VOLUME 131, NUMBER 40 DISTRIBUTE OCTOBER 3, 2020

Jeremy Learns About God’s Miracles

©2020Pacific Press® Publishing Association. Please contact your ABC for pricing in Canada. 2051151038

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This beautiful magazine will introduce your kids to Jesus with true stories featuring kids their age, Bible characters, animals, and more!

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J eremy stood by the fence and watched Mr. Stanley, his neighbor, working in his garden. “Hi, Mr.

Stanley!” he called. “What are you doing?” “Hi, Jeremy,” Mr. Stanley replied. “I’m picking my

tomatoes. Do you want to help?”“Sure!” Jeremy answered. He ran to the house to

ask his mother whether he could help Mr. Stanley. Soon he pushed open the back gate and walked over to Mr. Stanley’s garden.

Mr. Stanley was filling a large bucket with tomatoes. Some were red, but many were still green. “Are these good to eat?” Jeremy asked, picking up a green tomato.

“Not really, but Mrs. Stanley will use them to make green tomato pickles. I want to pick them before it gets too cold,” Mr. Stanley explained. “I will put some of them in the basement. They will fin sh getting ripe there. I’m going to pull the carrots too.”

“I wish we had a garden,” Jeremy said. “It would be fun to grow things.”

“Gardens take a lot of work,” Mr. Stanley said. “I like to think of everything I grow as one of God’s miracles.”

“What is a miracle?” Jeremy asked. “Are vegetables miracles?”

“Oh, yes. Look at these carrots,” Mr. Stanley said, pulling up some carrots from the ground. He dusted the dirt off hem. “These carrots grew from tiny seeds. These are miracles.”

“Do you have any watermelons?” Jeremy asked, looking around the garden. “I like watermelons.”

“I didn’t plant any this year, but they are miracles too.” Mr. Stanley smiled. “They grow from big black seeds. They grow and grow and grow. Only God can do that. Of course, He needs my help too. I have to keep the weeds out of the garden and water the plants when they get thirsty.”

“God gives us lots of good things to eat!” Jeremy exclaimed. “I’m glad for His miracles in the garden.” OLF

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Jeremy Learns About God’s MiraclesJane Landreth

What Bible stories do you know that have a donkey in them?

Color the donkey.

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Activity

Lesson 1 for October 2020Memory Verse: “I pray . . . that your health is good” (3 John 2, ICB).References: Mark 5:21–43; Luke 8:40–56; The Desire of Ages, pp. 342–348.The Message: We can care for others.

Jesus Heals a Little GirlS ee Mrs. Jairus. Boo-hoo! (Pretend to cry.)

See Mrs. Jairus. She is sad. See Mr. Jairus. He is sad too. They are wor-ried. Their daughter is very sick.

“Who can help her?” asks Mrs. Jairus. “We must get help or she will die.”

“Jesus can help,” says Mr. Jairus. “I will ask Jesus to help her.”

See Jesus. Everyone wants to be with Jesus. Jesus smiles at the people. He smiles at the children. Jesus sees Mr. Jairus coming through the crowd. Jesus smiles at him too.

“Jesus, please come to my house,” Mr. Jairus begs. “Please come and heal my little girl. She is very sick.”

Shh! The people stop talking.

Shh! The people listen. (Cup your hand to your ear.) Will Jesus go?

A sick woman needs Jesus. The sick woman touches His coat.

Jesus stops to fi d out who touched Him. The woman comes and tells Him that she did. Jesus tells her that she has been healed and that she should go in peace.

Poor Jairus! He just waits. And waits. And waits.

“Mr. Jairus, sir, come home,” his servant says. “Do not bother Jesus anymore,” the man whispers. (Whisper.) “Your little girl is dead.”

(Speak loudly and urgently.) “Wait!” says Jesus. “Just believe, and she will be all right. I am coming with you. Don’t cry. Only believe.

