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

Read: John 1:35-42 “Hey, Nicholas, wait up!” Wyatt called as he ran to catch up with a new boy in his class. “Didn’t you just move here from Chelton?” “Yeah,” said Nicholas. “Got here last week.” Wyatt beamed. “Isn’t that the hometown of Anthony Smith, the basketball player? Do you know him?” “Oh yeah, I know Anthony,” Nicholas said, happy to meet someone who was interested in basketball. “Chelton is a small town, so everybody knows everybody. I’ve seen Anthony play lots of times, and he even helped coach my team at basketball camp when he was in high school. He taught me everything I know about basketball.” Wyatt and Nicholas became close friends. If they weren’t playing ball, they were talking about it and hoping they could see Anthony Smith play. Nicholas always spoke proudly of his friendship with the famous basketball player. “My mom says I listen to him better than I do to her,” he said with a grin. Soon the boys’ parents made plans to see Anthony Smith play. Their families would sit together in the bleachers close to the court. Everyone was looking forward to the big day. On the Sunday before the game, Wyatt could hardly contain himself as he shared the news with his class at church. “Guess what! I’m going to meet Anthony Smith!” “The basketball player?” asked his teacher, Mr. Jones. “Yes! My friend Nicholas knows him,” said Wyatt. “We have tickets to see him play this week!” “No way!” said one of the boys. Wyatt nodded. “Nicholas talks about Anthony all the time. Since he knows him, I’ll get to meet him after the game!” “That’s great, Wyatt!” said Mr. Jones. “And that’s also a good intro for what we’re going to talk about in class today—the importance of telling others about Jesus. Your friend Nicholas is a good example of someone who is eager to talk about an important person he knows. Are we just as eager to tell people that we know Jesus? He’s the Creator of the universe who became human and died for our sins so we could have a relationship with Him. When we share how exciting it is to know Jesus, we give others an opportunity to know Him too.” –Jan L. Hansen How about you? Are you eager to tell your friends about important people you know? What about Jesus—do you tell others you know Him? Today’s Bible reading tells how Andrew brought his own brother to meet Jesus. You can introduce a brother, sister, or friend to Jesus too! Tell them how wonderful it is to know Him personally and that they can know Him too. Today’s key verse: The believers…preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Acts 8:4 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Share Jesus with others

Read: Philippians 4:6-8; James 5:13-16 “Mom! Amara’s in her closet crying,” called out Sadie. “She was fussing all the way home from school too!” Sadie and Amara shared a bedroom, and Amara often hid in her side of the closet when she was upset or wanted to be alone. Pulling back a few dresses, Mom peered into the closet. Tears were streaming down Amara’s face, and her arms were wrapped around her bent knees. Mom gently touched Amara’s arm. “Hey, sweetie, what’s the matter?” Through her tears, Amara muttered, “A kid at school cussed at another kid. The bad words keep coming into my head.” Amara wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “Why doesn’t it go away?” Mom crawled into the closet and held Amara. “Oh, Amara, sometimes that happens to us. When it does, we need to remember that we belong to Jesus, whose sacrifice on the cross covers all our bad thoughts—those we think on purpose and those we don’t. Let’s ask Him to help you with this.” Mom closed her eyes and held Amara’s hands. “Dear Jesus, please help Amara know You love her and that You can help stop these bad words in her mind. Your Word tells us to share our problems with others and pray. Please help her as she struggles with these bad thoughts. Thank you, Lord. Amen.” Mom gave Amara a hug. “You know, Amara, another thing that can help with upsetting thoughts is the Bible. There’s a verse in Philippians that tells us to think about good things, and that can help bad thoughts go away. When we read and memorize God’s Word, it helps us focus on Jesus, who promises to be with us in our struggles and give us grace.” Mom picked up Amara’s teddy bear and wiggled it. She gave the bear a silly voice: “Amara, do you want to go find Sadie and have some ice cream with me?” Amara smiled and nodded. The rest of the day, Amara was her happy self, singing and playing with Sadie. During bedtime prayers, Amara said, “Jesus, thank You for loving me and helping me think about good things.” –Carrie Hetzel How about you? Did you know you can talk to God about anything? No matter what you’re struggling with, He wants to hear about it and help you. Sometimes our thoughts can be troubling and scary, and it can be helpful to tell a doctor or trusted adult about how we’re feeling too. God wants us to share our struggles with one another so we can pray and point each other to the truth and love of Jesus. Let His promises in the Bible remind you that He’s with you and offers you grace in every situation. Today’s key verse: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Seek help with struggles

Read: Hebrews 13:5-6 Daniel tightened his helmet and straddled his all-terrain vehicle. “The gas tanks are full,” his older brother Tim shouted over the engine roar. “Let’s tear up the trails.” Daniel kick-started his engine and revved the motor. “Oh yeah. I have a need for speed.” “Follow me,” Tim called. He hit the gas, spinning the tires and shooting dirt and gravel everywhere. They steered their ATVs onto the old freight train route, which had long been abandoned. The wood ties and steel rails had been removed years ago, leaving miles of continuous trails. After several miles, they entered a secluded clearing with a dozen old abandoned train cabooses nearly hidden from view. They both skidded to a stop, cut their engines, and pulled off their helmets. “It looks like a caboose graveyard,” Daniel said. Tim nodded. “Let’s explore.” They set their helmets on the ATVs and cautiously walked toward the cabooses. “You think there’s anything—or anyone—living inside them?” Daniel asked. “We’ll know in a minute,” Tim said. “The first caboose has a broken door. Let’s go inside.” Tim pushed the door. It creaked as it opened, sounding like a haunted house. “This is so cool,” he said. They checked each caboose. They were all identical, with fading paint, cracked windows, and sagging doors. Daniel scratched his head. “Why would anyone abandon them?” Tim picked up a piece of rotting wood. “Somebody felt they weren’t important anymore.” “I’m glad that Jesus doesn’t feel that way about us,” said Daniel. Tim tossed the wood into the tall grass. “The Bible says Jesus will never abandon us.” Daniel smiled. “No matter what trail of life we’re on!” “That’s right,” Tim said. “He loved us enough to die on the cross for our sins. We’re always important to Him.” Daniel looked at the darkening sky. “We’d better head back. But I hate to just leave these things. I wonder if I can adopt a caboose.” Tim laughed. “Have fun getting it home!” –Matt Shoemaker How about you? Have you ever experienced the feeling of being abandoned? People can do hurtful things that make us feel like we’re not important, but Jesus promises never to abandon those who trust in Him. He died for you and rose from the dead so you could have life with Him forever! No matter where you go or what you do, He promises to always be with you. You are important to Him. Today’s key verse: Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. Psalm 9:10 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Jesus will never abandon us

Read: Psalm 121; Isaiah 41:10 “Wow, Dad! Did you see those fish?” Maya’s eyes sparkled as she lifted her face out of the water and adjusted her snorkeling mask. “I sure did!” Dad said. “Those little blue ones look like some they have in aquariums at the pet store.” “And I almost touched one of those black-and-yellow-striped ones!” Maya was bubbling with excitement. Dad looked at the setting sun. “Well, it’s getting late. We’d better start swimming back to shore. Are you ready?” “So soon? Well, okay. Bet I can beat you back!” They started toward shore, but it was farther away than Maya had realized. “Dad, can we rest a minute?” she called out after a while. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Dad said as he swam up beside her. “If we do, this current may take us too far off shore. Here—” Dad stretched out his hand. “I’ll pull you along.” Soon they reached shore, tired but safe. When they got home, Maya told her mother about their afternoon. “It’s a good thing Dad was there to tow me in to shore,” she said. “I was really tired!” Mom smiled. “You know, I needed a little towing myself this afternoon.” Maya looked at her in surprise. “You did?” Mom nodded. “I was preparing the lesson I have to teach at church this week, and I felt like quitting. God used a phone call from a friend and some verses I read in the Bible to encourage me. It’s like I was towed back to a better attitude.” “Sometimes Christians can get a little weary of doing things we know are right,” said Dad. “There are times when we need encouragement and help to move us along.” “I know where I’d go for encouragement and help,” said Maya. “You and Mom!” Dad chuckled. “Good. We’ll help as much as we can. God often uses other Christians to help us when we struggle against the current of temptation or difficult circumstances. But there’s an even better source of help we can run to—Jesus Himself. He saved us, and we need to learn to depend on Him in every circumstance. He’s always there to encourage us and pull us along.” –Richard S. Maffeo How about you? Do you sometimes get discouraged in living the Christian life? Do you struggle with temptation or get made fun of for doing what’s right? When you need help and encouragement, turn to Jesus. He may use a Bible verse or another Christian to encourage you. Whenever you’re feeling down, trust Him to be with you and give you the help you need. Today’s key verse: I [God] am with you…I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Look to Jesus for help

Read: Ephesians 4:26-32 The baseball blasted off Logan’s bat like a rocket. “Nice shot,” Jayden said. The ball crashed through the upstairs window of the Cooleys’ house. Mrs. Cooley screamed, and a man’s shouts filled the air. Logan dropped his bat. “We’re dead. Let’s get out of here.” Jayden was already tightening his shoe laces. “If we’re gonna run, it’s now or never.” Mr. Cooley appeared from inside the broken window. “Stay right there, Jayden!” he yelled. “I’m coming down. You’re gonna pay for this!” Jayden froze. “How does he know my name?” he asked Logan. The boys moved closer together as Mr. Cooley stepped into the yard and stomped toward them. “Guess you won’t have to wash the window today, dear,” Mrs. Cooley called from inside. Mr. Cooley stopped—and smiled. “She’s been wanting me to clean that thing all day, but I didn’t want to pull out the ladder. You two may have done me a favor.” Logan looked at Mr. Cooley nervously. “We’ll pay for the damages,” he said. Mr. Cooley sighed. “I really erupted like Mount St. Helens, didn’t I?” Jayden scratched his head. “Who’s St. Helen? Your wife?” Mr. Cooley laughed. “No. Not my wife. Mount St. Helens is a volcano in Washington State that blew it’s top in 1980. It was one of the largest natural disasters in US history.” He shook his head. “Sorry, boys. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. It was wrong.” “You’re saying sorry—to us?” Jayden asked. “But we busted your window!” “And I overreacted,” said Mr. Cooley. “The Bible has a lot to say about anger. While it’s okay to feel angry, we shouldn’t let our anger cause us to sin and keep us from showing others God’s love.” He smiled at the boys. “It’s clear I’m still learning lessons about controlling my anger.” Jayden smiled back. “That’s okay.” “And you boys need to learn some lessons too,” Mr. Cooley said. “Like not to play baseball too close to houses.” Mr. Cooley held up the ball and pointed to Jayden’s name written on it. “And to never write your name on a ball if you’re going to send it through a window.” He winked. “There are too many hotheads living around here!” –Matt Shoemaker How about you? Do you have trouble controlling your anger? Does your temper erupt like a volcano? It’s natural to get angry, but letting anger lead to hurtful and unkind words does a lot of damage and keeps you from showing others God’s love. When you feel like you’re about to blow your top, stop and remember how much Jesus loves you. Then trust Him to help you love others the way He does. Today’s key verse: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Control anger

Read: 1 John 1:5-9 Holding his dirty, greasy hands high in front of him, Dad pushed the kitchen door open with his elbow. “Please turn on the faucet for me, Charlie,” he said. “I don’t want to touch anything.” “Wow!” said Charlie, quickly turning on the water. “How did you get your hands so dirty?” “I’ve been working on the car,” replied Dad. Charlie shook his head. “You’ll never get those hands clean.” “Sure I will,” said Dad. “But not with regular soap. There’s some special hand cleaner under the sink. It’s made for removing grease and oil.” Charlie reached under the sink and pulled out the container of hand cleaner. Dad sank his fingers into the goo and rubbed it over his hands. He worked it in well, scrubbing between his fingers and around the nails with a soft brush. When he was finished, he rinsed his hands under the warm water. “What do you think?” he asked, holding up his hands for Charlie to inspect. “That’s amazing!” said Charlie. “You had the dirtiest hands I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe you got them so clean!” Dad grinned as he dried his hands. That evening Dad and Charlie watched a news report about a prisoner who said he had turned his life over to Christ and was now totally changed. Charlie turned to Dad. “Did you hear all the awful things that guy did?” he asked. “He can’t just say he’s sorry and be forgiven after doing all those horrible things, can he?” “If he’s trusted Jesus as his Savior, God has forgiven him,” Dad replied. “Jesus shed His blood on the cross for our sins, and that blood is powerful enough to cleanse even the most sinful of souls.” “So if a person trusts Jesus to save them from sin, God will forgive them no matter what they’ve done?” asked Charlie. Dad nodded and held up his hands. “The blood of Jesus is far more powerful than the cleanser I used on my dirty, greasy hands,” he said. “Jesus’s blood truly is an amazing cleanser!” –Judith A. Philip How about you? Has your sin been washed away by Jesus’s blood? Maybe you’ve done some really terrible things and don’t think you could ever be forgiven. It doesn’t matter how big or small your sins seem to you or other people. All sin is terrible in God’s sight, but Jesus’s blood is powerful enough to wash it all away! Confess your sin and trust in Him, and He will forgive you. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: The blood of Jesus washes sin away

Read: John 15:9-14; 1 John 3:16-18 “Mom, there he is! Grab the bag!” Harper pressed her nose against the glass of the car window as Mom smiled and handed the man on the corner a bag filled with food and treats. The man smiled and said, “God bless you!” as he accepted the free gift. Whenever they went out, Mom, Harper, and Lincoln would bring a bag of food for anyone they saw who was in need. Then they would pray for the person after they received their bag. “Dear God,” Lincoln prayed, “please help this man have enough food to fill him up today, and give him a warm place to sleep tonight. Most of all, if he doesn’t know You, we pray that he would open up his heart to you. Amen.” “I bet he’ll love those chocolate chip banana muffins we made!” Harper said with a grin. Lincoln laughed. “Yeah, good thing we went out today. There might not have been any left if we hadn’t—they were so tasty!” Harper grew quiet as she looked out her window. “Mom? Do you think that man knows what love is?” “Do you remember the verse we wrote down and put in the bag for him?” Mom asked. “Yeah! First John 3:16. ‘This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.’” “Exactly right,” Mom answered. “Do you know the rest of that verse? It says, ‘And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.’” “We can’t die for people every day!” Lincoln reasoned. Mom laughed. “No, we can’t. But we can let our words and actions tell others that Jesus loved them enough to die for them. We not only need to tell people about God’s love, we need to show it in the way we act toward others.” “So I guess that man does know what love is, because we showed him!” Harper said excitedly. “Hey, Mom?” Lincoln asked as they pulled into their driveway. “After we unload the groceries, will you show us the love of Jesus by making us more muffins?” –Savannah Coleman How about you? Do you want to show others love? God showed us the greatest love there is by sending His Son, Jesus, to die for us. You can share that love with others every day through your actions as well as your words. Can you make a card for someone who is sick or rake up leaves for an elderly neighbor? God will use whatever you do for Him to show others His free gift of love in Jesus Christ. Today’s key verse: Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Show God’s love in action

Read: Isaiah 42:6-7; Luke 4:18; 10:23-24 “Mom, what’s that lady doing over there?” Layla pointed to a woman with dark glasses who was tapping a small thin cane back and forth on the floor. “She’s blind,” Mom answered as she placed a bag of sugar in their shopping cart. “That cane helps her know where she’s going.” “You mean she can’t see?” Layla asked, feeling sorry for the woman. “That’s right.” Mom looked at the woman again. “Wait, that’s Rebecca Thomas! She lives down the street from us. Let’s go say hello.” After talking to Miss Thomas for a while, they finished their shopping and were soon on their way home. “Mom, I don’t understand something,” Layla said. “How can Miss Thomas be so happy? If I was blind, I’d be miserable!” “Rebecca used to be miserable, even before she went blind,” Mom replied. “She once told me that before she knew Jesus, she only thought about herself and her own comforts and desires. After she lost her sight, she became very bitter. Then someone told her about Jesus, and she trusted Him as her Savior. He helped her see in a whole new way. Now she uses her time to help other blind people know about God’s grace and love.” “Wow! So she’s happy because Jesus helped her see better as a blind person?” Mom laughed. “I guess you could say that. He helped her see His love for her and her need for Him, and He’s using her to help others see they need Him too.” “Like in the song ‘Amazing Grace,’” said Layla. “How does that part go? ‘I was blind, but now I see.’” Mom nodded as she turned the car into their driveway. “Even though Miss Thomas can’t see physically anymore, Jesus gave her spiritual sight so she could see and know Him. He used a bad situation in her life and turned it into something good. Now she’s helping others who are going through dark, difficult times know that the goodness of Jesus and the joy of knowing Him outweighs everything bad.” “I’m going to remember that,” Layla said. “I want to help others see and know Jesus too!” –Elena Ketner How about you? Has Jesus given you sight? Can you see His great love for you? You can’t see Him with your physical eyes, but with spiritual sight, you’re able to see the love and grace He offers everyone. You can have peace knowing He’s always with you, even in life’s darkest moments, and you can help others see Him too. Seeing and knowing Him is the greatest blessing of all. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: Then Jesus turned to his followers…He said, “It is a great blessing for you to see what you now see!” Luke 10:23 (ERV) Today’s key thought: Jesus gives spiritual sight

Read: Joshua 2:8-11 “Here you go.” Louis handed his sister a doll. “I found her on the ground outside and didn’t want you to lose her.” Louis looked to his mom as his sister ran off. “Grandma and I have been reading the Old Testament together,” he said. “That’s the first part of the Bible. There are some pretty cool stories in it.” “Yeah?” Mom said, glancing up from the cookbook open in front of her. Louis nodded. “God helped the Israelites by making the water part so they could walk across it. And He rescued them and helped them fight bad guys. He even made a donkey talk.” Mom smiled like she didn’t believe him. “I don’t know, bud,” she said. “If all of that was true, wouldn’t other people have noticed? Wouldn’t they all have believed in and worshiped God?” “There are stories of that too,” Louis said. “There was one woman who told the Israelites that the people where she lived were scared because they’d heard stories of what God could do.” Mom looked at him for a long moment before closing the cookbook. “You know,” she said quietly, “I guess I can see how maybe…well…” She sighed. “I have seen you changing since you started going to church and studying the Bible with your grandma. You’re a lot kinder to your sister, for one. And you’re helpful at home. Maybe there’s something to all of that.” “There is!” Louis said. “Jesus made me a new person and helps me love others. I can tell you so many stories about God, Mom.” Mom smiled. “I might have you do that one day.” Louis hoped it would be soon. “Not today?” he asked. Mom shook her head. “I need to get dinner going.” “Okay.” Louis sighed. “I’ll go play with Lily while you do.” If being nice to his sister was helping to convince his mom that there was a God and that He was up to great things, he would keep praying and trusting God to help him be a good big brother. Please, God, he prayed, help Mom believe. Thank you for doing big things to show people that You are real and powerful and that you love them. –Emily Acker How about you? Have you ever shared a story from the Bible with someone to help them know more about God? Have you shared what Jesus has done for you and how He’s changed your life? God’s power is as real today as it was in the past, and you can help others know about it. As you share God’s truth from the Bible and let His love be seen in your life, others can know how powerful and good He is. Today’s key verse: Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. 1 Chronicles 29:11 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Show God’s power

Read: Matthew 6:25-34 “Mrs. Melton sure is going to like the dinner we’re taking to her,” Kehlani said, buckling her seat belt and peeking at the rolls under the bread cloth. Mom smiled. “I think so too. Her hands must be full with the new baby.” Kehlani put both hands firmly on the warm bowl of rolls. “Mom, will I have a baby when I grow up?” “I don’t know, honey,” Mom replied. “Only God knows that.” “But I want to know. I want Him to tell me now.” Kehlani stared glumly out the window as they approached a stop sign. “Turn right at the next intersection,” said a voice on Mom’s phone, and Mom did as instructed. “Didn’t we pass the library the last time we drove to the Meltons’?” Kehlani asked, twisting in her seat to look back at the intersection. “Is the map on your phone wrong?” “No. It knows where it’s taking us,” Mom assured her. “The Meltons moved to a new house last month, remember?” “Oh yeah, I forgot.” Kehlani leaned back. “Good thing your phone knows where to go. It tells you each direction just when you need it.” Mom nodded. “It’s a little like what God does. He directs each turn in our lives—just one turn at a time.” “But how does He give directions?” asked Kehlani. “Through the Bible?” “Yes, often through the Bible,” Mom replied. “And sometimes He uses other things to point us in the right direction. Like…a phone call telling us someone is in the hospital might also tell us to pray for that person or go visit them.” “Turn left,” the voice broke in. “When I’m driving, I don’t need to know all the turns right away. All I need is the next turn,” said Mom. “We don’t need to know all the turns in life either. We just need to remember that God will reveal each next turn in His perfect time. He’s our heavenly Father who sent His own Son to die for us and make us His children, and we can trust Him to guide us through all of life’s turns.” Kehlani grinned as the car wheels crunched on a gravel driveway. “I think I know my next turn—taking these rolls in to Mrs. Melton!” –Laura Raborn How about you? Do you wonder what kind of job you’ll have when you grow up? Or where you’ll live? Or who your friends will be? God knows every detail of your future, but you don’t have to know it all now. What direction does He have for you today? Is it to help out at church, or to be there for a friend in need? Trust Him to show the turns you should take, one by one. Today’s key verse: Do not worry about tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Trust God for life’s next step

Read: Jeremiah 23:24; Hebrews 4:13 Mark and Sarah ran home. “Dad!” Dad was in the kitchen. “Did you record videos of ducks at the park?” “Sarah and I…” Mark panted, “saw…a crime!” Sarah handed Dad his phone. “A lady’s purse was stolen!” “This is serious,” Dad said. “You two are eyewitnesses. What happened?” “We set your phone on a bench and started the video,” Sarah said. “Then we put bread out for the ducks and hid.” “Someone yelled,” Mark said. “We looked and saw a guy grab a lady’s purse and run away. He never saw us, but we saw him!” “The thief ran into the parking lot,” Sarah said. “He jumped into a pickup truck and sped away.” “A red Ford,” Mark said, nodding. Sarah shook her head. “A rusty brown Chevy.” Dad grabbed a pen and paper and began writing. “What did he look like?” Mark fanned his sweaty T-shirt. “I’ll never forget him as long as I live—he had brown hair and a beard.” Sarah looked at Dad. “He only had a mustache.” “And he had a tattoo of a compass on his arm,” Mark said. Sarah pictured it in her mind. “It was an anchor.” “I hope the purse-snatcher won’t get away,” Mark groaned. Dad tapped his Bible. “I’m sure he’s hiding, but who can’t he hide from?” “That’s easy,” Mark said. “God!” “Right,” Dad said. “The Bible tells us He sees everything we do—both good and bad. Humans can’t see everything, and we often get the details wrong. But God sees us perfectly and knows every detail of our lives. He knows we all do wrong things, but He loves us so much that Jesus died to save us. We can’t hide anything from Him.” “Wow, God’s the ultimate eyewitness!” Mark said. Dad held up his phone. “You said you had the video running the whole time?” Seconds later they watched the clip—and every detail of the purse-snatching was there. Even a clear shot of the man’s face—and his truck. “The camera caught everything,” Mark said. “But God sees every detail even better!” Dad dialed 9-1-1. “Hello, I’d like to report a crime.” –Matt Shoemaker How about you? Have you ever tried to hide something you did? Some people think that because they can’t see God, He doesn’t see them. That’s not true. Even if our sins are not seen by others, God sees them. He doesn’t miss anything, ever. He sees everything clearly and in exact detail—and even when we sin, He still loves us. Instead of hiding your sin, confess it to Him and He will forgive you. Today’s key verse: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Hebrews 4:13 (NIV) Today’s key thought: God sees everything

