Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

Read: John 15:12-15 “I can’t believe Aanya would do this to me!” Lucy pulled the friendship bracelet off her wrist and dropped it in the trash. “Lucy? Are you okay?” her mother asked. “Why are you throwing away your bracelet from Aanya?” “I thought she was my friend.” Lucy hung her backpack up on its hook and sat down at the table. “But she told my secret to the entire class. Even the boys!” “What secret?” asked Mom. Lucy told her, and Mom sighed. “I’m sorry, Lu.” Mom thought for a moment. “Do you have any more of the thread you use to make bracelets?” Lucy nodded. She got up and brought the box of brightly colored threads to the table. Mom started looking through the threads and picking some out. “What are you doing?” Lucy asked. “I’m making you a friendship bracelet. It will remind you that you always have a friend, one who will never betray you.” Mom began twisting the strands together. She pointed to a dark thread. “This friend loves you even though you’ve done bad things and will always love you no matter what you do.” “Is it you?” Lucy asked. “No. Even though I love you very much, this person loves you even more.” Mom picked up a red thread. “He died to save you from your sins.” She held up a white one and a green one. “He washed you clean of sin and gave you new life.” “I know who my friend is! It’s Jesus!” Lucy exclaimed. “And the bracelet has the same colors as the wordless book I made at church. The gold stands for the streets of gold in heaven.” “Yes, Jesus loved you enough to give His life so you could have eternal life with Him. He loves you so much, Lucy. He’ll always be there for you, even when no one else is.” She reached over and slipped the bracelet onto Lucy’s wrist. “You can wear this as a reminder that Jesus is the best friend you’ll ever have.” Lucy looked at the bracelet. “Since Jesus is such a good friend to me, maybe I should give Aanya another chance.” Mom smiled and gave Lucy a hug. “That’s a great idea. Jesus will be with you as you show His forgiveness to Aanya.” –Jessica Kleeberger How about you? Have you ever been disappointed by someone? Maybe it was a friend, a parent, a brother, or a sister. The good news is that God’s children have a friend who will never let them down. That friend is Jesus Christ! He loved you enough to die for you so you could have eternal life with Him. You can trust Him as your very best friend. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the ultimate best friend

Read: Hebrews 4:14-16 Bryson wrote something on a piece of paper, then crumpled it up and threw it in the trash can. He did this several times, and before long he was out of paper. He laid his head on his desk in frustration. Just then Mom walked by. “What’s wrong, Bryson?” “I’m all out of paper. Can we go to the store so I can get some more?” Mom glanced at the crumpled balls of paper in and around the trash can. “What are you trying to write?” “Our Sunday school teacher challenged us to write an encouraging letter to someone. I immediately thought of Dylan. He’s been really upset lately about his parents getting a divorce. So I’ve been trying to write him a letter, but everything I write sounds dumb.” Bryson picked up a ball of paper and handed it to his mother. “You can read one of my attempts if you want.” Mom uncrumpled the paper. “Hey, Dylan. Sorry your parents are getting a divorce. Hope you have a good day anyway.” “See, Mom? Everything sounds so dumb, and I don’t know what I can say to make Dylan feel better. I have no idea what he’s going through, but I know it must be hard.” Bryson sighed. “And now I’m all out of paper.” “I’m sorry, Bryson,” Mom said. “I have no idea how to make paper, so I can’t help you.” Bryson frowned. “Mom, I don’t need you to make me paper. I just need you to take me to a place where I can get some.” Mom nodded. “You’re exactly right—and it’s the same with Dylan. He doesn’t need you to solve his problems. He just needs you to take them to someone who can—God. Jesus understands what Dylan is going through and loves him so much that He suffered and died to save him. He knows exactly what Dylan needs. The biggest encouragement you can give Dylan is to tell him you’re praying for him and then do it.” She smiled. “I’ll pick up some more paper at the store tomorrow. In the meantime, why don’t you take Dylan’s problems to Jesus in prayer?” Bryson nodded, and after Mom left, he bowed his head and said a prayer for Dylan. –Melissa Yeagle How About You? Do you know someone who’s going through a hard time? Even though you may want to, you can’t solve everyone’s problems. The best thing you can do for a friend in need is take their problems to God in prayer. He may direct you to help them in other ways too, but ultimately He’s the only one able to give them what they need. Encourage your friend by letting them know you’re praying for them. Today's Key Verse: God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Pray for those who are hurting

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 37:5-9, 39-40 Mallory blew her nose. Again. “Mom, how long do allergies last?” she asked as they drove away from the doctor’s office. Mom smiled sympathetically. “The doctor said you have seasonal allergies, so you’ll probably have them the next couple of months.” “Great,” said Mallory glumly. She felt stuffed up, and her head was foggy. “I know you don’t feel well,” Mom said. “We’ll be home soon.” As they drove across a bridge, a blanket of fog seemed to come up out of nowhere and surround them. Mallory peered out the window, trying see the water below the bridge, but it was like everything had disappeared. “I can hardly see a thing,” Mom muttered as she turned on the headlights. She slowed down and carefully steered the car over the bridge. A few minutes later they were off the bridge and heading home. Mallory couldn’t believe how quickly it went from being so foggy to clear skies and sunshine. She turned around to watch the fog slowly float away behind them. “Wow, that was crazy, Mom! Weren’t you scared driving over the bridge when you could hardly see?” Mom nodded. “It was a little scary, but as long as I kept my eyes focused on what was in front of me, I knew we’d get to the other side of the bridge eventually.” She turned the headlights off and headed into the sunshine. “You know, Mallory, faith can sometimes be foggy too,” she said thoughtfully. “How can faith be foggy?” Mallory asked. “Even though we have Jesus in our lives, there will sometimes be days when we won’t feel joyful or know what to do about a tough situation. That’s when we need to depend on God to show us the way through our foggy faith.” “How do we do that?” asked Mallory. “By keeping our focus on Jesus. We can do that by listening to what He says to us in the Bible and talking to Him about everything. Even when we can’t see what’s in front of us, we can hold on to God’s promises and what we know is true. Jesus will always be with us in the fog, and we can trust Him to bring us out on the other side.” –Kelly Hope How about you? Are you going through a foggy time in your faith? Maybe you’re not feeling very joyful or you’re facing difficulties in life. Keep talking to Jesus in prayer and reading your Bible to get to know Him better. Remember that He saved you by dying for your sin, and trust Him to help you get through the fog and show you the next step to take. Today's Key Verse: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus in foggy times

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 Wynn visited her garden every day, and her tomato plants, which she and her sister had named Love, Joy, Patience, and Goodness, grew and grew. Then one evening dark clouds began to gather on the horizon. At first Wynn watched from her bedroom window as droplets of water fell from the sky, but soon she could no longer see her poor little tomato plants through the sheets of falling rain. Suddenly lightning cracked in the sky, and the wind blew so hard that a tree branch fell inches from the window. Mom called for Wynn and Riley to come down into the basement. In the morning, when the storm was over, Wynn and Riley walked timidly to the garden. The grass was swampy, and several branches littered the ground. Wynn’s and Riley’s rain boots made great slurping noises as they plodded through the mud. Both girls were afraid of what they might find in the garden, but when Wynn approached, she let out a shout of excitement. “They’re okay!” All four tomato plants were unhurt. Wynn was about to give Riley a hug when she heard a sob from next door. She looked over to see Kai, the mean neighbor boy who had made fun of her tomato plants, crying. The wind had lifted his tomato plants up by the roots, and the rain had pounded them into the ground. Now the space of earth where Kai’s garden had been was nothing but green mush. Riley leaned down and whispered into Wynn’s ear as they watched Kai go back into his house. “Do you remember what the first fruit of the Spirit is?” “Love,” said Wynn. “Nothing grows without love.” The girls whispered together for a moment longer, then Riley got a shovel. Carefully she dug up Love, the tomato plant that had just begun to sprout little green fruits. They were careful not to damage the roots as they lifted the plant out of the ground. Together they took the plant next door. Riley dug a spot in the ruined mush of Kai’s garden. Then, ever so carefully, Wynn placed the tomato plant inside the hole. She filled the hole with dirt and planted Love there in the center of her neighbor’s garden. –Kristin Beaven How about you? Is it hard for you to love someone who’s been mean to you? The Bible tells us that love is the most important way we show others who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. He loved people who were mean to him—He died for us when we were His enemies, separated from God because of our sin. When we’re kind to others—even when they’re not kind to us—we’re planting seeds of His love. Today's Key Verse: Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Plant seeds of love

Read: Galatians 5:16-26 “Riley!” Wynn called to her sister as she inspected her four tiny tomato plants. “Look, little green tomatoes!” This was Wynn’s very first time growing a garden, and she was very excited. Riley smiled. “See? You just needed to have patience.” Riley was fourteen and had helped their mother grow vegetable gardens before. “Look at those shrimpy tomatoes!” a voice taunted from next door. “We had tomatoes on our plants weeks ago.” The voice came from Kai, their neighbor, who was always mocking Wynn. He and his mother also had a garden. They had bought their plants already half grown, and they were now full of fruit. Riley put her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Ignore him. Yours are growing just fine. Now that they’re starting to get fruit, we should name them,” she told Wynn, trying to distract her from Kai’s rudeness. “That’s what Mom and I do with our plants each year.” “What should we name them?” Wynn asked. “Well, tomatoes are fruit,” said Riley. “And the Bible tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” “Wow, that’s a lot of fruit!” said Wynn. “Yep,” said Riley. “And it’s all fruit that the Holy Spirit grows in our lives when we put our faith in Jesus, just like your tomatoes grow in your garden.” “But we only have four plants, so which names should we choose?” asked Wynn. “I think the first one should be Patience,” said Riley, “to remind you to have patience as the tomatoes grow.” Wynn giggled. “Okay, and we’ll name the second one Joy because I will be full of joy when they finally do! And the next one can be Goodness, because the tomatoes will be full of yummy goodness.” Wynn smiled. “Now I’ve named two and you named one, so you have to name the last one.” “The last one should be Love,” said Riley. “Because nothing grows without love.” Wynn looked down at her garden. “Now all four of our fruit of the Spirit plants have names.” “Yep,” said Riley. “And they’re going to keep growing just like the fruit of the Spirit is growing in you.” –Kristin Beaven How about you? Did you know that, if you’re a Christian, you have fruit growing in your life? When we trust Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit begins to work in our hearts so that His ways grow in us like fruit in a garden. As He fills our hearts with love, He grows the fruit of the Spirit in our lives to make us more like Jesus. Trust Him to fill your life with good fruit so others can see His love. Today's Key Verse: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: God grows fruit in Christians’ lives

Read: Psalm 133:1; Philippians 2:14-16; Colossians 3:23 George rubbed his stomach and John licked his lips as they entered the kitchen. “That sure was a good meal,” said George. “I love that chicken Mom makes.” John set his plate in the sink with a clang. “But look at all the dirty dishes,” he said. “The sink is full of them. I’m glad it’s your turn to clean up.” “It’s not my turn. I did dishes last night. Don’t you remember?” John put his hands on his hips. “I know you did them last night, but last week I did them two nights in a row because you had soccer practice. So you owe me.” Mom entered the kitchen. “Goodness, boys. Do you have to fight about everything? I worked hard to make this meal because I know it’s one of your favorites. I’d appreciate your help cleaning up.” John pointed his finger at George, and George stuck out his tongue. “You know what the Bible says?” Mom asked. “It says lots of things,” said George. “In the book of Philippians, Paul tells us to do everything without complaining or arguing.” “Everything?” asked John. “Even dishes? I bet Paul never had to do dishes.” “Maybe not,” Mom said. “But he worked really hard as a missionary. And he also worked as a tentmaker because he didn’t want to ask for money. In Colossians, another book of the Bible, Paul tells us to do our work willingly and joyfully because we’re really doing it for Jesus, who willingly died on the cross to save us. And do you know what else the Bible says?” George and John both answered at the same time. “It says lots of things.” Mom smiled. “In Psalms it says it is good and pleasant when brothers live in unity.” George and John glared at each other. Then George’s lips curved up the tiniest bit. Then John grinned even more. And suddenly they were both laughing. “I know you did the dishes last night,” said John. “Sometimes when I have band rehearsal, you do them two nights in a row, and I don’t always repay you. So I can do them tonight.” “Or maybe we can do them together,” George said as he picked up a dish towel. “You wash, I dry?” John nodded and flicked on the faucet. –Carol Raj How about you? Do you complain about work you have to do? Do you argue with others when it seems like you’re doing more than they are? Instead of complaining and arguing, think of chores and other tasks as opportunities to show others God’s love. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the one we’re truly working for, and when we do our work out of love and joy, we reflect Him. Today's Key Verse: Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Help without complaining

Read: Job 12:7-10; Matthew 6:26 “Mom, what is this animal?” Tiana asked as she gazed past the zoo fence. The animal looked strong like a horse, but it had the stripes of a zebra on its legs. “Is it a type of zebra?” Mom looked at the plate in front of the cage. “It’s an okapi. It’s related to the giraffe.” “Not a zebra?” Tiana asked, wondering where the dark brown on the animal’s head and back came from. It was kind of cute with its big ears. “Do you think okapis have good hearing?” “Not sure, but they can lick their own ears!” Mom exclaimed. “They have long, blueish tongues that help them reach and grab hold of leaves they want to eat. That’s crazy!” “I hope I see one stick out its tongue today.” Tiana watched the okapis closely, hoping to catch a glimpse of one licking its ear. “They also have oily coats that make rain slide right off,” Mom said as she continued reading the plate. “So, they never get wet.” “That’s super cool,” Tiana said, still staring at the animals. “Tiana, how did the okapi learn to get an oily coat?” Mom asked her. “Do you think they rub their backs in a puddle of oil?” Tiana frowned. “No, that’s silly. They were made that way.” “Made that way by who?” Mom asked. “God,” Tiana answered. “He made everything.” “He did, didn’t He? He gave them their ears and tongues and oily skin. He clearly cares a whole lot about okapis.” Tiana shrugged. “I guess.” “If God cares so much about these animals, how much more do you think He cares about you?” Mom asked gently. “I know you’ve been having a hard time since I started dating Rod. I know you miss your dad. I just want you to remember that Jesus loves you and is always with you. He came to earth and died to save you, and He cares about every detail of your life. You can talk to Him about anything—big or small.” “I’m glad God cares about me.” Tiana watched one of the okapis lie down and lick its ear. She smiled. “And I’m glad He cares about okapis too.” –Kimberly Brokish How about you? Do you ever wonder if God cares about you? He does. When you look at the amazing way He created each animal and gave it exactly what it needs, you can see how much He cares about His creation. Yet the Bible says He cares about us even more than animals. He made us in His image and sent His Son, Jesus, to save us so we could have eternal life with Him. You can talk to Him about anything, knowing He cares about you. Today's Key Verse: Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God cares about you

Read: Philippians 3:4-9 As Dad and Micah walked into the station, the train on the track gave two long whistles. “It looks like our train is almost ready to pull out—we must be later than I thought!” said Dad. “Good thing I got our tickets ahead of time. Come on!” They made a dash for it and were just settling down in their seats when the train began to move. Micah was so excited he could hardly sit still. “I can’t believe we’re really going to see the Cubs play in person! How many miles is it to Chicago, Dad?” “I don’t know exactly. You can ask the conductor. Here he comes now—get your ticket ready! Here, you can give him mine too.” The conductor approached, and Micah proudly held out the tickets. “Thank you, young man,” the conductor said. He looked at the tickets, and then turned to Dad. “Sir, I’m afraid you’ve either got the wrong tickets or the wrong train. Your tickets are for Chicago, but this train is going to St. Louis.” “Oh no!” exclaimed Dad. “How could I have made such a mistake? I was sure I had the right train.” “You can get off at the next station,” the conductor said. “Then you can catch the first train back the other way. It shouldn’t take too long.” “Are we going to make it to Chicago, Dad?” Micah asked anxiously. “What about the ball game?” “I think we’ll still make it to the game,” Dad assured him. “You know, Micah, this kind of thing happens a lot.” “You mean a lot of people get on the wrong train?” Micah asked. “I was thinking of something even worse than that,” Dad replied. “Everyone wants to go to heaven someday, but when we try to get there the wrong way, it’s like we’re on the wrong train. No matter how good we try to be, the Bible says we won’t get to heaven by anything we do. Do you know the way that does lead to heaven, Micah?” “Sure,” Micah answered. “Jesus says He’s the way.” “Right,” said Dad. “He’s the one and only way to heaven. We can only have eternal life with God by trusting in Him.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Are you trying to get to heaven by living a good life? By going to church, giving to people in need, or doing nice things for others? If so, you’re going the wrong way! None of those things will get you to heaven. Jesus is the only way. It’s not what you do, but what He did for you on the cross, that gives you eternal life. Trust in Him today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the way to heaven

Read: Psalm 119:9-16 Manuel looked up when Grandpa walked into the room. “Do you know where I left my glasses?” Grandpa asked as he reached for his Bible. Grandma sighed. “Did you lose those glasses again? You had them on when you paid the pizza delivery man.” “We didn’t order pizza today. That was yesterday,” said Grandpa. “Somebody else was here today. Now…” He stopped a moment to cough. “Your cough doesn’t seem to be getting better,” Grandma said. “You’d better get more medicine.” “I just got some,” said Grandpa. He paused and furrowed his brows. “Leo!” he suddenly called out, making Manuel jump. “That’s who came today!” Grandpa turned to Manuel. “Leo lives next door, and he picks up medicine for me.” Just then Manuel spied Grandpa’s glasses lying on the table. “Here are your glasses, Grandpa.” “Oh good, you found them,” Grandma said. “Now, if only I could find mine!” Manuel grinned. “They’re on your head, Grandma!” “Oh, look at that!” Grandma laughed. “I don’t remember putting them on.” Grandpa put on his glasses and opened the Bible he was holding. “Are you gonna memorize some verses, Grandpa?” Manuel asked. Grandpa shook his head. “Not today, but we used to memorize whole chapters when we were kids.” “That’s right,” said Grandma. “Sometimes when our eyes are tired now, we just say some of them together.” “Wait a minute,” Manuel said with a puzzled look. “You can’t remember things that happened today—even just a little while ago—so how do you remember things you learned when you were kids?” Grandpa smiled. “The things we learn as kids just stick in our brains better, I guess. The older you get, the harder it is to remember things. That’s why we encourage you to read and memorize God’s Word as much as you can now, while you’re young.” Grandma nodded. “The verses I learned as a child have stuck with me all through my life. They’ve reminded me in difficult times that I belong to Jesus and that He’s always with me. That’s something I’ll never forget!” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Are you hiding God’s Word in your heart? One way to do that is by memorizing Bible verses. Try it now with today’s key verse. Read it over a few times, then shut your eyes and see if you can say it out loud. Try to do that with a different verse every day or week. But don’t just memorize the words—think about what God is telling you. Use His Word to help you remember His truth and promises. Today's Key Verse: Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Memorize Bible verses

Read: 1 John 1:5-9 “Ronan!” Mom called. “Can you take out the trash, please? I had to get rid of the old trash can, so you’ll just have to stack the bags in the garage for now.” Ronan scowled. “Why can’t Daisy put it out for once? All she ever does is sit around and text her friends.” Daisy scowled back at him. “At least I have friends!” “Both of you, stop it!” said Mom. “Why do you kids have to fight all the time?” Ronan didn’t say anything more as he grudgingly took out the trash. When they pulled into the garage a couple days later, Daisy held her nose as she got out of the car. “Ugh! Something stinks in here!” “It’s the trash!” said Mom. “Let’s move these bags out to the driveway. I’ll text Dad and remind him to pick up a new trash can on his way home.” “Hey! Come back here and help!” Ronan called to Daisy, who was going into the house. “No wonder you didn’t get a part in the school play—they must have known you’d be too lazy to learn your lines!” Daisy kicked at the bag he was holding. “Be quiet, dummy!” she yelled. “That’s enough!” Mom said sternly. “You’ll both help.” When they finished, Mom made them go to the kitchen and sit down. “Your attitudes remind me of that trash,” she told them. “Sorry,” Ronan muttered. “Can I get up now?” “No!” Mom pulled out a chair and sat down. “The way you’ve been acting stinks worse than the trash you took out of the garage today. Things like bad attitudes, selfishness, and jealousy hurt people Jesus wants us to love and drive them away from us. That’s why we need to confess those stinky sins to Jesus. He’ll forgive us and make us clean. He’ll also help us apologize to others for what we’ve done and replace mean, selfish attitudes with kindness and love.” Daisy and Ronan were quiet for a moment, then they looked at each other. “I’m sorry,” they said in unison. That made them smile. Mom stood up and grinned. “It smells better in here already!” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Have you noticed any trash in your life lately? Sins like meanness, gossip, laziness, selfishness, and unkind words can really stink up your life and hurt your relationships with others. Ask Jesus to take out the trash! When you confess your sins to Him, He forgives you and makes you clean. Then trust Him to help you tell others you’re sorry and replace unkind attitudes with His love. Today's Key Verse: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Confess sin and be clean

Read: Isaiah 53:4-11 “Mom, I don’t understand this verse,” Alec said. “It’s Second Corinthians 5:21. ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’ I know it’s talking about Jesus, but what does it mean when it says He was made to be sin for us? Jesus never sinned, did He?” “No, He didn’t,” said Mom. “That’s why He was able to save us by taking our sin upon Himself. Let’s see if I can find a way to help you think about it.” She pulled up a picture on her phone. “Here’s a picture of a leper—a person who has leprosy. It’s a contagious disease mentioned often in the Bible, and it can still be found in some parts of the world today.” Alec looked at the picture and frowned. “That poor man. He doesn’t have any fingers or toes, just little stumps!” “Yes,” said Mom, “and he’s blind too. If you saw this man, what would you do for him?” Alec thought about it. “I would give him a drink of water and some food.” “But he’s dying,” said Mom. “Would you love him enough to get down beside him and take him in your arms and tell him that if he trusts in Jesus, he’ll go to heaven?” Alec hesitated, then nodded. “But I’d want to wear a mask so I wouldn’t get sick.” “But what if, in order to really help him, you had to get sick?” Mom asked. “What if you had the power to allow all of his sickness to flow into your body and let all of your strength and health flow into his? Would you do that?” Alec cringed at that idea. “I don’t think I could do that,” he said. “He has such a horrible disease!” Mom nodded. “Yet that’s what Jesus did for us, Alec. He never sinned, but He took all our sin upon Himself and died on the cross to take our punishment. That’s what caused Him to suffer so much—not just the physical pain of the crucifixion, but bearing the huge weight of our sin.” Alec thought it over. “I think I’m beginning to understand.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Have you ever thought about what Jesus did when He died for your sins? He suffered great shame and horror by taking your sin upon Himself. He took your place on the cross so you could spend eternity in heaven with Him instead of hell—He loves you that much! Accept His sacrifice for your sins and trust Him as your Savior. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus took your sin upon Himself

Read: Ephesians 1:4-6 Audrey sat on the front steps, lost in thought. She’d had a rough week. She failed her math test and skinned her knee, and one of her best friends had moved away. Why is God letting all these things happen to me? she thought. It almost seems like He doesn’t care about me anymore. Audrey glanced up when her puppy came bounding out onto the front porch. “Hello, Shamrock,” she said. But Shamrock didn’t seem interested in her—he was too busy gnawing on something. “Hey, that’s mine!” Audrey exclaimed, grabbing a wallet from the puppy’s mouth. “I just got this, and now you’ve ruined it!” She looked the torn-up wallet over and sighed. “Maybe Mom can fix it.” Mom came out onto the front porch and examined the wallet. “Hmm, this is pretty torn up. We’ll probably have to throw it out.” “But it’s still good,” said Audrey. “It’s just a little torn.” “This wallet has been through a lot,” Mom said. “Are you sure we shouldn’t throw it away? It’s too torn and dirty to be worth anything.” “Mom, just because it doesn’t look so good doesn’t mean it isn’t worth anything. If we fix it up, it will be as good as new.” Mom smiled. “You probably feel a lot like this wallet right now, don’t you?” Audrey gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean?” she asked. “I know this wallet is still good, and with a little TLC, I can fix it up,” Mom said. “I just wanted to help you see that your life is like this wallet. I know this week has been rough for you. But even though you’ve been through a lot, you’re still valuable. You belong to Jesus, who came into our broken world and gave His life to save you and make you His, and He’ll always be there to help you through life’s difficulties. His thoughts toward you will never change, no matter how torn up you feel.” “Thanks, Mom,” Audrey said, giving Shamrock a hug. “I’m glad I’ll always be valuable to Jesus. And I’m glad you can fix my wallet—things are already starting to look up!” –Norah Varner How about you? Have you ever felt like God has turned away from you? Do you feel like you can’t do anything right? Jesus loves you so much that He died and rose again to save you, and He’ll never leave you. No matter what has happened to you or what you’ve done, His thoughts toward you will never change. He will always love you and care for you. Today's Key Verse: This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life. Psalm 119:50 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: You’re valuable to Jesus

Read: John 13:35; Romans 1:14-16 “Happy birthday!” Ivy said when she arrived at her friend Rennah’s birthday party. Ivy’s family had moved recently, and she’d been praying for new friends. Now she had some. But there was a problem at Rennah’s party. “Okay, you guys,” Rennah said when they were ready to play the first game. “Here’s what you do. Everybody has to draw a slip of paper from this basket. When it’s your turn, you have to do what it says.” She began to pass the basket, and each girl pulled out a piece of paper. Ivy eagerly unfolded her slip of paper and looked at it. Oh no! she thought. Doing this would be wrong, but if I don’t do it, everyone will laugh at me. Ivy tried to think of a way out. Maybe I could trade with somebody—but then I’d be asking someone else to do it. What am I going to do? She silently asked Jesus to help her know what she should do. Then she heard her name being called. Ivy took a deep breath. “I’m supposed to draw a picture of who I think is the ugliest boy at school and have you guess who it is, but I—I can’t do it.” The room became very quiet. “I don’t like to look at people that way,” Ivy continued. “I feel like I’d be treating someone God created and loves very badly if I did that.” After a moment, Rennah shrugged. “That’s okay. We’ll skip you. Jasmine, you’re next.” The next day at school, Serena, one of the girls who had been at the party, came up to Ivy. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said at the party,” Serena said. “I’m a Christian too, but I don’t usually let people know that because I’m afraid they’ll make fun of me. I probably would have just done what was on that slip of paper and then felt bad about it afterward.” She paused. “I’m glad you didn’t do that. You reminded me that I need to let people know I belong to Jesus and show it in the way I treat others.” Ivy was surprised. “Thanks, Serena.” She smiled. “Wanna join me for lunch?” Serena nodded, and the girls continued talking on their way to the cafeteria. –Bernard Palmer How about you? Are you afraid to let others know you’re a Christian? Do you think they’ll make fun of you for doing what God says is right? People might respond negatively, but Jesus will help you. He took your sin and shame on Himself to give you eternal life. Because of Him, you have nothing to be ashamed of! Let others know you follow Him and see His love in your life. Today's Key Verse: I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Romans 1:16 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Let others know you follow Jesus

Read: Ephesians 2:8-10 “I wish I never came to your house for spring break,” Miles told his cousin Jonathan. “Since you became a Christian, all you say is ‘Don’t do this’ and ‘Don’t do that.’ Next you’ll be complaining about the picture on my t-shirt and telling me to dress in a choir robe!” Miles stomped outside, letting the door slam behind him. When the house grew unusually quiet, Jonathan’s dad came into the living room. “Where’s your cousin?” he asked. Jonathan told his dad about the argument. “I was only trying to get Miles to act more Christian,” he said. Just then a male robin flew to the driveway and began attacking the side mirror of Dad’s truck. “Hey, look at that!” Jonathan exclaimed. “That bird’s a fighter!” “You’re right,” said Dad. “If he keeps that up, he’ll wear himself out. I’d better go put the truck in the garage.” Once the truck was out of sight, the bird flew to the lawn and tussled with another male robin on the grass. “Why are those birds fighting?” asked Jonathan. “They’re fighting to claim nesting territory,” Dad answered. “The fight at the mirror was also over territory. When the robin saw his reflection, he assumed an intruder was challenging him. After I put the truck away, the bird left to chase a real robin.” “Well, that makes more sense,” said Jonathan. “He wasn’t going to get anywhere fighting his own reflection!” “Right,” said Dad. “That’s why it’s important to chase the real robin in Miles.” Jonathan looked at his dad. “You want me to chase birds?” Dad laughed. “No! What I want you to do is fight real battles. Miles’ problems are deeper than his actions. He needs Jesus. While Miles is here, I’ve set certain limits for him. But rules won’t change his heart—only Jesus can. Instead of expecting Miles to act like a Christian, let’s show him Christ’s love. He needs to know Jesus died for him and trust Him as his Savior. Only then will he be able to live as a Christian.” “Okay, Dad. I’ll go find him and tell him I’m sorry for making him upset.” “Good,” said Dad. “But first let’s pray and ask Jesus to help us show Miles His love.” –David J. Belleau How about you? Have you wished a non-Christian friend would act more Christian? Even if you could get them to change their behavior, you wouldn’t be able to change their motives. Only Jesus can change a person’s heart. Pray for your friend. Show them God’s love through your actions. Then, if they ask what makes you different, tell them how Jesus changed you. Today's Key Verse: Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Only Jesus changes hearts

Read: 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 With a big sigh, Peyton dropped her books on the table and flopped into the chair beside her mother. “Something wrong?” Mom asked, closing her laptop. “It’s Mila,” Peyton replied. “You know—that annoying girl in my class. I can’t help it—I just don’t like her at all.” “I know it can be hard to love some people, especially those who seem to make life more difficult,” said Mom. “But Jesus loves them, and He wants us to love them too.” “I know!” said Peyton. “But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to love Mila the way I’m supposed to.” She sighed. “God must be getting pretty annoyed with me.” Mom laughed. “I don’t think God’s annoyed with you, honey. He’s always patient and loving with His children. Ask Him to help you remember that so you can treat Mila the same way. Dad and I will pray about it too.” “Okay,” Peyton said. “I just hope God doesn’t give up on me.” She stood up. “Can I make some chocolate chip cookies, Mom?” “Sure,” said Mom. “Need any help?” “Nope! I can handle it.” As Peyton got out the ingredients, her four-year-old brother burst into the kitchen. “Hey, buddy! Want to learn how to make cookies?” Peyton asked. “Yeah!” Otto jumped up and down in excitement. “You know, Peyton, teaching Otto to make cookies will take some patience,” Mom said. “That’s okay,” said Peyton. “I’ll give him all the help he needs.” “You won’t get annoyed with him and give up?” Mom asked. “Of course not! I know he’s little and needs extra time to learn things.” “Well, you don’t think God is less patient than you are, do you?” asked Mom. “Um…no,” Peyton said, a bit confused. Mom smiled. “Just like you’ll be patient with Otto as you help him learn to make cookies because he’s your little brother and you love him, Jesus will be patient with you. He loves you so much He died to save you, and He will patiently teach you to love others. He’s not ever going to give up on you. Trust Him to help you learn and grow to be more like Him—no matter how long it takes.” –Rhonda Brunea How about you? Are you impatient with your spiritual growth? Are you frustrated that you find it difficult to love people or resist doing things you know are wrong? Don’t give up. Jesus knows you have a lot to learn. He loves you, and He won’t give up on you. Trust Him to be patient and give you strength as you grow to be more like Him and show others His love. Today's Key Verse: He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Trust God to be patient

Read: Philippians 3:10-11; 1 Peter 1:3-9 “Who’s that guy on TV?” Ashton asked. “That’s the father of the boy who went missing last year,” Dad said. “Oh yeah, I remember that. He went missing on a camping trip, and they never found him. It’s so sad.” Dad nodded. “I can’t imagine what his family must be going through. It was a story we heard on the news and quickly forgot about, but it’s been their everyday reality for the past year.” “We should pray for them,” said Ashton. “That’s a great idea,” said Dad, and they prayed for the missing boy and his family. On Sunday, Dad glanced at Ashton on the way home from the Easter church service. “You look like you’re thinking about something pretty hard.” Ashton shrugged. “I was just thinking about what Pastor Edwards said—that Christians celebrate Easter every day, not just once a year. What did he mean by that?” “Well, think of it this way,” said Dad. “If we heard that the boy who went missing had been found and was okay, how would we feel?” “I’d be happy to hear that!” said Ashton. “Me too,” said Dad. “But would it change our lives?” “Well, no,” said Ashton. “We didn’t know him, so even though we’d be happy for him and his family, we’d probably forget about it after a while.” “Right,” said Dad. “We didn’t have a relationship with him, so it wouldn’t change our day-to-day lives very much. But if his family got the news that he was alive and safe, their lives would change a lot, wouldn’t they?” “Yeah,” Ashton said. “Because they know him and love him.” Dad nodded. “That’s how it is with us and Easter. For many people it’s just a yearly holiday that quickly passes by, but for those who know Jesus, it’s our everyday reality. Because we have a relationship with Him, His resurrection gives us new life and affects every part of our lives. When we sin, He forgives us. When we’re hurting, He is with us. When we experience difficulties, we can find strength and joy in His promise to make everything right one day and to put an end to sin, sadness, and death forever.” Ashton smiled. “I’m thankful we have Easter every day!” –Courtney Lasater How about you? Did you know that Easter is an everyday reality for those who trust in Jesus? It’s more than just a holiday that comes once a year. Jesus died and rose again so we could have a relationship with Him that lasts forever, and that means our new life with Him starts now. If you trust in Him, you can celebrate Easter every day! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Easter is an everyday reality

Read: John 8:34-36; 1 Peter 5:6-11 Elizabeth squealed and grabbed her mom as the tram stopped by a huge alligator in the Everglades. People around them stood to snap pictures of the beast sunning himself at the edge of the road. Their guide told them some facts about alligators, and then the tram began to move. Elizabeth relaxed as the guide pointed out ibis, herons, and other native birds. She laughed at the funny sounds they made as they were startled by the tram and flew away. Every time they came to an alligator, Elizabeth would tense up and grab her mom’s arm. Mom tried to assure her that they were perfectly safe. “Honey, you don’t have to be afraid. The alligators rarely bother people. Just relax and enjoy being able to see such interesting creatures.” “But Mom,” Elizabeth said, “they have so many teeth, and the guide said they move really fast sometimes. I’m scared. What if one climbs up here and eats me?” Mom laughed. “Oh, Elizabeth, you don’t have to worry. The tram driver can speed away, and I won’t let a gator get up here. It would have to eat me first before it got to you.” The tour guide began telling a story about a boy who fell into one of the canals a long time ago. He landed on an alligator, and the animal grabbed him in its strong jaws. The boy’s mother jumped in and stuck her arm into the alligator’s mouth. It let go of the boy, and he was saved. Mom patted Elizabeth’s arm. “That mom was willing to risk her life to save her child, and so am I. And don’t forget that you’re God’s child too! When we were lost sinners stuck in Satan’s grip, God sent His Son to rescue us. Jesus defeated Satan and set us free by dying for our sins and rising from the dead. Satan may still try to get us to sin or make us feel guilty, but we don’t have to be afraid of him anymore. And you don’t have to be afraid of these alligators either.” Elizabeth smiled. “Can we get a stuffed alligator today so I can remember I don’t have to be afraid? Hey, there’s another alligator!” She leaned forward to get a closer look. –Robyn Mulder How about you? Have you ever seen a live alligator? Were you scared? Seeing a creature like that can be scary, but nothing is as scary as being in the grip of sin and Satan. That’s why Jesus came to earth and died—to pay the price for our sin so we could be saved and have eternal life with Him. When we trust in Him, we don’t have to be afraid of Satan. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus saves us from Satan’s grip

Read: John 20:24-29 “Mom,” Ethan said hesitantly one day, “did you…uh…did you ever think about having plastic surgery to fix all those scars on your face?” For as long as Ethan could remember, there had been ugly red scars on his mother’s face and hands. He was used to them and hardly noticed them, but some kids in his class had asked what was wrong with her and whispered about the way she looked. Mom put her hand up to her face. “I had plastic surgery years ago. Maybe doctors could do a better job now, but it would be very expensive.” “I know you got those scars in a fire,” Ethan said. “I sorta remember hearing something about it years ago, but I can’t remember what happened. Couldn’t you get out? You never talk about it.” Mom hesitated, then took a deep breath. “Well,” she began, “when you were just a little baby, our house caught on fire. You were in your crib, and that whole area went up in flames. I ran in and grabbed you and wrapped you up in blankets. I’m so thankful I was able to shelter you as I ran out of the house. We both were all right, but as you can see, my hands and face were burned very badly.” Ethan stared at her, stunned. “You mean you got those scars saving me?” he asked, his eyes filling with tears. “I didn’t know that!” He threw his arms around his mother. “Knowing you loved me so much makes me love you more than ever!” Mom squeezed him tight. “I love you too,” she said. “And maybe my scars can help you understand how much Jesus loves you. We’re all helpless sinners—we’re as helpless as babies and can’t save ourselves. So Jesus came to rescue us. He suffered and died on a cross to pay the price of our sin. His body was scarred where a spear was thrust into His side and where nails pierced His hands and feet. He went through that so we could be saved and have eternal life with Him, and He’ll carry those scars forever.” “Wow,” said Ethan. “Jesus really does love us, and His scars show us how much!” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Did you know that Jesus suffered and died for you? He died on the cross so you could have your sins forgiven and enjoy eternal life with Him. He made a great sacrifice to save you because He loves you. Have you put your faith in Him as your Savior? Don’t wait any longer. Trust in Him today. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus died to save you

Read: James 2:1-9 “Look!” Naomi pointed to a tin can outside her family’s apartment building. “Somebody is a litterbug.” “Yeah,” said Samuel. “Let’s throw that old can in the trash.” As he picked it up with a napkin, he noticed something stuffed inside. “Hey! There’s money in here!” Samuel and Naomi hurried inside, eagerly discussing all the things they could do with the money. “Hold on!” Dad said when he heard about it. “This is quite a bit of money. We need to see if we can find whoever lost it so we can return it to them.” The kids gave each other glum looks, but they handed the money over to Dad. “I found the owner of that money,” Dad told them the next day. “On my way to the subway this morning, a homeless man I often see looked very upset. I asked him what was wrong, and he told me he lost a tin can containing all his money. When I asked how much was in it, the amount matched what we found in this one.” “But we’re not going to give it to him, are we?” asked Samuel. “He probably got it by making people think he needed it when he was really planning to use it for something bad, like drugs.” “You don’t know that,” Dad said. “And he does need money to buy food. In any case, it’s his money, not ours, and we need to return it to him.” Naomi frowned. “But we were going to use it to buy groceries and give to the missionary fund at church! Now it’s just gonna go to waste.” “It doesn’t sound like you have a very high opinion of the person who lost this money,” Dad said. “But he’s kind of like that old tin can. You thought it was just a piece of trash, but when you looked inside, you found something valuable. That homeless man is valuable too. God loves him so much that He sent Jesus to die for him. As His children, God wants us to show that man how loved and valuable he is.” Samuel and Naomi looked at each other. “Okay, Dad,” Samuel said. “We’ll return the money.” “Yeah,” said Naomi. “And let’s make him a card that says how much Jesus loves him.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Do you show God’s love to everyone and treat them with respect? Or just people you think are worthy of it? None of us are worthy of God’s love—we’re all sinners who have done bad things. But God loves us anyway. He loves us so much that He sent His own Son, Jesus, to die for our sins! And He wants us to show that same love to others, no matter who they are. Today's Key Verse: If you look on one man as more important than another, you are sinning. James 2:9 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: Show God’s love to everyone

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6; Hebrews 13:20-21 “I can’t wait to taste maple syrup!” Brady said, smacking his lips. Mom laughed. She was chaperoning his field trip to the nature center to see how maple syrup was made. As they trudged behind their group, Brady sighed. “I wish I was invited to my teacher’s wedding.” Mom was surprised. “Why do you want to go?” Brady frowned. “What if I get married someday? I need to know how to do it!” “If you do get married, it won’t be for a long time, Brady,” said Mom. Brady bit his lip. “But what if I’m not ready when the time comes?” The group stopped in front of a large sugar maple. They watched a man drill a hole in the tree and tap a wooden peg he called a spile into the hole. After several seconds, the sap began to drip, and the class formed a line to get a taste. “What do you remember about the temperatures needed to collect sap?” Mom asked Brady. “It has to be twenty degrees Fahrenheit at night and forty-five degrees during the day, in the spring.” Mom nodded. “God cares an awful lot about the details in preparing trees for maple syrup–making, doesn’t He? But He cares about people even more than trees. He sent Jesus to save us so we could be His children, and He’ll prepare us for whatever He has planned for our lives—like getting married or having a job. We can have confidence in His timing.” Brady caught a drop of sap on his tongue. “This isn’t very sweet.” “They still have to boil it before it turns to syrup,” Mom explained. “Preparing maple syrup is a process—and being prepared for the things God wants for us is a process too. We don’t have to know everything right away. See that little sapling?” Mom pointed to a tree no bigger around than Brady’s thumb. “It’s got a lot more growing to do before it can give sap for syrup. And you’ve got a lot more growing to do too.” Brady smiled as they were handed samples of sweet golden syrup. “Let’s have maple syrup for dinner!” he said after tasting it. Mom arched an eyebrow, and Brady grinned. “You know, to remind us to be confident in God’s timing.” –Pearl Allard How about you? Do you worry about your future? Are you afraid you won’t be ready if you ever get married, attend college, or work at a job? You can have peace knowing that God cares about you and promises to be with you through life’s every step. He will prepare you for whatever He has planned for you in the future. You can be confident in His timing. Today's Key Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart…and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Be confident in God’s timing

Read: John 3:16; Colossians 1:13-14 As Jana sat at the dining room table doing her homework, she looked out the window and saw a beautiful butterfly. It was flying from flower to flower, getting nectar. Jana loved how gracefully the butterfly floated through the air and then landed on a flower for some nectar. “How’s your homework coming?” Mom called from the kitchen. “It’s coming!” Jana replied. She looked away from the window long enough to get another math problem done. When she looked back up—“Oh no!” Jana ran out the door. “Try to be nice and still, butterfly. I’m going to try to get you out of this spiderweb.” Mom dashed into the dining room when she heard the commotion. She smiled as she watched Jana gently rescue the butterfly and set it carefully on a flower in their garden. “Now you’re safe. I saved you from that spider,” Jana said softly. She stood back and observed the butterfly as it began to flutter around again. She was thankful she’d been able to rescue it in time. “I rescued that butterfly from a spider’s web,” Jana said as she walked back inside. “I saw that. I’m sure the butterfly is really happy to be out of that web.” Mom smiled. “It reminds me of how happy I am to have been rescued too.” “You were rescued?” Jana looked at her mom in surprise. “How?” Mom took a Bible from the shelf and flipped through its pages, then began reading. “‘For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.’” She looked at Jana. “Jesus rescues us from sin when we trust Him as our Savior. He paid the price for our sins on the cross and then rose again so we could be given a new life and spend eternity with Him.” Jana looked out the window and watched the butterfly again for a long moment. “Mom, I think I’m ready to ask Jesus to be my Savior.” Mom held Jana’s hands, and they prayed together. “Thanks for praying with me, Mom,” Jana said. “Now I’ve been rescued too!” –Lisa Fuller How about you? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? The Bible says that our sin—our selfish desires and the wrong things we do—is like a web that we can’t break free of ourselves. We need to be rescued, and God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us. When you trust in Him, He will rescue you and give you a new life of freedom with Him that will never end! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus rescues us from sin

Read: Luke 16:10-12; 1 Corinthians 4:2 It was a warm day, and Dad had just finished digging up the garden plot so he and Eliza and Jeremiah could plant sweet corn. “Hey, look!” exclaimed Eliza, bending over a corner of the plot. “An earthworm! We learned about earthworms at school. They eat dirt.” She picked it up and waved it under her brother’s nose. “Doesn’t that sound yummy, Jeremiah?” “Ew, gross!” Jeremiah batted at the worm in front of his face. “Cut it out!” “Okay, you guys,” said Dad. “That’s enough of that. But you’re right, Eliza, in a way, earthworms do eat dirt. As they move through the soil, it passes through their bodies and gives them nourishment, and the quality of the soil is also improved. Millions of acres of the earth’s topsoil are loosened in this way, allowing all kinds of good things to grow. As Christians, we can learn a lot from earthworms.” Eliza gave her dad a puzzled look. “What do earthworms have to do with Christians?” “Well,” said Dad, “since they live underground, we don’t see earthworms working—and like Jeremiah, we may think their job sounds unappealing—but they keep at it anyway. That worm you’re holding is a good example of a faithful worker. Because he and all the other earthworms out there do their jobs faithfully, lots of people benefit from the things that are able to grow.” “But Dad, a worm doesn’t decide to be faithful,” said Jeremiah. “It just does what earthworms do.” “That’s right,” said Dad. “Earthworms are faithful because God made them that way—and He does the same for us as Christians. Jesus gives us the ability to faithfully serve Him, even in hidden places—places where no one notices or praises us, doing tasks that aren’t always fun or rewarding. In those times, we need to remember that we’re serving Jesus and depend on Him to help us be faithful in doing our work, trusting that He will use it to help others grow.” Eliza looked at the worm squiggling in the palm of her hand. Then she put it down and smoothed dirt over it. “Thanks, faithful friend,” she said. “Keep working so we can have lots of good sweet corn!” –Christi B. Kehn How about you? Are you depending on Jesus to help you be faithful in the things He has given you to do? Trust Him to give you the ability and strength to do what He wants you to do—even when those things are difficult or others don’t seem to care. Remember that you are serving Jesus and trust that He will use your work to bless both you and others. Today's Key Verse: A faithful person will be richly blessed. Proverbs 28:20 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Be faithful

Read: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 Konan looked at the fish lying in the bucket at Grandpa’s feet and frowned. “Why are they biting for you and not me?” he asked. “Well, you keep pulling in your line to check the bait and moving to different sides of the boat,” Grandpa said. “If you want to catch fish, you can’t keep moving around all the time. Try sitting still.” Konan sighed. “I don’t like to sit still.” “I know, but you need to learn how. Otherwise you’ll miss out on even more important things than catching fish.” “Like what?” asked Konan. “Well, you need to sit quietly and listen to learn and do well in school. And you need to take time to sit still and listen to God so you can learn about Him and hear what He wants you to do.” “You mean like how Samuel heard Him in the Bible?” Konan asked. “God doesn’t talk to us like that anymore, does He?” “Maybe not,” said Grandpa. “But if you set aside time to spend with God, He may speak by bringing something to your attention.” “I pray every night,” Konan told his grandfather. “Good,” said Grandpa. “That’s one way to listen to God. He uses prayer to align our hearts with His and remind us to trust and depend on Him. Another way to listen to God is by reading the Bible—alone and at church with other believers. Before you read or go to church, be still for a moment and ask God to show you what He wants you to know about Him and what Jesus has done for you.” Grandpa smiled. “Now, why don’t you practice sitting still and see if you can get any fish to bite?” “Okay.” Konan sat and quietly listened to the sounds of birds singing and water softly lapping against the boat. Thank you for all the beautiful things you created, Lord, he prayed silently. Just then, he felt a jerk. “I’ve got a bite!” he yelled. Soon he was taking a fish off his hook. “Look at that fish!” he said, holding it up for Grandpa to see. “It paid to sit still that time, didn’t it?” “It sure did,” said Grandpa. “And it will pay off in even better ways. Keep practicing!” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Do you take time to quietly wait for God to speak to your heart? Before you read the Bible, go to church, or say your prayers, pause and ask Him to bring something to your mind He wants you to think or pray about. Wait quietly so you can hear Him speak to you. Don’t expect to hear a voice like Samuel did, but let God bring the things He wants you to know and remember to your attention. Today's Key Verse: Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Be still and listen to God

Read: Matthew 25:31-46 Simi pouted as she placed the bag of toys beside the other cartons in the back of the minivan. “Mummy, why do we have to go to the refugee camp on a Saturday?” Simi’s mum shut the van’s back door. “You already know why, Simi. Those children need all the love and attention they can get.” “I know.” Simi kicked a stone into the sand as she walked to the front seat of the minivan. “But Saturdays are supposed to be for fun and games.” Mum opened the driver’s side door. “I know you feel like you’re missing out,” she said, buckling her seat belt once they were inside. “But just think of the trauma those children have been through. Their villages were raided, houses burned, and some of them lost their parents and close family members. That’s sad, isn’t it?” Simi nodded her head. “So, the least we can do is put a smile on their faces,” Mum continued. “When we do, we put a smile on Jesus’s face too. There’s a verse in the Bible where He says that ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Simi looked up. “I don’t understand.” Mum smiled. “When we give food and clothes to people who don’t have any and take care of them, it’s the same as doing it to Jesus.” Simi brightened up a bit. “Oh! Just like what we’re doing for the people at the refugee camp?” Mum nodded. “Jesus loves us so much that He became human and sacrificed His life to save us from sin. Because we trust in Him, we’re able to show His love to others. When we make sacrifices to help others, He counts it as us doing those things for Him.” Some hours later at the camp, Simi’s mum was serving food to a line of children while Simi stood beside her, glancing around. Then her eyes caught a baby crying. The volunteer nurse holding her couldn’t seem to calm her down. Simi walked over. “Can I help?” The nurse gladly released the baby into Simi’s outstretched arms. Simi cradled the baby, and she stopped crying. Simi’s mum, who had been silently watching, beamed. –Elo Omonkhogbe How about you? How can you show the love of Jesus to others? Perhaps there’s someone at your school or church who needs a friend. Maybe you can help meet the needs of people in your community or another part of the world by sharing what you have and telling them about Jesus. When we make sacrifices for others to show them Jesus’s love, we’re doing those things for Him. How can you make Jesus smile today? Today's Key Verse: Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Show love through sacrifice

Read: Matthew 5:44-48; Ephesians 4:32 “No, not Amie! Now we’re really gonna lose!” The entire team sighed in unison as Amie approached the plate and waited for the kickball. She hadn’t felt well all morning, and now the weight of her teammates’ disgust seemed to make her insides churn even more. Just as the teacher was about to roll the ball, Amie gasped. “Mrs. Anderson! I have to—” It was too late. She threw up all over home plate as both teams squealed and retreated. Tears streaming down her face, Amie stumbled to the restroom as Mrs. Anderson tried to corral the howling class. Since nobody was available to come pick up Amie, she had to wait and ride the school bus home. No one asked to sit with her. As she looked out the window, her mind replayed the words of her classmates over and over. “Amie will make us lose.” “Who picked her?” “You mean you’re gonna stay the rest of the day and make us all sick?” Amie knew it was wrong, but part of her wanted to see them get hurt. She imagined some of the meanest kids throwing up all over the principal and getting suspended. Shaking her head, she tried to dismiss her vengeful feelings. But instead, more memories flooded her mind of all the times her classmates had ignored her or purposefully humiliated her. “Jesus,” she whispered, “I want to forgive them. But they don’t even care that they’ve hurt me. How can I love people who like seeing me sad?” Immediately the Bible verse she’d read that morning came to her mind. Pray for them. Amie gulped. “Really, Jesus? Did You just say to pray for them?” The verse repeated in her mind. Pray for them. Still feeling angry, Amie leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the window and squeezed her eyes shut. Dear Jesus, please bless my classmates. Help them do well on their tests and in kickball, and please don’t let any of them get sick. Please help me forgive them as you’ve forgiven me so I can show them Your love. In Your name, amen. Amie opened her eyes and smiled. Jesus was helping her forgive. –Rebekah Love Dorris How about you? Have you ever wondered how to forgive people who don’t seem sorry for hurting you? Forgiveness isn’t a feeling—it’s an action. One of the best ways to begin forgiving others is to pray for them. Try praying the same things for your enemies you’d want someone to pray for you. Then thank Jesus for forgiving you for your sin and for empowering you to forgive others. Today's Key Verse: But I [Jesus] say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Pray for your enemies

Read: Philippians 4:4-7 “What if I don’t make the team, Dad?” Felix asked as they hiked a rugged trail. He had spent most of their backpacking trip finding things to worry about. “Felix, all you’ve done today is worry,” Dad said. “I could understand your concerns if we were fending off mountain lions or something, but the most dangerous animal we’ve seen was the timid gray squirrel that scurried across our path a few minutes ago.” Felix wasn’t listening. He was too busy worrying. “What if I make the team but none of my friends do? I won’t know anyone!” When Felix stopped to take a drink from his water bottle, Dad picked up a handful of stones from the side of the trail. As they continued walking, he reached over and slipped a rock in an open pocket of Felix’s backpack. Felix didn’t even notice. “What if I don’t figure out the new stuff we’re doing in my math class? It’s so hard!” With each new worry Felix brought up, Dad managed to sneak a rock into his backpack. “I’m getting kind of tired,” Felix said after a while. “What if I get too tired to finish the hike? Maybe we should turn back.” Dad added another rock to the backpack. This time Felix noticed. “What are you doing?” he asked. He stopped, took off his backpack, and opened it. “Dad!” he said with a groan. “My pack is heavy enough without these rocks! Why are you making it heavier?” Dad shrugged. “It’s not much different from what you’re doing yourself, is it?” “I’m not picking up rocks!” Felix said. “No, but worrying about every little thing is kind of like carrying a load of rocks. It just makes you tired and doesn’t solve anything.” Dad took off his backpack. “Let’s take a break. We’ll dump the rocks from your backpack, and I think it would also be a good time to pray and give your burdens to Jesus. Don’t you agree?” Felix nodded. “Good,” said Dad. “He gave His life to save you and promises to take care of you. When you remember that, you’ll be able to live life without being weighed down by worries.” –Mike Dize How about you? Do you spend a lot of time worrying? Has it ever helped you? Instead of fretting about things you have no control over, go to Jesus with your worries. He’s in control of everything, and He loves you and cares about every detail of your life. Trust Him to handle the problems you face and to give you wisdom. Then you can live without the burden of worry weighing you down. Today's Key Verse: Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Give your burdens to Jesus

