Purpose

To give children a tangible reminder of the five smooth stones David took into battle, and to reinforce that their true weapon is trusting in God’s name.

Setup

1. If using construction paper, you may want to pre-punch the holes around the edges to save time.
2. If using real pebbles, ensure they are clean and dry so the marker will stick to them.

Instructions

1. The Stones: Give each child 5 stones (or gray pom-poms). Have them write one letter of the word T-R-U-S-T on each stone (one letter per stone). For younger children, you can have them just draw a cross or a smiley face on each stone.
2. The Pouch: Have the children take their square of brown felt or paper. If the holes aren’t punched yet, help them punch holes all the way around the outer edge, about 1 inch apart.
3. Lacing: Give the children a piece of yarn. Show them how to weave the yarn in and out of the holes (like sewing).
4. Closing the Pouch: Once they have laced all the way around, have them place their five stones right in the middle of the flat square.
5. Tell them to gently pull both ends of the yarn. The felt/paper will bunch up and create a perfect little shepherd’s pouch! Tie the ends in a bow.

Discussion While Crafting

• “Did David bring a giant sword or a heavy shield to fight Goliath?” (No, just a sling and 5 stones).
• “Was David trusting in his stones to win the battle?” (No! He told Goliath he was fighting in the Name of the Lord).
• “Whenever you open this pouch and see the word TRUST, remember that no matter how big your ‘giant’ is, God is bigger!”