Read: Colossians 3:12-14; Hebrews 12:14-15 Jackson Henry! Had Dad really called out that name to be in their small group nature walk tomorrow? Nolan was still mad at Jackson for goofing around and breaking his compass on their last church campout. Renewed anger filled Nolan. He stomped off to the cabin. A few minutes later, Dad opened the door. “Come with me. I want to show you something.” Dad’s tone left no room for argument. Sighing, Nolan scuffed across the floor to the door then followed Dad down a trail. Dad stopped by a large rock and pointed toward the top of a tall tree. “See that spruce tree with the orange yellow clump on its branches?” “Yes.” Nolan looked intently at the tree. “Is it some kind of nest?” “No. The tree is diseased with a fungus commonly called broom rust. The mass created by the disease looks like the bristles of a straw broom.” Nolan studied the bristled mass. “Why don’t the forest rangers treat the tree to kill the disease?” “They can’t. Once a tree is diseased, there is no cure.” “That’s too bad,” Nolan said. “I agree. You know, that same type of thing happens to people. Our feelings get hurt or a possession gets broken, and instead of forgiving the offender, we carry a grudge. Holding a grudge causes bitterness to fester and grow inside of us. Over time, it shows on our faces and in our actions—kind of like that fungus on the tree.” Dad raised his brows. “I saw your reaction after I read Jackson’s name. I’m confused. I thought you forgave Jackson when he apologized for breaking your compass.” “I tried,” Nolan said. “But I feel angry when I think about my compass or when Jackson’s around. I’m not sure how to get rid of the bad feelings.” Dad put a hand on Nolan’s shoulder. “Unlike the infected spruce tree, Christians have someone who can cure our spiritual diseases, like grudges. Jesus died so you could be forgiven for all your sins, and He can heal your heart. Trust Him to help you forgive others and replace those feelings of anger and bitterness with love. Have you asked Him to help you forgive Jackson?” “No, but I will.” Nolan bowed his head and began to pray. –Rose Ross Zediker How about you? When someone wrongs you, do you dwell on the incident and harbor ill feelings toward that person? God tells us to forgive as He forgives us. He doesn’t dwell on our past mistakes because Jesus, God’s Son, died on the cross for all our sins. Forgiving can be hard, but if you depend on God to help you, He can replace the bad feelings in your heart with His love. 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: Trust God to help you forgive

Read: John 3:14-17 “Wow!” Henry said as he scrambled aboard the helicopter. “This is so cool!” He and his friend Owen were taking a helicopter ride with Owen’s Uncle Shane, who was a pilot for an emergency helicopter service. Henry sat down in one of the seats. “I never thought I’d get a chance to ride in one of these!” Uncle Shane chuckled. “I always have eager passengers. Take my last one, for example. A couple of young guys were mountain climbing near here, and one of them fell over the edge of a cliff and landed on a ledge. He was trapped in an odd spot where no one could climb down to help him, so my partner and I had to fly in to rescue him. Now there was an eager passenger!” “How did you get him out?” Henry asked. “Was there room to land?” “No,” replied Uncle Shane, “but this helicopter has a lot of special equipment, like that rescue basket you see over there.” He pointed to a long wire mesh basket attached to a rope. “While I hovered the helicopter over the spot, one of my partners went down in the basket to the man on the ledge. He got him into the basket and brought him back up into the helicopter. That man was even more happy to be on board than you are.” The boys strapped themselves into their seats. “You know, we’re something like that mountain climber,” Uncle Shane said as he flipped some switches on the console. “He was helpless to save himself, and we’re helpless sinners who aren’t able to save ourselves either.” “Yeah,” said Owen. “That rescue basket was the only thing that could save him that day, and Jesus is the only one who can save us, right?” “Exactly,” said Uncle Shane. “He came down to earth and died on the cross to save us. He’s the only one who can rescue us from sin and bring us into the safety of eternal life with Him.” “So we should be even more thankful than that mountain climber was,” Henry replied. “His life on earth was saved for a while, but Jesus saves us for all eternity.” “That’s right,” said Uncle Shane. He revved up the helicopter’s engines. “Now, prepare for takeoff!” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Did you know that Jesus came to earth to rescue you from sin? He paid the penalty for your sins on the cross so you could be saved. He is the only one who can rescue you from eternal death and give you eternal life. Trust Him as your Savior and know you are safe with Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: Everyone who believes in him [Jesus] will have eternal life. John 3:15 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Only Jesus can rescue us from sin

Read: John 21:15-17 “Why do we have to do this?” Grayson pinched his nose as he eyed his uncle’s barn. “We’re helping out for a few days,” Mom said. “Come on, the sheep are waiting.” Grayson dragged his feet as they walked over to the barn. Mom led the way to a pen of dirty, wooly sheep. She held out a handful of dry food, and all the animals raced over to her. “You’re going to let them eat off your hand?” Grayson made a face. Mom giggled as one of the sheep ran its thick tongue over her hand. “It’s actually fun.” She glanced back at Grayson. “If you don’t want to feed them, you can get them water. We need to take care of them to help your uncle while he’s recovering from surgery.” “Uncle Bill’s never done anything for us,” Grayson muttered as he turned away. Grayson filled a bucket with water and carried it to the sheep’s pen. He tried to pour it carefully into their trough, but it still splashed, and he let out a scream as dirty water got on his legs. “You can shower when we get home,” Mom said. She smiled as one of the sheep stuck its nose in the trough. “Did you know that Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, all in a row?” Grayson’s forehead wrinkled. Why was his mom suddenly bringing up a Bible story? “Each time Peter said that he did, Jesus told him to care for His sheep.” “Jesus had sheep?” Grayson stared at his mom. “He didn’t mean actual sheep,” Mom said. “He meant people that He died on the cross to save. People like me and you. People like your uncle Bill.” Grayson sighed. “So by caring for Uncle Bill’s sheep, we’re caring for Jesus’s sheep too?” Mom nodded. “Caring for Uncle Bill’s sheep shows that we love him, and it shows that we love Jesus too. He loves Uncle Bill and wants us to show him His love by helping him.” Grayson looked at the dirty animals before reaching for his mom’s bucket of feed. “If this shows that I love Jesus, okay.” He grabbed a handful of food. When he held it out and the sheep moved from his mom to him, he couldn’t help but smile. –Emily Acker How about you? How often do you do something for someone simply because you want to show them God’s love? Jesus says that when we care for others and show them the same kind of love He has shown us, we’re doing those things for Him (Matthew 25:31-40). Is there someone who you could do something for today to cheer them up and show them God’s love? Today’s key verse: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Show love by caring for others

Read: Psalm 119:41-48 “Ouch!” grumbled Ember one morning as she yanked the brush through her thick hair. “You could cut your hair, you know, or wear braids at night,” said her older sister Paige, who was propped up in bed with her Bible. “Well, right now I just want to get it untangled!” Ember gritted her teeth as she pulled on the brush. “Let me help.” Paige took the brush and started working on the snarls. “You should have strong arms after doing this so much,” she said as she attacked another section of hair. “Am I pulling too much?” “No more than I do.” After a few minutes, Paige put the brush on the dresser. “That should do it! Now I’d better finish untangling my head before I have to get ready for school.” She picked up her Bible again. “What do you mean, untangle your head?” Ember asked as she stuffed books into her book bag. “Your hair doesn’t get in knots like mine does.” “My hair doesn’t get in knots, but my mind does,” said Paige. “Sometimes I get really worried about things. Then I have trouble concentrating on schoolwork and other things I have to do throughout the day.” “So how do you untangle it?” asked Ember. “A brush untangles hair. What untangles minds?” “The Bible helps me. I make sure I read some verses from it every day,” replied Paige. “My thoughts seem to get tangled up all by themselves—just like your hair does—but reading God’s Word helps me remember that Jesus loves me and died for me and that He promises to be with me in every situation. Getting His Word into my mind helps me straighten out my thinking.” “Maybe I should try that too.” Ember heaved her book bag to her shoulder. “But since my bus comes so early, doing it after school or before bed would work better for me.” She looked around. “Where’s my sweater?” “Over there.” Paige pointed to the corner. “You’re right, Ember. You should try reading some Bible verses every day. Untangling your thoughts is even more important than untangling your hair!” –Miriam K. Nowak How about you? Do your thoughts get all mixed up sometimes? Do you worry about school, friends, or what’s going on at home? Pick up your Bible and let God’s words speak to your heart. They’ll remind you of how much Jesus loves you and His promise to always be with you. Get your thoughts untangled by focusing on the truth of God’s Word. Today’s key verse: You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Get God’s Word into your mind

Read: Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27 Isaac watched as baby Eloise blinked, nodded, and finally closed her eyes. When he was sure she was asleep, he looked at his mom in the rearview mirror. “Mom? Do you think heaven is gonna be—I don’t know—boring?” Mom glanced at him. “What makes you say that?” Isaac squirmed. “Well, everyone’s always talking about how great heaven will be, but it sounds like all we’ll be doing is singing like we do in church. I like church okay, but I don’t think I’d want to be there all the time. I’d miss pizza and basketball and stuff like that. I like it here!” Suddenly Eloise jumped in her sleep and cried out, and Isaac reached over to pat her hand. “Do you suppose Eloise was thinking something like that three months ago?” Mom asked. Isaac was puzzled. “How could she? She’s only two months old!” “Yes, but she was alive before she was born, you know. Maybe she liked being in my stomach, where she was warm and comfortable and never hungry. If someone asked her if she wanted to be born and be part of a new world, she might have said no.” “If she did that, she’d be missing out!” Isaac said. “I agree. We couldn’t even begin to describe the sights, sounds, and tastes to her. And I think it’s the same with us. We can’t imagine how wonderful it will be to see Jesus in heaven or what it will be like when He restores all of creation one day and makes everything new. All we know is that it will be a perfect world free from sin, pain, and death.” “So, if Jesus is making the whole world new again, do you think there will be pizza and basketball?” Mom laughed. “Maybe! All I know for sure is that we’ll be with Jesus, and there’s nothing better than that. He’s always with us now, of course, but there we’ll see Him face-to-face.” “Kind of like how Eloise could hear your voice when she was in your stomach, but she couldn’t see your face until she was born?” “Exactly,” said Mom. “Jesus wants us to enjoy our time on earth now, but being with Him in heaven will be so much better. It won’t be boring at all!” –Susan S. Arcand How about you? Do you wonder what heaven will be like? Are you afraid some of the things you love now won’t be there? We don’t know exactly what heaven will be like, but we know there won’t be any sin, pain, or death. The new earth Jesus has promised us will be a wonderful place where we will live with Him forever. It will be better than anything we can imagine! Today’s key verse: In My Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Heaven will be great

Read: Philippians 2:12-18 “David, can you hold the door open for me?” Dad called. But David and Abby were too busy fighting over which video game to play to hear him. “David!” Dad called again. “Yeah?” David looked up, startled. “Please hold the door open so I can bring the ladder inside. I need to change a lightbulb.” “Why do I always have to help you? Why can’t Abby do it? She never has to help.” “I didn’t ask your sister. I asked you,” Dad said firmly. David sighed but got up and held the door. As Dad set up the ladder and climbed the metal rungs, Abby and David started fighting again. “Abby! David!” Dad called down. “What is this?” He held up the burned-out lightbulb he’d unscrewed from the light fixture. David shrugged, and Abby rolled her eyes. “It’s a dead lightbulb,” she answered, glaring at her brother. “Duh!” David pulled back his arm like he was thinking of hitting his sister. “Abby! That’s enough. David, don’t touch your sister. Yes, a broken bulb. What do you hear?” Dad descended the ladder and shook the bulb. “Broken pieces rattling around,” David said, still scowling. Dad nodded. “When we complain and argue, we’re like this broken light bulb. It has broken pieces clanging around and is no longer serving its purpose. Complaining and arguing make a clanging noise too. They show there is brokenness—sin—in our hearts. Our purpose as people saved by Jesus is to let the light of His love shine through us. But complaining and arguing show that we’re focused on ourselves instead of trusting Him and loving others.” Abby and David were silent and looked down. “Abby, hand me that new bulb, please,” Dad said. Abby quietly handed him the new bulb. Dad started back up the ladder. “Dad?” David asked. “If we’re like broken bulbs, does that mean we can never shine again?” Dad started twisting in the new bulb. “The good news, David, is that Jesus always makes us shine, even though we sin. And when we do something wrong that makes us rattle and clang, we can ask Him to forgive us. He fixes our broken pieces and we become like new.” Dad came back down the ladder and flipped the switch on the wall. The new bulb shone brightly and lit the whole room. –Pearl Allard How about you? Do you argue with your brothers and sisters? Do you complain when a parent or teacher asks you to do something? Complaining and arguing expose sin in our hearts. If those things have been clanging around your life lately, ask Jesus to forgive you and replace them with thankfulness and love. Then live out the purpose He’s given you and shine for Him! Today’s key verse: Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you will be blameless and pure…[as] you shine like lights in a dark world. Philippians 2:14-15 (ERV) Today’s key thought: Don’t complain or argue

Read: Luke 10:25-37 The screen door slammed behind Oliver as he bounded down the steps of his house. Humming, he headed toward the barn to feed the chickens. Buck buck buck buck-AHHHH! squawked Omelet, Benedict, Scrambled, and Dippy as they raced around the corner of the barn. Omelet nibbled at Oliver’s fingers. “I’m not your supper, you crazy bird!” he said with a laugh. Mom was turning the TV volume up when Oliver returned to the house. A news correspondent was reporting on a hurricane in another part of the country while wind and rain whipped around him. “I’m standing on what used to be one of the main roads here,” he shouted above the blustery weather. “Now the road has turned into a river. Behind me, you can see families leaving all they own behind to get to safety. Flooding is expected to get worse before it gets better.” That night, Oliver could hardly sleep. He kept thinking of all the kids he saw on TV who had to leave their homes and everything they had. During family devotions the next morning, Dad read from the book of Mark. “What does ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ mean?” Oliver asked his parents. “It means we should help those in need, even if they don’t live next door,” Mom explained. “Doing that shows others the love of Jesus, who left heaven and came to earth to save us from sin. He sacrificed His life so we could have a relationship with Him, and we can show that same kind of love to others, no matter who or where they are.” “How can I do that?” Oliver asked. “The best thing you can do is pray,” Dad said. “You can also share things like your allowance or your time.” Oliver thought about his chickens. “Can I use the money I’m making from selling eggs to help the kids in the hurricane?” Mom smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.” The late afternoon sun washed over Oliver as he collected eggs later that day. He closed his eyes, basking in the warmth. Please, Lord, he prayed, help the kids who have lost everything in the hurricane. And help me use the money from these eggs to show them Your love. –Kelly Hope How about you? Do you know someone who needs help from a neighbor? In the Bible, a neighbor isn’t necessarily someone who lives on the same street as you—or even in the same country. It’s a person Jesus loves, and that’s everyone! Helping a neighbor in need can be as simple as inviting someone to play with you or praying for someone far away. How else can you show God’s love to your neighbors? Today’s key verse: Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Love your neighbor

Read: 1 John 1:5-9 “And please forgive me for the lie I told. In Jesus’s name, amen.” Aubrey climbed into bed, and Mom gave her a kiss and turned out the light. After lying to her mother a few days earlier, Aubrey had asked God to forgive her. But every now and then she still felt guilty, so she’d ask Him again. The next afternoon, Mom suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, Aubrey, I was supposed to ask if you wanted to go shopping with Grandma this afternoon, and it slipped my mind! I’m afraid it’s too late now. I’m so sorry.” “Oh no!” Aubrey wailed. “That would have been so much fun!” Mom felt bad. “Can you forgive me?” Aubrey sighed and nodded. As the family sat down for supper that evening, Mom looked at Aubrey. “I’m so sorry about forgetting the shopping trip,” she said. “Please forgive me.” “It’s okay, Mom,” Aubrey replied as she helped herself to some chicken. “This looks so good!” After supper, Aubrey helped Mom clear the table. “Aubrey, I feel so bad you missed being able to go out with Grandma,” Mom said. “Will you forgive me?” Aubrey gave her mother a puzzled look. “Mom, I told you it’s okay,” she said, not noticing her mother’s smile. When Aubrey was ready for bed that night, she prayed, once again asking Jesus to forgive her for the lie she had confessed so often. Then she jumped into bed. “About the shopping trip,” Mom began as she tucked the blankets around Aubrey, “can you forgive me for—” “Mom! You’ve apologized over and over!” Aubrey said. “I forgave you the first time, but you sound as though you don’t believe me!” Mom smiled. “Do you think you might sound the same way to Jesus?” she asked gently. “You sinned when you lied to me the other day. You were sorry and confessed it to me and to Jesus, and I think you know I forgave you. Jesus says He forgives you too—He died for all your sins on the cross so you could be forgiven. Yet you continue to confess the same thing over and over—as though you don’t believe Him.” Aubrey was startled. “I guess you’re right,” she said. “Thank you for forgiving me, Mom. I’ll thank Jesus for forgiving me too!” –Hazel W. Marett How about you? Do you still feel guilty after you’ve confessed a sin to Jesus? Do you continue to ask for forgiveness over and over? When you sin, you should confess it to God—and sometimes to someone else too—and ask to be forgiven. Then remember that Jesus, who died to take the punishment for all your sins, says He forgives you the first time you ask Him to. Believe Him and know you’re forgiven. 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: Accept God’s forgiveness

Read: Psalm 121; Matthew 11:28-30 James was happy to be camping with his dad, but… “How much further do we have to walk?” His backpack was making him lean forward, and he felt a little like a turtle. Maybe he had overpacked. His dad smiled. “Not too much further, bud. You’ve got this.” James wanted to be strong and make his dad proud. They didn’t see each other often since his parents got divorced. But the weight was really getting to him. “Almost there.” Dad quickened his steps. When they reached their site, James dropped his backpack to the ground and sank down beside it. “That was hard!” “But you did it.” Dad gave him a thumbs-up. “Let me get the tent set up, then we can go on a hike.” “I don’t know if I have the energy to hike.” “We’ll leave our backpacks,” Dad said. “That will make it easier.” James rested while his dad got the tent up, thankful that he didn’t ask for help. He watched his dad take his backpack to the tent and stick it inside before putting a lock on the door. “Let’s hike,” Dad said. James stood and started toward the trail that his dad pointed out. It almost felt like he was floating, his back felt so light. “It does feel better without the backpack.” “Told you,” Dad said. “It always feels better once you lay down your heavy load.” Where did I hear something like that before? James frowned. “Right, in church,” he said. “God promises to carry our load for us if we lay it down before Him.” “What was that?” Dad glanced back at him. James explained what his pastor had taught. “Jesus took our heavy load of sin when He died on the cross, and He is always with us when life gets heavy too. Like, when I’m sad about you and Mom not being together anymore, He can take my sadness and make it so it’s not so heavy.” He straightened up. “It’s like putting down my backpack and feeling lighter.” Dad wiped his eyes. “I’m sorry things are hard for you, bud.” “Me too,” James said. “But I’m glad that I have Jesus to help me.” –Emily Acker How about you? When you’re facing something that feels too hard for you to deal with on your own, do you turn to Jesus? Have you ever felt Him help you through a time that was incredibly hard? He carried your burden of sin to the cross, and He promises to help you with life’s burdens too. Lay your worries, hurts, and problems at His feet and trust Him to help you with them. 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: Let Jesus carry your burdens

Read: 2 Samuel 9:3-11; Luke 14:13-14 “Lose your kickball scrimmage?” Dad asked. Will buckled his seatbelt. “No. It’s Carter again.” “The boy who uses a wheelchair?” Dad grinned. “He’s funny.” “Dad! Should you say that about someone who can’t walk?” “Why not? He wears a T-shirt that says ‘A Wheelchair Is How I Roll.’” Dad put the car in reverse. “He must have a great sense of humor.” “Well, I wish he wouldn’t watch us from the sideline the whole game.” Will shoved his dirty sneakers into his duffle bag. “I don’t know why he wants to play with us anyway. Don’t they have Special Olympics for kids like him? He should just play with his own kind of kids.” Dad put the car in gear. “Grab the Bible out of the glove compartment, Will. I want to show you something.” “You don’t have to read me a Bible verse about being nice, Dad. I don’t do anything mean to Carter.” “Just turn to Second Samuel 9.” Dad waited for Will to read the passage. “Well?” Will sighed. “King David asks if there’s anyone left in his friend Jonathan’s family and learns Jonathan has a son named Mephibosheth who can’t walk. So David finds him and tells him, ‘Don’t be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness, and you will always eat at my table.’” “King David didn’t ignore Mephibosheth or make him sit at a separate table for people with disabilities,” Dad said. “David included him. That story is a picture of what Jesus does for us. He died for us so we could be included at His table, even though we’re sinners. And He wants us to include others.” Will twitched his eyebrows the way he always did when he was thinking hard. “But how can we include Carter? You have to run in kickball. He can’t run.” “That’s your puzzle to solve,” Dad said. The next afternoon on the kickball diamond, Will assigned positions to his players. “Who’s pitching?” someone asked. Someone on the sideline caught Will’s eye. Carter. “Wait.” Will jogged over to where Carter sat. “Can you pitch? You just have to roll the ball to the kicker.” Carter’s face lit up, and he patted his chair. “I’m an expert at rolling. I’d love to pitch!” –Holland Webb How about you? Do you include everyone you can in games and other activities? Even if it takes some extra effort to include someone with a special need? We all have a need for Jesus. If He hadn’t died for us, we could never be included in His reward in heaven. How can you show others His kindness by including them? Today’s key verse: When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Luke 14:13-14 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Include everyone you can