Read: Psalm 25:6-7; 1 John 1:9 Jacki and Blake waited anxiously in line with their uncle at High Seas Tees—the best mini-golf course in the entire world. Blake stretched himself tall to see to the front of the line when he noticed a sign that read: Mulligans $2, all proceeds go toward field trip funds! “What’s a mulligan?” Blake asked Uncle Lee. “It’s a redo in golf,” Uncle Lee answered. “The first attempt doesn’t count on your scorecard; it’s like it never happened. You might ask for one if a gust of wind messes up your shot or the ball lands in an obstacle. Or if you just take a terrible swing.” Jacki laughed. “Might need to buy some for Blake!” “Hey!” Blake scowled at his sister. “I’m going to win the whole tournament!” “How about I get one mulligan for each of us,” Uncle Lee said. “That way we each have a redo swing.” The kids nodded and soon got their clubs, balls, and scorecards. On a particularly difficult hole, Jacki swung off the tee, but her ball sunk into a shallow pool of water. Jacki groaned. “Use your mulligan,” Uncle Lee offered. Jacki fished her ball out of the slimy water, shook it off, and set it back at the start as if her mess-up never happened. Just as she was about to hit the ball, Blake shouted, “I know what this reminds me of!” Startled, Jacki swung off course again, and her ball landed back in the pool. Blake gasped. “Sorry, Jacki! I just wanted to say your mulligan reminded me of forgiveness.” Jacki crossed her arms in frustration. “You couldn’t have waited until after I swung?” Uncle Lee chuckled. “You’re right, Blake. When you use a mulligan, it wipes your score card clean, much like how God wipes our sin away when we confess our wrongs to Him. Jesus died to pay for all our sin so we could be forgiven and have a redo whenever we need one.” Uncle Lee looked at Jacki. “God also wants us to forgive each other.” Jacki sighed. “I forgive you for messing up my shot, Blake.” Blake grinned. “I’ll give you my mulligan for free.” “Oh no,” Jacki said, a smile growing on her face. “I’m winning fair and square.” –Zoe Sherman How about you? Have you ever done something and wished it never happened? Although we can’t go back in time and change our past, God offers us forgiveness when we sin and wipes our record clean. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that we can always be forgiven. Tell Him what you’ve done wrong and He will forgive you so you can start over. Today's Key Verse: I will forgive their sins. I will remember their sins no more. Jeremiah 31:34 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: God forgives sin

Read: Psalm 139:3-12 “I’m scared, Mom,” River said. “What if Dad never comes back?” “I don’t know if he’s going to, River. I don’t know how things will work out.” River’s stomach hurt. It had been hurting a lot since his dad stormed out of their house weeks earlier. “It’s just you and me?” “You, me, and God.” Mom tapped her computer screen. “And I need to find a job.” Things went from bad to worse that evening when the power went out. River stumbled his way through the house, calling for his mom. “I’m in here.” Suddenly Mom appeared in front of him and wrapped her arms around him. “I don’t know why they would cut it off like that…I told them I would pay soon…” “You didn’t pay the bill?” River asked. “I don’t have the money right now,” said Mom. “I’m sorry.” “It won’t come back on tomorrow?” “I’ll see what I can do.” Mom sighed. “We’ll be okay.” River tried to look around, but he couldn’t see anything. Darkness from outside filled the house. He heard a sound in the corner of the room. “I’m really scared, Mom. I don’t like the dark.” “That was just the house settling,” Mom said. “It does it all the time, but we don’t think anything of it when it’s light in here. Do you know who can see in the dark?” “Not me,” River said. “Me neither,” Mom said. “But God can. The Bible says that both dark and light are the same to Him. He can see now like if the lights were all on.” “Really?” River asked. “He can see if there are any bad guys in here?” Mom chuckled. “Yes. And there aren’t.” She rubbed his back. “God is light. Our light. When we were lost in the darkness of sin, Jesus came and died for us so we could have the light of His love in our lives. He sees us now, and He can see the future too. He knows what’s going to happen with your dad, and He promises never to leave us. We can trust Him.” “Everything is so scary right now,” River said. “I know, but God will take care of us.” Mom pulled him close. “Always.” –Emily Acker How about you? Are you scared of the dark? Not being able to see what’s around you can be scary—and that’s true in life too. Perhaps you’re going through a difficult situation and don’t know how it’s going to turn out. Remember that even though you can’t see the future, God can, and He cares about you. Trust Him to be your light in the darkness and take care of you in every situation. Today's Key Verse: The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God sees in the dark

Read: John 3:13-17; Romans 6:23 “And I’m just so thankful God forgives and helps us, or else I’d be totally lost!” Mandy’s mom was saying as she talked on the phone. “What is she talking about? What does she mean God forgives us? For what?” Mandy’s friend Hailey asked as they sat coloring at the kitchen table. “God forgives us for our sins,” Mandy replied. “What does ‘sin’ mean? Why do we need to be forgiven?” “Umm…” Mandy was uncertain how to respond to her friend’s questions. When Mandy’s mom got off the phone, Mandy asked her Hailey’s questions. Mom sat down at the table with them. “Hmm, let’s see…” She drummed her fingers against the table. “Mandy, why weren’t you allowed to play on the tablet yesterday?” Mandy blushed and gave a nervous giggle. “Because I sneaked a cookie right before dinner.” “Do you ever get punishments like that, Hailey, for doing something you’re not supposed to?” Mandy’s mom asked. “Yes, lots!” Hailey nodded. “Exactly. We all do things we’re not supposed to, and because of that, we deserve punishment. God, who created us and everything there is, never does anything wrong. The stuff we do wrong is called sin, and sin separates us from God because God is perfect.” “But you said God forgives us for our sins,” Hailey pointed out. Mom nodded. “God’s Word, the Bible, tells us the punishment for sin is death—not just physical death, but complete separation from God. But God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to take our punishment. Jesus is God and a human. He lived a perfect life and never sinned! Then He died and took our punishment on Himself.” “Right,” Mandy said, “Like if Dad would’ve taken my punishment and said he doesn’t get to play on the tablet so I can.” Mom laughed. “Kind of like that. But Jesus didn’t stay dead. He rose again and now lives with God in heaven! Because Jesus took our punishment, God forgives all our sins when we trust Jesus as our Savior. Then, when we die, we won’t stay dead either—Jesus will raise us from the dead and we’ll live with Him forever! I know that was a lot. But do you think you understand?” “I think I get it,” Hailey said. “But I have lots of questions!” –Elizabeth Cooper How about you? Do you have lots of questions about God and the Bible? That’s okay! God loves when we seek to know Him better. Are there any believers in your life or a nearby church you can go to and ask questions? Ask God to show you someone who can help you understand more about Jesus and what it means to trust Him as your Savior. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus took our punishment

Read: John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:1-5 “All right!” Garrison exclaimed as Dad pulled the car into Grandma’s driveway. “We’re finally here!” Grandma lived so far away that they had been traveling for two days to get to her house. “Yay!” said Charis. “I’m tired of being in the car.” Dad grinned. “Me too. All I want to do right now is relax with a nice tall glass of iced tea.” Garrison laughed. “Well, when you called Grandma a little while ago, you said you couldn’t wait to have some of her iced tea. I bet she has a pitcher of it all ready.” Charis pointed. “Look! Grandma’s at the door, and she’s got a glass of something in her hand. It’s probably your iced tea.” Charis was right. “I knew you’d want this right away,” Grandma said as she handed the glass to Dad. Then she gave everyone big hugs. “You must be hungry. Come to the kitchen. I made your favorite pie, Garrison. And here’s some of that fudge you like so much, Charis.” “Oh, and I see a wonderful cheese tray here on the counter!” Mom said. “You know just what snacks we all like, don’t you?” She helped herself to some cheese and crackers. “You got new books for us!” Charis called from the living room. “And there are new games here too! Thank you, Grandma!” Mom smiled. “I can see you’ve been very busy getting ready for us to come.” “Well, I loved preparing for you to get here because I love you,” Grandma replied. “That sounds like what we talked about in church last week,” Garrison said. “About how Jesus loves us and is preparing a place for those who trust in Him.” “That’s a great thing to think about,” Grandma said. “He prepared a place for us in God’s family by dying for our sins, and one day He will welcome us into the new, perfect world He’s getting ready for us. I’m so thankful to know that each of us here trusts in Jesus and that we’ll all enjoy heaven together with Him. What a wonderful place that will be!” Dad nodded. “You’ve given us a great welcome here, but you’re right. We can’t even imagine how special Jesus’s welcome will be!” –Lenora McWhorten How about you? Have you helped prepare for company by getting everything just right for those who are coming to visit? If you know Jesus as your Savior, He’s preparing a place for you in the perfect world He will create when He makes everything new. It’s hard to imagine what a special, wonderful place that will be—and it won’t be just for a visit. It will be forever! Today's Key Verse: [Jesus said,] “I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is preparing a place for Christians

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 Samantha sighed and slid in her earbuds. Sometimes being part of a blended family wasn’t easy. She now had three siblings instead of just one, and they were constantly arguing. “We always watch this game show on Mondays.” Tori stood in front of the TV with her hands on her hips. “It’s a tradition.” “Well, guess what?” said Reid. “Now you have a new tradition—watching sports on Mondays.” “No way!” Little Sarah joined in the shouting. “Yes way!” Reid poked out his tongue. Their voices grew louder and meaner when suddenly, the most dreadful sound came from the kitchen. “What is that?” Reid asked, his eyes as round as saucers. The tinny thud sounded again. And again. And again. “It’s horrible!” Sarah put her hands over her ears. Mom and Dad marched into the family room holding weird metal farmyard objects, which they hit over and over with a spoon. The noise was deafening. “Dad, what’s going on?” Samantha asked. “This is my cowbell. Doesn’t it sound great?” “Please stop the banging!” Sarah begged. Mom and Dad stopped. “Don’t you like what you heard?” Mom asked. “No!” the four kids answered in unison. “Hmm.” Dad put down his cowbell. “Come to think of it, Mom and I didn’t like what we heard coming from you guys when we were cooking in the kitchen.” “We weren’t making a horrible noise like that cowbell,” Reid said. “We were just talking.” “But there was no love in your words,” said Mom. “Just anger and selfishness.” Everyone was quiet for a moment. “We know you kids really do love each other,” said Dad. “But this new family is going to take some getting used to. We all need to depend on Jesus to help us speak with love and show each other grace as we learn to live together. The Bible says if we speak without love, we sound awful—like a clanging cymbal or a—” “Cowbell?” Samantha smiled. “If we remember to be more loving with our words, will you do something for us?” Dad nodded. “Please,” Samantha said. “Lose the cowbell!” –Laura Thomas How about you? Do you always speak with love? It’s not easy, is it? Especially if someone is annoying you or you’re frustrated. Yet the Bible tells us that even if we say great things, if we don’t speak with a loving attitude, we sound like a tuneless cowbell and our words are useless. The good news is we don’t have to do it on our own. Trust Jesus to help you speak to others with love. Today's Key Verse: If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Speak with love

Read: Mark 4:26-29; 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 It was a beautiful spring morning, and Leah couldn’t wait to help her mom plant their garden. This was the first year she was big enough to help. “Morning, Mom!” Leah exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. “Well, look at you, up and ready to go.” Over breakfast, Mom and Leah talked about what to plant. Leah loved tomatoes, so they’d definitely plant some tomato seeds. They decided on tomatoes, green beans, squash, and cantaloupe. The garden had already been prepped and was ready for planting. Mom showed Leah how to plant the seeds at a certain depth and make sure there was enough space between them. “The seeds need room to become healthy plants,” she said. Mom and Leah worked happily all afternoon in the garden. It was so nice to be outside in the fresh air again after being cooped up inside most of the winter. When they finished, they put away the gardening tools and headed into the house. “That was fun today, Mom,” Leah said. “I enjoyed it too, and as I was planting the seeds down each row, it made me think of a Bible verse.” “Really?” Leah asked. “Which one?” Mom got her Bible off the coffee table. She opened it up and read, “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.” She smiled at Leah. “We planted all those seeds in the garden today, taking special care to do it properly, and now all we have to do is wait for the sun and rain to do their job—besides weeding, of course. That’s how we plant seeds in people’s hearts too. God wants us to plant seeds of the gospel by telling others about Jesus and showing them His love, and He will make the seeds grow. We may not ever know whose life may have been changed, but we can plant seeds and trust God with the rest.” “Wow, that’s really cool!” Leah smiled. “And we don’t have to wait for spring either—we can plant seeds in God’s garden all year long!” –Lisa Fuller How about you? Are you sharing the gospel with others? When you tell people about Jesus and show them His love in how you treat them, you are planting seeds of the gospel in their hearts. You may not ever know if someone turns to Jesus, but you’re not the one responsible for making that seed grow—God is. Plant seeds of His love and trust Him to make them grow. Today's Key Verse: [Jesus] told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” Mark 16:15 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Plant seeds of God’s love

Read: Psalm 119:105 “I haven’t seen the stuff in this old trunk in years,” Gramps told Evan. “There’s no telling what we’re going to find today.” Digging through the trunk was like digging through a treasure chest. “Wow, is this a picture of you and Grandma on your wedding day?” “It is. We sure look different now, don’t we?” Gramps laughed. “Look at this.” He opened up a box with his first pocketknife in it. “Tell you what, I’m going to give this pocketknife to your dad to hold on to, and when he thinks you’re old enough, he can let you have it.” “Cool!” Evan gave him a hug. “Thanks, Gramps!” He took another item from the trunk. “What’s this?” “That’s my old compass. My dad, your great-grandpa, gave it to me when I was just a boy. I always took it with me when we went on our big hikes through the mountains. I sure did use it a lot. It helped me find my way more than once when I was lost.” Gramps handed Evan the compass. “It’s yours now.” “Really?” Evan’s eyes lit up. They continued to look through the old trunk for a while longer. Evan enjoyed hearing all the stories Gramps told as he pulled out different items. “I imagine Grandma will have dinner ready soon,” Gramps said. “Let’s put everything back in except for the pocketknife and compass.” “Did you find any treasure?” Grandma asked during dinner. “We sure did! Gramps is giving me his old compass. He says I can have his old pocketknife too when I’m old enough.” “You know, Evan, that compass got me thinking about a Bible verse,” said Gramps. “Psalm 119:105 says, ‘Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.’ Just like the compass keeps us heading in the right direction, God’s Word guides us through life. It tells us how we can have eternal life by trusting in Jesus and helps us live in a way that shows we belong to Him.” That night Evan sat looking at his compass, thinking about what Gramps had said. Then he set the compass on his nightstand and picked up his Bible. –Lisa Fuller How about you? Have you ever been lost before? Did you have a compass to help you find your way? Like a compass, the Bible shows us which way to go in life. It points us to the only way we can be saved and have eternal life—Jesus—and guides us as we follow Him. Spend time in God’s Word each day and trust Him to lead you along life’s path. Today's Key Verse: The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God’s Word guides us

Read: Philippians 2:1-8; Hebrews 10:24-25 Max felt sad every time he and his family walked past anyone asking for money. Living in the city, it happened pretty much every day. He wished there was some way to help those people and change their lives. What do You want me to do, Lord? Max prayed as he followed his family on their walk to church one Sunday. As Pastor John started to talk, Max was surprised to hear him bring up his favorite basketball team. “Did you hear about the halftime talk the players had?” Pastor John asked. “One of the players told the team they needed to start playing better, that it was time to start doing something. He fired them up, and now they’ve won three games in a row.” Pastor John tapped the Bible he was holding. “Hearing that reminded me of how we as Christians are told to encourage one another as we live out our faith. Jesus showed His love for us by dying on the cross for our sins, and as His followers, we need to show that love to others. How can you encourage those around you to love and serve others?” Max thought about his pastor’s words as they passed a homeless man on their way home. He asked his mom if he could speak to everyone at the dinner table. Mom smiled. “Of course you can.” “Guys…” Max began as he looked at his brothers, dad, grandma, and mom. “I’ve been thinking about something, and I need your help. There are a lot of people out there on these streets who don’t have money for food or a place to stay. I prayed about it, and I think we need to do something for them as a family rather than just walking by them.” “What could we do?” Grandma asked. “I’m not sure yet, but if we work together, we can find a way to show them God’s love.” “You know what, Max?” Dad said. “I’ve been feeling a nudge from God too, but I’ve been ignoring it. You’re right, it’s time for us to do something and serve others together.” Max thought of his favorite basketball team and smiled. He and his family were getting fired up too. –Emily Acker How about you? Has anyone ever encouraged you to serve others in a way you wouldn’t have on your own? God doesn’t intend for us to live out our faith all by ourselves—He wants Christians to support and encourage one another as we follow Jesus and show others His love. Who could you encourage today? How can you help each other get fired up about loving and serving those around you? Today's Key Verse: Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Encourage others to do good

Read: Isaiah 55:8-9; John 9:1-3 “Why, God?” murmured Jolene as she hugged her baby brother. They had recently learned that Jaiden was deaf. “Oh, Jolene,” Mom had said gently after they found out. “I don’t know why God allowed this to happen. His ways are not like ours, but He is good and loves us so much that He sent His own Son to save us from the mess sin made of us and our world. Even when we don’t understand, we know that Jesus understands what we’re going through and promises to be with us.” But Jolene wanted to understand. Isn’t God supposed to take care of Christians? she thought. How can Mom and Dad be so calm? Mom interrupted Jolene’s thoughts. “Are you ready to go to the parade, Jolene?” She held out her arms to the baby. “Come to Mommy, Jay.” “I don’t see why you talk to him, Mom. You know he can’t hear you!” “It’s important for him to see our lips move and feel the vibration of our words,” said Mom. “Now, let’s get going.” At the parade, people were standing three-deep in front of Jolene’s family. She stood on her tiptoes and tried to see past those in front of her. “It would be so much better if I could see more than just one row of the parade at a time,” she said. Dad handed Jaiden to Mom, and with a swoop, Jolene was up on her father’s shoulders. “Thanks, Dad! Now I can see the whole parade.” Soon the parade was over and they were on the way home. “Life is a lot like a parade,” Dad said. “We’re like kids in the crowd, and we can only see one moment at a time. But God is above the crowd. He sees each person’s entire life—past, present, and future. We don’t know why He allowed Jaiden to be deaf, but that’s because we can only see the present. God knows why because He sees the whole picture.” Mom nodded. “He’s working everything out for good and promises to be with us for every step of the journey.” Jolene reached out to hold her sleeping brother’s hand. She knew it was time to bring her hurt and questions to Jesus. –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Are you confused or angry about something that happened? Bring your hurt and questions to Jesus. You can trust Him, even when you don’t understand. We see only a small part of life, but He sees it all from beginning to end. Trust Him to do what’s best because He died to save you and promises to work everything out for good. When you face hard things, go to Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus when you don’t understand

Read: Proverbs 12:17-22 “There!” Isaac said as he finished pounding a nail. “This is the best tree house ever! When it’s really windy like this, you can feel the whole tree house move. It’s like being in a swaying castle! Let’s ask if we can sleep out here tonight.” “I know my dad won’t let me,” said Bryce. “He says he has to be sure it’s safe first.” “My dad said the same thing,” said Isaac. “I know! Let’s each ask our parents if we can spend the night together. They’ll think we’re at each other’s houses, but we’ll really be sleeping in the tree house.” “I don’t know,” Bryce said, but he finally agreed to try it. Their plan worked, but in the middle of the night, a loud crack of thunder and the sound of wind and rain woke the boys. “The whole tree house is swaying!” Bryce said. “And the roof is leaking!” said Isaac. “Let’s go into the house.” The storm had awakened Isaac’s parents too, and they were very surprised when the boys stumbled into the kitchen. “What happened? Is something wrong at your house, Bryce?” Isaac’s dad asked. “No,” Isaac said, “we…um…we were sleeping in the tree house. But it starting swaying and leaking in the storm, so we came here.” Mom’s eyes widened. “You mean you’ve been in our backyard this whole time? You asked if you could stay at Bryce’s house overnight.” “Well, not exactly,” said Isaac. “I just asked if I could spend the night with Bryce.” “I see,” said Dad. “So you didn’t exactly lie, but you still deceived us by letting us think you were at Bryce’s, didn’t you?” With downcast eyes, the boys nodded. Dad sighed. “Boys, lying and deceiving others makes you like that swaying tree house—it tells people they can’t trust you. And how do you think we and Bryce’s parents would feel if none of us knew where you were in the morning?” “I’m sorry, Dad,” Isaac said. “I forgive you,” Dad said. “But the tree house will be off-limits for a while. As you build back our trust, remember that the Bible says Jesus is a firm foundation who is always trustworthy. Trust Him to help you show His love by being truthful in both your words and your actions.” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Are you trustworthy? Can people count on you to be honest in both your words and your actions? God hates lying and deceitfulness because it goes against everything He is—a firm foundation who always acts in goodness and truth. We can always trust Him to tell us the truth and do what’s right. As His children, He will help us be truthful in all we say and do. Today's Key Verse: So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. Ephesians 4:25 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Be trustworthy

Read: James 4:7-11 Harley’s cat jumped up on the desk and started batting at her pencil. “Mom, can you come get Sassy?” Harley called down the hallway. “I’m trying to do my homework.” Mom came to Harley’s door and laughed when she saw Sassy bat Harley’s pencil out of her hand and onto the floor. “Can you take her, please?” Harley asked. “She’s distracting me, and I need to get this done so I can meet Grace at the park.” Mom took Sassy out of the room and closed the door. A few minutes later, Harley saw something move out of the corner of her eye. Sassy was sticking her paws through the crack underneath the door. “Mom, Sassy’s still pestering me!” Harley called. “Harley, there’s really nothing I can do,” Mom called back. “If I take her away, she’ll just come back the moment I set her down. Just ignore her and stay focused, and eventually she’ll stop.” Harley did her best to focus on her homework and found that Mom was right. Sassy soon stopped. Harley finished her homework, then left to meet her friend at the park. Later that day, Harley joined her mom in the living room. “Hi, Harley,” Mom said. “How was the park?” “It was okay, but Grace kept wanting to talk badly about some of the kids at school,” Harley said as she picked up Sassy, who was lounging on the couch. “How did you handle it?” Mom asked. “Well, I thought about Sassy distracting me earlier and that when I stayed focused on what was important, she eventually stopped. So I did the same with Grace. When she tried to get me to talk badly about others, I stayed focused on Jesus and how much He loves the people Grace was talking about. Then when Grace said something bad about someone, I’d think of something nice to say about them instead. Eventually she stopped trying to get me to talk about people.” Mom got up to pet Sassy, who was now curled up in a ball on Harley’s lap. “It sounds like Sassy has taught you how to resist temptation by focusing on what’s important—Jesus.” At that, Sassy batted at Mom’s hand, and both Harley and Mom laughed. –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Do your friends ever try to get you to do things you know are wrong? You can resist by focusing on Jesus. When you’re faced with a tough situation, remember that He saved you and you belong to Him. He gives you the ability to do what’s right and wants you to show His love to others by treating them kindly. When you’re tempted to sin, focus on Him. Today's Key Verse: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Stay focused on Jesus

Read: Matthew 18:15, 23-35 “Dad, look at this sore on my arm.” Cole pulled up his sleeve to expose a weeping red gash on his forearm. “Is that where you got burned at the bonfire?” Dad asked. “It’s getting worse. Let’s see if Dr. Patel can look at it.” While Dad called the clinic, Cole scratched his arm. When Dad hung up the phone, he said, “They had a cancellation. If we hurry we can see the doctor.” As Dad drove, he said, “I hope they can do something so you can go to your church group tonight.” “I don’t want to go. I might run into Brad, and this is his fault. I told him to stop pushing me by the fire. But he wouldn’t quit, and I got burned.” “He was wrong to do that, Cole. But missing church to stay away from him is just going to make things worse. Jesus says that if someone sins against you, you’re supposed to tell him, and if he asks you to forgive him, you do it because Jesus forgave you.” “I told him, but he just laughed. Our youth leader had a talk with him. Even if Brad apologizes now, I’ll just laugh at him.” Dad parked in the clinic lot. “Does your arm look good to you, Cole?” “No, it looks gross.” “That’s exactly what an unforgiving heart looks like to God—oozing, stinking, and unable to heal. When you hold a grudge against someone, it’s like tearing open a wound every time you think about it. You told Brad that he did wrong—that’s the first step the Bible tells you to take. Now you need to trust Jesus to help you forgive. Remember, He paid for all your sins and forgives you completely whenever you do something wrong.” Dad opened the car door. “Let’s go or we’ll miss the appointment.” Dr. Patel cleaned and bandaged the wound and told Cole to come back in a week. On the drive home, Dad said, “I see that bandage is protecting your sore. You’re not scratching it now.” “It feels better. And I feel better about forgiving Brad. I prayed about it at the clinic, and instead of imagining how I’ll get back at him, I’m ready to forgive.” –Laura Roesler How about you? Is there anyone who has wronged you and won’t apologize? Do you feel bitter about it? Do you plan to hold a grudge and never forgive that person? Don’t let bitterness ooze like a wound that won’t heal in your heart. Remember how much Jesus has forgiven you, and trust Him to help you always be ready to forgive. Today's Key Verse: Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Get rid of bitterness

Read: Matthew 14:22-33; Hebrews 11:1-2 Callie turned down the final loop of the zoo. “Best day of school ever! I love animals!” “And I love that we’re both homeschooled and can go on field trips more often!” Callie’s best friend, Katie, grinned. “Hey, look at that cool-looking antelope!” Katie and Callie marveled at the antelope’s twisted horns that spiraled close to thirty-five inches high. “Mom, why are they enclosed with such a short fence? It can’t be more than four feet high!” Callie pointed out. Katie frowned in concentration. “Yeah, it says right here that African impalas can jump up to ten feet in the air! I wonder why they aren’t just roaming all around the zoo?” “Let’s consult my phone,” Mom joked. “You girls always have great questions. Interesting! This article says impalas won’t jump unless they see where they’ll land. Since they can’t see the ground on the other side of this wall, that must keep them in their habitat.” “It’s kind of sad when you think about it,” Katie pondered. “Freedom is just a jump away, but fear keeps them trapped.” Mom nodded. “We can learn a lesson from the impalas. Callie, remember when you felt like God wanted you to serve in the children’s ministry at church, but you were scared because you weren’t used to working with kids?” “Yeah, I was nervous about it.” “But then your best friend reminded you that faith is stepping out in confidence even when you can’t see the outcome,” Katie reminded her. “Just like it says in Hebrews chapter eleven.” “That whole chapter is filled with people who trusted God to help them take great leaps of faith, even though they weren’t sure how things would turn out,” Mom mused. “We can do the same when we remember that Jesus is always with us. He died and rose again to give us eternal life, and that means we can always trust Him.” Katie smiled. “Hey, maybe we can have a code word! The next time one of us wants to hold back because of fear, we can yell ‘Impala!’” Callie jumped in the air dramatically. “That will remind us to take a leap of faith!” –Savannah Coleman How about you? Do you ever feel held back by fear? Maybe you sense God’s prompting to talk to a lonely kid. Perhaps you need to confront a friend for doing something they shouldn’t. God may even put it on your heart to speak about Him to someone who doesn’t know Him. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He is with you and will help you complete the work He wants you to do. Trust Him to help you take that leap of faith. Today's Key Verse: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus and take the leap

Read: Matthew 7:7-8; 11:27-30 “Grandpa, I think Grandma needs hearing aids,” said Kelsey. “Someone knocked at the door this morning and Grandma didn’t hear it. By the time I got to the door, the person was gone.” “That’s odd,” said Grandpa. “I haven’t noticed a problem, but I’ll try to pay more attention.” Kelsey had been living with her grandparents for a few weeks while her mother was away on military duty. She loved her grandparents, but living with them was weird. She refilled Grandpa’s coffee cup and asked, “Do I have to go to church today?” “Of course! We always go as a family. Going to church is a privilege many people don’t have. It’s a way we worship God and connect with other believers.” “That’s just it,” said Kelsey. “You and Grandma love all that God stuff and talking to your ‘believer’ friends. I believe in God, but I’d rather spend Sunday hanging out with my school friends.” “Honey, you have the whole afternoon for that,” Grandpa said. That day in Sunday school, the lesson was about Jericho, but Kelsey was thinking about her mom. Mom never took her to church. Sunday mornings with Mom were for sleeping in. Then they’d walk to the Waffle Barn. The waffles smelled like a cake baking. You could smell them from a block away. She’d smother her waffles with pecan syrup and butter. Kelsey was still thinking about those waffles when suddenly, there was a firm knock on the Sunday school room door. To her shock, no one went to answer the door. No one else seemed to hear it. Maybe I’m the one with bad hearing, thought Kelsey. That evening as she got ready for bed, she noticed a small painting on her bedroom wall. It was Jesus standing outside a door. At the bottom it said, “I stand at the door and knock.” Knock? thought Kelsey. What’s the deal with all this knocking that nobody seems to hear but me? Is it my imagination or…Jesus, is that You? Kelsey took the picture and carried it to Grandpa. “I’ve heard this verse before, Grandpa. But what does it mean? Does Jesus knock for real?” “Sit down here, honey,” he said. “I’ll tell you all about it.” –Teresa Ambord How about you? Is Jesus knocking at the door of your heart? It’s not a sound you hear with your ears but an invitation He offers to you in His Word, the Bible. If you’re not a believer, He wants you to trust Him to save you from sin and give you eternal life. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) And if you do know Him as your Savior, He invites you to spend time with Him in prayer, at church, and in His Word so He can fill your life with peace, hope, and joy. Today's Key Verse: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is knocking

Read: John 1:35-45 “This is the best pizza I’ve ever eaten!” Jonah pumped a fist in the air. “I can’t believe this place is here to stay. I’m going to tell my friends about it.” Mom smiled. “I think our family will be eating here often.” As soon as he got home, Jonah started a video conversation with a couple of his friends. He was quick to tell them about the pizza he’d just had and where they could get it. When he went outside that afternoon to help his dad shovel snow from the sidewalk in front of their house, Jonah saw one of his neighbors also shoveling. “Hey, Mr. Fisher!” He waved as he walked over to the older man. Jonah couldn’t help but tell him about the pizza. “You’ll love it,” he said. “You should get it for dinner when you’re done shoveling.” “I just might do that.” Mr. Fisher grinned. Dad tapped Jonah’s shoulder as they headed into the house. “I think it’s really interesting how you’re spreading the word about that pizza.” “It’s just so good!” Jonah’s mouth watered just thinking about it. “It reminds me of something I was reading,” Dad said. “In the book of John.” “They didn’t have pizza in the Bible, did they?” Jonah made his way to the kitchen. All that shoveling had made him thirsty. “No,” Dad said. “But they had something even greater. Jesus.” Jonah pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “Why did the pizza make you think of Jesus?” “When the early disciples first started following Jesus, they told their friends and family,” Dad said. “They got others to follow Him too. Sort of like how you’re getting others to go out and get pizza.” “Because the pizza was amazing,” Jonah said. “Following Jesus had to be pretty amazing too.” “It was, and it is,” Dad said. “And you’ve got me thinking that maybe we should be telling others about that, sharing our faith a little more. I mean, if you can get people that excited about pizza…” Jonah nodded. “We could get people excited about Jesus too!” –Emily Acker How about you? Have you ever experienced something great and wanted to tell everyone you knew all about it so they could experience it too? Have you told others about Jesus, letting them know how amazing He is? As you share your faith with others and let them know what Jesus has done for you, they might want to know Him themselves. Let others know how great Jesus is so they can get excited too! Today's Key Verse: Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. Mark 5:19 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Tell others how great Jesus is

Read: Matthew 21:12-13; John 11:35; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Dad?” Madison opened the door to her dad’s workshop. “My favorite girl! How was art class?” Dad asked. Madison ran to hug him. “The art part was good.” She paused as she bit her lip. “What part wasn’t?” Dad asked her, looking concerned. He took off his gloves and set them on the bench. “Well, Mia told me that I’m too happy. She said I need to wipe the smile off my face sometimes.” Madison frowned. “But isn’t being happy good? I don’t like being sad.” “Being happy is great. It reminds me of one of my favorite verses, First Thessalonians 5:16. It’s a really short verse, only two words—‘Rejoice always.’ God wants us to rejoice in Him. We can always be joyful because He loves us and sent Jesus to save us.” Madison smiled. “I like that verse. But I know sad stuff happens, like when Mom died.” She frowned. “I guess that was sadder for you. Did you ever smile then?” Madison’s mom had died when she was three months old, and Dad often told Madison stories about her. “I was sad, and I’m still sad that she’s gone. But yes, I still smiled.” Dad looked at Madison. “After all, I have you! You make me smile every day. I thank God that I was blessed with such a bundle of joy.” Madison giggled. “I love you too, Dad. And if Mia asks, I’ll tell her about the verse. Being happy is good.” She twitched her nose. “Being sad isn’t bad, is it?” Dad shook his head. “Not at all. In fact, there’s another short verse about that in the Bible—‘Jesus wept.’ He cried when He found out that Lazarus had died. None of our emotions are bad, and Jesus felt them all the same way we do. Whatever we feel, He wants us to share it with Him. That’s a great way to rejoice—by sharing everything with God.” Madison gave her dad a hug. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll make sure Mia knows that it’s okay if she feels sad, but I’m gonna rejoice!” –Kimberly Brokish How about you? How do you feel right now? We all experience a lot of emotions, and none of them are bad. Remember Jesus was human just like us, and He felt all those emotions too—He knows what it’s like to be happy, sad, even angry. He knows exactly how we feel and loves us. Can you tell Him how you feel? He would love to help you rejoice in Him. Today's Key Verse: Rejoice always. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: You can always rejoice

Read: 1 John 4:7-16 Ella was pouting when she and her mother returned home from shopping. “What’s the matter, grumpy face?” asked her brother, Jax. Ella scowled. “Mom gets you everything you want, but she wouldn’t buy anything for me. All I wanted was a smiling flower shirt.” Jax laughed. “A smiling flower shirt on you? That would be a joke! The way you whine?” Using a high-pitched tone, he imitated her. “Moooom! Why won’t you buy me everything I want?” He smirked, and his sister hit him. “Ow!” he yelled, hitting back. Dad walked into the room as the kids continued to hit each other. “Break it up!” he said. “The place I’d like to see a smile is on your faces for a change.” On Sunday, Jax and Ella got ready to go to church with their next-door neighbors. “Why don’t you come to church with us today?” Jax asked his parents hopefully. Both he and Ella had been Christians for some time, but their parents were not believers. Dad settled into his armchair. “And miss out on some peace and quiet without you two fighting? I don’t think so!” Jax and Ella didn’t know what to say. “We’ve got to quit fighting,” Ella told Jax later. “It’s not helping us get Mom and Dad to listen when we try to tell them about Jesus.” Jax nodded thoughtfully. “I know. It’s like what Pastor Peters said last week—love is what shows others we belong to Jesus. He gave us the Holy Spirit so we can show His love in all we do. We need to remember that when we’re tempted to fight.” So they prayed and asked Jesus to help them remember to show His love in their words and actions. And He did! Soon their parents noticed a difference. When a vase was broken several weeks later, both Ella and Jax admitted to not being careful as they played. Dad was amazed. “You’re not blaming each other! I never thought I’d see the day.” The next Sunday, Dad surprised them. “Mom and I aren’t too old for church, are we?” “You mean you’ll go?” Jax asked. Mom and Dad nodded, and Jax and Ella gave each other high fives. “Hey!” Dad said, laughing. “That brought smiles to your faces!” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Do your actions and attitudes show that you have the love of Jesus in your heart? If you’re a Christian, He’s made you a new person and given you the Holy Spirit, who fills you with His love. When you let that love shine out in the way you treat people, others will be able to see that you belong to Him. Trust Him to help you show His love in all you do so others can see who He is. Today's Key Verse: [Jesus said,] “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Let others see Jesus’s love in you

Read: Isaiah 1:16-20 The school bus was expected any minute, so Ethan shoveled his cereal into his mouth. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw his baby sister, Addy, pick up his tablet. He dropped his spoon, darted across the kitchen, and snatched it from her hands. “Don’t touch that!” he yelled. “I told you not to touch my stuff. You break everything!” Addy burst into tears, and Mom came hurrying into the room and picked her up. “What happened?” she asked. “Addy was messing with my stuff again,” Ethan said. “She’s so annoying!” Mom sighed. “I’m sorry, Ethan, I wasn’t paying attention to what she was doing. But you also need to be more careful about not putting your things where she can reach them. And you know yelling at her like that scares her and is not the way we solve problems.” Ethan bit his lip, feeling guilty. “I didn’t mean to make her cry. I’m sorry, Addy.” He gave Addy a hug, and she calmed down. Ethan frowned as he put his cereal bowl in the sink. “I shouldn’t have yelled at her. Is God disappointed in me?” Mom ruffled his hair. “God knows we all mess up. That’s why He sent Jesus to die for us—so we could be forgiven for the wrong things we do. You can tell Him you’re sorry.” “But how do we know that God’s forgiven us?” Ethan asked. Mom smiled. “Do you think your school bus is coming? Even though you can’t see it yet?” She pointed out the window. “Of course,” Ethan said. “Why?” “Because it comes every school day,” Ethan replied. “God is like that,” Mom said. “He never changes. You can always count on Him to forgive you because Jesus died for you—and He’ll help you be more patient with Addy too.” Ethan smiled. “I’m going to ask God to help me be nicer to her and set a better example.” The school bus pulled up, and Ethan looked at the clock. Eight-fifteen a.m. Just like every morning. He grabbed his backpack and ran out the door. It was nice to have things he could count on. –Abigail Singrey How about you? What are some things in your life that you can count on? Maybe you eat the same thing for breakfast every day, or your parents say the same thing to you every night before you go to bed. Like the sun rising every morning, we can count on God to forgive us when we make mistakes. Jesus died for our sins so our wrongs wouldn’t be counted against us. Confess your sins to Him and trust Him to forgive you. Today's Key Verse: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: We can count on God’s forgiveness

Editor’s note: This story’s subject matter may not be suitable for young children. Read: Ephesians 6:1-3 It’s not fair, Ruth typed into her phone. Mom lets Jubilee go out with her friends after school all the time. Three little dots floated in a pale blue bubble as Ben typed back. She just doesn’t want to admit you’re old enough to start making your own decisions. Ruth stared at Ben’s profile picture. His big blue eyes smiled back at her. They hadn’t met in real life yet, but it seemed like he understood her better than anyone in the world. So what if he was as old as her big sister? He was nice and funny. And he liked her. He’d told her so more than once. So, have you decided? Ruth’s heart skipped a beat at Ben’s next message. It’s just the park. You’ll be home before your mom even misses you. He’s right, Ruth thought. Mom’s treating me like a baby. She started typing OK when a verse she’d memorized barged its way into her brain: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ruth stopped. It was like someone spoke the words out loud. Just last week her youth group leader had reminded her that her mom was a blessing from God. He’d put her in Ruth’s life because He loved her. God was helping Ruth grow in her faith in Jesus and become more like Him. That’s why He wanted her to obey Mom’s rules—not to spoil her fun. But was meeting a friend so bad? Another thought came to mind. Her friends didn’t know Ben either. He’d sent her a friend request one day, and she’d let him into her life without question. She’d been talking to a stranger for two months and lying to everyone about it because he’d asked her to keep their friendship a secret. At first it was exciting. Now she was scared. Ruth’s hands shook as she typed: I can’t. Ben said, I thought we were friends. Ruth’s heart sank. She answered, Friends don’t ask friends to lie to their parents. Ben’s next words weren’t very friendly at all. Ruth made her choice. It didn’t matter if she got in trouble or not, it was time to talk to her mom. “Mom?” Ruth took a deep breath and started down the hall. “I need to tell you something.” –Jennifer Lindsay How about you? Have you ever been tempted to break the rules because they seemed unfair? Sometimes it may feel like your parents are trying to make your life hard or stop you from having fun, but God placed them in your life because He loves you. Trust that He’s protecting you and making you more like Jesus as He teaches you to obey your parents. When you obey them, you obey Him. If someone is trying to talk to you and have you keep it a secret, tell a trusted adult right away. Today's Key Verse: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Obey your parents

Read: 1 John 3:1-3 Elsa was eager to find Maggie at school. “Remember how much fun it was to pretend we were princesses?” she asked her friend. “Well, guess what? My dad says I really am one! I’m a child of God, so I’m a child of the King because God is King of everything!” “I’ve never heard that before,” Maggie said doubtfully. “It’s what the Bible says,” Elsa replied. “Anyone who trusts in Jesus is a child of God. You can be His child too! Don’t you want to be?” Maggie just shrugged. After school the girls went over to Maggie’s house, but Elsa didn’t stay very long. “I’m not playing with Maggie anymore!” she said as she burst into the kitchen. “We pretended to be princesses again, and she kept all the prettiest dresses for herself. She wouldn’t let me wear any of them. Then when I got off my throne for just a second, she took it!” Mom frowned. “Are you sure you weren’t trying to get all the best things for yourself?” “But I was her guest—and I really am a child of the King, and she’s not,” Elsa replied. “I told Maggie that, but she wouldn’t even give me back my throne.” Elsa scowled. “But I showed her!” Mom raised her eyebrows. “What did you do?” “I threw her stuff at her and told her she looked ugly in those dresses anyway, and then I ran home.” “Elsa,” Mom said quietly, “do you think you acted like a princess today? The Bible says that when we trust Jesus to save us from our sin and become God’s children, He makes us new people. The Holy Spirit comes into our hearts so we can live pure lives that show others we belong to the King. Do you think your actions today were pure? Do you think your attitude showed Maggie what Jesus was like and made her want to become God’s child?” “I guess not,” Elsa admitted. “Can I go back and apologize?” “Sure,” said Mom. “That will help Maggie see what it’s like to be a real princess—a daughter of the King of kings!” –Victoria Johnson How about you? Do you act the way a prince or princess—a child of God—should act? Do you show others who Jesus is by treating them with love and kindness? If you belong to the King of kings, your life should show it. The Holy Spirit is making you more and more like Jesus each day. Show His love to others so they can see who He is and want to become His children too. Today's Key Verse: All who have this hope in [Jesus] purify themselves, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:3 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Live a pure life

Read: Psalm 24 “Want to come over to my house for a while?” Elsa asked as she and Maggie got off the school bus. “Okay,” said Maggie. “I’ll just have to make sure it’s okay with my mom.” After checking with Maggie’s mother, the girls had a snack and then went to Elsa’s room. “My mom gave me some of her old dresses,” Elsa said. “We could put them on and pretend to be princesses.” “Yeah! That would be fun!” After choosing dresses and putting them on, the girls made paper crowns and walked around in their long princess gowns. They sat on imaginary thrones while imaginary servants did everything they were told. When Elsa’s brother Stellan walked by, he stopped a moment and looked in. “Your Royal Highnesses,” he said dramatically, “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think you need to fire your royal stylist. Your dresses look old and outdated.” “They do not!” Maggie said indignantly. “They’re beautiful princess gowns. You’re just jealous because you’re not a prince!” Stellan laughed. “Whatever,” he said and continued down the hall. After Maggie went home, Elsa sat down to dinner with her family. Stellan passed her the bread basket. “Have a roll, Your Royal Highness,” he teased. “Tell me, are you able to butter it yourself? If not, just snap your royal fingers and someone will apply the golden butter with a golden knife.” Elsa grinned and made a face at her brother. “What’s that all about?” asked Dad. When he heard about the girls’ afternoon activities, he surprised Elsa by saying, “You want to know something? You really are a princess—and Stellan is a prince!” “What?” cried Elsa. “But you’re not a king!” “No,” said Dad, “but since you both trust Jesus as your Savior, God is your Father, and He’s the King of kings. So in a way, that makes you a princess, right?” “Cool!” said Elsa. “Maggie will be surprised to hear that! I’ll tell her about it tomorrow.” “Does Maggie know Jesus?” asked Dad. “Is she a child of the King of kings too?” “I don’t know,” said Elsa. “I’ll ask her. If not, I’ll tell her she can become a real princess too!” –Victoria Johnson How about you? Are you a child of God—the King of kings? If you know Jesus as your Savior, He has saved you from sin and made you God’s child. You might not feel like a prince or princess, but your heavenly Father is the Ruler of the universe! If you haven’t put your faith in Jesus, do it today and He will make you a child of the King of kings. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Revelation 17:14 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: God is the King of kings

Read: Matthew 6:25-34 Jacob’s throat tightened as he peered out the kitchen window. I wish we didn’t have to move, he thought. I miss my friends and my old school. After wiping his blurry eyes, he heard something chirping outside. “Look, Mom!” Jacob called. “There’s a nest under the roof over there, and a mother robin is sitting over four babies!” Mom came in from the other room. “You’re right, Jake! The mother bird will protect her babies until they’re ready to fly and live on their own.” Jacob watched as the male robin flew in and dropped a worm into the mother’s open beak. She ate part of it, then pushed it out and dropped it toward her babies’ throats. The tiny birds stretched their necks skyward, chirping until the worm was gone. “Those babies don’t ever have to worry,” Jacob said. “They are warm, safe, and well-fed.” Mom grinned. “Speaking of being well-fed, you need to eat your pancakes and get ready for school.” Jacob swallowed hard. “Mom, can I stay home? My new school is nothing like my old one. I don’t have any friends here. Besides, I’ve got a huge test today. I’ve studied, but what if I don’t do well?” Mom sat down. “You’ve gone through a lot of changes lately. It’s not easy attending a new school, is it? But I bet you can find someone to play with at recess and invite them to eat lunch with you. And I’m sure you’ll do fine on the test—you studied well. Just leave the rest to God. Remember what you said about the baby birds never having to worry?” Jacob wrinkled his brows. “Yeah, but what does that have to do with me?” “Well, Jake, God is like that mother bird. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us, and we can take refuge in the shadow of His wings. He promises to use everything in your life for good, including the hard stuff. Give Him your worries about making friends and taking tests and trust Him to take care of you and guide you. Just like that mother bird, He will provide everything you need.” –Linda Champagne How about you? Do you worry about your problems? Is there something in your life that you’re struggling with right now, like moving or making new friends? Life can be tough sometimes, and God understands that. That’s why He wants you to give all your worries to Him and trust Him to do what’s best for you. He loves you and wants to help you with every problem in your life. Today's Key Verse: How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Don’t worry

Read: Philippians 2:1-4 Chase stomped his feet to warm them while he waited at the edge of the woods for his grandpa and sister. When they caught up with him, Iris pointed. “What animal made these tracks, Grandpa?” Grandpa crouched in the fresh snow to peer at the tracks. “Let’s see. Four toes and a heel. And see what a straight line he left? I’d say a fox was here. A fox’s narrow chest lets him place one paw right in front of the other, which is why there’s a single line of prints.” They followed the trail a little way, and Grandpa pointed out places where squirrels had played tag and rabbits had been hiding. “Wow, Grandpa!” Iris said. “You’re the best tracker in the whole world!” Grandpa laughed. “All tracks tell a story.” When they got home, Chase sniffed the air. “Yum! Mom’s making pizza, and it smells like it’s ready to eat!” Iris put away her wooly coat and fuzzy mittens, but Chase dumped his coat on the floor, yanked off his boots, and turned toward the kitchen. Snow clung to the bottom of his pants in small clumps. “Chase, I can always tell when you’ve been through a room,” Grandpa said, stopping him in the hall. “You leave tracks. And just like animal tracks, what you leave behind tells a story. What kind of story do you think people get from tracks like puddles and coats on the floor?” “Umm…” Chase thought about it. “That I’m messy?” “Anything else?” asked Grandpa. Chase looked down at the puddles on the floor. “I guess it could tell people that I expect someone else to clean up my messes.” Grandpa nodded. “As Christians, the story we want our actions to tell others is how much Jesus loves them. By acting in unselfish ways—like showing others respect by picking up your things—your actions will leave tracks that tell His story. He cleaned up our mess by dying for our sins, and when we act in thoughtful, loving ways toward others, we point to Him.” Chase nodded. “I’m sorry, Grandpa. I’ll put away my things and wipe up the puddles on the floor right now.” He grinned. “From now on, you’re going to have a harder time telling where I’ve been!” –Lisa Nagel How about you? What kind of story do your tracks tell? Do your actions show others the kindness and love of Jesus—or that you’re only thinking of yourself? If you trust in Jesus, He gives you the power to leave tracks that point others to Him. Even if it’s just in small ways, like cleaning up after yourself or not cutting in line, you can tell His story through kind, loving actions. Today's Key Verse: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Your actions leave tracks

Read: Matthew 7:7-11 Snow was starting to fall from the sky as Nick looked out his bedroom window, and he let out a sigh of frustration. His cousins were supposed to come that weekend, but if the roads were snowy and slippery, they wouldn’t be able to make it. Nick missed his cousins and looked forward to their visits a few times each year. He had all kinds of plans for when they arrived, and he even had their sleeping bags already set up in his room. Nick turned from the window and went downstairs, where his parents had the TV on. “Is it going to be a bad storm?” he asked as the weatherman talked away on the screen. “We’re not sure yet.” Dad got up. “Help me make some hot chocolate?” Nick wasn’t really in the mood for hot chocolate even though it was one of his favorite treats, but he followed his dad to the kitchen. “Hey, don’t look so down,” Dad said as he filled the tea kettle with water. “The roads might be clear enough by morning. We can pray that they will be.” Nick pulled his favorite mug from the cupboard. “Do you think God cares about this?” Dad set the tea kettle on the stove and turned to him with raised brows. “Do I think so? I know so. The Bible tells us over and over again how much God cares about us. He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us so we could start a new life with Him, and that means He cares about every worry or problem we have.” “So He doesn’t think it’s weird if we ask for the roads to be clear?” Nick asked. “Not at all,” Dad said. “The Bible says God knows what you need even before you ask Him. He always knows what’s on your heart and mind and wants to help you.” Dad tossed Nick a bag of marshmallows. “That doesn’t mean the roads will for sure be clear tomorrow. Sometimes He doesn’t answer our prayers the way we ask or expect. But we can always talk to Him about anything that’s on our minds and ask for His help.” “Okay.” Nick set the marshmallows down and folded his hands. “I’m going to ask right now.” –Bethany Acker How about you? When you start to worry about things, do you think to pray? God cares about everything that’s happening in your life—even the “small” things. He knows what you need even before you ask Him for help. He may not always answer your prayers the way you want, but He promises to be with you and help you. Tell Him what’s on your mind, no matter how small it seems. Today's Key Verse: Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Pray about anything on your mind

Read: Psalm 139:1-12; John 10:11-15 “I shouldn’t have let you see my test paper,” Teo said as he and his friend Joel rode the bus home after school. “I think I should tell Mr. Grant I cheated.” “Why would you do that?” asked Joel. “You didn’t cheat. I did.” “But I helped you,” said Teo, “so I cheated too.” “We’ll never do it again, so nobody will know,” said Joel. “Nobody saw us.” “God did,” said Teo. “He sees everything.” “You mean God spies on us?” Joel asked. “No, but He sees what we do. It’s more like, well…” Teo sighed, not sure how to explain what he meant. That evening Joel went with Teo’s family to a basketball game in another town. On the way home, they met a car on a two-lane country road. Teo’s dad squinted. “That guy should dim his lights,” he said. “They’re blinding me!” “Look out!” Mom exclaimed. “There’s a—” The brakes squealed and the car swerved, then stopped with a thud. A sheep had wandered into the road through a broken fence, but nobody was hurt—not even the sheep. The car had hit a fencepost but wasn’t badly damaged. “Well, that was exciting,” Joel said when they dropped him off a couple hours later. “It’s lucky nobody got hurt.” “It was more than luck,” Teo’s mom said. “God was watching over us.” “That’s it!” said Teo. “That’s what I meant earlier today. God watches us to protect us, not just to catch us doing something bad.” Dad nodded. “The Bible says Jesus watches those who trust in Him like a Shepherd watching over His sheep. He takes care of us, and when we wander away from Him and do things that are wrong, He offers us forgiveness.” Joel found Teo at school the next morning. “I’ve been thinking,” he said, “and, well, if you still want to tell Mr. Grant about the test, I’ll go with you.” He sighed. “Do you think God will see us do that too?” “He sure will!” said Teo. “And if we tell Him we’re sorry for cheating, He’ll forgive us.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Did you know that God always sees you? Nothing you do—good or bad—is hidden from Him. He knows we all sin by doing things that are wrong. That’s why Jesus died for our sins—so we could be forgiven. If you’ve done something wrong, confess it to Him and accept His forgiveness. Then trust Him to watch over you as your Good Shepherd. Today's Key Verse: The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Proverbs 15:3 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God sees everything

