Missing Home: God Is in the Missing Too (Psalm 23:4 for Kids)
Homesickness in the middle of a summer trip is real, and God is right there in it. Through Psalm 23:4 and David the shepherd walking real valleys, kids learn that God is not just in the green pastures, He is in the valley too, plus three real moves to try when the missing hits.
For Parents
There's a moment a few days into almost every summer trip where your kid stops being excited and goes quiet. They're not sick or in trouble. They just want their own bed, and they don't have language for it yet. This episode walks them through Psalm 23:4 and gives them three small moves: name the missing, call home, and whisper four words when their throat gets tight. You don't have to fix the feeling. Just ask them tonight what they're missing about home.
The One Thing for the Ride
“Missing home is real, and God is in the missing too.”
Scripture
Psalm 23:4
CSB
Key Takeaways
- Missing home is real, and God is in the missing too.
- David learned as a shepherd that God is not just in the green pastures, He is in the valley too.
- Naming what you miss out loud makes the feeling smaller, not bigger.
- Calling or texting home shrinks most homesickness the second you connect.
- Whispering 'You are with me' from Psalm 23:4 is how a kid starts growing up on the inside.
Try This Week
- The name-it move: out loud or in your head, say what you're missing. 'I miss my room. I miss the dog.' Naming the missing makes it smaller.
- The phone-home move: call or text and tell mom or dad what you're feeling. Most homesickness shrinks the second you connect with home.
- The whisper move: memorize the second half of Psalm 23:4, 'You are with me,' and whisper those four words when your throat gets tight.
Talk It Over
What's one thing about home you're missing right now, and how could you tell God about it?
