Sandal Steps Original Presentation

A Spirit-Driven Program for Catholic Children in
Kindergarten through 8th Grade


Because “God is as close as a whispered prayer”

Author of best-selling and award-winning book, He Said Yes, The Story of Father Mychal Judge, Kelly Ann Lynch is pleased to present her Sandal Steps© Presentations for Catholic children. Inspired by lifelong friend Father Mychal Judge, Kelly became the author of He Said Yes, a co-founder of Mychal’s Message and the founder of Sandal Steps© Presentations. Below you will find detailed information about Kelly's Sandal Steps (Original) presentation. Please visit Marian Program ~ NEW! on this website for detailed information about Kelly's Sandal Steps of Mary presentation. Both presentations are currently offered for elementary and middle school students.


SANDAL STEPS (Original)

Listening for God’s Voice

Kelly will speak to the children about what it means to say Yes to God, sharing little stories of her own childhood, including “The Seahorse Story,” and how she learned that God was as close as a whispered prayer. She will tell them how to recognize and hear God’s voice amidst the busy pace of today’s world and will use interactive puppets to share the story of Elijah and how he came to hear God’s voice in the soft sound of a whisper. In a simple game of “Follow The Leader,” Kelly will teach the children how they must look and listen for their leader—God—in order to follow Him.

Saying Yes

Encouraging and explaining vocations, Kelly will remind the children that each one of them is called to a vocation (single or married person in the church, priest, nun, deacon). Using puppets, she’ll tell the story of Samuel, one of the many people who said Yes to God. Kelly will show the children a doll of St. Francis and a large San Damiano crucifix from Assisi, as she explains the moment that St. Francis said Yes to God. Then Kelly will tell the children about Father Mychal Judge, a man she’d known all her life, and how he said Yes to God by following in the footsteps of St. Francis. Kelly will read her book, He Said Yes, to the children, explaining that the story doesn’t end, but rather continues with each of us today.

Making a Difference

Kelly will use puppets to tell the children how Samuel’s story continued and how God called Jesse’s young son David, through Samuel, to be the king of Israel. Encouraging the children to say Yes, she will tell them about her own daughter, Shannon, and how she said Yes to God when she was just 11 years old and inspired a nationally known organization in Father Mychal’s name that collects and distributes new items to the homeless and poor. Showing the children a can opener and a lunch bag, Kelly will challenge them to guess how these simple items could change a person’s life.

Living the Life You Were Meant to Live

Kelly will tell the children about the moment she was inspired to write He Said Yes, how the illustrator and the publisher said Yes, and all she learned during the writing, editing and publishing process. She will encourage the children to read and write, listen and learn, imagine and dream, and follow their hearts.

Sharing advice from her own father, Kelly will tell the children, “It’s okay to be different,” and she will encourage them to embrace and nurture those differences in each other. “Life is a gift,” she will tell them, and “it is up to each of us to accept that gift and to live the life we were meant to live.”


Unique and Spirit-Driven Program Includes


  • Puppets, story telling and song

  • Interactive presentation

  • Prayer cards and handouts (4 pages of fun, ready-to-use activities) for all children

  • Role-playing skit and “Kindness Challenge” for older children

  • Firemen's hats and stickers for kindergartners

  • Book reading

  • Two copies of He Said Yes donated to school library as well as a copy of a book written by Kelly's editor, Susan Heyboer O'Keefe

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