Read: Revelation 21:1-5 Luke peered out the van’s window as his dad drove down the cemetery’s narrow path past rows and rows of small gray tombstones. Snow and ice covered the ground from the last winter storm. When they reached the last row of tombstones, Dad pulled to the side of the road and turned off the engine. They all got out of the van, and Mom opened the back door and pulled out a colorful cross made of purple flowers. Purple had been Luke’s grandma’s favorite color. Luke pulled his hood tightly around his head as he and his parents walked slowly down the row of graves. He counted the tombstones as they passed each one. He knew his grandma’s grave was the seventh in the row. When they reached it, the family stopped and read the inscription once again: Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. They stood silently for a moment as a bitter wind pierced the air. Then Luke spoke up. “It’s so sad and depressing coming out here.” He looked around the cemetery and shivered. “Just thinking about how many dead people are buried in these graves gives me chills.” Dad put his arm around Luke. “I know, buddy. But we know the grave’s not the end. We have hope for eternal life. Jesus said He is the resurrection and the life and that anyone who believes in Him will live forever.” Mom nodded. “Grandma trusted Jesus as her Savior, so she is with Him now. Even though our physical bodies die, Jesus promises to always be with those who trust in Him—even in death. After we die, we go to be with Him, and one day He will give us new bodies that will never die.” Dad gave Luke a pat on the shoulder. “Nothing beats that hope.” “Do you want to put the flowers on Grandma’s grave?” Mom asked, holding out the flowered cross. Luke took the cross and stooped down beside his grandmother’s tombstone. He pushed the stake down firmly into the ground. As he started to stand up, he noticed something green behind the grave. A few blades of grass were poking up out of the snow. There in the cemetery, out of the deadness of winter, the new life of spring was on its way. –Vanessa Small How about you? Do you know someone who has died? Are you afraid of dying yourself? Death can be a difficult reality to face, but those who trust in Jesus have hope beyond the grave. If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, you can trust in Him today. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) If you do know Him, share the hope you have with others so they can have eternal life with Jesus too. Today's Key Verse: Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” John 11:25 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Christians have hope for eternal life

Read: Philippians 2:1-4 “Hey, Dad.” Kwan plopped down on the couch next to his father. “Today I tried to be kind like Jesus, but it didn’t work.” “Really?” asked Dad. “What happened?” “I tried to be friendly to Jayden—he’s new at school—but he’d hardly talk to me. I asked if he wanted to sit with me at lunch, and he said no. During recess I asked him if he wanted to play, and he just shrugged and said, ‘I don’t think so.’ He must not want friends.” “Any idea why he acted that way?” asked Dad. “Well, Jackson’s aunt knows Jayden’s mom, and he said Jayden had to change schools because his dad is in jail and his mom had to sell their house and move to an apartment.” “It sounds like Jayden has a lot of things on his mind,” said Dad. “I know, but doesn’t he need a friend?” asked Kwan. Dad nodded. “Remember when you broke your leg and your friends came over with books and games to cheer you up? As I recall, you weren’t very interested in them that day. Your pain medicine made you sleepy, but if you didn’t take it, your leg hurt too much. You didn’t feel good enough to do anything.” “Yeah,” Kwan said. “That was a bad day.” “You were healing, so you needed space. Jayden may need time too. With all the difficult things that have happened in his life recently, he must be hurting. He might not have enough energy to make new friends right now. Maybe you can ask Jesus to show you another way you can be a friend to him.” That’s when Kwan got an idea. He took a piece of paper and wrote, Jayden—I’m sorry if I bugged you today. I won’t do that anymore. How about I be your silent friend? If you want to play with me, just let me know, okay? Kwan. The next morning, Jayden was standing alone on the school playground, so Kwan walked over and handed him the note. “What’s this?” asked Jayden. Kwan decided to remain a silent friend, so he just smiled. As he left, he glanced back over his shoulder. Jayden was reading the note, and Kwan thought he saw a little smile appear on his face. –Janice M. Jones How about you? Are you sensitive to how other kids feel? Be friendly with others, but don’t be upset if someone wants to be left alone. They may be dealing with difficult things and not want to talk about them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still be a friend to them. Pray about the situation and ask Jesus to show you how you can help. Show His kindness to those who are hurting. Today's Key Verse: Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Be sensitive to the feelings of others

Read: Psalm 33:20-22 Aisha very carefully rolled onto her side, trying to get a little more comfortable. At least she was feeling a little better than earlier. A quiet knock sounded on her door, and Dad came in. “Do you think you could handle some soup?” he asked. Aisha shook her head. “I’m sorry you have to miss Vivian’s party,” Dad said. “Me too, but I told Vivian she could come over here next weekend. We could have a late birthday celebration—just the two of us.” Aisha rolled over onto her back. “Dad, could you get me another blanket? I’m cold.” “Sure, honey. Got one right here.” Aisha smiled as her dad covered her up all the way to her chin. “I’m glad you stayed home from work to take care of me today. When I feel better, can we play a game?” “That’s a good idea.” Dad sat down on the edge of the bed. “Know what, honey? I appreciate you not getting upset about missing Vivian’s party. Her mom always fixes a big feast for you kids, and I know how much you enjoy it.” “Yeah,” said Aisha, “but it sure doesn’t sound good today.” “Well, you and I are having a feast right here at home.” Aisha opened her eyes in surprise. “A feast? But I can’t eat anything right now, and all you had was soup. That’s not a feast!” “Not a physical feast,” said Dad. “A spiritual one. The Bible says that when we have a cheerful heart, we have a continual feast. When we remember the hope we have in Jesus—even on bad days—we feast on His goodness and grace, and that affects our attitude and how we respond when things don’t go our way. We can be joyful even in hard times knowing He saved us and is always with us and will one day come back to make all things new—including giving us new bodies that will never get sick.” Aisha laid her head back on her pillow and sighed. “I can’t wait for that!” Dad adjusted Aisha’s blanket and turned out the light. “Get some rest now, and before you know it, you’ll be able to give your stomach a feast too.” –Mary F. Watkins How about you? Are you having a feast today? It’s no fun to feel sick or have to deal with other hard things. At times like that, you probably wouldn’t describe yourself as cheerful. But if you focus on Jesus and His love and promises—even in times of disappointment—He can help you keep a cheerful attitude. This gives you a different kind of feast—a feeling of joy in spite of circumstances. Today's Key Verse: The cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus even on hard days

Read: Psalm 119:33-40; Matthew 4:4 “Hi, Grandpa,” called Caleb as he and Abigail ran up the porch steps to their grandpa’s house. “Hi, yourself,” answered Grandpa with a grin. “What are you up to today?” “We got behind in learning our verses for Bible club,” said Abigail, “so we have to learn a whole bunch of them today. Mom said we could take a break and come over here for a while.” “Yeah,” said Caleb. “I just don’t see how I’m going to remember all those verses.” Grandpa smiled. “Do you know your locker combination? And what about your address? Aren’t they hard to remember?” Caleb shook his head. “They’re easy to remember because I use them all the time.” “I see,” said Grandpa. “In other words, we remember what we use in everyday life.” He sniffed the air. “Mmmm…I smell fresh bread!” Abigail opened the sack she was carrying. “Mom sent this loaf for you.” “How nice!” Grandpa took the bread and set it on the table next to the lamp. “It looks good there, don’t you think?” He sat down on the sofa and looked at the bread. Caleb stared at him. “You’re not going to leave it there, are you?” Grandpa smiled and shrugged. “What else should I do with it?” Abigail threw up her hands. “Eat it, of course! Just letting it sit there isn’t going to do you any good.” Grandpa nodded. “I agree. Bread doesn’t do us any good if it’s left on the table—and the Bible doesn’t do us any good if it’s left on the bookshelf! I’ll eat this bread and get energy from it, and if you regularly ‘eat’ God’s Word—if you read it and let it nourish your soul—it will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. So keep learning those verses! The more you think about them and apply them to your everyday life, the easier they’ll be to remember.” “Okay, Grandpa,” said Caleb. “We’ll keep ‘eating’ God’s Word and ask Him to use it to help us grow.” “Good.” Grandpa picked up the loaf. “And now I’m going to eat some of your mother’s bread, and it will help me grow—around my middle!” He patted his stomach, and they all laughed. –Jan. L Hansen How about you? Where is your spiritual “bread”? Are you “eating” it—or is it just lying on a shelf? If you haven’t been reading the Bible, why not start now? You can begin with the suggested verses at the top of this page. Ask God to give you encouragement and direction as you think about what you read in His Word. Then trust Him to use it to help you grow in your faith. Today's Key Verse: Direct my steps by Your word. Psalm 119:133 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Read God’s Word

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 “I’m sorry to interrupt your schoolwork, boys,” Mom said, “but we should go outside and see the sunset. It’s spectacular tonight.” Zach and Connor bookmarked their pages and got up from the sofa. “How do you even know what the sunset looks like tonight, Mom?” Connor asked as he glanced toward the window. “This window faces north. There’s no way you can see the sun from here.” Zach nudged him. “Moms have eyes—or spies—everywhere. It’s a known fact.” Mom laughed as she opened the door. “It’s true I see a lot of things. But my only spies are the houses across the street.” “Huh?” Connor stepped out, squinting around the neighborhood. “Look at their windows. What do you see?” The three of them stood on their front steps. “The sunset!” Zach pointed. “I can see it in the neighbors’ windows! That’s how Mom knew what it looked like.” Dad joined them as they walked down the driveway until they could see the sun in all its glory to the west. “What if the neighbors didn’t have any windows?” Dad asked. “Then we wouldn’t have known there was a wonderful sunset tonight,” Zach replied. “That’s right. There’s a spiritual lesson here for us,” Dad said. “The Bible says others can see Jesus in us, almost like we are windows or mirrors reflecting Him. He changes us more and more into His likeness when we spend time with Him and grow in our faith. Then when our neighbors look at our lives, they may see He’s for real and want to know Him themselves. We want others to see wonderful things about Jesus when they look at us.” “You mean like seeing us do nice things for people? Like forgiving others or taking food to sick neighbors?” Zach asked. “How about being more patient when younger kids wanna shoot hoops with us?” Connor added. Dad put an arm around each of the boys as the family walked back to the house. “Yep. Something like that.” "Cool! Let’s make a list of ways we can be good reflectors before bed,” said Connor. “Good idea,” said Mom. “Just don’t forget to finish your schoolwork.” –Robin Steinweg How about you? How do you reflect Jesus in your life? You might try hard to do good all on your own, but you’ll only end up showing people yourself. To reflect Jesus, you need to belong to Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Then, as you spend time with Him and read His Word, He will renew your mind and transform you from the inside out. Trust Him to help you reflect Him so others can see Him at work in you. Today's Key Verse: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Reflect Jesus

Read: Hebrews 11:8-9 “Guess what?” Isla said when her mom got home from work. “Miss Collins is moving, and she doesn’t want to take her fish tank with her. She gave me her three Oscar fish.” “Aren’t Oscars really big?” Mom asked. “In an open lake they are, but if they grow up in a fish tank, they stay small. Miss Collins says they always grow in proportion to their surroundings.” “That’s interesting.” Mom went over to Isla’s fish tank and peered at the newcomers. “Your fish might be an interesting topic for you to talk about on show-and-tell night at your youth group next week. In some ways, we’re like those fish.” “We are?” Isla frowned. “Mom, about youth group…after this year, kids my age are supposed to move up to the older group, and we don’t want to. We just want to keep our same small group.” “You’re worrying about that a little early, aren’t you? Your group will stay the same for quite a while yet.” Mom looked at Isla’s fish. “What if Miss Collins had set those Oscars free in the lake instead of giving them to you, Isla? What would happen?” “I guess they would have grown much bigger,” Isla replied. “Right,” said Mom. “Now, do you think God would want you kids to be like little fish in a tiny cramped tank, never growing very much? Or do you think He’d want you to stretch and grow spiritually as Christians?” “I guess He’d want us to grow.” Isla thought of her older cousin Chris, who was a missionary overseas. “Chris probably had to grow a lot before he was ready to leave his family and tell people in another country about Jesus. I bet he never thought he’d be doing that when he was my age!” Mom nodded. “He had to learn to depend on Jesus and follow wherever He led—even if it was somewhere he wasn’t totally comfortable at first.” Isla sighed. “Okay, I’ll use my fish for an illustration on show-and-tell night. Maybe the other kids will agree that it will be good to move up so we can stretch out and grow.” –Heather Tekavec How about you? Do you have a place where you can go to grow spiritually? Do you have Christian friends who help you? Going to church, learning about the Bible with others, taking part in service projects that show people the love of Jesus—all these things help you grow as a Christian. It may be scary at first, but take advantage of new opportunities that help you learn more about Jesus and share His love with others. Today's Key Verse: But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Go where you’ll grow

Read: Matthew 6:5-8 Callum heard someone calling his name. “Amen,” he said quickly, then opened his closet door to find his dad standing in the middle of his room. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” Dad said, “but I’m curious. Why were you praying in your closet?” “Well, I always pray beside my bed, but our lesson at church this week was about prayer, and my teacher read a verse that said to go into your closet and shut the door when you pray. So tonight I prayed in my closet.” Dad chuckled. “I think the closet in that verse means something a little different from the closets where we keep our clothes. In fact, most Bible scholars agree that the word closet in that verse could also be translated room. That’s the word many Bible translators use.” “Really?” said Callum. “Well, that’s good! Then I can go back to praying beside my bed again. It was really stuffy in the closet!” Dad smiled. “I think the main thing Jesus is saying in that verse is that we should pray in order to talk with Him and worship Him—not to show off in front of other people. That’s why it’s good to get away by ourselves—like in a separate room—and shut the door.” Dad paused. “Of course, we can pray anytime, anywhere. Then we just need to shut the door of our hearts and minds.” “How do we do that?” asked Callum. “That just means find a way to eliminate distractions,” Dad explained. “One way to do that is to close your eyes when you pray. But even if you’re doing something where you can’t close your eyes, you can focus your mind and shut out thoughts about other things.” “Like making a prayer room inside my head.” Callum grinned. “And I’ll have it with me all the time, so I can pray anywhere.” “Right!” said Dad. “It’s great to be able to pray at home, at school, when you’re playing—or anywhere else. But also having a special prayer time alone with God is a wonderful way to get to know Him better. He sent Jesus to save us so we could have a relationship with Him, and He wants us to spend time with Him in prayer.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Do you spend time alone with God? Do you talk to Him when you’re afraid, thankful, happy, or in need? You can talk to Him anywhere, but it’s also good to talk with Him regularly in a quiet place by yourself. Tell Him what you’re struggling with, pray for the needs of others, and thank Him for His love and what He’s done for you. Today's Key Verse: When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father. Matthew 6:6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Spend time in prayer

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 12:1-3 Austin watched as his uncle put a treat right in front of Trixie. “No, Trixie! No!” Uncle Josh told the puppy. “Look at me!” Trixie looked straight at her master’s face, then glanced down at the treat she wanted so much. “Trixie, no! Look at me!” The dog raised her eyes and gazed at her master again, ignoring the treat. “Why does Trixie have to look at you?” asked Austin. “If she looks at me instead of at the treat, she’s more likely to obey.” Uncle Josh had Trixie sit and lie down, then picked up the treat and gave it to her. “Trixie just showed us how we should act when we’re tempted to do something wrong,” he said, patting Trixie on the head. “If we’re focused on whatever it is that’s tempting us, it’s easier to give in. But if we keep our eyes on our Master—Jesus—we’re far more likely to obey Him.” “How do we keep our eyes on Jesus?” asked Austin. “We can’t really see Him.” “You played in a tennis competition last summer,” said Uncle Josh. “You worked so hard to be in shape. Why did you do that?” “I wanted to win the trophy,” said Austin. “And I did!” “So you understand what I mean if I say you had your eyes on the prize?” “Yeah,” Austin said. “I couldn’t really see the trophy, but I kept thinking about it and what I had to do to win it.” Uncle Josh nodded. “We can do what God wants us to do by keeping our eyes on the prize—Jesus! But unlike your tennis competition, Jesus has already won the trophy for us. He saved us by dying for our sin, and He’s given us the Holy Spirit so that we have the power to do what’s right.” “And that’s why we need to keep our eyes on Him,” said Austin. “Right. When we’re tempted to do something we know is wrong, we need to remember that Jesus has already won the battle against sin and that we belong to Him. That’s how we resist temptation—by looking to Him and what He’s done for us.” –Caroline E. Yost How about you? Do you keep your eyes on Jesus? When you’re tempted to do something wrong, remember that He has saved you from sin and given you the reward of eternal life with Him. Sin doesn’t define you anymore, and you have the power to obey Jesus instead. Keep your eyes and heart focused on Him, and trust Him to give you strength to fight every temptation. Today's Key Verse: Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore! Psalm 105:4 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Look to Jesus

Read: Romans 4:6-8; 5:6-8 “Dad’s here!” Keziah peeked her head around the side of the house. “Jonah!” Jonah stared at his older sister. “No. He can’t be here yet.” Jonah’s eyes filled as he heard his dad greeting his sister. He wanted to join them, but he’d been working on painting the fence for their mom all afternoon. He didn’t want to look all messy when they reunited. He heard his dad’s voice. “Where’s my Jonah?” Jonah couldn’t stop himself from running to Dad as soon as he rounded the house. “You’re home!” Dad opened his arms. “I’m home.” Jonah let his dad hug him tight, then pulled back. “I’m probably getting your uniform dirty. I wanted to get cleaned up before you got home…” “It’s fine.” Dad chuckled. “I’m just happy to be back home with you.” He pulled Jonah back into a hug. “I missed you.” “I’m a mess,” Jonah muttered. “You don’t have to get cleaned up for me.” Dad patted his back. “I love you even when you’re messy. You don’t know how much I’ve been looking forward to being back with you, your mom, and your sister.” Later, after Jonah had taken a shower and put on clean clothes, his dad took him out for ice cream. “You know,” Dad said. “I was thinking…I told you that you didn’t need to get cleaned up for me, and that’s true. God feels the same way—and isn’t it great that He does? When we make a mess of our lives with sin, we don’t have to get cleaned up before we go to Him—we can come to Him just as we are, and He will make us clean.” “I could’ve used some help getting clean today—that paint was hard to scrub off!” Jonah teased. Dad rolled his eyes. “You could take care of that yourself. But we can’t clean ourselves of sin. Yet God loves us even when we’re messy—that’s why Jesus died and rose again to save us. When we trust in Him, we become God’s children—clean and forgiven.” –Emily Acker How about you? Have you ever felt too messy for God? Have you wondered if you’ve done too many wrong things for Him to love you and accept you? The amazing news of the gospel is that God loved us while we were sinners. We can’t clean ourselves up, so Jesus died for our sins. When we trust in Him, He will forgive us and make us clean. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God loves us at our messiest

Read: Proverbs 15:23; 25:11-13 “Whoa!” Lachlan yelled as his remote control jeep crashed. He picked it up and saw that a piece had fallen off. Lachlan tried to fix the jeep—but it was no use. “Parker, can you fix this?” he asked his older brother. “You’re always breaking things!” said Parker. But he held out his hand. “All right, give it to me.” In no time at all, the jeep was as good as new. “Thanks, Parker,” said Lachlan. “I sure wish I could fix something myself.” Lachlan often knew in his head how to fix things, but the information seemed to get lost between his head and his hands. Lachlan put the jeep back on the floor and raced it into his bedroom. He plopped down on his bed. I can’t fix anything, he thought. Last week when the chain flew off my bike, Parker had to fix it. When my bird feeder fell apart, Dad fixed it. I wish there was something I could fix. Lachlan did the one thing that always helped him when he was struggling. He talked to God. “Jesus,” Lachlan prayed, “I know you’re able to fix anything. You fixed people who couldn’t see or walk, and you fixed me by taking away my sin. Please show me something I can help fix. Amen.” Later that evening, Lachlan went to the kitchen where Mom was making dinner. Instead of smiling as she usually did, she looked sad. He heard her sigh, and Lachlan wondered what was wrong. “What’s the matter, Mom?” he asked. “Oh, Lachlan,” said Mom, “it’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ve just had a difficult day, that’s all.” Lachlan wrapped his arms around his mom and gave her a big hug. “Don’t be sad, Mom,” he said. “I love you. You’re the best mom a kid could have!” Mom wiped tears from her eyes and began to smile. “Thank you, honey,” she said. “You’ve just made me the happiest mom in the whole world.” Lachlan smiled too. Jesus had answered his prayer and helped him fix something—his mom’s sad heart. –Steven R. Smith How about you? Do you ever feel like you can’t help anyone? One of the very best things you can do is encourage others. If you know Jesus, He has given you the ability to help discouraged people by showing them His love. He can use you to help bring healing to tough situations. Share His love with those who are hurting through kind words and a helpful heart. Today's Key Verse: Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. Proverbs 16:24 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Encourage someone today

Read: Psalm 139:23-24; Jeremiah 17:10 “Why is there an old apple core inside a crinkled chip bag under your pillow?” Dad asked when Camila came into the kitchen. Camila smirked. “The real question is why were you looking under my pillow?” “I was just following my nose,” said Dad. “Your room is a mess! You need to clean it before going to Mackenzie’s house.” Camila stomped upstairs, mumbling something about how unfair life was. Dad had just finished his second cup of coffee and morning Bible reading when Camila scooted into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “I’m guessing you’re taking a snack break,” he said. Camila crunched into an apple. “Nope. I’m finished.” “How could you have cleaned your room in thirty minutes? I couldn’t have cleaned it that fast with a bulldozer.” “Take a look if you don’t believe me.” Camila followed her dad upstairs. He was amazed. There was no clutter to be found. Dad got down on his hands and knees. “What are you doing?” Camila asked. This didn’t look good. “When I was a kid, my favorite cleaning method was to shove all the junk under my bed so everything looked clean. I didn’t think my dad was smart enough to look there.” Dad peeked under the bed. “And it looks like you didn’t think your dad was smart enough either. I guess you have a full day of cleaning ahead of you.” “I thought it’d be easier to just hide everything by shoving it under the bed,” said Camila. “I didn’t know you were going to send out a search party!” Dad sat on the edge of her bed. “Believe it or not, a lot of people think they can do the same thing with their sin—they try to hide it to make their lives look perfect. They may think they’re fooling everyone, but they’re not fooling God. In the Bible, David asks God to search his heart. He wanted God to find the sin in his life so he could confess it and be forgiven.” “Well, God is our Father, and fathers are really good at finding stuff!” Camila said. “I guess I need to tell Jesus—and you—I’m sorry.” “I forgive you,” Dad said. “And Jesus promises to always forgive us too.” –Jared Hottenstein How about you? Do you try to hide your sin and keep others from seeing the messes in your life? Even if you’re able to hide the wrong things you do from others, you can’t hide them from God. The Bible calls the wrong things we do sin, and the best way to handle sin isn’t to try to hide it from God, but to show it to Him. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful to His promise to always forgive us. Today's Key Verse: Search me, God, and know my heart…See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Let God search for sin

Read: Ephesians 6:1-3 Charley toddled happily around the living room. He had just learned to walk, and it was Lacie’s job to keep an eye on him while Dad was cooking dinner. He was a very curious little boy and almost always found a way to get into trouble. “Charley, get out of there! You could pull the whole bookcase down on you,” Lacie exclaimed. Charley had begun to climb up the shelves to grab an interesting picture he wanted to see. Lacie pulled him off the shelf, and he howled in anger. She set him back on the floor and watched for his next move carefully. He casually glanced back at his sister, then wandered over to the basement stairs. Lacie wasn’t fooled, and she knew he couldn’t handle going down big steps yet. She scooped him up, and again he screamed. Lacie tried to explain what would happen to him. “Charley, if you try to do things that will hurt you, then I’m going to keep you from doing them. I know you’re mad because you don’t get to do what you want, but you have to learn what’s good for you and what’s dangerous.” It didn’t make a difference to Charley. I really hope he figures out he could really get hurt if he keeps this up, Lacie thought. I don’t want to keep rescuing him from danger just because he doesn’t know it’s dangerous. As Lacie thought about Charley’s attitude, she realized she was doing the exact same thing. Not that she was going to climb a bookcase, but her dad had told her several times that she couldn’t get her own phone like the other girls at school. I just want to fit in with my friends, Lacie thought. But maybe Dad knows it’s something I’m not ready for yet. I need to remember that God wants me to obey Dad because He loves me, and Dad loves me too. I can trust that they both know what’s best for me. “I know today hasn’t been fun for you, Charley,” she told her bawling brother, “but thanks for helping me learn that I can’t always get what I want either. I just hope I can help you learn the same thing too!” –Dylan Kraayenbrink How about you? Do you get angry when your parents won’t let you have something you want? Maybe you’re upset that you can’t have a smartphone, a new bike, or the latest clothes. Remember that God puts parents in our lives to help us learn and grow because He loves us. We need to trust that they—and God—know what’s best for us. Obey your parents and trust that God is using them to help you grow. Today's Key Verse: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Trust your parents to know best

Read: John 10:14-18 “Why would Jesus allow Himself to be killed if He were really God?” Jackson asked his youth group leader. “I don’t get it!” Mr. Anders did his best to explain, but Jackson still thought it made no sense. A few days later, Jackson joined the group on a campout at a national park. Before heading off, they met with Ranger Davis. He told them about his work and even let them climb up the watchtower where he regularly checked for fires. Then the boys and Mr. Anders headed into the woods. The next day, the group awakened to the smell of smoke in the air. “There must be a fire in the forest somewhere,” Mr. Anders said. He tried to call the park office but couldn’t get any reception on his phone. “We don’t know where the fire is,” he told the boys. “If we start moving, we might head closer to the blaze.” “Look!” Jackson called out. “A helicopter!” The boys whooped as a helicopter zoomed in and hovered over their campsite. Within a few minutes, they were all inside and taken to safety. As the boys talked excitedly about their narrow escape, a sheriff came in. “Where’s Ranger Davis?” someone asked. “Was he able to see where we were from the watchtower?” The sheriff nodded sadly. “He spotted your campsite and radioed your location right before a burning tree fell on the tower.” Jackson gasped. “You mean…he died?” The sheriff nodded again. “He refused to leave before you boys were located. He stayed and saved your lives instead of his own. If he hadn’t…well, you wouldn’t be here now.” Jackson was stunned. Later that day, Mr. Anders talked with Jackson. “How are you doing?” he asked. “I can’t stop thinking about Ranger Davis. He could have left the tower sooner, but he stayed to save us—and died because of it.” Jackson paused to wipe his eyes. “It’s like what you were trying to tell me about Jesus, isn’t it?” Mr. Anders nodded. “Jesus could have chosen not to die, but then we couldn’t have been saved from our sin. He died in our place—and then He rose again! Everyone who trusts in Him will live with Him forever.” “I get it now,” Jackson said in a trembling voice. “I want to trust in Him too.” –Jan L. Hansen How about you? Did you know that Jesus sacrificed His life for yours? You can’t save yourself, but Jesus willingly died so you could be saved and have eternal life with Him. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? If not, do it today and He will save you. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. John 10:17-18 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Jesus willingly died for you

Read: Romans 5:1-5 Marta sat down on the couch beside her grandmother and glanced at the needlepoint canvas she was working on. “That’s so pretty!” said Marta. “That’s going to be the cover for the pillow you made for my bed, isn’t it? Is it almost finished?” “Not yet,” said Grandma, “but it’s getting there.” She turned the canvas over and cut a thread. “Wow!” said Marta. “It doesn’t look so good on the back side—just a big tangle of threads.” She grinned. “Be sure you don’t put it on the pillow inside out!” Grandma laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t.” Marta picked up a photo album from the coffee table and flipped through it. “Grandma,” she said after a few minutes, “I still miss Grandpa a lot. I just don’t understand why God didn’t make him get better! We prayed and prayed for him, but he died anyway.” Grandma squeezed Marta’s hand. “I know you miss him, honey. I do too. I don’t know why the Lord took Grandpa to heaven instead of giving him more time here with us, but…” She paused and held up her needlework so Marta could see the back of the canvas again. “As you pointed out, this side of the picture isn’t very pretty.” She turned the cloth over to the finished side. “That side is much better,” said Marta. “I love the little frogs in that picture. They’re so cute!” “Yes, they are—even though I’m not finished yet.” Grandma laid the needlework back in her lap and looked at Marta. “Some things that happen to us—or to those we love—look like the tangled threads on the wrong side of a needlepoint picture,” she said softly. “But God sees the right side. His picture of our lives isn’t finished yet, and He knows what threads are needed to make it beautiful. We need to trust Him to work out every part just right, knowing that Jesus gave His life so that our lives could be a beautiful reflection of Him.” Marta picked up her grandma’s needlework and smiled. “Once this is finished and on my bed, the frogs in the picture will remind me to trust God with my life, even when things happen that I don’t understand.” –Richard S. Maffeo How about you? Has something sad happened in your life? Is it hard to understand why God allows those kinds of things to happen? When things happen that you don’t understand, trust that God is using them for good, even though you can’t see it. He loves you and will always be there to help you through the hard times, and one day you’ll be able to see the beautiful picture He’s made of your life. Today's Key Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus in everything

Read: James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:18 Sebastian was so focused on coloring the big red heart that he didn’t hear his dad come into his room. Dad stood behind him and read the poem written on the card Sebastian was making out loud. “‘Roses are red, the snow is white…you light up my life like a big headlight.’” Dad grinned. “You certainly have a way with words, son. I’m guessing this Valentine isn’t for your mom.” Sebastian looked up from his coloring. “It’s for a girl in my class. It took me two weeks to come up with that. Do you think she’ll like it?” “I think every girl likes to hear kind words. What else are you planning to do for her for Valentine’s Day?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t planning on doing anything. I was just going to wow her with words.” Dad smiled. “Your words are a great start, but you need to do something to back up what you say. Offer to clean the hamster cage when it’s her turn. Or change your poem to ‘A rosy, red rose, a white snowflake…you warm my heart like a cookie that’s baked,’ and make her a batch of cookies. Do something to prove your words have meaning.” “Did Grandpa give you this advice when you were my age?” Sebastian asked. “Believe it or not, I got this from the Bible.” Sebastian laughed. “I don’t think the Bible talks about baking cookies.” “No, but it does talk about backing up our words with action. It tells us to show the truth of our love not only through what we say, but what we do. Think of it like this. The Bible says that God loved the world and that He gave His only Son, Jesus. God doesn’t just say He loves us. He backs it up with action. And we need to do more than just say nice things to people. We need to do things that show them we care—not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day.” Sebastian pulled a fresh piece of paper from his desk drawer. “What are you doing now?” Dad asked. “Tell me that poem about baking cookies again,” said Sebastian. “I want to remake this card and then go put a batch of cookies in the oven.” –Jared Hottenstein How about you? Do you say kind words to people and tell them you care about them? That’s great, but don’t forget to back up the truth of your words with action. God wants us to build others up with our words, but He also wants us to live out our faith in what we do as well as what we say. Love others like Jesus by letting them know you care through both your words and your actions. Today's Key Verse: Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 1 John 3:18 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Live out love

Read: James 4:13-15 When Journey and her dad clapped their hands and shouted loudly, two barn swallows quickly flew out of the garage, their tails looking like forks against the blue sky. “Why can’t we let them nest in the garage, Dad?” Journey asked as she watched the birds fly over a neighbor’s house and disappear. “Our garage wouldn’t be a safe place to raise baby birds,” said Dad. “See what happens when the garage door is closed?” He pressed a button to lower the garage door. Instantly, it became dark, and the cool breeze was gone. Journey nodded. “Our garage would get too hot for them, wouldn’t it?” “Yes, and not just that. When the door is closed, the mother and father birds wouldn’t be able to go in and out and bring food for the baby birds.” Dad opened the garage door and let the cooler air back in. “I guess they’ll have to change their plans and find a new home—just like we had to change our plans and find a new home when we moved here.” Journey sighed. “Sometimes I wish our plans hadn’t gotten changed. I like living here, but I miss my old school and the friends I had there.” Dad nodded. “Mom and I liked where we lived before too. We were surprised when my company wanted us to move here, but I’m sure we’ll grow to like it.” He leaned against the wall and thought for a minute. “We can make our plans, Journey, but like the Bible says, it’s the Lord who determines our steps—and we want to follow Him wherever He leads us.” “But why would God want us to move?” “Why did we chase those birds out of the garage?” Dad asked. “Well, because we know they need to build their nest someplace else,” Journey replied. “Right. The birds don’t understand that, but we know it’s best. And we don’t know why God would want us to move, but because He loves us so much that Jesus died for us, we can trust Him to know what’s best—even when it doesn’t make sense to us.” “I know,” Journey said. “And I’m thankful He’s with us and promises to help us through the things we don’t understand.” Dad smiled. “Me too.” –Mary F. Watkins How about you? Is it hard for you to accept a change in your plans? It’s good to plan ahead, but remember that God is the one in control and that your plans may have to change in order for Him to do what’s best. Trust Him to work things out for your good, knowing He’s with you and will always help you through any difficult changes in your life. Today's Key Verse: We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Accept God’s plans for you

Read: Ephesians 2:19-22 “Hey, Blaine, what are you working on?” Dad asked as he walked into Blaine’s room. “I’m making a building out of interlocking blocks for the library contest,” Blaine said. “If I post a picture on their website, I could win a free meal at a local restaurant.” Suddenly, he frowned. “Hey, where’s my baseplate? Can you help me find it, Dad? It’s the big flat one that I have to build on to make sure the structure won’t tip over.” “All right.” Dad kneeled and began to look through the chest of blocks. He pulled out a large flat piece like Blaine had described. “Is this it?” “Yeah! Thanks, Dad.” “Do you mind if I build something too? I loved playing with blocks like this when I was younger.” Blaine nodded. “Sure.” “I think I’ll build a minivan like ours.” Dad began looking for black blocks to use for the tires. “So, did you finish reading this week’s Bible passage for Sunday school?” “I started, but I don’t really understand it. It talks about something being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the cornerstone.” “It’s talking about the church,” Dad explained. “Everyone who joins the church by trusting in Jesus is an important part of it.” He pointed at the blocks Blaine was attaching to his building. “It’s like those blocks. Imagine if you only got one block in a set! You wouldn’t be able to build a complete car, or building, or much of anything with one block. But when you have many blocks that fit together perfectly, you can build a structure that is complete.” “So, are we the blocks?” Blaine asked. “Yes! Christians make up the church the way your blocks make up the building you’re working on. And just like your baseplate, Jesus is the base of our church. It’s built on what He did to save us from sin—His death and resurrection. Like blocks that connect together, we are connected through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us and is shaping us to be more like Jesus.” Blaine nodded. “I think I understand better now. And I’m finished with my building!” “All right. I’ll take a picture,” Dad said. “I can already taste that free meal!” –Jessica Kleeberger How about you? Have you ever built something with interlocking blocks? If so, you know how much fun it is to see a bunch of tiny pieces come together to form a complete creation. The church is the same way! Each Christian belongs to the church and has a part to play in what God is building on the foundation set by Jesus. His Spirit lives in us and works through us so others can see Jesus’s love. Today's Key Verse: In [Jesus] you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:22 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: The church is built on Jesus

Read: Ephesians 4:26-32 Mei hung up the phone and walked into the living room with her arms crossed and her jaw clenched. “That was Everly.” Mom frowned. “You’re not still angry with her, are you?” “Of course I am!” said Mei. “She shouldn’t have made fun of me that way. She did it right in front of everyone, and they were all laughing at me!” “I know she hurt you, Mei, and what she did was wrong. But you can’t let bitterness fester in your heart. That’s wrong too.” Mom knelt down to scrub a spot on the carpet. “You need to deal with your anger.” Mei watched as her mother vigorously rubbed the dark spot on the carpet. “Do you think that will ever come out?” she asked. “It doesn’t really look much better than before.” “I hope it will,” said Mom. “Of course, it would have come out a lot easier if I had cleaned it right after the juice was spilled.” Mom wiped sweat off her face and glanced up at Mei. “You should deal with your anger the way I should have dealt with this stain.” Mei frowned. “What do you mean?” Mom continued to rub the dark blotch. “Time has allowed this stain to penetrate into the carpet fibers. Once it’s soaked in and dried, it’s really hard to remove all traces of it. Anger does something like that to your heart. If you let it stay and saturate there, it becomes more and more difficult to remove. Over time, it can grow into bitterness and rage.” Mei looked at the stain on the carpet and sighed. “I don’t know how I can stop being mad at Everly, but I want to.” “Good for you!” Mom said. “Start by talking to Jesus about it, and trust Him to help you forgive others the way He’s forgiven you. And pray for Everly too. It’s hard to be angry with someone you’re praying for. With God’s help, you can replace your bitterness with His love. Then maybe you should call Everly and ask her to come over so you can talk about what happened.” Mei nodded. “Okay,” she said. “I will.” –Suzanne Daly How about you? Are you angry about something? Anger isn’t a bad emotion, but left unchecked, it can fester into bitterness or rage. Don’t let anger build up in your heart. Ask Jesus to help you when you’re struggling with something someone did to you. He is with you and knows your pain, and He gives you the power to forgive others the way He’s forgiven you. Trust Him to replace your anger and bitterness with His love. Today's Key Verse: Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. Psalm 37:8 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Deal with anger now

Read: Psalm 143:8-10; 1 John 4:1-6 “Dad, what are those ropes on the side of the road?” asked six-year-old Arthur as they drove down the highway. “Those are called guardrails,” Dad replied. “Sometimes guardrails are made of wide metal bands, and sometimes they’re heavy wire ropes. They’re to make sure people driving on the highway stay on the road.” “Why would they want to leave the road?” Arthur asked. “They wouldn’t want to leave the road,” said Arthur’s brother, Keaton. “But sometimes people have accidents. Like in winter. If the road gets slippery, cars might run into each other and go off the road.” Dad nodded. “Or drivers may not be paying attention to what they’re doing, or they may get sleepy and swerve off the highway. Then those guardrails would catch their cars before they could roll down the hill at the side of the road. Without the guardrails, the cars would suffer much more serious damage—and the people inside them could have more serious injuries.” “Wow!” Arthur said. “Then I’m glad they’re there. They’re really important!” “Yes, they are.” Dad smiled. “You know, God’s Word can be like a guardrail. Just like guardrails protect us on the highway, reading the Bible can protect us from false teaching.” “What do you mean?” asked Keaton. “The Bible shows us what comes from God and what doesn’t,” said Dad. “It shows us who God is, and if we know Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit to help us understand His Word and use it to test ideas we come into contact with. The Bible helps us recognize when something is false teaching and not the truth.” “Like what that person was saying on the radio earlier?” asked Keaton. “The one who said all religions lead to God?” “Right. That’s not what the Bible says—it says the only way to have eternal life with God is by trusting Jesus to save us from sin.” Dad sighed. “We hear so much in the world that’s untrue, which is why we need to be careful not to veer off the right path in our spiritual lives. As we read the Bible and learn about it at church, we can trust the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom about what it says so we can guard our hearts against falsehoods.” –Robert Truesdale How about you? Do you read the Bible regularly? Do you check it when you’re not sure about something you’ve heard? As you learn what God says in His Word, the Holy Spirit will use it to give you wisdom and help you recognize Satan’s lies. So keep reading the Bible and studying it, and trust God to use it to help you stay on the right road in your walk with Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. 1 John 4:1 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God’s Word contains truth

Read: Ephesians 2:4-7 Harvey threw a baseball toward his dad. “What if I do all this practicing and I still don’t make the team?” Dad grinned. “I’ll still love you.” Harvey sighed. “You’ll always love me. You say that all the time.” “God will always love you too.” Dad lifted his arm. “Get ready to swing.” The ball came toward Harvey. He swung hard, but his bat didn’t connect with the ball. “This is what I mean.” Harvey went to get the ball so he could try again. “What if I somehow make the team and then I strike out every time I’m up? My teammates are going to hate me.” “If we keep practicing, I don’t think that will happen,” Dad said. “But even if it does, I will still love you, and God will still love you too.” Harvey threw the ball back to his dad. Dad held on to it as he looked over at him. “God and I will still love you, Harvey, but how will you feel about yourself? Do you feel like you have to do well to be deserving of love? What’s going through your head, bud?” Harvey looked down at the ground. “Ever since Mom left, I find it hard to believe that anyone really loves me. Even you and God. Sometimes I don’t like myself too much either.” He heard footsteps and knew his dad was coming over to him, but he was surprised when Dad knelt on the ground in front of him. “Bud?” His dad looked up into his eyes. “You are so worthy of love. You can’t imagine how much I care about you and how much God loves you. He sent Jesus to die for you so you could be His child! Your mom leaving had nothing to do with you or anything you have or haven’t done.” “But…a mom shouldn’t leave her kid.” Harvey blinked his eyes hard. “No, she shouldn’t.” Dad dropped the baseball and wrapped his arms around Harvey. “But what she did doesn’t change your value in my eyes or God’s eyes, and it shouldn’t change how you think about yourself either. God will always love you, and I will too.” –Emily Acker How about you? Do you let what others think about you affect how you see yourself? You have great value in God’s eyes, and nothing will ever change how He feels about you. He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for your sins so you could belong to Him forever. He cares about you so much and will never, ever leave you. When others let you down, know that He is with you and that you are loved. Today's Key Verse: As the Father loved Me [Jesus], I also have loved you; abide in My love. John 15:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: You are very loved

Read: Luke 16:1-10 Mina pouted as her older sister, Jackie, folded a pastel quilt and placed it on top of a large stack of quilts their mother had made. “Ready to go?” Mom asked as she hurried into the living room. Kitty, Mina and Jackie’s toddler sister, giggled as she bounced on Mom’s hip. “Ready!” Jackie replied, grinning. “Why can’t I go to the craft fair too?” Mina whined. “Dad will take you and Kitty this afternoon,” Mom said. “But babysitting Kitty is boring,” Mina said. “I want to help at the fair!” “Shh, don’t listen to her,” Jackie said teasingly, cupping her hands over Kitty’s ears. Mom passed Kitty to Jackie and led Mina to the couch. “Mina, we’ve talked about this. You are helping me by babysitting.” “But why does Jackie get to work at the booth and I don’t? Do you love Jackie more than me?” Mina wailed. Jackie groaned. “Mina, please. You don’t really believe that. If it means that much to you, I can watch Kitty and you can go with Mom.” “Really?” Mina asked, hopping to her feet. “Yay!” “Hold on,” Mom said. “I appreciate your willingness, Jackie, but I will make the final call. Mina, there’s a reason why I chose Jackie, even though I love all three of you equally.” “Why?” Mina asked, slumping back down. “Jackie already spent years babysitting both you and Kitty. Because I can trust her with smaller responsibilities, I can give her bigger responsibilities. Even now, she put your interests before her own.” “Oh,” Mina whispered. “Believe it or not, I’m doing this out of my love for you, based on Jesus’s example,” Mom said. “Jesus loves us and is shaping us to be more like Him, and He offers us opportunities to be faithful and show His love to others. But because He knows us so well, He only gives us challenges we can handle. I want to give you a task you can succeed in to encourage and prepare you for bigger challenges to come.” Mina nodded. “I guess you’re right. I’ll be faithful by taking care of Kitty today.” Mom hugged Mina. “Thank you.” –Hannah Chung How about you? Have you ever been given a task that felt too simple? Maybe you’ve compared yourself to older siblings or friends who were given tasks you wanted instead. Jesus was always willing to do anything God asked of Him, from washing dirty feet to dying on the cross for us. As you experience Jesus’s love, you will realize any task is important when it shows others His love and faithfulness. Today's Key Verse: Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much. Luke 16:10 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Even small tasks help us grow

Read: Luke 15:11-24 Brock was sprawled on his bed with a book when Seth, his older brother, came into the room. “Hey, Brock, did you know that Dakota Smith talked with Pastor Briggs after church yesterday and decided to trust Jesus as his Savior?” “Great,” Brock said halfheartedly. “Maybe he’ll stay out of trouble now.” Then he frowned. “But what if he doesn’t? What happens if he sins again? I always wonder about that. Or even you—you’re a Christian. What if you sin again?” “You mean you think I don’t sin?” Seth grinned. “Wow! Go on thinking that!” “But what if you started doing really bad things?” Brock asked. “Well, sometimes Christians do really bad things, Brock. But when I do something wrong, that doesn’t mean I’m not saved anymore. I’m God’s child forever.” “I don’t know,” said Brock doubtfully. “I don’t want to trust in Jesus till I’m sure I can live right.” “Brock, no one can live right—that’s why Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We can only be good in God’s eyes by trusting in Him.” But Brock still wasn’t sure, and Seth couldn’t convince him otherwise. A few days later, an older boy from church crashed his parents’ car while driving it recklessly. “Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are so upset,” Mom said. “But they’re glad Caden’s okay.” After Mom left the room, Seth turned to his brother. “It’s too bad Caden’s not a Peterson anymore, isn’t it?” “What are you talking about?” asked Brock. “Well, Caden took his parents’ car without permission and crashed it into a tree.” “But he’s still a Peterson,” said Brock. “He’s still their son.” “Right,” said Seth. “And just like Caden still belongs to the Peterson family, a Christian who sins still belongs to God’s family. Once you trust in Jesus, you’re God’s child forever. Christians still sin, but when we admit our mistakes to Jesus, He forgives us. If you wait until you’re good enough to trust in Jesus, it’s never going to happen. Only He is good, and once you’re part of His family, He will help you live in a way that shows His goodness to others.” Slowly, Brock nodded. He was beginning to understand. –Agnes Livezey How about you? Have you put off trusting in Jesus because you think you can’t live the way a Christian should? When you know Jesus, He forgives you when you sin and gives you the ability to do what’s right. Once you become part of God’s family, you’re His child forever. Nothing can change that. If you haven’t joined His family, don’t wait any longer. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. John 10:28 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: You are God’s child forever

Read: Matthew 25:31-40; Philippians 2:3-8 “Mom!” Jade called as she ran into the kitchen. “What’s up?” Jade’s mom asked from where she stood kneading bread dough. “I just saw an ad about kids who don’t have enough food to eat or clothes to wear, and I want to help, Mom!” Jade explained in a rush. Mom dusted flour off her hands. “Jade, I’m so glad you want to help and serve others. Why don’t we start with Mr. Barton?” Mom turned to the cabinet and pulled down two cans. “I have this chicken noodle soup that we can drop off to him since he’s sick.” Jade frowned. “But he lives just down the street. I want to help people in a poor country in another part of the world.” “He’s an older man who lives alone,” said Mom. “It’s hard for him to afford groceries or cook, and he can’t drive anymore. We can show kindness to Mr. Barton by helping him out.” “He’s just one person, Mom! I want to help lots and lots of people!” Jade exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. Mom removed her apron. “Jade, remember when you trusted Jesus as your Savior last year?” Jade nodded. “Of course I remember.” “Well,” Mom continued, “when you trusted Jesus to forgive your sins, the Holy Spirit came to live in your heart. He gives you the desire and ability to love and help others so they can know Jesus loves them too.” “Then isn’t it good that I want to help lots of people?” Jade asked. “Of course!” Mom smiled. “Jesus doesn’t want us to forget about people in faraway places. But He wants us to look for opportunities to bless people who are nearby too.” “So serving one person is just as important as helping out lots of people?” Mom nodded. “Jesus said that whenever we serve even one person, we are actually serving Jesus Himself.” “Wow!” Jade’s eyes grew big. “Let’s take Mr. Barton the soup right now. I’ll grab a jug of orange juice from the fridge too. Come on, Mom! We have important helping to do!” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? Has God given you a desire to help people around the world who are struggling? What about people in your hometown or church? Or just one person down the street? When we help others, we show them Christ’s love. You don’t need lots of money or have to go someplace far away to live out His love. Helping a neighbor, friend, sibling, or whoever God places in your life is a wonderful chance to serve Jesus by serving others. Today's Key Verse: The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Serve others near and far

Read: Genesis 1:26; 2:15; Psalm 128:1-2 “I’m outta here!” Micah dunked an old cleaning rag in the trash can and ran into the house. Calvin looked around at his half of the garage, then at the other half that had been Micah’s responsibility to clean. What a difference! He knew Micah had worked a lot harder than he had. Now Micah was finished and could go to the ball game. Calvin scowled. He hated cleaning the garage! By the time Calvin finished, the game had been going for an hour. “I’m done!” he called to his mother as he entered the house. “Will you take me to school so I can see the rest of the game?” “No, Calvin. You should have been ready when I took Micah. I’m cooking dinner now.” Calvin sighed. “What are you making?” “Chicken tacos and lemon-garlic potatoes,” Mom replied. “Yum!” Calvin’s mouth watered as he thought about biting into a taco. “You make the best food. You must love to cook.” Mom shrugged. “Not always—it can be hard, messy work sometimes. But I do it because I want to provide you and Micah and Dad with healthy food that you enjoy.” Calvin was surprised. “I sure wouldn’t do all that work if I didn’t have to!” “Calvin,” Mom said, “did you know that work is part of God’s loving plan for us?” “No,” Calvin muttered. “I kind of figured work was more like God’s way of punishing us.” Mom shook her head. “Work is a good thing. The first thing God did after He created Adam and Eve was give them work to do. It was the curse of sin that made work difficult, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find joy and satisfaction in our work.” “How do we do that?” asked Calvin. “By remembering that God has done the most important work of all. Jesus saved us by dying for our sins, and God is working in our lives to make us more like Him—and that means the work we do is important. He uses it to help us learn and grow and show others who He is.” “He does?” Calvin smiled. “I guess work isn’t so bad after all.” “I’m glad to hear you say that.” Mom handed him a bowl. “Because I could really use some help peeling potatoes!” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Do you hate work? Do you complain about it or avoid doing it? God created work to be a good thing, but when sin entered the world, work became difficult. The good news is that because Jesus did the most difficult work of all—dying for our sins—we can find joy in our work. Even when you have to do things that seem boring or unimportant, do them for Jesus, knowing He’ll use your efforts for good. Today's Key Verse: Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people. Colossians 3:23 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Find joy in work

Read: Matthew 10:28-31 “Shall I brush your hair before you go to bed, sweetie?” Grandma asked. Jiya, who was spending the night with her grandparents, nodded and got her hairbrush. Her scalp tingled as Grandma brushed her hair with long, gentle strokes. When she finished, Grandma handed the brush to Jiya. “There, now. Why don’t you clean the hair out of the brush so it’ll be all ready for next time?” Jiya carried the brush to the wastebasket. “When you brush my hair, a lot comes out, Grandma,” she said as she pulled out strands that had twisted around the bristles. “Am I going to be bald like Grandpa?” Grandma chuckled. “No, you don’t have to worry about that, sweetheart. It’s normal to lose up to a hundred hairs a day, but you have many more than that on your head—maybe a hundred thousand.” “Wow!” said Jiya. “That’s a lot! I wonder who counted them.” “Well, God keeps count of every one,” Grandma said. “He does?” “That’s right. The Bible says the hairs on our heads are all numbered. I think that shows He loves us very much, don’t you?” Jiya nodded. “The first verse I ever learned was John 3:16—‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…’” She paused, thinking hard. “God loves me so much He sent Jesus to die for me, and He cares how many hairs I have. That’s awesome!” “Yes, God is awesome,” Grandma said, pulling back the sheets on Jiya’s bed. “He even knows when a hair falls out, and He cares for you and watches over you day and night.” “Even when I’m sleeping,” Jiya said with a yawn. Grandma smiled. “Yes, and I can see that it’s time for you to snuggle into bed. Go tell Grandpa goodnight and then I’ll tuck you in.” “Okay. And I’ll tell him not to worry about his hair,” Jiya said, heading for the bedroom door. “I’ll tell him God cares how many hairs he has and won’t let him lose more than he should.” –Kim Sheard How about you? Are you aware that God knows everything about you—including how many hairs are on your head? He knows when you’re happy and when you’re sad. He watches over you when you’re awake and when you’re sleeping. He loves you so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you, and He cares about every detail of your life. He is truly an awesome God! Today's Key Verse: The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10:30 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: God cares for you