Read: Matthew 14:25-31 Jonah climbed up the playset at the park close to his family’s apartment. Sirens wailed as he settled at the top and looked at the city around him. “Come on, Lydia.” Jonah offered his hand to his little sister. “It’s really cool once you get all the way up here.” “It’s scary.” Lydia shook her head and started to go backwards down the ladder. “I’m going to stay on the ground by Nana.” Jonah looked to where their grandma sat on a bench, taking a work call on her phone. She was busy, and he knew Lydia wouldn’t have any fun if she chose to sit by her instead of playing with him. “I won’t let you fall,” Jonah said. “I’ll make sure you’re safe.” “Okay.” Lydia started to climb up again. A gust of wind blew across the park, and Lydia’s eyes grew wide. “It’s windy. I’m scared.” She went back down to the ground and hugged herself tight. “You should come down too.” Jonah moved to the slide and slid down, then walked over to his sister and put his arms around her. “Do you remember the story of Peter in the Bible?” “He walked on water,” Lydia said. Jonah nodded. “But as soon as the wind blew, he got scared. He began to sink, and Jesus caught him. I’m not Jesus, but I’ll look out for you, Lydia. That wind isn’t going to blow you down. We’ll be safe.” “We can all be like Peter sometimes,” Grandma said, coming up beside them. “I trust God to take care of you two and your mom, but as soon as I hear about anything bad happening here in the city, I worry about the three of you living alone. The wind and other scary things can make all of us doubt. But Jesus is still with us in those times. He died to give us eternal life with Him, and we can trust Him to be with us no matter what.” Grandma put a hand on Lydia’s shoulder. “I bet you can see pretty far from the top. Why don’t you climb up with Jonah and try it out?” Jonah hurried to move up the ladder. “Come on, Peter,” he said. “If you get scared, I’ll reach out and hold your hand, just like Jesus did.” –Emily Acker How about you? Do you trust God even when things start to get a little scary? Or do you start to have doubts? Bad things happen sometimes, but Jesus promises to be with you when they do. Even when your faith falters, He is there to catch you and hold you up. He gave His life to save you, and He won’t ever abandon you. When you feel scared because of what’s going on around you, trust Him. Today’s key verse: Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Trust God when you’re scared

Read: Matthew 5:14-16; John 8:12; 15:7-8 Jayce and Caleb grabbed their flashlights and headed outside for a game of flashlight freeze tag. Caleb moved among the shadows, silently sneaking up on friends and tapping them, freezing them in their spots. “Rats,” Chloe said. “I didn’t see or hear you, Caleb.” Chloe waited for a flashlight beacon to find her, unfreezing her to move again. Caleb had gone off to tag others. Then his flashlight quit. He flicked it off and on, off and on. Nothing happened. That’s when Chloe tapped him on the back. “Gotcha, Caleb. You’re frozen.” After Chloe ran off, Caleb’s voice filled the darkness. “Jayce, help! I’m frozen. My batteries are dead. And look out for Chloe!” “Good thing I always have extras,” said his brother. He touched Caleb with a beam of light and handed him more batteries. “Thanks, Jayce.” Unfrozen and with a flashlight that worked, Caleb quietly disappeared into the darkness. Later, the boys recapped their night. “Hey, I just thought of something,” said Caleb. “Remember the verse we learned in church—‘Let your light shine before others’? I didn’t really understand what that meant, but I think I get it now.” “How so?” asked Jayce. “When we were tagged, we were frozen, stuck in the dark until someone touched us with a flashlight beam. Well, Jesus is our flashlight. His light shines on us when we trust in Him, and we’re unfrozen from all our sinfulness. We’re free to move and think in new ways. We’re not wandering around in the dark because Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit, who guides us by shining His light in our lives. And we can be a light for others.” “I never thought about it like that, but yeah, you’re right,” said Jayce. “When your batteries died, you were stuck in the dark and couldn’t see. That’s what sin does to us. We need Jesus to unfreeze us and fill us with His light. Then we’re able to move and see clearly, and we can run to others and shine His light on them. Through our actions, they can see Him too. We’re like flashlights that shine Jesus’s light!” “Yeah, our batteries may fail us, but Jesus never will,” said Caleb. “He’s an endless source of light.” –Helen K. Dening How about you? Do you feel like you’re stuck in the dark? Or like you’re in an endless game of freeze tag and you’re frozen in place? Sin keeps us in the dark, unable to move or do anything good. When we trust in Jesus, He frees us from sin and fills us with His light. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Then we’re able to see and move so we can shine His light on others. 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: Jesus is our light

Read: Deuteronomy 31:1-8 “Incoming!” Kason ran at top speed and jumped off a stump into a pile of freshly raked leaves. Grandpa leaned on his rake and laughed as Kason peeked at him from the center of the pile, where only the top of his head and eyes were visible. “Thanks for helping me today, kiddo! You deserve a nice jump or five!” “Come on, Grandpa!” Grandpa strolled over to the leaf pile and fell backward beside Kason. “Just as comfy as I remember,” Grandpa joked. Kason and Grandpa lay in the leaves facing the sky as the wind picked up. Several colorful leaves pulled free from tree branches and descended in spirals, twirls, and lazy drifts. “I wish you didn’t have to leave,” Kason said softly. “Me too, Kason. You know I’ll visit you as often as possible—and of course, you can visit me anytime!” “Yeah, but it won’t be the same.” Kason sighed deeply. “Everyone leaves.” “Sometimes it feels like that,” Grandpa agreed. “But don’t forget there is someone who never leaves.” “Jesus?” “You said it, kiddo! Throughout the Bible, God continually showed His people that He was near them. When Moses was nearing the end of his life, Joshua was preparing to take over leading the people of Israel into the promised land. Moses reminded Joshua twice that he didn’t have to be afraid because God would never leave him.” “I bet Joshua was sad and maybe scared because Moses wasn’t going to be there anymore,” Kason mused. “Maybe that’s why Moses told him twice that God wouldn’t leave him.” Grandpa nodded. “Sometimes I have to remind myself of God’s promises over and over when I’m feeling anxious or sad too. But like Joshua, we can trust God’s promise to never leave us. Jesus died for our sins to give us eternal life with Him, and He is always with us.” Kason reached out and caught a falling leaf, handing it to Grandpa. “I’ve got an idea, Grandpa. Let’s each write ‘Jesus Never Leaves’ on a leaf and keep it. When we start missing each other, we can look at it and remember God’s promise!” “Jesus never leaves.” Grandpa winked, waving the leaf in Kason’s face. “Clever! Wonder who you get that from?” –Savannah Coleman How about you? Do you ever feel like lots of people leave you? Maybe you had to move, a friend decided to stop talking to you, your parents got a divorce, or someone you love died. People leaving us can bring sorrow and loneliness. But there’s good news: Jesus never leaves! He gave His life to save us and promises to always be with us. We can be strong and courageous, knowing God is with us wherever we go. Today’s key verse: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Jesus never leaves

Read: Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 John 3:1-2 Mai sat quietly at the dinner table, poking at her rice with her chopsticks. Usually she loved dinner—especially when her dad made his special noodle stir-fry—but tonight, nothing tasted good. “Mai, sweetheart, you’ve barely touched your food. Is everything all right?” Mum asked. Mai’s chest tightened. “I don’t want to do the presentation about Japan,” she blurted, tears stinging her eyes. “I don’t even like my culture!” Her parents exchanged a worried glance. Before either could speak, Mai pushed back her chair and ran to her room. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on her bedroom door. “May I come in?” her mum asked gently. Mai sniffled but nodded. Her mum sat beside her on the bed. “What’s really bothering you?” she asked. Mai hesitated. “I don’t look like you and Dad,” she finally admitted. “Everyone will think it’s weird. You both have blonde hair and blue eyes, and I have black hair and dark eyes. I look different because I’m adopted!” Mum smiled and tucked a strand of Mai’s hair behind her ear. “You know, Mai, we are different in some ways,” she said, “but do you know what you and your dad and I have in common?” Mai shook her head. “We’re all adopted,” her mum said. Mai blinked in surprise. “We are?” “When Jesus died on the cross, He made a way for us to become God’s children,” Mum explained. “No matter where we’re from, what we look like, He says, ‘You are My child, and I love you.’” Mai frowned. “So…God adopted me too?” “Yes. He chose you before you were born, and when you put your faith in Jesus, you became His child. And He loves you more than you could ever imagine. One day, Jesus is coming back to take all God’s children home. And you, my sweet girl, are part of that forever family.” Mai wiped her eyes. “Mum,” she said, “can you tell me everything about Japan? I want to know where I come from.” Mum’s face lit up. “I’d love to.” And as they sat together, sharing stories and memories, Mai felt grateful to be part of God’s big, wonderful family. –Esther Espinoza How about you? Did you know that God loves you so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you and make you His child? If you’ve put your faith in Him, you’re part of God’s big family. No matter who you are or where you’re from, God says, “You are Mine!” He is always with you, and one day Jesus will come back and all God’s children will live with Him forever! Today’s key verse: God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) Today’s key thought: God our Father adopted us

Read: Psalm 78:34-39; Ephesians 4:26-32 “Stop following me around, Diego!” Santos yelled at his little brother. “But I want to be with you,” Diego said tearfully. “I don’t care! I’m tired of you following me everywhere!” Santos said as he stormed out of the house. Later that day, Santos went inside to get a snack. “What are you doing?” he asked when he found his dad under the kitchen sink. Dad crawled out from under the sink and fumbled around in his toolbox. “Oh, the faucet is leaking again, and I’m trying to fix it. Ever since it started leaking, I just can’t seem to get it to stop! I may have to call in a professional.” Dad sighed, somewhat discouraged, then went back to work as Santos continued to look for something to eat. A few minutes later, Dad gave up trying to fix the faucet and sat down at the table. “You know, we can be like that faucet sometimes,” he said. Santos looked confused. “What do you mean?” “When we get angry with someone and respond to them harshly, it’s a lot like water dripping from a leak. Once it gets started, it’s hard to mend. The faucet was never the same after I tried to fix it, just like our feelings toward one another are never quite the same when we try to fix them ourselves. We need to call in a professional!” “A professional? Like who?” Santos asked. “Jesus!” Dad answered. “We need to call on Him to fix the leak in our relationships. The only way to stop anger from leaking out of our hearts and hurting others is for Him to replace it with His love. We need to remember how much He loves us and then trust Him to help us respond to others with love and forgiveness instead of anger.” Santos thought about how he had yelled at his little brother earlier that day. “I think I need to ask Jesus to fix a leak in my heart and then go apologize to Diego.” Dad smiled. “I think that’s a good idea. While you do that, I’m going to call a plumber!” –Elena Ketner How about you? Do you have a leak in a relationship that you just can’t seem to fix? Do mean, angry words spurt out of your mouth when you get upset? You can’t fix that leak on your own—you need a professional. Jesus is the only one who can fix the angry leak in your heart. Trust Him to help you love others the way He loves you so you can respond to them with kindness and forgiveness instead of anger. Today’s key verse: A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: God’s love can fix relationships

Read: Acts 4:1-12 How about you? Have you received the antidote for sin? The Bible says everyone has sinned by doing wrong things, and sin leads to death. There’s nothing we can do to save ourselves—the only way to be saved is through Jesus, God’s Son. Trust Him to save you from sin and death and give you eternal life with Him. (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 antidote for sin

Read: Psalm 20:6-7; Romans 8:38-39 Editor’s note: This story may not be suitable for some children. “Almost time for school,” Mom said as she picked up Rhea’s backpack. “Rhea! What do you have in here? Feels like a bag full of rocks!” She unzipped the top. Rhea’s eyes grew round. “No, Mom, don’t—” But Mom was already pulling out a can of hairspray, a camouflage jacket that belonged to Rhea’s brother, a bicycle helmet, and indeed, one large rock. “Is this for some kind of project at school?” Rhea looked down. “No. I was just…” She sighed. “Scared.” Mom sat down with her on the sofa. “Scared? Of school?” “I’ve been watching the news.” Rhea leaned her head against her mom. “There was another shooting at a school. And we did a drill at school so we’d know what to do if it wasn’t safe.” Mom had a sad look in her eyes. But then they twinkled a bit. “So if someone dangerous comes in, you’re going to…do his hair? Or send him away on a bicycle?” Mom grinned softly, and Rhea smiled too. “I thought I could spray hairspray in his eyes. The bicycle helmet is for me, to protect my head. The camo is so he wouldn’t see me. And I could throw the rock at him. I’ve been practicing.” “Oh, honey.” Mom pulled Rhea onto her lap. “I hate that you feel afraid. But think of the story of David and Goliath in the Bible. Was it the rock that kept David safe?” Rhea nodded. “He killed Goliath with it.” Mom shook her head. “It might seem that way, but that’s not what happened. It wasn’t something that kept David safe, but someone.” Rhea’s eyes brightened. “Oh! You mean God.” “That’s right,” said Mom. “He’s the one who truly keeps us safe, but that doesn’t always mean He’ll keep us from harm. Remember, when Jesus died on the cross, He was right where God wanted Him to be. He was fulfilling God’s good plan for salvation.” “Yeah,” said Rhea, “saving us was a really good plan.” Mom nodded. “And because of that good plan, we know nothing can ever separate us from Jesus, even when bad stuff happens and we feel afraid. He promises to always be with us. And”—she tickled Rhea lightly—“I trust Him a lot more than hairspray!” –Janel Breitenstein How about you? Are you relying on something to keep you safe? It’s good to be prepared and take precautions, but remember where your safety really comes from. No matter what scary situations you face, you’re always safe with Jesus because He died and rose again to save you from sin and give you eternal life. Even when terrible things happen, nothing can separate you from Him. Trust Him to always be with you and keep you safe. Today’s key verse: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Jesus keeps you safe

Read: Genesis 41:46-57 “Guess what Joseph is doing?” exclaimed Ellie as she burst into the kitchen. “He’s burying acorns near the apple tree!” “Who’s Joseph?” asked Mom. “The new boy next door?” Ellie laughed. “No, Mom! Joseph is the squirrel who comes to our garden. But why would he bury acorns instead of eating them?” Ellie’s brother Michael answered her question. “He’s storing them away to eat in the winter.” Mom nodded. “While the weather is good, squirrels collect acorns and hide them,” she explained. “Then when winter comes and food is hard to find, they have their secret supply.” “That sounds like Joseph in the Bible,” said Michael. “God told him to collect grain for seven years so that when a famine came, the people would have plenty to eat.” “You’re right,” said Mom. “We can learn something from both Josephs.” “You mean we need to store up food in case there’s a famine here?” asked Ellie. Mom smiled. “I was thinking of a different kind of food—spiritual food. When difficult times come, we often realize we need God’s help, but we don’t always remember to use the good times to store up spiritual food that will help us trust and depend on Him when things get tough.” “How do we store up spiritual food?” asked Ellie. “When things are going well for us, we should be faithful in learning more about Jesus and what He did to save us so we can grow in our relationship with Him,” replied Mom. “Some of the ways we can do that is by reading the Bible, memorizing verses, meeting with other Christians, and hearing God’s Word explained by pastors and teachers.” “I get it,” said Michael. “If we do those things to store up spiritual food, it will help us remember He’s with us when hard times come.” “Right,” said Mom. “For example, there have been times when I needed wise advice or encouragement, and a verse just popped into my head—one I learned when I was a little girl and hadn’t even thought about for years. We can draw spiritual strength from all the things we’ve learned about Jesus from God’s Word in the past and know our future is safe in His hands.” –Tanya Ferdinandusz How about you? Are things going well for you right now? Then use this time to thank Jesus and learn all you can about Him. But maybe things aren’t going so well and you’re dealing with difficulties in your life. Then remember that Jesus gave His life for you and promises to always be with you, and ask Him to comfort and encourage you. Remember that He helped Joseph in his time of trouble, and He’ll do the same for you. Today’s key verse: Our ancestors trusted in you; they trusted, and you rescued them. Psalm 22:4 (CSB) Today’s key thought: Store up spiritual food

Read: Lamentations 3:25-26; Romans 5:1-5 Hudson cast his line into the water. The bait landed with a small plop. On the other end of the boat, his grandfather quietly held his fishing pole. All was silent except for the sound of crickets chirping. Suddenly, a loud squawk split the misty air. The sound came again, and Grandpa pointed across the bayou to an owl perched on the top branch of a tall tree. A large crow circled him, squawking. “What’s that crow’s problem?” asked Hudson. Grandpa shrugged. “The owl might be sitting too close to the crow’s nest. Or maybe the crow is just pestering the owl and keeping him from sleeping. Crows do that kind of thing sometimes.” Hudson watched as the black bird swooped again and again, its harsh cries filling the swamp. Only the owl’s head moved as it turned to watch the crow. “I wish that crow would go away,” he said. “Can it hurt the owl?” Grandpa shook his head. “Not likely. God gave owls what they need to protect themselves—strong wings and sharp talons. If the crow gets too close, he’ll be in trouble, and he knows it. See how he stays at a safe distance?” “Yeah, but if I were the owl, I’d fight or fly away,” said Hudson. Grandpa chuckled. “Maybe the owl knows the crow will get tired and go away after a while.” He pulled up his line and cast it out again. “You know, we could learn a lesson from that owl. Instead of getting flustered and upset when things happen that trouble us, we can quietly look to Jesus and trust Him. We can ask Him to show us if there’s something we should do to change the situation or if we just need to patiently wait for Him to work things out.” “Because Jesus promises to work everything out for good, right?” said Hudson. Grandpa nodded. “He died and rose again to save us, and that means we can trust Him. Even when our problems don’t go away, He’s still with us, and He promises to come again one day and end all our troubles forever.” Hudson turned his attention back to his fishing line. A little later, he realized it was quiet again. “Hey, Grandpa,” he said with a smile, “the crow is gone!” –Debra W. Smith How about you? Are you troubled by something happening in your life or in the world? Life can be scary and hard at times, but you can rest knowing that God is in control of every situation. Trust Jesus to help you act wisely and show others His love in times of trouble. Remember that He is with you even in the hardest situations and trust Him to give you peace. Today’s key verse: Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Be patient and trust Jesus

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 11:33-36 “I think we’re going in circles,” Troy said as he and his dad and sister tried to make their way out of a corn maze. “I think we’ve been down this path before.” “How can you tell?” Elinor asked. She looked up at cornstalks that were twice as tall as she was. “Everything looks the same. Do you know the way out, Dad?” Dad laughed. “At the moment, I’m not quite sure.” “Hey, look!” shouted Troy. “There’s a platform-thing. We can climb up there and see where we are!” Sure enough, in the middle of the path was a high platform. Troy and Elinor ran up the steps, and Dad followed them. Standing above the stalks, they could see the whole field. Elinor pointed. “There’s the orange flag at the end of the maze. We gotta go that way!” “And look how far we’ve come,” said Troy. “With this a-maze-ing view, we can see we’re not going in circles after all.” They laughed at Troy’s joke. When they had found their way out of the maze, Dad bought warm cinnamon doughnuts and hot apple cider. They settled down on hay bales to enjoy their snack. “Dad,” Troy said, “why do you think God is having us move to another state for your job? I like it here!” “Yeah,” said Elinor after a sip of cider. “We have so many friends here—and we like our church so much! Why would God want us to move?” “I don’t know,” Dad replied. “We don’t always understand the way He leads, but you know what? Our lives are something like a corn maze. Remember when we stood on that platform? We saw the whole maze—where we’d been and where we needed to go. That’s how God sees us—He has an a-maze-ing view too! He sees our lives from beginning to end. The way God leads us may not make sense to us, but He has a different view.” “I guess that’s why He tells us to trust Him,” said Troy. “Exactly,” said Dad. “We don’t see all that will happen, but God does. And He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us so we could have eternal life with Him. We can trust Him and accept this move as part of His plan for our family.” –Jennifer Quackenbush How about you? Is there something in your life that doesn’t make sense to you right now? Do you feel all alone? Turn to God for comfort and peace. You may not understand the things that are happening, but He does. He sees things more clearly than you do, and He’s working in your life. He loves you so much He sent His Son to die for you, and He will be with you no matter what. You can trust Him. Today’s key verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart…In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Trust God with your life

Read: James 1:13-16 Mitchell sniffed the air as he walked into the house. “Mmm, cookies! Can I have one, Mom?” “Not right now,” said Mom. “They need to cool, and we’re going to be having dinner soon. You can have one for dessert after we eat.” “Okay,” said Mitchell, but he looked longingly at the cookies as they cooled on the counter. They smelled so good, and he knew they tasted even better. He was still standing there, looking at them, when his mother took another cookie sheet from the oven. “The more I smell these cookies, the more I want one,” he said. “Can’t I just have a small one?” Mom shook her head. “It would be easier to wait if you went somewhere else instead of standing there where you can see them and smell them,” she said. “Remember the Bible verse you learned last week?” “You mean the one about God always providing a way to escape temptation so we don’t have to give in to it?” asked Mitchell. “That’s the one,” said Mom. “And I think the way to escape this temptation is to go outside and play.” “But cookies aren’t bad,” said Mitchell. “It’s not a sin to eat a cookie.” “True,” said Mom, “but if you stay around the cookies long enough, you might give in to the temptation to eat one. And then you’d be disobeying me, which is a sin.” Mitchell sighed. “Okay, I’ll go outside.” He left the kitchen and went out the door to the garage. He was shooting baskets in the driveway when his mother called him to come in for dinner. “You were right, Mom,” he said as he sat down at the table. “The cookies quit bothering me after I got away from them. When I got busy doing something else, I forgot all about them.” Mom nodded. “As Christians, we can always say no when we’re tempted to sin because Jesus freed us from sin, and it has no power over us anymore. But it’s still a good idea to get away from things that we know will tempt us. Sometimes that’s the best way to avoid giving in!” –Pamela J. Kuhn How about you? Is it hard for you to say no to sin? When you’re tempted to do something wrong, remember that if you trust in Jesus, He has freed you from sin, and you don’t ever have to give in to it. But it’s still a good idea to avoid putting yourself in situations where you know you’ll be tempted. Ask God for guidance in knowing when to stay away from something. When you do find yourself in a tempting situation, trust Him to show you a way out. Today’s key verse: But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ERV) Today’s key thought: Avoid temptation

