed man from the dust, breathed life into him, and then made woman so he would not be alone (Genesis 2:7–25). God made us to live in relationship with him and with one another. Being created in his image means every person has great value, worth, and a special purpose. Unlike animals, we were made to reflect God by showing his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). Most of all, we were created to worship him and bring him glory with our whole lives.

Read Ephesians 6:1-4: Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

The Bible tells us to obey and honor our parents because it pleases God and shows them love and respect. When we listen to and learn from them, we grow wise and strong, and God promises to bless us when we honor our father and mother. Obeying our parents is not just about following rules—it shows that we value them, that we need their guidance to learn and grow, and that we trust God’s good plan for our lives.

Faith means putting our full trust and confidence in Jesus. It means believing that he came to earth as both fully God and fully human, that he lived a perfect life without sin, and that he loved us so much he died on the cross to forgive our sins. But he didn’t stay dead—he rose again, showing his victory over sin and death! When we admit we need his forgiveness and believe in his birth, death, and resurrection, Jesus begins to change our hearts. Through faith, we get to live in a close relationship with God and receive the gift of eternal life with him. This is our greatest hope and joy! Even though we can’t see Jesus with our eyes, we trust that he is real, he is always with us, and he is at work in our lives every day. True faith means holding on to this hope no matter what, and leaning on other Christian friends and family to help us when it feels hard.

The Bible gives us many words to describe God. He is our Creator: he made the whole world and everything in it (Genesis 1:1). He is compassionate and gracious, full of love and kindness (Exodus 34:6). He is faithful: he always keeps his promises (1 Corinthians 1:9). God is unchanging: he is consistent and never changes—yesterday, today, or tomorrow (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:9). He is merciful, forgiving us and giving us new chances (Psalm 86:15). God is forever: with no beginning and no end (Revelation 22:13). He is always good and loving (Psalm 136:1). And God is holy: perfect, set apart, and unlike anyone or anything else, calling us to live in ways that honor him (Leviticus 19:2, 1 Peter 1:1-16).

 We can describe God with words like: Creator, kind, faithful, unchanging, merciful, forever, good, and holy.

The Bible tells us that God has many names, and each one helps us understand more about who he is.

• Jehovah Shalom means “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24). God gives us peace, even when life feels scary.

• Jehovah Jireh means “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14). God gives us what we need at just the right time.

• El Shaddai means “God Almighty” (Genesis 17:1). He is all-powerful and able to care for us.

• Yahweh (LORD) is God’s personal name (Exodus 3:14). It shows he is always with us and keeps his promises.

• Elohim means “Creator God” (Genesis 1:1). He made the whole world and everything in it.

People also use other names to describe what God is like for them today—like Rock (our strong foundation), Friend (close and caring), Shepherd (who guides us), Healer (who makes us whole), and Father (who loves us as his precious children).

All of these names remind us that God is powerful, loving, and always with us.