VOLUME 131, NUMBER 40 DISTRIBUTE OCTOBER 3, 2020

(ISSN 0030-6894)Managing Editor: Anita Seymour

Art Direction & Illustration: Kim Justinen, GoodSaltDesign & Layout: Steve LantoCirculation: (800) 545-2449

Published weekly by Pacific Press® Publishing Association, a Seventh-day Adventist publisher, 1350 North Kings Road, Nampa, ID 83687-3193, USA. Single subscription rate in the United States and its possessions: $31.04 for one year. All other countries: $39.04. All prices at US exchange. Periodicals postage paid at Nampa, Idaho. For a change of address, please send both old and new addresses.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Our Little Friend ®, PO Box 5353, Nampa, ID 83653-5353.Bible credits: Scriptures credited to TLB are from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ICB are from the International Children’s Bible ®, copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.Letters and author queries: anita.seymour@pacificpress.com or Our Little Friend ® Editor, PO Box 5353, Nampa, ID 83653-5353. Web pages: www .ourlittlefriend.com; www.adventistbookcenter.com. Credits: Baby Steps (p. 5) is written by Eric Stoffle. The Sabbath School lesson material, including art, on pages 4–6 (except for Baby Steps) is provided by the General Conference Sabbath School Department. Art credits: Pages 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 © Kim Justinen and Justinen Creative Group. Page 3 © Mary Bausman. Copyright © 2020 by Pacific Press® Publishing Association. Printed in the USA.

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Parents: Ensure that this Bible story becomes part of your child’s spiritual heritage by reinforcing it at home all week. The Baby Steps story and the “Do and Say” activities will help you.

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“Don’t cry,” Jesus says to Mr. Jairus. “Only believe.”

Jesus reaches Jairus’s house. “Don’t cry, Mother! I will help. I will help your daughter.”

Shh! (Whisper.) What will Jesus do?

(Speak loudly; take your child’s

hand.) “Little child, get up,” Jesus says. (Pull your child to a standing position. Hug him or her.)

Mrs. Jairus smiles. Mr. Jairus smiles too. “Thank You, Jesus!” they say.

Jesus smiles and says, “Give her some-thing to eat.”

Jesus cares if we’re happy or sad, sick or well. We can care for others by being kind and loving. OLF

My feet take me all over the house.

My mouth sings helper songs.My ears listen for ways to help.My hands do lots of helpful

things.

This Baby Steps story can help teach your child that we care for others by being helpful.

I’m a Helper

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Do and SayStudy these suggestions for something to do each day besides reading the lesson story. Select those that are appropriate for your child’s developmental stage, and repeat them often. The Baby Steps story complements the third suggestion.

• Review the memory verse. Sing the memory verse song if you can.

• Read the Bible story interactively with your child.• Read the Baby Steps story together, and then at

bath time, as hands, feet, mouth, and ears are washed, talk about ways children can use those body parts to help others.

• As you make the bed, sing together, “I’m a little helper.”

Lesson 1 for October 3–9, 2020Memory Verse: “I pray that you may enjoy good health” (3 John 2, NIV).References: Mark 5:21–43; The Desire of Ages, pp. 342, 343.The Message: We serve God when we pray for the sick.

“Wake Up, Little Girl!”

How do you feel when someone you love is sick? What do you do?

Jairus was an important man. He had an im-portant job at the synagogue. But that didn’t

matter, and it didn’t help. His daughter was sick, and nothing anyone could do was making her well.

But Jairus knew there was one person who could help. He had heard about the miracles Jesus could do. He had heard that Jesus could make people well. So Jairus went to see Jesus.

Jairus found Jesus with a crowd of people by the lake. He pushed his way to where Jesus was and fell down at Jesus’ feet.

“My little daughter is dying,” Jairus cried. “Please come and heal her so that she may live.”

That daddy’s prayer touched Jesus’ heart. Jesus and Jairus started on the way to Jairus’s house.

But before they got there, a man came run-ning toward them through the crowd. “Don’t bother Jesus anymore,” the man said to Jairus. “Your daughter has died.”

But Jesus didn’t pay any attention. “Don’t be afraid,” He told Jairus. “Just believe.”

When they reached the house, people were crying and wailing loudly. Jesus sent them all outside. Only Jairus and his wife and three of Jesus’ helpers were allowed to go into the house with Jesus.

The little girl was lying on her bed. Her eyes were closed. She was very still. And she wasn’t breathing!

Jesus took her by the hand and said, “Talitha [which means “little girl”], I say to you, get up!”

All of a sudden the little girl started to breathe! Her eyes opened. She stood up and started walking. Jesus turned to her parents and said, “Give her something to eat.”

Jairus and his wife were so happy! Jesus had listened to Jairus’s cry for help. He had come, even though everyone said it was too late. And now their little girl was alive again! They were so glad they had asked Jesus for help. They were so happy that He had listened. And they were thrilled to have their little girl alive and well again.