Read: John 11:32-35; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “Mom?” Libby stepped into the apartment kitchen. She had heard movement; she knew someone was up. “What’s going on, sweetie? It’s early.” Mom sat at the island with a steaming mug in front of her. “I can’t stop thinking about BJ,” Libby said. “I miss him, Mom.” Mom held out an arm, pulling Libby close when she walked over to her. “I was thinking about him this morning too.” Libby’s eyes filled. “He’s been gone for months. When am I going to stop crying?” “We can’t rush the grieving,” Mom said. “Your brother was very important to us.” “Allie said that her dad doesn’t want her crying anymore,” Libby said. She and her best friend were dealing with the same thing. Their older brothers had both lost their lives on the same day, in the same crash. “She said he told her that she’s cried enough and needs to get over it.” “Poor Allie,” Mom said quietly. Libby looked down at the floor. “Is that what Jesus thinks?” she asked. “That I need to stop crying about it?” “Jesus? No.” Mom rubbed her shoulder. “Jesus understands your pain. He’s not going to rush your grieving or get upset when you cry.” “Are you sure?” “Yes,” Mom said confidently. “There’s actually a time in the Bible where we see Jesus in a situation that we can relate to,” she said. “Mary had lost her brother Lazarus, who was Jesus’s friend, and she was upset about it. When Jesus saw her weeping, He cried too. He had lost His friend, and He also felt the pain of the sister who had lost her brother. He didn’t try to stop Mary from grieving. He grieved with her.” “Do you think Jesus cares about me and the pain I’m feeling?” Libby asked. “I know that He does,” Mom said. “He loves you, and it hurts Him to see you hurting.” She squeezed Libby’s shoulder. “Why don’t we talk with Him now while I make you some hot chocolate?” “With marshmallows, the way BJ loved it?” Libby asked. Mom smiled and wiped her eyes. “With marshmallows,” she said. –Emily Acker How about you? Have you lost someone you were close to? Maybe your grandparent passed away, or maybe a parent left. Did you feel guilty for grieving? Did you feel like you could only cry about it for so long and then you had to get over it? There is no time limit on grief. Losing a loved one hurts, and Jesus understands that. He sees your tears and is with you in your grief. 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: Jesus sees your pain

Read: 1 Peter 2:21-25 Ian picked up a crumpled piece of paper from the ground and opened it up. It was a flyer advertising a sale at one of the local stores. He crumpled it back up and threw it on the ground. “Why did you do that?” Mom called to Ian from the porch. “It’s nothing important,” Ian said. “Besides, that’s how I found it. Someone else left it there like that.” He kicked the paper to the side of the sidewalk. “Ian, pick it up and throw it away, please. I know you’re not the one who put it there in the first place, but we all need to do our share in keeping our neighborhood looking nice, even if that means picking up trash that belongs to someone else.” Ian sighed and picked up the paper. “This is the second time this week I got stuck with the consequences for something someone else did,” he said, thinking of the day before when his younger twin brothers were acting up at the park and Mom had taken them all home early. He threw the crumpled paper in the trash and sat down on the porch next to his mother. “I know it seems like you’ve been suffering the consequences for other people’s behavior lately,” said Mom, “but remember there have been times when others have picked up your trash. In fact, I often pick up your candy wrappers around the house. And I seem to recall that the last time I had to take everyone home early from a fun outing was because of something you did. There is only one person who was completely innocent and suffered the consequences for those who were at fault. Do you know who that was?” Ian thought it over. “Was it Jesus?” Mom nodded. “Jesus never sinned, but He died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. He suffered the consequences we deserved so we could have eternal life with Him.” Ian kicked at a leaf that had blown onto the porch. “I’m really glad He did that,” he said. “When I have to deal with the consequences of what other people do, I’ll remember what Jesus did for me.” –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Have you suffered consequences for something someone else did? Even though you may not have done anything wrong then, you’ve done plenty of other wrong things. We’re all sinners who deserve to suffer the consequences of our sin, which is eternal death, or being separated from God forever. But Jesus died so we wouldn’t have to. He suffered the consequences you deserve so you could have eternal life with 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 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Jesus suffered the consequences of our sin

Read: Genesis 2:1-3; Mark 4:35-38; 6:30-32 Lilia pulled her paddle into the canoe and laid it over her lap. Spencer followed her direction and did the same. After a few moments of floating down the river confused, Spencer spoke up. “Hey, Lilia,” he asked his sister, “why did we stop paddling?” “Well, we’ve been paddling down this river for close to an hour, and I think it’s time we took a rest,” said Lilia. “But I’m not tired! I don’t think we need a rest. Let’s keep going!” “Sometimes we need to rest even when we don’t feel like we need it. Plus, we need to rest up to paddle all the way back,” Lilia reasoned. Spencer groaned, still not convinced. “You know, I’m not the only one who tells you to rest,” Lilia said. “I know,” Spencer huffed. “Mom and Dad do too.” “And God tells you to rest too!” Lilia added, splashing a little water toward Spencer. “He does?” Spencer asked, splashing water right back at his sister. “Yes. God set aside a day after creation to rest.” “But why?” Spencer asked. “God didn’t really need to rest after making the world, did He?” “No, but He knows we need to rest, so He set an example for us to follow. Jesus also showed us the importance of rest. He took breaks from teaching to rest and spend time with God, and once He even took a nap on a boat during a storm. When we take time to rest, it helps us remember to trust Him instead of relying on ourselves. We can rest knowing that He saved us by dying on the cross and promises to take care of us.” Spencer tucked his paddle next to his leg. “I guess that makes sense. Okay, we can rest for a little while.” “Oh, and there’s one other reason I wanted to take a break from paddling.” Lilia smiled slyly. “Look up.” Spencer looked up and gasped at the beautiful trees along the river. They arched along the riverbank and made a bright tunnel of autumn colors for the canoe to float through. “When we rest, it’s easier to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation,” said Lilia. “We might have missed this spot if we were focused on paddling.” Spencer just nodded, not able to take his eyes off the beautiful trees all around him. –Naomi Zylstra How about you? Have you ever been told to take a break even when you didn’t want to? Or maybe bedtime came around but you weren’t tired yet. Rest is important, even when we don’t feel like we need it. We often think we should keep going without a break, but Jesus tells us to rest because it helps us learn to trust Him and enjoy His blessings around us. Schedule rest into your daily life so you can be refreshed body, mind, and soul. Today’s key verse: [Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Rest in Jesus

Read: Psalm 119:102-105 Jalen finished his Bible reading, then checked off the corresponding reference on his sheet. “There!” he said. “I’m all done with this week’s youth group challenge. We had to read a different passage from the Bible every day this week.” “That’s great,” said Mom. “It’s always good when others encourage you to read the Bible every day. Now it will be easier for you to keep doing it on your own.” “Oh, I’m not planning to do that,” Jalen said. Mom raised her eyebrows. “You’re not?” Jalen shook his head. “I just did it to complete the challenge. I go to church and youth group every week, and we read and talk about the Bible there. I feel like that’s enough.” That evening, as Mom walked past Jalen’s room, she reached in and turned off the light. “Hey, Mom!” Jalen called out. “I’m in here!” “I know,” Mom said, returning to his door. “But you had the light on quite a while, so I figured you’d had enough and it was time to turn it off.” Jalen gave his mom a curious look as he reached for the switch. “But it’s way too dark with the light off. I’m working on my science project, and I need the light on so I can put my solar system model together.” “But couldn’t you do that with the light off?” Mom asked. “I mean, you know the rough size of each planet, right? Can’t you just feel around for them?” Jalen stared at her. “Well, I guess I could, but it wouldn’t turn out well!” Mom smiled. “It’d be a lot easier to do with the light on, wouldn’t it?” “Yeah!” “Well, God refers to His Word—the Bible—as light,” Mom said. “It shows us how much we need Jesus to save us and helps us see the path we’re walking with Him more clearly. Even though you get that light in church and youth group, it’s also good to spend time in God’s Word on your own. I think that’s why your youth group did that challenge in the first place—to help you get in the habit of shining God’s light on your life every day.” After a moment’s pause, Jalen nodded. “I guess that’s a light we always need to have on.” –Deborah S. Marett How about you? Do you spend time in God’s Word every day? It’s great to read and talk about the Bible with others at church, but it’s important to read it on your own too. That will help you learn more about Jesus and shine His light on your life every day. Get in the habit of taking a few minutes to read His Word each day, and ask God to use that time to speak to your heart. Today’s key verse: The teaching of your word gives light. Psalm 119:130 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Read God’s Word every day

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 Manuel rushed onto the stage, set some props in place, picked up some others, and rushed back off. He was the head prop person for the play the youth group was putting on at church. When the performance ended, Manuel finished what he had to do and picked up his jacket. He sighed loudly as he walked out of the auditorium and started down the church steps. Pastor Weber stopped him as he was coming up the stairs. “Congratulations on the fine job you did on the play!” he said. “But why the big sigh? Are you tired?” “Yeah, I guess so,” Manuel said. “Tired and discouraged about…about some other stuff.” “I’m sorry to hear that,” said the pastor. “Care to talk about it?” Manuel shrugged, but then he decided to share his problem. “It’s my dad,” he said. “Mom and I are saved, but Dad isn’t. I don’t want him to be…” Manuel hesitated. “To be lost for all eternity,” he finished in a trembling voice. “Mom and I have prayed and prayed for Dad, and I know you and the people here at church have too, but it hasn’t done any good. We keep trying to help him understand that Jesus loves him and died for him, but he’s still the same.” “Wait a minute, Manuel,” said Pastor Weber. “How do you know our prayers haven’t done any good? How do you know your dad is the same?” Manuel was surprised. “I sure don’t see any change,” he said. “But you can’t see inside his heart, Manuel,” Pastor Weber reminded him. “It’s a little like the play you just put on. The audience couldn’t see all the behind-the-scenes work that took place to make it a success.” Manuel remembered all the rehearsals and rushing around to set the stage while the curtain was closed. “God often does a lot of behind-the-scenes work too,” Pastor Weber continued. “Our prayers and our testimony of what Jesus has done for us are part of the unseen things that will bring final results.” Manuel nodded. “So we have to keep at it, don’t we?” “Yep,” Pastor Weber said. “Keep at it and trust God to change your dad’s heart.” –A. W. Smith How about you? Are you discouraged because you haven’t seen answers to your prayers? Have you told someone about Jesus, but it hasn’t seemed to make any difference? Don’t quit. You don’t know what God has been doing in that person’s heart. It could take a very long time for them to come to Jesus, but keep praying and showing them His love. Trust God with the results. Today’s key verse: I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 1 Corinthians 3:6 (NLT) Today’s key thought: God is working, so keep praying

Read: Colossians 3:1, 8-11 Dominoes wound their way through a large room in the basement. “Wow! You have quite a domino network here,” said Amelia’s mother as she came down the stairs. She carefully picked her way to where Amelia was and dropped to the floor beside her. “How did your speech go—the one you did with Ellen in history class?” “Fine,” said Amelia. “I did really well.” “And how about math? You said you’ve been doing your homework every night. Is that going better now?” “It’s going great, Mom.” Irritated, Amelia frowned. “Why all the questions?” As she spoke, her cat Penelope ran down the stairs. Before Amelia could grab her, the cat bumped a domino. One after another, they all fell. Amelia watched as her domino design collapsed all the way through the room, then glared at Penelope. Mom cocked her head thoughtfully. “Interesting how, when one domino is tipped, it bumps the next one, isn’t it, Amelia? They all affect one another, and before you can stop them, they all fall. Lies are like that. One lie often leads to another, and each lie not only affects the liar, but often someone else too.” Amelia sighed. “I hope it’s easier to fix lies than domino networks.” “Do you have lies that need fixing?” asked Mom. “I, um…yeah, I do. I didn’t do my math homework, Mom. I’m having trouble with fractions. And speaking in front of people makes my stomach hurt, so I didn’t give my speech. I skipped class, and Ellen is really mad at me. I guess I kind of knocked down some dominoes, huh?” “Yes, you did,” Mom said. “Lying only leads to more lies and hurt, which is why the Bible says it has no place in our lives as Christians. Jesus has given us new life as God’s children, and our words should reflect His truth and love.” Amelia nodded. “I’ll tell Ellen I’m sorry.” “Good.” Mom smiled. “By the way, your math teacher said she’d help you after school tomorrow, and your history teacher said you and Ellen can give the speech on Friday.” Amelia’s mouth fell open. “You knew?” Mom laughed. “I do have a phone! Clean up the mess down here, then come upstairs and call Ellen.” “Okay,” said Amelia. “I’ll be there in a minute.” –Danika Cooley How about you? Can you think of a lie you’ve told? When you lie to try to stay out of trouble, you just create a bigger mess. If you’re a Christian, God says to “take off your old self” so you can live the new life Jesus has given you—and lying is included in the list of things to get rid of. When you make a mistake and do something wrong, be honest and apologize—and ask Jesus to forgive you too. Today’s key verse: Do not lie to one another. Colossians 3:9 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Tell the truth

Read: Matthew 6:31-34 “You look tired,” Mom said when Dylan came into the kitchen for breakfast one morning. He sighed as he sat down for a bowl of cereal. “I am tired. I couldn’t sleep.” “Why not?” Mom carried a glass of orange juice over to him. Dylan thanked her for the juice, then shrugged. Mom pulled out the chair beside him. “Were you thinking about Grandpa?” “Sort of,” Dylan admitted. “It’s hard knowing he’s in the hospital and facing some health issues,” Mom said. “But we need to keep praying that he’ll be okay.” “I tried, but I still couldn’t sleep.” Dylan stirred his cereal around in his bowl. Mom put a hand on his arm. “Sometimes our worries are strong and it feels almost impossible to get over them,” she said. “But God is stronger.” Mom got up and grabbed her phone from the counter. She tapped on the screen a few times before stepping back over to Dylan. “Matthew chapter six talks about worry. It tells us not to worry about tomorrow.” Mom showed him the phone and pointed out the verse. “It’s not always easy to let go of our worries, especially when we’re concerned about someone we love,” she said. “But God is big enough and strong enough to take care of anything. He sent His own Son to save us when we were lost in sin, and He promises to always be with us and take care of us. It doesn’t do any good to worry and lose sleep—it’s much better to trust everything to Him.” Dylan nodded as he glanced at the verse again. “Do you think we could visit Grandpa today?” “I think he’d like that,” said Mom. “And I know he’d tell you the same thing I did. He appreciates your concern and prayers, but he doesn’t want you to worry.” “Yeah, I don’t think Grandpa ever worries about anything,” Dylan said as he finally dug into his cereal. Mom smiled. “It doesn’t seem like it, does it?” she said. “If only we could all learn to be like that.” –Bethany Acker How about you? Are you worried about something? Maybe a loved one is sick or you’re facing another difficult situation and don’t know how it will turn out. Maybe you’ve been so worried that you’ve even lost sleep because of it. Instead of worrying, God wants you to trust Him to take care of things. Worrying won’t change anything, but God is in control of everything, and He loves you and promises to take care of you. You don’t have to worry. Today’s key verse: Therefore 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: Don’t worry

Read: Psalm 40:9-10 Tyler jumped off the school bus and ran home. He burst into the kitchen. “Mom! Mom! Guess what?” He ran through the house until he found his mom. “I won the spelling bee! I did it!” His eyes shone as he held out a big blue ribbon for her to see. Mom gasped and gave him a hug. “That’s wonderful, Ty!” Tyler nodded. “Now I get to compete in the regionals next month! I’ve got to text Jack and tell him.” He picked up his tablet to send a message to his best friend, who had moved away a few months earlier. “What did Jack say?” Mom asked a while later. “He thought it was great,” said Tyler. He sighed. “I wish we still went to the same school.” “I know,” said Mom. She picked up Tyler’s ribbon and looked at it thoughtfully. “A lot has happened since he moved away, hasn’t it? We weren’t even going to church back then, but now we know Jesus.” She smiled at Tyler. “I can understand why you wanted to tell Jack about winning the spelling bee right away. It’s always fun to share good news, and that’s certainly good news. But you have even better news than that. Have you shared it with Jack?” “Better news?” Tyler asked. Mom nodded. “The best news of all, in fact—about how Jesus died for us and rose again so we could be saved and have a new life with Him.” “Oh, right.” Tyler sat down on the couch and sighed. “I’m a little afraid to come right out and tell him,” he admitted, “but I do want Jack to know Jesus too.” He got up and picked up his tablet. “I’m going to do it right now. I’m going to tell him I’ve got the best news of all!” He paused. “Can I invite him to spend the weekend with us?” he asked eagerly. “I think his mom will let him come. Then he could come to church with us and learn more about Jesus. Would that be okay?” Mom smiled. “Of course!” –Beth R. Terpstra How about you? Have you shared good news with someone lately about something exciting that happened? What about the very best news of all—that Jesus died and rose from the dead so we could be saved? Have you told anyone about that? Share the good news of Jesus with others so they can know Him too! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. Romans 1:16 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Share God’s good news

Read: Psalm 145:8-21; Luke 6:31 Maylie stroked Chester’s long orange fur. Her cat purred loudly. “Sir Chester Chatterson, would you like a morsel of cake?” Maylie placed a cat treat on a plate and poured water into a teacup for Chester. Mom walked by as Chester lapped water out of the cup. “He let you put that top hat on him?” She laughed. “Just remember to let him leave when he’s had enough tea party time.” After Chester wandered off, Maylie spotted Miss Priss grooming herself in the sunshine. Miss Priss was an older cat and didn’t like to be bothered. Maybe just this one time she won’t mind, Maylie thought. Miss Priss gave a warning growl when Maylie picked her up. At first, a few treats seemed to appease the calico, but when Maylie tried to pull a doll’s dress over her head, Miss Priss had quite enough! Hisssss! Scratch! Maylie looked at her arm and began to cry. Mom darted into the room and untangled Miss Priss from the lace dress before attending to Maylie’s scratch. “Maylie, you know better than to bother Miss Priss!” “She’s a mean cat!” Maylie sobbed. “No, she’s just protecting herself. What you did to her was not kind. Do you remember the Bible verse we’ve been working on?” Maylie stopped sniffling to recite it. “‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’” “Good job! Jesus wants us to care about other people’s feelings and needs the way He cares about ours. When we treat people with kindness, we’re showing them the kind of love He showed us when He gave His life to save us. Even the way we care for animals and their needs shows His love in us, because He cares for everything He created.” Mom finished bandaging Maylie’s arm. “Now, what did Miss Priss need?” “To be left alone. But Mom, Chester doesn’t mind when I dress him up!” “Chester is a younger cat with a different temperament than Miss Priss. Not everyone likes the same thing. Remember when one of your friends tried to force you to put face paint on at her birthday party?” Maylie’s eyes widened. “I do not like stuff on my face!” She walked over to the calico and gently pet her head. “I’m sorry, Prissy. You look better in calico than lace anyhow.” –Savannah Coleman How about you? Do you ever struggle with being kind to animals? Or maybe you want to love them so much that you don’t give them the space they need. While animals aren’t created in God’s image like people are, the Bible says God cares about all His creation, down to the smallest of sparrows (Matthew 10:29). As we show Jesus’s love to other people, we can also display His love in the way we treat animals. How can you care for a critter today? Today’s key verse: The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. Proverbs 12:10 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Being kind to critters matters to God

Read: Isaiah 41:8-10 Zoe couldn’t wait to go on her youth group trip to the state park, where there would be camping, hiking, swimming, and bonfires. She packed her duffle bag and was about to zip it up when her mother walked in. “Aren’t you going to pack your Bible?” Mom asked, pointing to the dust-laden book on Zoe’s nightstand. “You might want it.” Zoe reluctantly put it in her bag. “We’re going to be talking about the Bible the whole time! Why do I need it with me?” But her mother just smiled and left. On the first day of her trip, Zoe was finishing her lunch when the head counselor made an announcement. “In twenty minutes, there will be a game of capture the flag. Afterward we’ll have ice cream—and the winning side gets first dibs on toppings!” The group cheered as teams were chosen. Zoe’s team decided that she and a few others would search for the other team’s flag. Once the whistle blew, Zoe raced through the woods to the other side of camp. When she saw an enemy team member coming toward her, she veered off the path and ran in what she thought was the right direction. Ten minutes later, it proved her wrong. She was lost! Sitting on a fallen tree, she tried to think of how to get back to camp, but it was hopeless. So she prayed about it, desperately asking God to help her find her way back. Then one of the Bible verses they’d talked about earlier that day popped into her head. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Zoe thought about what her counselor had said—that God loved her so much He’d sent Jesus to die for her so she could be His child. It gave her peace knowing He was with her. Just then Ezra, a boy from her team, appeared from behind a tree. “Are you lost?” he asked. “I’ll show you the way back to camp.” Zoe thanked him, and they made their way back. That night, as she opened her Bible, Zoe silently thanked God for being with her and for calming her fears with the truth of His Word. –Norah Varner How about you? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt lost or afraid? We can always find peace by remembering the truth God gives us in His Word. So don’t let your Bible get covered with dust! Even in the darkest moments, we can be assured that God loves us and is with us. When you read the Bible and memorize verses, such as today’s key verse, the truth of God’s Word can help you feel His peace. Today’s key verse: Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) Today’s key thought: God’s Word brings peace

Read: James 1:5-8 Minha sat on the beach watching the waves crash into the shore. It was a windy day, and the waves were huge. Minha had a lot on her mind, and watching the water calmed her. Mom came and sat next to her. After a while of sitting in silence, Mom finally asked, “How are you doing?” “I’m just so scared of making the wrong decision,” Minha said as she fought back tears. Minha and her mom had just come from the doctor, who had told them Minha’s test showed that she had cancer, and he had given them different options for treating it. Mom put her arm around Minha. “Well, this is a huge decision, but we need to pray that God will give us wisdom and guide us in making the right choice.” “But, Mom, all the treatment options could make me even sicker. How can we be sure God will help us make the right decision?” The two sat in silence for a little while, watching the water. They watched as a big stick was thrown from one wave to another. Then a big wave heaved the piece of wood onto the shore, and it finally became still. “Minha, we are definitely going through a struggle right now,” Mom said. “We can either let our emotions get the best of us and throw us around like the waves did that stick, or we can trust God to see us through this. It’s not going to be easy, but we have to remember that Jesus will be with us as we make these tough decisions—and He’s put doctors and other people in our lives who can help guide us in making wise choices. That doesn’t mean everything will go the way we want it to, but we need to remember that God is in control and will work everything out for good, no matter what decision we make. Jesus saved us, and He’ll always be with us, no matter what happens. It may be scary, but we can trust Him.” Minha watched the water for a long time, thinking about what her mom had said. She then said a silent prayer asking God for wisdom and guidance as she and her family made the choices they needed to make. –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Are you going through a hard time right now? Do you have some tough decisions to make? Perhaps you’re dealing with something difficult in your family, at school, or with your health. No matter what it is, remember that Jesus saved you and will work everything out for good, even if things don’t go the way you hoped. Trust Him to be with you and guide you in whatever it is you’re facing. Today’s key verse: We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God. Romans 8:28 (CSB) Today’s key thought: Trust Jesus with tough choices

