Session 2: The person that God made me to be

“Let’s take a few minutes to think about these good and not so good parts about ourselves.” Make enough copies of the appropriate Soul Poem sheet for the age group you are teaching so that each student can do their own. Read through the sheet with them and give them about 5-7 minutes to complete it. Tell them that this is serious quiet time for them to really think about themselves.

Share with the group what you wrote on yours and allow people to share theirs.

Activity: Taking off our masks

For this activity you will need sheets of non-corrugated cardboard or posterboard (one for each student) and all kinds of things for students to decorate their masks with (toiletpaper rolls, glitter, construction paper, pipe cleaners, markers, etc); the more types of materials the better. Students will create masks that show some of the ways they cover over who they really are.

Say, “Earlier we said that many times we do things and act in ways to cover up what we are feeling, or we try to act like someone else when we are afraid of what people are going to think about us.” Draw examples from their poems or for younger students give them examples of how some people act silly like clowns when they are uncomfortable, or tough like a tiger when they are scared, or dumb even though they’re very smart.

“Now we are going to make masks that show how we try to hide from being who we really are. Using the cardboard/posterboard and all the materials here, create a mask that shows how you sometimes pretend to be someone else other than your true selves.” Encourage them to have fun and be creative. They can use the ideas above or can even use colors to show how they pretend to be happy when their sad, etc.

When they have finished their mask put a craft stick on the back side so that they can hold it up to their face. Then glue or tape their soul poem to the back of the mask. Say, “When we want to put our masks on, we need to remember who we are on the inside, otherwise we can hurt ourselves or other people.”

“What do you think are some ways we can hurt ourselves by trying to pretend we are somebody who we aren’t?” [We can loose friends, or make people think things about us that aren’t true, if you do something you know is wrong just because other people are pressuring you to, you can even hurt yourself physically: smoking, drugs, violence, sex, etc.] Using your mask act out one way you use masks and how it can hurt you. Ask for volunteers to act out some of their responses using masks.

Session Conclusion

Say, “Each of us is very special and very important to God. Of all the things and people God could have created, He created me and (name of student) and (name of student). Each and everyone of us are so important to God that not only did He create us, but He sent His Son to die and rise again for us, and then sent the Holy Spirit to guide, strengthen, and comfort us. We need to remember that that’s who we really are.And that God created us to be the person we are, not the person we think is cool, or the person who others might want to be. God created you to be you”

Soul Poem A

My first name is

I like to

I am good at

I think God would say that I am

I am afraid when

I wish I was better at

My last name is