Jesus loved that little girl. And Jesus loves you. He always listens when you talk to Him. He always loves us, and His answers are always what is best for us. OLF

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Parents: Daily lesson activities can be found in the Kindergarten Bible Study Guide (quarterly). The page 7 story will help you help your child apply the lesson story to his or her life.

Bryan Prays for MarkRob Robinson

I t’s not fair!” Bryan complained as he walked back into his house with his mommy. “Now I can’t

play trucks with Mark!”Bryan plopped down on the couch, folded his

arms across his chest, and started to pout. “I know it seems like it’s not fair right now,”

Mommy said, sitting down next to Bryan. “But Mark’s asthma has really been bothering him an awful lot this fall. The wind blows lots and lots of dust and makes it hard for Mark’s lungs to breathe.

When the strong winds go away, Mark should be able to go out and play again.”

“I know,” Bryan answered, “but it’s still not fair. I can’t go outside and make roads and tunnels in the sandbox with him today.”

“Mark can’t go outside to play roads and tun-nels in your sandbox right now, but in a few days, he will probably be able to go outside and play again,” Mommy tried to reassure Bryan.

“But that is too long to wait,” Bryan complained. “I want to play tunnels and roads with him today.”

“I know you do,” Mommy said. “But right now

Mark can’t go outside to play. Let’s think of some-thing that you can do with Mark while he has to stay inside.”

“We can’t go outside and play tunnels and roads,” Bryan said. “And we can’t go to the park and climb on the slide and play on the swings. And I don’t think we can go ride our bikes down the bike trail at the park,” Bryan continued.

“You are right about all of those things,” Mommy said as she ruffled her fi gers through

Bryan’s hair. “But I can think of something that you learned about in Sabbath School yesterday. Can you go get your ‘praying hands’ off he refrigerator?”

Bryan hopped down off the couch and hurried to the kitchen. He stood up on his tiptoes and took down the praying hands he had made in Sabbath School.

He raced back into the living room and shouted, “I know what we can do! We can pray for him!”

“That is exactly what I was thinking of.” Mommy smiled.

Bryan climbed back on the couch. He scooted close to Mommy. “Mommy, may I pray?”

“You certainly may,” Mommy answered. She wrapped her arm around Bryan and closed her eyes while Bryan prayed.

“Dear Jesus, I want my friend Mark to be able to play tunnels and roads with me. I know he is a little sick right now. Please help him to get all well so we can play again. Amen.” OLF

Kindergarten Lesson Message: We serve God when we pray for the sick.

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D addy pulled the car into the driveway at their new home. They were coming home from

church. Ava and her family had moved in with Grandpa

when he had become deaf. Not only did they have a different home, they had a different church too. They were now going to Grandpa’s church.

“I’m so excited,” said Ava as she bounced in her seat. “Grandpa will be surprised when I tell him what happened at church.”

Mother had not gone to church this morning. She had chosen to stay with Grandpa. Grandpa no longer went to church because he could not hear what was being said.

“Oh, Mother,” said Ava as she raced into the kitchen where Mother was preparing the meal. “I had a good time at Sabbath School. We sang some songs. And the teacher told us a story about Jesus healing the deaf man. And I have a new friend named Josie.”

“I’m glad you had a good time,” Mother said. “Sometimes going to a new church is a little scary. Your new friend will help you.”

“But that is not all, Mother,” Ava said. “We have a surprise for Grandpa. Tell her, Daddy. Tell Mother the surprise.”

“While Pastor Stone was preaching, I noticed a man standing up front,” Daddy said. “I watched him. His hands and fi gers were moving. He was using sign language to tell the group of people sit-ting in front of him what the preacher was saying.”

“Isn’t that exciting?” said Ava. “A church with two languages.”

“Yes,” said Daddy. “Now we can all go to the worship services. Grandpa can go with us. He can understand what the preacher says now.”

“Let’s go tell Grandpa the good news,” said Ava as she ran toward Grandpa’s room. “Won’t he be surprised to hear about our two-language church?”

surprised to hear about our two-language OLF

The Two-Language ChurchJane Landreth

8 *OLF201003*OLF201003

©2020Pacific Press® Publishing Association. Please contact your ABC for pricing in Canada. 2051151038

For eBooks, go to Adventist-eBooks.com!

This beautiful magazine will introduce your kids to Jesus with true stories featuring kids their age, Bible characters, animals, and more!

Ask your Sabbath School teacher for your Our Little Friend magazine.

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Ending Soon