#379: Who Wants to Be First? — A Lesson from Jesus

Mark 10:35–45 In today’s episode, we hear the surprising story of James and John asking Jesus a very big question — and how the other disciples reacted!  Jesus teaches them (and us!) something amazing — true greatness doesn’t come from bossing people around or being first. It comes from serving others, just like Jesus did. He is the King of kings, but He came to help, love, and give His life for us. At the end, we talk about simple ways kids can follow Jesus’ example this week - to keep their eyes open for ways to be a helper. Helpers serve and whether it’s big or small, it makes a  difference.  They are reminded that when you help someone, you are serving — just like Jesus did. He is our perfect example.------------ 🎁 Join the team:Visit https://www.kbspodcast.com/ and click Support & Bonus Content You can: 💛 Give a one-time gift 🙌 Join Patreon for just $5/month and receive weekly bonus content 📅 Or choose a discounted annual plan Your gift will help us reach our goal of 1,000 supporters. If even 10% of listeners joined, we could sustain and grow this ministry. Please, don’t assume someone else will do it—we need you. Every gift, no matter the size, helps bring the Bible to life for children, nurturing their faith and shaping hearts. Thank you for being part of this mission.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John 4:1-16 & John 7:37-39 At Jacob’s well, Jesus surprises a Samaritan woman by asking for a drink and then offering her “living water”—not the cool well water she expected. Kids will hear the conversation they have as the woman is puzzled by Jesus’ words.  She is also shocked that even though He knew her past, He spoke kindly and welcomed her.  Enjoyed this story? Leave  a review and share with friends who need a drink of living water! ------------------------------- 🎁 Join the team:Visit https://www.kbspodcast.com/ and click Support & Bonus Content You can: 💛 Give a one-time gift 🙌 Join Patreon for just $5/month and receive weekly bonus content 📅 Or choose a discounted annual plan Your gift will help us reach our goal of 1,000 supporters. If even 10% of listeners joined, we could sustain and grow this ministry. Please, don’t assume someone else will do it—we need you. Every gift, no matter the size, helps bring the Bible to life for children, nurturing their faith and shaping hearts. Thank you for being part of this mission.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kids Bible Stories has grown into a global ministry—370+ episodes, Top 50 in the U.S., Top 3 in Saudi Arabia—with no team or studio, just me, fully trusting God. It’s changed lives:A boy in Indonesia learning faith and English, a girl in Germany acting out Bible stories, and a visually impaired child memorizing episodes to win an award. But when I lost all ad funding, I had a choice: run ads or trust this community. I chose you. Now, with your help, we’re translating the podcast into Spanish to reach even more children—but I can’t do it alone. 🎁 Here’s how you can help: Give a one-time gift Join Patreon for just $5/month and get weekly bonus episodes Prefer once-a-year giving? Choose the discounted annual plan 👉 Visit kbspodcast.com and click Support & Bonus Content If just 1 in 10 listeners gave, we’d be fully funded. Please don’t wait. We need you. Thank you for helping us share God’s Word with children around the world. 💛See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  
James 1:1–8
Has your child ever asked, "Why do hard things happen?" In this episode, we explore James 1 and the surprising truth that God can use our trials—yes, even the tough, painful ones—to help us grow stronger in our faith. We compare it to growing pains in our bodies: it may hurt, but it’s often a sign of growth!With an encouraging story about a girl training for a big bike race, we help kids understand what James means when he says to “consider it pure joy” during hard times and the "why" behind it.
 I also remind young listeners that not all pain means growth—sometimes it’s a sign we need help and they should talk to their parents about it. **PARENTS: Kids Bible Stories isn’t backed by a big studio—just me, handcrafting the stories I wish I had as a child and now create for my own. By God’s grace, we’ve had over 14 million downloads, and we rank in the Top 50 Christian podcasts in the U.S.. This is proof that His Word is reaching little hearts around the world. But I need your help. After losing all ad funding, I chose faith over commercials—trusting the families who love this podcast to keep it going. Now, God has opened a new door: translating the stories into Spanish to reach even more kids globally. But this next step depends on listener support. 🎁 How You Can Help:Visit https://www.kbspodcast.com/ and click Support & Bonus Content You can: 💛 Give a one-time gift 🙌 Join Patreon for just $5/month and receive weekly bonus content 📅 Or choose a discounted annual plan Your gift will help us reach our goal of 1,000 supporters. If even 10% of listeners joined, we could sustain and grow this ministry. Please, don’t assume someone else will do it—we need you. Every gift, no matter the size, helps bring the Bible to life for children, nurturing their faith and shaping hearts. Thank you for being part of this mission. ------------------------------------. Remember, I also have a Kids Bible Stories Bedtime podcast and we've just begun Kids Bible Stories Espanol! Listen wherever you get podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since 2017, Kids Bible Stories has reached nearly 14 million downloads across 140 countries. Every month, over 57,000 families tune in to hear God’s Word through engaging, age-appropriate stories. It’s a one-woman ministry—written, recorded, and edited entirely by me. Recently, I lost all ad revenue. Instead of filling the show with new ads, I chose to step out in faith—continuing the mission ad-free and launching new features like bedtime episodes and Spanish translations to reach even more kids. But here’s the hard truth:Only 0.36% of listeners support the show. That’s less than half a percent. 🎁 You can help keep this mission alive for just $5/month or a 1 time donation. Your gift makes it possible to: Keep creating high-quality, Bible-based episodes kids love Translate the show to reach more children globally Sustain a listener-supported ministry that’s making an eternal impact 👉 Visit kbspodcast.com and click "Support & Bonus Content"Give a one-time gift or join us on Patreon for just $5/month—or save with a discounted annual plan.  