Read: Job 1:1-3, 13-21; 3:25; Matthew 6:33-34 Mom found Clare crying in the backyard, watching her dog, Sheba, paw at leaves in the flower bed. “What’s the matter, honey?” “I don’t want Sheba to get sick,” Clare said. “I know the vet took that lump off her leg, but she said it could come back.” “It could, but maybe it won’t,” said Mom. “It may never come back.” “But what if it does?” Clare sniffed. “I don’t want Sheba to die.” “Of course you don’t,” said Mom, giving Clare a hug. “But worrying about that is keeping you from enjoying her. You look just as sad now as you would if she died.” Mom bent down to pet Sheba. “Do you remember what happened to Job?” “Job?” asked Clare. “You mean the man in the Bible?” “Yes,” said Mom. “He had plenty to be happy about—a big family, lots of money. Then he lost everything. After Job’s problems started, he said, ‘What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.’” “That doesn’t make me feel better,” said Clare. “Wait! I have a point.” Mom dried a tear from Clare’s cheek. “All those years, he had his family with him. He had prosperity and success. Do you think his worrying helped him enjoy those things?” “No,” said Clare, petting Sheba’s head. “And did being afraid of losing everything stop it from happening?” asked Mom. Clare hugged Sheba. “No. But what can I do about being sad? It doesn’t have an off button.” “No, but we have a choice when it comes to worrying about sad things that might happen,” said Mom. “We can worry, which doesn’t help anyway, or we can remember that Jesus died for us and will always be with us and thank Him for the good things we have today—like Sheba. We can talk to Him about troubling things and trust Him to work them out. Job did that. He continued to love and believe in God.” Mom picked up a ball and looked at Sheba, who wagged her tail. “I think she needs a playmate,” said Mom, throwing the ball. Clare took off running. “Come on, Sheba! I bet I can get that ball before you do.” Sheba quickly caught up with her, and together they raced across the lawn. –Elise L. Perl How about you? Do you worry about what might happen tomorrow? If worrying keeps you focused on what might go wrong, you can’t enjoy what you have right now. When you start to worry, pray about the problem, and talk to a parent or another adult about it. Then choose to thank Jesus for the many blessings you do have and enjoy them as you trust in Him. Today's Key Verse: Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Enjoy your blessings today

Read: Psalm 119:9-16; Acts 2:40-44 Oliver was passing the kitchen door when he heard his little brother’s voice. “Dad, can I please have those shoes? They’re the kind Daryl Stewart wears.” Oliver grinned and went into the kitchen. “Do you think that since Daryl Stewart is a basketball star those shoes will automatically turn you into a great player?” Jude shrugged. “They might help.” “Jude,” said Dad, “you know it’s effort, not a fancy pair of shoes, that will help make you a good basketball player.” Oliver nodded. “Dad’s right, Jude. If you practice every day, you’ll get better and better, no matter what kind of shoes you wear.” Jude looked a bit disappointed. “Guess I’ll start practicing then,” he said with a sigh and headed for the door. Oliver grinned at his dad. “I was about to head over to Bible study at church, but I think I’ll stay and help Jude with his basketball practice instead.” Dad motioned toward Oliver’s Bible on the kitchen counter. “Grandma gave each of you kids a new Bible for Christmas, didn’t she?” he asked. “Is that it?” Oliver nodded. “Yep. My name’s on the cover. Isn’t that cool?” He smoothed his hand over the embossed name. Dad nodded thoughtfully. “Nice shoes and nice Bibles are great, but just having them doesn’t make you a good player or help you grow spiritually, does it?” It took a moment for Oliver to realize what his dad meant. “You’re saying that just like Jude needs to practice to become a better basketball player, I need to learn from God by spending time in His Word.” Dad nodded. “And one really great way to do that is to study the Bible with other believers. After all, you can’t learn to play basketball all by yourself, can you? You need to practice and learn from the coach as a team. Jesus never meant for us to live the Christian life alone—He puts other believers in our lives so we can learn to walk with Him together and love and support each other along the way. That’s a big way He shows us who He is, and why church and Bible studies are so important.” “Okay, Dad,” Oliver said. “I’ll go to Bible study. I don’t want to miss practice with my spiritual team!” –A. J. Schut How about you? Do you want to get to know Jesus more and more? To improve in sports, you need to learn the game and spend time practicing. To deepen your relationship with God, you need to learn about who He is, and a good way to do that is to spend time in His Word—both by yourself and with other believers. Spend time with other Christians so you can learn about Jesus together and encourage each other in your walk with Him. Today's Key Verse: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Learn with other Christians

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12-15 Sierra shut her bedroom door and tossed her backpack onto the bed. She set her cat, Tommy, on the floor. “Stay away from the curtains, Tommy,” she warned. “You know you always get stuck in them.” Sierra flopped onto her bed and opened her backpack. After digging around a moment, she pulled out a book. “What do you think, Tommy? Should I?” Tommy didn’t answer. He was staring at the lace curtain waving in the breeze from the window. Sierra tossed the book onto the bed beside her. “I know Mom told me not to read these kinds of books, but all my friends read them. They can’t be that bad, can they?” She picked the book up again. The cover looked interesting. She flipped it over and read the back for the tenth time. A few pages couldn’t hurt. Sierra opened the book and soon had read several pages. Then a quick movement made her jump. It was only Tommy, she realized with relief. He had pounced on the curtain. His claws were caught in the fabric, and he hung down, his full length stretched out. He was helpless. “Silly cat, leave the curtain alone!” Sierra freed him, and he marched across the room and sat with his back to the curtain. Sierra turned to her book again. She knew she shouldn’t read any more, but soon she was engrossed again. She had finished the first chapter when a sound caught her attention. She looked up and stared in disbelief. Tommy was hanging from the curtain again. The temptation had been too great. Sierra began to laugh. “Tommy, you should know better, after all the times you’ve gotten stuck. Resist the temptation! You should—” Sierra stopped and stared at Tommy and then at the book in her hand. She dropped the book as though it were on fire. I’m acting just like Tommy, she thought. But he can’t resist temptation, and I can, because Jesus gives me the power to say no to sin. She loosened Tommy from the curtain again, then picked up the book and placed it in her backpack. “I’m going to return this book and ask Jesus to forgive me for disobeying Mom,” she told her cat. “I don’t want to become ensnared like you!” –Christa Long How about you? Have you ever given in to temptation and regretted it later? When you give in to sinful desires, it’s easy to get stuck. But there’s good news—Jesus gives us the power to resist temptation. Confess the wrong you’ve done to Him, and He will forgive you and help you do what’s right. Today's Key Verse: God is faithful…When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Resist temptation

Read: Psalm 40:1-5; Ephesians 2:4-7 The waves crashed as Graham sat on the beach. Even though he was vacationing with his friend Omar and his family, his thoughts were dark. Back home, things were anything but a fun day at the beach. No one wants me, Graham thought to himself. Mom and Dad are too busy fighting to notice me. Except when I get bad grades. That’s the only time my teacher notices me too. Graham held back tears as his thoughts ran on. I can’t do anything right. I wish I’d never been born! Just then Omar’s grandfather came over. “Mind if I sit down?” Graham nodded and watched as the elderly man began to chip small bits from an old piece of driftwood. “What are you going to do with that?” Graham asked. “Oh, I have great plans for this old piece of wood,” replied the man. “I’m carving a whale this time. I like to carve sea animals.” He lifted a beautifully carved dolphin from his bag and handed it to Graham. “Here’s one I finished recently.” “Wow!” Graham held up the dolphin, then looked again at the wood the man was carving. “That driftwood you’re working on now is so old and dirty. It looks worthless! How can something as cool as this come from junk like that?” The man smiled. “It takes time, work, and skill to get rid of the dirt and make something beautiful from the wood. I carve it carefully, sand it, and polish it.” He turned the wood over in his hand. “This driftwood is something like me.” “Like you?” asked Graham. “How’s that?” “There was a time when I felt worthless—like all the things I did and said were wrong and I might as well give up. In fact, even though I know better now, I still feel that way sometimes. Ever feel that way yourself?” Graham nodded. “Well, we’re definitely not worthless—not to God,” said the man. “Whenever bad things happen in my life or I feel worthless, I remember that Jesus loves me so much that He died and rose again to make me His. When I trusted Him to save me, He made me into something beautiful. Have you asked Him to do that for you?” Graham shook his head and sat up straighter. He was eager to hear more about how Jesus could make something beautiful out of his life. –Harry C. Trover How about you? Do you sometimes feel worthless, as if nothing you do is any good? Everyone does wrong, and there’s a lot of pain and hardship in the world because of it. But you’re special to God. He made you, He loves you, and He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you. When you trust in Jesus, He makes you into something beautiful. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Jesus makes us beautiful

Read: Matthew 5:14-16; John 1:1-14 “Come on, Dad. We’re ready,” called Lina. They had all gathered for family night. It was storming outside, but in the den, they felt snug and cozy with plenty of games and popcorn. “Coming,” Dad called from the bedroom. Just then the power went out. “Oh no!” said Manuel. “No lights!” “Now what do we do?” Lina asked. “Honey,” Mom called, “bring that big candle from the bedroom, please. There are matches in the drawer there too.” “Okay,” said Dad. “I hope I can find them in the dark—ouch! Stubbed my toe on the dresser!” A moment later they saw a glow in the bedroom as Dad lit a match, and he soon arrived in the den with the flickering candle. “I hope the power won’t be off long,” said Manuel. He was eager to play games and munch on popcorn. “I don’t even care. I like the room with just the candlelight,” Lina said. Before long, they all agreed they could see well enough to play a game. “It’s amazing to see what a difference a small light makes, isn’t it?” said Mom. Lina nodded. “When the lights first went out, the dark seemed kind of scary, but when Dad brought in the candle, it lit up the whole room.” “A dark room may seem scary,” said Dad, “but it’s not nearly as scary as the darkness of sin. Without the light of Jesus, we’d have good reason to live in fear. But because He came into the world to save us and give us His light, we no longer have to go on stumbling in darkness.” “Like you were in the bedroom when you stubbed your toe, Dad?” Manuel asked with a grin. Dad chuckled. “Right. Jesus brings the light of His love into our lives, and we can share that light with others—just like I shared the light of this candle with you by bringing it in here from the bedroom.” “So we have to let our lights shine, just like it said in the verse I learned at church last week,” Lina said. “We need to tell people about Jesus and let them know how much He loves them.” –Robert Truesdale How about you? Are you sharing the light of Jesus’s love with those around you? Don’t hide His light because you’re embarrassed about what others might think or say about you. When we were stumbling in the darkness of sin, Jesus came to save us even though He knew many people would reject Him. If you have His light in your life, share it with those around you. Tell others about Him and show His love in all you do. Today's Key Verse: Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Share the light of Jesus

Read: Psalm 18:31-36 “I knew I’d win a prize. I just knew it!” Jack stroked the shiny blue ribbon he was holding and grinned, remembering how quickly his horse had stood straight and still, with ears flicked forward. “Blaze was the best because he had the best trainer—me!” “You did a good job training your horse,” Dad said. “But remember, you didn’t train him alone.” “Yes, I did,” said Jack. “No one helped me—at least not much. I don’t need help. I know everything about…” He paused as Dad suddenly slowed down and stopped at the side of the road. “Aha!” Dad said. “I thought I saw something odd.” “What?” asked Jack, peering out the window. “Come and see.” Jack got out and followed Dad to a fence that ran beside the road. “Look.” Dad stopped beside one of the thick, round fence posts. A big turtle sat on top of it, sleeping in the sun. Jack was flabbergasted. “How did he climb up there?” “Well, I’d say someone must have put him there,” said Dad. “But he probably never even saw the hands that picked him up!” He lifted the turtle and set him on the ground. “Or the hands that put him down. When he sees his friends again, maybe he’ll tell them—in turtle language, of course—that he got up on that post and back down again all by himself.” Jack had a feeling Dad was talking about more than just the turtle. “Invisible hands,” said Dad softly. “I’d say that’s the help you had in training Blaze—God’s invisible hands.” “You mean God helped me?” asked Jack. “God helped me train a horse?” Dad nodded. “God gave you a brain and arms and legs and the ability to learn how to train Blaze—and people who taught you how to do it. Right?” “Well, yeah,” Jack said thoughtfully. “So…” “So maybe He deserves some credit?” suggested Dad. “After all, if Jesus hadn’t died and rose again to save us, none of our accomplishments would mean a thing. But He did save us, and He’s given us the abilities we have so we can use them to point to Him and everything He’s done for us.” Jack sighed. “You’re right, Dad. I owe Him everything. He deserves the credit, not me.” –Jane K. Chase How about you? Do you give God the credit for your accomplishments, like getting good grades or winning at sports? Or do you let others think it’s all you? It’s okay to feel good about things you do well, but don’t forget to thank God for each success—after all, He’s the one who created you, saved you from sin, and blessed you with everything you have and are able to do. Nothing you do compares to what He’s done, so give Him the credit He deserves. Today's Key Verse: If anyone wants to be proud, he should be proud of what the Lord has done. 2 Corinthians 10:17 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: Give God credit for everything

Read: Psalms 95:1-7; 96:11-13 Gannon’s mom plopped the mushy, still-warm mound onto the coffee table for him to enjoy. After locating a recipe for homemade playdough online, Mom and Gannon gathered the ingredients and started creating. He was so excited to see the first batch! Gannon pressed his small hands into the stretchy substance, pulling it this way and that. “It feels perfect, Mommy! I like it!” he exclaimed. “How did you do this?” Gannon asked. “You must be the goodest playdough maker in the world!” Gannon’s mother smiled and settled on the rug beside the coffee table. “As much as you enjoy what I made for you, I’m just as happy about the playdough as you are,” she said. “You are?” Gannon rolled the dough between his hands. “Yep, I love to see how much joy it gives you. To know I made something for you that brings you pleasure is a blessing to me.” Then she picked up a lump of playdough and began pressing it into shape. “I’m not the only one who likes creating things for their children to enjoy,” Mom continued. “I mixed together some items from our pantry to make the playdough—but think about what God created.” “Yeah! Oceans, mountains, flowers…even koalas!” Gannon exclaimed. Mom laughed. “Yes, even koalas. And God created all of that out of nothing.” “Not even stuff from the pantry,” Gannon said. “That’s right. God shows us His glory through His handiwork in the world, and He likes it when we enjoy His creation.” “The world is a neat gift from God.” Gannon twirled his playdough into a bird’s nest. “It is, and when we know God as His children—by trusting in Jesus, who lived a perfect life and then died to take the punishment for our sins—we understand how God loves to show us His love. He gives us good gifts, like the beautiful world we live in, and the gift of Jesus so we could become His children.” “Mommy, we should say thank you to God for the world He made, for Jesus—and for this good playdough!” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? When you play outside, do you notice the world around you? God created it for you to enjoy—the sun and moon to give you light, grass for you to play on, and animals for you to see and learn about. God not only created a beautiful world because He loves you; He also sent His Son, Jesus, so you could have eternal life. Next time you go outside, let the world God made remind you of His love! Today's Key Verse: He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God gives good gifts

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 18-20 “I can’t wait for our youth retreat!” Katie said. “Do you have permission to go yet?” Tammy bit her lip. “Not yet.” If she went, she would have to invite her brother, Clint. Tammy loved Clint, but kids at school whispered behind his back because he didn’t understand when they were joking or when he should stop talking about his obsessions, especially with polar bears. “Promise you’ll ask!” Katie called as Tammy got into Mom’s car. Mom smiled at Tammy as they drove away. “What do you need to ask me?” Tammy sighed. “There’s going to be a youth retreat at the ski lodge.” “That’s awesome!” Mom said. “Of course you can go.” “But if I go, then Clint will want to come. Remember the last time we went skiing? He almost got lost searching for polar bears. It was so embarrassing!” “I see,” Mom said. “I’ll let you decide whether or not you want to invite him.” Tammy was too surprised to respond. Suddenly, Mom pulled into an empty parking lot. Tammy gasped as Mom shut her eyes. “What are you doing?” Tammy cried. “What?” Mom asked. “I thought it would be fun to drive with my eyes closed. I still have my foot to press the gas and my hands to steer the wheel.” “But you can’t see where you’re going! What if we hit something?” Mom opened her eyes. “What if I try driving without my feet? Or taking my hands off the wheel?” “No!” Tammy said. “You need your whole body to drive.” Mom nodded. “That’s right. Have you ever heard Christians described as a body?” Tammy shook her head. That sounded weird! “The Bible says we are the body of Christ,” said Mom. “God created each of us with unique gifts so we can show people who Jesus is and help each other grow in our faith. And every single person is needed. We’re all part of the wonderful purpose Jesus has given us as His people.” When they got home, Clint ran to give Tammy a hug. “Clint, I have something important to ask you,” Tammy said. “Do you want to come on a ski retreat with me?” Clint danced down the hallway as Tammy laughed. She already knew what gift Clint had—joy. –Hannah Chung How about you? Do you struggle to include kids who are different from you? Or maybe you’re often left out because of your differences. God created and loves each one of us, and He has given each of His children unique gifts that allow us to show others the love of Jesus. Even if others don’t recognize your gifts, God always sees you, and He will help you see and encourage others in the body of Christ. Today's Key Verse: Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Everyone has God-given gifts

Read: Colossians 4:5-6; 1 John 4:7-11 “I love being out in the snow,” said Addison, catching a snowflake on the tip of her tongue. Dad smiled. “I know—you never want to come in! But Mom sent me out to tell you dinner is hot and ready.” So Addison and Dad went in and washed up for dinner. “Did you have a good time playing with the new neighbor girl?” Mom asked as they sat down to eat. “Not really,” said Addison. “She’s from another country, and she’s hard to understand. I don’t think I’m going to play with her again.” “But you don’t even know her very well yet,” said Mom. “Give her a chance.” Addison shrugged. “I don’t know. I think she’s just too different.” She glanced out the window. “Look! It’s snowing again—great big snowflakes! Did you know that no two snowflakes are alike? At school we learned that each one is made up of different patterns and designs.” Dad nodded. “Did you know that even though no two snowflakes are alike, all of them have something in common? Each one has six points. That’s like people too.” “How is that like people?” Addison asked. “Well, we know that no two people are exactly the same or have the same experiences, but we often forget that we’re also alike in many ways,” Dad explained. “You mean we all breathe and eat and sleep and grow hair?” Addison asked. “Stuff like that?” “Well, yes, that too,” Dad replied. “But I was thinking about how people from different parts of the world have their own languages and customs, but deep down we all have the same feelings and desires. We all want to feel loved and accepted, and we feel sad and upset when others make quick judgments about us.” Addison sighed. “You’re talking about the new neighbor girl, aren’t you?” Dad nodded. “Another thing all people have in common is that we’re all created in God’s image, and He loves us all so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us. As His children, He wants us to share His love with others—even those who seem different—because we all have the same need for Him.” Addison looked out at the falling snow and nodded. –Janice M. Jones How about you? How do you treat kids who are different from you? Do you avoid them—or include them? If they moved from somewhere else, do you do your best to help them? No two people are exactly the same—God created each of us to be unique. But we’re all created in His image, and Jesus died for each one of us. Share His love by reaching out to those who are different from you. Today's Key Verse: If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Show love to everyone

Read: Psalm 119:9-12; 2 Timothy 3:14-17 “Your Bible’s getting a bit dusty,” Dad remarked one day when he came into George’s room. George shrugged. “I haven’t moved it in a while.” “No?” Dad asked. “I’ve been busy.” George put the finishing piece on the castle he was building. He loved making all kinds of cool buildings with his blocks. “That’s too bad.” Dad stepped over to examine his newest creation. “I know you love a good story.” “Especially about bad guys and good guys and a good fight.” George grinned as he grabbed a toy soldier to defend his block tower. His dad picked up another toy and played with him for a few minutes. Then he walked back over to the bookshelf. “You’re missing out.” George glanced up at him. “What do you mean?” “The Bible has many stories about bravery and strength,” Dad said. George set down the toy soldier. “Like what?” “There’s a story of a young boy killing a giant. Another story of a city falling to the ground after the good guys march around it.” Dad gently wiped the dust from the cover of the Bible. “The Bible is one big story of God’s love for us. Every story points to Jesus—our Savior. He’s the hero because He died and rose again to save us from sin and conquer evil and death.” “Maybe I should read it more.” George had heard some of the Bible stories before, but now his dad made them sound more interesting. “Maybe we can start reading it together,” Dad said. “I think it would be fun—and it will help us learn more about Jesus too.” “Sure,” George said. They sat together on the bed, and Dad read the story of Daniel, who was thrown into a den of starving lions because he trusted and obeyed God. It was an exciting story, and George was amazed to learn how God protected Daniel and saved him from the lions. When his dad had finished reading, George smiled and said, “I don’t want my Bible to get dusty again.” –Bethany Acker How about you? What kinds of stories interest you? Do you like action stories? Or ones about friendship? Or stories where the hero saves the day? The Bible has all kinds of stories in it, but they all point to one big story—the story of God’s love and how Jesus came to rescue us from sin and destroy evil forever. As you read or listen to the stories in the Bible, think about how each one points to Jesus and teaches us to trust and obey Him. Today's Key Verse: These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: The Bible is the story of God’s love

Read: John 1:45-46; 4:25-29 Michael stood on a stepstool so he could see over the grille to where his dad was working underneath the hood. “What are you doing?” he asked. “I’m replacing the spark plugs,” said Dad. “Then it should run a lot better.” “Cool!” said Michael. “Are you going to do anything else?” “After this I’ll replace the brake pads,” Dad said. “I want to watch when you do.” Then Michael thought of his friend down the street who loved cars. “Can Jason come and see too?” “There should be room for both of you to watch,” said Dad. “Why don’t you go ask him while I finish up these spark plugs?” Michael was so excited, he ran the whole way. He didn’t want to miss seeing anything. Dad was ready to start on the brake pads by the time Michael returned with Jason. First, Dad removed a wheel. The boys stepped back to give him room. Then he loosened the nuts that held something called a caliper. The boys moved closer together to get a better view of the action. Dad then took off the brake pads and made sure each of them got a good look. “See how thin it is right here?” he asked, pointing to the thin layer of material on the old brake pad. “It’s worn away from use. It’s dangerous not to replace it when it looks like this.” Then he held up a new one for them to see that was black and much thicker. “Thanks for letting me watch,” Jason said after Dad had put the new brake pads on the wheels. “I’m sure glad Michael came and got me.” Dad smiled at Michael. “You running to get Jason reminds me of the story in the Bible about Philip telling Nathanael to come and see Jesus.” “You learn about Jesus at church, right?” asked Jason. “We don’t go to church.” “Why don’t you come with us sometime?” said Michael. “We learn about Jesus and sing and hear stories from the Bible. Come and see!” “Yeah, maybe I will,” said Jason. “I’ll ask my parents!” After Jason left, Dad patted Michael’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you for inviting Jason to church. I hope he comes and sees how much Jesus loves him!” –Bonnie Clarkson How about you? Do you invite others to come and see Jesus? There are lots of ways you can do that, such as inviting friends to church, telling others what Jesus has done for you, or letting people see His love and kindness in the way you treat them. Not everyone knows who Jesus is or that He died and rose again to save us, and it’s our job to tell them. Invite others to come and see how much Jesus loves them and all He’s done for them. Today's Key Verse: Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people! Psalm 66:5 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Invite people to come and see Jesus

Read: Matthew 20:9-16 Bright and early in the morning, Kira flew into Grandma’s kitchen with a grin on her face while her cousins were still sleeping upstairs. Grandma had just finished setting out bags of flour and sugar and loads of cookie cutters. This could only mean one thing—Grandma’s delicious sugar cookies. “Oh, Kira, thank goodness you’re here!” Grandma exclaimed. “We have to make twenty boxes of cookies for the church fundraiser tomorrow. If you help, you can bring a dozen home tonight to enjoy.” “I’m in!” Kira cried. After an hour of working, Sophie came downstairs and spotted the cookies. “Can I help?” she asked. “Join the fun!” Grandma replied. Another hour passed and Jackson ran in with his nose in the air. “I smell cookies!” he cried. “Roll up your sleeves!” Grandma said with a laugh. Finally, just as they were rolling out the last bit of dough, Kevin wandered in yawning. Without even asking, he grabbed a cookie cutter and got to work. When all the cookies were iced and boxed, Grandma gave each grandchild a dozen cookies. But Kira frowned. “Grandma, I worked the longest,” she said. “Kevin barely did anything. Why does he get the same number of cookies as me?” “Be quiet!” Kevin shushed. “Kira, we agreed to a dozen cookies as compensation, right?” Grandma asked, crossing her arms. Kira nodded. “So why are you upset?” “It’s not fair!” Kira cried. “Maybe not,” Grandma said. “But is Jesus’s love based on fairness?” “Ooh, this is like the parable of the workers!” Sophie said. Grandma winked. “Exactly. That parable illustrates how at any stage of life, we have the chance to receive Jesus’s love and forgiveness. That might not seem fair to us who have been saved longer, but we have no right to complain when it wasn’t fair to begin with that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We serve a generous and merciful God.” “I’m glad I have a generous God and a generous grandma,” Kira said with a smile as she bit into a cookie. –Hannah Chung How about you? Has someone’s generosity ever seemed unfair to you? Perhaps your sibling got a present on your birthday or your teacher allowed another student to turn homework in late. Just remember that if you trust in Jesus, you are the recipient of the ultimate act of generosity—His gift of unconditional love and forgiveness. As you recognize His love in your life, consider how you can be generous to others too. Today's Key Verse: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. 1 Peter 3:18 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God is generous

Read: 1 John 2:15-17; 4:1-6 “C’mon, guys!” Lara jumped into the pool. “Let’s make a whirlpool!” “Ooh! Yeah!” Her brother Jerome pushed his goggles up onto his forehead. “A world pool?” Four-year-old Emelia, the youngest of the seven siblings, hung onto the ladder and scrunched her forehead. “A whirlpool, Lia. It’s where we go around and around until we make a current,” Lara explained. “I’ll piggyback you, okay?” “Okay.” Emelia leapt onto Lara’s back. They all went around and around and around, until Imogene decided she was going to go the other way. “Aaahhh! Help!” She giggled. “I can’t…move!” Lara turned and braced her feet, laughing. “I can’t either!” “Look! I’m swimming in place!” Jerome paddled furiously. “I…can…almost…reach…the wall! There!” Momma, who’d been watching from the deck, stood up. “Who wants a snack?” “Me! Me! Me!” everyone chorused. “All right.” Momma opened the cooler. “Come on out and have a granola bar, and then you can go back in.” They clambered out and dangled their legs in the water while they ate. “You know,” Momma said after a minute, “you kiddos making a whirlpool made me think about how we as Christians have to live.” “I hope we don’t go around in circles.” Lara frowned. “No, I was thinking more about the current you made. It was hard to go against it once you really got it going, wasn’t it?” “Yeah.” Imogene grinned. “I couldn’t get anywhere!” Momma nodded. “The world around us makes a current, and it can be very hard not to go along with it. But we as Christians are called to live another way—we’re called to trust and obey Jesus and follow His way of truth and love in the Bible. If we try to live that way on our own, it’s like you trying to go against the whirlpool—you can’t get anywhere.” Momma smiled. “Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t leave us to swim against the current on our own. He supplies us with His own strength and grace. And if we’re relying on Him as we go against the world’s current, His love will become evident in us.” –Ellie Shirk How about you? Have you ever made a whirlpool? It’s difficult to go against a strong current in the water, and it can be even harder to go against the world’s current. But God will always give us the strength we need to stand against the world’s ways and follow Jesus instead. Trust Him to help you follow the way of Jesus in this world so others can see His truth and love in your life. Today's Key Verse: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Follow Jesus, not the current

Read: Psalm 51:2; Isaiah 43:25; 1 John 1:6-9 Press, stamp! Press, stamp! Kaitlyn’s thumb squished into the orange stamp pad, then she squashed it onto paper. Next, she pushed her finger into the yellow stamp pad, and a sunny oval appeared on the page. Soon she had a collection of colorful fingerprints, and she was ready to create designs with her black pen. But her fingers were coated in wet, gooey ink in every color of the rainbow! She couldn’t pick up her pen without leaving bright marks all over it. “Mom,” Kaitlyn called. “Help!” She waved ten inky fingertips in the air. Mom arrived with a warm towel, and as Kaitlyn’s fingers washed clean, the white washcloth became stained with color. “You know,” observed Mom, “this reminds me of something.” “What?” asked Kaitlyn. She picked up her pen with clean fingers and began to doodle on top of the fresh, dry ink. “When we are stained with sin, like your fingers were stained with ink, Jesus is the only one who can make us clean.” Suddenly, Kaitlyn’s elbow was bumped from behind. The black pen in her hand wildly curved across her page. “It’s ruined!” she cried. “Hunter, it’s all your fault!” Her little brother’s shoulders slumped. Immediately, Kaitlyn felt remorseful. She prayed silently. She thought of how the white cloth had just removed ink stains from her hands, and she asked Jesus to forgive her harsh words and wash her clean. Then, taking a deep breath, Kaitlyn said, “I’m sorry I yelled at you, Hunter. It was just an accident.” Hunter moved close for a little hug, then leaned against the table to watch. Kaitlyn turned that wild black line into a swooping antenna. She dotted on black eyes and colored in larger spots to make an orange ladybug. Next, on a green print, she drew curly wool, a little face, and spindly legs to make a sweet lamb. Soon Kaitlyn’s page filled with animals of all kinds. When she was finished, she turned to Hunter. “Would you like me to help you make fingerprint art?” A wide smile was her answer. –Wendy Lynne Smith How about you? Do you need God to wash away the stain of your sin? God loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to take your guilt upon Himself. All you need to do is confess your wrongdoings and trust Him to make you clean. Jesus will forgive your sins and give you a clean heart. Today's Key Verse: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus washes away your sin

Read: Luke 15:4-7; 19:10 “Mom!” Nia ran into the kitchen. “My lamb is gone! I’m sure I latched the door after I fed him, but it’s open now and Wooly is gone.” “Oh dear,” said Mom. “We’d better go look for him.” They started off, calling Wooly’s name as they searched the ditch and fields along the road. “Look,” Nia said as they approached a house not far from their own. “Mr. and Mrs. Harris are working in their garden. Let’s ask if they’ve seen Wooly.” Mom nodded, and they headed over to ask their neighbors if they had seen the lamb. “No, we haven’t seen him,” said Mrs. Harris. “But we’ll help you look for him.” So she and her husband joined the search, leaving their work unfinished. Mr. Harris was the one who finally found Wooly behind a neighbor’s barn, and Nia happily took her lamb home. After making sure he couldn’t get out again, she went to thank Mr. and Mrs. Harris for their help. “I’m sorry you had to leave the work you were doing,” Nia said. “Can I help you finish it?” “No, no, we’ll finish it tomorrow,” said Mrs. Harris. “I’m just glad we were able to find your lost sheep.” Mr. Harris nodded. “Nia, do you remember the parable Jesus told about lost sheep? Pastor Roy talked about it at church last week.” “Yeah,” said Nia. “The shepherd left all the sheep that were safe and went out to search for one little lamb that was missing.” "That's right,” said Mr. Harris. “And did you know that people are like lost sheep?” Nia nodded. “And Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He left heaven and gave His life to find us and save us.” “Right again,” said Mr. Harris. “I hope our search for Wooly will help us remember we were all lost sheep once and should never be too busy to hunt for other lost sheep—other people who don’t know Jesus.” Nia thought about that. “I have a new friend at school who doesn’t know Jesus. That means she’s just as lost as Wooly was. I’m going to ask Jesus to help me tell her about Him so she can be found, just like I was!” “Good for you,” said Mrs. Harris. “We’ll be praying for her—and for you.” –Nancy I. Merical How about you? Do you know any lost sheep? The Bible says anyone who doesn’t know Jesus is lost. But there’s good news! Jesus came to find and save the lost. He found you when you put your faith in Him, and He wants you to point other lost sheep to Him so they can be found too. You can do that by praying for them and sharing what Jesus has done for you. Do all you can to help bring others to Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost. Matthew 18:14 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Tell others about Jesus

Read: Psalm 86:12-13; 2 Corinthians 9:12-15; Revelation 5:9-14 Dominic bit his cheek as he sat at his desk and stared up at his teacher. “I’m sorry, Ms. Foreman,” he said. He looked over at his handwriting on the whiteboard that read, Dominic was here. “Thank you for apologizing,” Ms. Foreman said. “But you knew the consequences of writing on the board without permission. I’m going to have to call your parents.” Just then Jamey, one of Dominic’s classmates, returned from the bathroom. He and Dominic hadn’t gone to recess yet. Jamey looked at Dominic, the board, and Ms. Foreman, then said, “Oh, that’s an easy fix.” Jamey went to the whiteboard and quickly erased Dominic’s writing. He turned around and smiled at Ms. Forman, who laughed. “That was an easy fix, Jamey, thank you.” She turned to Dominic. “You’ve been a good student, so let’s call this a warning. I won’t call home, but if I catch you breaking that rule again, I will. Understood?” Dominic nodded, then followed Jamey out to the playground. He couldn’t believe it! Jamey had gotten him out of trouble. “Thank you!” Dominic said to Jamey, but then felt like once wasn’t enough. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” he repeated. “Hey, man, it was nothing. You’re welcome,” Jamey said, smiling and blushing a little. “Sorry, I just—I can’t thank you enough. I would have gotten in so much trouble if Ms. Foreman had called my mom.” “You sound like my mom when she’s talking to Jesus,” Jamey said. “She says she can’t thank Him enough for dying on the cross and saving us from sin so we could live with Him as God’s children forever.” Dominic thought for a moment, then remembered something his dad told him about heaven. “We’re going to thank Him forever, aren’t we? In heaven. My dad says that everyone in heaven will sing praises to Jesus forever because of what He did to save us.” Jamey nodded, thinking. “That’s true,” he said. “I guess, with Jesus, we really can’t thank Him enough!” –Raven Merz How about you? Have you ever felt like you can’t thank Jesus enough for everything He’s done for you? Tell Him what you’re thankful for every day, but know that if you are a child of God, you will be able to thank Jesus and praise Him for all eternity in heaven. It’s okay that you can’t thank Him enough, because you don’t have a limited time to do it! Today's Key Verse: O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You with all my heart. I will bring honor to Your name forever. Psalm 86:12 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: We will thank Jesus forever!

Read: 1 Samuel 16:7; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 3:3-4 Clarissa sat looking at herself in the mirror as Tara’s words spun through her head. You’re just so plain, Tara had said. I don’t think we can be friends. Clarissa had wanted to be friends with Tara, but not anymore. She wore name-brand clothes, had hair that was—well, perfect. And her teeth—flawless! That’s what Clarissa thought anyway. She heaved a loud sigh. “Pretty plain, huh, Snowball?” she said to her kitten. Snowball meowed beside her on the bed. “What’s up?” Mom asked as she walked into the room. “Just talking to Snowball about how plain I am. Tara says I’m plain.” “Who’s Tara?” Mom asked. “Only the most popular girl in school, with the fanciest clothes, hair to die for, and perfect teeth. Everybody wants to be her friend, and I thought I wanted to be her friend too, but today she told me I was too plain.” Mom hugged Clarissa tight. “You are my beautiful daughter—both inside and out.” She opened the Bible app on her phone. “And remember, Clarissa, in First Samuel 16:7, God says, ‘People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” Clarissa thought about that as she looked at herself in the mirror again. “I want God to be pleased when he looks at me.” “He already is, because when He looks at you, He sees Jesus. When you trusted Jesus to be your Savior, you became a child of God, and the Holy Spirit now lives inside of you. Jesus has given you a new heart, which means you can show others His love and kindness—and those traits make you a great friend to people. You are far from plain. You are God’s beloved child, and He created you just how He wanted you to be and has given you a special purpose.” “To be a good friend to people?” Clarissa asked. With a nod, Mom added, “And to love people the way He loves you. Why don’t we ask Him to help you remember that next time you feel insecure?” Clarissa nodded, and she and Mom prayed together while Snowball purred. “Thanks, Mom. I feel better now,” Clarissa said as she gave her mom a hug. –Lisa Fuller How about you? Do you ever compare your appearance to how others look and what they wear? In the Bible, God reminds us that He cares more about our hearts than He does about our hair or clothes. What does your heart look like? Has it been made new and beautiful by Jesus? (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Instead of comparing yourself to others, trust Jesus to help you love them with the beautiful heart He’s given you. Today's Key Verse: You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 1 Peter 3:4 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus makes your heart beautiful

Editor’s note: This story’s subject matter may not be suitable for young children. Read: Deuteronomy 18:10-12 Mom had tears in her eyes as she put down her phone. “Maria, Daniel, I’m so sorry, but Jalen died this morning.” Daniel tried to comfort his younger sister as she began to cry. Jalen was their friend and next-door neighbor, and he had been sick for a long time. “At least he became a Christian at camp last summer,” Daniel said. “That means he’s with Jesus now.” Several weeks later, Maria and Daniel walked home from school with Jalen’s sister, Audra. “Did you know that people who die can still talk to you?” she asked excitedly. “It’s true!” she insisted when she saw Maria frown. “Tomorrow my parents and I are going to a séance. That’s a meeting where there’s a medium—a person who contacts spirits of people who have died. The medium said she might be able to contact Jalen’s spirit so we can talk to him!” Daniel and Maria gave each other worried looks as Audra waved goodbye and walked to her house. When they got home, they told Mom what Audra had said. “I can only imagine the pain she and her parents must be feeling right now,” said Mom. “But the Bible says trying to contact people who have died is wrong. Only God has power over the dead; going to a medium who claims to be able to communicate with people’s spirits is an attempt to take that power for ourselves. The Bible tells us to have nothing to do with those kinds of things. Instead, we need to bring our pain and sadness to Jesus and trust Him to comfort us and give us peace.” “But Audra and her parents aren’t Christians,” said Maria. “They don’t know Jesus or trust in Him.” Mom nodded sadly. “For people who don’t know Jesus, death is a very scary thing. But as Christians, we don’t have to be afraid of death because Jesus freed us from sin and death when he died for us and rose again. When someone we love dies, we need to remember that only Jesus holds power over death and trust Him to be with us in our sadness.” “It does make me feel better to know Jalen is with Jesus now,” Daniel said. “Let’s pray that we can help Audra and her parents know that too.” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Has anyone ever tried to get you to do something they say will allow you to communicate with someone who’s died? Don’t believe it. Only God has power over people who have died, and He forbids trying to communicate with them. Instead, tell Jesus what you’re feeling and depend on Him to help you through your pain and sadness. He saved you by defeating death on the cross. Trust only Him. Today's Key Verse: I [Jesus] am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Revelation 1:18 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Only God holds power over death

Read: Psalm 19:12-14; Ephesians 4:29 Isabela peeked over her brother’s shoulder at the picture he was drawing. “Hey, that’s pretty good! But you need to color in that bit of sky you missed in the corner or turn it into a cloud.” “You’re so bossy!” Matías shot back. “I don’t care what you think, so stop trying to tell me what to do!” Isabela’s eyes filled with tears, and she left the room. That afternoon, Isabela played at a friend’s house while Matías and Mom went to a greenhouse. “Why don’t you look around while I find the stuff I’m looking for?” Mom said. Matías wandered around, looking at various plants. “Come see our mimosas,” one of the workers said. He pointed to some spiky green plants, and Matías went over to see them. “Blow on one of those,” the man said. Puzzled, Matías blew. He was surprised to see the plant’s leaves suddenly curl up. “Did I hurt it?” he asked in alarm. “No, it will be fine,” the worker assured him. “These plants respond to possible injury by curling their leaves. That keeps them from being harmed by insects or rain. It doesn’t take much to cause them to curl up.” Matías was fascinated by the plants, and he told Mom about them as they drove home. “Those mimosa plants remind me of your sister,” Mom said. “Isabela?” asked Matías. “How?” “They’re very sensitive,” Mom replied. “When you blow on mimosa leaves, they curl up. And when you say harsh, unkind words to Isabela, she’s hurt deep inside and withdraws to avoid being hurt more. We’ve talked about this before, but I’ve noticed that you might have forgotten.” “I’m sorry, Mom,” Matías said quietly. “I’ll tell Isabela I’m sorry too.” “Good,” said Mom. “We may not always realize it, but our words have an effect on people. That’s why we need to depend on Jesus to help us make our words acceptable in His sight. Every word He says to us in the Bible communicates His love for us and what He did to save us so we can grow in our faith. Trust Him to help you speak to others in a way that encourages them and helps them grow too.” –Karen S. Birt How about you? What kind of words have you used today? Did the things you say encourage others and help them grow—or make them shrivel up? Even if you don’t mean to, it’s easy to say things that are hurtful, so pay close attention to your words and how they affect others. Trust Jesus to help you show His love through everything you say and speak words that are acceptable to Him. Today's Key Verse: Let the words of my mouth…be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord. Psalm 19:14 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Use words to help, not hurt

Read: Revelation 21:1-5, 9-11, 18-27 “I’d rather go to school than shovel the snow left behind from the blizzard,” Miguel grumbled. “Oh, it’s not so bad.” Dad pitched a large scoop of snow into the yard before he stopped and looked at their surroundings. “I think a heavy blanket of snow like this is pretty.” Miguel scanned the horizon. The snow twinkled in the sunlight like it was dusted with silver glitter. He squinted against the brightness and harrumphed. “All I see is work.” Miguel flexed his fingers in his cold, stiffened gloves, then he scraped the flat shovel blade across a patch of sidewalk hoping he could push the snow off the cement, rather than lift the heavy precipitation. “Scooping snow is worse than taking out stinky garbage.” Dad laughed. Miguel frowned. He wasn’t joking. He hefted another scoop and flung it into the yard. “I’d rather eat Brussel sprouts than shovel snow.” Now Dad would know he was serious because Miguel disliked Brussel sprouts. A lot. Again, Dad laughed. Miguel stopped. “I’m not joking.” His angry breaths came out in huffs of vapor. Dad stuck his shovel in a deep snow drift. “Shoveling, like any chore, is something that must be done, so you might as well do it with joy. Besides, seeing the ground covered in sparkling snow makes me think God is giving us a little glimpse of heaven’s glory, a reminder to believers of what we will see someday.” Miguel scrunched his brows. “What do you mean?” “Heaven is a beautiful place. The Bible says that when Jesus comes back to make everything new, the heavenly city where we’ll live will sparkle and shine with gold, crystal, and many jewels. Of course, it’s not the sun glistening on the ice crystals that makes heaven sparkle with beauty. It’s the glory of the Lord.” “Oh.” Miguel had learned about heaven’s splendor and God’s promise to believers at church, but he never thought about seeing that beauty on earth. He shielded his eyes with a hand and looked at the yards blanketed in snow. This time he appreciated the beauty around him. He smiled at the thought that it was just a small glimpse of the magnificence he’d see one day when he was in heaven surrounded by God’s light. –Rose Ross Zediker How about you? Do you see little glimpses of God’s light on earth that point to His promise of heaven? A rainbow after a thunderstorm. A sun dog in the bitter cold of winter. The shimmer of morning dew on green grass. A mirrored reflection off a crystal-clear lake. These are small reminders of the beauty that awaits those who trust in Jesus when He creates a bright, beautiful home for us with Him in heaven. Today's Key Verse: The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Revelation 21:23 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God is heaven’s light

Read: Psalm 78:10-22 "Remi,” said Mom, “will you come and dry these dishes, please?” Remi groaned. “Can’t Dayo do it?” he asked. “I’m sick of drying dishes!” Dayo rolled her eyes. “You’re always sick of one thing or another.” “We seem to get the ‘sick of something’ illness too often around here,” said Dad. “We’re about as bad as the Israelites, who complained constantly in spite of all the good things God did for them.” Mom nodded. “I have an idea for a game we can play to help us learn to stop grumbling and complaining. When one of us is caught saying we’re sick of something, we have to say one thing we’re thankful for about that same thing.” “Okay,” said Dayo. “You won’t catch me!” But all Remi said was, “Huh!” The next day, Dayo walked in from school with a bulging backpack. “I’m so sick of all this homework!” she said. “Oh really?” Remi grinned. “And what about your homework are you thankful for?” “Oh no!” Dayo smiled and shook her head. “I guess I’m thankful it helps me understand more of what we’re learning at school.” A bit later, Dayo bumped into her brother as he was walking to the table with a glass of milk. “Ugh, I’m so sick of you never watching where you’re going!” he said, grabbing a napkin to wipe the milk off his shirt. “I’m sorry, Remi.” Dayo smiled and fluttered her eyelashes. “But what about me are you thankful for?” Remi looked startled for a moment. “Well, I guess I’m thankful you’re not twins.” Dayo sputtered and started after him. “Okay, okay,” Remi said with a laugh, halting their chase around the kitchen table. “I’m thankful you always let me choose which shows we watch when I’m sick.” Dayo smiled. “That’s better.” “You guys seem to be getting the hang of this,” said Mom, who had overheard everything from the living room. “I think this grumbling game is helping you see the blessings God has put in your lives. When we focus on all He’s given us—and all Jesus has done for us—we may soon find there’s really nothing to complain about.” –Vera M. Hutchcroft How about you? Do you have a habit of grumbling and complaining? God was not pleased when the Israelites complained instead of trusting Him to care for them, and He’s not pleased when His children complain today. When you catch yourself grumbling, stop and remember all God has given you—including His own Son to save you from sin and always be with you. Then think of a reason to thank God for the thing you were complaining about. Today's Key Verse: Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Turn complaints into thanks

Read: Genesis 1:1-5; John 1:1-5 Hailey burst into applause as Liam finished saying the alphabet. “Dad, I think he’s finally got it!” “Does this mean you win your race with Jenny?” Dad asked. Hailey was trying to teach her brother the alphabet before her friend taught her dog how to sit and roll over. “Well, I need to prove to Jenny that Liam learned the alphabet first,” Hailey replied. “I’ll see if she can stop over.” When Jenny arrived, Hailey brought her into the kitchen. “Okay, Liam,” she said. “Say your ABCs, just like we practiced.” Liam took one look at Jenny, then giggled and shook his head. “Liam, come on! Please?” But Liam giggled again and covered his eyes, trying to get Jenny to play peek-a-boo. Hailey continued to coax him, but Liam refused to say one letter of the alphabet. “Ugh!” Hailey said after Jenny had left. “Why couldn’t Liam do what he was supposed to? Now Jenny doesn’t believe I taught him the alphabet.” “Well, just because Jenny doesn’t believe something doesn’t mean it’s not true,” said Dad. “I heard Liam say his ABCs.” “Yeah, but I need to prove it to Jenny to win our game.” Hailey sighed. “I wish I could prove more than that to her. As I was walking her out, I answered the question she asked me yesterday about how old God is. I told her God doesn’t have an age—that He always was, is, and will be. But Jenny said she’s not sure God even exists. I wish I could make her believe!” “Well, you can’t make anyone believe in God just by what you say, but maybe you can help Jenny think about it another way.” Dad tickled Liam’s tummy, and Liam giggled. “Would Liam be here if I never existed?” “Of course not. You’re his father, so without you, he wouldn’t exist either.” Dad nodded. “Because he’s my son, Liam points to the fact that I exist. Well, God has a Son too, and He points to the existence of His Father. Jesus came to earth to show us that God is real and that He loves us. By helping Jenny understand who Jesus is, you can help her see that God exists—and that He loves her so much He sent His Son to die for her.” –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Do you wish you could prove God exists? Perhaps you have friends or family members who don’t believe in God—or maybe you struggle to believe yourself. God reveals Himself in many ways, but the most important way is through His Son, Jesus, who came to earth and died for us. You and others can know God exists by knowing Jesus. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1-2 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God exists—and He loves you

Read: Revelation 1:4-8 “A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z.” Hailey looked at her three-year-old brother. “Okay, Liam, now you try.” Liam looked like he was thinking intensely. “A!” he suddenly shouted, and then, after a pause, “Z!” “Ugh!” Hailey clapped a hand to her forehead in frustration. Dad, who was watching the whole thing, began to laugh. “I’m glad you think this is funny,” Hailey said. “I’ve been working with him for an hour, and he’s just not getting it.” “Why is it so important that he know the alphabet right now anyway?” asked Dad. “Jenny and I are having a race. If I can teach Liam the alphabet before she teaches her dog to sit and roll over, I get to pick the movie we watch this weekend.” Dad chuckled and shook his head. “You guys are silly.” Hailey laughed. “Yeah, I guess.” She sighed. “Yesterday Jenny asked me a question that made me feel really silly. She asked me how old God is. I didn’t know what to say.” Liam walked over to where Dad was sitting, and Dad picked him up and put him in his lap. “Well, Liam just told you the answer.” Hailey gave her dad a confused look. “But all he said was, ‘A, Z.’ That’s not a number.” “In the Bible, Jesus says He’s the Alpha and Omega—the beginning and end. Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, like our A and Z. God is A to Z, just like Liam said. He always was, is, and will be. He doesn’t have an age.” “So God has no beginning or end?” Hailey asked. “That’s right.” Dad’s eyes twinkled. “And yet, He was born—and also died.” “But wait, you just said…” It took Hailey a moment to realize what Dad meant. “Oh, I get it—you’re talking about Jesus! He was born as a baby and died on the cross for us, and then He came back to life.” Dad nodded. “Jesus is God, who is eternal with no beginning or end, but He was willing to become human and die for us so we could have eternal life with Him.” –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Have you ever wondered how old God is? Unlike humans and everything else, God doesn’t have an age—there was never a time when He didn’t exist! But even though He has no beginning or end, Jesus still chose to be born on earth and die on the cross so we could be saved. When you trust in Him, He gives you a new life that will never end. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: God has no beginning or end

Read: 1 Samuel 23:14-18 “I’m quitting basketball,” Tyler announced flatly as his dad entered the room. “Quitting?” asked Dad. “But you could hardly wait to join the team!” Tyler frowned. “I’m just a benchwarmer. Coach Adams hardly ever lets me play.” “Well, no, he hasn’t yet, but he told me you have great potential.” “If I’m so great, why doesn’t he let me play more?” asked Tyler. “Because the older players have more experience, and Coach Adams is naturally going to use his best players when it’s necessary for a win.” “I can play as well as they can,” Tyler said. “At least, I could if I got to play in more games. Basketball is almost over for the year!” “Just be patient,” said Dad. “We all need to wait patiently sometimes.” Tyler crossed his arms. “I’ve waited long enough!” Dad scratched his chin. “Do you remember King David in the Bible? He was a benchwarmer too.” Tyler rolled his eyes. “Dad, King David never played basketball! It didn’t exist back then.” “No, but you could say he was a benchwarmer for a long time. When David was just a young boy, the prophet Samuel anointed him to be king, but he had to wait about twenty years before he actually became king.” “Yeah, but being king is an important thing, and it was something God said would happen,” Tyler said. “I don’t think God really cares if I play basketball or not.” “I think He does,” said Dad. “He gave us our gifts, and He uses them to shape us to be more like Jesus. Learning to play basketball involves more than just dribbling and shooting. A good player also knows when it’s best to take a shot or pass the ball, and that requires skills that take time and patience to develop. I think God is using this experience to teach you to be more patient. Then you’ll be a better basketball player and a more mature Christian.” Tyler nodded thoughtfully, then stood up. “How about a little one-on-one, Dad?” Dad smiled. “You’re not quitting?” “Not me,” said Tyler. “I love basketball, and I want to keep getting better.” He grinned. “I just hope it doesn’t take me twenty years to get into more games!” –Joyce R. Lee How about you? Do you feel like a benchwarmer? Perhaps your coach isn’t letting you play or your parents won’t let you do something you think you’re ready for. When things like that happen, remember that Jesus uses everyday experiences to shape you to be more like Him. Think about what He might be teaching you in the situation you’re dealing with. Then trust Him to give you patience as He helps you learn and grow. Today's Key Verse: But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Learn to be patient

Read: Philippians 3:12-16 “I don’t think I did well on that history test today—I should have studied more,” Breonna said as she followed Mom into a store. “And then Shirina got upset when I said her skirt looked like one you used to wear in high school. I meant it as a compliment, but she didn’t take it that way. I tried to explain and say I was sorry, but I still feel bad about it.” Breonna sighed. “What a horrible day!” “Well, don’t dwell on it, honey,” said Mom. “Now you’ll know better next time.” “But I should have known better this time!” Breonna picked a pair of shoes and tried them on. “Hey, these are exactly what I want! Can I get them?” “It’s up to you,” said Mom. “You’re spending your own money. But this is our first stop—you might find something else in another store.” Yet Breonna was so sure she wanted the shoes that she not only bought them but also decided to wear them. In another store, they saw the same shoes again—on sale. Breonna was dismayed. “I should have waited! I could have saved money.” “Well, it’s too late now. You’re already wearing the ones you bought, so you can’t return them.” In store after store, Breonna continued to mope. Finally, Mom took some bills out of her purse and handed them to Breonna. “Here. This covers what you paid for the shoes.” Breonna gaped at the money. “But you told me to wait, and I didn’t listen! Why should you pay for them?” “Because I want you to enjoy your shoes—and I want to help you understand that because of God’s grace, you don’t have to live with regret. Grace is giving someone what they don’t deserve, and Jesus did that for us when He died to take the punishment for our sin. Because of His grace, we can trust that He will bring good out of everything that happens in our lives, even things we mess up. Instead of going over and over what we should have done differently, we can learn from our mistakes and move on. We can enjoy life with Him now instead of reliving the past.” Breonna smiled and put the money in her pocket. “Thanks, Mom.” –Hazel W. Marett How about you? Do you dwell on past mistakes and what you should have done differently? Maybe you got a bad grade because you didn’t study, or you failed to help someone when you had the chance. Learn from your mistakes so you don’t make them in the future, but then put them behind you. Jesus saved you by dying on the cross, and He wants you to look forward to a life full of peace and joy with Him. Today's Key Verse: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Don’t dwell on past mistakes

