This July 4th holiday was hard on our attendance! But Julie Ann was right there with me so we could talk about Noah and the ark. We always talk about 40 days and 40 nights on the ark with all those animals. Before the rain started, God assured Noah that it would not last forever. When God told Noah to load the animals on the ark, He said the rain would begin in 7 days and would last for 40 days and 40 nights. However, Noah’s family spent more than 40 days and 40 nights on the ark. Noah and his family were on the ark for about a year! Noah had to trust God during this time. Can you imagine being shut up on this ark for a year? God remembered Noah and made a wind pass over the earth, and the water lowered. The ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. After 40 days, Noah opened a window and sent out a dove, which returned to him because there was no place to rest. He waited for 7 more days.

Again Noah sent out the dove, this time it returned with an olive branch in his mouth. Noah removed the covering from the ark and saw that the earth was dry. Noah and his sons could let all the animals go.

God told them to go forth and multiply. It is always wonderful to hear our kids tell these stories back to us! Julie Ann knew all the answers this week! See you in church Sunday. Blessings.