Lessons From Finding Nemo: Perseverance

Introduction

Hey everybody! I hope you're all having a fantastic day. Today, we're going to talk about a special word, and that word is "perseverance." Can you say it with me? "Perseverance."

It's a big word, but it means something very important – never giving up, no matter how tough things get.

Now, I want to start by sharing something fun with you. Have any of you ever seen the movie "Finding Nemo"?

It's a fantastic story about a little fish named Nemo who goes on an incredible journey.

Today, we're going to learn some important lessons from Nemo about perseverance, and we'll also read a special verse from the Bible, Romans 5:3-4.

In the movie, Nemo and his dad Marlin get separated and the whole movie is about them trying to find each other again. And at some points in the movie, things get really hard, and it feels like they’re not going to find each other again. And what we want us to learn from this movie is that even when we’re faced with big challenges, we know we can’t give up!

Let’s watch a clip together where Nemo’s dad, Marlin, is faced with a big challenge!

[Show Clip 1 with Bruce the Shark: 3 Min 45 Seconds]

The Bible also talks about perseverance, about never giving up. In Romans 5:3-4, it says, "We also glory in our sufferings (the really hard things) because we know that suffering (hard things) produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." This means that when we face difficult times, it helps us grow stronger… and not only that it helps us grow stronger, that there’s something better, something hopeful at the end.

Marlin has a special friend, a forgetful fish named Dory, and Dory has a helpful phrase we’re going to use to help us to remember not to stop when things get hard!

[Show Clip 2 with Dory, Marlin, and “Just keep swimming!” 2 Minutes 41 Seconds]

Do you remember what Dory and Marlin say over and over? Just keep swimming!

Sometimes, when we're going through tough times, having friends and family who support us can make all the difference. They can help us keep going when things get hard. Just like Dory and Marlin, we should be good friends to others and help them persevere too.

[Show Clip 3 with Marlin finding Nemo: 3 Minutes]

In the end, Marlin never gives up on trying to find his son Nemo, and he didn't let anything stop him. Did Marlin love Nemo? His love for his son kept him going, no matter what obstacles came their way.

In the Bible verse we read, it says that perseverance leads to hope. When we keep going, even when things are tough, we can have hope that things will get better – and it’s God’s love for us that can keep us going. So, never give up, keep going, and remember that God’s love for you will help along the way.

So what do we do when things get hard? Just keep swimming!

Why do we keep swimming? God’s love for us keeps us going, just like Marlin’s love for Nemo kept him going!

Remember the lessons we learned tonight about perseverance – when it gets tough, we “just keep swimming.”

And don’t forget to be good friends and help others persevere too!

Let's pray together. Dear God, thank you for teaching us about perseverance through the story of Nemo. Help us to never give up. Amen.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!