This month we celebrate Easter, the defining celebration of our identity in Christ! As we focus this month’s conversation on the identity of being forgiven, may you, together as a family experience the depth of what this means both through your conversations and as you move through the Easter season. How awesome it is that our Lord loves us so deeply that He chose to go to the cross to reconcile us to God! May you bless your kids this month with this truth of who they are in Christ.  You may read directly from your device or click the button below for a print friendly version. If you need to download the journal page you can access it here.

Getting Ready for the Search:

Chat Questions: When is a time you did something wrong and needed to ask for forgiveness? How did that feel? How did the other person feel? Did they forgive you? What did that look like and feel like?

Everyone in the family take one piece of paper and scrunch it into the smallest ball you can. Use all of your muscles! Next, try to flatten out the paper to make it look perfect again. How does it look? What about the paper isn’t perfect?

When we sin against someone, including God, we are doing damage, just like how the scrunching wrinkled the paper. We might say we are sorry and ask forgiveness of people, but no matter how hard we try, we can’t fully make a repair. When we ask forgiveness of God, he can do the extra forgiving, healing and mending that we can’t do.

Can you think of a time when you asked forgiveness from God and you knew you were forgiven? Share about that? What was different after God forgave you?

Looking for Clues in the Truth:

Read Mark 2:1-12.

Who brought the paralysed man to see Jesus? I wonder what they were hoping and feeling? How do you think the paralysed man felt?

What did Jesus say at first to heal him? Why is this important? What are some of your questions about what Jesus said?

The man was healed with Jesus’ forgiveness and healed from his paralysis. What do you think he was feeling as he walked away carrying his mat?

It’s Easter this month. Jesus died on the cross so that we could all be forgiven from sins. Take a few minutes to talk about why this is so amazing. Look up John 3:16 and take a minute to pray over that.

Seeing how Jesus forgives, and how God loves us all so much, what does that say to you about how we should be forgiving others?

We found it! Time to Celebrate!

Find your pillowcase. This month, write or draw on your pillowcase something that will remind your family member that we are forgiven.

When you all are done with your art create a family circle and hold the ends of the pillowcases. Have a prayer time sharing with God what you created.

OR

Write a note of blessing to tell each family member that they are forgiven.

Put them in your shoebox. Pray over your notes, blessing the person you wrote them about and praising God for them!

Case Notes: Wrapping up the investigation:

Take a few minutes each week this month to complete your journal page! Don’t forget to pray each day for the item you wrote in that day’s box!