Read: Proverbs 22:1; Isaiah 56:5; 1 John 3:1 Alexis rushed into the house. “Mom! Bree’s mom and new baby sister are home now! She’s so cute, and her name is Arabella. I love that name! How do people decide what to name their babies?” “Well, some are named after a family member or a person the parents admire, and sometimes parents choose a name for its meaning.” Alexis was surprised. “Names have meanings?” “Most do,” said Mom. “For instance, Alexis means ‘helper’ or ‘defender.’ I can show you a website where you can search for names and their meanings if you want.” “Oh, yes please!” So Alexis and Mom looked up several names together. Bree meant “strength,” and Arabella meant “yielding to prayer.” They even looked up Dad’s name—Matthew—which meant “gift of God.” “Did you know the Bible says it’s better to choose a good name than to choose great wealth?” Mom asked as they got up from the computer. “But we don’t choose our own names,” said Alexis. “Parents give them to us.” “You’re right. You didn’t choose the name Dad and I gave you—you received it when you were born into our family. And there’s another name you’ve received that’s even more important.” “There is?” asked Alexis. “What’s that?” “When you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you became part of His family and received His name—Christian, which means ‘little Christ.’ That name means He’s made you a new person and that you have His righteousness, or goodness. Your new name means you belong to Him.” “Really?” Alexis smiled. “I didn’t realize that’s what Christian meant.” Mom nodded. “In the Bible, God even renamed some people when He called them to follow Him. Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, and Simon became Peter. Their new names had special meanings that told others God had made them new people and was using them to show others who He was.” Mom smiled at Alexis. “He’s doing the same with us as Christians, shaping us to be like Jesus so we can point others toward Him. When we trust Him to help us speak and act in ways that show others who He is, we’re choosing to let people know us by the good name He’s given us.” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Do you know where your name comes from? Were you named after a special person or given your name because of what it means? We can’t choose our names at birth, but the best name of all is one anyone can have by trusting in Jesus and becoming part of God’s family. The name Christian means that Jesus has saved you and made you a new person. Let others know your new name by showing God’s love in all you say and do. Today's Key Verse: A good name is to be chosen over great wealth; favor is better than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Choose to have a good name

Read: Galatians 5:13-14 “Hey, Caleb!” Josh shouted when they got off the bus. “I almost forgot! Tomorrow I’m going to Planet Pizza, and I was wondering if you—” “I’d love to go!” Caleb started running toward his house before Josh could finish his sentence. “I’ll ask my mom!” That night, Caleb asked his mom about going to Planet Pizza with Josh. “Of course you can go,” said Mom. “I just spoke with Josh’s dad, and I’m glad you want to help.” Help? thought Caleb. I’ll always help eat pizza! The next day, a long line of people waited outside Planet Pizza. “Whoa!” said Caleb. “I hope we get a table. I’m starving!” Josh gave Caleb a funny look. “Not like they are,” he said. “Follow me.” They walked to the front of the line. “Hi, Josh!” said the man at the door. “Who’s your friend?” “Hey, Pastor Eric. This is Caleb. He came to help serve lunch.” “Help serve?” Caleb was confused. “I thought we came to eat!” “We will.” Josh handed Caleb a pair of gloves. “After everyone else is served first.” Josh ran to the table of pizzas. “Our church is buying pizza and passing it out as part of our food drive this month. It’s why we’re here!” “You mean we don’t get to eat pizza until after we’re done serving everyone else?” Josh handed Caleb a stack of plates. “I think you’ll make it.” Soon Pastor Eric let in the line of people, and Caleb and Josh helped serve slices of pizza to everyone who came in. “My name’s Tommy,” one boy said. “I’ve never had pizza here before. Is it good?” “Good?” exclaimed Caleb. “It’s the best! Here, sausage is my favorite.” After everyone was served, Pastor Eric prayed for the meal. “Dear God, thank you for this pizza and for every person here, and thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die for us. Help us see the ways we can serve those around us and show others Your love. Amen.” Caleb lifted his head just as Tommy took his first bite. “This pizza is the best!” he said. Caleb smiled and slid his own piece of pizza across the table. “Here, Tommy. You can have mine too.” “Really?” asked Tommy. “Really,” said Caleb. “It’s why I’m here.” –Kelly Carlson How about you? Do you serve others? Or do you always put your own needs before everyone else’s? Even though He’s Creator of the universe, Jesus came to earth to serve and give His life for us. Ask Him to help you see the ways you can serve others and show them His love. Today, find at least one person who could use your help and serve them before you serve yourself. Today's Key Verse: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Serve others

Read: Acts 16:19-25 Josiah felt like his head was going to explode. “Get married! You’re going to get married? To Ryan? But what about Dad?” “Josiah, you know that after your dad left, he married someone else. He won’t be back,” Mom said quietly. “I thought you liked Ryan.” “Not for a dad! And I definitely don’t want Brenner and Simon for brothers either.” Josiah stomped to his room, fighting back tears. The next day they went to church, and Josiah, who normally loved going, was sad all morning. After class his teacher, Mr. Park, asked what was wrong. “Mom’s getting married again,” Josiah told him. “The guy she’s marrying already has two sons. I don’t want someone else’s dad! I’ve got to get away.” He sank down into his seat. “I’m going to leave—for good! If they get married, I’ll never be happy here.” “Do you think you’ll find happiness someplace else?” asked Mr. Park. Josiah shrugged. “I sure won’t find it here!” Mr. Park sat down next to him. “You know, Josiah, happiness isn’t something you find. It’s rooted in the joy that comes from trusting in Jesus—from knowing He’s good and rejoicing in all He’s done for you, even through tears. The Bible tells us that Paul and Silas sang even though they were in prison. You know Jesus and have the hope of eternal life with Him, so you can be joyful too, even when things are hard.” Josiah sighed, and Mr. Park patted his shoulder. “I know it will be difficult at first, but I’ll be here if you need someone to talk to. And you can talk to Jesus about it too. Trust Him to give you patience and show your family His love. Your little sister will need her big brother, and your new stepbrothers will need help too—it will be difficult for them as well as for you.” Josiah hesitated. “I guess you’re right,” he murmured. “Give your future stepfather a chance to be part of the family,” said Mr. Park. “He loves the Lord, and I know he loves all of you.” Josiah was quiet a moment, then asked, “Will you pray for me?” Mr. Park smiled. “Of course.” They bowed their heads, and Mr. Park asked God to give Josiah comfort, peace, and joy. –Agnes Livezey How about you? Is something in your life making you unhappy? Are you doing all you can to get away from it? Running away from problems doesn’t bring joy. That only comes from trusting Jesus. Trust Him to be with you and help you through whatever is troubling you. Trust Him to help you show His love to those around you, even in difficult times. Trust Him to fill you with the joy of knowing Him. Today's Key Verse: Those who trust the Lord will be joyful. Proverbs 16:20 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus for joy

Read: Matthew 24:35-51 Madelyn picked up the tissues and old drawings off the floor and threw them in the trash can. As she was making her bed, her little sister Aria ran into the room. Madelyn’s dad followed her. “Grandma’s coming!” Aria yelled. She had already told all her friends and teachers at preschool, and she still wanted to tell someone else the good news. “I know, Aria.” Madelyn picked up a toy and set it on her shelf. “That’s why I’m cleaning my room.” Aria bounced up on the bed, wrinkling the neatly spread covers. “Aria,” Madelyn said, frowning as she watched her hard work being destroyed, “why don’t you go watch TV?” The little girl beamed. “I can’t. I have to get ready for Grandma!” “By bouncing on the bed I just made?” Madelyn asked with a sigh. Dad smiled and lifted Aria off the bed. “That reminds me of someone else who’s coming too.” Aria’s eyes grew wide. “Someone else is coming? Who?” “Jesus!” Dad said. “We can be just as excited about His coming as we are about Grandma’s. And just like Madelyn is tidying her room for Grandma’s visit, we have to prepare for Jesus’s return. Like you said, Aria, we can’t just sit around watching TV when a visitor is coming!” “How do we prepare for Jesus’s coming, Dad?” Madelyn asked. “First we need to get our hearts ready. We do that by trusting Jesus to forgive our sin. Then we need to do what Aria’s been doing. We need to tell others about Him and let them know He’s coming again so they can get their hearts ready too.” Aria looked around the room. “Madelyn’s room is ready for Grandma, but I know some of my friends at school aren’t ready for Jesus. I’ll tell them about Him on Monday so they can get ready too!” “Good idea,” Dad said. “He’s the only one who can make our hearts as clean as your sister’s room.” Madelyn smiled and grabbed Aria’s hand. “Come on, Aria. Let’s go watch for Grandma’s car!” –Jessica Kleeberger How about you? What do you do when a friend or family member is coming to visit? Clean your room? Plan fun things to do together? It’s exciting when someone comes to visit—and when Jesus comes again, it will be even more exciting! Will you be prepared for Him? Make sure your heart is ready by trusting Him to make you clean. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Then tell others the good news of what Jesus has done for you! Today's Key Verse: Always be ready. You don’t know the day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:42 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Be ready for Jesus’s coming

Read: Isaiah 55:10-11; James 1:21-25 “Mom, I can’t get the toaster to work!” called William. Receiving no answer, he went to the small office where his mother was working on her computer. “I want to make some toast, but the toaster’s not working,” he said. “It won’t heat up.” Mom shuffled through papers on her desk. “Is it plugged in?” “Umm…it always is, isn’t it?” William sighed. “I’ll go check.” He went back to the kitchen. “Oops!” he said when he found the cord nestled against the wall. “No wonder it didn’t work.” He plugged in the toaster, put a piece of raisin bread into it, and was soon enjoying perfectly browned, buttered toast. The next morning, William shared his toaster incident with his class at church. Their teacher, Mr. Scott, smiled. “William, your story reminds me of an important truth.” He picked up his Bible. “I’m sure you all know you should read your Bible every day, right?” Heads nodded. “While that’s good to do, did you know that just reading the Bible isn’t enough? What you read needs to be plugged into your life.” “Plugged into my life?” asked Lena. “What do you mean by that? The Bible doesn’t have a cord!” She and some of the other kids giggled. “When something is plugged in, it’s used to make a change,” Mr. Scott replied. “Toasters change bread. Vacuum cleaners change carpet. Phones and other devices change what we see and hear. When we trust in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit, and He changes us. One of the ways He does that is by helping us understand and obey God’s Word.” “So when we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit plugs it into our lives?” William asked. Mr. Scott nodded. “The Holy Spirit uses the truth of God’s Word to change us and make us more like Jesus. As you learn more and more about Jesus by reading the Bible, your thoughts and actions will be affected.” Mr. Scott smiled at the class. “So keep reading your Bible and learning more about what it says at church, but don’t stop there! Trust God to help you plug it into your life so others can see the love of Jesus in all you say and do.” –Janice M. Jones How about you? Is the Bible plugged into your life? It’s good to read it on your own and study it with others at church, but just reading and studying it isn’t enough. What it says needs to affect how you live your life, and that can only happen through the Holy Spirit. As you read and learn about God’s Word, trust Him to plug it into your life so your attitudes and actions reflect Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: The Holy Spirit changes you

Read: Luke 14:12-24 Connor stood beside his dad on the cracked, uneven sidewalk of Nairobi, Kenya, and watched in fascination at the hustle and bustle of city life around him. Horns blared, the sounds of people speaking other languages filled his ears, and the sour smell of diesel fumes from passing cars and buses made him want to hold his nose. “Hey, Dad!” he called over the noise. “What do they call minibuses in Africa again? I forgot.” “They’re called matatus.” Dad pronounced the word again slowly. “Muh-TAH-too.” Just then a brightly colored matatu with writing and pictures on it sped around the corner and came to a screeching halt in front of them. Connor and his dad climbed in, and four more people crammed in behind them. A lady with a live chicken squeezed in and held it on her lap like she was giving it a big hug. Just as they were about to drive off, three more men hopped on and held on tight as the matatu sped up and started zigzagging from one lane to another. The ride was bumpy and fast. “That was awesome!” Connor said after Dad paid the matatu driver and they climbed off. Dad looked a little dazed. “Dad, why did more people keep getting on when we were running out of room?” Connor asked. “Well, Nairobi is a big city, and it’s the cheapest way to get around if you have to get somewhere fast,” Dad explained. “A famous saying about matatus is ‘there’s always room for one more.’” “That’s kind of like the Bible verse you read during family devotions last night,” Connor remarked. “The one that talks about God’s house being full.” Dad nodded. “Good memory. Luke 14:23—‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in so that my house will be full.’ Jesus longs for each of us to have a relationship with Him and wants us to share that good news with others so we can all live with Him in heaven one day. He wants His house to be full.” “But He’ll never run out of room or turn anyone away.” Connor grinned. “Sort of like a matatu.” “Right,” Dad said with a smile. “Because in heaven, there’s always room for one more.” –Kelly Hope How about you? Do you tell others about Jesus? God’s love is so big that He sent His Son to die not just for you but for the whole world! He welcomes anyone who comes to Him, and He wants you to let others know they can live with Him forever. Pray for people who haven’t heard about Jesus—both where you live and around the world—and trust God to use you to help fill His house by telling others the good news. Today's Key Verse: Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. Luke 14:23 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Tell others about Jesus

Read: Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32; James 1:19-20 “Mom!” Jessica cried. “Cassi hit me!” “Because you pushed me!” cried her little sister. Mom sighed. “Can’t we ever drive to school without you two fighting?” Jessica felt her face flush with anger at her sister. She tried to ignore her by picking a book out of her bag to read, but before she even finished a sentence, she felt Cassi’s elbow in her side. She pushed back, and before long the girls were hitting each other again. “Honestly, you two!” Mom brought the car to a stop in front of the school. “No more fighting!” The girls got out of the car and headed their separate ways without saying goodbye to each other. Jessica held her lunch bag tightly in her hands as she walked to her first class, still fuming at her sister. At lunchtime Jessica saw her sister sitting alone, looking troubled. “What’s wrong?” Jessica asked coolly as she came up to the table. “I forgot my lunch,” Cassi said. Jessica’s hands tightened around her lunch bag. “Too bad. Maybe if you spent less time fighting with me and more time getting ready for school, that wouldn’t have happened.” Cassi looked down at the empty table sadly. Jessica turned to walk away, but Mrs. Gregory stood in her way. The teacher looked down at her and smiled. “You’re holding on to your lunch bag very tightly,” she noted. “Are you afraid love and forgiveness might spill out?” Jessica looked down at the bag in her hands, confused. “Sometimes when we’re angry about something, we want to hold on to our anger like you’re holding on to that bag,” Mrs. Gregory said, pulling out chairs for herself and Jessica. “But the Bible tells us to let go of our anger and forgive others, just like Jesus has forgiven our sin and doesn’t hold it against us.” She smiled at Jessica. “Maybe it’s time to loosen your grip.” Jessica looked over at her sister and then down at her lunch bag. She slowly opened her bag and took out part of her sandwich and a small bag of crackers. “Here,” she said, placing them in front of Cassi. Cassi looked up and smiled. “Thanks, Jessica.” Jessica smiled back. “You’re welcome.” –Chandra Philip How about you? Do you often find yourself fighting with your siblings or friends? Everyone gets angry sometimes, but the Bible warns against holding on to anger tightly and refusing to let go. Instead, remember the love and forgiveness Jesus shows you and trust Him to help you do the same for others. Then let go of your anger and act in love. Today's Key Verse: Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger…Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Don’t hold on to anger

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:16-24 Daisy ran to the left as her sister Mia threw the ball toward her. Daisy bumped into a tall vase as she caught the ball. She yelped as the vase crashed to the ground. The sea-green glass hit the wood floor and splintered into a hundred pieces. Flowers lay on the ground, and water was soaking into the rug. Oh no! Daisy thought. Mom and Dad will be furious! Just then Daisy’s parents came running in. Daisy quickly tossed the ball into the hallway, away from their view. “Daisy, Mia, are you two okay? What happened?” Mom asked, frowning when she saw the hopelessly broken vase. Dad looked at Daisy and Mia with a raised eyebrow. Daisy glanced at Mia, hoping she wouldn’t tell on her. Mia looked down, the floor suddenly seeming to be very interesting. “Um, Mr. McFluffy Pants jumped on the desk and knocked over the vase!” Daisy blurted, pointing at their cat. Daisy’s face turned red as she realized the cat was sleeping. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. Tears streamed down her face. “I was trying to catch the ball when I bumped into it. And then I hid the ball in the hallway,” Daisy said, pointing at the ball. “Mia, Daisy,” Mom said, “you two know better than to play catch indoors.” “Sorry,” Mia said. “Daisy, it’s okay that you broke the vase,” Dad said. “It is?” Daisy said, looking up. “Yes, but it’s not okay to lie,” said Mom. Daisy looked down again. “Especially when Mr. McFluffy Pants is such an honorable member of the family!” Dad joked. “This reminds me of a Bible verse,” he said. “Second Corinthians 8:21 tells us to do what is right in God’s eyes and to make sure people can see we are honorable too—and that means being honest. When we do that, we bring honor to Jesus by letting others see the goodness and love He’s put in our hearts.” Daisy turned red again. “I’m sorry I lied,” she said. “And I’m sorry for blaming Mr. McFluffy Pants too.” Daisy looked back at the orange-and-brown-spotted cat, who had managed to sleep through all the commotion. “At least now I know that Mr. McFluffy Pants isn’t a good cat to blame.” Everyone laughed. –Ira Ool How about you? Have you ever lied to get out of trouble? Lying not only makes things worse, it’s also wrong in God’s eyes and hurtful to others. As Christians, God calls us to be honorable and honest so others can see that we belong to Jesus, who died and rose again to make us God’s children. Trust Him to help you tell the truth and do what is right so others can see His love in your life. Today's Key Verse: We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable. 2 Corinthians 8:21 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Be honest

Read: Psalm 19:7-11 “My Sunday school teacher said we should read the Bible on our own every day,” Macey said on the way home from church. “I’m going to start doing that today.” “That’s great,” said Mom. “It’s good to spend time with Jesus in His Word each day. He uses it to refresh us spiritually and remind us who we are in Him.” That afternoon—and for the next couple of days—Macey read a whole chapter in her Bible. As time went by, however, she read less and less often. “I’m so mad at myself, Mom,” Macey said with a sigh as they were taking a walk a few weeks later. “When I decided to read the Bible every day, I really intended to do it. But I forget most of the time, or I’m too busy or too tired.” “I used to neglect reading my Bible too,” Mom told her. “But then I made it a habit to read at a certain time every day. For me, mornings are best, and I try not to let anything interfere with my time with Jesus. By doing this, I developed a habit, and I seldom miss it now.” “Maybe I—oh, look!” Macey stopped to look at something at the side of the road. “There’s a huge spiderweb between that post and the telephone cable.” Mom came over to look at the web. “This reminds me of something my grandmother used to say about habits and spiderwebs. Grandma called them cobwebs, and she said, ‘Habits are first like cobwebs, then like cables.’ What do you think that means?” Macey studied the spider’s web. “I think it means that when you first start doing something, it’s easy to forget or just not do it. You’re trying to make it a habit, but it’s easy to break—like spiderwebs are. But if you keep on doing something over and over, the habit you’re working on will become strong and hard to break—like that cable.” “Right!” said Mom. “That’s why it’s good to make reading your Bible a habit.” Macey thought about that as they began walking again. “Hey, Mom? Can you wake me up fifteen minutes earlier tomorrow morning? That might be a good time for me to read my Bible too.” –Mary Rose Pearson How about you? Do you take time to read the Bible each day? Maybe you’ve tried to before but got busy or forgot to keep it up. Starting a new habit can be hard, but reading the Bible regularly can help you get to know Jesus better and grow in your relationship with Him. Think about how you can spend time in His Word each day. Then trust Him to help you make it a habit strong enough to last a lifetime. Today's Key Verse: I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:16 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Read the Bible every day

Read: Colossians 3:1-14 “Hi, Dad,” Kiera said as she sat down at the table for breakfast. “Are you going to have to work late again tonight?” Kiera’s dad was a manager at a large store. “Nope—it’s New Year’s Eve, so we close early today.” Dad sighed. “I’m ready for a night off. We’ve been busy all week with people returning and exchanging things they got for Christmas and with our annual after-Christmas sale.” “Why do you always have a big sale right after Christmas?” Kiera asked. “Well, mostly so we can sell as much as possible before we take inventory next month,” replied Dad. “Inventory?” Kiera repeated. “What’s that?” “It’s when they count everything in the store to see if it lines up with what their computer system says they’re supposed to have,” said Kiera’s brother, Brent. “Some things in the store may have gotten lost or stolen, and they need to see what’s missing so it can be replaced or removed from the computer. Right, Dad?” Dad nodded. “That’s a very good description. We do that once a year.” He paused to take a bite of cereal. “You know, we all need to take inventory of our lives too—and New Year’s Eve is a great time to do that.” “Take inventory of our lives?” Kiera laughed. “You mean we should count how many pairs of shoes and jeans and socks we have?” “Not exactly. I was thinking it would be good to review how we’ve been living and whether it lines up with how God tells us to live in the Bible. We should think about whether there are any sins we need to confess. Then we can ask Jesus to forgive us for those things and show us any changes He wants us to make in our lives.” “So, the changes we should make are like New Year’s resolutions?” asked Kiera. “Well, I guess they could be,” said Dad. “But they aren’t changes we should try to make on our own—and thinking about our actions and confessing sins is something we should do every day, not just once a year. No matter what time of year it is, we need to trust Jesus to help us reflect His love in all we do and grow to be more like Him.” –Hazel W. Marett How about you? Have you taken a spiritual inventory lately? Think about the things that have happened and what you’ve done this past year. How has Jesus helped you grow in your relationship with Him? What are some areas where you didn’t always reflect His love in your thoughts, words, or actions? Ask Him to forgive you for anything you regret. Then depend on Him to help you make any changes you need to and become more and more like Him. Today's Key Verse: Remember that the Lord your God led you all the way. Deuteronomy 8:2 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Review your spiritual life

Read: Romans 5:8-15 Christmas was over, and Malachi and Nevaeh helped their parents remove the ornaments, lights, and strands of silver and purple garland from the Christmas tree branches. Soon the shimmering and festive tree looked bare except for the colorful tree skirt surrounding the tree stand. “Hey,” Malachi called out. “Look at that!” He pointed to a small box wrapped in green and red paper peeking out from under a fold in the tree skirt. “Where did that come from?” Mom asked as she bent down to pick up the box. “We must have missed this when we opened our gifts.” She held the box in her hands and looked for a name. “It’s for me! From Aunt Maddi,” she said in surprise. “I didn’t think she had sent anything this year, and here it was under the tree the whole time.” Mom opened the gift and found a necklace and matching earrings. “They’re so pretty!” Nevaeh said as Mom held them up for everybody to see. “Just think—Aunt Maddi’s gift was here all this time, but Mom couldn’t receive it because she didn’t know it was there,” Dad said. “It reminds me of another gift—God’s gift of salvation. It’s available to everyone, but many people don’t even know it’s there.” Mom nodded. “It stays hidden until someone shows it to them—like you showed the package to me, Malachi.” Nevaeh and Malachi thought about that. “So we need to show people God’s gift by telling them about Jesus,” Nevaeh said. “And tell them that if they receive it, Jesus will forgive their sins and give them eternal life,” added Malachi. “That’s right,” said Dad. “It’s an amazing gift! But they can’t receive it if they don’t know it’s there. That’s why we need to share it with others.” Dad motioned to the boxes of decorations. “Let’s see if each of us can come up with a person we can tell about God’s amazing gift by the time we finish putting this stuff away.” –Richard S. Maffeo How about you? Have you received God’s gift of salvation? (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) It’s wonderful to know all the wrong things you’ve done have been forgiven and you have eternal life with Jesus. But many people don’t know this amazing gift exists. Think of someone you know who may not know about Jesus and the eternal life He offers. Then tell them about it! God may use you to help someone receive Jesus, the best gift of all. Today's Key Verse: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Tell others about God’s gift

Read: Psalm 103:8-12 With her sidewalk chalk, India colored in the flowers she had drawn along the edge of the driveway. Then she stood back and frowned. Dad came out of the house and smiled at India. “What lovely flowers!” he said. “And I won’t even have to water them.” “No, but I’m going to,” said India. “I want them a different color.” Taking the garden hose, she aimed the stream of water at her artwork. WHOOSH! All traces of chalk soon disappeared down the driveway. India grinned at Dad. “Now I can start all over. Cool, huh?” “That is pretty cool,” said Dad. “That’s a picture of what Jesus does for us. He gives us a chance to start over when we confess our sin to Him.” “Oh, great,” India said, rolling her eyes. “I can already see my chalk flowers are going to be used in a sermon!” Dad laughed. “Well, that’s what happens when you have a pastor for a dad!” He nodded toward the wet spot on the driveway. “Where are the flowers you drew?” “They’re gone,” India replied. “And I know what you’re going to say—that when we confess our sins, they’re gone too.” “That’s right,” said Dad. “Now bring those flowers back for a minute.” “I can’t!” India said. “They’re washed down the drain, and they don’t exist anymore.” Dad smiled. “They’re gone, never to be seen again. That’s what happens to our sins when we confess them to Jesus and turn away from them. He forgives and forgets them. The Bible says He removes them from us as far as the east is from the west!” “But sometimes I still go over them in my mind—even after I tell Jesus I’m sorry,” India said. Dad nodded. “Sometimes it’s hard for us to forget the bad things we’ve done, and even after confessing them, we wonder how God can forgive and forget them. When that happens, ask Jesus to help you remember His promise to always forgive your sins and remove them.” “And thank Him for letting me start over,” added India. “Just like I’m going to do with these flowers!” Chalk in hand, she began drawing again on a dry section of the driveway. –Hazel W. Marett How about you? Have you done something wrong? If you trust in Jesus, He’s already taken the punishment for all your sins and promises to forgive any sin and remove it from your life. When you do something wrong, tell Him and ask Him to forgive you. Even if you think of the bad thing you did again, He won’t—it’s gone forever! Then you can start over, depending on Him to help you do what’s right. Today's Key Verse: I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Jeremiah 31:34 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: God forgives and removes sin

Read: Romans 8:16-18; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-8 “Why does Grandpa have to hurt so much?” Bentley asked his dad as they left the nursing home one afternoon. “I don’t know, Bentley. It’s hard to see Grandpa the way he is now, isn’t it?” They were silent as they walked out to the car and got in. “How about a hike up Piestewa Peak tomorrow?” Dad asked. Bentley’s eyes lit up. “Okay! I’ve been wanting to do that.” Less than halfway up the mountain the next day, Bentley began to struggle to keep up with Dad. Whatever made me think it would be fun to climb Piestewa Peak? he wondered. When he heard Dad say, “Time for a break,” Bentley sighed in relief. “Ready to go again?” Dad asked after the break. Bentley hesitated, trying to decide if he should suggest going back down. Dad ruffled Bentley’s hair. “You’re not going to quit on me now, are ya, buddy? When we get to the top, you’ll see the hard climb was totally worth it.” Bentley wasn’t so sure about that, but he nodded and trudged up the mountain with his dad. When they finally reached the top, they could see the whole city below, surrounded by hills and desert. A sense of wonder came over Bentley. “You were right!” he said. “This is awesome!” Soon they found a nice spot to spread out their picnic lunch. “Being up here is totally worth the hard climb, just like you said,” Bentley mused. Dad took a bite of his sandwich and nodded. “I’ve been thinking,” he said. “Our climb up here was hard, but it had a good ending. What’s happening to Grandpa is something like climbing this mountain.” “How?” asked Bentley. “Our world is cursed by sin—it’s what causes hard things like death and Grandpa’s illness. But when Jesus returns, He’s going to make all things new. Christians will have perfect bodies, and we’ll live with Jesus in a new, beautiful world where there won’t be any sin, death, or suffering. Our lives now are hard—just like climbing this mountain was hard. But Jesus is with us every step of the way, and like the view after the hike, we know the ending will be worth it.” –Esther M. Bailey How about you? Have you struggled with having a friend or family member die? Do you wonder why people have to suffer through sickness and pain? People go through many different kinds of struggles in life, and it’s hard to understand why. But Jesus promises to be with us in our pain and struggles on earth, and one day He will come back and make everything new. Then we’ll be free from sin, pain, and death and will live with Him forever! Today's Key Verse: Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus will end suffering

Read: Romans 3:23-25 Matthew lined up his first putt. He bounced his golf ball off the side wall, past the spinning windmill, and it rolled to a stop just a few feet away from the hole. “Great shot, buddy!” said Dad. It was Matthew’s first time mini-golfing, and his dad was teaching him how to play. “That was a great way to start the game. My turn now, and then whoever is farther away from the hole after that goes next.” Dad steadied his shoulders, took aim, and swung. Dad’s ball went straight through the tunnel, barely dodging the windmill blades. It kept rolling over the green turf, slowed to a crawl, and almost stopped before tipping into the cup. “Wow, a hole in one! I can’t believe it!” Matthew exclaimed. He was sure he’d never be able to play like that. “I admit, that was pretty cool. I didn’t think I was going to be able to do that,” Dad said as he reached into the cup to retrieve his ball. “It’s really tough to get a hole in one.” “Do you think I’ll ever be able to do that?” Matthew asked. “I’m sure you could, with practice. You even got pretty close on your first shot today.” They continued to play, and Matthew kept trying for his own hole in one, but he never quite made it. “You’re right, Dad, getting a hole in one is a lot tougher than it looks. I don’t think I’ll ever be good enough.” Matthew sighed. “It’s like what I learned at church last week. We talked about how no one is good enough to get into heaven on their own either.” Dad nodded. “That’s a really good point. Earning your way into heaven would be like getting a hole in one every time your whole life—only way more impossible! No matter how hard we try, we could never be good enough to get into heaven. There’s only one person who is.” “Right. Jesus!” said Matthew. “He died on the cross so we wouldn’t have to be punished for the bad stuff we’ve done. The only way to get to heaven is to trust Him to save us.” Matthew lined up his ball and putted, then gave his dad a huge grin as it went straight into the hole. –Dylan Kraayenbrink How about you? Do you think you can get into heaven on your own? If you’ve done even just one bad thing—like telling a little lie to your parents or taking something that’s not yours—you have failed. And the Bible says we’ve all failed to do what’s right. That’s why God sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to die for us. We can only get into heaven by trusting in Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today Key Verse: As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:10 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Only Jesus can bring you into heaven

Read: Philippians 2:1-4; Colossians 3:12 “Boo!” Blake shouted from behind the couch as his younger sister walked past. Gabby screamed and jumped in surprise, and Blake laughed as he climbed out. “Gotcha!” “Mom!” Gabby wailed. “Blake’s scaring me again!” Mom came into the living room. “Blake, we’ve talked about this before. You know it scares Gabby when you jump out at her like that. You need to stop it.” “Yeah,” said Gabby. “And stop hitting me with your pillow too.” “Oh, come on. I just wanted to have a pillow fight! Lighten up, Gabby.” “Blake,” said Mom, “are you being kind to your sister?” “Well, I’m not trying to be mean. I just want to have fun.” As Blake spoke, their black cat raced past them, followed by their big golden dog. “Oscar, leave Morris alone!” yelled Blake. He chased the golden retriever around the coffee table. Oscar pranced around and panted happily as he trapped the hissing cat in the corner. “Oscar looks like he’s laughing,” said Gabby. Mom nodded. “I’d say he’s having a lot of fun.” “Oscar, come!” At Blake’s command, the dog finally turned away from the cat. “No chasing Morris.” Blake glared at the dog sternly as Oscar trotted to him. “Don’t do that again!” Mom smirked. “But Oscar was only having fun. He didn’t do it to be mean.” “Well, it wasn’t fun for Morris, and—” Blake stopped. He was quiet for a moment, then sighed. “I see your point, Mom. What’s fun for one animal—or person—might not be any fun for the other.” Mom nodded. “Oscar was having fun at Morris’s expense. That’s also how you’ve been having fun with Gabby. You’ve been doing things that were fun for you, but not fun for her—in fact, I think part of your fun came from seeing her get upset. That’s not how Jesus wants us to treat people. He tells us to show others love and kindness by considering how they feel and not just thinking of ourselves. That’s the kind of love He showed us when He sacrificed His life so we could be saved.” Blake looked over at Gabby, who had picked up Morris and gone into the kitchen. “Come on, Oscar,” he said. “You and I both need to apologize.” –Jody Hedlund How about you? Are you sensitive to the feelings of others? Or do you like to have fun by teasing people who may not find it as fun as you do? As Christians, we need to put other people’s feelings before our own fun and enjoyment so they can see Jesus’s love in us. He loves us so much that He gave His own life to save us, and He’ll help you reflect His love in the way you treat others. Today's Key Verse: Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Consider how others feel

Read: Luke 2:8-14; Hebrews 12:1-3 “This is the worst Christmas ever!” Riley told her brother. “Not only did we have to move because of Dad’s job, we have to live in this tiny apartment because we can’t find a house.” She groaned as she tripped over a box on her way to the couch. “There’s no room in here!” Logan shrugged. “At least we have beds. When Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem, all they could find was a stable. They probably just had straw.” “Yeah, well, at least they had the gifts the wise men brought them. We don’t have any presents to open because we’ve been too busy moving that we haven’t had any time to go Christmas shopping!” “Actually, the wise men didn’t bring gifts to Jesus right when he was born,” Logan said. “They didn’t come until later.” Riley crossed her arms. “Well, at least they had the angels singing. I can’t download any music because the internet isn’t working!” “It was actually the shepherds who heard the angels singing—not Mary and Joseph.” Logan looked at his sister. “It sounds like you’re having a crybaby Christmas.” Riley raised her eyebrows. “A crybaby Christmas?” “Yeah,” said Logan. “You’re complaining about everything!” Riley threw a pillow at her brother’s head, but Mom came down the hallway just in time and caught it in midair. “Okay, you two. What’s going on?” “Logan says I’m complaining about everything!” said Riley. “Well, are you?” asked Mom. Riley sighed. “Well, maybe. But everything’s a mess, and just because he’s not bothered by any of it doesn’t mean he can make fun of me!” Mom sat down next to Riley. “I know Christmas is a lot different for us this year, but we can still be joyful. After all, Christmas is about Jesus coming to earth to save us! He cares about us and understands what we’re going through because He went through so much more when He was on earth.” Riley looked around their small apartment. “But He never complained, did He?” Mom shook her head. “The Bible says He went to the cross with joy because it was the only way we could have eternal life with Him.” She smiled at Riley. “Trust Him to help you be joyful too.” –Ruth McQuilkin How about you? Have you been rejoicing in the birth of Jesus this Christmas season? Or have you been too weighed down by problems to feel joyful? Problems can be hard to deal with, especially at Christmas, but remember that you don’t have to face them alone. Jesus came to earth to save you, and He promises to be with you through every problem you face. Because of Him, you can celebrate Christmas with joy! Today's Key Verse: The angel said…I bring you good tidings of great joy. Luke 2:10 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Be joyful

Read: Isaiah 9:1-7; John 3:16 Christmas presents made Sam nervous. Santa’s “nice” list made him worried. As the days drew closer to Christmas, Sam’s anxiety about presents increased. Maybe it was the wondering—is Santa coming? Maybe it was the worry—was I good enough this year? Or maybe Sam was afraid he couldn’t buy the perfect gifts for his family with the little money he had. “Homemade gifts again,” he said sadly. On Christmas Eve, Sam’s parents took him and his brother, Bobby, on an outing to the zoo to help get their minds off presents. As they walked around, the family noticed the animals were being extra active and noisy in their enclosures. The eagles squawked. The mountain lions grunted, pacing back and forth. The black bears huffed, as one clawed up a tree stump and the other scratched its backside along the fence. Then the parrot said, “Hi, Bobby.” “Did he say my name?” asked Bobby in amazement. The petting zoo sheep and goats were baaing and maaing louder than ever. “Why are the animals acting so funny?” Sam finally asked. “I think animals talk on Christmas Eve,” said Dad, grinning. “I think they’re excited for the birth of baby Jesus, just like the barn animals were on the night He was born!” Sam was old enough to know the animals couldn’t really talk, but he was warmed by the idea of it. The animals were God’s creation, and perhaps they wanted to celebrate Christmas too. “It’s not about the presents, it’s about God sending Jesus into the world to save us because He loves us,” said Sam. “He’s the present!” “You got it! Spending time together at Christmas and giving thanks to God for His wonderful gift is what really matters,” said Mom. Dad nodded. “Jesus died for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life, and He fills our lives with love, joy, peace, and many other good things. There’s nothing better than that!” That night, Sam slept peacefully and awoke to a beautiful Christmas morning. He jumped out of bed, ready to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. –Elizabeth Janczyk How about you? Do you worry about presents at Christmas? Maybe you don’t know what will be under the tree or if you’ll be able to buy others the gifts they want. The good news is that the best gift of Christmas isn’t anything anyone can buy. It’s Jesus, and He doesn’t have a “nice” list—He offers eternal life to everyone, even though none of us deserve it. Have you received that gift? Trust in Him today so you can celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Celebrate the gift of Jesus

Read: Mark 4:35-41 “Oh no!” Dad exclaimed as the car slid off the road and into a snowbank. The wind was strong, the snow was deep, and they were stuck! Dad stepped on the gas pedal and tried to rock the car forward and then back. Nothing happened. So Mom got behind the wheel and Dad, Olivia, and Nina tried to push it free. But it was stuck tight. Dad sighed heavily. “Last winter I bought a shovel to keep in the trunk in case something like this happened, but then we had such a mild winter that I never needed it. Last spring I put it in the garage—it’s still there.” Mom pulled out her phone and made a call. Then she flicked on the emergency flashing lights. “I’m afraid we’ll have to wait a while before help can get here,” she said. She was right. It seemed like a very long time before help arrived, but eventually they were back on the road. “I’m putting that shovel in the trunk the moment we get home,” Dad said as they drove. “While we were waiting, I was thinking about how important it is to be prepared. I was wondering how prepared we would be if we got caught in one of life’s storms.” “One of life’s storms?” Olivia asked. “Yes. Think about this,” said Dad. “Up to now, the winter has been mild, so I didn’t pack a shovel. And when things in life are going smoothly, we sometimes forget how much we need Jesus and aren’t as motivated to pray and read His Word. But sooner or later we’re going to be challenged with a storm in life—a difficult problem or time of hardship. We need to be prepared for stormy weather in life, just like on the road.” “So how do we prepare for life’s storms?” asked Nina. “When we pray, read the Bible, and go to church, it helps us remember that Jesus died and rose again for us and that He’s always with us,” said Dad. “As we grow in our faith, we’ll be prepared to depend on Him for help when life gets stormy.” Nina smiled. “We should pray and thank Jesus for helping us through that snowstorm. That will help us remember He’s with us through life’s storms too!” –Nance E. Keyes How about you? Are you preparing for whatever may happen in life? If you trust in Jesus, He will always be with you and help you through whatever storms life brings. But sometimes it’s easy to forget that, especially when things are going smoothly. Spending time with Jesus and growing in your relationship with Him will help you remember to trust and depend on Him—not only when life gets stormy, but all the time! Today's Key Verse: [Jesus] called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” John 6:20 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Be prepared for life’s storms

Read: Psalm 51:1-4, 7; Romans 3:23 “It’s still snowing, Grandpa,” said Evan. “We’ll have a white Christmas for sure!” Evan had not seen much snow when he lived in the valley, but now he was staying with his grandpa in the mountains. Grandpa nodded. “It makes the whole world look so clean, doesn’t it? It reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses. Isaiah 1:18 says our sins can be made as white as snow. That happens when we trust Jesus as our Savior.” Evan nodded, even though he wasn’t really sure what that meant. “I like the snow,” he said. “Can I go sledding for a while?” “Sure,” said Grandpa, so Evan bundled up and went out. That evening, Evan enjoyed a mug of hot chocolate while Grandpa read the Christmas story from the Bible. When Grandpa finished, Evan turned to him. “Grandpa, I was thinking about that verse you like—the one about snow. Didn’t you say my dad trusts Jesus as his Savior?” Grandpa nodded. “So does that mean his sins are as white as snow now?” Evan asked. “It sure does,” Grandpa assured him. “Then why is Dad still in jail?” asked Evan. “Well, Evan, your father broke the law, so now he has to face the consequences for what he did—even though He decided to trust in Jesus while he was in jail and asked Him to forgive him for all the bad things he did. Jesus washed all his sin away and made his heart clean, and your dad is a new person and will spend eternity with God. Even though he’s still in jail, God won’t hold the wrong things he did against him. In God’s eyes, your dad’s heart is as clean and white as snow.” Evan thought about that. “I want my heart to be as white as snow too.” “It can be,” said Grandpa. “Shall I pray with you so you can ask Jesus to forgive your sins and make you clean? Then you can have a white Christmas—inside and out.” –Esther M. Bailey How about you? Did you know that you can have a white Christmas anywhere in the world? Even if you don’t get snow where you live, you can have a white Christmas on the inside by asking Jesus to wash away all the wrong you’ve ever done. He died to take the punishment for your sin, and when you trust in Him, He will make your heart as clean and white as snow. Trust in Him today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus as your Savior

Read: 1 John 4:7-12 Jessie and Grandma clapped as Chloe emerged from backstage long after the audience left. Chloe had spent weeks preparing to audition for the role of Mary in her church’s Christmas musical, but she was instead cast as Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth. “Wonderful job, Chloe,” Grandma said. “You played an excellent Elizabeth.” Chloe sighed. “Thanks, Grandma.” “Do you get to keep the gray wig?” Jessie asked. “Why would I want to keep that?” Chloe cried. “You could pretend to be Grandma on her birthday and get all her presents.” Grandma poked Jessie playfully on the shoulder. “How about instead of stealing presents, we go get frozen yogurt to celebrate Chloe’s performance?” “Yay!” Jessie exclaimed. Chloe nodded reluctantly. As they stood in line, Grandma went on and on about how wonderful the musical was. Finally, Chloe couldn’t take it anymore. “Can we stop talking about the musical already? It’s not fair that Shelley got to play Mary and I was stuck playing Elizabeth!” Chloe wailed. “When will I get to play the most important role?” Jessie’s eyebrows furrowed. “Chloe, what does Ms. Hill say before every rehearsal?” “There are no small parts, just small actors,” Chloe grumbled. “Right—your attitude matters more than the part you play. Even though you didn’t get the role you wanted, you can encourage Shelley and be happy for her.” “And don’t forget what the Christmas story is all about—Jesus’s birth!” Grandma added. “Jesus plays the most important role—in the Christmas story and in our lives. Without His love and sacrifice on the cross to save us from our sins, we wouldn’t get to look forward to eternity with Him or be able to share His love with others on earth. We all have an important role to play, but none of us are capable of filling Jesus’s lead role.” “You’re right,” Chloe admitted. “Jesus’s role is too big for me.” “Or any of us,” Jessie added. They got their frozen yogurt and sat down. “Maybe we should thank Jesus before we eat,” Chloe said. “Good idea,” Grandma said. “And not just for the yogurt, but for His love too.” –Hannah Chung How about you? Do you compare yourself to others? Maybe your friend connects faster with younger kids than you do, or you don’t have as much money to give at church as your older siblings. The good news is Jesus doesn’t love us based on our works. The best news is Jesus already completed the most important work—dying for our sins and coming back to life! Our job is to love Him and love others. Today's Key Verse: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Only Jesus can save us

Read: James 2:1-4 On a bright winter day, Evelyn stopped by her Grandma’s house after school. She found her in the kitchen, pulling a batch of cookies out of the oven. “Hello, sweetheart,” Grandma said. “Grab a cookie. How was school?” “Pretty good,” Evelyn said. “But there’s a new girl in my class. She just moved here. I don’t like her.” “Oh? That doesn’t sound like my kind granddaughter. Why don’t you like her? Is she mean to you?” Evelyn blushed. “I’m sorry, Grandma, I didn’t mean to sound unkind. I haven’t talked to her, but she just looks so grumpy! She never smiles.” Grandma put a hand on Evelyn’s shoulder. “Would you do me a favor, honey? Run upstairs to my bedroom and get the box underneath my bed.” Soon Evelyn was back downstairs with the box. “What is it?” she asked. Grandma opened the box and pulled out a very old violin. It was dirty and missing parts, and all the strings were broken. “Oh, ew!” Evelyn exclaimed. Grandma smiled. “Yes, this old thing has been through some rough times. I haven’t touched it in years. Tell you what—come back in a week and I’ll show it to you again.” The next week, Evelyn was back. “I want to see that violin again,” she reminded her grandma. “Did you clean it up some?” “Yes, I did,” Grandma said. “In fact…” She pulled the violin out of a case and handed it to Evelyn. “It looks like a different instrument.” Evelyn gasped. “Grandma! This is beautiful! I had no idea.” "It just needed some love,” Grandma said. “You know, Evelyn, I showed you this because I thought it might change your mind about the girl from your school. Sometimes people seem mean or grumpy because they’ve been through rough times or are having a bad day. They need love and care, just like my old violin. That’s one reason the Bible says we shouldn’t judge by what we see on the outside. Everyone, no matter what they act like, needs Jesus just like we do, and He wants us to show them His love by caring for them.” Grandma gave Evelyn a wink. “See if you can’t make that girl smile tomorrow.” Evelyn smiled. “Thanks, Grandma. I will!” –Lucy Alessio How about you? Do you know someone who doesn’t seem very likable from a distance? Instead of holding it against them, maybe you need to get to know them. God commands us not to judge people by how they look or act but to treat people equally and show love to everyone. We all need Jesus, and He died for our sins when none of us were very likeable. Follow His example by showing everyone His love. Today's Key Verse: Stop judging by the way things look. Be fair and judge by what is really right. John 7:24 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Love instead of judging

Read: John 1:14-17; 3:16-17 Caleb and Vanessa sat in the back seat of the car on the way home from Christmas shopping. They didn’t dare say a word. Mom’s face said it all. They were in big trouble. They had saved up money to buy gifts, but when they got to the store, they pushed and fought over every toy. After a couple warnings, Mom marched them out of the store empty-handed. “I’m sorry, Mom,” Caleb ventured. “I don’t know what happened.” “Are we in big trouble?” Vanessa asked. Mom took a deep breath. “We’ll see when we get home. I’ll talk to your dad.” When they walked through the front door, Dad saw their glum faces. “Uh-oh. What’s going on?” Mom looked at Caleb and Vanessa. “I want you both to go sit on the couch in the living room. We’ll be there in a minute.” They slowly walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Soon their parents came in. Dad looked stern. “I’m very disappointed to hear about your behavior today, but after talking it over, Mom and I decided we want you to open an early Christmas present.” Caleb and Vanessa looked startled as Mom handed them a small wrapped box. “Is this for real?” Caleb asked. Mom nodded, and they both tore off the wrapping paper. Caleb pulled out a glass ornament of baby Jesus. Vanessa squealed. “It’s beautiful!” Caleb smiled but still looked a bit suspicious. “What’s the catch?” “Do you think you deserved an early Christmas present today?” Dad asked. Caleb frowned. “No, Dad. We deserve something else. We deserve to be punished.” Mom smiled. “That’s exactly why we wanted to give this to you.” Dad nodded. “We are all full of sin—we all act ugly and do bad things. Because of that sin, we all deserve punishment from God. But instead of punishing us, He sent us the most wonderful, undeserved gift. He sent us a baby to be our Savior.” “I get it!” Vanessa said. “Our little undeserved ornament will remind us that God sent Jesus to save us from sin.” Caleb smiled. “I understand too. Jesus was a gift we didn’t deserve.” –Bethany Den Boer How about you? Do you get lots of gifts at Christmas? Do you feel like you deserve your presents and get angry when you don’t get what you want? We receive gifts at Christmas not because we earned them, but because those who give them to us love us. These gifts remind us God gave us Jesus to be our Savior not because we deserved such a wonderful gift, but because He loves us. Today's Key Verse: But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the greatest gift

Read: Psalm 139:13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 Nate and Peter watched as Dad assembled a miniature model of the human body they had gotten for their homeschool biology class. “I’m amazed at God’s creation,” Dad said, holding up the plastic heart piece. “Did you know that the human heart, which is only about as big as a clenched fist, can pump up to two thousand gallons of blood a day?” “I heard that in our class videos,” said Peter. “We learned about eyes too. They’re set in holes, or sockets, and they’re protected by seven interlocking bones.” “And our eyelashes and eyebrows keep out dust and sweat,” said Nate. “And each time we blink, a special fluid washes over our eyes.” Dad grinned. “Right! And have you noticed that the palms of your hands are sort of skid-proof so you can get a grip on things? And think about your fingers and all they can do. You use them to write, paint, hammer a nail, play the piano—” “Catch a football,” added Nate. Dad nodded. “Just like the Bible says, we’re fearfully and wonderfully made. God created the human body to do amazing things. His great handiwork is nothing to laugh about, is it?” “Laugh about?” asked Peter. “What do you mean?” “Well, sometimes I hear people say things that aren’t respectful about the human body,” said Dad. “They make jokes about things God designed it to do, and sometimes they even mock others whose bodies look different from theirs.” Peter nodded. “Sometimes my friends send me things that make fun of stuff like that—or even specific people.” “That’s not how God wants us to treat the bodies—or people—He created,” said Dad. “He loves us so much He sent Jesus to die for us. When we trust in Him, He gives us new hearts—not a physical heart that pumps blood, but a desire to know and follow Him and share His love with others. And one day He’s going to give us new bodies too! Perfect bodies that will be free from sin, sickness, and death.” “Wow,” said Nate. “That sounds amazing!” Dad nodded. “It is amazing. That’s why we need to treat the bodies God gave us—and everyone else—with respect.” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Are you ever tempted to make fun of the amazing bodies God created? Maybe you’ve made inappropriate jokes about them or looked at pictures or videos that are disrespectful. Perhaps you’ve even mocked someone for the way their body looks. Ask Jesus to forgive you for the times you didn’t treat people He loves and their bodies with respect. Remember that our bodies are meant to remind us of His amazing love. Today's Key Verse: I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Respect the bodies God created

Read: Colossians 4:2-6 Johannah stared out her bedroom window as Mom came into the room and sat down on the bed. “How are you feeling?” Mom asked as she stroked Johannah’s forehead. “I think you still have a fever.” “Why do I have to be sick today?” moaned Johannah. “I wanted to go sing at the hospital with my Sunday school class.” Her lower lip quivered a little. “And it makes you feel bad that you can’t go, doesn’t it?” said Mom. Johannah nodded. “I was really looking forward to going around and singing to people who were sick. Now I can’t.” “I know, honey,” said Mom. “But you can pray and ask Jesus to use your class to bless the people at the hospital with their singing.” Johannah shrugged. “It just doesn’t seem the same,” she said with a sigh. “Maybe not, but…” Mom stood up. “I’ll be right back.” She left the room and returned a few minutes later with a strand of pearls. “See this necklace? Your great-grandmother gave it to me when I was a teenager.” She held it out so Johannah could look at it. “But there’s a very important part of it you can’t see.” Johannah looked puzzled. “What do you mean?” “Well, what do you see when you look at it?” asked Mom. Johannah took the necklace. “The pearls,” she said after examining it. Mom nodded. “That’s what everyone notices, but look.” She carefully pulled two pearls apart to reveal the thin white thread holding them together. “No one notices this plain and simple thread, but without it, my necklace would fall apart.” Still puzzled, Johannah looked at the pearl necklace and then at her mother. “Okay,” she said uncertainly. “Prayer is like this thread,” Mom explained. “We often pray as an afterthought, but really, it’s what holds everything together—nothing we do would make any difference without God working behind the scenes and in people’s hearts. Even though you can’t go with the others to the hospital, you can have a very important part in what they’re doing. You can ask Jesus to use their singing to encourage the people at the hospital and show them how much He loves them and cares for them.” –Richard S. Maffeo How about you? Do you ever feel like you can’t do anything important for Jesus because you’re too young, too sick, or too shy? That’s not true! There’s at least one thing every Christian can do, and that’s pray. It’s not something everybody notices, but Jesus does. He hears each prayer. Pray and ask Him to work in people’s hearts as you and fellow Christians serve Him and show others His love. Today's Key Verse: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Prayer is important

Read: Luke 2:4-18 “Mmm…I love candy canes! They’re my favorite Christmas treat,” Abbie said as she licked her sweet candy. “They are yummy,” said Mom. “But what makes them my favorite Christmas candy is the story they tell.” "Candy canes tell a story?” Abbie asked. “Yes,” Mom said with a gleam of excitement in her eyes. “Flip your candy cane upside down. What letter do you see?” “It’s the letter J,” Abbie replied. “That’s right,” Mom said. “And at Christmas we remember the birth of…?” “Jesus!” said Abbie. “The J stands for Jesus!” “You got it. The candy cane reminds us of Jesus at Christmas, and it also reminds us of two special groups of people who came to visit Jesus after He was born. If you turn your candy cane upright again, what does it look like?” “A shepherd’s staff!” Abbie exclaimed. Mom nodded. “The staff reminds us of the shepherds who came to visit Jesus—and also that Jesus Himself is our Good Shepherd. And as you taste your candy cane, the sweet peppermint flavor tickles your tongue, which can be a reminder of the spices the wise men gave to Jesus.” “This part of the story tastes good,” said Abbie, giving her candy cane another lick. “What do the colors mean?” “The red represents the blood Jesus poured out for us when He died on the cross for our sins, and the white reminds us that when we trust Jesus as our Savior, He washes our sin away and makes us clean.” “I never knew the candy cane told a story before!” Abbie said as she munched on a hard piece of her candy cane. “Every part of the candy cane tells a story. Even the fact that the candy cane is hard points to Jesus being our solid rock.” “Wow, that’s amazing! Would it be okay if I give some candy canes to my friends at school? I want to tell them the story of the candy cane too!” “That’s a wonderful idea,” Mom replied. “Telling others the story of Jesus is one of the best gifts you can give your friends.” “Yeah,” said Abbie. “And it tastes good too!” –Rachel Vruggink How about you? Do you have a friend you could tell the story of the candy cane? Telling others about Jesus’s birth and how He died on the cross for their sins and rose again is a wonderful story to share at Christmastime. The shepherds were so excited when they saw Jesus that they spread the good news! Who can you share the good news of Jesus with this Christmas? Today's Key Verse: When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. Luke 2:17 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Share Jesus with others

