In 1 Samuel 10:17-27, Samuel gathers all Israel at Mizpah for a national assembly to publicly reveal their new king. But first, he reminds them of the hard truth: by demanding a king, they had rejected God who had always saved them. Then Samuel uses lots to narrow down God’s choice—tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family—until Saul son of Kish is chosen. But when they look for Saul, he’s nowhere to be found. They ask God, and he reveals that Saul has hidden himself among the baggage! They drag him out, and when he stands before the people—a head taller than everyone else—they shout, “Long live the king!” Samuel writes down the rules of the kingdom, and everyone goes home. Some valiant men follow Saul, but some troublemakers reject him. The big takeaway? You can’t hide from what God calls you to do—so step up and trust him.

Sponsor: This episode of The Hey Eddy! Podcast is brought to you by SAUL’S DELUXE HIDING SPOT LUGGAGE SET: For when God chooses you but you're just not feeling it!

In 1 Samuel 9:1–10:16, a tall, handsome young man named Saul is sent by his father to find some lost donkeys. After three days of searching with no success, his servant suggests consulting a nearby prophet—who turns out to be Samuel. What Saul doesn't know is that God told Samuel the day before, "Tomorrow I will send you a man from Benjamin. Anoint him as leader over my people." When Saul arrives, Samuel treats him like royalty, then privately pours oil on his head and declares him Israel's new king. To confirm this is really from God, Samuel gives Saul three specific signs—all of which come true that very day, including the Spirit of God rushing upon Saul and changing his heart. When Saul gets home, he tells his uncle the donkeys were found but says nothing about the kingdom. The big takeaway? God is working behind the scenes even when you can't see it.

Sponsor: This episode of The Hey Eddy! Podcast is brought to you by SAUL’S DONKEY TRACKING APP: Because not everyone who loses their donkeys is gonna end up finding a kingdom!

In this episode, Cousin Michael guides kids through 1 Samuel 7:2–17, where Israel finally comes back to God with their whole hearts after twenty years of half-hearted faith. Samuel challenges the people to get rid of their foreign idols and serve God alone—and they do. At a gathering in Mizpah, Israel pours out water, fasts, and confesses their sin. But when the Philistines hear about the assembly and march to attack, the terrified Israelites beg Samuel to pray. As Samuel offers a sacrifice, God answers with massive thunder that throws the Philistine army into chaos, and Israel chases them down in victory. Samuel then sets up a stone called Ebenezer—meaning "Stone of Help"—declaring, "Thus far the LORD has helped us." Remarkably, this victory happens near the same place Israel suffered devastating defeat in chapter 4. Kids learn that real repentance requires your whole heart, prayer is the most powerful weapon, and God can turn places of failure into places of victory.

In 1 Samuel 5:1–7:1, the Philistines capture the ark of God and place it in the temple of their god Dagon as a trophy of victory. But the next morning, Dagon has fallen face-down before the ark—and the morning after that, his head and hands are broken off like a defeated soldier. God then sends plagues of tumors and rats on every Philistine city the ark visits: Ashdod, then Gath, then Ekron. After seven months of disaster, the Philistines send the ark back to Israel on a cart pulled by two mother cows who walk straight toward Israel instead of returning to their calves—proving God was behind everything. But even the Israelites at Beth Shemesh learn that God’s holiness is serious when seventy men die for treating the ark carelessly. The big takeaway? God doesn’t need anyone to defend Him—He fights His own battles and always wins.

Sponsor: This episode of The Hey Eddy! Podcast is brought to you by DAGON’S SUPER GLUE: Because SOMEBODY keeps knocking your god over, and it’s definitely not a coincidence!

In 1 Samuel 4, Israel loses a battle to the Philistines and comes up with a plan: bring the ark of the covenant to the battlefield, and God will HAVE to save us. They were trying to use God like a lucky charm. But it backfires horribly—Israel is crushed, thirty thousand soldiers die, the ark is CAPTURED by the enemy, and Hophni and Phinehas both die on the same day, exactly as God predicted. When old Eli hears the ark is captured, he falls backward, breaks his neck, and dies. Phinehas’s dying wife names her newborn son ICHABOD—meaning “the glory has departed.” The big lesson? You can’t treat God like a magic object you control. He’s a Person you have a relationship with. Religious stuff without a real heart for God is empty—and it doesn’t work.