Read: Psalm 38:1-4 Grounded and bored, Mia slouched in the chair as she watched her baby sister play. Little Riley, growing tired of her blocks, made her way to Mia’s backpack that leaned heavily against the brick hearth. Riley picked up the straps and tried to lift the weight of Mia’s bag—an impossible feat, since Riley was barely able to walk on her own. As Riley began to cry in frustration, Mia knelt down to help. Removing the books from her bag, Mia thought her sister would be relieved, but instead she grew angry. She cried harder and tried to return the books to their place. Irritated with her sister, Mia huffed. “You can’t lift it, Riley!” She pulled the bag away, only to be met with an all-out tantrum from Riley. Mom rushed into the room. “What is it now, Mia?” “Why is it my fault?” Mia asked. “I was trying to help.” Mom gathered up Riley in her arms. Once Riley was calm, Mia spoke up. “I don’t want to cause trouble, Mom, but I do. Even when I’m trying to help I end up in trouble.” Mom sat Riley back down to play and turned to look at Mia. “Sometimes I put blame on you when I shouldn’t, Mia, and I’m sorry. I mess up too.” Mia sighed. “I just want to be good enough so you and Jesus and everyone else will be happy with me, but I don’t know how to make that happen.” “Oh, Mia,” Mom said. “Every time you try to be good enough on your own, you’re trying to lift a burden you can never carry.” Mia looked down at her backpack and imagined herself as a baby trying to lift it. “Like Riley trying to lift a bag full of books?” she asked. Mom nodded. “When you trusted Jesus to save you, He made you good in God’s eyes by giving you His righteousness, or goodness. You don’t have to try to be good enough. Instead, the good we do comes from a place of knowing that He loves us just as we are and gives us all we need to show His love to others. Because of Him, you’re always good enough.” –Maggie J. Sifuentes How about you? Do you ever feel like you can never be good enough? Does trying to do everything right feel like a burden you can’t carry? Let Jesus carry the weight for you. When you trust in Him, He gives you His goodness in exchange for your sin. As you rest in His love and depend on Him to help you show it to others, your efforts to help and serve will be a joy, not a burden. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Jesus makes you good enough

Read: Colossians 3:12-17 Jacob stepped off the bus and walked toward Dad. “How was your day?” Dad asked as they began walking home. Jacob shrugged. “It was all right,” he said quietly. “Something wrong?” asked Dad. Jacob kicked at a rock on the sidewalk. He was embarrassed to talk about what had happened, but he knew he could trust Dad. “That older kid pushed me around again. He’s picked me to bully instead of the other kids.” “What did you do?” asked Dad as they turned a corner and walked down the gravel road toward their house. “Yelled a lot, but that didn’t do much,” answered Jacob. “I want to get back at him for embarrassing me in front of my friends.” As they approached their driveway, Dad pointed to the field next door. “Jacob, do you see how nobody cares for that field? Weeds have taken over because nobody has done anything to prevent them from growing where the grass should grow.” “Yeah, I never want to play over there because the weeds get in the way.” “Well, weeds and revenge are kind of similar,” said Dad. “Wanting to get revenge on someone is a sign that bitter weeds are growing in your heart. And when you’re filled with bitterness, it keeps you from being able to forgive.” “But I don’t want to forgive him,” Jacob said, clenching his fists. “I want him to pay for what he did!” “Did Jesus make you pay for all the bad things you’ve done?” Dad asked. “He paid for all your sins by dying on the cross and forgave you for them, and He wants you to forgive others. It’s not easy, but He’ll help you. He can get rid of the nasty weeds of bitterness growing in your heart.” Dad put his hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “I’ll talk to someone at the school about the kid who’s been bothering you. But don’t let anger and bitterness take over and keep you from forgiving him. Ask Jesus to clear away the weeds in your heart so you can forgive others the way He’s forgiven you.” Jacob knew Dad was right. As hard as it would be to forgive this bully, he didn’t want a heart full of weeds. –Emily Saxe How about you? Have you been bullied? Have you forgiven that person, or are you still angry? Jesus died on the cross so you could be forgiven for every one of your sins, and He will give you that same power so you can forgive others. Forgiving means putting the wrong that person did in God’s hands and depending on Him to help you love them instead. Who can you forgive today? 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 others If someone is bullying you, tell a trusted adult so they can help.

Read: Luke 21:9-19 Caden was lying on his bed with his head propped on his hands and a worried look on his face when his mom stopped at his door. “How was school, Caden?” she asked. “Did something happen?” “Not really.” Caden hesitated. “We did have a discussion in social studies, though. One of the kids started talking about nuclear war and how the whole world is going to blow up and end soon. And it sounded like Mr. Morgan agreed with him.” “He said that?” Mom asked. “No. But it kinda seemed like he thought so. He said if everyone just stopped making nuclear weapons, the world would be at peace and no one would fight.” “That sounds nice, but I’m afraid it’s not going to happen,” said Mom. “There were many, many wars long before we had nuclear weapons. People and nations want to be powerful and will often do anything to gain that power. It’s unrealistic to think they’ll all suddenly decide to stop fighting.” “I guess so,” Caden said. “But thinking about it makes me feel scared. We talk about war at school, and it’s always on the news. It seems like we never stop hearing about scary things.” He paused. “Aren’t you afraid, Mom?” Mom sighed. “This world is a messed-up place because of sin, Caden, and people do terrible things. But when I hear scary stories about violence in the world, I thank God that my future is in His hands. He’s in control of this world, and nothing happens unless He allows it to happen. We also know He loves and cares for us as His children. When we feel afraid because of what’s going on in the world, we need to remember that Jesus, God’s Son, died and rose again to rescue us from sin and evil. No matter what happens, He will always be with us.” “I know,” Caden said. “I just wish things were different.” “Me too,” said Mom. “But remember that things won’t be like this forever. One day, when Jesus returns, He will get rid of sin, evil, and death in this world once and for all. Until then, we can have peace knowing He’s in control and is always with us.” –Lenora McWhorten How about you? Are you afraid when you hear stories about war? Perhaps you’ve experienced terrible things like that firsthand. This world is a scary place, but if you trust Jesus as your Savior, you don’t have to be full of fear. Your future is in His hands. Trust Him to be with you through all the scary things you face in this world, and look forward to the day when He’ll end war and violence forever. Today’s key verse: Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me [Jesus]. John 14:1 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Don’t be afraid—trust Jesus

Read: 1 Samuel 16:7; Romans 3:23 Isabella’s tummy grumbled as she grabbed the peanut butter from the pantry and the new jar of strawberry jam from the refrigerator. Mom laid bread out on two plates and handed her a butter knife. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a rhinoceros!” said Isabella, unscrewing the lid from the jam jar. She started to stick her knife deep into the middle, then stopped. “Mom!” she cried. “Something’s wrong with this jam! It’s fuzzy and green in the middle.” Mom took the jar and looked closer. “You’re right, honey. It’s bad.” “But isn’t that the new jar you bought yesterday?” Isabella asked. “Yes,” Mom said, looking the jar over carefully. “But I couldn’t tell from the outside that anything was wrong.” Isabella looked at the jar too. From the outside, the jam looked fine. “You know what this makes me think of?” asked Mom. Isabella shook her head, disappointed she wasn’t going to get any jam on her peanut butter sandwich. “This jar of jam is just like our hearts without Jesus.” Mom turned the jar slowly. “Everything looks fine on the outside, but when we look inside, the moldy decay of sin is eating away at us.” Mom peered at the moldy jam inside the jar. “God sees inside our hearts and knows about the sin that hides there. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us. When we trust in Him, His blood covers our sins and our hearts are made new.” Mom replaced the lid and screwed it down tight. “I’ll have to take this moldy jar of jam back to the store and exchange it for a new one. And when we put our faith in Jesus, God exchanges our moldy, sinful heart for a new one.” Isabella thought about how she’d shoved her toys under her bed that morning and then lied when mom asked if she’d put them away. She imagined that lie growing like the green fuzz in the jar and knew she had sin in her heart. “Mom, can I pray and ask Jesus to exchange my heart for a new one? I—I’ve never done that before.” Mom smiled. “You bet! And we don’t even have to drive to the store to do it!” –Kelly Hollman How about you? Do you think you’re a good person? Do you try to do what’s right, like obey your parents and be loving and kind to others? Even if you try your hardest, without Jesus, your heart is like that moldy jar of jam. We all have sin in our hearts, and only Jesus can take it away. Put your faith in Him and He will give you a new, clean heart. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) 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: Jesus cleanses us from sin

Read: Mark 10:13-16 “Is something wrong with the macaroni, buddy?” Graham’s mom asked as she watched her son push the pasta from one side of his plate to the other. Graham looked at his uneaten dinner. “No, it’s fine. I’m just not hungry tonight. May I be excused?” “I guess so,” Mom said quietly. Graham headed to his bedroom. He sank into his bed and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t want to tell his mom how he felt. It might make her sad again. His thoughts shifted to his best friend, Gideon, but were interrupted by a knock at his door. “May I come in, honey?” asked Mom. “Yes,” Graham replied with a sigh. Mom opened the door. “I was washing the dishes and couldn’t stop wondering if something was wrong.” Graham hesitated. “Well, uh, tomorrow is the father and son fishing trip at church.” Tears filled his eyes as he continued. “Gideon and his dad are going. Mom, I just miss Dad so much.” Mom walked to the bed and wrapped Graham in her arms. There had been such a hole in their family since Graham’s dad left, never even saying goodbye. “I know, my sweet boy.” Tears trickled down both of their cheeks. The world seemed to stand still for a few moments. “Graham, remember when you asked Jesus to be your Savior a year ago?” Mom asked. Graham nodded. “You became a child of God that special day,” Mom said. “And God is the perfect Father. He will never walk away or leave you. When you’re sad or lonely, you can talk to your heavenly Father.” Graham wiped his cheeks. “Can we talk to Him now?” “Of course we can,” Mom answered. Mother and son bowed their heads together and spent time talking to God. “Thanks, Mom. I feel a lot better now,” Graham said when they finished praying. Mom smiled. “Do you feel better enough to have some ooey-gooey chocolate cake? If you’re still not hungry, I can just eat it myself,” she teased. “I think I can force some down,” Graham said with a smirk. –Monica Faith Vernot How about you? Has someone ever disappointed you? Have you experienced the separation of a friend, a family member, or even a parent? We live in a sinful world, and no one is perfect. Each of us makes mistakes, and those mistakes often hurt others around us. God wants to hear how we feel. You can tell Him your thoughts, your feelings, and your struggles. He is the perfect Father who will never leave you and will always listen. Today’s key verse: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: God loves His children so much

Read: Psalm 139:13-18; Ephesians 2:10 Ava walked into her new classroom feeling nervous yet excited. She had lived her whole life in a little town in Taiwan, but was now starting a new adventure in the big city of Taipei. After everyone scrambled to their seats, the teacher had the students introduce themselves and helped them choose their class leaders. Ava was a class leader at her previous school, and she hoped to be selected again. However, to her disappointment, her more outspoken classmates got the most votes. During music class, Ava listened as some students took turns playing the piano. Everyone clapped when they finished. My family can’t afford piano lessons for me, Ava thought enviously. It’s not fair. In art class, some of Ava’s classmates drew beautiful pictures. I wish I could draw like them, she thought. In PE, everyone cheered for the athletic students. Bitterness grew inside Ava. I’m never good at sports. I wish people would cheer for me. Maybe I should try to be like them. “Dad, why are all my classmates good at something and I’m not?” Ava burst out after dinner that night. “Did God forget to give me any talent?” “Oh, sweetheart, God didn’t forget you,” Dad reassured her. “He loves you. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you—that’s how precious you are to Him! You are His amazing work, so you don’t need to compare yourself to others.” “But I get so mad when I see everyone else doing things I can’t,” Ava said. “God gives each of us different abilities, and He wants us to praise Him when we’re able to enjoy other people’s talents—not feel jealous and bitter,” Dad replied. “Thank Him for the things others can do, and trust Him to use the gifts He’s given you—whatever they are—to help others and point them to Jesus.” “Thanks, Dad,” Ava replied. She took the words with her to bed, feeling renewed. The next day Cherry, one of Ava’s classmates, said, “Hey, Ava, you’re good at math. I’m really struggling. Can you help me?” Ava was stunned. “Really? I guess I’ve always understood math, but never really thought about it. I’d love to help!” As Ava took out her math book, she knew she didn’t have to be like anyone else. She was content being herself. –Hua-Hsin Tsai How about you? Do you compare yourself to other people? Do you wish you had the talents, looks, friends, or things other people do? Don’t forget whose you are. God created you, and He loves you so much He sent His Son to die for you. When you’re tempted to change to be like others, remember you’re the work of His hands. Be content in Jesus and who He created you to be. Today’s key verse: We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Be the way God created you

Read: Colossians 3:16-24 Cesar kept his distance as his dad lifted the cover from a beehive. “There sure are lots of bees, aren’t there, Dad? And they all look busy.” He grinned. “They’re as busy as bees!” Dad smiled. “You’re right. Each of the hives has lots of them—thousands, in fact. But there’s always just one queen bee in each hive.” “What does she do?” asked Cesar. “Rule the others?” “Well, she’s the mother of the bees,” Dad said. “And you know how busy mothers are! But all the other bees have a particular job to do too. The forager bees collect the food. The guard bees protect the hive from intruders. There are water collectors who regulate the humidity, and plasterers who repair the hives. The scout bees alert the others of opportunities and dangers in the outside world, and there are undertakers that remove dead bees from the hive.” “Wow!” said Cesar. “I never knew that.” “They’re like a family,” said Dad. “In a well-run family, each person has special duties. Everyone needs to do their job to keep things running smoothly for the good of the hive.” He glanced at Cesar. “It works that way in human families too.” Cesar sighed. He’d gotten in trouble the day before for going to a friend’s house when he was supposed to be raking leaves. “I know it’s not easy to accept responsibility and do your work when you’d rather be doing something else,” said Dad. “That’s why the Bible reminds us that we’re not working for ourselves—we’re working for Jesus. Because we trust in Him, we’re part of His family, and He uses the work we do to benefit others—even tasks that don’t seem all that important to us.” Cesar looked at the buzzing bees. “Kind of like how all the bees’ work helps the whole hive?” “Exactly!” Dad said. “And He uses it to help us too. The work He gives us through parents and teachers helps us learn to be responsible and think of others, and it helps prepare us for more things He wants us to do in the future.” Dad rumpled Cesar’s hair. “Can I count on you to be responsible the next time you’re given a task?” Cesar grinned and nodded. “I’ll be as busy as a bee!” –Helen C. Eshleman How about you? Do you accept responsibility when you’re given a task? Or do you complain and put it off for as long as you can? If you trust in Jesus, you’re part of His family, and He uses the work you do to show others His love—even things that seem small or tedious. Trust Him to help you do your work willingly. He’ll use it for the good of the whole hive of bee-lievers! Today’s key verse: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Accept responsibility

Read: Psalm 91:1-6 Grandma looked up from making breakfast when Noah came into to the kitchen. “You look tired,” she said. Noah yawned. “I was up a lot last night because of the storm.” “It sure was noisy!” Grandma remarked as she began mixing pancake batter. “I was up some myself.” “Did Grandpa go to the barn?” Noah asked. Grandma nodded, and Noah put on his rubber boots and went outside. He found Grandpa milking the cow. “Good morning, Noah! You look like you could use some more sleep,” Grandpa said. “Did the storm keep you awake last night?” “Yeah, but I’ll be fine. What can I do to help?” “You can feed the goats,” Grandpa answered. When the feeding and milking was done, they both went to gather the eggs. “Hey, Noah, do you see that chicken?” Grandpa asked. Noah looked at the chicken Grandpa was pointing at and gasped. “What happened? That hen is missing a bunch of feathers, and she’s all scraped up and bruised!” “Last night this hen’s chicks were bedded down in some tall grass outside,” Grandpa explained. “When the storm came, they were too afraid to move. Now just think, this hen could have gone into the coop and been warm and dry. However, she stayed outside in the bad weather with her wings covering her little ones to protect them. If she hadn’t done that, her chicks wouldn’t have survived!” Noah listened wide-eyed. “Wow! She really cares for her chicks, doesn’t she?” Grandpa nodded. “Did you know that God feels the same way about us? This chicken was willing to die to save her chicks, and God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to die for us so we could be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him. The Bible even describes God stretching His wings over us, the same way a mother hen protects her chicks.” “That’s a lot of protection!” said Noah. “It sure is! And I’m thankful for every bit of it,” said Grandpa. “Me too!” Noah grinned. “Do you know what else I’m thankful for?” “What’s that?” asked Grandpa. “Grandma’s cooking. I hope we can have breakfast soon. I’m starving!” Grandpa laughed. “Me too! Let’s go see if it’s ready.” –Elena Ketner How about you? Did you know that God protects His children like a mother hen covering her chicks? Those who trust in Jesus take refuge under His wings. If you belong to Jesus, nothing can ever separate you from Him—no matter what life storms come your way. Jesus was willing to die to save you, and He will never leave you. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. Psalm 91:4 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: God protects His children

Read: Romans 5:3-6; James 1:2-4 “Why are we stopping?” Lucas asked as they came to a stop behind a line of cars. “Oh no!” said Lucas. “We’ll be late! It’s bad enough being new at school, but being late and having everyone stare at me will be worse!” “I’m afraid I’ll be late for my job interview too,” Mom said, tapping her phone. “But there’s nothing we can do about it. I’ll give them a call so they know.” “I wish Dad was still alive,” Olivia said once Mom had finished her call. “Then we’d still be living in our old house and going to our old school with all our old friends. And you wouldn’t have to look for work.” “I wish that too,” said Mom. “But Jesus promises to be with us through these difficult changes, and we need to trust Him.” Just then the line of cars began moving, and they followed the car in front of them onto a bumpy gravel path. They passed workers using loud jackhammers and a huge machine digging up large chunks of asphalt. “Why do they have to wreck a perfectly good road?” Olivia asked. “It reminds me of our family,” Lucas said glumly. “Everything’s broken and torn up.” “It does feel like that,” said Mom. “But think about this—the people in charge at city hall have plans for this road. They’re allowing it to be broken up and worked on because they know that after the construction is finished, it will be better. And Jesus has plans for our lives. He’s leading us through a very difficult time, but it’s often during times of sorrow and hardship that we get to know Him better and become more like Him.” “But I still don’t see why He’d take Dad from us,” Olivia said sadly. “I don’t either,” said Mom. “But I do know that He understands what we’re going through because He experienced suffering and death when He came to save us. He is always with us, and we can trust Him to help us rebuild our lives.” She smiled in the rearview mirror. “Will you trust Him with me?” Olivia and Lucas looked back at her and nodded. –Violet E. Nesdoly How about you? Is it hard to believe anything good can come from the disappointment or pain you’re going through? Road construction makes a better road. Remodeling results in a better building. And trusting Jesus in difficult times leads to a stronger faith. Remember that He’s always with you and will use hard times in your life to make you stronger, wiser, more patient, and more compassionate—more like Him. Today’s key verse: You know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:3 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Trust Jesus in difficulty If you’re going through a tough time right now, find an adult you can talk to about it.

