Teach Kids About God Sightings

God Sightings are everywhere. They are beautiful, marvelous, and full of steadfast encouragement. You can prepare kids to trust in God’s faithfulness, regardless of the challenges they may face, by teaching them about “God Sightings.”

What are God Sightings?

God Sightings are moments when you notice something that reminds you of God’s character. They can come in many different forms—something amazing in nature, something related to God’s incredible provision, a miracle, the love of a stranger, etc. If you see something special that reminds you of God’s love and faithfulness, that’s a God Sighting.

Why Teach Kids About God Sightings?

When kids are encouraged to spot God Sightings every day, they’ll learn to develop eyes of faith that see God everywhere in their life. A habit that is essential on the days when they’re discouraged and it’s hard to trust that God is working. When you learn to see that God is always active, you can be encouraged in that He can always be trusted—even when His plan is hard to see at first.

For instance, one of my favorite personal God Sightings that I’ve hung onto over the years has been the stars. When I was little, I learned how to find the Big Dipper in the sky. I learned how it revolves around the North Star, which is always in the same place and can be found by drawing an imaginary line through the last two stars of the Big Dipper’s handle. Many times over my lifetime during difficult seasons, I have lain on the ground at night to see that the Big Dipper is still there, even though its position changed. It reminds me that God is dependable, orderly, and has the whole universe right where it’s supposed to be; helping me to pray from a humble perspective and one rooted in trust.

God Sightings are Everywhere

The world is full of God Sightings. From the Big Dipper on a clear night, to the African Jacana, which is a small river bird with notably long toes for walking on lily pads. Males take over raising the chicks after they hatch, and if a predator approaches their babies, the father will call to them and then scoop them up under his wings to carry them to safety. This bird reminds me that God is our gentle and protective Father, just like in Psalm 91:4 where it says, “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge…”

This bird is just one of many examples of God’s creativity in nature. Despite all the discoveries made through science, there are still some animal behaviors that seem unexplainable. Such as, why do spinner dolphins spin when they leap out of the water? Why do cows always face north or south when they eat? Why do cats purr? All these things show God’s power and presence. Whenever an animal displays a characteristic that is not directly linked to survival instinct, this is another God Sighting. God is saying, “Hey, I’m here! I did that just because I can and enjoy creativity!”

When you and the kids in your life come across nature mysteries like these, you can remind them that God is all-powerful and imaginative.

Turn God Sightings into Fun Lessons

Your own backyard also has great potential for God Sightings. You can show kids God’s attention to detail with this God Sighting Activity:

1. Go outside.
2. Find a leaf, flower, or plant and observe it carefully.
3. Point out the intricate patterns in the leaves, the delicate curves of flower petals, what makes this plant different from others, and the infinite variety!
4. As they consider the intricacy of plant life or other organisms, remind kids that our God is incredibly creative and detailed. Just think of how creative He was when creating you!

Ask kids what their favorite creations are, and then together, explore the intelligent design behind it and praise God for His creativity and wisdom.

Ask Kids to Share Their God Sightings

To build God Sightings into a lifelong habit and witness how God is working in the life of children, encourage kids to share their God Sightings every day. You can do this as a family by sharing individually around the table each night before dinner, or by encouraging kids to keep a God Sightings journal that they can look back on, share around the classroom, or read when they need reminders of His love, character, and providence. The more kids practice seeing God in the little things, the easier it will be to see Him during difficult times.

How have you seen God working in your life recently? How have you seen His provision and power in the past? Maybe you were feeling discouraged, and just the right Christian song came on the radio or God brought a passage of Scripture to your attention. Maybe He provided just the right amount of money to pay for something. Maybe He blessed you with something through another person, such as a candy bar, a hug, or a kind note. Sharing your God Sightings with others gives testimony to God’s faithfulness and uplifts the younger generation to do the same!