Sponsor: This episode of The Hey Eddy! Podcast is brought to you by THE LUCKY ARK KEYCHAIN: It won’t work because God isn’t a good luck charm you can carry around.

In this episode, Cousin Michael takes kids through 1 Samuel 3:1–4:1a, where God breaks a long silence by calling young Samuel's name in the middle of the night. Samuel doesn't recognize God's voice and runs to Eli three times thinking the old priest called him. Finally Eli realizes what's happening and tells Samuel to respond, "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." When God comes and stands before Samuel, He delivers a hard message: judgment is coming for Eli's family because Eli knew his sons were wicked but failed to stop them. Samuel is terrified to share the news, but when Eli presses him, he tells the truth without leaving anything out. Eli accepts God's word with quiet submission. From that night on, God is with Samuel, every prophecy comes true, and all Israel recognizes him as a true prophet. Kids learn that God is patient, His Word sometimes challenges us, and faithful listening can change everything.

In this episode, Cousin Michael walks kids through 1 Samuel 2:11–36, contrasting two very different paths. Eli's sons Hophni and Phinehas were priests who stole the best meat from God's sacrifices, bullied worshipers, and ignored their father's weak warnings. Meanwhile, young Samuel quietly and faithfully served God at the Tabernacle, growing "in favor with the LORD and also with man"—language the Bible later echoes about Jesus Himself. Eli knew his sons were corrupt but never stopped them, prompting God to send a prophet with a devastating message: "Why do you honor your sons more than me?" God declared that Eli's family would lose their priestly line and that both sons would die on the same day, but He also promised to raise up a faithful priest who would do what was in His heart. Kids learn that small choices lead to big destinations, doing nothing is still a choice, and God always honors those who honor Him.

In this episode, Cousin Michael introduces kids to 1 Samuel 1:1–2:10 and the story of Hannah, a heartbroken woman who desperately wanted a child while her husband’s other wife Peninnah mocked her year after year. At the Tabernacle in Shiloh, Hannah pours out her soul to God in silent prayer, promising that if He gives her a son, she will dedicate him back to God’s service for life. The priest Eli mistakes her for a drunk but then blesses her, and Hannah leaves in peace, trusting God heard her. God answers, and Hannah gives birth to Samuel—whose name means “asked of God.” She keeps her promise, bringing young Samuel to serve at the Tabernacle, then sings a powerful song praising God as the great Reverser who lifts up the lowly and brings down the proud. Kids learn that God hears even silent, tearful prayers and that His timing is always perfect.

In this episode, three women—Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome—head to the tomb at sunrise on Sunday to anoint Jesus's body with spices. They worry about who will roll away the massive stone, but when they arrive it's already moved. Inside, a young man in a white robe tells them, "He has risen! He is not here," and sends them to tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus is going ahead of them to Galilee. Mark's Gospel ends surprisingly with the women fleeing in fear and silence—yet the good news clearly spread, because we're still telling the story two thousand years later. The episode walks through what the resurrection means: Jesus really died, really rose, and kept every promise He made. Kids are challenged with the question Mark leaves for everyone: now that you know Jesus is alive, what will you do with this news?

In this episode, Cousin Michael walks kids through the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. Simon of Cyrene is forced to carry the cross, and Jesus is nailed up at Golgotha between two criminals with a sign reading “The King of the Jews.” Mockers taunt Him to save Himself, not realizing He could have—but chose not to, because saving Himself would have meant not saving us. Darkness covers the land for three hours before Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and breathes His last. At that moment the Temple curtain tears from top to bottom, opening the way to God for everyone. A Roman centurion declares, “Surely this man was the Son of God,” and Joseph of Arimathea bravely buries Jesus in a rock tomb. Kids learn that Jesus willingly gave His life out of love—and that this dark day is not the end of the story.