Read: Philippians 4:4-7 “What an awful day!” said Sophia after school. “Why do I have to have Mrs. Hilton for a teacher? She’s a grouch, and nobody likes her!” “It sounds like this would be a good time to remind you of the verses we read for devotions this morning,” Mom said. “‘In everything give thanks,’ remember? Because Jesus saved us and is always with us, we can have an attitude of praise and thankfulness to God, no matter what situation we find ourselves in.” “Yes, but…” Sophia looked doubtful. “It’s pretty hard to have an attitude of praise in Mrs. Hilton’s class.” “It may be hard at times, but Jesus still wants us to thank Him and trust Him in hard situations,” Mom replied. “He often uses them to teach us important lessons.” “Oh, I’m sure I’ll learn lots of lessons in Mrs. Hilton’s class,” Sophia muttered. “Lessons like sit up straight, no talking during class, stay in your seats, blah, blah, blah!” She sighed. “I really don’t see how I can give thanks for being in Mrs. Hilton’s class. It’s just too much!” She collapsed into a chair with a loud huff. Mom sat down next to her. “Sophia, I think you’ll do a lot better in Mrs. Hilton’s class if you change your attitude. Instead of complaining and focusing on the negative, remember that Jesus loves Mrs. Hilton and died for her just like He did for you. Trust Him to help you show her His love in your attitude. Treat her with respect, and look for nice things to say about her.” “Nice things about her? I can’t think of any,” said Sophia. “Ask Jesus to help you think of some,” said Mom. “Pray for Mrs. Hilton too, and look for ways you can encourage her and show her kindness. I think if you do that instead of complaining, you’ll find it much easier to give thanks for being in her class—and you might even learn something too.” Sophia sighed. “Okay,” she said after a moment. “Actually, she is pretty good at explaining math. I guess God knows I need help with that. I’ll ask Him to help me remember to be thankful and show Mrs. Hilton His love.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Are you dealing with a hard situation right now? Are you struggling to get along with someone? It can be hard to have a thankful attitude in the midst of difficult circumstances, but when you remember that Jesus gave His life to save you, you can give thanks in every situation. Thank Him for always being with you, and trust Him to use the difficulties you’re facing to help you grow and show others 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: Develop a thankful attitude

Read: Luke 10:30-35; John 15:12-13 As Victoria stepped off the school bus, she caught a glimpse of her best friend—at least, her best friend in elementary school—staring stonily out the window. Now part of the popular group, Melissa didn’t even look at Victoria. She hadn’t even seemed to notice her the whole first week of middle school. Inside, Victoria slipped off her backpack and slumped on the couch. She stared around at her house, then at her shoes, still scuffed from last year. If only I had a new wardrobe and lived in one of those big houses like the other kids, she thought. Just then, the sound of gravel crunching announced that Mom had pulled in. Victoria headed outside to help get Dad out of the van. As she pushed his wheelchair up the ramp, Victoria looked back at her tired mother, her arms loaded with groceries. Victoria’s throat tightened as she realized how loyal her mother was, choosing to care for a husband who’d never walk or talk again. If only Melissa were as faithful to her friends, she thought. As they dried dishes that night, Victoria told Mom about her first week back at school. “How’s Melissa?” Mom asked. “I haven’t heard anything about her yet.” Victoria’s face fell. “Melissa doesn’t talk to me anymore.” Mom studied her. “What happened?” “I don’t know. She hasn’t spoken to me once since school started. She walks past me with her friends like I’m a stranger.” Mom placed a mug in the cupboard. “I’m so sorry, honey.” Victoria lowered her voice so Dad wouldn’t hear. “I keep wishing Melissa were as good a person as you are, Mom. You stayed with Dad after the accident, and you’ve never once complained.” Mom’s eyes grew moist. “I haven’t always been so loyal, honey. In fact, when I was younger, I treated a friend just like Melissa’s treating you now.” Victoria stared at her. “How’d you change?” “By realizing that Jesus would never stop loving me. Once I accepted His love—love that made Him willing to die for my sins—I was able to love others the way He did; not for what they offered, but for who they were.” She put an arm around Victoria. “Jesus’s love never fails, and you can share His love with Melissa by showing her you’ll always be her faithful friend.” –Rebekah Love Dorris How about you? Have you ever been rejected by a friend? Not much is as painful as wondering why someone who once loved you no longer does. While you can’t force someone to like you again, you can pray for them and help them know the unfailing love of Jesus. He knows how it feels to be rejected, but He never stops loving us. Trust Him to help you be a faithful friend like Him. Today’s key verse: Love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Love others like Jesus

Read: Luke 18:9-14 “Whoa!” called Uncle Mike when his horse suddenly reared as a snake slithered across the path. “Whoa, boy!” But even though he was an experienced rider, Uncle Mike fell from the horse, and it galloped off toward home. “Uncle Mike!” exclaimed Beck, pulling his own horse to a stop. He was spending the day on Uncle Mike’s ranch. “I think my leg is broken,” Uncle Mike said after assessing his injuries. “We’ll have to call for help.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and groaned. “I must have landed on my phone when I fell. The screen is cracked, and it won’t turn on.” He turned to Beck. “You’ll have to ride for help.” “But I don’t know the way, and it’ll be dark soon!” said Beck. “Flash knows the way,” Uncle Mike told him. “Just lay the reins over the saddle horn and don’t try to guide him. Even if it gets dark, he’ll find his way. Trust the horse. Tell the ranch hands I’m in Coyote Canyon—they’ll know where to find me.” Beck started off. It seemed to take a long, long time, and he shivered whenever he heard coyotes howling. But he didn’t touch the reins, even when he felt sure Flash was going the wrong direction. Finally he saw lights in the distance. “You did it! Good boy, Flash!” Soon an ambulance was on its way and some of the ranch hands were riding off to find Uncle Mike. “You know what?” Beck said to his uncle the next day. “This morning I was reading my Bible, and I came to the story about the Pharisee and tax collector. The Pharisee thought he could get to heaven by doing good things, but the tax collector knew he was a sinner and just prayed and trusted God. I realized that’s what we have to do too—we need to trust Jesus to give us eternal life. It’s kind of like how I had to trust Flash yesterday. I never would have found the way home. I just trusted Flash to bring me here, and he did.” Uncle Mike smiled. “You completely trusted Flash, and we need to completely trust Jesus. None of us can do anything to get to heaven. Jesus is the only one who can take us there.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Are you trusting Jesus for eternal life? There’s nothing you can do to make your own way to heaven. In today’s Bible reading, the Pharisee mentioned all the good things he did, but it was the humble prayer of the tax collector that God heard. Make his prayer your own and put your trust in Jesus. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Trust Jesus for eternal life

Read: Matthew 6:19-21 Emily burst through the door. “Mom, I’m back! I got paid for walking Bandit. I have enough! Can we go to the store before I go to Mrs. Stevens’ house to pack up the donations for those flood victims? Please?” “How about some down time instead?” said Mom. “You’ve run yourself ragged all summer earning money for those Bangle Brights. How many do you need?” Mom raised one eyebrow and looked pointedly at the numerous neon-colored bracelets that flashed and sparkled on Emily’s wrists. Each thin bangle fit tightly against another to form thick bands that ran up her forearms. “But Mom,” Emily protested, “you get four in a package, along with a code that unlocks a treasure on the website! If I can be one of the girls who gets all the sets before school starts, it will be worth it.” Mom sighed. “Just remember that your worth isn’t determined by stuff, Emily,” she said softly. “You belong to Jesus, who loves you so much He died for you! He makes you shine brighter than all the Bangle Brights in the world, and you can shine that light to others by showing them His love.” She nodded toward the living room. “Why don’t you go rest a while before heading over to Mrs. Stevens’? We’ll go to the store another time.” Emily went to the living room and turned on the television. But she didn’t watch it. She started thinking about stuff—all the stuff she had and what it would be like to lose it overnight. Later that day, Emily knocked on Mrs. Stevens’ door. She’d brought her new backpack filled with all her new school supplies. She could use her backpack from last year, and she’d replace the school supplies with the money she’d earned walking Bandit. The newest bangles could wait. These kids had lost everything in the flood. When Mrs. Stevens let her in, Emily quietly added her backpack to the donations, then got to work sorting donated items. Most were new, others were gently used. She opened a box marked “Girls.” It was full of hair accessories and jewelry. She slid half the bangles off each arm and dropped them into the box. She thought of how excited some girl would be to get them and knew it was worth it. –Charelle Wilson How about you? Do you think having the latest and greatest stuff matters? It’s okay to enjoy new gadgets and popular trends, but remember that the things found in the world won’t last forever. It’s just stuff. What really matters is having a relationship with Jesus, who died and rose again to give you eternal life, and shining His light to others. Ask Him to show you how you can share His love with someone today! Today’s key verse: But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Share the light of Jesus

Read: Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:1-3 “How about slicing this cheese, Bryson?” Mom said as Bryson helped her prepare sandwiches for lunch. “Sure,” said Bryson. He got out the cheese cutter and went to work. As Bryson began slicing cheese, two-year-old Asher ran into the kitchen. “Some!” he said, holding out his hand. Mom shook her head. “Sorry, Asher. No cheese for you. It makes you sick.” Asher frowned and ignored her. “Some, pwease!” he begged, tugging on Bryson’s arm. “I can’t give you any, Asher,” Bryson replied. “Mom said no.” Asher fussed a little more, but then walked away, obviously not happy. “Too bad Asher doesn’t really understand why he can’t have cheese,” said Bryson. “If he knew it was because he’s allergic to it, he might not get upset when you tell him no.” “Parents often have to make decisions their kids can’t understand,” Mom said, turning to look at Bryson. “You’re talking about the party last night, aren’t you?” he asked. Mom nodded. “When you asked if you could go, Dad and I didn’t say no to be mean. Like we told you—based on our experience and knowledge, we felt it wasn’t the kind of party it would be wise for you to go to. That’s why we said no.” “I think I understand better now,” Bryson said. “Well, at least I understand that you have a reason for not always letting me do what I want, just like you have a reason for not letting Asher have what he wants.” “Good.” Mom smiled and gave Bryson a hug. “God has placed us over you to teach and protect you. We’re doing our best to teach you about Jesus and how to live in light of everything He’s done to save you. Someday we won’t be able to make decisions for you. As you get older, you’ll have to decide what choices line up with following Jesus for yourself through prayer, studying His Word, and seeking wise advice from other Christians.” Bryson nodded. “I know, and until then, I’ll try to remember that you have your reasons when you won’t let me do things.” He grinned. “If I forget, you can just tell me, ‘No cheese for you.’ That should help me remember!” –Hope L. Aderman How about you? Do you ever think your parents make rules for no reason? God puts parents in our lives so they can use their knowledge and experience to teach us about Jesus and train us in the way He wants us to go. We may not always understand their reasons, but we can trust Jesus to use their guidance to help us grow in our faith and show His love to others. Trust Him to help you show His love to your parents by obeying them. Today’s key verse: Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Colossians 3:20 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Obey your parents

Read: Matthew 5:44; 1 Peter 2:20-23; 3:15-18 “Maria and I are going to do something about those kids who tease us for going to the after-school Bible club,” Bailey told her mom on the way home from school. “Do what, exactly?” Mom asked, coming to a stop at a noisy construction zone. “We’re going to write a letter telling them they’re sinners headed straight for hell and have everyone in our Bible club sign it,” Bailey said. “Then none of us will talk to them until they quit being so mean.” The jackhammers ripping up the road made too much noise for Mom to answer. Once they pulled into their driveway, she turned to look at Bailey. “Did you see how hard the people back there had to work to get through the asphalt?” Bailey nodded. “Before you go in, I want to show you something,” Mom said, getting out of the car. Bailey followed her to the end of the driveway where Mom pointed to a little green plant poking through the asphalt. “How can a little stem like that break through the driveway?” Bailey asked. Mom smiled. “Isn’t it interesting how those workers back there had to use a jackhammer to break the asphalt, but little plants can gently and steadily push their way through?” She looked at Bailey. “It sounds like you’re planning to use a jackhammer approach with those kids at school, but I think slow and steady gentleness would be more effective.” “What do you mean?” asked Bailey. “Instead of writing a nasty letter, speak the truth kindly,” said Mom. “After all, you and all the kids at Bible club are sinners too. The only reason you’ve been saved from sin is because Jesus gave His life for you, and you’re gathering together to get to know Him better. And He says to love your enemies, just like He loves you, a sinner. Instead of trying to jackhammer the truth into those kids, why not plant a seed in their hearts by telling them what Jesus has done for you and inviting them to come to Bible club if they want to learn more?” Bailey was quiet for a moment. “You’re right,” she said. “If we’re at Bible club to learn about Jesus and how much He loves us, we should act like Him.” –Heather Tekavec How about you? What kind of approach do you use when others tease you about your faith? A jackhammer approach—or a gentle one? Jesus used a gentle approach when He was treated badly, and He wants you to do the same. Talk to an adult about how you can use a gentle approach when others are mean to you. God may use your kindness and gentleness to break through their hearts. Today’s key verse: Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. Proverbs 25:15 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Develop a gentle spirit

Read: Psalm 25:8-14; Titus 2:11-14 Madison was sitting at her desk doing math homework when her little sister walked in. “I want to write numbers too,” said four-year-old Ava. Smiling, Madison wrote the numbers from one to ten on a piece of paper. Then she took Ava’s hand and helped her begin to write. “One…two…” Ava pulled her hand away. “I can do it!” “Okay,” said Madison, going back to her homework. She had just finished her last problem when Ava began to cry. “What’s wrong?” Madison asked. Ava shoved her paper away. Her numbers were jumbled on the paper, many of them unrecognizable. “Let me help you,” Madison said, bending down to take Ava’s hand again. “No!” Ava pulled away, grabbing the paper. “I want to do it myself.” “Okay,” said Madison. “But I’m finished with my work, and I’m going to get something to drink. I’ll be back in a little while.” Madison poured herself a glass of water and went to the family room, where her mother was sorting clothes. “I tried to help Ava write her numbers, Mom, but she wouldn’t let me. She’d rather cry because she can’t do it instead of letting me help her.” Mom smiled. “Admitting we need help with something isn’t always easy.” She handed Madison some towels to fold. “Sometimes we’re a lot like Ava. Her numbers didn’t turn out right when she didn’t let you guide her, and our decisions often don’t turn out right when we don’t let Jesus guide us.” “How does He do that?” asked Madison. “Through what He says to us in the Bible, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds, and even through people He brings into our lives,” Mom replied. “We often think we need to do everything on our own, but that’s impossible. Jesus is the one who saved us from sin, which we could never do ourselves, and He wants us to bring all our problems and struggles to Him in prayer and trust Him to guide us and help us make good decisions.” “I’m glad Jesus is always there to help us,” Madison said as she finished folding the towels. “Speaking of help, I’ll go see if Ava has changed her mind about trying to write numbers on her own.” –Karen E. Cogan How about you? Do you depend on Jesus as you go about your daily life? Or do you think you can do everything by yourself? Problems at home, difficulties at school, struggles with sin—Jesus wants you to bring all those things to Him in prayer instead of trying to tackle them on your own. Trust Him to guide you and help you do His will in every situation. Today’s key verse: I am teaching you the way of wisdom; I am guiding you on straight paths. Proverbs 4:11 (CSB) Today’s key thought: We need Jesus’s help

Read: Matthew 9:10-13 “Singur invited me to his birthday party next Saturday,” Owen told his mom and older sister, Chloe. “He’s an awesome soccer player.” Owen pretended to headbutt a soccer ball into a goal, then raised his arms in victory. “You could get him a hat with his favorite team’s logo on it,” Mom said. Owen shook his head. “Singur always wears a turban. It’s part of his religion. He’s a sick.” “He means Sikh, Mom.” Chloe slipped off the bandana that had been tied in her hair. “Singur’s mom said I can spend the night after the party,” Owen said. “What about church on Sunday?” Mom asked. “I could go with Singur to his gurdwara. It’s like church.” “A gurdwara is not a church,” Mom said. “Sikhism is a different religion from Christianity.” “But that doesn’t mean Owen shouldn’t be friends with Singur, does it?” Chloe asked. “Didn’t Jesus make friends with all kinds of people?” “He did,” Mom said, “and He shared God’s love with them. But He never participated in things they did that went against who He was. Sikhs don’t worship Jesus, so a gurdwara is not a place of worship for Christians. We need to be careful that the things we do with our friends are in step with our faith in Jesus. He saved us and made us His people, and we need to follow Him.” “Give me your leg, Owen,” Chloe said. “I want to show you something.” She put her own leg next to Owen’s and tied their ankles together with her bandana. “You go left. I’ll go right.” When Owen tried to walk away from his sister, he fell. “You’re tied to Jesus, and you need to go in the same direction as Him,” Chloe said. “Otherwise you won’t go anywhere.” Owen got to his feet. “Mom, I think I should go to Singur’s party and spend the night, but I’ll tell him I can’t go to his gurdwara because I have my own church to be part of.” “Good thinking,” Mom said. “You might even get a chance to tell him about Jesus and what He’s done for you.” Owen nodded. “And for his gift, I think I’ll get him a bandana with his favorite soccer team. It’ll work great for winning a three-legged race!” –Holland Webb How about you? Do you have friends who don’t know Jesus? How can you be a friend to them without going against who you are as a Christian? Jesus was friends with all kinds of people, but that doesn’t mean He went along with everything they did. Trust Him to give you wisdom in knowing how to be a good friend to others while remaining true to Him. Today’s key verse: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Be a friend like Jesus

Read: Psalm 141:3; Ephesians 5:1-4 “I can’t believe it! I studied hard for that history test, and I only got a B!” Madelyn said as she and her mother walked Chestnut, their shaggy brown Yorkshire terrier. “But Ella said Jade cheated and got an A. It’s not fair!” “Ella caught Jade cheating?” Mom asked. “I don’t think she saw it happen, but Ella hears about everything. It must be true because Jade never gets A’s.” They stopped to let Chestnut sniff the ground. The dog pulled the leash toward a cluster of white spheres anchored in the grass. They were dandelion seed heads. Madelyn picked a feathery globe and blew the seeds until only a bare stem remained. “Look how far the seeds are traveling!” she exclaimed. As Chestnut chased the flying seeds, Mom asked, “Do you know what happens when they land?” “They’ll grow into yellow dandelions—pretty weeds!” Mom nodded. “Isn’t it amazing? Those seeds look delicate, but they hold so much power—just like words that start gossip.” “I know what you’re going to say, Mom—gossip spreads as easily as dandelion seeds. Now that I think about it, Ella told Jason and Hari about Jade. I told Alma, who is best friends with Jill, so she probably knows too.” “See how words as flimsy as those seeds can take root and grow into gossip?” Madelyn looked down. “When I was disappointed with my grade, talking about Jade somehow made me feel better. But I don’t feel good about it anymore. If Ella starts talking about Jade again, I’ll say I’d rather not talk about Jade behind her back.” “That’s wise,” said Mom. “Jesus tells us to love one another the way He loves us, and that means we need to care about how our words affect others—even when it involves things that may be true. How would Jade feel if she knew you were telling people that she struggles to get good grades?” Madelyn sighed. “She’d probably feel embarrassed and hurt—and she’d be even more hurt if she knew I spread gossip about her cheating because of it.” Madelyn looked at her mom. “I’ll ask Jesus to forgive me for listening to gossip and to help me not spread it myself. Instead of wasting time on gossip, I’ll use it to study and get that A!” –Elena Dee How about you? Do you spread gossip about others? A few words of gossip can quickly spread and take root—and hurt many feelings in the process. The next time you’re tempted to repeat something about someone that they’d find hurtful, stop and think about how much Jesus loves you. Then show that same love to others by not wasting time on gossip. Today’s key verse: [Jesus said,] “You must love each other as I have loved you.” John 13:34 (NLV) Today’s key thought: Don’t spread gossip

Read: Psalm 19:1-6; Ephesians 2:8-10 “Come here, Mr. Wiggle Worm,” Peter said as he put an earthworm in a can. “Hey, Dad, are worms good for anything besides bird food and fish bait?” “Yes,” said Dad. “They help the earth breathe.” Peter laughed. “Like lungs?” “Not exactly, but as worms burrow through the ground, they let fresh air through the soil. The more they eat and digest the soil, the better it is for growing things. God has a purpose for everything.” “Well, I’m glad one purpose for worms is to make bait,” said Peter. “We’ll catch more fish that way! This will be enough, won’t it?” Dad nodded, and they headed to the lake. That evening the family enjoyed fish for supper. “Yum!” Peter said as he took a bite. “Fishing was so much fun! I wish I could skip school and go fishing every day.” Mom laughed. “Now that would be overdoing it a little.” “Besides, you like school,” said Peter’s sister, Ann. “Yeah, except science,” Peter said. “I don’t agree with some of the things Mrs. Moore says. She thinks the universe came about on its own, but the Bible says God created everything, right?” “That’s right,” said Mom. “The Bible tells us that the beauty and complexity of nature points to God, who planned everything and makes it all work together.” Dad nodded. “Even though sin has affected creation in deep ways, we can see the goodness of God in everything He made.” “Like worms and how they help things grow?” Peter asked. “Right,” said Dad. “The sun is another example of God’s goodness. It’s just the right distance away so we can live comfortably. And seasons follow one another in perfect order. Only God could have planned everything so well.” “And He has a special plan for people too, right?” asked Ann. “Yes, He does!” Mom replied. “Jesus came and died for the whole world, and one day He’ll return and make all creation new so it’s no longer affected by sin. And He has a purpose for everyone who trusts in Him—a plan for how He wants each one of us to be part of His kingdom on earth.” Dad nodded. “Because of Jesus, all of creation—down to the smallest earthworm—has a purpose in the kingdom of God.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Did you know that God is in charge of everything? He’s the one who created the whole universe and makes it all work together. Though the sin we brought into the world causes a lot of problems, it won’t be around forever. Jesus died and rose again to save the world from sin, and He has a purpose for everything—including you! Trust Him and His plan for your life. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: For by [Jesus] all things were created…All things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: God created everything with a purpose

Read: Psalm 126:1-6 “I met a new friend today, Daddy. She gave me her peach!” Charity reported gleefully. She grabbed her dad’s hand as they walked to their new apartment from her bus stop. “Your first day at a new school, and already a new friend? Awesome!” Daddy answered. “Tell me about your friend—and this peach.” Charity skipped to keep up with Daddy’s long legs. “Slow down, Daddy, and I’ll tell you!” Immediately Daddy shortened his stride. “Her name’s Esther. She gets free lunch in the cafeteria like me! But Esther doesn’t like peaches. When I asked for the one on her tray, she gave it to me. I couldn’t let it go to waste!” They climbed the steps to their apartment. Daddy laughed. “I know you like canned peaches. We have a couple of cans from the food bank. That can be today’s snack.” Daddy opened the apartment door. “God answered two prayers for you today, Charity—for a good day at a new school, and for a friend.” Charity took off her school shoes and exchanged them for soft slippers. “You told me when I gave my life to Jesus last year that I could talk to Him anytime, about anything. He heard me, Daddy!” Daddy pulled out a can opener. “He also showed us something important with Esther’s peach.” “He did?” “Yep. Even though Esther doesn’t like peaches, you didn’t want good food to be wasted. Sometimes we go through hard times, and even though we don’t like those struggles, God isn’t willing to let them go to waste.” “God wants us to struggle?” Charity sounded confused. “No, but He brings good out of difficult times. Jesus went through the most difficult thing of all when He died on the cross, and He did that to do the best thing we could ever imagine—save us from sin and make us God’s children. And He promises to use hard things in our lives for good.” “Like having to say goodbye to old friends and leaving our old neighborhood?” Charity asked. Daddy nodded. “God understands how hard that is, and we can trust Him to bring something good out of it. Like today when He brought you a new friend.” Charity smiled. “And something else!” “What?” Daddy placed a bowl of juicy peaches on the table. “More peaches!” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? Have you ever gone through tough times and wondered why God let it happen? We don’t always get answers to our “why” questions, but we can trust God in hard situations. God loves His children, and He’s good to us. He won’t let our struggles go to waste. He’ll bring something good out of sad circumstances as we grow in trusting Him. Today’s key verse: Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Psalm 126:5 (NIV) Today’s key thought: God brings good from hard times

Read: Psalm 33:13-22 Devin looked at the house plan his mom was studying. “I still think you could remove the mudroom and make my bedroom bigger,” he said. Mom smiled. “I think we’ll trust the designer’s plan. We’ll find something to do with that space.” That afternoon, Devin’s shoulders slumped as he walked into the house. “I can’t believe my best friend moved. School’s not the same without Trav.” Mom put down the flooring samples she was holding and gave Devin a hug. “I know it’s hard, Dev. Jesus knows it too, and He loves you and promises to be with you. We just have to trust that God has a plan and will use hard things in our lives for good.” Devin didn’t see how any of this could be God’s plan. At school the next day, Devin was trying to choose a spot to have lunch when he saw a table with just one kid at it. He walked to the table and looked at the girl who sat alone. He didn’t remember seeing her before. “Can I sit here?” The girl looked up and smiled. “Sure. No one else wants to sit by the new kid.” Her smile went away. “No one even talks to me. It’s like no one sees me.” Devin grabbed a chair. “I could use a friend too.” At home, Devin was excited to tell his mom about Ashley. “If Trav was there, we wouldn’t have sat by a girl,” he said. “But she needed a friend. Maybe that was God’s plan, like you said. Maybe Trav had to go away so that Ashley wouldn’t feel lonely.” Devin looked at the papers his mom was holding. She seemed to be making another tough decision between multiple options for the new house, but what were they? Mom held up the papers. “Which crate do we want?” “Crate?” Devin asked. Mom nodded. “The mudroom in the floor plan got me thinking…what if we finally got that dog you’ve been wanting?” “For real?” Devin jumped up and down. “For real.” Mom put her arms around him. “And I’m proud of you for being a friend to Ashley. Once this plan is complete, maybe she can come meet your new pet.” Devin grinned. Maybe he could trust both floor plans and God’s plans. –Emily Acker How about you? Have you ever had something happen in your life that made you wonder if God really cares about you? We all go through difficult things in life, but God can use them to work out His good plan in ways we couldn’t imagine. When life is hard, remember that Jesus understands what you’re going through and promises to be with you. Then trust Him to work out the plan He has for your life. Today’s key verse: Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10 (NIV) Today’s key thought: You can always trust God’s plan