Thank you for being part of this mission. Together, we’re helping kids hear God’s Word. 💛  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acts 3:1–16 Peter and John were headed to the temple to pray when a man who couldn’t walk asked them for money. But instead of coins, Peter offered something far greater—the healing power of Jesus! In this episode, children will hear how Peter did what he could, and then God did what only He could do.With joyful storytelling, sound imagery, and gentle reflection, this episode teaches kids that we can be part of God’s miracles—not because we're powerful, but because He is! 🌟 Key Takeaways for Kids: We get to play a part in God's miracles. We can do what we can do, and trust God to do what we can’t. The power wasn't in Peter—it was in Jesus’ name. ------------------------------------------------------ Check out the Boom Clap Podcast! I have listened for years and enjoy it as a resource for myself. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks to @thedetoxedlife, Kelly Carpenter, for being today's voice guest. She's a good resource for kids gut health as well as removing toxins from your home in practical, simple, and realistic ways! ---------------------------------------------- To join the team supporting this podcast and also enjoy weekly bonus content PLUS access to the entire library of bonus content  go here and click bonus content.   You’re not just funding a podcast. You’re helping bring the Word of God into homes, into car rides, into bedtime routines—and into the hearts of thousands of children.   From my family to yours, THANK YOU!  To connect with us, go here. For our free Read-A-Loud pdf book go here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing something brand new from the heart behind Kids Bible Stories… ✨ I'm  thrilled to announce Kids Bible Stories BEDTIME — a brand-new podcast, lovingly crafted in the same high-quality, thoughtful style your family already knows and trusts. 💤 This new series was created just for bedtime. Each episode gently washes over your child with God’s beautiful Word ✝️, calming narration 🎙️, and peaceful music 🎶—designed to help them wind down, feel safe, and be encouraged by truth as they drift off to sleep. 🌙 Simply press play ▶️ and let them play in order—no jumping around or hunting for the next one and NO ADS! Search Kids Bible Stories BEDTIME wherever you get your podcasts, or head to kbspodcast.com and click support to enjoy every episode. 📱  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hebrews 11:1–12  This episode gently helps children understand the meaning of faith—believing even when we cannot see. Using the beautiful imagery of cloud-covered mountains, your child will hear how faith is trusting that God is still there, even when He feels hidden. Through Hebrews 11, kids will meet faithful people like Abel, Noah, Enoch, and Abraham and learn how each one trusted in what they couldn't yet see.  Your child will be encouraged to think, reflect, and respond—with interactive questions and warm storytelling designed to make deep spiritual truths both understandable and relatable. ----------------------------- To join the team supporting this podcast and also enjoy weekly bonus content PLUS access to the entire library of bonus content  go here and click bonus content.   You’re not just funding a podcast. You’re helping bring the Word of God into homes, into car rides, into bedtime routines—and into the hearts of thousands of children.   From my family to yours, THANK YOU!  To connect with us, go here. For our free Read-A-Loud pdf book go here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  📖 Main Scriptures: Leviticus 1:3–4, John 1:29, Hebrews 9:12 Why did people in the Bible sacrifice animals? Wasn’t that a little… strange? In today’s special episode, we explore a question many of you have asked—and the answer helps us understand just how incredible Jesus’ love really is. We’ll travel back to the Garden of Eden, hear about how sin entered the world, and discover why people once used animals to cover their sin. Then we’ll meet someone called The Lamb of God—Jesus—and learn why He came to be the final sacrifice once and for all. Kids will hear the difference between covering sin and cleansing it—and why Jesus' love changes everything. ✨ Big Ideas for Little Hearts: Sin is serious—but God’s love is bigger. Animal sacrifices pointed to Jesus. Jesus didn’t just cover our sin—He takes it away. When we mess up, we go to Jesus—not to a priest with a lamb. Teaching kids the Gospel through Old and New Testament connections -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To join the team supporting this podcast and also enjoy weekly bonus content PLUS access to the entire library of bonus content  go here and click bonus content.   You’re not just funding a podcast. You’re helping bring the Word of God into homes, into car rides, into bedtime routines—and into the hearts of thousands of children.   From my family to yours, THANK YOU!  To connect with us, go here. For our free Read-A-Loud pdf book go here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luke 22:31-34, 54-62, & John 21:1-17 In today’s episode, we follow one of Jesus’ closest friends—Peter. From the quiet upper room, to the dark courtyard, and finally to breakfast on the beach, we’ll hear how Peter made a big promise to Jesus… and then broke it. But the story doesn’t end there. After Jesus rises from the dead, He lovingly gives Peter a second chance. This is a beautiful story of sadness, forgiveness, and hope—a reminder that Jesus never gives up on us, even when we mess up.   Big Ideas for Little Hearts: Jesus knows we’ll make mistakes, but He still loves us deeply. Peter denied Jesus three times, but Jesus forgave him and gave him a new job. Seeing the risen Jesus changed Peter from afraid to brave! No matter how far we run, Jesus welcomes us back and gives us a fresh start. ******Check out Andrew Kerhoulas' music with Brother K and Hearth Hymns*** -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To join the team supporting this podcast and also enjoy weekly bonus content PLUS access to the entire library of bonus content  go here and click bonus content.   You’re not just funding a podcast. You’re helping bring the Word of God into homes, into car rides, into bedtime routines—and into the hearts of thousands of children.   From my family to yours, THANK YOU!  To connect with us, go here. For our free Read-A-Loud pdf book go here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.