“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” – Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)

Worry is a natural feeling. It means that you care a lot about something or someone and want things to be okay. When the Bible tells us not to worry, it doesn’t mean to ignore those feelings. It means not keeping those concerns and feelings bottled up inside, but to share them with God and people who you know care about you. It may not make the situation change, but talking about your feelings can help them feel lighter and give you a different perspective, helping you to feel a little calmer and safer.

And because God is always with us, and we have people in our lives who genuinely care about and love us, we can talk to God and those people anytime. That’s something we can be thankful for!

•  What are some different ways you can pray? (silently, going for a walk, writing it down, coloring)

• Imagine taking those things you’re worried about, putting them all into a box, and giving that box to God. How does that make you feel? (calmer, happy, confused, still a little worried)

• We also have people in our lives who can listen to our worries – people who help us feel safe and calm. Who are some of those people for you? (list specific names)

Write a thank you note to a person who makes you feel safe and calm (someone that you listed in the last question, not in your immediate family). Thank them for being a good friend to you and a safe person you can talk to.