Read: Matthew 4:1-11 “I’ll probably fail our math test today,” Carter told Lucy as they walked to school. “I’m really bad at multiplication.” “Yeah, me too,” said Lucy. “But I’m not going to fail. Want to know why?” She slid a card from under the cuff of her sleeve. “See? The multiplication tables are all right here!” She grinned. “I’ve got an extra card. Want it?” She pulled a card from her pocket and offered it to Carter. “That’s cheating,” Carter said. “What’s worse, cheating or failing?” asked Lucy. Carter took the card and looked at it. It would be so easy to cheat! he thought. My desk is near the back of the room, and Mr. Collins hardly ever walks around when we have a test. But… “I’m not going to do it,” he said, handing the card back to Lucy. “I don’t think you should either. It’s not right.” Lucy rolled her eyes. “You are dumb,” she replied, “and not just in math!” At the end of the day, Carter hurried home. “How was school today?” his mother asked. “Okay,” Carter replied. “But I don’t know if I passed my math test. I hope so!” “Well, if you studied and did your best, don’t worry about it,” said Mom. “Did anything good happen today?” “Well…” Carter hesitated. “This is gonna sound weird, but I actually felt good about taking the test. I had a chance to cheat, but I didn’t. I knew it’d be wrong and that Jesus wouldn’t want me to do it. So I decided to trust Him with my test and do the right thing.” “Good for you!” Mom said. “No matter what grade you get on your math test, you definitely passed one test today. You were tempted to do something wrong, but you didn’t. That kind of test is really hard to pass sometimes. Jesus faced tests like that when He was on earth, and He passed every single one in order to save us. We can pass them too when we depend on Him to help us resist temptation—and even when we do give in, He’ll always forgive us since He paid for all our sins on the cross.” Carter grinned. “I’ll remember that tomorrow when I take my history test!” –Douglas G. DeVries How about you? Do people sometimes encourage you to do things that are wrong? It can be hard to resist, especially when others make fun of you for it. But you don’t have to give in. Jesus always passed tests of temptation, and He’ll help you pass them too. And when you do give in, you can always go to Him for forgiveness. Trust Him to give you the wisdom and courage to do what is right. Today’s key verse: God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Resist temptation

Read: Romans 12:9-15 “What’s wrong, Elijah?” Mom asked as Elijah got in the car. Elijah sighed. “Mrs. Lewis told our class that Henry won’t be in school for a few days. His dad had a heart attack and died early this morning.” Mom gasped. “Oh no! That’s awful.” Elijah nodded. “Principal Brown came and told us he went to Henry’s house this morning. He said Henry and his mom and little brother are very sad. Then he and Mrs. Lewis let us ask questions and talk for a while.” Elijah paused. “Mom, why did this happen? What are they going to do?” Mom shook her head. “I don’t know. Is there something you want to do for them now?” “I want to see Henry. He’s my best friend. Can we go to their house?” “Okay, but first let’s make a meal for them,” Mom said. Elijah and his mom made a pot of sloppy joes and put the whole meal in a basket. In the car, Elijah said, “Mom, let’s pray for Henry and his family.” Mom stopped the car at the end of the driveway, and they prayed for God to help the family. Elijah also asked Jesus to give him words to comfort his friend. Henry greeted them at the door. “We brought you dinner,” Elijah said, and he carried the basket to the kitchen. Elijah and Henry slipped out to the porch while their moms talked in the house. “Henry, I’m so sorry. What can I do?” “I don’t even know. I miss Dad so much already.” Henry covered his face, wiping away tears. “When Mom said something was wrong this morning, I prayed Dad would be okay. Now I don’t know what’s going to happen to us.” “I don’t know what’s going to happen either, but I do know that Jesus loves you and will be with you through all of this. He understands how hard it is, and you always have hope in Him.” Elijah put a hand on his friend’s shaking shoulder. “I’ll be here for you too. Let me know if there’s anything I can do. I’ll be praying for you and your family.” Henry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Thanks, Elijah.” –Lynda Boucher How about you? Do you have a friend who is hurting? Perhaps someone they love has died or they’re facing a difficult situation. Things like that can really hurt a person’s heart, and they need the love and support of their friends. Help them in whatever ways you can, and let them know you’re praying for them. Even though you won’t have all the answers, you can remind them of the hope they have in Jesus. Today’s key verse: Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Help friends who are hurting

Read: Ephesians 6:13-17; Hebrews 4:12-13 “We had a missionary from Guatemala in my class today,” Maverick said as his family drove home from church. “He showed us a machete. It was big—and he said it was very sharp.” “What’s a shetty?” asked Maverick’s little sister. “Not shetty, Charis—machete,” Maverick corrected her. “It’s something like a sword. It can be used as a weapon, but the missionary said people in Guatemala use machetes to whack tall grasses and scoop out clumps of dirt when they’re planting crops. They use them to cut sugar cane and other plants too.” He smiled. “They sound really useful. I’d like to have one!” “What would you do with it?” asked Charis. “You don’t need a shet…a mush…a sword. Why don’t they just call it a sword?” Dad chuckled. “We have several swords in our house. Did you know that?” “Yeah,” said Mom. “In fact, you each own one.” Charis couldn’t believe that. “No, we don’t! I definitely don’t have a sword, and neither does Maverick.” “Yes, you do!” Dad said. “Maverick has one in his hand right now.” Charis looked at the Bible Maverick was holding. “That’s a Bible!” Dad grinned. “Right. And the Bible is called the sword of the Spirit. It can cut through the lies and excuses we tell ourselves and point out our sin.” Mom nodded. “For instance, before I became a Christian, I thought I was better than everyone else. I’d look at people and be glad my life wasn’t like theirs. But then a friend gave me a Bible, and when I started reading it, I realized I wasn’t good at all. God’s Word showed me all the ways I’d sinned against Him and how I could only be saved through Jesus, who died to take the punishment I deserve. It’s what led me to put my trust in Him. Now when I read the Bible, the Holy Spirit continues to show me things I’ve done wrong that I need to confess and ways I’m trying to do things on my own instead of trusting God. He’s using it to help me turn from sin and rest in God’s love and grace.” “See?” said Dad. “The Bible really is sharp—sharp enough to pierce our hearts and show us how much we need Jesus.” –Janice M. Jones How about you? Have you ever been convicted of something as you read the Bible? Did it cut through your defenses and show you sin in your life? The Bible can pierce our hearts and show us our sin, but it also tells us that Jesus died and rose again so we could be saved. Trust Him to free you from sin. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Then keep reading the Bible and trust God to use it to make you more like Jesus. Today’s key verse: [God’s word] is sharper than the sharpest sword and cuts all the way into us…It judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. Hebrews 4:12 (ERV) Today’s key thought: The Bible pierces hearts

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:23-27 “Hey, Dad,” said Parker as he and his family were on their way home from a visit with their grandmother, “what do you want written on your tombstone?” “What a question!” said Mom. “Why are you asking that?” Parker laughed. “While you were visiting with Grandma, Sadie and I went to the cemetery across the street, remember? There were some interesting things carved on the grave markers—like little sayings or poems. I was just wondering what you’d want on yours someday.” “I think I’d like a Bible verse,” Dad said. “I want people to remember that my hope is in Jesus.” “Why do people put flowers on graves?” asked Sadie. “It’s an expression of love for the person who died,” said Mom. “They do it in memory of that person, and it comforts them as they remember who that person was and what they did.” “That reminds me of the memorial service we have at church,” Dad said. “Memorial service?” Parker asked. “At our church? What service is that?” “The communion service,” replied Dad. “The Bible tells us to observe it in memory of Jesus and all He did for us. We’re reminded of His life and death and that He rose from the grave.” “And also that He’s coming again,” Mom said. Sadie nodded thoughtfully. “Why don’t we bring flowers for Him, like people do at the cemetery?” she asked. “Or write something about Jesus on a tombstone?” “Jesus isn’t dead, so He doesn’t need a tombstone!” said Parker. “But I guess we could bring flowers—like people do at Easter.” “Well, Jesus actually gave special instructions on how to remember Him,” Dad said. “The bread and cup—symbols of His body and blood—are reminders of the sacrifice He made so we could be saved from sin.” “Jesus sacrificed so much for us, but we often take it for granted,” said Mom. “That’s why communion is so important.” “Next time we have a communion service, I’m going to think about Him and thank Him for what He did,” said Parker. “Why wait till then?” asked Sadie. “We can thank Him right now too!” –A. W. Smith How about you? Did you know that communion is a special time to fix your thoughts on Jesus and what He’s done for you? Think about how holy He is and the great sacrifice He made for you out of love. Thank Him for dying on the cross and rising from the grave so you could be free from sin and have eternal life. Remember that He’s coming again and will always be with you. Today’s key verse: As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Remember what Jesus did for you

Read: Psalm 121 “Why are we making a scarecrow for the garden?” Cora asked her grandma as she put in some more stuffing. “Well, the scarecrow helps keep the garden safe from crows. The crows love to pull up the sprouts just as they’re popping out of the ground, but when they see the scarecrow, they’re afraid to come into the garden.” “So the scarecrow is pretty important. I think we should name him,” Cora said. “Let’s call him Patrick, Protector of the Garden.” “I like that name,” Grandma replied. When they finished putting the scarecrow together, Grandma and Cora carried him to the center of the garden and set him up. “Okay, Patrick, protect our garden!” Cora exclaimed as she gave him a salute. Grandma smiled. “Now let’s go have some lemonade and cookies.” Grandma got a tray of cookies and two glasses of lemonade, and they went out and sat at the picnic table under the big shade tree. “Making the scarecrow was a lot of fun today,” Cora said as she took a bite of her cookie. “And having you here to help made it even more special for me,” said Grandma. “You know, each year when I make a scarecrow, I stop and think about how the Lord is always watching over me and protecting me. The scarecrow gives me a visual picture. He looks like he’s keeping watch in the center of the garden, and I envision the Lord keeping watch over me in the same way.” “But the scarecrow can’t actually see anything,” Cora said. “He just scares the crows away.” “Right,” said Grandma. “But God sees everything. Proverbs 15:3 says, ‘The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.’ God sees us, and He also loves us. He sent Jesus to save us from sin and evil and to be with us through all of life’s difficulties. So, Cora, if you ever feel like God is far away and you’re all alone, just stop and think of Patrick the Scarecrow and remember what the Bible says about God’s faithfulness to us.” “I will, Grandma.” Cora grinned. “Can I take Patrick home with me after the harvest?” Grandma chuckled. “I’m sure it will be fine, as long as you keep him outside.” –Lisa Fuller How about you? Do you ever feel like God is far away and doesn’t care about you? When you feel that way, open up your Bible. God’s Word is full of verses that will remind you of how much He loves you and His faithfulness to you. He sent His own Son, Jesus, to die for you, and He promises He will never leave you, even when bad things happen. Trust Him to watch over you. Today’s key verse: The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121:8 (NLT) Today’s key thought: God watches over you

Read: Romans 10:9-14 “Mom, can I go play at the park with Logan?” asked Michael. Mom laughed. “Logan, Logan, Logan. Ever since you met him, all I hear is ‘Logan.’” “He’s lots of fun,” said Michael. “I think we’re going to be really good friends. It almost feels like he’s the brother I never had.” “Well, he seems like a nice kid,” said Mom. “Why don’t you invite him to come to church with us this week?” “Okay,” said Michael, “I will.” That evening, Michael was excited when he got home. “I invited Logan to church, and he said he’d come!” Later that week, Logan attended church with Michael and his mom. He came the next week too, and then the next, and the next. And then one Sunday, Logan trusted Jesus as his Savior. Several weeks later, Michael came home looking worried. “Logan and I were supposed to meet at the park this morning, but he didn’t show,” he told his mom. “I tried texting him, but he didn’t respond. I’d go to his place to make sure he’s okay, but I don’t know where he lives—he always came here or met me at the park.” “I’ll ask around,” said Mom. “Maybe I can find out what happened.” The next day, Mom had news. “I’m afraid Logan won’t be coming around anymore,” she said. “I found out his dad is wanted by the police. He apparently learned they were on his trail, and he packed up his family and took off. Seems he’s been on the go like that for a couple years.” Michael’s face crumpled as tears filled his eyes. “So I’m never going to see Logan again? But he was like…like…” “I know,” Mom said as she hugged him. “He was like a brother to you. And you know what? Because you both trust in Jesus, you are brothers in Christ. You’ve both been adopted by God. Maybe Logan will be able to get in touch with you someday, but even if you’re never able to reconnect with him in this lifetime, you’ll see him in heaven.” Michael wiped his eyes. “I’m glad I told him about Jesus. I’m going to pray for him, wherever he is.” “Good,” said Mom. “Let’s pray for him right now.” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Have you told your friends about Jesus? Do you pray for them? Being someone’s friend involves more than just having fun together. If you truly love them, tell them what Jesus has done for you and pray for them. Ask God to help them understand how they can become a part of His family too. If they already know Jesus as their Savior, pray for them as your brother or sister in Christ. Today’s key verse: How can they put their trust in [Jesus] if they have not heard of Him? Romans 10:14 (NLV) Today’s key thought: Share Jesus with your friends

Read: Job 12:9-13 Alicia tried to peel back her baby sister’s fingers. “Mom left me to watch you for five minutes, and you’re already trying to take something you shouldn’t.” Bella’s hands were in tight fists, and it was hard for Alicia to get back the little ball that belonged with her dollhouse. “You could choke on that. You don’t want it.” Alicia got her toy back and tried to get her sister settled with something safer. She was relieved when Mom came back and took Bella to get ready for their grandma’s birthday party. At the party, Alicia greeted her grandma then sat down to listen as her aunt thanked everyone for coming. “We have a question for you, Mom,” her aunt said. “As you’re turning seventy, do you have any advice for us?” Alicia’s grandma smiled. “Always live your life with open hands.” “What does that mean?” Alicia’s mom asked, moving to her aunt’s side. “Never hold on to anything in your life, thinking you can control it or that it’s yours,” Grandma said. “Always live with open hands, letting God have control. You don’t know what’s best for you, but God does. We can trust Him with our lives because Jesus gave His own life to save us. I am who I am because I’ve been trying to put my life in God’s hands year after year.” Alicia thought of her sister and her tight fists. The things that Bella tried to hold on to weren’t good or safe. She wanted those things, but she didn’t know they could hurt her. “You look deep in thought.” Mom stepped up to Alicia, Bella in her arms. “Mom…” Alicia stood. Her sister’s hands were in tight fists. With her mom’s help, she opened Bella’s hand and took a small stone away from her. “Where did you even get this?” Mom shook her head. “We should know that when she has her hands like that, she’s trying to keep something she shouldn’t have.” “That’s kind of like what Grandma was saying,” said Alicia. “We sometimes want to hold on to things when God knows they’re not good for us.” Mom nodded. “Grandma gave us good advice—to live with open hands and trust God to fill them with good things He wants for us.” –Emily Acker How about you? Do you live with open hands, trusting God to take care of you and direct your life the way He knows is best? Or do you try to control everything and hold on to the things you want, no matter what? We often want things God knows aren’t good for us. Instead of clenching on to what you want, put your life in God’s hands and trust Him to fill it with the things He knows are good for you. Today’s key verse: You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Live with open hands

Read: Psalm 37:23-24; Jeremiah 18:1-6 “I like coming to visit you, Grandma,” Olivia said as she sprayed more cleaner onto her rag. “It’s nice having you here,” said Grandma. “Miss Cindy was glad for your help with the younger children at youth camp. She wondered if you’d be interested in leading the children’s class at church this week.” She picked up a knick-knack to clean and winked. “You might become a great youth leader someday.” Olivia lowered her head. “I don’t know. I’m not sure God can use me for anything. My stubbornness gets me into trouble a lot.” “Hmm.” Grandma gazed down at the picture frame she was holding as she slowly wiped the glass. “Oh, Grandma, look!” Olivia giggled when she showed Grandma her soiled rag. “This shelf was really dusty.” “My goodness!” Grandma chuckled. “I guess it’s been a while since I last cleaned it. It reminds me how God can make great things out of dirt.” “What do you mean?” asked Olivia. “Well, doesn’t the Bible say we were made from the dust of the earth?” Grandma asked. Olivia nodded. “That means we’re made of dirt,” Grandma said. After the last shelf was cleaned and everything was put back, Grandma tapped her chin with her finger. “You know, Olivia, if God can use dirt to make something as beautiful and miraculous as a human being, just think what He can do with our faults and mistakes.” “Like what?” Olivia plopped onto the couch. “God can use them for good. That means not only forgiving our wrongs, which He does, but using them to help others see how Jesus has transformed us,” Grandma said, nestling into her rocker. “For example, He can use mistakes from our past to help us understand what others are going through and show them His love. Or He can take personality traits that sometimes get us into trouble and help us use them in a positive way instead.” She smiled at Olivia. “Like using someone’s stubborn streak to make them a strong spiritual leader who won’t back down when faced with difficulty.” “I never thought of it like that,” said Olivia. She smiled back at Grandma. “Maybe I’ll help Miss Cindy with the smaller children after all!” –Beth Anne Ingram How about you? Do you think God can’t use you because of your bad habits or past failures? Guess what—He can! He doesn’t let anything go to waste, but finds a way to put it to good use. He forgives your sins and uses the traits and experiences you have to develop qualities in you that help you show His love to others. Trust Him to use every part of you for good. Today’s key verse: He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Jesus can use our shortcomings

Read: Psalm 134; Colossians 3:17, 23-24 The church building was dark and empty. Mandy’s mom turned on all the lights. Mandy followed her down to the cleaning supply closet in the basement. “I’ll start in the bathrooms,” Mom said. “How about you mop and dust upstairs? And try to finish a little faster this week, okay?” Mandy wandered slowly upstairs with the mop, swinging the bucket and humming. As she dusted music stands on the stage, she looked out at empty seats and imagined them filled with smiling, clapping people who raised their hands in praise. She took her mop handle and, pretending it was a microphone, sang into it. She called to the pretend crowd, “Sing out! Everyone!” She dropped the mop, strummed an imaginary guitar, and jumped off the stage. On her landing, she raised her hands along with the clapping “crowd.” Suddenly she heard real clapping, and she looked up and saw Mom. Mom smiled. “Now I see why it takes you so long to clean.” “I’m sorry, Mom. I just wish I could be up there playing music and singing when real people are here. Mopping all alone doesn’t seem like it matters much to anybody. The singers and guitar players are the ones who really serve God.” “Did you know that God put a psalm in the Bible for people like us?” asked Mom. “They served in the temple at night.” “Really? Did anyone notice what they did?” “I don’t know, and I don’t know if anyone notices what we do, but God notices. He told night workers to lift up their hands and bless the Lord. God told all His servants to worship Him.” “Not just the music leaders?” “When you’re cleaning, you’re serving Him just as much as they are. The Bible tells us it’s not what we do, but how we do it, that matters to Jesus. He served us by leaving heaven and coming to earth to save us from sin, and when we do our work out of thankfulness and love, we’re serving and worshiping Him.” Mom picked up the mop and handed it back to Mandy. “Then I’d better do a good job!” Mandy swished the mop across the floor and made it shine. –Laura Roesler How about you? Do you feel like you’re worshiping when you’re cleaning or doing other chores behind the scenes at home or church? The Bible says to let everything you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14). Whatever you do, day or night, can be done out of love for Jesus and others—including work that no one notices. Even if you serve in a way no one sees, Jesus sees you, and you can do it to thank Him for saving you and to honor Him. Today’s key verse: Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve at night in the house of the Lord. Psalm 134:1 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Worship God day and night

Read: Romans 6:11-14 James looked up from his job of pulling dandelions as his friend Alex pedaled his bike up the driveway. “Hey,” called Alex. “Let’s go to the splash pad at the park.” “Can’t,” James replied. “My mom says she’s sick of seeing yellow dandelions instead of green grass, and I have to get rid of them.” He held up the tool he was using. “I work around the plant with this so I can pull out the whole root—and they sure go deep!” He wiped his brow with a dirty hand. “It’s really hot too.” “Yeah,” said Alex. “Too hot to do it that way. Why not just cut the tops off? Here, I’ll help you. Then we can go cool off.” “Okay,” James said. The boys soon finished the job and were off to the park. Several times in the next few weeks, the dandelions sprouted back up and Mom sent James out to pull them again. Each time, he simply cut off the tops. One day Mom came out to talk to him. “I didn’t understand why we kept getting so many dandelions, but now I see the problem. You aren’t pulling them up by the roots the way I showed you.” “Oh,” said James, looking at the weeds in his hand. “I didn’t think it mattered as long as you couldn’t see them.” “But it does matter,” said Mom. “If the roots are still in the ground, the dandelions grow right back. You have to get rid of the whole thing—roots and all.” That evening, Dad heard about the returning dandelions. “That’s a good example of the way we sometimes treat sin in our lives,” he said. “If it isn’t seen by other people, we often think it doesn’t matter. But just because it isn’t visible to everyone else doesn’t mean it isn’t harmful. No matter how much we try to cover it up, it will keep popping back up in our lives, hurting us and others.” Dad looked at James. “Do you know how to root out sin instead of just trying to hide it?” James nodded. “We need Jesus.” “That’s right,” said Dad. “We need to confess any wrongs we’re trying to hide and remember that because Jesus has saved us and given us new life, sin has no power over us.” –A. W. Smith How about you? Is there a sin in your life you’re trying to keep covered so others won’t see it? No matter how you try to hide it, it will keep popping back up. It needs to be pulled up by the roots, and the only way to do that is to stop trying to hide it and remember that through Jesus you have the power to turn from sin. Trust Him to help you let go of sinful habits and live the new life He’s given you. Today’s key verse: Consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Root out sin

