was created especially for

Jessica Ann Smith

at the age of 6

With love from

Mommy and Daddy

April 10, 2002

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Jessica, did you know that there was a

time when the world was a wicked place

full of hate? God was not pleased.

He decided to send a flood that would

rid the earth of all the bad people.

One good man and his family would be

spared. Do you know this man's name?

Do you think Kelley will know his name?

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That's right, Jessica, Noah was his

name. God is good and He would never

send a great flood without warning. So

God told Noah about His plans.

"Ark" means a big boat, Jessica.

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Noah went to the fields where his sons

were plowing. Their names were Shem,

Japheth and Ham. They listened as

Noah spoke. "God has spoken to me and

has told me to build an ark. It will

be four hundred feet long and three

stories tall. We will bring a pair of

every living creature. We must begin

building the ark now!" said Noah.

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Then, Jessica, the three sons agreed to

help Noah build the ark. Shem, Japheth

and Ham along with Noah started to cut

down large trees. They used the trees

to make the huge ark. They started

early every morning and worked until

night fell. The work was hard, but

they had to do it because God had said

that soon the rains would begin.

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Soon the ark began to take shape. When

the neighbors saw the large boat that

Noah and his sons were making, they

began to laugh. They did not offer to

help Noah. Jessica, do you think the

neighbors should have done that?

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Finally the ark was finished, Jessica.

Noah called the animals and they came to the ark.

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There were elephants, tigers, monkeys,

foxes, elk, giraffes, buffalos,

badgers, snakes, rodents, birds and

insects. All the animals arrived in

pairs according to God's plan.

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Two by two, the animals walked up the

ramp and into the ark. The animals

were calm and gentle. Each pair

settled into the place that Noah had built for them.

After most of the animals were safely

on board, Jessica, Noah's family began

to load the ark with food.

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Noah, his three sons, his wife, and his

three sons' wives brought apples,

pears, peaches and grapes. They also

brought barley, oats, wheat and hay for

the animals. Then they stored clothes

and fresh water to last for many days.

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At last, the turtles arrived, and Noah

knew that all the animals were safe.

The sky turned dark. Noah entered the

ark with his family and God closed the

door on them. The rains came. Noah's

neighbors pounded on the ark and begged

to be saved, but Noah would not go

against the will of God. He and his

family remained safe inside the ark,

Jessica, as the flood waters began to cover the earth.

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It rained for forty days and forty

nights. The ark drifted on the surface

of the rising water. Flood waters

increased and covered even the tallest

mountains until no dry land remained.

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The storms raged, the wind howled and

the seas frothed. The ark pitched

about on enormous waves with Noah,

his family and the animals safe

inside. Later, God thought about

Noah and the ark. The flood waters

went down. The ark landed with a

BUMP! It was stuck on top of a

mountain called Ararat. Noah knew

that they would be getting out of the

ark soon. He had to find land, but how?

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Noah let a raven fly from the window

and it came right back. No land this

time. Next, Noah let a dove fly and

when it came back, it had an olive

branch in its beak. One week later,

Noah let the dove go again, and this

time the dove did not return. "Land

is near," said Noah. Jessica, how did

Noah know that land was near when the

dove did not return?

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Exactly! If the dove found land and

food, it would stay away. Soon, all

the flood waters drained away. The sun

shone down brightly on the puddles that were left.

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Noah and the animals came out of the

ark. Noah and his family built an

altar and gave thanks to God for being

spared. God was pleased. God

promised never to flood the earth

again, and to prove His word He placed

a rainbow in the sky.

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