People Were Thankful for Tabitha

Acts 9:36-39

Our true story comes from a book of the Bible called Acts. That name is short for “the Acts of the Apostles.” The word "Apostle" is another word to describe a helper of Jesus.

Our story is about a woman named Tabitha. Some of her friends called her Dorcas.

Tabitha lived in a town by the water called Joppa. It was a busy city. Many boats came and went.

The Bible says that Tabitha loved Jesus and was always helping others. Tabitha would look for people who needed help, like women whose husbands had died or families who didn’t have much money. Tabitha would make them clothes.

Tabitha helped lots and lots of people. She would help people if their clothes got too small because they were growing. Tabitha would help people if they were cold and needed a coat to wear. Tabitha would help people by making them clothes.

What a happy helper Tabitha was! And the people were so thankful for Tabitha and the help she gave them. We can thank God for the people who help us.

Bible Paraphrase: Always give thanks to God. – Ephesians 5:20, NCV

Text Truth: I am thankful for people who give me clothes.

Family Devotional

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. — Acts 9:36

Tabitha was such a good friend. One thing she did to be a good friend was helping people by making clothes for them. All of the people she made clothes for were so thankful for Tabitha! 

When we are thankful for people who help us, we give thanks to God, just like it says in our Bible memory verse.

Always give thanks to God. — Ephesians 5:20

With your family, make a list of your favorite clothes. It can be a coat, a shirt, a dress, boots, a hat, a scarf, a swimsuit, anything!


Pray with your family. Allow any family members to pray if they wish. Acknowledge that God is good to you and that you want to say thank-you for the clothes He gives you. Read your list of clothes. Ask God to help you all remember to thank Him for the things He gives you and for the people who help you.

Activities You Can Do at Home

Help Others

Tabitha helped provide clothing to those who didn’t have money for clothes. Talk with your child about ways you might help needy people have clothes, such as gathering outgrown clothes for a charity or people you know are in need. Remember to pray for the recipients.

Pray for Others

When you say bedtime prayers, pray for others. You may want to use a picture list to help remind your child of people to pray for.

Sew Clothes

You’ll Need: construction paper, safety scissors, hole punch, shoelaces or yarn (optional: clear plastic shelf liner or clear laminate sheets)

Cut pieces of clothes out of construction paper. For extra durability, laminate them. Punch holes around the outside of each piece of clothing. Tie a shoelace or yarn to each item. As you travel, your child can “sew” clothes just like Tabitha did.

Tell the Story of Tabitha

Actively involve your child in reviewing the Bible story. Read the story and act out cutting, sewing, and giving clothes to needy people, just as Tabitha did. Then pray together for others.

Make Praying Hands

You’ll Need: paper, pencil or crayons or washable markers, safety scissors (optional: glue, magazine pictures)

Fold a piece of paper in half. Trace your child’s hand with the pinkie finger on the fold. Cut out the hands. (Don’t cut along the fold.) Let your child draw people or glue pictures of people to pray for inside the hands.

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Story illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages (http://freebibleimages.org) for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported licence.

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