Read: Isaiah 64:4-6 “Mom, guess what?” said James. “My school is having a snow sculpture contest, and there are prizes!” “What are you going to make?” Mom asked. “A polar bear.” James grinned. “That will be the perfect animal for this cold, snowy weather.” Each day leading up to the contest, James practiced making bears. At the end of the week, a whole family of snow bears stood in front of the house. “It’s a good thing the contest is tomorrow,” Mom said. “You’ve used up almost all the snow in the yard!” The next day, the children started their sculptures. James worked hard, hoping to win the grand prize—a trip to Zehnder’s Snowfest in Frankenmuth, Michigan. After he finished his bear, James and his mom walked around and looked at the other entries. When the judges announced James as the grand prize winner, he jumped up and down. “I knew my bear was best!” he told his mom. A few weeks later, when James and Mom arrived in Frankenmuth, a snow sculpture contest was underway. James watched the contestants make huge, intricate sculptures. “After seeing these entries, my bear doesn’t seem so good.” “These contestants are professional,” said Mom. “It’s easy to feel humbled after seeing their work.” “That’s for sure.” James stopped to look at a sculpture of a huge polar bear. It was so lifelike, it almost looked real. “This looks nothing like my polar bear. There’s just no comparison!” Mom smiled. “It reminds me of how I used to compare myself to others. Sometimes I thought I was pretty good, and sometimes I didn’t—it all depended on how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ I thought someone else was. Until I read the Bible, I thought God judged people the same way. But He has a higher standard, and none of us can live up to it, no matter how hard we try. There’s only one way to be good enough for him.” “I know what it is!” said James. “We need to trust in Jesus.” “Right,” said Mom. “Jesus is the only one who meets God’s perfect standard, and He died to pay for our sins. When we trust in Him, He makes us good in God’s eyes.” –David J. Belleau How about you? Do you compare yourself to other people to see how good you are? What about Jesus—have you ever compared yourself to Him? He’s God’s perfect standard, and compared to Him, we’re all sinners in need of forgiveness. The only way to be good in God’s eyes is for Jesus to remove your sin and give you His goodness. Trust Him as your Savior today. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus makes us good

Read: 1 Timothy 4:11-16 “Why do we have to take Mrs. Anderson to church with us tomorrow?” asked Miriam. “She’s so boring—all she talks about is her cat. I can’t stand her!” “I don’t like her either,” said Miriam’s little brother Brendon. “Me neither!” said Flynn, the youngest. “That’s enough!” said Mom. “That’s not a kind way to talk about an elderly woman who can’t get out on her own.” A while later, Mom came to Miriam’s room. “Want to go for a ride? I have the dogs hooked up to the sled. Dad will stay here with the boys.” “All right!” Miriam eagerly followed her mom outside. “You put Kodiak on the team today?” she asked as she looked at the dogs. “When we take him, the other dogs don’t run as well!” “He needs more practice,” said Mom. Miriam frowned as she sat down on the sled. Mom hopped on the runners. “Let’s go!” Mom shouted. The dogs took off, and they glided onto the snow-packed road. Miriam yelled out in excitement as they raced to the top of the hill. Then Kodiak spotted a branch sticking out of the snow. He pulled hard toward the side and stopped. For a minute, the other dogs tried to go on, but soon they all stopped and got tangled up in each other’s lines. Mom got off the sled to straighten them out. “I knew this would happen!” said Miriam. “Why did we have to use Kodiak?” “You should be more patient with him. After all, you two are kind of alike.” “What do you mean?” asked Miriam in surprise. “Kodiak sets a bad example for the other dogs, and you’ve been setting a bad example for your brothers. You often say mean things about people, and then they think it’s okay for them to think of people that way too. That’s not how Jesus wants us to treat others.” Miriam sighed. “I know.” Mom finished untangling the lines and got back onto the sled runners. “Jesus loves Mrs. Anderson—He died for her! His example of love is the one we should follow. Ask Him to help you love Mrs. Anderson like He does. Then you can set a good example for your brothers and encourage them to love her too.” –Corrine C. Canavan-Fifield How about you? What kind of example are you setting for your siblings and friends who are Christians? Think about your actions. Do the things you do and say line up with the things Jesus would do and say? Trust Him to help you follow His example so you can encourage other Christians to live that way too. Then you can work together to show others His love! Today's Key Verse: Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Be a good example

Read: James 3:3-10 “Why didn’t you invite Jase to come camping with us?” Dad asked as he and Thatcher sat beside their campfire. Thatcher looked at his dad. “His mother’s in a mental hospital!” “Yes,” Dad said. “She’s getting the help she needs for her mental health.” “I knew she was in a hospital, but I didn’t know it was that kind of hospital until a guy at school told me,” Thatcher said. “The kids at school say Jase must be nuts too, and…well, don’t you think he’s a little weird sometimes?” “No weirder than anyone else,” Dad replied. “Just because Jase’s mother is ill does not mean he has the same problems. And remember, she’s ill, not ‘nuts,’ as you called it.” Thatcher didn’t say anything, but he wasn’t convinced. After swimming in the river the next day, Thatcher let out a yell. “Dad! There’s a yucky worm on my leg! I can’t pull it off!” Dad hurried over. “That’s a leech, Thatcher. They live in the water and sometimes stick to swimmers. Hold still, and I’ll try to get it off.” Dad succeeded in removing the leech, but Thatcher’s leg kept on bleeding. “Leeches give off a substance that keeps blood from clotting,” Dad explained. “We’ll wash and bandage your leg, and I’m sure it will be fine.” Soon Dad had Thatcher all bandaged up. “You know, Thatcher, leeches remind me of gossip. Gossip also sticks tight. Even after people quit talking, those they’ve gossiped about continue to hurt. I’m sure the things kids say about Jase hurt him. All that gossip may be sucking the joy of life right out of him.” “I…I didn’t mean to hurt Jase,” Thatcher replied. “No, but people get hurt by gossip, and it’s a sin. When we gossip, we’re using other people’s problems and shortcomings to get attention and make ourselves look better—and often the things we hear and repeat about others aren’t even true! We need to remember we’re just as flawed as everyone else and that Jesus died to save all of us. We’re not showing others His love when we gossip—either the people listening or the person we’re talking about.” “I’m sorry, Dad,” Thatcher said. “I’ll text Jase and see if he wants to come out here. Then I can tell him I’m sorry too.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Are you guilty of hurting someone by spreading gossip? Don’t sin by hurting others this way. Even if you believe a negative thing you hear about someone is true, think about how you’d feel if someone said a similar thing about you. Then show Jesus’s love by speaking words that help support and encourage others instead of hurting them. Today's Key Verse: I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin. Psalm 39:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Gossip is sin

Read: Isaiah 9:6-7; 53:5-6 Lexie dangled her feet off the bunk bed as her sister got ready for their Christmas program rehearsal. “I’m going to mark my script so I don’t miss any of my lines,” Lexie said. She stuck her pen in her princess purse. “Girls! We need to be at church soon!” Mom stuck her head in the door. “What? You’re not even dressed? We should have left already!” Anna poked her head out of the closet. “But I can’t find my shoes.” “Forget your shoes! Just come on!” Mom rushed away to check on the twins. By the time everyone was loaded in the van, Mom was downright angry. “This happens every time we need to go somewhere!” she said. “I’m so sick of being late!” As Mom was about to shut the van door, Anna gasped. “I forgot my shoes!” Mom let out an exasperated groan. “Get your shoes now! And if you’re not back in one minute, I’m leaving!” Five minutes later, Anna climbed into the van, shoes in hand. Mom fussed as they pulled onto the street. “Anna, how could you possibly forget your shoes on a day this cold? And Lexie, that is the last time I want to see you lollygagging when you should be getting ready!” Just then the radio began to play a song that the twins had been singing all week. Their three-year-old voices quickly chimed in with the music. “For unto us a child is bo-own…unto us a Son is gibben…” Mom stopped yelling. Then she let out a big sigh. “I’m sorry, girls,” she said. “I’ve been so focused on blaming you for making us late that I forgot why we’re going to rehearse for the Christmas program in the first place—to tell others about Jesus. The truth is, I wasn’t ready on time either, but I didn’t want to admit that, so I made you feel bad about it instead. Will you forgive me?” Anna and Lexie looked at each other. “Forgive you?” Lexie asked. Mom nodded. “Sometimes parents make mistakes too. Jesus is still working to make me more like Him, just like He is with you.” Anna smiled. “Yes, Mom,” she said. “We forgive you!” –Rebekah Dorris How about you? Have you ever heard your parents say things they later regret? Just like you, parents make mistakes. The good news is that Jesus is still working on all of us, so remember that when your parents fall short. Remember that Jesus has forgiven you, and He wants you to show His love to others by forgiving them—including parents! Today's Key Verse: And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Forgive your parents

Read: John 3:14-21 “It’s so pretty!” said five-year-old Julia as she stood at the rope barricade and stared in wonder at the shiny balls, glittering stars, and sparkling snow on a Christmas tree at the mall. “Is the snow on the Christmas tree real?” “No,” said Julia’s older sister, Dakota. “It comes in a spray can, and you just spray it on.” “It looks so real,” said Julia, disappointed. “Who are all the presents under the tree for?” “They’re not real presents,” said Dakota. “They’re empty boxes wrapped to look like presents—just part of the decorations. They’re supposed to get people in the mood to buy Christmas presents.” Julia could hardly believe that the beautifully wrapped boxes were empty. She wanted to reach over the barricade, pick one up, and shake it. Back home, Julia told her mother about the tree. “The snow looked so real, and the presents did too, but Dakota says they’re just empty boxes. Are they really?” “I’m afraid so,” said Mom. “Even though they’re covered in shiny paper and colorful bows, there’s nothing inside.” “That’s sad,” said Julia. “It’s not real at all—it’s a fake Christmas!” “In a way, it is,” said Mom. “And we wouldn’t want to celebrate a fake Christmas, would we? Not at the mall, and not at our house.” “At our house?” Julia giggled. “We don’t wrap empty boxes and put them under the tree!” “No,” said Mom. “But if we’re not careful, the things we do to celebrate Christmas—all the parties and gifts and decorations—can distract us from the real reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus coming to earth to save us from sin. He’s the true gift of Christmas, and without Him, Christmas is empty, just like one of those empty boxes wrapped in pretty paper.” “So is it bad to do those things, like give each other presents or decorate the house?” Julia asked. “Of course not!” said Mom. “But those things are like the pretty paper we use to wrap the gifts we give each other—it’s not the gift itself. And all the fun things we do at Christmas point us to the real reason we celebrate—God sending His Son to the world to save us and give us eternal life.” –Pauline Youd How about you? Do you celebrate the real reason for Christmas? Or do you just focus on buying gifts or getting presents? At Christmas, we celebrate God giving us the best present ever—Himself. He sent Jesus to save us from sin so we could have eternal life with Him. If you haven’t received that gift, do it today by trusting in Jesus. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Celebrate the true gift of Christmas

Read: Matthew 2:1-12 “Mrs. Chavez read us a short story today called ‘The Gift of the Magi,’” Jenna announced at dinner. “By O. Henry! I love that story,” exclaimed her mother. “It’s about a young couple who were really, really poor,” Jenna told her older brother, Damon. “They really wanted to buy each other a special Christmas present, but the only valuable thing the guy owned was a gold watch, and the girl had nothing except her beautiful, long hair. So she secretly decided to cut her hair off and sell it so she could buy a chain for the watch her husband was so proud of. Meanwhile, he secretly sold his watch so he could buy expensive combs for the hair she no longer had!” Damon laughed. “What a disaster!” “I know, it sounds awful. But it ended up the best Christmas ever, because it made them realize how much they really loved each other.” “Sappy.” “Damon.” His father shook his head. “Remember the year you spent all your money on a Christmas gift for Mom? You’d been saving forever for a video game, but you sacrificed it to buy a cookbook she wanted.” “Yeah, I remember.” Damon grinned. “It was worth it seeing your expression, Mom, when you opened the box!” “A gift that keeps on giving,” Mom said, pointing to their dessert. “Jenna, I wonder if your story is called “The Gift of the Magi” because the magi—the wise men who visited baby Jesus—brought Him costly gifts? They brought Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which were special because they pointed to how Jesus was King over everything but had come to sacrifice Himself so we could have the gift of eternal life. The couple in the story made sacrifices to show their love for each other, and Jesus showed us His love by making the greatest sacrifice of all.” “Maybe we should all think of ways we can show others God’s love this Christmas,” said Dad. Jenna was quiet for a moment. “Maybe instead of keeping all the clothes I get this year, I could share my new sweaters and stuff with girls I know who don’t have much. What do you think, Mom?” Mom smiled. “I think any gift you give from your heart pleases Jesus and makes His birthday extra special!” –Debbie Meroff How about you? Have you ever sacrificed something valuable in order to give a person you love a particular gift? Or maybe you’ve had a friend or family member make a sacrifice to give you a gift. Jesus broke every record for sacrifices when He gave His life for us! How can you share His love with others this Christmas? Today's Key Verse: Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:40 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Give joyfully like Jesus

Read: Psalm 139:14-18 When Emmalyn got home from school, she went straight to her room, flopped face-first on her bed, and began to cry. Soon there was a knock at her door. “Emmalyn, it’s Mom. Can I come in?” Emmalyn managed to let out a muffled yes, and Mom came in and sat down on the bed. “What’s wrong?” Mom asked. Emmalyn sniffled. “Judson noticed that I’m the only one with red hair in our class. He made jokes about redheads all day and even got the other kids to call me carrottop!” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Can I dye my hair a different color, Mom? Please?” Mom was silent as she stared at Emmalyn’s bedroom wall. Emmalyn had a very special bedroom wall. Last summer her uncle had come and helped her paint a mural of a tropical scene on it. “Well,” Mom finally said, “I guess we’ll have to go to the store and pick up some hair dye. While we’re at it, we should pick up a gallon of white paint to cover up your mural.” “What?” Emmalyn looked shocked. “Why? Uncle Joe and I worked hard on that, and it turned out really well. It’s a one-of-a-kind masterpiece!” “Well, you want to change your hair so you can be just like your classmates, and I know none of them have a bedroom wall like yours,” said Mom. “So we should get rid of that too.” Emmalyn stared at her mom for a few moments before she finally understood. “Oh, I get it. You’re trying to tell me that I’m a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, just like the mural on my wall.” “That’s exactly right,” said Mom. “God made you the way you are, and He loves you—so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you! And He created you to show His love to others in your own unique way. So don’t try to change yourself just to make other people happy—you’re beautiful just the way you are because you belong to Jesus.” Mom gave Emmalyn a tight hug, and Emmalyn smiled as she looked at the mural on her wall and thought of herself as God’s masterpiece. –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Has anyone ever made fun of you for the way you look? It hurts when that happens, but remember God made you the way you are and He loves you. He made you for a special purpose—to know Jesus and share Him with others in your own unique way. Your beauty doesn’t depend on other people’s opinions about how you look. You’re beautiful because you know Jesus! Today's Key Verse: For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: You are God’s masterpiece

Read: Romans 12:3-10 “It’s my idea! I should wrap all the presents!” Libby cried. “But you’re not good at wrapping,” Hattie answered. “It’s a class project to raise money for missionaries our church supports. We are going to work together,” Miss Coretta intervened. When Miss Coretta had asked their class for ideas to help support missionaries, Libby shared her plan: wrapping Christmas presents at the mall in exchange for donations from shoppers getting their purchases wrapped. Everyone agreed, so Miss Coretta made the arrangements. Libby felt proud of her idea and wanted to carry out the project by herself. When Hattie noticed Libby rushing to wrap each gift the shoppers brought them, she tried talking to Libby. But Libby insisted on handling it alone. “Please get more tape and ribbon from the box I brought,” Miss Coretta asked Libby. Grumpily, Libby yanked the supply box from under the table. Then a man approached. “I had this candle wrapped for my wife’s Christmas present,” he explained. “But the paper fell off on my way out. I was wondering if you could rewrap it.” Libby stood up from her search for ribbon and tape. She remembered wrapping that candle. She now saw how sloppy she’d been. “I’m sorry.” Libby’s face turned red. “Hattie, why don’t you rewrap the candle? I’ll get the shiny paper.” Afterwards, Miss Coretta took Libby aside. “I know that embarrassed you, but I think you can learn something from this mistake.” “I can?” Libby asked. Miss Coretta nodded. “God tells us He gives grace to those who are humble. When we admit we need help, He’ll provide it. Jesus humbled Himself by dying on the cross for our sins because we couldn’t save ourselves, and He’ll help you have the same kind of humble attitude He did. When we’re prideful and try to do His work all on our own, we set ourselves up for failure. But when we humbly work with others to serve Him, people can see His love and grace in us.” “I did fail at wrapping that man’s candle,” Libby replied. Then she smiled. “Hey, Hattie?” Libby called. “Will you show me how you wrap presents? I think I have a lot to learn.” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? Are you humbly serving the Lord with other Christians? God gives each of us abilities to use for His purposes. When we work together as God’s people, we bless others and glorify Him. But when we think we have what it takes to do God’s work all by ourselves, our pride leads to failure, and we keep others from doing their part too. As we grow in Jesus, He’ll help us get rid of pride and be humble so the work we do with others can show people who He is. Today's Key Verse: When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Be humble

Read: John 13:3-10; 1 John 1:5-9 “Hudson!” Mom’s voice startled him as he stepped into the kitchen. “Look at your shoes!” Hudson looked down at his feet and then at the trail of mud behind him. “How did your shoes get so dirty?” Mom asked. Hudson shrugged. “I was just outside.” “Well, please go back outside and clean off your shoes.” A few minutes later, Hudson came back, and he and Mom wiped up the dirt. “I’m sorry, Mom,” Hudson said. Mom smiled. “No harm done. I know it was an accident. It’s pretty easy to get dirt on your shoes without knowing it, isn’t it?” Hudson nodded. “I still don’t know how they got so dirty.” “Well, at least it was just mud—not sin,” Mom said. Hudson looked puzzled. “Getting your shoes dirty with mud is a little like getting your life dirty with sin,” Mom explained. “We talked about that at church this morning, remember? Sometimes you don’t even think about what you’re doing, and then you suddenly realize that something you’ve done wasn’t right.” “Does that ever happen to you?” asked Hudson. “Yes. When I mess up, it’s like my life has gotten dirty with sin. And do you know what I have to do then? To get clean again?” Hudson thought about it. “Jesus would have to clean up the sin, wouldn’t He?” “That’s right,” Mom replied. “He promises to clean away any sin from our lives when we confess it and ask for forgiveness.” Hudson frowned. “Does that mean every time I sin, I’m not saved anymore until I say I’m sorry and ask for forgiveness?” Mom shook her head. “No, Hudson. Because we’ve trusted Jesus to save us, we belong to Him, and nothing we do could ever separate us from Him. We’ll always be His children—just like you’ll always be my child, even when you have dirty shoes. When we realize we’ve been tracking sin around, we need Him to wash it away.” Hudson smiled. “I’m glad Jesus will always forgive me when my life gets dirty with sin—just like you forgave me for tracking mud in the kitchen!” –Richard S. Maffeo How about you? Have you done something that’s gotten your life dirty with sin? Even though Jesus has already saved you from sin if you trust in Him, you’ll still struggle with it in your daily life until He comes back and gets rid of sin once and for all. When you sin, confess it to Him right away to keep it from getting in the way of living the way He wants you to. He’ll forgive you and make you clean! Today's Key Verse: Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:2 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Confess sin and be clean

Read: Matthew 2:9-11 The Ravens were up by one in the championship game of the winter league basketball tournament when the scoreboard buzzed. The game was over! All the guys huddled around their star player, Bryson Phillips, who scored 28 of their 62 points. On the car ride home, Bryson couldn’t stop looking at his Most Valuable Player trophy. “This is the best day of my life!” he told his dad. Suddenly a bird swooped down in front of their car. “Watch it!” yelled Bryson. Dad tried to swerve, but it was too late. The car hit the bird head-on, and it instantly fell to the ground. Dad pulled over. Bryson raced out and knelt beside the bird. “Is it still alive?” “I’m afraid not,” said Dad. As they continued driving, Bryson set his trophy aside and peered out the window. He thought of his friend Alex. It had been over a year since Alex had passed away from cancer. It had taken him and his family by surprise—one day Alex was fine, and then suddenly, he was gone. Just like that bird getting hit by our car, Bryson thought. “Are you okay?” asked Dad. Bryson looked at the trophy in the seat next to him. “All of a sudden this trophy seems kind of worthless,” he said. “I’d give it back in a heartbeat—along with every Raven basketball victory—if it meant getting Alex back.” Dad sighed heavily. “I miss Alex too. Life is precious—more precious than anything we earn or receive on this earth.” “Much more precious than winning basketball championships,” added Bryson. Dad nodded. “Jesus is the giver of life. That’s why He came into the world. He sacrificed His life on the cross so we could have eternal life—a life that goes beyond the years we live on earth. The joy of life with Him is better than anything else. Even when we experience difficult things—like losing Alex—we can be joyful knowing that Jesus walks with us through life’s troubles and promises us a life with Him that lasts forever.” Bryson smiled as he thought of Alex in heaven with Jesus. He picked up his trophy again. “I do like the joy of winning, but it will never come close to the joy Jesus brings.” Dad smiled. “Nothing does.” –Randy Saller How about you? What things in life give you joy? Winning a game? Spending time with family and friends? Having others recognize your accomplishments? God blesses us with many good gifts, but there’s one thing He wants us to treasure above everything else—His Son, Jesus. Only Jesus can give us life that lasts forever and joy that is unlike anything else. Today's Key Verse: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Matthew 2:10 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Rejoice in Jesus

Read: Matthew 13:18-23 When Penelope got home from school, she found Grandpa on his knees in the garden. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Planting vegetables,” replied Grandpa. He grinned. “Aren’t you glad we live in a climate where we can grow things all year round? Nothing tastes better than vegetables fresh from the garden.” “But didn’t you plant stuff in those same rows last week?” asked Penelope. “I did, but the hard rains washed most of the seeds away.” “Oh.” Penelope picked up a pile of empty seed packets and flipped through them. “You planted radishes before, but you don’t have any now, do you?” Grandpa shook his head. “They haven’t done very well, so I’m trying something else instead. I might try them again next year.” He stood up. “Tell me about your day. You were going to ask Michaela to go to Bible club with you this week. What did she say?” Penelope sighed. “She said she’d rather go shopping with her mom.” “Well, inviting someone to do something with you is kind of like planting seeds,” Grandpa told her. “Sometimes you get good results, and sometimes you don’t.” He looked down at his garden. “In fact, your invitation to Michaela points to a much bigger invitation God offers each one of us.” “It does?” asked Penelope. “What’s that?” “His invitation to trust in His Son, Jesus, and have our sins forgiven. The Bible says telling others about His invitation is like planting seeds in a field. Some of the seeds yield good results—people believing and trusting in Jesus—but some don’t. When you invite your friends to church and Bible club where they can hear about Jesus and what He did for them, you’re planting seeds.” Grandpa smiled at Penelope. “Keep praying for Michaela and planting seeds in her life by spending time with her and sharing what Jesus has done for you. But since she doesn’t want to go to Bible club with you this time, maybe there’s someone else you could invite.” Penelope thought about it. “There’s a new family on our block with a girl my age.” Grandpa nodded. “She may need a friend,” he said. “A friend who can help her understand how much Jesus loves her.” –Margaret M. Primrose How about you? Do you give up if you tell someone about Jesus or invite them to come to church with you and they aren’t interested? Don’t give up! Keep on praying for them and showing them God’s love—and keep looking for other people you could reach out to who don’t know Jesus. God wants us to help spread the good news of Jesus by planting seeds in people’s hearts, but only He can make them grow. Keep sharing His invitation with others and trust Him with the results. Today's Key Verse: Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Keep on sharing Jesus

Read: Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3 “Grandpa’s going to like that birdhouse you’re making for him, Tomás,” said Dad. “It looks great—but I see it’s not quite like the one pictured in your woodworking manual.” “No,” replied Tomás. “I left the perch off and made the hole smaller. This way, starlings won’t move in before the songbirds get a chance.” “Good thinking!” said Dad. “That reminds me of the model plane you made that flew twice as far after you changed the design of the wings.” Tomás grinned. “I like to make things work better. Maybe I’ll be an engineer when I grow up.” “I thought you didn’t like long trips,” said Tomás’s little sister, Liliana. “Wouldn’t you get tired of riding on a train all the time?” Tomás laughed. “I don’t mean the kind of engineer who drives trains. I mean the kind of engineer who designs things, like bridges and buildings. They don’t just get thrown together. Engineers carefully figure out how to build them so they’ll be strong and safe and work the way they’re supposed to. They draw up the plans for skyscrapers and roads and all kinds of things.” “Wow!” said Liliana. “I bet you’ll be the best engineer of all!” Tomás grinned. “Thanks!” “Actually, the best engineer of all made more than buildings and machines,” said Dad. “He designed the whole universe—the forests and the deserts. The canyons and the mountains. All the plants and animals. The sun and the moon and the stars. Even us!” “I know who that is,” said Liliana. “God!” “Right,” said Dad. “God made everything. He knew how much we’d like to watch the birds and animals, and how much we’d love climbing the mountain trails and seeing all the stars at night. He also drew up a plan to save us from sin by sending Jesus to die for us so we could be with Him and enjoy His beautiful creation forever. Aren’t you glad He created so many amazing things and carried out His wonderful plan of salvation?” Tomás nodded. “That’s an engineering job no one could ever match!” –Katherine E. Swarts How about you? Are you impressed by things people make—like big buildings and new technology? God created humans with the ability to do amazing things, but only He could engineer the whole world and all that’s in it. He also drew up a plan to provide salvation—forgiveness of sins and eternal life—by sending His Son, Jesus, to die for us. By trusting in Jesus, you can have eternal life and enjoy God and all His wonderful creation forever! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: God created everything through [Jesus], and nothing was created except through him. John 1:3 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God engineered everything

Read: Luke 1:11-19, 26-38; John 20:24-29 Yamen set his pencil down with a sigh. “I can’t concentrate on schoolwork, Mom. All these doubts keep filling my mind.” Mom plopped down next to Yamen. “Like what?” “Like…stuff they taught us in science class when I was going to school last year. They made it sound like we’re just here by chance instead of being created by God. I’ve trusted Jesus as my Savior, and I believe the Bible is true, but sometimes other people sound so sure about what they believe that I doubt.” “We all have times when we doubt,” said Mom. “It’s what we do when we have doubts that matters.” “What do you mean?” asked Yamen. “Remember the story of Thomas in the Bible? After Jesus rose from the grave, He appeared to some of the disciples, but Thomas wasn’t there. When they told him they had seen the Lord, he said he wouldn’t believe until he put his fingers on Jesus’s scars.” “Then Jesus appeared to Thomas and he believed,” said Yamen. “If He appeared to me, it would make believing a whole lot easier.” “But don’t forget what Jesus told Thomas,” said Mom. “He said those who have not seen Him and still believe are blessed.” “Oh yeah, I remember! And there are other stories in the Bible of people doubting—like when an angel told that old dude he would be the father of John the Baptist, but he didn’t believe so the angel said he would be mute until the baby was born.” “Yes, that was Zechariah,” said Mom. “And when the same angel told Mary she was going to give birth to the Son of God, she didn’t understand how it would happen. But unlike Zechariah, she accepted what the angel said. Like Mary, we can still believe and trust God even when our questions are left unanswered.” “So you’re saying there will be things we don’t understand but we can trust that God is with us and for us because He sent His Son to die for us and raised Him from the dead?” Mom laughed. “You’re one smart kid! How about you be the teacher for the day?” –Savannah Coleman How about you? Do you ever have doubts about God or His Word? It is human to have questions and doubts, and God understands that. When Thomas doubted, Jesus appeared to him and showed him His scars, and He wants to help you see who He is too. Pray and ask for wisdom in understanding the truth of the Bible, and talk to a trusted adult about your questions. Even if you don’t get the answers you’re looking for, you can trust Jesus to be with you in times of doubt because He died for you. Today's Key Verse: Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Bring your doubts to God

Read: Romans 5:15-17 “Melanie says it doesn’t make sense that Christians give each other presents at Christmas,” Andrew told Mom on the way home from school. “She says we just use Jesus’s birthday as an excuse to be greedy like everybody else. Is she right? What makes us different from people who celebrate Christmas but don’t believe in Jesus?” “Well, tell me this,” said Mom. “Who was Jesus?” Andrew frowned. “Is this a trick question?” Mom shook her head. “Well, Jesus was God’s Son,” said Andrew. “God sent Jesus to save us from sin.” “Absolutely right,” said Mom. “And did we pay anything to receive Jesus?” “No,” said Andrew. “Jesus was a free gift.” “A free what?” “A free gif—aha! Jesus was God’s present,” said Andrew as Mom pulled into the church parking lot. “Hey, why are we at church?” “I had an idea as we were passing by,” said Mom as she opened the car door. Inside stood a giant tree covered with envelopes, each one labeled with a child’s first name and age. “Why don’t you pick three?” said Mom. “These are kids who could use some presents this Christmas.” Andrew picked the envelopes of a boy named Andrew, a girl named Ruby Jane, and then—“Melanie—and she’s my age!” exclaimed Andrew. On the way home, Andrew opened the envelopes and read the lists. “Melanie wants a new hat. When can we go shopping, Mom?” “As soon as you answer your own question. What makes Christians different, Andrew? Now do you know why we give gifts?” “I think so.” Andrew thought for a moment. “Christians give Christmas gifts because God gave us His gift. We give presents to remind each other of the best present—Jesus—and show others His love.” Weeks later at school, Andrew noticed Melanie was wearing a new hat. “I like your hat, Melanie.” “Thanks. It was a Christmas present.” Melanie smiled. “I was wrong, Andrew. I guess some Christians give presents because, well, Jesus was God’s present. At least that’s what the card that came with my hat said.” Andrew smiled. “I want to be a Christian like that.” –Kelly Carlson How about you? Did you know that when you give a Christmas present, you are pointing to Jesus? When we give gifts with generous hearts, we point others to the greatest gift of all—Jesus Christ. This Christmas, tell a friend or family member why you’re giving them a present. Tell others about Jesus, God’s greatest present to the world. Today's Key Verse: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the best present

Read: Psalm 119:162-168 “What’s all that material for, Mom?” Serenity asked when she and Charis got home from school. “And what are these little frame things?” “Your grandma needs some hot pads, so I thought maybe you and Charis could make some for her birthday,” Mom replied. “These ‘frame things’ are little hand looms. I’ll show you how to make hot pads with these strips of material.” “Oh, I know how to do that!” said Serenity. “I learned at scout club.” And when they started making hot pads a little later, she insisted that she didn’t need any help, so Mom turned her attention to Charis. Charis watched carefully as Mom showed her what to do. First, she fitted a neat row of red loops between two sides of the loom. Then she used a hook to start blue rows going the opposite way. Charis followed Mom’s directions, checking with her every now and then to make sure she was getting it right. “How are you doing, Serenity?” Mom asked after a while. Serenity sighed. “I thought I knew how to do this, but it isn’t turning out right. I’m going to take this apart and start over.” When Serenity was ready to start again, Mom showed her what she needed to do. That night, Mom suggested they all read a Bible story together before bed. “Oh, Mom,” Serenity said, “Can’t we read something else? I know all those stories already.” “I’m sure you know a lot of them,” said Mom, “but it’s good to hear them over and over. God has new things to teach us every time we read His Word. The more we read it, the more we learn about who Jesus is, what He did to save us, and how to live in a way that shows we belong to Him.” “I guess it’s like the hot pads,” Serenity said. “I learned how to make them before, but I’d forgotten a lot of the details, so I needed you to help me do it.” “Right,” said Mom. “And when we read God’s Word, the Holy Spirit helps us understand what it says and put it into practice.” She picked up Serenity’s Bible. “Let’s read a Bible story together, and then we can read another one of your books before you turn out the lights.” –Margaret M. Primrose How about you? Do you think you know everything the Bible has to say? It tells us everything we need to know about who God is and what He’s done for us, and there’s always more for us to learn from it—even from verses and stories we’ve heard over and over. So keep reading it, and depend on the Holy Spirit to help you understand it and do what it says. Today's Key Verse: I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Psalm 119:16 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Read and obey God’s Word

Read: Psalms 51:7-10; 103:8-14 “Miles, look! It snowed last night!” Talia called to her brother as she looked out the window. “It’s so gorgeous—all clean and white and sparkly! I just love it, don’t you?” “Oh, yes! It’s sooo beee-yew-tiful!” Miles clasped his hands in mock delight. “I just adore the snow. I think it’s simply marvelous, and I—” Miles’ teasing was cut short by the napkin his sister tried to stuff into his mouth. “All right, you two,” Mom said with a smile. “Get ready for school. I don’t want you to miss your bus.” By dinnertime, the snow had begun to melt. “I hope it snows again tonight,” said Talia as they finished eating. “It was so pretty this morning, but now everything is starting to look dirty again. I think we should have a little snow every night—just enough to cover up the old stuff and keep things looking clean.” “I agree with you,” said Mom. “I think that would be nice.” “Indeed! Oh, absolutely!” said Miles. “The snow is just gorg—auwk!” Talia had clapped her hand over his mouth. Dad smirked. “Okay, you two, that’s enough.” He looked toward the window. “What Talia said actually reminds me of a conversation I had with Mr. Carlson today. I was telling him that when I was growing up, I thought I could cover up the bad things I did by doing good things—much like how new snow covers up old, dirty snow.” “But the dirty snow doesn’t go away. It’s still there and shows up again when the snow starts to melt,” said Miles. “And bad things we’ve done don’t just go away either, even when we do something good.” “That’s right,” Dad said, “and I told Mr. Carlson that every time I thought I was making progress, I’d do something wrong and have to start over again. I finally realized that the good things I did didn’t do anything to get rid of the sin I was trying to cover up and hide. The only way to remove it was to trust in Jesus.” “Right,” said Talia. “Because only Jesus can wash away our sin and make us clean and sparkly like snow!” –Hazel W. Marett How about you? Do you do good things to try to make up for the bad things you’ve done? Trying to cover up sin by your own efforts doesn’t work—the sin is always hiding underneath. You need Jesus. He’s the only one who can wash your sin away. Put your faith in Him and He will remove your sin and make you as clean and pure as fresh snow. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Let Jesus wash your sin away

Read: Matthew 6:5-13 “Let’s pray,” Mom said, closing the Bible she and Travis had been reading. They were having devotions together, just the two of them, because Dad was out of town. “You pray,” said Travis. “Okay?” “Okay,” said Mom, “but don’t you want to talk to God too?” Travis shook his head. “Not today.” Then he squirmed while Mom prayed aloud, wishing she’d hurry up. God already knows everything, doesn’t He? Travis thought. Why do we have to tell Him all this stuff He already knows? When Travis was playing in his room the next day, he heard Mom’s phone ring. He went on playing until it suddenly occurred to him the phone call might be from his dad. Travis rushed into the kitchen just in time to see Mom put down her phone. “Was that Dad?” he asked. “I want to talk to him. I want to tell him about our ball game and ask him if he’s gotten over his cold.” “He wanted to talk with you too, but there was another call coming in and he had to answer it,” Mom said. “But his cold is much better, and I told him all about the ball game.” “It isn’t the same as me telling him,” Travis said. “And besides, I haven’t talked to him in days. I want to talk to Dad.” “Well, let’s call him back a little later so the two of you can talk,” said Mom. They called Dad that evening, and Travis talked with his father for several minutes. After hanging up, Travis grinned at his mom. “Dad was glad we called back. He said he liked having me tell him about all the stuff I’ve been doing, even though he already knew about it.” “Your father loves to have conversations with you,” said Mom. “And now, let’s have our devotions. After all, our heavenly Father loves to have conversations with us too.” Travis nodded. “I guess He’d like me to tell Him the same stuff I told Dad. He’d like to hear it even though He already knows about it, right?” “He definitely would,” said Mom. “He wants to hear it from you.” –Katherine Adams How about you? When you pray, do you feel like you’re repeating things God already knows? Yes, He does know everything, but He wants you to tell Him about what’s going on in your life. He loves you and wants to be included in your daily routine. You can talk with Him anytime and anywhere throughout your day, but it’s also good to have a special time set aside to pray and listen to what He has to say to you in His Word, the Bible. Today's Key Verse: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God wants to hear from you

Read: Deuteronomy 29:2-6 “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness,” Charlotte read aloud from her dad’s Bible. “Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.” Charlotte looked up. “Those must have been some sandals! My favorite ones only lasted one summer.” “You could have worn them longer,” said Everett. “You just wanted new ones.” “The main point here is that God cares for His people,” Dad said. “He was reminding them to trust Him and be thankful for everything He provided for them—even things they didn’t always notice, like reliable clothing and sandals.” After lunch, Everett took off on his new bike, heading for Liam’s house. Hours later, the two boys wandered into Everett’s kitchen. “Can we have popsicles?” Everett asked. “Okay,” said Dad, “but then it will be time for Liam to get home and for you to put your bike in the garage. It’ll be dark soon.” The boys looked at each other blankly. They’d been tearing around the neighborhood for a while—on foot. “Our bikes!” Everett exclaimed. “We left them at…at…” “At Braden’s house?” asked Liam. “No, I think it was at the park,” said Everett. “Uh-oh,” said Charlotte. “If they’re not locked up, you might not see them again.” “Let’s go!” said Liam, and the boys hurried out to find their bikes. Soon Everett returned. “We found them! Liam rode his home.” “Well, that’s a relief,” said Dad. “Yeah,” said Everett. “It reminds me of the verse we read about God taking care of the Israelites. I think God did the same thing for me and Liam by making sure our bikes didn’t get stolen when we weren’t even thinking about them.” “I think you’re right,” said Dad. “Of course, we need to remember that God taking care of us doesn’t mean difficult things won’t ever happen in our lives—it means that Jesus has saved us from sin and will be with us no matter what happens. But He does provide for us in ways we often don’t notice until later.” “And He wants us to thank Him when we do,” said Everett. “So I’m going to thank Him right now for keeping my bike safe!” –Donna Huisjin How about you? Do you thank God for all He’s done for you? Even things you don’t always think about or notice right away? He provides you with things you need and protects you from things that could go wrong, even when you don’t notice. When you think of something He’s done for you—big or small—thank Him for it! It will help you see even more of His blessings in your life. Today's Key Verse: I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. Deuteronomy 29:5 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Give thanks

Read: Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Titus 2:11-14 “It’s okay, just go ahead and grab them. No one’s looking!” Maggie was at the arcade for Leah’s birthday party. Maggie and all Leah’s friends were running around playing games, winning tickets, and having a great time. That is, until Leah noticed the little door to one of the games was slightly open. One of the arcade employees had opened it to refill the tickets and forgot to close it, leaving the tickets unguarded! Leah came up to her friends with a huge armful of tickets. “Heyyy, look what I got!” she sang happily. “Whoa, no way! How’d you get all those?” one of her friends asked. Leah led the way and pointed to the game with the open ticket door. One by one, her friends ran to grab tickets while the other girls stood guard to make sure no one saw what they were doing. When everyone had gotten tickets, they encouraged Maggie to do the same. “That’s okay,” Maggie said. “I don’t need any. That’s stealing.” “It’s not stealing,” they argued. “The employee should’ve shut the door if he didn’t want us grabbing tickets.” Maggie knew it wasn’t the right thing to do, but…everyone else had done it! And she did really want those tickets. So with her friends blocking her from the view of any onlookers, Maggie went and grabbed some tickets from the game. Later, when Maggie’s mom came to pick her up from the party, Mom said, “Wow! You got a lot of prizes there.” “Yeah…” Maggie mumbled as her guilty conscience set in. “But I didn’t really earn them, Mom.” And she told her mom what had happened. “It can be hard to do the right thing, especially when everyone else is doing something you know is wrong,” Mom told her. “But we can trust God to help us do the right thing. I’m really thankful God forgives us for our mistakes when we confess our sins to Him, because we all mess up. Because of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross, God forgives all our sins.” Mom put an arm around Maggie. “Let’s go tell the arcade employees what happened. And let’s be thankful for God’s gift of forgiveness and trust Him to help us when we’re tempted to do the wrong thing.” –Elizabeth Cooper How about you? Do you struggle with peer pressure? When others are doing something wrong, are you tempted to do what they’re doing? When you feel tempted to do the wrong thing, pray to God and trust Him to give you strength to do what is right. If you mess up and do the wrong thing, confess your sin to God and know that He always forgives us when we make mistakes. Today's Key Verse: God is faithful…When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God helps us do the right thing

Read: Matthew 5:14-16 “What are you doing, Dad?” asked Elijah. “Mom and I decided we’d like a window here in this wall, so I’m measuring and marking where I need to cut the hole for it.” Dad carefully drew lines where he planned to cut. “Why do you want a window there?” asked Elijah as he helped Dad with the tape measure. “You want to see the garage next door while you eat?” “The view may not be so great, but just wait and see what a difference a window makes,” Dad said as he put the tape measure back into his toolbox. The next day, Dad carefully cut a hole in the wall and fit a new window into place. “Wow!” Elijah said as he came into the room. “I think I like having a window there after all. The view is better than I thought it would be. We can see sky, trees, birds, some of the lawn—and as expected, we also have a really good view of the side of the Wilsons’ garage.” He smiled. “But you know the best thing of all about this new window?” “What’s that?” asked Dad. “It’s so much brighter in here! When it’s sunny outside, I could probably do my homework without turning a light on.” “Quite different, isn’t it?” Dad stood back and admired the window. “Did you know that we should be like this window?” “How do we do that?” asked Elijah. “Well, the window lets light into our house, and we can bring Jesus’s light into the lives of others,” Dad explained. “I can see the light that comes through the window,” said Elijah. “But you can’t really see the light Jesus gives, can you?” “In a way, you can,” said Dad. “Like when you invited Sam over when he first moved here and didn’t know anyone, and he started coming to church with us. Or when you volunteered to walk Mr. Freeman’s dog when he was sick instead of playing with your friends after school.” “You mean I was shining Jesus’s light when I did those things?” Elijah asked. Dad nodded. “When you treat others with the love of Jesus by showing you care about them, that’s a bright light that helps people see who He is.” –Diana M. Martin How about you? How can you share the light of Jesus with others? You can shine His light in a dark and hurting world by telling others about Him and showing them His love. By sharing what He’s done for you and treating others with kindness and care, you can brighten people’s lives and show them who Jesus is and how much He loves them—and help them want to know Him the way you do. Today's Key Verse: Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Share Jesus’s light with others

Read: Acts 10:28, 34-35; Revelation 7:9-10 “What color should I use next in this afghan, Melanie?” Aunt Lizzy asked as she finished knitting with yellow yarn. “Use the purple yarn!” said Melanie. “That’s going to be so pretty when it’s finished. It has so many different colors.” Aunt Lizzy nodded. “Yes, and a lot of different kinds of stitches too.” She began adding the purple yarn. “How’s school going this year, Melanie?” “Pretty good. There are a few new kids in our class this year. Miguel is from Honduras. He’s nice, but he doesn’t know English all that well yet, and some of the kids laugh at him when he says things in Spanish instead. There’s also a new girl from Vietnam—Anh. She brings really interesting food for lunch, but some of the kids make fun of it. And Zahid is new too. He moved here from the Middle East, and he’s been having a hard time making friends.” “Hmm,” said Aunt Lizzy. “It sounds like some of the kids at your school think it’s okay to make fun of people for being different. I wonder if they’ve thought about how different they would seem if they went to the places Miguel, Anh, and Zahid are from.” She paused. “Melanie, if God were making an afghan, do you think He’d use just one color or a bunch of colors?” Melanie looked at her aunt in surprise. “Well, I’m sure it’d be pretty either way, but…” She hesitated. “God used lots of colors in nature, so I think He’d do the same in an afghan. All the colors make it extra pretty and more interesting.” Aunt Lizzy smiled. “I think so too. After all, He used many different colors and patterns when he made plants and animals—and people!” “You mean like those kids at school who get teased?” Melanie asked. “Yes,” said Aunt Lizzy. “God made every person in His image and loves them all—enough to send His Son to die on the cross for their sins. Instead of avoiding or making fun of people from other places or cultures, He wants us to embrace them and point them to Jesus, who gave His life so people from all over the world could worship Him together one day in heaven.” –Teresa M. Beverly How about you? Do you enjoy having friends who are different from you? Or do you avoid or make fun of anyone who doesn’t look, speak, or act like you? Each person in every part of the world is made in God’s image, and He loves them all. Together we display His creativity and point to the great love Jesus showed us all by dying for our sins. When you encounter people who are different from you, appreciate them and show them God’s love. Today's Key Verse: God began by making one man, and from him he made all the different people who live everywhere in the world. Acts 17:26 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Embrace differences in people

Read: Proverbs 3:5-8; John 1:9-14 As Peter, Calvin, and Esther waited for their dad after church, they looked out at the parking lot through the stained glass windows near the back of the sanctuary. “I see our car,” said Calvin. “It’s green.” Esther disagreed. “No, it’s not. It’s yellow.” “You’re both wrong,” said Peter. “It’s blue.” Just then, Dad walked up. “What’s going on?” he asked. “We’re talking about the color of our car,” said Peter. “It’s blue, right?” “No, green!” said Calvin. Esther giggled. “No, yellow!” Dad laughed and looked out another windowpane. “Looks purple to me.” As they went out and got into their white car, Dad said, “Okay, kids, let’s think about something. Why did each of us see our car as a different color even though it was white all along?” “Because we were each looking through a different color glass,” answered Calvin. Dad nodded. “Right. Each of us had a different view of the car, but we were all wrong. And each person has their own worldview, or how they see life and determine what’s true. The thing is, we can’t see anything the right way without God. Anyone looking at the world without the truth of His Word, the Bible, sees it as though they’re looking through sneaky stained-glass windows that don’t show things as they truly are.” “Is that why some of the things people say are true sound like they could be right, even though they don’t match what God says in the Bible?” asked Esther. “Because they’re trying to see the truth, but the way they’re looking at it—their worldview—is wrong?” “Yes,” Dad said as he turned onto their street. “All people are sinners, so our judgments about what is right and wrong are often pretty skewed—like we’re looking through a window that makes everything a different color. But God is outside the window, and He sees things exactly as they are. That’s why the only way we can know what’s true is by trusting in Jesus, who came to save us from sin and open our eyes to God’s truth. Only by putting our faith in Him and using His Word as our window can we have the right view—God’s view—of what’s true.” –Faith Alessio How about you? Do you ever wonder what’s really true? It can be confusing because every person views the world differently. God is the only one who sees everything clearly, and He tells us what’s true in the Bible. He also sent us His Son, Jesus, who came to show us the truth of who God is and how much we need Him to save us. When you trust in Jesus and look at everything through the window of His Word, He will show you what is true. Today's Key Verse: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus shows us what’s true

Read: John 15:12-15; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “Mom, it’s going to be so great having Piper live right across the street!” Ava said as she got ready to go help her best friend’s family move things into their new house. “Now we can sit together on the school bus and go to each other’s houses all the time. And pizza is her favorite food, just like mine!” Mom smiled as she took a pizza out of the oven. “It’s nice that you and Piper have so much in common.” Ava nodded. “We’re going to do everything together.” The next day Ava came storming into the house. “Piper isn’t my best friend anymore,” she said. “I went over to see if she could play and found out she was off playing tennis with Lucy.” “Oh, Ava,” said Mom. “It’s nice that you two are friends, but you need other friends too. Lucy and Piper like tennis, and you don’t.” “I don’t care,” said Ava. “Best friends always stick together!” At dinner that evening, Ava was surprised to see spaghetti on her parents’ plates and pizza from the day before on her own. “Where’s my spaghetti?” she asked. “Since pizza is your favorite food, I decided you could have it for every meal,” Mom told her. Dad nodded. “Mom says you can even have it for breakfast every day. Isn’t that great?” “I don’t want pizza all the time,” Ava said. “I like other things too.” She frowned. “Why are you doing this?” Mom smiled. “Well, I was hoping it would help you see that variety is a good thing—not only in meals but also in friendships. Piper needs the freedom to have more than just one friend, and you do too. The Bible tells us to love our friends, but the way you’re treating Piper isn’t very loving at all—it’s selfish.” “Mom’s right, Ava,” said Dad. “After all, Jesus didn’t spend all His time with just one person—if He had, others wouldn’t have known that He was the Son of God who had come to save them. How can you be like Jesus and reach out to someone who needs a friend?” Ava thought about it. “Maybe I’ll invite Cassie over to watch a movie, if that’s okay.” “That’s fine,” said Mom. “But first you need to eat some spaghetti!” –Ruth McQuilkin How about you? Do you get jealous if your best friend has other friends? It’s good to have a close friend you want to spend time with, but both of you need to spend time with other friends too. The mark of real friendship is love for each other, and love means giving your friend the freedom to form friendships with others. You need other friends too—and they need you! How can you show someone Jesus’s love by being a friend to them? Today's Key Verse: A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Enjoy many friends

Read: Isaiah 53:3-7; Matthew 9:10-13 Ciara cringed as someone started coughing their way down the hall. A moment later, the coughing stopped, but then her younger brother, sitting next to her at the kitchen table as they did their school, began coughing. Ciara scooted away. At least she had gotten over her cold before the others, but still… Mom returned from blowing her nose. “All right, Max, have you gotten those math problems done?” Max shook his head and sniffed loudly. Ciara groaned. “Mom, aren’t we ever going to get over this?” “We’ll get over it.” Mom sighed. “Eventually.” “I think colds are the worst sickness ever!” Lynn declared, banging her books down on the table. “Actually, they probably aren’t. Things like Covid or polio or malaria are worse,” Brennan pointed out. “Oh, and cancer, and…” “You don’t need to list them all,” Mom said. “And I can think of a sickness that’s worse than any you’re likely to list—and we’re all infected with it and affected by it.” “What’s that?” Ciara looked up in alarm. “Sin,” Mom replied. “And it’s the worst kind of sickness, because it separates us from God. It’s anything we think, do, or say that goes against who He is and how He tells us to treat others. That means if we think of ourselves more highly than someone else, we’re sinning. If we ignore our parents when they tell us to do something, we’re sinning. If we speak unkindly to our siblings, we’re sinning. But there is a Physician who has the only cure—and He will give it to us completely free of charge.” Max sneezed. “It’s Jesus, isn’t it?” “It is. And do you know how He cures our sickness?” “He died for us on the cross to take away all our sins.” Ciara smiled. “And because I’ve trusted in Him as my Savior, He’s cleaned my heart of all its sin!” “Exactly.” Mom nodded. “And though we’re still affected by sin in this world and do wrong things, we can go to Him over and over again and confess our sin, knowing He will forgive us because He has washed the guilt of our sin away.” –Ellie Shirk How about you? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? Sin is a spiritual sickness that infects every human heart, and only God has the cure. Jesus’s sacrifice paid the price to save us, but we must receive the free gift He offers in order to be healed. When you trust in Jesus, He cleans your heart of sin and gives you a healthy heart for Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Matthew 9:12 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus can take away your sins

Read: 1 Timothy 4:6-8, 15-16 As Marco walked home from school, he heard a familiar voice calling his name. Turning, he saw his Sunday school teacher. “Hi, Mr. Yoon!” exclaimed Marco, running to meet him. “What are you doing on this street?” “I just came from Jack Myers’ house. He and his parents visited our church last week, and I offered to look at a problem they’re having with their garage door.” “They just moved here,” said Marco. “Jack seems like a nice guy, but I felt pretty bad for him at school today. It was track and field day, and he was last in almost everything. He didn’t seem to be very upset about it though. He kept cheering everyone else on.” “It looks like you did all right.” Mr. Yoon motioned toward the red ribbon and three blue ribbons pinned to Marco’s shirt. “Yeah, I do okay in a lot of the events.” “That’s great,” said Mr. Yoon. “You must have worked hard to train yourself to do those things. Did you know that the apostle Paul mentioned physical training in a letter he wrote to Timothy?” “He did?” said Marco. “What did he say?” “He said that physical training has value, but it’s more important to train yourself to be godly by learning and practicing the things that help you grow as a Christian.” Marco thought about that. “So you don’t think Paul would be very impressed with my ribbons?” “Paul wasn’t putting down physical training. He just wanted Timothy to be even more concerned about growing in his relationship with Jesus and living out his faith.” Mr. Yoon smiled. “You deserve to be congratulated on those ribbons, Marco. But if you hadn’t gotten any ribbons, that would’ve been okay. Godly character is what’s really important. It’s far more important to be like Jesus than to be good in sports.” Marco nodded thoughtfully. “You know what? I think Jack has that. Godly character, I mean.” He paused to look down at the ribbons on his chest. “I think I’ll stop by his house on my way home. I want him to know that even though he didn’t get any ribbons today, I can tell he’s been training in what’s really important.” –Rosalie J. Currier How about you? Do you put a lot of value on physical ability and training? It’s good to train your body, but having a heart like Jesus is much more important. So go ahead—train in the sports you enjoy and do your best in them. But more importantly, train yourself to be godly by growing in your relationship with Jesus and depending on Him to help you follow His example of love in all you do. Today's Key Verse: Train yourself to be godly. 1 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Godly character is of great value

