Shelter in the Storms?

Materials
Bring in a variety of plants, flowers, etc. You can also bring in various vegetables and fruits. Buy two small plants. Water one to make it green and full of life. Let the other one dry and shrivel up.

Activity
Ask youth to identify the different plants if they can. What fruits do they produce? What is their purpose? Is anyone good at taking care of plants? What do plants need to thrive? Ask youth to explain the difference between the green plant and the one that is shriveled and dead.

Discussion
Have you ever been frightened in a storm?
Where was this storm?
What did you do?
How did you feel?
How many of you like storms...thunder... Lightening?
How many of you are afraid of them?
Have you ever been caught outside in a storm?
Are storms good or bad?
Would a plant describe a storm as good or bad?

Application
Storms are necessary to water the plants, but sometimes frightening. Trees that have weather storms are stronger than those that have not been tested by the winds. Sometimes God shelters us. Other times he is with us as we are forced to endure the storms. Whenever things get bad and we think of the fear and the difficulties, remember the flowers, trees, and plants that give us fruit and vegetables that result from the storms.

God sometimes allows storms in our lives to help us grow stronger.
James 1:2-4, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17, Isaiah 43:2, Psalms 121:4,8, John 14:27, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalms 46:1.

Storms season the trees. The stress on them makes them stronger as they grow—able to withstand the winds. Sheltered trees will have weaker wood.

Scripture tells us that certain kinds of stress not only make us stronger but can even serve to bring out the best in us (Jeremiah 9:7; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2-3; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 1 Peter 1:6-7).