Advertise on podcast: Stories with Esther & Poppy for GIGI Kids

Hey GIGI kids, Today we have a beautiful Bible story about a woman called Dorcas - you can find her story in the Bible in Acts 9:39-42. Here is a sneak peek.... Days passed, and Cyrus and his mother waited anxiously for Dorcas to send word that she had completed the dress. But the only news they got was that Dorcas was very sick. "Oh, no!" Cyrus' mother sobbed. "Poor Dorcas! She has done so much to help everyone in this village; there must be something we can do to help her." Cyrus and his mother walked through the city to Dorcas' house so that they could cheer her up with kind words and some flowers that Cyrus had picked from the garden. When they reached the house, Cyrus saw that Dorcas' small bedroom was already crowded with local people who had come to visit her and pray for her. Squeezing into the house, they found a spot where they could see Dorcas. She was lying very still on her bed. Her skin was burning up with fever, and she let out a dreadful cough. Her face looked thin and pale, and Cyrus could tell that she was very sick indeed. What happened next? To find out, find a comfortable spot and listen to the episode. _____________________________________________________ Story by: Ashlee Price  READ STORY ON THE BLOG VISIT OUR WEBSITES SHOP OUR BOOKS SHOP OUR AUDIOBOOKS Special effect editing: James Wagner  Music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Hey GIGI kids, Today we have a great story for you called "The Case of the Missing Manger." A story reminding us that Christmas is about Jesus and not the material things. Here's a sneak peek.... Sunnyhill Primary was buzzing with excitement. The scent of crayons, pine decorations, and fresh photocopy paper filled the Year 2 classroom. It was one week before Christmas, and that meant only one thing: The Christmas Assembly was nearly here! "Alright, everyone," said Mrs Lane, clapping her hands. "Time to unpack the nativity props!" Cheers filled the air. Rosie bounced on her toes. "I hope the angel wings are back!" Elijah grinned. "I just hope the shepherd costumes don't itch this year." Hannah, holding her script, smiled proudly. "Well, I'm Mary. So I get to rock the baby Jesus!" Mrs Lane gently opened a large storage box and carefully unwrapped a small, hand-carved wooden manger. Nestled inside was a cloth-wrapped baby Jesus figure with painted eyes and a peaceful smile. "This," she said, holding it up, "is the most important part of our nativity." The class grew quiet. Even Luca stopped fidgeting. Mrs Lane placed the manger gently on a small table at the front of the classroom. Around it, they arranged tiny cardboard animals, some straw, and wooden figures of Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. "We decorate, we sing, we wear costumes," said Mrs Lane, "but remember—Jesus is the reason for Christmas. Not lights or lollies or tinsel—Jesus." Rosie felt a warm, special feeling in her chest. She looked at the tiny baby and whispered, "You're the whole reason we're doing this." The children spent the rest of the afternoon rehearsing. Hannah practiced rocking a pretend baby, Elijah worked on his shepherd lines, and Rosie read her narration into the microphone. But as the sun dipped behind the schoolyard trees and the last bell rang, none of them knew what was coming. The manger would be gone by morning. And the Christmas mystery… would begin. What happened next? To find out, find a comfortable spot and listen to the episode. _____________________________________________________ Story by: Esther & Steph  READ STORY ON THE BLOG VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  Music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Hey GIGI kids, Today we have a true story of God's wonderful protection - we know you will love it! Here's a sneak peek. Life in the little shed behind the white church wasn't easy for the family. They had escaped their home country because of the war and found safety in a quiet village. But even in this peaceful place, they still faced challenges. There was a man named Joaquín who lived nearby. He wasn't kind and often bullied the family. Every day Joaquín would yell at the family as he passed by, hurling insults and threats that made the girls tremble with fear. They even spotted him lurking in their backyard one day, though he fled before anyone could confront him. All the neighbours warned them to be careful around him. The daughters, Maria and Sofia, were particularly afraid of Joaquín. His loud voice and angry presence haunted their thoughts, and they worried about what he might do. But their parents always reassured them, reminding them of God's protection. "Stay close," their father would say, "and trust in God. He watches over us."   What happened next? To find out, find a comfortable spot and listen to the episode. _____________________________________________________ Story by: Esther  READ STORY ON THE BLOG VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   SHOP OUR AUDIOBOOKS Special effect editing: James Wagner  Music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Hey GIGI kids, Today we have a story that is inspired by the parables of Jesus - you can find it in your Bibles in Matthew 13:45-46   "My pearl necklace!" Sophia cried. "I can't find it! It was in my dress-up box this morning, and now it's just NOT!" "Take a deep breath," said Mum, "and let's have a look." She led the way back down the hall, with a sniffly Sophia following her.  "Now," said Mum, when they were back in Sophia's room. "Where did you last have it?"  Sophia thought hard.  "Well, I was pretending that I was a big lion this morning, and the couch was my den. Remember, I pulled all the cushions off the couch to make my den cozy?"  "I remember," Mum said dryly. "What about after that?"  "After you made me put my den away, I was an eagle soaring through the sky! And I was jumping off the table, only you told me to stop that too, so then, I was a teensy little worm. Or a caterpillar. I don't really remember, but I was wriggling my way under the piano and—"  Sophia gasped. What happened next? To find out, find a comfortable spot and listen to the episode. _____________________________________________________ Story by: Maritza Brunt READ STORY ON THE BLOG VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  Music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Hey GIGI kids, Today we have an amazing Bible story for you called "Elisha and the Invisible Army." You can find this story in your Bible in 2 Kings 6:8-23.   Night passed without a sound. But very early in the morning, Elisha's servant got up and went outside—and got the fright of his life. There were soldiers and horses and chariots everywhere!  "Elisha!" gasped the servant, running back inside. "Come, look!" Elisha calmly went to look at the troops surrounding the city. He didn't seem upset at all! "Oh, Master, what will we do now?" the young servant cried. Elisha turned to his servant. "Don't be afraid," he told his servant. "There are many more on our side than on the side of the Arameans." Then Elisha prayed. Dear God, open the eyes of my servant and let him see. And God opened the eyes of the servant—can you guess what he saw?   What happened next? To find out, find a comfortable spot and listen to the episode. _____________________________________________________ Story by: Maritza Brunt READ STORY ON THE BLOG VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  Music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

"It's getting dark," said Kate, looking up at the sky. "It'll be night soon. Should we try to come back the way we came?" "I don't think so," said Naomi. "We might somehow end up deeper in the forest. I think we'd better just sit here and hope someone comes to look for us." The girls slowly moved over to the tree stump and dropped their pinecones and berries. The castle didn't seem so important anymore. Suddenly, there was a snap of twigs ahead of them. "What-what was that?" Kate stammered. "I don't know," Naomi whispered. Now, her heart was beating really fast. Oh, why didn't I listen to Sophie and my parents? She thought. Now we're lost in the forest, and something might be coming to eat us for dinner! "I'm scared," Kate said, tears beginning to fill her eyes.  "Me too," said Naomi. "We shouldn't have disobeyed Sophie. All we can do now is pray." "Let's do that, please," Kate begged.  As the sun slowly sank lower over the tree line, the girls bowed their heads and prayed for someone to come and find them, also asking forgiveness for not listening to their parents and leader..... What happened next? To find out, find a comfortable spot and listen to the episode. _________________________________________________________________________________ Story by: Maritza Brunt READ STORY ON THE BLOG Caroline's letter VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Today's story is found in Mark 2:1–12 "Jesus heals a paralysed man"                               ________________________________________________ Picking his way carefully across the roof, Caleb stopped where he thought the middle of the house would be. Kneeling down, he began to pull at the tiles of the roof, trying to lift them off. Dirt caked under his fingernails as he dug, and the midday sun was hot against his back. His arm was getting really sore, but he forced himself to keep going, knowing Asher was down below, just waiting for his chance to see…  POP!  A tile lifted up, and Caleb was so surprised it took him a moment to register his thoughts. It worked! He thought to himself gleefully, as he pulled the rest of the tile off the roof. Once the tile had been taken off, through the small square, he could see into the house.  Walking quickly but carefully back to the edge of the roof, Caleb waved his arms to get Levi and Hannah's attention..... What happened next? To find out, find a comfortable spot and listen to the episode. _________________________________________________________________________________ Story by: Maritza Brunt READ STORY ON THE BLOG VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Today's story is about a rotten apple - but not only a rotten apple but about gossip as well.                               ________________________________________________ Did you hear about Anya?" Ruth looked up from her reading book to see her friend Eliza next to her.  "What did you say?" Ruth asked.  "Shh! Keep your voice down!" Eliza whispered. "I asked if you'd heard about what Anya did." "No? What happened?" Ruth asked.  "She cheated on the Bible quiz we had before lunch!" Eliza hissed. Ruth was shocked. She didn't know Anya very well, but she knew Anya was one of the smartest girls in their class, and she was especially good at knowing a lot of things from the Bible. Why would she need to cheat?  "Are you sure?" Ruth asked slowly.  "I'm positive!" Eliza said. "William saw her, and he told Kalia, and she told Max, and he told Amy, and she told me."  Ruth frowned. That seemed like a very long way of hearing something.  "I just can't imagine Anya doing something like this," she said.  Just then, their friend Ella dropped into the seat next to Ruth.  "Can't imagine what?" she asked.  "Anya cheated on the Bible quiz!" Eliza whispered to her.  "No way!" Ella exclaimed.  "Shhh!" Ruth hushed both of them. "We don't know that for sure, and I don't want Anya to hear you talking about her."  What happens next? Tune in to find out. _________________________________________________________________________________ Story by: Maritza Brunt Read story on the blog VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Today's story is about Stompy, the little elephant and her exciting fishing trip! But one night there is a storm and Stompy is afraid! Once in the boat, the waves were calm, and Stompy stared in awe and admiration of the vast sea. She had never been so close, surrounded by the endless ocean. As they sailed further, she spotted a few dolphins swimming by and trumpeted with joy. Suddenly, the boat began rocking from side to side. Stompy, Uncle Bob, and Papa Elephant quickly grabbed onto a thick rope with their trunks to keep from being thrown overboard. The rocking grew stronger, and poor Stompy started feeling seasick. She sobbed, scared, and called out for Papa Elephant to help her. Uncle Bob chuckled and said, "Hey, Kiddo, this is normal! I'm used to the rocking of the boat." "But… but…," Stompy tried to speak, but the boat kept swaying, and she couldn't steady herself. Papa Elephant gently pulled Stompy close and said, "Let me tell you a Bible story, Stompy. Did you know that once, Jesus commanded the sea to be quiet?" "Really?" Stompy replied, wide-eyed. What happens next? Tune in to find out. _________________________________________________________________________________ Story by: Martha Hughes Read story on the blog VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Our GIGI Story Club is open for subscriptions: We can't wait to welcome you inside. Join here: GIGI KIDS STORY CLUB _________________________________________________________________________ Today's story you can find in the Bible and it's about the prophet Jeremiah. You can find his story in Jeremiah 38. Jeremiah's heart pounded in his chest. He had just delivered God's message to the people, warning them to turn back to the Lord or face destruction.  But the people didn't want to hear it. The rulers of the city, feeling threatened by his words, decided they had heard enough of Jeremiah's warnings. "We can't let him keep speaking like this," one of the officials said angrily. "He needs to be silenced!"  So they captured him – they wanted him gone! The officials grabbed him roughly and they dragged him toward an old, dark pit in the courtyard, used long ago to store water but now filled with only mud at the bottom. The pit loomed before him, deep and dark, and Jeremiah could feel fear rising inside him.  What happens next? Tune in to find out. _________________________________________________________________________________ DON'T FORGET THAT OUR SUBSCRIPTION IS OPEN THIS MONTH! JOIN HERE https://gigistoryclub.supercast.com/ Story by: Esther  Read story of the blog VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Poppy and Esther are on an amazing train ride on their way to an adventure - join them as Esther tells the story of a boy who steals a toy train! Will he get caught? Jack took a deep breath. It was now or never. He grabbed his backpack, ran into Leo's room, and stuffed the train and the tracks into his backpack as quick as he could. Struggling with his now very heavy backpack, Jack closed Leo's door again and hustled down the steps. Leo was already buckled into the car and Dad was waiting outside to strap Jack in. Taking Jack's backpack, Dad looked surprise. "Whoa! What are you taking to school today, buddy? Rocks?" he joked. Jack laughed, but it sounded forced, even to him. The whole time he was thinking, Please don't open the backpack, please don't open the backpack.... What happens next? Tune in to find out. _________________________________________________________________________________ Story by: Maritza Brunt Website: https://www.gigistorylibrary.com.au/ VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Shop our audiobooks Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