Read: Isaiah 41:8-16 “Mom, this game is impossible,” Heidi complained as she glared at the computer screen. Mom looked over, then laughed. “I played that when I was younger, and you’re right, it’s very hard. That’s how life was for the people who took the Oregon Trail out west over a hundred years ago.” Heidi frowned. “Really? They had to leave food behind and kept getting holes in their wagon? And they got sick every day?” “I’m not sure how often they got sick, but they didn’t have doctors like we do, and they didn’t always have anything to help with sickness or injuries. Wagons weren’t the best protection from the weather, and I’m sure their wagons got holes sometimes. That was the way of life.” Heidi looked incredulously at the computer. “I like being here, where life is normal. Bad stuff doesn’t happen every day.” “It doesn’t? I thought you said you had a classmate who lost their grandma yesterday. And the day before that you told me there was a kid on the playground whose parents are getting divorced. Aren’t those bad things?” Heidi was quiet. “I guess…but it doesn’t seem the same.” Mom walked over to a shelf and pulled down a photo. She handed it to Heidi. “I was only eight—your age—when my mom died. It was a very, very bad thing that still makes me feel sad sometimes. And you broke your arm last year; wasn’t that hard? It wasn’t life-threatening, but you couldn’t write and had a hard time doing normal things like eating and brushing your teeth.” “Oh yeah. I guess that was really bad when I had the cast.” “There will always be bad things happening in our sinful world, but there’s someone who will be with us through each one of them,” Mom reminded Heidi. Heidi’s eyes lit up. “Jesus! When I believed that He died and rose again to save me and trusted Him as my Savior, He sent the Holy Spirit to live in my heart. I did that right after I broke my arm.” “Exactly,” said Mom. “God is with you no matter what things happen, bad or good. He loves you and promises to be with you always.” –Kimberly Brokish How about you? Have you had bad things happen to you? We live in a sinful world where bad things happen, but we don’t have to go through them alone. Jesus loves us so much He died for us, and He promises to be with us all the time, through both bad things and good. One day He’ll get rid of sin forever and bad things won’t happen anymore; until then, trust Him to help you through life’s difficulties and be with you always. Today's Key Verse: And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God is with us always

Read: Psalm 119:9-16 Dad’s voice drifted around the corner of the house. “Forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty! Ready or not, here I come!” Alexei scrunched sideways into the small opening under the porch and pulled his knees up to his chest. “No!” he said as his little sister tried to wriggle in with him. “Go away! There’s not enough room here, and if Dad sees you, he’ll find me too. Go find your own place.” But it was too late. “Gotcha!” Dad swooped down and swung Nadia off the ground. Alexei slowly crawled out of his hiding place. “No fair! Nadia gave me away.” “You could have let her hide with you instead of pushing her out where I could see her,” Dad said. “There wasn’t enough room,” said Alexei. “That space is so small that if I’m in it, there’s no room for Nadia, and if she’s in it, there’s no room for me. It’s like what we learned in science class—two things can’t be in the exact same space at the exact same time.” Dad smiled. “You know what? That’s kind of like the Bible verse you learned in church last week.” “It is?” Alexei tilted his head, trying to remember the verse. “‘Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.’” Dad nodded. “Let’s think about the space under the porch as being a heart, and you as being God’s Word. And you, Nadia—sorry, honey, but can we let you stand for sin for a moment?” Nadia nodded, and Dad continued. “If God’s Word—that’s you, Alexei—is really hidden in the heart”—Dad motioned toward the small space under the porch—“there won’t be room for sin.” He motioned toward Nadia. “Is that why we memorize verses?” said Alexei. “Yes,” Dad replied. “When we memorize verses, we’re spending time learning about God and how He’s saved us and changed us through His Son, Jesus. Because of our relationship with Him, the verses don’t just stay in our heart. They flow into how we live in every area of our lives through the Holy Spirit’s power. When we trust in Jesus, He gives us the power to obey Him instead of giving in to sin—and memorizing God’s Word is a good way to remember that.” –Jean A. Burns How about you? Do you have Bible verses you call to mind when you’re tempted to sin? If you’re a Christian, Jesus gives you the power to do what’s right and show His love to others—and putting God’s Word in your heart by reading and memorizing it helps you remember that. Take time to put God’s Word in your heart today, and remember that He is always with you and gives you the power to resist sin. Today's Key Verse: Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Learn what God says and obey

Read: Matthew 6:31-33; Philippians 4:4-7 “Hi, Mom,” said Leilana. “Did your dentist find any cavities?” Mom shook her head. “Not one,” she said with a sigh. “There wasn’t anything wrong, but I still have a pretty big bill to pay.” Leilana laughed. “You sound like you’d be happier if you had a mouthful of rotten teeth so you could feel better about paying the bill. Are you worried about paying it?” Mom looked startled. Then she grinned. “I guess I’m worrying for no reason,” she said. “I’m really very thankful I didn’t have any cavities. It makes the bill a lot less!” After dinner that evening, Leilana got out the script for her Thanksgiving play. “Who wants to listen to me say my lines?” she asked. Her brother Wesley groaned. “Nobody,” he told her. “We’re all tired of hearing them. You’ve been saying them perfectly for a week.” “But I’m nervous about performing in front of everybody,” Leilana said. “What if I forget my lines?” “You won’t,” said Wesley. “And I, for one, will be glad when the play is done so we’ll never have to hear them again!” Leilana flipped through the pages of her script. “I wonder if Julian learned his lines. If he misses them, I might miss the cue to start mine. That would be awful!” She turned to another page. “And I hope Tess remembers to bring the apron she said I could borrow. The play won’t be the same without it.” Wesley rolled his eyes. “Well, I sure hope something goes wrong for you. You wouldn’t want to worry for nothing!” Mom turned to Leilana and grinned. “No cavities?” she asked. They both started laughing. “I’m as bad as you, Mom,” said Leilana. “And you actually have a bill to pay! The things I’m worrying about haven’t even happened.” “Worrying doesn’t change anything,” said Mom. “That’s why God tells us to bring our worries to Him. Instead of fretting about things we have no control over, we can trust God to take care of us. He sent His Son to die for us so we could be His children, and He’ll make sure we have what we need. Instead of worrying, we can be thankful we belong to Jesus and feel His peace.” –Hazel W. Marett How about you? Do you worry—especially about things you can’t control? Usually the things people worry about never happen—and even if they do happen, worrying won’t change anything. God is the one who’s in control, and He promises to be with you and provide for you, no matter what happens. Give your worries to Him so you can feel His peace as you rest in His presence and love. Today's Key Verse: Give all your worries to Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: Pray instead of worrying

Read: Proverbs 15:13-17 “Guess what happened at Grandma and Grandpa’s,” Taylor said, giggling. She and her brother Elliot had just gotten home after spending the weekend with their grandparents. “Grandma had orange juice in a plastic pitcher, and when she picked it up—” Taylor could no longer talk because she was laughing too hard, so Elliot finished the story. “The handle of the pitcher broke off!” “Oh no!” said Mom. “It must have made a huge mess.” “It did,” Taylor said. “Juice splashed all over the cupboards and onto the floor. And there was juice all over Grandma!” “You should have seen the look on her face,” said Elliot. “She kept holding the handle and staring at it. But then she started to laugh, and we laughed too. We all laughed so hard that Grandpa came in to see what was going on.” “I thought they’d be upset about the big mess, but they weren’t,” Taylor said. “Grandpa got a big grin on his face and said, ‘Well, Arlene, I know you didn’t like that pitcher, but you didn’t have to go this far to get rid of it, did you?’ We all laughed until our stomachs hurt.” Dad chuckled. “That’s how your grandparents are. They can usually take an unfortunate situation and find some humor in it. Grandpa loves to quote the verse from Proverbs that says, ‘A joyful heart is good medicine.’” Taylor nodded. “Cleaning up all that sticky juice didn’t seem so bad while we were laughing.” “Sometimes it’s easy to get upset when something like that happens,” Mom said. “But you know what? Instead of getting frustrated when things don’t go our way, we can look for the good in the situation—and maybe even laugh about it. God is good, and He sent Jesus to save us and promises to always take care of us, even when things don’t go as planned—and that should always fill our hearts with joy.” “I’m going to try to laugh more like Grandma and Grandpa,” said Elliot. “Good,” said Mom. “You can start right now because I have something to tell you. Your gym socks somehow got in with the wrong batch of laundry today and, well—they turned pink!” Elliot looked startled. Then he joined in as the rest of his family burst into laughter. –Linda J. Opp How about you? Do you get upset when unexpected things happen to you? Try to find some humor in the situation. You’ll enjoy life more, and it’s good for your health too! Of course, there are times when more serious things happen that you shouldn’t laugh about, but even then remember that God cares for you and is always with you. So laugh whenever you can and enjoy the life He’s given you! Today's Key Verse: A joyful heart is good medicine. Proverbs 17:22 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Learn to laugh

Read: John 6:5-13; Colossians 3:23-24 “I wish I could help!” Lana said as she watched her older brother and sister get ready for the high school service project. They were going to pass out food at the church’s Thanksgiving food drive. “You did help,” Mom told Lana. “You took cans of food to your Sunday school class—cans you bought yourself by doing extra chores around the house.” Lana frowned. “That’s not a big deal.” “Yes, it is,” said Dad. “If nobody donated food, Isaiah and Natalie wouldn’t have anything to pass out.” Lana rode along when Dad took Isaiah and Natalie to church that afternoon. “Looks like they’re knocking the old Paulson house down,” Dad said as they drove down the street. “I knew someone bought the place and that it needed repair. I wonder why they don’t just fix it up.” “I heard that it was full of termites,” said Isaiah. “I guess it was so bad they couldn’t do anything with it.” “What are termites?” asked Lana. “Termites are insects,” Natalie told her. “They kind of look like ants.” “Ants?” Lana looked at the house as they drove by. “They’re taking down that whole building just because of tiny little ants?” “Termites are about the size of ants, but they eat wood,” Dad explained. “When a lot of them eat at a building for a long time, they ruin the beams that support the building and it becomes unsafe.” “Yeah, and it can cost more to fix it than to tear it down and start over,” said Isaiah. “Wow,” said Lana. “I didn’t know something so small could destroy something so big.” “Yes, small things can make a big difference,” said Dad. “And that applies to good things too—like cans of food.” He smiled at Lana. “I know you don’t think donating cans was a big deal, but it’s a big deal to Jesus. You did it for Him out of the love He’s put in your heart. And when we do something for Jesus—no matter how small—He uses our efforts to do big things. Tiny termites can destroy a house, but the small things we do for Jesus do the opposite. He uses them to build His kingdom and show people how much He loves them.” –Hazel W. Marett How about you? Do you think the ways you help are so small that they don’t really matter? In today’s Bible passage, five loaves and two fish didn’t sound like much, but a little boy gave them to Jesus anyway—and Jesus used them to do something huge that blessed many people. When you do something for Jesus, He’ll bless what you do for Him. No effort is too small. Today's Key Verse: Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart…You are working for the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: Small efforts matter to Jesus

Read: Ephesians 4:30-32; 1 John 1:9 Mia loved playing foursquare. Every day at recess, she was first to grab the big rubber ball and station herself inside the “king” square of the painted foursquare grid. Thwump! The ball ricocheted out of Tatiana’s square and rolled into the bushes. “You’re out!” called Mia gleefully. “And I’m still in.” Tatiana exited the square. Womp! The ball bounced into Jonah’s square and flew out before he could hit it to another player. Jonah hung his head and walked to the back of the line. “I won again!” sang Mia. A new kid joined the game. Someone Mia didn’t recognize. Mia skillfully palmed the ball and it spun into his square. Would he be able to hit it back? “Oooh! A spinner!” called Emilie. Mia held her breath as she waited. The new boy tapped the ball back to her so gently that she lunged to reach it. She missed and flew forward, scraping both knees. “No fair!” Mia screeched. She grabbed the foursquare ball and threw it as hard as she could. All her friends watched as the ball hit a sharp rock and popped. Tears filled Mia’s eyes, and she ran. The recess monitor, Mrs. Goldspeed, found Mia sitting on the curb, head in her arms. “What happened, honey?” “I…I scraped my knees,” Mia muttered. “Hmm. Does that have anything to do with this broken ball?” Mrs. Goldspeed held up a piece of rubber folded over her arm like a worn-out rag. “Well,” hedged Mia. She sighed. “I got mad, because I didn’t win.” “You know, this deflated ball is like us when we sin,” said Mrs. Goldspeed. “When we are broken, we need God to make us new.” She pulled out a patch and pump. “I can fix this foursquare ball, just like God can fix your heart. Because Jesus died for our sins, we can pray and ask Him to forgive us whenever we need to and He will give us a fresh start.” Mia bowed her head. “Dear God, I’m sorry for losing my temper. Help me to be kind to others.” She felt clean-hearted and brand new. When Mia returned to the foursquare game, she grinned to herself. Thank you, God, for mending me just like this patched-up rubber ball. –Wendy Lynne Smith How about you? Have you ever felt like a deflated rubber ball—broken because of your sin? The good news is that God wants to restore you and fill you up with His love. You can ask for forgiveness when needed and He will make you like new. Then trust Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit and empower you to be kind to others. Today's Key Verse: Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God forgives and restores

Read: Romans 3:21-28 “I have a surprise for you today!” Mom said as Carmen walked into the kitchen. “What, Mom?” Carmen sat down to a bowl of cereal. “I know about my birthday dinner tonight with Grandma and Papa. That’s not a surprise.” “This one’s different. I’ll tell you when you get home from school. Hurry with your breakfast so I can walk you to your bus stop on my way to work.” All day Carmen wondered about Mom’s surprise. When she climbed the steps to her apartment after school that afternoon, Mom was waiting for her at the door. She took Carmen’s bookbag and dropped it in the living room. “Let’s go, mija!” As they walked down the street, Carmen chatted about gym class. Then Mom stopped in front of a fancy bakery, one Carmen had wanted to visit. “We’re getting something here?” Carmen asked. “That’s my surprise! I signed you up for their birthday rewards, so today you get a free cupcake.” Carmen laughed. “Really?” Mom nodded. “Let’s go in!” “Oh, Mom, it smells just like I imagined—even better!” Carmen breathed in the aroma of delicious baked goods. After choosing a chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting, she and her mother sat down by the windows. “What a great surprise, Mom! Something so tasty—and it’s free!” Carmen wiped gooey icing from her mouth. “Does it remind you of something we heard at church last week? About receiving something wonderful for free?” Mom asked. “Oh yeah! When we trust Jesus to save us and make us God’s children, we get forgiveness for our sins. We also get eternal life with Him…so much good stuff!” Mom smiled. “Yes, and just like this cupcake, we didn’t have to pay for it. We didn’t have to work to earn God’s love either.” “Just like I didn’t do anything to earn this cupcake,” said Carmen. “Right,” answered Mom. “Jesus paid the price so we could be God’s sons and daughters, mija. He died for our sins and rose from the dead to make us part of His family—that’s how much He loves us. We have a lot to celebrate on your birthday—and every day!” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? Have you wondered if you could ever be good enough to receive God’s perfect love? God tells us in the Bible that we don’t need to earn His love or forgiveness—and we could never do that anyway. God loves us so much that He offers us a relationship with Him, along with forgiveness of our sins, as a free gift paid for by Jesus. Receive this free gift today by trusting in Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God’s love is a free gift

Read: Psalm 37:23-28 Weston shuffled through the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. “Wow, I’ve never tried to do a puzzle with so many pieces before!” “I know it looks hard, but I’m sure you can do it,” said Mom. “Want some help? I could turn the pieces right side up for you.” “Okay,” Weston said. “I’ll work on the barn.” He started to sift through the jumbled pile, looking for red pieces. “Weston, do you know what this jigsaw puzzle reminds me of?” Mom asked as she turned pieces over. “Uh, my room, I guess,” Weston said with a smile. “A big mess!” Mom laughed. “It does look a lot like the clutter I sometimes see in there, but I had something else in mind—our lives. Sometimes life is puzzling to us. It’s confusing and filled with overwhelming problems, and we can’t see how the pieces can possibly fit together. But God has a plan and purpose for everything that happens. He knows all the pieces will fit perfectly, even when we can’t see how.” “You mean like the time I didn’t make the Parkside soccer team?” Weston asked. “Right,” Mom said. “Many of your friends made the team, and you were so disappointed. You didn’t see how that piece of your life fit at all. You even said you might as well give up playing soccer.” “Yeah, but then Mr. Singh called,” Weston said. “He was coaching the Greenwood team and asked if I’d like to play the goalie position.” Mom nodded. “So you joined that team, and you really liked it and had a great time.” “Yeah,” Weston said. “It was so much fun!” “I think God wanted you on Mr. Singh’s team so we could get to know his whole family,” Mom said. “They accepted our invitation to come to a program at church and heard about Jesus.” She glanced at the puzzle pieces Weston was working on. “Hey, that barn’s really coming together!” She handed him another red puzzle piece. “Just like you’re fitting those pieces together into a barn, God fits all the pieces of our lives together into something good that points to Jesus and His love for us.” –Annette S. Bury How about you? Are you going through something difficult or confusing right now? Does your life look like a jumbled mess that will never fit together? We often can’t see or understand how things that are sad or painful could possibly be good. Trust God. He has a purpose for all the things that happen in your life. He promises to fit them together into something good that shows you belong to Jesus. Today's Key Verse: We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: God has a purpose for everything

Read: Colossians 3:14-17 “What do you think of this one?” Sofie asked her older sister. Kara was helping her choose an outfit to wear for her school pictures the next day. “Why don’t you pick something simpler?” Kara suggested. “Remember, Mom said you have to pick clothes without too bold of a pattern so they will look good in the picture.” Sofie slid the shirt on the hanger and hung it back up in her closet. “Okay.” “So, how was Sunday school this morning?” Kara asked as she searched through the clothes hanging in Sofie’s closet. Sofie shrugged. “All right, I guess. I just wish it was more exciting.” Kara frowned. “I thought you enjoyed Sunday school.” “I do. I just wish there was more time for games and playing with my friends. Maybe then we would have more kids come to church!” “I know it can be hard to sit,” Kara said. “And the teachers do their best to make the lessons fun. But sometimes you can get so focused on playing games and seeing your friends that you miss what God wants to teach you.” “What do you mean?” Sofie asked. “Well, it’s like your school pictures. If you wear a shirt with a busy pattern, the people who see the picture will focus on your clothes instead of being focused on your beautiful smile.” “So is playing games with my friends bad?” Kara pulled another shirt, a pale blue one, out of the closet. “No. It just shouldn’t distract you from the real reason we go to church—to worship Jesus with other Christians and learn about what He tells us in the Bible.” She held the shirt up against Sofie, studying it. “See? It’s like this shirt. It brings out the blue in your eyes without distracting people from what they’re supposed to be looking at.” “My face!” Sofie smiled. “I get it. We go to church to worship and learn about Jesus, and I should be focusing on Him.” She took the blue shirt from Kara. “You know what? I think I like this one.” Kara grinned. “Just remember, the most important thing is to wear a smile!” –Jessica Kleeberger How about you? What do you focus on when you go to church? It can be fun to play games, do crafts, and visit with friends, but we shouldn’t let that distract us from the real reason we go to church—to learn about Jesus and worship Him. Praying, singing songs, and reading the Bible are all ways we worship Jesus and learn more about Him together. When you go to church, focus on Him. Today's Key Verse: Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Focus on Jesus at church

Read: Matthew 6:9-15 “Kayla, could you please pass the corn?” Nate asked. As Kayla picked up the bowl of corn with one hand, she accidentally spilled it all over the table. “Aw, man,” said Nate. “I was really looking forward to some corn!” “I’m sorry, Nate!” Kayla said. “I didn’t mean to spill it—it was an accident!” “I know, Kayla,” Nate replied as he helped her clean up the spilled corn. “I’ve spilled food before too. Next time use both hands. Can you pass the mashed potatoes instead?” This time Kayla grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes with both of her hands and passed it to her brother without spilling it. “Thank you,” Nate said as he put a spoonful of potatoes on his plate. “So, Nate, Mom tells me you’re working on memorizing the Lord’s Prayer for Sunday school,” Dad said. “How’s that going?” “Well, memorizing it is the easy part. My Sunday school teacher wants me to be able to tell her what it means, and that’s where I’m struggling,” Nate said as he took a bite of his potatoes. “Well, maybe I can help,” said Dad. “Which part do you not understand?” “The part that goes something like, ‘Forgive us our diets as we forgive our dieters.’” Dad chuckled. “I think you mean debts and debtors, not diets and dieters. Our debts are our sins, and our debtors are those who sin against us. God wants us to forgive others just like He forgives us.” “You mean like how Nate forgave me for spilling the corn?” asked Kayla. “Well, spilling the corn wasn’t a sin, Kayla, so it’s not quite the same thing. But it was a mistake, and instead of getting upset about it, Nate remembered that he’s made mistakes like that before too. So yes, in a way, that’s what we need to do when others sin against us by doing something that’s wrong. We forgive them because we’ve been forgiven by Jesus, who died for our sins on the cross.” “That makes a lot more sense now,” Nate said as he pushed his plate aside. “I wondered why God wanted us to forgive dieters!” The entire table began to laugh. –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Has anyone ever told you they were sorry for something they did to you that was wrong? Did you forgive them? We all sin and need to ask Jesus to forgive us, and He always does—and He wants us to do the same for others. The next time someone asks you for forgiveness, remember that Jesus has forgiven you for your sins and trust Him to help you forgive others. Today's Key Verse: Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Forgive others

Read: Romans 5:17; Ephesians 1:7-10 “Hurray, we’re getting burritos! We’re getting burritos!” Keira skipped gleefully as she and her mom and older sister, Addi, walked into their favorite Mexican restaurant and got in line. They’d been running errands all morning, and Keira had been in a bad mood and had started several arguments with her sister, so she was surprised when Mom offered to get them burritos instead of taking them straight home. Moving through the bustling serving line from item to item, Keira nodded yes to chicken, then to rice. She added some veggies and gave an enthusiastic “Definitely!” to her favorite condiment, sour cream. With a twinkle in her eye, the server lifted a large serving spoon and dolloped a huge mound of sour cream onto Keira’s burrito bowl. Keira’s eyes lit up, and she beamed. There’s nothing better than sour cream, she thought as she uttered her thanks and found her way to their table. “Mom, take a look at all this sour cream!” Keira said as she sat down. Mom’s eyes grew wide at the mountain-sized scoop in Keira’s bowl. Addi piped up. “You know, I think God’s grace is a lot like Keira’s sour cream.” “What do you mean?” asked Keira. “Well, it reminds me of the verse in Ephesians we read the other day—the one that says God has forgiveness and grace that He lavishes on us. That’s what the server did—she lavished sour cream on Keira’s burrito bowl!” “I think I see what you’re saying,” said Mom. “God has gobs and gobs of grace that He piles on us.” “You mean He isn’t stingy with His forgiveness?” Keira asked. “That’s right!” said Addi. “We don’t have to feel shy about asking for God’s grace and forgiveness. When I sin, God isn’t guarding the grace container like Mom has to guard the sour cream at supper sometimes.” Mom laughed. “Right. Because Jesus died for our sins, He has plenty of grace to go around. He’ll always forgive us for the things we do wrong.” “I’m glad,” said Keira, thinking of how she’d acted that morning. “Now whenever I see sour cream, I’m going to remember that God has gobs and gobs of grace for me.” –Dominique E. Miller How about you? Do you often do things that are wrong? Are you struggling with the same sins over and over? Each time we go to God, He has grace for us. Because Jesus paid for all our sin by dying on the cross, He doesn’t ever run out of grace or get tired of forgiving us. He has loads of grace for you every day, so talk to Him about the sins you’re struggling with and receive gobs and gobs of grace. Today's Key Verse: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. Ephesians 1:7-8 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God’s grace never runs out

Read: Ephesians 6:10-18 Callie sat at the edge of her bed and put on a pair of white socks. Then she looked up and saw her brother Jackson standing in her doorway wearing one black sock and one white sock. Callie laughed. “Your socks don’t match,” she said. Jackson looked down at his outfit. “They do too. The black one matches my black jeans and the white one matches my white t-shirt.” Jackson smiled a big toothy grin, and Callie rolled her eyes and smirked. Just then Dad came out of his room holding a black sock and a white sock. “Have either of you seen the match to either of these socks?” he asked. “Yeah,” said Callie. “On Jackson’s feet!” Jackson was slightly big for his age, and sometimes he borrowed Dad’s socks. Dad shook his head as Jackson stood on one foot and yanked the black sock off. He handed it to his dad in exchange for the white sock. After breakfast, they met in the living room for their morning devotions. “Time to get dressed for the day,” Dad said. “But we’re already dressed,” said Jackson, looking down at his clothes. “We even have matching socks!” “I’m talking about getting dressed spiritually,” said Dad. “Think of it this way. Why is it important to wear socks?” “Well, socks help keep our feet warm and dry,” Callie said. “And they protect them from getting hurt by rubbing against our shoes,” Jackson added. Dad nodded. “The Bible talks about putting on spiritual clothes called the armor of God that help and protect us. They help us remember God’s promises and protect us from the devil’s attacks. And one of the things we need to put on like socks is the gospel of peace.” “How do we do that?” Callie asked. “By reminding ourselves that Jesus has saved us from sin and won the victory over Satan. That means we don’t have to give in to sin or listen to the devil’s lies. One good way to remember that is to read God’s Word. The Bible reminds us what Jesus has done for us so we can feel His peace in our lives.” Jackson smiled. “Well, let’s get started. I want to make sure I’m wearing matching gospel socks!” –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Do you remember to put on socks every day? What about gospel socks—do you remember to put those on every day too? You do that by remembering what Jesus has done for you and that you belong to Him. Praying, reading the Bible, and spending time with Him are ways you can put on the spiritual clothes you need to stand up against evil and feel God’s peace in your life. Today's Key Verse: Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. Ephesians 6:13 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Put on God’s armor

Read: Matthew 7:7-11 Keaton watched a frog as it hopped around the yard. When it stopped, it blended in with the grass. If Keaton looked away, he had a hard time finding it until it started hopping again. When Dad got home, he joined Keaton on the porch. “Hey, Keaton. How was your day?” Keaton shrugged. “I just spent the last half-hour playing hide-and-go-seek with a frog.” He sighed. “Not that he ever tried to find me.” Dad sat down on the step. “Sounds like an interesting game. How about a contest to see who can find the frog first?” Keaton nodded, and the two spent the next several minutes trying to spot the frog. “Thanks for playing with me, Dad,” Keaton said after the frog hopped underneath the porch. “It’s a lot more fun than playing by myself.” He kicked at a stick in the grass. “I’m thankful you got a new job and we got this nice house, but I miss my friends from our old neighborhood.” “I know,” Dad said, patting Keaton on the back. “Have you tried praying about it?” Keaton frowned. “Doesn’t God already know what I’m going through? Why doesn’t He just give me what I need without me having to ask Him for it?” Just then Keaton’s stomach let out a loud grumble, and he and Dad laughed. “It sounds like you’re as hungry as I am,” Dad said. “I’m sure Mom has something for dinner, but she won’t bring it to us out here. We have to go to the table. Sometimes that’s the way Jesus does things too. He always knows what we need, but sometimes He waits for us to bring our worries and problems to Him first.” “Why?” asked Keaton. “To help us look to Him as our Savior and trust Him to provide us with everything we need—even when He doesn’t give us exactly what we ask for.” Keaton’s stomach growled again. “Okay, Dad. I’m ready to go in for dinner. But first can we pray and ask God to help me make some friends?” Dad nodded, and they bowed their heads and prayed together. The next day when Dad got home from work, Keaton was sitting on the porch with two other boys his age, all of them trying to spot the frog. –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Do you bring your worries and problems to God? Do you ask Him to provide the things you need? He already knows exactly what you need—and sometimes it may be different from what you ask for. But He still wants you to bring your needs to Him so you can learn to trust Him in all of life’s situations. Jesus loves you and gave His life to save you. In Him, you have everything you need. Today's Key Verse: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Bring your needs to God

Read: Psalm 51:7; Philippians 2:1-11 “I’m glad I’m not like Rachel,” Mackenna said as she gazed at the falling snow through the car window. “What do you mean?” Mom asked with a slight frown. “Well, Rachel is kinda—oh, I don’t know—stuck on herself a bit. Whenever we talk, she does most of the talking, and it’s usually about all the things she’s good at.” Mackenna rolled her eyes. “What an ego!” “Rachel is good at a lot of things,” said Mom. “But so are you! You don’t think you have an ego?” She gave Mackenna a sideways glance. “Of course not! Do you ever hear me bragging about what I can do?” “No, but that doesn’t mean your heart is humble. And isn’t your heart what we really should be concerned about?” Mom pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine. “Tell you what, why don’t you go get Bumpkin and let her run around outside for a while?” Mackenna gave her mother a confused look, but she went and got her pet bunny. “Before you set her down,” Mom said, “tell me what color Bumpkin is.” Mackenna laughed as they both looked down at the fuzzy bunny. “White, of course!” “Are you sure?” Mom asked. “Put her down in the snow.” Mackenna set her rabbit down at the edge of the snowy yard and stood back. “Ew!” she said. “She looks so dirty!” “Yep,” agreed Mom. “She doesn’t look so white anymore! Snow has a way of making other white objects look gray.” Mom turned to Mackenna. “It’s the same with us. We may think we’re pretty good when we compare ourselves to other people. But when we compare our hearts to Jesus, we see how dirty they really are.” Mackenna nodded sheepishly. “I guess when I compare myself to Jesus, I’m a lot like Rachel after all.” “We all are,” said Mom. “That’s why Jesus died on the cross for our sins. When we trust in Him and ask Him to forgive us for the wrong we do, He makes our hearts whiter than snow!” “I guess I need to remember that when I’m around Rachel,” Mackenna said as she watched Bumpkin hop around in the snow. “And ask Jesus to forgive me for comparing myself to her instead of Him.” –Rebecca Thomas How about you? Do you ever compare yourself to others? It may make you feel better about yourself sometimes, but it doesn’t give an accurate picture of what your heart is really like. Jesus is the only perfect standard. When we compare ourselves to Him, it’s easy to see our hearts are dirty with sin—but He can make them whiter than snow. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: They are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant! 2 Corinthians 10:12 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Compare yourself to Jesus

Read: Matthew 5:23-24; Romans 12:18; 1 John 1:9 “Jia’s mad at me,” Lara told her mother as they drove down a country road toward town. “When she got an A on our spelling test and I got a C, I—well, I said she must have cheated. I know I shouldn’t have said that.” “Why don’t you text her and apologize?” suggested Mom. “Okay, I will, but not right now,” Lara said. “I’ll wait until she’s in a better mood.” As Mom turned down a side road, Lara looked at her in surprise. “Why are we turning here?” “This is a shorter way to town,” said Mom. “I don’t know how good the road will be after all the rain we’ve had, but let’s give it a try.” For a short distance the road was good, but then the pavement ended and the road became very muddy. “I think we should go back,” said Lara. “I think you’re right,” said Mom. “We’ll have to find a place to turn around.” “How about there?” Lara pointed to a narrow path leading into a field. Mom slowed down, but then shook her head. “Those ditches at the side of that path are awfully deep. We need to find a better spot.” A little later, Lara motioned toward a wider spot in the road. “How about here?” But Mom passed by that one too. “That’s not exactly the perfect spot either,” she said. “Mom!” Lara threw her head back against the seat. “If you ask me, the first possible spot is always the perfect spot!” “I’m beginning to think you’re right,” Mom said as she stopped the car and began to back up. After they turned around, Mom spoke. “Waiting for a perfect spot was pretty silly, huh? We made a mistake in coming this way, and the first chance to correct that mistake was the best chance. That’s also true when we make mistakes that hurt others. When we realize what we did was wrong, we need to confess our sin to Jesus so He can forgive us and help us make things right. That includes apologizing to those we’ve hurt right away.” Lara sighed. “Okay, I get what you’re saying. Can I use your phone so I can text Jia?” –Corrine Canavan-Fifield How about you? Do you have a hard time saying you’re sorry when you’ve done something wrong? It’s not easy to admit our mistakes, but putting it off usually makes things worse. Jesus promises to forgive us the moment we confess our sins to Him, and He’ll help us restore our relationships with others. So don’t wait for a better time—apologize and ask for forgiveness right away. Today's Key Verse: First go and be reconciled to them. Matthew 5:24 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Say you’re sorry right away

Read: Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 10:29–31; Hebrews 4:16 As soon as Carolina wiped away one tear, another lousy one slid down. She grew tired of crying over her sinus issues because it only made her throbbing head worse. She sniffled. “I don’t understand how Jesus promises to wipe away every tear. That sounds exhausting!” G-ma kissed Carolina’s forehead. “Darling, crying is okay, especially when we cry out to Jesus. Have you prayed about it?” “Yeah, sure,” Carolina huffed. “During prayer this morning, Jesus said there are bigger problems.” G-ma lifted an eyebrow. “He said that to you, sweetie?” There was silence as Carolina gathered her thoughts. “I mean…I think I just felt guilty praying about my sinus issues when Lily has leukemia.” Carolina pointed to her little sister Lily who was collecting red berries from the bushes. “My pain seems so small compared to hers.” “Look, G-ma!” Lily tossed berries in the air and giggled. “Don’t you eat those!” G-ma turned to look at Carolina as she ran to stop Lily. “Oh, honey, yes, Lily is hurting, but so are you. If Jesus knows how many hairs are on our heads and our every thought, then our small problems are a big deal to Him. That’s why He encourages us to pray about everything.” “Sounds like Jesus really cares,” Carolina replied. “He does. Do you remember earlier when Lily was sad that she couldn’t find any little red berries and you immediately helped her find some?” Carolina nodded. “You cared about her small request because you love her and knew it was important to her,” said G-ma. “How much more would the Lord help us with our problems, big or small? Because of His love for us, Jesus suffered and died for all our sins on the cross. He cares about all our pain because He experienced all kinds of pain too, and He wants to help us and comfort us.” Carolina relaxed her shoulders. “Wow, Jesus really was listening…” “CANNONBALL!” Lily jumped on top of Carolina and squeezed her tightly. They erupted in laughter. G-ma smiled and leaned over to wipe another tear out of Carolina’s eye. “Remember to keep praying. Jesus is always with you, darling.” –Toria Keyes How about you? Are you afraid that the Lord won’t fight your battle because others are dealing with worse problems? We serve a God who knows what it feels like to bump a funny bone or get a paper cut. Whatever your situation is, He wants you to know you are not alone. What are the little red berries in your life—small things that are still really important? Jesus cares about those things and wants to help you with them. Today's Key Verse: Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:30–31 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus cares about small things

Read: Psalm 150 “What’s all the racket about?” Mom came out of her office and stood in the doorway of the living room. “You two have done nothing but fight and complain all afternoon.” Asher and Olivia glared at each other silently. “Praise the Lord!” Mom suddenly shouted. Asher and Olivia jumped in surprise. Mom smiled as the kids looked at her curiously. “You were yelling and complaining in loud voices, so I thought I’d praise the Lord in an equally loud voice.” She raised her voice again. “I’m thankful for the rain, aren’t you? It’s been so dry lately!” “But Mom, when it rains, there’s nothing to do,” Asher said. “I have an idea.” Mom went into her office and came back with paper and pencils. “Why don’t you make a praise list by writing down all the wonderful things God has done for us? Let’s have a praise day instead of a complaining day. Now, I have some work to finish up, but you can show me your lists before dinner tonight.” Asher sighed as Mom went back into her office and shut the door. After a moment, he wrote, God helped me not miss the bus after school. Olivia took a sheet of paper and wrote, God gives us food every day. After working a little while, Asher said, “Hey, let’s tape our pages together to make one long sheet. Let’s see how long a list we can make.” The list was still growing when Dad got home. “How was your day?” Mom asked him as she pulled a chicken pot pie out of the oven. “Terrible,” he said. “First, the rain got my clothes all wet, and then—” “Praise the Lord!” Asher shouted. Dad looked startled, and Asher grinned. “Mom says this should be a praise day.” He held up the list for his father to see. “Come on, Dad,” said Olivia. “Praise the Lord for something. We’ll add it to our list.” Dad grinned. “I praise the Lord for creating your mom,” he said. “I love her, and she teaches us to count our blessings—and blesses us with good food for dinner!” Mom smiled. “And I praise Jesus for the best thing of all—dying on the cross for our sins!” –Carol A. DeCesare How about you? Do you complain when things don’t go your way? Sometimes difficult things happen that you need to talk about with someone, but there’s a big difference between sharing struggles and complaining about every little thing you don’t like. Instead of complaining, think about all the good things God has blessed you with and the people He’s put in your life—and most importantly, how He’s given you eternal life through Jesus! Today's Key Verse: Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God…giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Praise instead of complaining

Read: Galatians 5:22-25 The pocket of Octavia’s red sweater bulged. She didn’t want Miss Allen to notice, so she quickly slipped into her seat. She removed a big orange from her pocket and hid it behind the box of crayons in her desk. The morning dragged by. Usually Octavia liked reading class, but not today. She couldn’t keep her mind on the story. A classmate—Ford—had agreed to give the signal for the special activity the kids had planned. He said they should wait until math time and be ready when Miss Allen turned to the whiteboard. Excitement built up when Miss Allen told the class to take out their math books. Everyone kept looking at Ford. When he put his hand in his desk, Octavia covered her mouth. She didn’t want Miss Allen to see that she was giggling. She reached inside her desk and took hold of the orange. At last Miss Allen turned her back to the class. Octavia drew a deep breath as Ford yelled, “Fruit roll!” In a flash, Octavia’s orange rolled down the aisle with lots of other fruit. The room became noisy, and Miss Allen looked puzzled. “It’s for you,” Ford said, pointing to the fruit. “For your birthday!” “For me?” Miss Allen asked in surprise. “How thoughtful of you! Thanks, kids.” That afternoon Octavia told her mom all about it. “Miss Allen said she’d never heard of a fruit roll, but she liked it! She got oranges, grapefruit, some tangerines, a few lemons, and even a lime.” “I knew she’d enjoy it.” Mom smiled at Octavia. “What about you? Have you gotten any fruit rolled to you lately?” Octavia gave her mom a confused look. “What do you mean?” “I mean the fruit of the Spirit,” Mom said. “Once you trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit produces fruit in your life—the qualities of the new person He wants you to be. It’s quite a list. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—all these make you more like Jesus.” Octavia thought about it. “I guess He is helping me be more patient—and helping me be kind to kids at school I don’t know well.” She smiled. “It’s like I’m getting a fruit roll from Jesus every day!” –Margaret M. Primrose How about you? Did you know that, if you’re a Christian, you’re getting a fruit roll from Jesus every day? He helps you develop the qualities that make you more like Him. As you grow as a Christian, others will start to see more and more of these qualities in your life. Trust Jesus to help you grow and fill you with the fruit of the Spirit so you become more like Him. Today's Key Verse: May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:11 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God fills your life with fruit

Read: Matthew 6:25-34 “This state park is really nice, isn’t it?” Dad said as he and Henry walked along a wooded path. “Huh? Oh, yeah,” Henry mumbled in response. But he hadn’t really noticed—he’d been too busy wondering if Dad would be able to find a new job. The place where his dad worked was going out of business. “Dad, what if we run out of money for food and stuff?” Dad was about to answer, but then he saw where Henry was walking. “Henry, watch out for that poison ivy! Stay on the path.” But the warning came too late. Henry had already wandered off to the side. He stopped and looked down at the patch of low bushes around his feet. “Poison ivy!” He groaned and quickly returned to the path. “Now I’ll be itching all week!” “Maybe not.” Dad pointed to a tall plant with yellow-spotted horn-shaped flowers. “Here’s something that might help you.” “What’s that?” asked Henry. “It’s called jewelweed, and I’ve used it before when I’ve gotten into poison ivy.” Dad broke off some leaves, crushed them in his hand, and handed them to Henry. “Rub these over your legs. It ought to stop the poison ivy reaction.” “Really?” Henry rubbed the leaves on his bare legs, hoping Dad was right. And as they continued their walk, Henry was careful to avoid further contact with the poisonous weed. When Henry was getting ready to go to bed that night, Dad stopped at his room. “So how are your legs?” he asked. “My legs?” repeated Henry. Then he remembered—the poison ivy! He looked down. “The poison ivy isn’t doing anything!” He grinned at his dad. “The jewelweed really worked. Wow! Medicine for poison ivy in the middle of the woods!” Dad nodded. “God often provides for us in surprising ways. We should always remember that. I know we’ve all been concerned about my job, but if God can provide a poison ivy cure in the middle of the woods, He certainly can provide for our family’s needs as well. He’s already provided for our greatest need of all by sending Jesus to save us from sin. We don’t need to worry. God is with us, and we can trust Him.” –Jane K. Chase How about you? Are you worried about something right now? Maybe a family member is sick or a parent is out of work. No matter what it is, trust God to take care of you. He may not give you everything you want, but you may be surprised by the way He provides for you. When you needed to be saved from sin, He provided His own Son, Jesus, to die for you. Depend on Him to provide what you need. Today's Key Verse: My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Trust God to provide for you

Read: Luke 8:26-36 FLASH! Lightning ripped across the black sky. Instantly every street light went out. “Whoa,” Luke said. “Talk about a spooky night! It looks like a ghost town out there.” Beth peeked out from under her covers. “Don’t say the word ghost.” Mom came into their bedroom with a flashlight. “Hey, Mom.” Luke put bed covers over his head to look like a ghost. “Tell us a ghost story.” “On a night like this?” Beth whipped off the covers. “Are you kidding? How about a Bible story—with a really good ending.” Mom smiled. “I’ll tell a ghost story from the Bible—but it has a happy ending.” “Great,” Luke groaned. “How scary can that be? And I didn’t think the Bible talked much about ghosts.” “Actually, this story is about evil spirits,” Mom said. “Demons.” Now it was Beth’s turn to groan. “That sounds worse!” “One day, Jesus went into a cemetery to visit a man who lived there,” Mom said. “Creepy.” Luke rubbed his hands together. “So far, so good.” “He lived…”—Beth was wide-eyed—“in the graveyard?” “Yes,” Mom said. “The man was filled with many, many evil spirits—and they made him do awful things. And the spirits made him super strong—everybody was afraid of him.” Lightning flashed and lit the room. “I thought this wasn’t going to be scary!” said Beth. “Wasn’t Jesus scared?” Luke asked. “No,” said Mom. “Jesus is the Son of God, and when He talked with the man, He told the evil spirits to leave him.” Luke leaned closer. “Did they?” Mom nodded. “Every single evil spirit left—immediately. Because He had come to defeat Satan through His death and resurrection, Jesus had the power to send them all away.” “Wow,” Luke said. “Those evil spirits were busted—big time!” “And the man who lived in the cemetery was finally free and could go back to his real home again,” Mom said. “The man was so grateful that he became a follower of Jesus.” The lights came back on all over the neighborhood. Beth stood and hugged Mom. “You’re right, this story did have a happy ending!” “Wow,” Luke said. “Jesus is the ultimate ghost tamer!” –Matt Shoemaker How about you? Did you know that Jesus has complete authority over everything in heaven and earth, including demons? Evil powers exist in our world, and they can be scary—but you don’t have to be afraid. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He has freed you from Satan’s power, just like He freed the man in the story. Nothing is more powerful than our God! Today's Key Verse: [Jesus said,] “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus holds all authority

Read: Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 13:8; 1 Peter 5:7 Tears fell down Leah’s cheeks as she and her parents drove past their old house in the country to see what it looked like now. They had moved to the city to be closer to her dad’s work, but Leah had loved living in the country and really missed her old house. She wished they could have stayed. Leah’s old house looked so different now. The bushes her dad had planted seemed bigger, and the new owners had painted the house a different color. I liked the old color better, Leah thought to herself. When Dad pulled into the driveway of their new home, Leah jumped out of the car and ran to her room. She grabbed her favorite stuffed animal and stared out the window. She used to see trees and fields outside her window; now all she saw were more houses. Mom walked into Leah’s room. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Yeah, I just wish we still lived in the country. Why did things have to change?” “The move was a big change for all of us, but living in the city can be fun too.” Mom came and stood next to Leah at the window. “Life changes are hard sometimes. But knowing that Jesus never changes and is always with us can give us peace and comfort when we’re going through big changes in life. Hebrews 13:8 says, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.’” The next morning Leah and her mom went for a walk in their new neighborhood. They met their neighbor, Mrs. Franklin, and her daughter, Chelsie. Chelsie was the same age as Leah. Mrs. Franklin invited Leah and her mom into their backyard. While Mom and Mrs. Franklin visited on the patio, Chelsie and Leah ran and played. Chelsie had a cool tree house. “Maybe living in the city won’t be so bad after all,” Leah told her mom on their walk home. “I already found something I like about the city—our neighbors.” Mom smiled. “God is always with us, and He knows exactly what we need.” That night Leah thanked God for her new friend. She was thankful He was always with her and that He cared about her needs. –Lisa Fuller How about you? Is change hard for you? Change can make you feel homesick, lonely, scared, or anxious, but God wants to replace those feelings with His peace. He never changes, and He promises to be with you in every new situation. Next time you’re in a new place or starting a new school, think of it as a great adventure with Jesus by your side! Turn your worries over to Him and He will give you peace and contentment. Today's Key Verse: This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God is with you

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:8-12 Emma tiptoed into her house. The wind howled at her back, and she pulled her scarf tight against her neck. If only she had her coat. Slowly, she closed the door until it clicked shut. The last thing she wanted was for her mother to see her like this. She sighed. It was nice to finally be in her warm living room. “Emma?” Uh-oh. She cringed as she turned to her mother and forced a smile. “Where’s your coat?” “I…um…lost it?” “Lost it? What are you talking about? It isn’t even fifty degrees outside!” Mom grabbed Emma’s hands. “Your hands are freezing.” She took a step back and placed her hands on her hips. “How in the world could you possibly lose that big winter coat?” Emma looked down and kicked at the edge of the carpet. “I gave it away.” “You did what?” “There’s a girl at school named Katy. All she had was a jacket. She said she didn’t own a winter coat. I remembered that I had two others at home, so I gave her the one I was wearing.” Smiling, Mom led her to the couch. “You did a good thing today.” “So you’re not mad at me?” Emma asked as she took a seat beside her mother. “No. What you did for your friend was a lot like what Jesus did for us.” “What do you mean?” asked Emma. “Well, Jesus was rich and comfortable in heaven, but He saw that we were stuck in sin. So He left all His riches and comfort behind in order to save us.” Emma pulled the scarf off her neck. “By coming to earth and dying on the cross.” “Exactly,” said Mom. “He gave up everything so we could experience the riches and joy of having eternal life with Him.” She wrapped a blanket around Emma’s shoulders. “It must’ve been freezing cold walking home without a coat.” “Yeah, but it was only a ten-minute walk.” Mom grinned. “You were a picture of Jesus to Katy today. You became poor for a little while so that she could become rich.” –Annika Klanderud How about you? Have you ever done something good for somebody that left you feeling uncomfortable? Maybe you donated the last of your money or gave away food you really enjoy. By doing that, you made a sacrifice for someone else. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice when He died to save us from sin. When you make sacrifices for others, you’re pointing to the ultimate sacrifice He made for us. Today's Key Verse: Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: We’re rich because Jesus became poor

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Hunter peered ahead through the fog that surrounded them. “Hey, Dad!” he said as he and his father approached the large city they were visiting. “Look!” He pointed toward the distant city skyline that was almost completely hidden by the fog. “You can hardly see those huge buildings today.” “Keep watching them,” Dad said. “As we get closer, the fog will seem to disappear and the buildings will become clearer.” Hunter stared at the hazy outline of the city as they drove in silence for a few minutes. As expected, the closer they got to the buildings, the clearer everything began to look. Hunter grinned at his dad. “Those buildings aren’t so dim anymore.” Dad smiled. “Do you remember the verse in First Corinthians that says, ‘For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known’?” “Yep. I remember that one,” said Hunter. “I had it for a memory verse once. It’s talking about heaven, isn’t it? That’s when we’ll see Jesus face-to-face.” Dad nodded. “From a distance, we had trouble seeing the buildings through the fog. We saw them only dimly. It’s a picture of how we see Jesus now. Sometimes we have a hard time understanding Him and His great love and wisdom.” Dad motioned toward the city. “Now that we’re closer to the buildings, we see them more clearly.” “So we won’t be able to see Jesus clearly until we get to heaven?” asked Hunter. “That’s when we’ll fully know Him, but we can see and understand Him more clearly now by focusing our attention on Him—just like you can see the building through the fog better by focusing your eyes on it.” “How do we do that?” asked Hunter. “By learning more about Him in the Bible, praying, going to church, and trusting Him to help us love others the way He does,” replied Dad. “All these things help us know Him better and understand who He is. And one day we’ll finally see Him face-to-face and know Him perfectly!” Hunter looked out the window as they drove into the city. “Look, Dad!” He pointed to the looming skyline. “We’re almost there!” –Richard S. Maffeo How about you? Do you know Jesus but find it hard to understand everything about Him? You can get to know Him better by spending time with Him both on your own and with other Christians, but you won’t understand Him fully until you see Him face-to-face. Until then, know that He’s always with you, and remember that one day you’ll be with Him for all eternity. Today's Key Verse: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: We’ll know Jesus fully in heaven

Read: Psalm 119:9-16 Sally shivered as she sat on the park bench. The weather was getting cold. Soon there would be snow, and Grandma wouldn’t want to come to the park once the sidewalks were slippery. Sally reached into the bag Grandma had brought and pulled out another nut. The squirrels around her sat on their hind legs, waiting. “Looks like they’re getting ready for winter too,” Grandma said. Sally tossed out more nuts. “Why are they burying food?” “It’s hard for squirrels to find food when snow covers the ground, so they’re planning ahead. A single squirrel can bury up to three thousand nuts in one season.” “Do the squirrels remember where they bury them?” asked Sally. “Scientists believe they do. Squirrels are really quite smart—some of them even pretend to bury nuts in one place to trick other squirrels that might be watching. Then the squirrel buries the nuts someplace else to protect its stash.” “I’m glad people don’t have to bury food,” Sally said. Grandma nodded. “Me too. But I have other buried treasure.” “You do, Grandma? What is it? Money? Diamonds? Gold?” Grandma laughed. “Something much more precious.” “Is your treasure buried in your backyard?” “No,” said Grandma. “It’s buried in my heart.” Sally frowned. What could be buried in somebody’s heart? “I give up. What’s your treasure, Grandma?” “My treasure is the Word of God. I’ve memorized many Bible verses, and they often come to mind just when I need one.” “How many have you memorized?” “Not as many as I probably could have—some people have memorized whole books! But I’ve memorized some longer passages, like the Twenty-third Psalm, the Lord’s Prayer, and Paul’s chapter about love in First Corinthians. Memorizing God’s Word helps me remember that I can trust Him in any situation because Jesus died and rose again to save me and promises to always be with me.” “Maybe we could memorize some verses together,” Sally said. “I’d like that.” Grandma gave Sally a big hug. “Now, let me tell you about my other great treasure—one I appreciate more and more every day.” “What treasure is that?” Grandma pulled Sally closer. “You!” –Carol Raj How about you? Have you memorized any Bible verses? Sometimes the best comfort is a Bible verse that comes to mind just when you need it. When you memorize verses, you are hiding God’s Word in your heart—a treasure worth more than diamonds, silver, or gold. Fill your mind with the truth of God’s Word so He can use it to encourage you and comfort you throughout your life. Today's Key Verse: Your teachings are worth more to me than a thousand pieces of silver and gold. Psalm 119:72 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Memorize Bible verses

