Creative Prayer: Fishing for Compliments

Focus: Praising God

Before You Begin:

For this creative prayer time of praising God you’ll need to make a fishing pole. Tie about two or three feet of string to a stick such as a tree branch or a yardstick. At the end of the string tie a hook made from a paper clip.

Then take the cardboard roll from an empty roll of toilet paper roll or paper towels. Cut this into five to ten circles. (It’s okay if they get a little bent in the cutting process.) These will be the “fish” your kids catch during the prayer time.

The Prayer Time!

Gather your family together and ask everyone to think of compliments they could give to God. If it helps, tell them to imagine Jesus is coming over for dinner, and they want to be sure to tell him all the things they like about him.

For instance, kids might want to compliment God on the great job he did making flowers, the pretty face he gave to Mom, the gift of his love, his incredible power, and so on.

As family members think of compliments for God, write each compliment on the outside of a different cardboard circle. When you’ve used all the circles, place them in a pile on the floor. Pass the fishing pole around and let each person “fish” for a cardboard circle. (For younger children, be sure the rolls are standing on their sides for easier hooking. Also, shorten the string by rolling it around the stick a few times.)

When each person has fished for and “caught” a compliment, take turns telling God how wonderful he is. Explain that this is a simple way of praising God–just telling him what you like about him Then continue fishing and complimenting until all the cardboard rolls are gone.