We are so EXCITED to share with you a bonus episode that was exclusively released for our GIGI STORY CLUB SUBSCRIPTION! We hope you enjoy this sneak peek off what's inside the membership. Don't forget that we close subscriptions on December 24th at midnight, and they won't reopen until sometime in 2025. Our GIGI kids' story club subscription is filled with wonderful stories, quarterly audiobooks, Q&A with Poppy and Esther and monthly 5-day devotional. Join Today! Now get comfortable as you listen to the story of THE LOST PUPPY! JOIN THE SUBSCRIPTION Story by: Esther Website: https://www.gigistorylibrary.com.au/ VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

Have you joined the subscription yet? Our subscription will be closing on December 24th, and we'll only be reopening a few times next year. If you've been thinking about joining, now is the perfect time—don't miss your chance to be part of our GIGI community! We can't wait to welcome you! Join now: https://www.gigistorylibrary.com.au/subscriptions/ Our GIGI kids' story club subscription is filled with wonderful stories, quarterly audiobooks, Q&A with Poppy and Esther and monthly 5-day devotional. Join today! Today's story is found in your Bibles - you can read it in Genesis 22. Isaac was sleeping soundly on the mat in his tent home, when God spoke to his father Abraham. "Abraham," God called. Abraham said, "Here I am, Lord." "Take your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Build an altar there and offer Isaac on it as a burnt sacrifice to Me." Abraham could not believe his ears. Abraham had waited many years for this promised child. He did not understand why God now wanted him to sacrifice his precious son. But Abraham had learnt to obey God's commandments, and so he got out of bed and walked over to where Isaac lay asleep. Abraham wept as he looked at his son. They would not have very much time left to spend together. Abraham dried his tears as best he could, then shook Isaac. Isaac opened his eyes sleepily. Do you want to know what happens next? You can find out by listening to the whole story - it's a great one! Find a comfortable chair or cosy corner and enjoy! JOIN THE SUBSCRIPTION Story by: Ashlee Price Website: https://www.gigistorylibrary.com.au/ READ STORY ON THE BLOG   VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

JOIN THE SUBSCRIPTION: https://gigistoryclub.supercast.com/ Our GIGI kids' story club subscription is filled with wonderful stories, quarterly audiobooks, Q&A with Poppy and Esther and monthly 5-day devotional PLUS you'll learn more about Jesus. Join today! _________________________________________________ Today's story is about Noah and how unhappy he is with his skin colour. Have you ever felt sad because your skin is a different colour from your friends? The truth was, Noah would LOVE to wear sunscreen. Every morning when he woke up, he would stand at the bathroom mirror searching for a freckle, any sized freckle, so he could look like Shaun. Noah hated his dark skin. He hated being the only kid on his street with dark skin. He just wanted to be like the other kids. After he and Shaun had played some more, Noah slowly made his way back to his house. His mum looked up from the stove as he dragged himself inside. "Are you excited for the first day of school tomorrow?" she asked him. "No," sighed Noah, dropping down onto a stool. "Mum, why doesn't anybody else at school look like me?" "There are lots of kids at school with your skin colour, Noah, and lots of other skin colours, too," said Mum. "None in my class," said Noah, sadly. "I'm the only one with such dark skin. I don't like it, Mum. I wish my skin was lighter. I wish I had skin like Shaun's!" Do you want to know what happens next? You can find out by listening to the whole story - it's a great one! Find a comfortable chair or cosy corner and enjoy! JOIN THE SUBSCRIPTION Story by: Maritza Brunt Website: https://www.gigistorylibrary.com.au/ READ STORY ON THE BLOG   VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122

JOIN THE SUBSCRIPTION - Our GIGI kids' story club subscription is open! Join today https://gigistoryclub.supercast.com/ Today's story can be found in your Bibles in John 11. This is the story of Jesus' friend Lazarus and his resurrection. Lazarus was so sick he couldn't even talk. All he could do was cough weakly. Mary ran to the doorway. "Martha! MARTHA!" she screamed for her sister. Martha came running. She took one look at Lazarus and began to give orders. "Mary, you'll need to get a basin and fill it with water. Some clean cloths, and some herbs. And quickly!" She began to air out the room and gently moved Lazarus onto his side. Mary stayed in the doorway, worried for her brother. But then she remembered something! "Martha, we need to ask Jesus to come! He'll know what to do!" "You're right," Martha agreed. "Send a message to him now!" Do you want to know what happens next? You can find out by listening to the whole story - it's a great one! Find a comfortable chair or cosy corner and enjoy! Story by: Maritza Brunt JOIN THE SUBSCRIPTION https://gigistoryclub.supercast.com/ Website: https://www.gigistorylibrary.com.au/ READ STORY ON THE BLOG   VISIT OUR WEBSITE SHOP OUR BOOKS   Special effect editing: James Wagner  music credit: http://www.purple-planet.com/  Email us: [email protected] Write to us: GIGI KIDS STORIES PO BOX 6505 Upper Mt Gravatt Queensland Australia 4122