Read: Psalm 65:1-8; Philippians 2:5-8 “Mittens, you’re driving me crazy!” Li said as she stepped over her cat. “What’s Mittens doing?” Mom asked. “Nothing, but I always have to step over him. I’ve actually stepped on his tail lots of times,” Li said. “I don’t do it on purpose, but he always gets under my feet. Why does he just sit in the middle of the floor where we’re trying to walk?” “I guess he trusts us to know he’s there and to walk around him,” said Mom. “Well, he should watch out and be more careful not to get in our way,” Li said. “We’re a lot bigger than he is!” Mom leaned over and scratched Mittens’ head, making him purr. “It makes me feel good to see how much he trusts us,” she said. “If we were small and he were big, do you think we’d trust him not to hurt us?” "Not me!” said Li. “His claws are sharp. If he were big like a lion or tiger, I think he’d be dangerous!” “I can think of someone bigger than we are that we can always trust,” said Mom. “You mean Dad?” Mom laughed. “Someone much bigger than Dad.” “Who?” asked Li. Then she figured it out. “I know—you mean God! He’s so big He created the whole universe.” “Right,” said Mom. “But even though He’s so much bigger than us, He loves us—just like we love Mittens, even though he gets in the way sometimes. Mittens knows we love him, and that’s why he trusts us. And we can trust God for the same reason—He loves us so much that Jesus became one of us and sacrificed His life to make us part of God’s family. No matter what difficult situations get in our way, we can trust Him knowing that He loves us and is big enough to handle any problem we face.” Li smiled. “I’m glad I’m part of God’s family and can always trust Him.” She bent over to pet her cat. “And I’m glad Mittens is part of our family and trusts us—even though I step on his tail sometimes!” –Diana M. Martin How about you? Do you ever feel afraid of God because He’s so much bigger than you? He doesn’t want you to be afraid of Him—He loves you and wants you to trust Him. Even though He’s God, Jesus became human and died for your sins so you could be part of His family. He cares about everything you go through and promises to help you through it. Trust Him and know He’ll always take care of you. Today's Key Verse: I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. Psalm 13:5 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: You can trust God

Read: Matthew 18:12-14 “Zeke!” called Layla. “There’s a storm coming. We need to get the chickens in!” Zeke followed his sister outside. “Do you think chickens are like sheep?” he asked. Layla stared at Zeke as she opened the gate to the chicken coop. “What? No, chickens are different. They have feathers.” “Jesus talks a lot about sheep in the Bible,” said Zeke. “Do you think Jesus likes sheep more than chickens?” “I dunno.” Layla sighed. “Hurry, let’s get the chickens in.” Zeke counted the chickens as they came into the coop. “One, two, three, four, five. Five? That’s not right.” Zeke counted the chickens again. “Still five. One is missing. Where’s Clara?” Zeke peered around the chicken coop. “Zeke, we’ve got most of them. We’ll find Clara tomorrow.” Layla reached for the latch to shut the door. “No!” said Zeke. “Jesus goes looking for His lost sheep. He said He was like a farmer who had ninety-nine of them but still went looking for the lost one because he cared about the one that was missing. We need to look for our lost one too.” “You’re right, Zeke. Let’s start looking.” They looked for Clara in the hay barn, the stables, the willow tree, and the cornfield. No Clara. “I don’t know where else to look,” Zeke said as he and Layla leaned against the garden fence and swiped at the raindrops that sprinkled their faces. “What if something happens to her?” “We’ll keep looking until we…shhh, do you hear that?” “Cluck.” A faint sound came from under the raspberry bushes. Zeke ducked under the fence and peeked around the bushes’ thorny branches. “Clara! Are you stuck? Don’t worry, I’ll get you out.” Thorns scraped Zeke’s face and hands as he pulled Clara loose from the raspberries. He took off his jacket and wrapped her up. “Stay in the jacket so you don’t get wet.” Layla led the way back to the coop. Zeke placed Clara safely in the coop with the other chickens. “In you go, Clara, with the rest of your chicken friends.” “I’m glad we didn’t stop looking, Zeke. The other five chickens are safe and sound, and now Clara is too.” Zeke grinned. “I think Jesus likes chickens too.” –Nicole Monroe How about you? Do you like chickens or sheep better? Jesus loves you more than chickens or sheep. He calls His people His sheep because He cares for them the way a good farmer takes care of animals. Jesus loves us so much that He will search for those who are lost because He doesn’t want one person to go missing. He cares for you and wants you as part of His family. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: For the Son of Man [Jesus] came to seek and save those who are lost. Luke 19:10 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus finds the lost

Read: Romans 8:1-9 Jonah sifted through the model airplane parts covering his desk until he found the one he wanted. Almost done! I just have to get this propeller on. His fingers clutched the plane as he tried to attach the propeller. Then he heard a crunch. He had held the plane so tightly that it had cracked above one of the wings. Filled with anger, Jonah cursed and flung the plane against the wall. Then, feeling hot tears of shame fill his eyes, he laid his head on his arms and cried. That evening, Jonah showed the plane to his dad. “I totally ruined it,” he said sadly. “Why do I get so mad about things? Will I ever get over that?” Dad turned the mangled plane in his hands. “Are you familiar with the law of gravity?” Jonah nodded. “Then you know gravity holds everything—including airplanes—to the ground. So how can an airplane ever get up in the air?” “We talked about that in science,” said Jonah. “A greater law called aerodynamics overcomes the law of gravity.” “Right.” Dad moved the plane along the tabletop. “As the plane moves forward, air pressure under the wing pushes upward, creating lift. The faster the plane moves, the greater the lift. When the lift becomes greater than the force of gravity, you have…” “Takeoff,” said Jonah. “But what’s that got to do with me getting mad about stuff?” “Jonah, when you give in to your temper, you’re like an airplane stuck on the ground. The law of gravity can be compared to what the Bible calls the law of sin and death. When you’re controlled by the law of sin, you can’t gain victory over that temper of yours.” “So how can I stop being controlled by sin?” asked Jonah. “You need the power of a higher law—a force greater than the law of sin that pins you down. And because you trust in Jesus, that greater force is available to you! You have the Holy Spirit, who helps you live the new life Jesus gave you. When you feel your temper rising, remember that He gives you the power to fly above your anger and deal with it in a good way. You don’t have to give in to it and sin.” –Christi B. Kehn How about you? Do you have trouble controlling your temper—and hurt yourself and others in the process? Or maybe there’s another sin you often struggle with. Whatever it is, Jesus gives you the power through the Holy Spirit to overcome that sin. He freed you from the law of sin so you could have a new life with Him. Whenever you’re tempted to sin, depend on Him for the power to fly above it and not give in. Today's Key Verse: He [Jesus] who is in you is greater than he [Satan] who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: You can overcome sin through Jesus

Read: John 1:14-18; 8:4-11 Tessie sighed. Time for performing the skit that she and her friends had prepared was running out. Still Candace did not show up. “Where is she?” Tessie whispered to Gus, another student in the group hoping to perform at the homeschool talent show that evening. Gus shrugged. “We worked on this for so long—I don’t think she would miss it without telling us. Something must be wrong.” The next morning, the homeschool group gathered to watch a play performance. Candace waved when she saw Gus and Tessie waiting in the lobby. “So exciting!” Candace cried. “We get to see real actors!” “Candace, we were supposed to be real actors last night. What happened? We couldn’t do the skit because you didn’t show up,” Gus replied. “Oh, I know. I thought about going but then decided I just didn’t want to do it. I told Mom I wasn’t part of the skit anymore.” Candace shrugged. “I’m always responsible. I just needed a chance to be irresponsible this one time.” Gus and Tessie shook their heads in disbelief. Later, the two friends joined Tessie’s mom during lunch. They described what happened with Candace’s decision to abandon them at the talent show. “Well, you could kick Candace out of your group of friends and never create another skit with her. Or act as if it’s no big deal and pretend nothing happened,” Tessie’s mom offered. Gus and Tessie frowned. “I don’t like either of those ideas, Mom,” Tessie said. “There’s another way which I hope you choose. I know you both have trusted Jesus to rescue you from your sins, so I know you also want to follow His ways. Here’s what Jesus did. He came with both grace and truth. That means He showed people love and mercy but still called out their sin.” “So, Jesus wants us to still love Candace but also be honest about how she disappointed us?” Gus asked. Mom nodded. “When friends tell us the truth in a loving way, it gives us a chance to look to Jesus to help us change.” “Let’s go talk to Candace, Tessie,” Gus said. “If Jesus shows us grace and truth, we can try to do the same with Candace.” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? Have you ever been let down by a friend or loved one and wondered how to handle it? In His life on earth, Jesus showed us how to be honest when another person hurts us while still showing that person love. As we grow in knowing and following Jesus, we can learn to offer others grace and truth too. Trust Him to help you tell the truth in love. Today's Key Verse: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus gives grace and truth

Read: Luke 21:1-4; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 “What’s wrong?” Dad asked Sylvie after junior youth group. “Did something happen at your meeting?” Sylvie sat down at the table where Dad was cutting vegetables. “It’s Melissa again.” The two girls had known each other for years, but they were not friends. “I got there five minutes late,” Sylvie said. “The only empty chair was in the front row by Melissa. It was fine until the youth leader handed me the red bucket.” “What’s the red bucket for?” Dad asked, rolling his wheelchair to the refrigerator. “That’s how we take the offering. We start a red bucket in the front row and pass it around. Our class also committed to giving extra this fall so that at Christmas we could buy gifts for needy families in the area.” “So what happened with the red bucket?” Dad asked. “Well, when I checked my pocket, all I had was thirty-five cents, so I popped it in the empty bucket and passed it on to Melissa. She saw my few coins and burst out laughing. Then she threw in five dollars and said loudly, ‘We should put Sylvie’s family on the needy list.’” Dad cringed. “Honey, I’m sorry I didn’t have cash to give you your allowance this morning.” “This isn’t your fault, Dad. I know things have been tight since your accident. I’ll give more when I can.” Dad smiled. “That sounds like a story from the Bible. Can you guess which one?” Sylvie shook her head. “It’s the story of the widow’s offering. The widow quietly gave all she had. It was only a few cents, but she gave it gladly. The wealthy Pharisees boasted loudly about their big offerings, though they could’ve given much more. The thing is, God cares about the heart of the giver, not the gift.” “So it’s okay that I only put a little in the offering?” asked Sylvie. Dad nodded. “When Jesus saw the widow give the little she had out of love for God, He said she gave more than anyone else. I’m sorry Melissa embarrassed you, but it’s your heart that matters to God, not how much you give. He loves us so much that He gave us His Son, Jesus, and He wants us to give to Him out of love too.” –Teresa Ambord How about you? Have you ever felt embarrassed because your offering seemed small compared to what others gave? It’s not the amount you give that God is concerned about—it’s your heart. When you give to God out of gratitude for the love He has shown you, you are giving the same way the widow did. So don’t give to impress others; give because God gave His Son out of the love He has for you. Today's Key Verse: Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God loves givers more than gifts

Read: Matthew 7:7-11 “Hey, wait up!” Jordyn grabbed her foot and looked at the bottom of her shoe. “Look—the sole of my shoe almost ripped right off!” She glanced around with a red face. “How embarrassing. Right in the middle of the store!” “Let me look at it,” Mom said. “How did that even happen?” “Well, I knew they were starting to fall apart, but I didn’t know it was this bad.” Mom smiled. “You could have asked me for new shoes, you know. You didn’t have to wait until they split right open!” “I know,” Jordyn said. “But I didn’t want to bother you with it.” Mom put a hand on Jordyn’s shoulder. “You know it wouldn’t bother me. I’m your parent—it’s my job to provide for you! Next time just ask, okay?” “Okay, Mom. Well, at least we were in a store when my shoe fell apart!” Mom laughed. “Let’s head over to the shoe section right now.” As Jordyn sat down to try on a new pair of shoes, Mom asked, “How’s Emily?” Emily was Jordyn’s best friend from school. “I don’t know—she’s mad at me right now, and I don’t know how to fix it. She doesn’t even want to talk to me.” Jordyn’s shoulders slumped. “I just don’t know what to do.” “Well,” Mom said, “I think it’s a lot like your shoes.” Jordyn looked up, confused. “What is?” “The Bible says that if you need wisdom, you just have to ask God. You don’t need to worry about bothering Him, and He’s not going to get mad at you for asking. He’s your heavenly Father, and He loves you—just like I love you and want to provide for you.” “Really? That’s great!” said Jordyn. “I’m going to ask God for wisdom about how to fix things with Emily.” “Good,” said Mom. “Though keep in mind that God often provides wisdom through the people He’s put in your life. So after you pray, maybe you should tell me more about what happened with Emily and I’ll see if I can help.” “Okay.” Jordyn stuck out her feet. “What do you think of these shoes?” “Perfect,” said Mom. “Let’s go buy them so we can finish our shopping.” –Lucy Alessio How about you? Is there a situation in your life you don’t know what to do about? Are you unsure how you should deal with it? God wants to guide you through every difficulty you face. He is our loving heavenly Father who provided us with His Son, Jesus, when we needed to be saved, and He provides for our daily needs too. Pray and ask Him about anything, and He will gladly give you the wisdom you need. Today's Key Verse: Do any of you need wisdom? Ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. James 1:5 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Ask God for wisdom

Read: Romans 12:4-8 BLATT! BLATT! BLATT! Brayden was sitting in front of the music stand with his trombone, moving the slide, when Dad walked in holding a baseball and glove. “Hey, Brayden,” Dad said. “How about taking a break to play catch?” In the backyard Dad threw easy tosses to Brayden, who then threw them back. “How’s the trombone going?” Dad asked. Brayden shrugged. “Okay, I guess.” “What does your teacher ‘guess’?” Dad asked as he threw a little to Brayden’s left, making him reach for it. “She guesses I’m not practicing. But I am practicing! It just doesn’t seem to help at all.” “Mom told me that when the furnace man was here yesterday, he thought one of the smoke detectors was malfunctioning.” Dad chuckled, then quickly stifled it and threw the ball way to Brayden’s left. Brayden sprinted and caught the ball in the webbing of his glove. “You’re not going to say I should give up, are you?” “Great catch!” Dad exclaimed. “I never give up! Never!” Brayden threw the ball back. “You taught me that.” “I taught you that so you wouldn’t be a quitter. Every skill takes time to develop, and you need patience to get through the difficult parts of learning. I know you’re not a quitter, Brayden, but that doesn’t mean you should keep doing something just because you don’t want people to think you’re giving up—that can actually be a form of pride.” “So you’re saying I shouldn’t play the trombone?” asked Brayden. “No, I’m not saying that,” said Dad. “I’m saying that God has gifted each of us in unique ways, and sometimes He’ll direct us away from one thing and toward another. We need to be open to His leading and trust Him to help us develop the gifts He wants us to use to help others and point them to Jesus. If we try something and sense Him leading us in a different direction, it’s okay to move on and try other things.” “So if the trombone isn’t one of my gifts, what should I work on instead?” Dad smiled and looked down at the baseball in his hand. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.” He threw the ball high above Brayden’s head, and Brayden jumped up and caught it. –William Grimm How about you? Have you been struggling to get better at something and it just doesn’t seem to be working? It’s important to give yourself time to develop your skills whenever you try something new, but you also need to be willing to move on if God leads you in a different direction. Trust Him to help you develop the gifts He’s given you and use them the way He wants you to. On that, never give up! Today's Key Verse: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Develop the gifts God’s given you

Read: Isaiah 11:6-9; Romans 8:19-22 Aaliyah rushed outside to see why Grandpa’s dog was barking so loudly. She found Otis jumping up and down, trying to reach a squirrel up in a tree. “I think that squirrel is scolding you, Otis,” she said as the squirrel chattered loudly. She laughed and pulled the dog away. Looking around for Grandpa, Aaliyah headed for the toolshed and saw her cat hiding in the grass, staring at some birds pecking at seeds on the ground. The cat was getting ready to pounce. “Get away from those birds, Bella!” Aaliyah cried. Hearing Aaliyah’s voice, Grandpa came out of the shed with two rakes. “How about helping me clean up the garden?” he asked. Aaliyah took a rake and followed Grandpa as he took long-legged strides across the yard. He paused beneath a tree and pointed at some fur and small bones lying on the ground. “Look here,” he said. “I think there’s been an owl in this tree recently. The fur and bones are probably from some small animal he had for dinner.” Aaliyah frowned. “Some animals are really mean to each other, aren’t they?” Grandpa nodded. “Ever since sin came into the world, animals have suffered right along with people. All of creation suffers. Because of sin, we have illness, hunger, death, thorns, thistles, and weeds.” “You mean the whole world has problems because of sin?” Aaliyah asked. “Not just people?” “That’s right. But even though sin has affected the whole world, God still rules over it and is working to change it.” Grandpa and Aaliyah got to work, carefully raking dead sticks and leaves from the flower bed. Soon they saw tiny green shoots peeking above the ground. “Look, Grandpa,” said Aaliyah. “New life!” Grandpa nodded. “It reminds me that Jesus conquered sin and death when He died and rose again and that He’s making a brand-new world. When He returns, it’s going to be more wonderful than we can imagine. There won’t be any thorns or weeds. Animals won’t be afraid of one another or harm people. And all suffering will end.” He grinned at Aaliyah. “Best of all, Christians will live with Jesus forever in a perfect place free of sin and death.” –Carolyn E. Yost How about you? Do you see the effect sin has had on all of creation? It may make you feel sad, but when you see flowers blooming or new plants springing up, thank God that a day is coming when He will take away all the effects of sin. Animals will get along together—and people will too! If you trust in Jesus, you can look forward to being with Him in a brand-new world forever. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. 2 Peter 3:13 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God will make a new world

Read: Psalms 26:2-3; 139:23-24 Eden’s sweater crackled as she pulled it on over her head. She smoothed down her hair and hurried downstairs for breakfast. “What’s so funny?” she asked her brother as she took her seat at the table. “There’s a sock stuck to your back!” said Jonathan. “Oops!” said Mom as she removed the sock from Eden’s sweater. “That’s caused by static electricity. It makes things stick to each other.” “Well, I’m glad Jonathan noticed it,” Eden said. “It would have been embarrassing to go to school with a sock on my back!” After breakfast, Mom picked up her phone. “Let’s read a few Bible verses before you go to school,” she said. “And let’s make sure there isn’t any sin clinging to our lives—kind of like that sock stuck to Eden’s back.” “I don’t have any sin stuck in my life,” Eden said. “What about calling me names when you get mad at me?” asked Jonathan. “You do that a lot.” Eden scowled. “Well, I get mad at you because you take my stuff without asking, even though I’ve told you not to!” Mom sighed. “It’s just like that sock again.” Both Eden and Jonathan gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean?” asked Eden. “You couldn’t see the sock stuck to your back, but Jonathan could see it plainly. It took someone other than you to see it. Sin can be like that—plain to see, but we don’t always see it in our own lives. Someone else often does—just like you two did just now.” “You mean because we both pointed out what the other one did wrong?” asked Jonathan. “Exactly. We don’t always realize when we’ve done something hurtful, which is why we need to listen when others point out sin in our lives. We also need to read the Bible and ask God to show us any sin in our hearts. Then we need to confess it to Jesus, knowing that through Him we’re forgiven and can overcome any sin.” Mom smiled. “After all, we don’t want sin we can’t see clinging to us, do we?” Eden shook her head. “That would be even worse than walking around with a sock on your back!” –Nance E. Keyes How about you? Do you regularly ask God to examine your heart and reveal any sin in your life? Sometimes He does this by having other people point out sins you’re not able to see. So listen carefully when others point out sin they see clinging to you. Pray and read the Bible to see if what they say is true, and ask God if there are any other static sins in your life. Then confess them to Jesus—and tell anyone else you’ve hurt you’re sorry too. Today's Key Verse: Search me, O God…and see if there is any wicked way in me. Psalm 139:23-24 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Don’t allow sin to cling

Read: James 1:17 Parker put down his fork and sighed. “Thanks for dinner, Mom. It was great!” Mom smiled. “Well, thank you, Parker. I know lasagna is your favorite, but you seem to have enjoyed it more than usual.” “Yeah, but it wasn’t just the lasagna. This whole day has been great!” Parker sat back and clasped his fingers behind his head. “The weather was perfect—not too cold and not too hot. And since Dad fixed the tire on my bike yesterday, I was able to ride on those new trails at the park. I can’t wait to get back there tomorrow.” The back door opened and Dad walked in. “Hey, Parker. How was the trail ride?” “It was fantastic, Dad.” Mom wiped her hands on a towel. “Ready for dinner?” she asked Dad. “Parker graciously left you a little bit of food.” “He did? Well, that was very generous of you, Parker.” Parker nodded and looked out the window. “Hey, the cardinal is back at the fence,” he said. “The birds really like that birdseed we bought last Saturday.” “I know,” Dad said. “Whenever I put a handful of seed on the fence, within a few hours it’s all gone.” “Dad, do you think the birds ever wonder where the seeds come from?” Parker asked. “I don’t know, Parker. Maybe. But we don’t have to wonder where the good things in our lives come from. We know that every good thing comes from our Father in heaven. He feeds the birds and provides for us and, best of all, saves us from sin through His Son, Jesus. We need to thank Him for giving us so much every day—and thank those who help bring His blessings into our lives.” “Just like you did when you thanked me for the dinner I made,” said Mom. “You’ve been doing that a lot lately.” “Yeah,” said Parker. “I think saying thank you makes me like your food even more than I did before!” “The same thing happens when we say thank you to God,” said Dad. “It helps us see and appreciate all the good things He’s put in our lives.” "Well then,” said Parker, “I’m definitely going to thank Him for the great day I’ve had today!” –Mike Dize How about you? Do you thank God for all He’s given you? All the good things in your life come from Him—good food, warm clothes, kind words, and the people who love and take care of you. And the best thing of all—Jesus dying on the cross for your sins—also comes from Him. Thank Him for everything He gives you each day, and thank the people in your life who show you His love. Today's Key Verse: In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Be thankful for every good thing

Read: Romans 12:17-21; Colossians 3:12-14 Alaina ran all the way home from the park and came into the kitchen out of breath. She poured a huge glass of cold water and gulped it down. A few minutes later, her sister walked in. “Why didn’t you wait for me?” Hailey asked. Alaina shrugged. “I saw you talking with Blake, so I decided to go for a run.” Hailey sighed. “Are you still mad at him for what he did last month?” “He tripped me on purpose and made me get a big scratch on my face on picture day!” Alaina exclaimed. “But he apologized,” Hailey reminded her. “He’s having a birthday party at his house this weekend and told me to invite you.” “I’m not going!” Alaina said firmly. “Not after what he did.” Dad walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. “Not going where?” he asked. “To Blake’s birthday party,” said Hailey. “Alaina’s still mad at him for tripping her over a month ago.” Just then a fly landed on the rim of Dad’s glass. “Ew!” said Dad. He poured the rest of the water in the sink. “I’ll teach that fly to try swimming in my water. I’m never drinking water again!” Alaina stared at her dad, puzzled. “Dad, it’s just a little fly! And besides, you have to drink water—your body can’t survive without it.” “So giving up water would hurt me more than the fly?” Dad asked. Alaina rolled her eyes. “Of course it would!” “Well, it sounds to me like you’re trying to get back at Blake for what he did to you, but you’re just going to end up hurting yourself a lot more,” said Dad. “That’s what happens when we hold on to bitterness and anger—we hurt ourselves more than anyone else. I know that what Blake did was wrong, but he said he was sorry. Jesus tells us to forgive others because He forgave us, and He promises to help us do that.” Dad grinned. “Besides, you don’t really want to be stuck at home with me while your sister and friends are having fun at Blake’s party, do you?” Alaina sighed. “Okay, Dad. Maybe it’s time I finally forgive him.” –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Are you trying to get back at someone by refusing to forgive them? It’s normal to feel angry when someone hurts you, and sometimes forgiveness takes time. But don’t hold on to feelings that hurt both you and others. If you trust in Jesus, He’s forgiven you for all the wrong things you’ve done, and He wants you to forgive others. Trust Him to help you let go of your bitter, angry feelings and forgive. Today's Key Verse: Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other…Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Let go of bitterness and forgive

Read: Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 8:28-29 “What do you want first, the bad news or the good news?” Mom asked when Morgan got home from school. “The bad news, I guess.” Morgan knew that when Mom played bad news/good news, the news was never terribly bad. “Dad’s job is now transferring to Dalton instead of Briggs,” Mom said. “Dalton? But we already found a nice house in Briggs!” Morgan sighed. “What’s the good news?” “Dalton isn’t as far from here as Briggs, so you and your friends from school can get together more often.” “Well, that is good news, but I still wish we didn’t have to move at all.” Morgan stood up. “I’m going to check on Trixie and her kittens.” Soon Morgan was back. “Mom, Trixie moved her kittens again. She put them back in my room under my bed. I wish they could stay there.” “I know, but that isn’t a good place for them,” said Mom. “It’s too busy with you and your friends coming in and out so often. The kittens are better off in the laundry room.” “Yeah, I guess so. I’ll move them back.” After she moved the kittens, Morgan returned to the kitchen. “I shut the door to my room so Trixie won’t be able to move the kittens there again.” “Good idea,” said Mom. “Did you explain to Trixie that you have a good reason for shutting her out? And that she and her kittens are better off where you put them?” Morgan laughed. “It’s too bad she can’t understand that, right?” “Trixie is just like us,” Mom said. “We thought that the best place for us to live was right here. We expected to stay here a long time, but God has apparently shut the door on that idea.” “And He probably has a good reason too, huh?” said Morgan. Mom nodded. “Even though we don’t understand, we can trust His promise to work everything out for good. He loves us more than we can imagine—so much that He sent Jesus to die for us. We can trust Him to use this move to help us grow in our relationship with Him.” Morgan smiled. “Okay, Mom. Now that the kittens are out of my room, I’m going to do some packing.” –Katherine R. Adams How about you? Have you experienced disappointing changes in your plans? Sometimes change is hard to accept, but God only wants what’s best for you. Trust Him even when things don’t go the way you wish they would. Remember that Jesus loves you so much He died to save you. He will be with you and help you through difficulties you don’t understand. Today's Key Verse: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Romans 8:28 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God knows what’s best

Read: Psalm 51:10-17; Ezekiel 36:26-27 Aunt Dee must be here! Qian thought when he saw a blue mini van parked in their driveway. Maybe she brought Grandma home from the hospital—the doctor said she might come home today. Grandma had been very sick, but she’d had an amazing operation. She’d been given a heart transplant—her diseased heart was removed and a different one was put inside her body. Now she was doing much better. Qian rushed into the house. “Grandma!” he called when he saw her sitting in the living room. She looked pleased to see him. Hugging her gently, Qian asked, “Do you feel better, Grandma?” “Yes, I do, Qian. I was just thanking the Lord for both of my new hearts.” Grandma’s eyes sparkled as they often did when she was happy. “But Grandma,” said Qian, “you just got one new heart.” “I got one new heart in the hospital,” said Grandma. “But I got my first new heart when I was about your age.” “You did? I didn’t know that! Was your heart bad then too?” Grandma smiled. “We often use the word heart to describe our innermost being,” she explained. “And yes, my heart—that innermost part of me—was full of sin. When I asked Jesus to come into my life and take away my sin, it was as if He gave me a new heart—He changed my thoughts, feelings, and desires. After that, I wanted to do things that would help me get to know Jesus better and show others who He is.” Grandma paused, letting Qian think about what she had just said. Then she patted his hand. “I’m thankful for the heart the doctors gave me, but I’m even more thankful to Jesus for saving me from sin and giving me a new spiritual heart.” Qian nodded. “I have a new spiritual heart too, don’t I?” “You do if you trust Jesus as your Savior,” Grandma told him. “Do you?” Qian nodded again. “Yes, I do, Grandma,” he said with a grin. “We both have new hearts.” –Esther M. Bailey How about you? Do you have a new heart? Getting a new heart means that God will change your inner being when you trust Jesus to save you from sin. You’ll start wanting to do what God wants more and more because the Holy Spirit will begin changing your desires. Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? Don’t wait. Trust in Him right now! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. Ezekiel 36:26 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Get a new heart from Jesus

Read: Hebrews 11:1-3; 1 John 5:4-5 “Look out!” said Benjamin as his sister stumbled over a chair. “You must be blind as a bat if you didn’t see that chair, Eliza!” Eliza huffed as she righted the chair. “Bats aren’t blind!” she said. “Yes, they are,” said Benjamin. “They find their way around by listening to sound waves instead of by seeing things with their eyes.” “Yes, but they can see,” said Eliza. “They just don’t see very well, so they rely on their ears to get around.” “Eliza’s right,” Dad said. “The phrase ‘blind as a bat’ is an expression people use, but bats aren’t actually blind.” “My teacher said they fly at night and make squeaky, high-pitched sounds and then listen for the echoes,” said Benjamin. “The amount of time it takes for the sound waves to bounce off something and echo back tells the bat how far away the object is.” “Very good!” said Dad. “And did you know that, like bats, we should depend on more than just what we can see?” “You mean we should use our ears?” asked Eliza. “Like how a train whistle warns us that a train is nearby?” “Well, yes,” said Dad, “but I was thinking of something even more important than eyes or ears. What we need is faith—faith in Jesus, who’s in control of everything even though we can’t see Him. Some people refer to it as ‘blind faith,’ but it’s not blind at all. It’s faith in a living God who loves us, died for us, and promises to help us and guide us.” Eliza grinned. “Just like bats! Bats aren’t really blind—they just depend on something better than what they can see to guide them.” “Exactly,” said Dad. “Bats depend on their ears to help them fly safely at night, and we need to depend on Jesus to keep us safe—even during the dark times of our lives when we don’t understand why things happen or what God’s plan is. At times like that, we can rest in our faith that Jesus has given us eternal life and will always be with us.” “So I guess we’re like bats because we rely on something better than what we can see,” said Benjamin. “Right,” said Eliza. “We rely on Jesus!” –Tanya Ferdinandusz How about you? Do you have faith in Jesus? The things you can see that make you feel secure—food, shelter, possessions, even friends and family—can only go so far. People make mistakes, and the things you have can’t help you when bad things happen. Only Jesus can give you eternal security. Though you can’t see Him, He cares about you and will always be with you, even in difficult times. Live by faith and trust Him to guide you day by day. Today's Key Verse: We walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Live by faith

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 “We can make applesauce, apple dumplings, apple strudel, apple pies, apple butter…” Hannah’s voice trailed off as she lugged a basket of apples into the kitchen. “Sounds like you’ve got big plans for all these apples we picked,” said Aunt Maria. She took some of the apples from Hannah’s basket. “We’ll make a batch or two of applesauce and freeze some of it. Would you like to start peeling apples?” “Okay,” said Hannah. She got out a peeler and some bowls and started working. “How many do we need to do?” she asked after a while. “It will take forever to peel all these and take the cores out.” Aunt Maria laughed. “I don’t think it will take that long.” She looked down at the apple she was peeling. “Have you ever wondered how many apples could come from just one of these seeds?” Hannah shrugged. “Lots and lots, I guess.” She grinned. “Just think, if one seed grew into a tree and produced a crop of apples, and if each seed from each of those apples grew into another tree and each of those trees produced a crop of apples, and each seed from each of those apples grew into a tree and—” Aunt Maria rolled her eyes. “You’re making me tired! That story could go on for a very long time—but that’s an interesting thought. I’m sure the numbers would get beyond what we could count.” She removed the core from an apple and held it up so Hannah could see the seeds. “Here’s another interesting thought. If I plant just one seed for Jesus—if I tell someone about Him or treat them with the same kindness He would show them—who knows what He could do with it? Who knows how many people He might reach through my small effort? It’s easy to forget that all I need to do is plant—God is the one who makes everything grow.” As she was speaking, Uncle Matt walked in. “That’s right,” he said, “and I’m very thankful He made these apples grow!” He grinned. “Now, who will volunteer to make me an apple pie?” Hannah laughed. “Aunt Maria and I will make you one—but only if you help us peel more apples!” –Katherine Chapman How about you? Are you planting seeds for Jesus? Do you tell others about Him and show them His love? God can use any word or deed to make a difference in countless people’s lives—and He wants to work through you! Start planting seeds in other people’s hearts through your words and actions today and trust God to make those seeds grow. Today's Key Verse: I planted the seed in your hearts…but it was God who made it grow. 1 Corinthians 3:6 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Plant seeds for Jesus

Read: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 “This isn’t working!” said Lucas. “Josiah is really good at math, and today he showed me how to do these math problems, but I still can’t figure them out.” Mom walked to the table where Lucas was doing his homework. “Doesn’t your textbook tell you how to do them? Let’s take a look at it to make sure Josiah gave you the right information.” “Okay,” said Lucas. He opened the book and found the chapter they were studying. “All right,” said Mom. “Now try it one more time. Follow these directions step by step.” She pointed to the instructions listed in the textbook. Lucas started again. “Now it’s working!” he said a little later. “Josiah left out a step when he told me how to do these. Thanks for helping me, Mom.” That evening, Dad asked Lucas to read their family devotional out loud. “Read the Bible passage first,” he said, “and then the story.” “But some of the words in the Bible are too hard for me, and I don’t know what a lot of the verses mean anyway,” said Lucas. “Can’t I just read the story?” “The stories help us understand the Bible passage, but they’re not God’s Word,” said Dad. “We need to read the Bible to hear God’s truth and direction for our lives and trust Him to use His Word to make us more like Jesus. Mom and I will help you with any hard words.” Mom nodded. “Lucas, think about what happened when you were doing your homework today. You couldn’t get the correct answer going by Josiah’s directions, could you? They were missing a step, right?” “Right,” said Lucas. “But when I read the book, I got it.” “Exactly,” said Mom. “I’m sure Josiah meant to teach you how to do it the right way, but people make mistakes. That’s why we need to read God’s Word for ourselves.” “That’s right,” said Dad. “It’s important to listen to others who can help us understand what the Bible says, but we also need to read it ourselves to know what they say is true. God speaks to us through His Word, and He doesn’t make mistakes.” Lucas flipped through the Bible’s pages. “Okay, I found the verses for tonight, and I’m ready to read.” –Shelley L. Russwurm How about you? Do you find the Bible hard to read? Are some of the words difficult for you to understand? Keep on reading anyway! As you get older, it will become easier for you to read and understand. You can ask parents, teachers, and pastors to help explain what some of the verses mean. Above all, trust God to help you understand the truth of His Word and use it to make you more like Jesus. Today's Key Verse: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true…It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Read God’s Word

Read: 1 Peter 1:17-21 “Oh no!” said Mei. “I won’t be able to mail this birthday card to Grandma until Monday.” “Why not?” asked Mei’s little sister, Anya. “The mailman hasn’t come yet. I’ll go put it in the mailbox for you.” Mei shook her head. “We’re out of stamps. Without a stamp on the envelope, this won’t go anywhere.” Anya looked thoughtful for a moment and then bounded off to her bedroom. She soon returned with her hands behind her back and a grin on her face. “What are you hiding?” asked Mei. Anya beamed with pride as she held out a roll of dinosaur stickers. “You can use one of my stamps to mail your letter.” Mei smiled at her sister. “That’s very nice of you, Anya, but I’m afraid your stickers won’t work. A letter has to have a postage stamp on it. Your stickers are nice, but letters have to have the real thing.” Anya frowned, and Mei tried to explain. “Postage stamps are a special kind of sticker. You buy them at the post office, and when you stick one on a letter, it shows that you’ve paid for the letter to be delivered. Then the people at the post office make sure it gets where you want it to go.” Mei gave her sister a hug. “Sorry, Anya, but thanks for trying to help.” Anya hesitated, then peeled off a dinosaur sticker and stuck it on the back of Mei’s hand. “You can have a sticker anyway,” she said with a grin. Mom, who was standing nearby, smiled as Anya skipped away. “You know, Mei, your explanation of how payment has to be made for a letter to be delivered reminds me of the payment needed for us to get to heaven. We might try to pay our own way by doing good things, but that’s like using a dinosaur sticker on a letter. To get to heaven, we need the real thing.” “Right,” said Mei. “Jesus!” Mom nodded. “We can’t pay our way to heaven at all—only Jesus can. He died on the cross to make the payment that guarantees our sins are forgiven and we have a place with Him forever. Only He can deliver us from sin into a new life with Him.” –Kelly M. Schaefer How about you? Did you know that the price for you to go to heaven has been paid in full? Jesus gave His life so your sins could be forgiven and you could have eternal life with Him. So don’t try to make that payment yourself! None of the good things you do can pay for the wrong you’ve done—only Jesus can. Accept His payment by trusting in Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. Romans 5:9 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Accept Jesus’s payment for sin

Read: Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:12-13 Aaron and his mom sat on the floor with one of his dresser drawers beside them. “I want to keep that!” Aaron said as Mom tossed a worn-out toy into a trash bag. Mom was helping him clean out his drawers, and she kept wanting to throw things away. “Why keep all this junk?” Mom asked. “It doesn’t leave any room for all the good things you have.” “It’s not junk!” said Aaron. “These are good things too.” “Good things?” Mom pointed to a pair of broken sunglasses and a small motorcycle with only one wheel. “These don’t look like good things to me. They look like they should be dumped in the trash!” Aaron picked up the motorcycle. “But this was my favorite motorcycle. It would still be good if Reece hadn’t broken it! He always wanted to play with it, and he took it home one day without asking. When he brought it back, a wheel was gone!” Aaron scowled. “It makes me mad when I think about it.” “Aaron, that happened a long time ago,” Mom said gently. “I don’t care,” said Aaron. “It still makes me really mad!” Mom sighed. “I think you may need to put more than this junk in the trash.” “What do you mean?” asked Aaron. “It sounds like you’re hanging on to some anger and resentment. The Bible says to get rid of all bitterness and anger. That’s like dumping it in the trash, and I don’t think you’ve done that yet.” Aaron spun the single wheel of his motorcycle. “I don’t know how.” “To get rid of it, you need to give it to Jesus,” said Mom. “He’s forgiven you for all the wrong things you’ve done, and He wants you to do the same for Reece. I know it’s not easy, but He’ll help you do it—just like I’m helping you clean out the junk from your drawers. Trust Him to help you let go of the bitterness and anger in your heart and replace it with love so you can forgive Reece.” Aaron was quiet for a moment, then slowly placed the broken motorcycle in the trash bag. He took a baseball mitt from the drawer. “Reece asked if he could borrow this.” Aaron smiled at Mom. “I’ll bring it to him tomorrow.” –Pamela J. Kuhn How about you? Are you holding a grudge against someone? It hurts when others wrong us, and it can be hard to forgive them. But you don’t have to do it on your own. If you trust in Jesus, He’s forgiven you for all the wrong things you’ve done, and He will help you forgive others. Trust Him to help you dump the junk in your heart and replace it with His love. Today's Key Verse: Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger…Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Don’t hold grudges

Read: James 3:5-10 Milo looked up as his little sister limped into the kitchen. “What’s wrong?” “I need new shoes!” Presley said. She lifted her right foot. “This one hurts me!” Milo smirked. “Because you don’t know how to put shoes on right. You probably have them on the wrong feet.” He laughed. “You’re such a baby!” Presley crossed her arms. “I’m six years old. I know which shoe goes on which foot!” “Let me see,” said Dad, and Presley lifted her foot for him to check. “It’s the tongue of the shoe, honey,” he said, untying it. “It’s twisted and all bunched up. We’ll just straighten it out.” Dad pulled hard on the tongue and retied the shoe. “How does it feel now?” Presley ran around the room and jumped. “That’s better! It’s all fixed!” “Well, you may have gotten your shoe on the right foot, but you didn’t put it on correctly,” said Milo. “Like I said, you’re such a baby.” “Stop it, Milo!” said Presley, close to tears. “Milo, that’s enough,” said Dad. “It was the tongue in Presley’s shoe that was causing a problem, but there’s another one causing a much bigger problem.” Milo looked down at his feet. “My shoes are fine, Dad.” “You may not have a problem with the tongue in your shoe, but what about the one in your mouth?” asked Dad. Milo sighed. “I guess you mean I need to be nicer to Presley.” Dad nodded. “The Bible says the tongue is small but can do a great deal of damage—just like the tongue in Presley’s shoe.” “Yeah,” said Presley. “It didn’t seem like such a little thing could hurt my foot so much.” “Words can hurt people a lot more than shoes can hurt feet,” said Dad. “That’s why we need to be careful with our tongues. Jesus wants us to use our words to help others and show them His love. If we’re using them to hurt others instead, we have a big problem—one only Jesus can fix by straightening out our hearts and helping us love others the way He does.” Milo nodded. “I’m sorry, Presley,” he said. “Here, let me show you how I put my shoes on so you’ll always know how to do it right.” –Mary F. Watkins How about you? Do you have a problem tongue? Do you say things to hurt others and make them upset? Tongues are small things that can cause a lot of damage and pain. If you’re using words to make someone feel bad, talk to Jesus about it and trust Him to help you love that person the way He does. Then use your words to help that person instead of hurting them. Today's Key Verse: I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin. Psalm 39:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Watch your words

Read: Matthew 5:10-12, 44; 1 Peter 4:14-16 “I had a terrible day,” Chase told his friends Thomas and Joel. “The guys in gym class laughed at me because I told them to stop making fun of this kid who goes to my church. Then they started making fun of me instead,” he said as his mom set a plate of carrots and dip on the table. “My day wasn’t so great either,” said Joel. “A girl in my class offered to give me the answers for the science homework that’s due tomorrow. I said no, and at lunch I overheard her telling her friends I was a ‘good little Christian’ and laughing about it.” Thomas nodded as he bit into a carrot. “My cousin drove me to the store after school to buy some baseball cards, and the guy at the cash register gave me too much change. My cousin said I was dumb for returning the extra money. I told him I did it because it was what Jesus would do, but he just rolled his eyes.” Thomas sighed. “I don’t get why everyone gives us a hard time for doing the right thing!” “I’m really not surprised to hear that you boys are being mocked for being Christians,” Chase’s mom said. “In fact, that’s good!” The boys looked surprised. “It is?” asked Chase. Mom nodded. “The Bible says we can expect that. Those who follow Jesus have an entirely different way of living, and it sometimes makes other people uncomfortable, so they try to make us uncomfortable too. God says to pray for them and be glad.” She grinned at the boys. “So cheer up!” Joel frowned. “I’m not sure I get it. Why should we be glad when people make fun of us?” “Because people also made fun of Jesus,” Chase’s mom explained. “I know it’s hard to understand, but being mocked for our faith is one way we can show others who He is. So don’t give in to the temptation to get even with those who make fun of you. Instead, pray for them, and thank Jesus for giving you the strength to live the way He wants you to.” “Okay, Mom.” Chase smiled. “I guess it wasn’t such a bad day after all!” –Linda J. Opp How about you? Do you get upset when others mock you for being a Christian? It hurts when others treat you that way, but remember that Jesus was treated that way too. But He didn’t try to get even. Instead, He prayed for those who persecuted Him—and He wants you to do the same. Pray for those who treat you badly for being a Christian, and thank Jesus for using you to show others who He is. Today's Key Verse: It is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! 1 Peter 4:16 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Rejoice and pray when persecuted

READ: Romans 10:9-13; Galatians 3:28 “Oh, look, Mom!” Alyssa picked up a pair of gloves in the store. “These would match my new winter jacket perfectly! But I doubt they’ll have my size—they haven’t had my size in anything else I wanted today.” Alyssa and her mother were having a rather unsuccessful shopping trip. “Well, let’s have a look,” said Mom. “We might be able to order your size online if they don’t carry it in the store.” Alyssa looked at the tag. “One size fits all.” She dropped the gloves. “Yeah, right. Those ‘one size’ things never fit me.” “Try one on anyway,” said Mom. “Maybe you’ll be surprised.” With a sigh, Alyssa picked up a glove and slipped her hand into it. “It fits!” she squealed in delight. “How about that?” Mom looked at the price tag. “And the price is right too. Looks like you’ve got some new gloves!” Back home, Alyssa told Dad about the shopping trip. “I never believe those ‘one size fits all’ tags,” she said. “But this time it told the truth!” After Dad read a Bible passage for family devotions that evening, Mom grinned at Alyssa. “The verses Dad just read say that whoever calls on Jesus is saved. Do you know what that makes me think of, Alyssa? It makes me think of your ‘one size fits all’ gloves. These Bible verses assure us that salvation through Jesus Christ fits everybody. Anyone can be saved from sin and have eternal life by trusting Jesus as their Lord and Savior.” “That’s right,” said Dad. “But you didn’t believe what the tag on the gloves said at first, did you, Alyssa? And some people might not believe what the Bible says about salvation. We might think we’re good enough and don’t need to be saved through Jesus. Or we may believe we’re too bad to ever be forgiven. What does God say?” “He says we all need to trust Jesus as our Savior,” replied Alyssa. “Yes, and He invites all of us to do that,” Dad said. “God offers salvation to everyone in the whole world! Anyone who accepts God’s offer and trusts in Jesus will be saved and spend eternity with Him.” –Hazel W. Marett How about you? Have you accepted God’s offer of salvation and trusted in Jesus? Maybe you don’t think you need to be saved because you’re a pretty good person already. Or maybe you think you’ve done too many bad things to ever be saved. Neither is true. Each one of us has done wrong and needs to be saved, but no one is out of God’s reach. He will save anyone who trusts in Jesus. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Salvation fits everybody

Read: Psalm 34:18; Matthew 28:20 Maya watched the windshield wipers sweep away the raindrops as she brushed away her tears. The autumn sky was gray as they drove home from her grandma’s funeral. “Why did God let Grandma die, Mom?” Maya asked. Mom turned around, and Dad looked at her in the rearview mirror with sad eyes. “Cancer kills a lot of people, Maya,” said Mom. “Grandma loved Jesus and had a long and beautiful life.” “But why didn’t God heal her? Where was He?” “I don’t know why God didn’t heal Grandma,” Mom replied. “But I know she’s in heaven with Jesus. I also know that Jesus is right here with us. The Bible says that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and that He never leaves us.” Maya slumped in her seat, and Mom patted her knee. “I’ll show you something that Grandma taught me when we get home.” Dad pulled into the driveway, and Mom kissed his cheek. “Why don’t you make three mugs of hot chocolate while Maya and I take a field trip to the backyard?” Maya followed Mom and watched her gather a handful of colorful leaves. “When I was your age, Grandma taught me why leaves change color in the fall. Leaves are green because of special green stuff inside them called chlorophyll. The chlorophyll takes the sun’s energy and turns it into food for the tree. When the days get shorter in the fall, there’s not enough sunlight for the tree to keep making food, so the chlorophyll gets pulled inside the tree. When the green chlorophyll goes away, the beautiful orange and yellow colors show through.” “So the orange and yellow colors were there all along, you just couldn’t see them because of all the green?” Maya asked. “You got it. Grandma said that just like those orange and yellow colors, Jesus is with us even when we can’t see Him. She helped me press some orange and yellow leaves in the pages of my Bible to remind me that God never ‘leaves’ us.” She handed Maya the leaves she was holding. “I think we should do the same thing with these.” Maya looked down at the leaves in her hand. “Okay,” she said. “But after we’ve had some hot chocolate!” –Jared Hottenstein How about you? Has something painful happened in your life that you don’t understand? Following Jesus doesn’t mean you won’t ever go through difficult experiences. There will be times in your life when it seems like God is far away, but the Bible promises that He’s always close to you, even when it doesn’t feel like it. No matter what you go through or how you feel, He never leaves. Today's Key Verse: The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God never leaves

Read: Psalm 29 Adrian dragged his toe in the dirt as the swing went back and forth, back and forth. He was hardly swinging at all. “Isn’t swinging supposed to put a smile on your face?” Adrian looked up and cracked a grin. It was his neighbor, Mr. Snyder. “I saw you sitting here as I walked by and noticed you seem a bit down,” Mr. Snyder said as he took a vacant swing. “What’s nagging at you?” “Just some stuff I have going on at school.” Adrian kicked at the dirt again. “I can’t seem to stop worrying about it.” “I see,” said Mr. Snyder. “That reminds me of something that happened to me last hunting season.” “What was that?” Adrian asked. “Well,” Mr. Snyder began, “I had tracked a herd of elk to the top of a hill when a thunderstorm came out of nowhere. By the time I reached the top, thunder was crashing and the elk were gone. I crouched behind a rock, wondering what I should do, when suddenly, just a few yards from me, lightning struck the ground!” Adrian’s eyes opened wide. “Whoa! What did you do?” Mr. Snyder laughed. “I ran down the hill like crazy! Never stopped running until I reached my truck and jumped inside. What a storm! But you know what I realized? While I was running down that hill, I was so consumed with the power of the storm that never once did I think of anything else. And that taught me a lesson.” “I need to think about storms and then I won’t worry?” asked Adrian in surprise. Mr. Snyder shook his head. “The more we fill our minds with thoughts about God’s awesome power and greatness and remember He is present with us, the less room we have for worry.” “Oh,” Adrian said. “How do we do that?” “Praying, reading the Bible, and going to church can help us focus our minds on Jesus and His promise to always be with us. He loves you so much He died for you, Adrian, and He wants you to bring your worries to Him. I think you should also talk to your parents about what’s going on so they can help too.” Adrian hopped off the swing. “Thanks, Mr. Snyder! I’m gonna go home and do that right now!” –Rebecca Thomas How about you? Are there things going on at school or home that you’re worried about? Is your mind often filled with what-ifs? Whatever it is, God can handle it. He has power over everything and loves you more than you can imagine. When you’re struggling with worry, focus your mind on Jesus. Lay your worries at His feet and trust Him to help you—and share your worries with an adult who can help too. Today's Key Verse: Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Psalm 29:2 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Fill your mind with God’s greatness

READ: 1 John 4:7-11 “I know the Bible says God loves everybody, but I don’t really see how He could love Gianna,” Quinn told her older sister as they raked leaves in the backyard. “Is she that girl in your class who cuts in the cafeteria line?” Tori asked as she filled a large bag with leaves. “Yes,” said Quinn. “And cheats and steals and says mean things about people.” Tori was about to respond when Quinn’s dog dashed through their pile of leaves and scattered them all over. “Pepper!” Tori yelled. “Bad dog!” Just as Quinn and Tori got the scattered leaves raked into a pile again, Pepper appeared with a dead mouse in his mouth. “Oh, gross!” said Tori, jumping away. “Get that thing out of here!” Pepper ran through the leaf pile again as he dashed away. Pepper returned later when the girls were taking a break and lay down at Quinn’s feet. “Honestly, Quinn,” said Tori, “I don’t see how you can love that creature. Pepper is always getting into trouble and messing things up, and he growls at Grandma every time she comes over.” “But he has a lot of good qualities too.” Quinn wrapped her arms around Pepper. “Even if he didn’t, I’d still love him because he’s mine!” “I know you would.” Tori threw Pepper a stick, and he snatched it up and carried it to the opposite side of the yard. “That’s a lot like how God loves us—He created us, and when our sin separated us from Him, He sent Jesus to die for us so we could be His again. He died for everyone in the whole world—including you and me and Gianna. So He must love her too, just like He loves us, right?” Quinn thought about that. “Yes,” she said at last. Tori got up and began raking leaves again. “God loves us despite all the bad things we do, and He helps us love others like He does.” Tori smiled as Pepper rushed back over to them, happily chomping on his stick. “I don’t think I’d be able to love Pepper on my own, but since my sister loves him, I can love him too. And it’s the same with Gianna. You can love her because Jesus does.” –Ruth McQuilkin How about you? Do you wonder how God can love people who do bad things? God does love those people—including you! He loves you despite all the bad things you’ve done. Jesus loves everyone in the world so much that He was willing to die to save us from sin so we could belong to Him. Show others the love He’s shown you by loving them like He does. Today's Key Verse: And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. Ephesians 5:2 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Learn to love others

Read: 1 Timothy 4:11-16 Aimee reached for her cup of hot chocolate and glanced out the window as a group of kids walked across the neighbor’s lawn on their way home from the bus stop. The mug froze halfway to her mouth when she noticed one of them was her little sister. “Brooklyn, you know Mr. Wilson doesn’t like it when you cut across his lawn!” Aimee said when her sister came through the door. “Why did you do that?” “Well, the other kids said there isn’t anything wrong with taking a shortcut,” Brooklyn replied. “They said Mr. Wilson has to learn not to get so mad. Those kids are older than me, so they would know.” “They’re older and know more than you, so that means they’re always right?” asked Aimee. When Brooklyn shrugged in response, Aimee looked down at her mug. “This hot chocolate is really good,” she said. “Want me to make some for you?” “Yeah!” Brooklyn followed Aimee into the kitchen and watched her spoon some chocolate mix into a cup and then take a pitcher of water from the fridge. “Why are you getting out the ice water, Aimee? I thought you were making hot chocolate. You have to use hot water!” “Says who? I’m older, so if I say pouring ice water over the chocolate mix will make hot chocolate, it will.” Brooklyn stared at her sister. “No, it won’t!” Aimee set down the pitcher of water. “So you see that being older doesn’t make anybody always right?” Brooklyn sighed and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I get what you’re saying.” “Good,” said Aimee. “Do you remember what Pastor Williams said last Sunday?” Brooklyn tried to remember the sermon. “He said no matter how old or young we are, Christians can do what’s right because Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us in following what God says in the Bible.” “Yes, and that includes you!” said Aimee. “And what do you think God says is the right thing to do about Mr. Wilson’s lawn?” Brooklyn sighed. “Be kind by staying off it so he doesn’t get upset.” “I agree.” Aimee smiled. “Now, how about some hot chocolate—with hot water?” Brooklyn nodded eagerly. “Yes, please!” –Melissa J. Montgomery How about you? Do you go along with whatever older kids say is okay to do? Have they told you it’s okay to do something your parents or teachers say you shouldn’t do? What God says in the Bible determines what’s right or wrong—not what anyone else says. And He gives Christians the Holy Spirit so we can obey Him and show His love to others. You may be young, but if you know Jesus, you can do what’s right. Today's Key Verse: Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Do the right thing