Read: Psalm 34:15-17; 55:16-17 As Colin sat down to begin his homework, he heard his little sister whining in the kitchen. He began to study, but all the noise his sister was making distracted him. Then Colin heard his mother’s voice. “Kinsley, I want you to stop whining.” Colin returned to his homework, but soon he heard his sister again. Colin got up and went to the kitchen. “What’s wrong with Kinsley?” he asked. “I have tons of homework, and her whining is driving me crazy!” Kinsley made a face and threw a sock at Colin. “She wants someone to put her socks on for her,” Mom said. “But she knows how to do that herself,” said Colin. “Oh, well. I’ll help her just to make her be quiet!” “Hang on, Colin,” Mom said. “Kinsley also knows how to ask nicely for things. So far all she’s done is whine and throw her socks.” “Well, I don’t know if I can stand all the noise she’s making much longer,” Colin said. “I wonder if God ever feels that way,” Mom said thoughtfully. “It seems like we often whine and complain about things instead of praying about them.” Colin frowned. “You mean, instead of complaining, God wants me to pray about stuff like being bothered by the noise Kinsley’s been making?” “I was actually thinking of a problem I’ve been dealing with at work, but yes, God wants us to tell Him what’s bothering us and pray about everything.” Mom smiled. “Why don’t we pray now?” Mom and Colin bowed their heads. “Dear Father,” Mom prayed, “thank You for caring about all the details of our lives, and thank You for sending Jesus to die for us and make us your children so we can come to you in prayer about anything. Right now we ask You to help Kinsley—and all of us—learn to ask for help instead of whining about our problems. Please help each of us remember that You love us and know what’s best for us. Thank You for always listening to us.” After Mom finished praying, Kinsley walked up to her and held up her socks. “P’ease help me put my socks on, Mommy.” As Mom gave her a hug and knelt down to help her with her socks, Colin smiled and went back to his homework. –Dawn Yrene How about you? Do you pray about your problems? Or do you whine and complain instead of asking for help? God cares about you and wants you to talk to Him about what’s going on in your life. He may not always give quick solutions to your problems, but He’ll always help you and do what’s best. Tell Him what’s bothering you, and thank Him for the blessings He’s given you. He loves you and is always listening. Today’s key verse: Pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Pray about everything

Read: John 1:1-9; Romans 8:38-39 Reid came to a stop, panting. He’d been playing tag with his cousins for the last twenty minutes. They were playing outside while they watched the solar eclipse. He took advantage of the pause in play to grab his cardboard glasses, adjust them to cover his eyes, and look up at the sky. The sun was now half-covered by the moon. Reid knew that eventually the moon would completely cover the sun. It was supposed to be dark. Reid really didn’t like the dark. He looked around and felt comforted knowing his cousins were close by. The eclipse continued, and the sky grew steadily darker. As the eclipse approached totality, the time when the moon would completely cover the sun, Reid felt a chill run over his skin and realized the air was suddenly cooler. He felt the familiar fear of the dark, but then his cousins ran up and his aunt came outside, and he remembered he was not alone. He thought of something his Sunday school teacher had said—Jesus was with him in darkness. When his aunt told him the eclipse had reached totality, Reid looked up at the sun. He was surprised by what he saw. The sun was completely blocked by the moon, but a bright ring shone around the moon’s edges. Reid suddenly remembered what his teacher told him the day before—the ring was the sun’s outer atmosphere, called the corona. The moon wasn’t big enough to block the corona! Reid looked around, realized that there was still enough light to play tag, and took off after his cousins. That night, Reid told his dad about the eclipse. “I was surprised by the brightness of the corona that shone from behind the moon,” he said. Dad looked at him thoughtfully. “It makes me think of the light of Jesus, which shines even in darkness.” Reid smiled. “Dad, I felt Jesus with me today, even in the darkness!” Dad squeezed Reid’s shoulder. “Satan tries his hardest to block out Jesus with the darkness of this world, but he just can’t do it. Like the sun with its corona, Jesus shines so bright that He always overcomes darkness. He came into the world to free us from sin and give us His light, and nothing can ever separate us from His love.” –Chelsea Mohler How about you? Did you know that no darkness in this world can block out Jesus’s light? If you’re facing a frightening situation, Jesus promises to be with you. If you’re struggling with sin and guilt, Jesus offers you forgiveness and gives you the power to turn from sin. If you’re feeling sad, He will comfort you. Remember that He is always with you, shining the light of His love into your life. Today’s key verse: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Nothing can block Jesus’s light

Read: Proverbs 16:16-20 “Has anyone seen my math book?” asked Aria. “I can’t find it anywhere.” But no one had seen it, and Aria finally remembered she had left it at Zoe’s house. My perfect homework record will be ruined! she thought miserably. She always had her homework done at the beginning of class each day. Maybe if I stayed home sick tomorrow, I could make up the lesson. So the next morning, she pretended to have a stomachache and went back to bed while her family got ready for school and work—except for Mom, who insisted on staying home with her. That afternoon, Aria’s sister brought her math book home from school. “Zoe sent this,” she said. “She wondered if you were going to try to come to choir practice tonight. If you can’t, she’ll have to sing that solo part, and she doesn’t know it that well.” Oh no! I forgot all about choir, Aria thought. I really do want to go, and I’m tired of lying in bed. So Aria announced that she felt better. Mom wasn’t convinced. “If you were so sick that you had to miss school, you’d better stay home the rest of the day too.” That evening, Mom found Aria sobbing into her pillow. “What’s wrong, Aria? Do you feel worse?” Aria shook her head. “I wanted to go to choir practice. I’m not sick. I wasn’t sick this morning either,” she said through a sob. “I just didn’t want to ruin my perfect homework record.” Mom sat down on the bed. “You may not be sick, but you sure took a fall. You wanted your homework record to be perfect so everyone would think highly of you, right?” Aria sniffed. “I guess so.” “That’s pride,” said Mom. “Your pride caused you to fall—to tell a lie rather than let others see you as less than perfect. Pride is harmful because it causes us to hide our flaws and our constant need for Jesus’s grace—from both ourselves and others.” Aria hung her head. “I’m sorry, Mom.” Mom gave her a hug. “I forgive you—and Jesus will forgive you too. Trust Him to help you let go of your pride so you can help others see how much we all need Him.” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Are you proud? Do you do things just to impress others? It’s okay to want to look your best or do well in school or sports, but when you’re willing to do anything—even something you know is wrong—to keep others from seeing your flaws, that’s pride. Ask Jesus to forgive you and to help you root out pride in your life. Then be honest about your shortcomings and your need for Him. Today’s key verse: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Don’t be proud

Read: 1 Peter 5:6-11 The broom swished across the kitchen floor as Mom worked to gather the crumbs and dirt from under the table. Ethan, Evan, and Everett sat nearby watching. “Wow, Mom,” Everett said. “That’s a lot of crumbs.” Mom laughed. “That’s what happens when three hungry boys live here.” She swept everything into a little pile, then walked over to the wall. With a whoosh, the hidden vacuum inside the wall sucked every last crumb away. “Whoa!” Evan’s eyes went wide. “Where did it all go?” “It’s like a secret vacuum in the wall,” Mom explained. “When we built this house, Dad had it installed. All I have to do is sweep dirt close enough, and it’s gone.” “That’s awesome,” Ethan said. “So…why do you still use the dustpan?” Mom smiled. “Because sometimes I forget about the vacuum. I do all the work, scooping up dirt into the dustpan, when the vacuum is right here, ready to help.” Mom leaned on her broom. “You know,” she continued, “that reminds me of Jesus. He’s always with us, ready to take our sin, worries, and junk. But sometimes, I forget. I try to handle everything on my own, like using the dustpan when the vacuum is right there. Jesus is so much better at handling my mess than I am.” “Do you have to keep asking Him to save you over and over?” Everett asked. “No,” Mom said gently. “When you put your trust in Jesus, He saves you once and for always. But, like floors that keep getting dirty, our hearts pick up things every day—like bad attitudes, selfishness, or worries. I need to keep bringing those things to Him. Some struggles He takes away for good; others I bring to Him again and again. But He never gets tired of helping me, and He always forgives me when I confess my sins to Him.” “So, like the vacuum in our wall, Jesus is always here and always ready to help us, and He’s way better at cleaning than we are,” said Ethan. “Exactly,” Mom said with a grin. “We just have to remember He’s with us and bring Him our mess.” The boys all nodded. “I like that,” Evan said. “And I really like the vacuum.” Mom laughed again. “Me too, bub. Me too.” –LaVerne Vest How about you? Do you try to clean up life’s messes on your own? Or do you bring them to Jesus? Think about one “mess” you’ve carried this week—maybe you got angry with a sibling, struggled with your homework, or had an argument with a friend. Instead of holding it in or working hard to handle it on your own, talk to Jesus. Tell Him about your worries, struggles, and shortcomings. Then trust Him to forgive any wrongs and to help you with difficulties. 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: Jesus takes your mess

Read: Psalm 139:13-18; Ephesians 2:8-10 After church, Elizabeth and Mom climbed into the car. “I liked my class today,” Elizabeth said. “It was lots of fun.” “Good,” said Mom. “Tell me about it.” “We learned about a Bible story, and we sang some songs.” Elizabeth began to hum one of them. Mom grinned. “I know that song! I think it’s one of the first ones you learned. Let’s sing it.” So together they sang the words: “Jesus loves me, this I know.” Elizabeth stopped singing and looked at her mom. “Does God really love me?” she asked. “Of course He does!” Mom said. “God loves you very much.” “Why?” asked Elizabeth. “Why does He love me?” “Well, think of it this way.” Mom pointed to a picture Elizabeth held in her hand. “I see you have a picture full of flowers and trees and nice green grass. That picture is special to you, isn’t it? Why do you like it so much?” Elizabeth looked at her drawing. “I made it in class today,” she said proudly. Mom smiled and nodded. “It’s something like that with God. He made us, and that’s one reason why we’re very special to Him. It’s one of the reasons He loves us.” “So God loves me the way I love my picture?” Elizabeth asked. “Well, I know your picture is special to you, but you know what? You’re more special to God than that. Much more! He loves you even more than I do.” Elizabeth gazed at her picture. “Whoa,” she said. “That’s a lot, isn’t it, Mom?” “Yes, it is,” said Mom. “God loves us all so much that He sent Jesus, His very own Son, to die for our sins and make us His children. That’s another reason He loves us—because we belong to Him. When we trust in Jesus, He makes us new people and helps us share His love with others. The Bible calls us His handiwork—His masterpiece or artwork.” When they got home, Mom helped Elizabeth put her artwork on her bedroom wall where she could see it every morning when she woke up. And every morning it reminded her that God made her and that she was special to Him. –Karen E. Cogan How about you? Is there something that’s special to you because you made it? Well, God made you, and you’re very special to Him. In fact, God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die so you could be His child. Do you love Him too? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? Don’t wait any longer. Put your trust in the one who made you and loves you. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) Today’s key thought: God made you and loves you

Read: Luke 6:27-36 “Muffie!” yelled two-year-old Reya as she toddled into the living room. She plunked down on the floor next to Muffin, the family dog. Reya reached out a chubby hand and pulled Muffin’s fluffy brown tail. Muffin didn’t bite or even growl. She just moved away as quickly as she could, lying down by the fireplace. Reya followed. She tugged on Muffin’s ear. “Nice doggie,” she cooed. Muffin still didn’t growl or bite. Instead, she licked Reya’s knee with her rough tongue. “Careful, Reya,” said Mom. She walked over, gently loosened the little girl’s hand, and helped her stroke the dog’s head. “Be nice to Muffin.” “Why does Muffin put up with all that torture?” asked Charlotte, who was sitting on the sofa with a book. “No matter how many times Reya pulls her tail or ears, Muffin puts up with it and doesn’t even growl at her.” “Muffin loves Reya, just like she loves the rest of our family,” Mom replied. Charlotte nodded. “Muffin sure is a good dog. I wouldn’t be so nice if I were her!” “We’re blessed to have a faithful dog who is so loving and patient with Reya,” said Mom. She smiled as Reya laid her head down on Muffin’s back. “Muffin is a good example of how we all should treat other people—even those who don’t treat us well.” “Like when people are mean to us?” Charlotte asked. “Yes,” said Mom. “We need to do what the Bible teaches and show them love. Instead of trying to get even, we need to talk with them and resolve our issues in a calm way. Many times, people who hurt us don’t mean to—just like Reya doesn’t mean to hurt Muffin. But even when they’re mean to us on purpose, Jesus wants us to do good to them. He died to save us from sin when we were His enemies, and He wants us to treat others with the same kind of love. It’s not easy, but He promises to help us show His love to everyone.” Charlotte smiled. “Love like Muffin’s?” Mom smiled too. “Love even greater than that. Jesus is the only one who can give us humans the kind of love we need to treat others the way we’d like to be treated ourselves.” –Wanda E. Brunstetter How about you? Do you treat others the way you’d want to be treated? The key verse for today is called the Golden Rule, and it’s one of Jesus’s greatest commands. It can be hard to follow when someone treats you badly, but remember that Jesus was treated badly too. He died on a cross so He could save you! Trust Him to fill your heart with His love so you can treat others the way He would. Today’s key verse: Do for other people what you would like to have them do for you. Luke 6:31 (NLV) Today’s key thought: Love like Jesus

Read: James 5:16-18 “I wish I had a hundred dollars to put in the offering tomorrow!” Isabella told her mom. “The missionaries we’re collecting money for really need it, and I want to help them care for people and tell them about Jesus.” “If you’ll clean the cupboards for me this afternoon, I’ll pay you—not a hundred dollars, but a little,” said Mom. “Have you prayed about the money you’d like to give?” “Prayed for a hundred dollars?” asked Isabella. “No.” “You should,” Mom said. “Trust God to provide whatever amount He wants you to give.” Isabella was cleaning the cupboards when her friend Lillian came over. “I can play as soon as I finish cleaning this cupboard,” Isabella told Lillian. She sat down and looked at the cupboard. “I wish I was done.” “Well, I’ll help you,” said Lillian. “That’ll do more good than wishing.” “I know.” Isabella stood up. “I’m always wishing for things, and Mom keeps telling me that wishing doesn’t help. Praying does. So guess what I’m praying for now? A hundred dollars for the missionary offering!” She got down on her hands and knees to pull out something that was stuck in a corner of the cabinet. “Look,” she said, holding up an old penny. “This must be the start of the answer to my prayers!” The girls laughed at the joke. The next morning, the only offering Isabella had was the old penny and the money Mom had paid her. All together, it was far from a hundred dollars. That afternoon Lillian came over looking excited. “My dad helped count the offering this morning,” she told Isabella, “and he noticed that old penny. He collects coins, and he says it’s valuable—he said it might be worth over a hundred dollars! When I told Dad you were the one who gave it, he said I should tell you and give you a chance to take it back. Otherwise he can sell it and give the money to the missionaries.” She stopped to catch her breath. “So? Do you want it back?” Isabella stared at her in amazement. “Of course I don’t want it back! I’m giving it to the missionary offering, whatever it’s worth.” She grinned. “I prayed for money to give, and God answered my prayer in a way I never expected!” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Are there things you wish were different? It doesn’t help to just wish for things. When you stop wishing and start praying, things happen. God works wonders when His people pray. That doesn’t mean He will always answer your prayers the way you want, but He will use your prayers to help you grow in your faith and show His love to those around you. Pray and trust Him to use your prayers for good. Today’s key verse: The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Pray and trust God

Read: James 4:4-10 “Hey there, Noah,” Mr. Davis called from his yard as Noah passed by his neighbor’s house. “Problems? You don’t look very happy.” Noah walked over to talk with him. “My friends are all mad at me,” he said. “Some of my school friends told some of the kids at church that I said bad things about them.” “And did you?” Mr. Davis asked. “Well, the kids at school are always gossiping about people they know, so I started doing it too.” Noah wiped a hand across his eyes. “I didn’t want them to tease me for not joining in, so I told a few stories about the kids at church. The thing is, I didn’t even like it—I felt bad because they’re my friends and I knew it was wrong—but now they say I’m two-faced, and no one likes me anymore.” Mr. Davis sighed. “Noah, you remind me of a chameleon—a lizard that changes colors. When it’s against the bark of a tree, it turns brown. When it’s against a leaf, it turns green. Now, God intended for chameleons to be that way so they could protect themselves from predators, but He didn’t intend for Christians to be like that. He wants us to show our true Christian colors all the time.” “But it’s hard to be so different from the other kids,” Noah said. “Well, Jesus never said it would be easy to follow Him. The Bible tells us that being a Christian often means people will make fun of us for loving Jesus and obeying Him. After all, Jesus was mocked by the very people He set out to save, and sometimes we’ll be treated badly too. That’s why we need to depend on Him for the strength to show our true colors instead of trying to blend in. When you refuse to join in your school friends’ gossip, you’re showing them how Jesus is helping you love others and treat them with kindness.” Noah sighed. “I guess I should apologize to both my school friends and my church friends, huh?” “I think that would be a good place to start,” Mr. Davis said. “And tell Jesus you’re sorry too. He’ll forgive you and help you show your true colors so others will know you belong to Him.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Are you like a chameleon—trying to blend in with those around you? Depending on who you’re with, do you sometimes tell mean jokes and make fun of people, and other times act in a kind, loving way? As a Christian, Jesus wants you to show others His love all the time, not just when it’s convenient. Trust Him to help you let your true colors stand out. Today’s key verse: Do not offer any part of yourself to sin…but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life. Romans 6:13 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Be true to Jesus

Read: Psalm 145:18-19; Romans 8:38-39 “It’s gone!” Abigail exclaimed one morning as she and her older sister walked to the school where they attended day camp. “They just put it up, and now it’s gone!” A huge telescope had recently been installed on a mountain near their town. The girls usually saw it clearly as they walked down their street. Sophia laughed. “In this fog, lots of things are gone. They’re really just hidden by the fog. I’m sure we’ll be able to see the telescope by the time we walk home this afternoon.” Sophia was right. As they walked home, the telescope was visible again, but by then Abigail had something else on her mind. “I don’t want to go to camp tomorrow,” she said. “There’s a girl in my craft class who doesn’t like me, and I’m scared of her. She’s mean!” “Maybe I can stay with you most of the time tomorrow,” Sophia suggested. “But we’re taking different craft classes—and you’re in a different age group,” Abigail replied. “You can’t stay with me all day.” Sophia thought for a minute. “No, I can’t—but you know someone who can!” “I do?” asked Abigail. “Who?” “Think about the Bible verse we read in our family devotions last week—Jesus is always with us,” Sophia replied. Abigail rolled her eyes at her sister. “I know that, but I can’t see Jesus!” Sophia was quiet for a minute. Then she pointed toward the big telescope on the mountain. “We couldn’t see that telescope this morning, but it was there. And even though we can’t see Jesus, He’s there too. He loves us so much that He died for our sins, and He promises to always be with us.” Abigail sighed. “Okay. You can stay with me until we have to split up for craft classes,” she said. Then she smiled. “And then I’ll remember that Jesus is with me the rest of the time—even though I can’t see Him.” Sophia smiled at her sister. “Let’s talk to Mom when we get home. She might have more ideas about what to do about this girl who’s been bothering you.” –Karen R. Locklear How about you? Do you ever wish you could see Jesus? Perhaps when you have a nightmare or get lost in a store? Even when you face scary things, you can breathe a little easier just by thinking of one thing—the fact that even though you can’t see Him, Jesus is right there with you. He promises to always be with those who trust in Him, and He keeps His promises! Today’s key verse: I [Jesus] am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Jesus is always with you

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:16; 5:1-5 “Hey, kids, how about a camping trip to the mountains this weekend?” Dad asked enthusiastically at the dinner table one night. “I’m in!” yelled Rico. He wanted to get his vote in before his older sister said something negative. Sure enough, Cara frowned. “Dad, remember the last time we went camping? Our tent collapsed in the middle of the night because we didn’t put it up right, and the mosquitos nearly ate us alive.” Rico giggled. “Don’t forget the night we camped on a beach. When the tide came in, water sloshed into our tent. Everything got soaked!” “The scariest experience for me,” said Mom, “was lying in the tent listening to some animal making a racket outside. I was sure it was a bear.” “But it was only a cute little raccoon!” Dad grinned. “Fun memories, huh? Reminds me of something I read in the Bible the other day about tents.” He got up to find his Bible. “Really? The Bible talks about tents?” Rico asked. “Yup. Here it is. Second Corinthians 5:1-5.” Dad read the passage aloud. “You see?” Cara looked triumphant. “Even the Bible says tents are trouble!” Mom laughed. “Except those verses are really comparing our bodies to tents. It’s saying that as long as we’re in our frail human skin, we’re at risk of experiencing all kinds of sicknesses, temptations, and hardships.” “Right,” said Dad. “But don’t forget that it also says our weak bodies are temporary. We’ll only have them for as long as we live on this earth. One day, when Jesus returns, He will provide those who trust in Him with a new home—He’s going to get rid of sin, sickness, and death forever and make the whole world new. And there we will have perfect bodies. Invincible!” “Like Superman!” shouted Rico. “Cool!” “Well, in the meantime,” said Mom, “what do you say we trade the tent for a mountain lodge this weekend, maybe near a lake?” Everyone cheered but Dad, who shrugged good-naturedly. “Okay, okay. I hear you! But we’re not through with camping. We’ve got plenty more adventures out there, just waiting for us!” –Deborah Meroff How about you? Have you ever thought of your body as a kind of tent? A tent is temporary—it’s meant to be used for a short time while you’re away from home. And this world is not our home—as Christians, our home is with Jesus. One day He will come back and make the world new so it can be our home forever, and He’ll give us perfect bodies that will never wear out! Until then, remember He’s with you in the temporary hardships you face. Today’s key verse: For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened. 2 Corinthians 5:4 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Our weak bodies are temporary

Read: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Chan walked into the six-inch-deep stream right behind his friend Oliver. The water filled his shoes and stuck his pants to his ankles. The round stones shifted under his feet as he slogged through the water. Further downstream the rocks became larger and rougher, the ground more uneven, and the water muddy. Chan felt around with one foot before taking each step. Even when he found a good rock, sometimes the surface was slick. Suddenly his foot slipped. He fought for balance, but he fell with a huge splash. Oliver hurried back to him. “Chan, are you okay?” he asked, reaching down to help Chan to his feet. “I’m fine,” Chan said. “I mean, besides being so wet.” He laughed and tried not to cry. His elbow hurt, and he had scraped his knee. He wasn’t sure he wanted to keep walking. He would probably just fall again. “I have an idea,” said Oliver. “Put your arm around my shoulder, and I’ll put my arm around yours. Now let’s try walking in the creek.” Chan and Oliver took a step forward at the same time. Then another. And another. Suddenly Chan slipped again, but this time Oliver held him up. After a couple more steps, Oliver slipped, and Chan caught him. They started walking faster and with more confidence, and whenever one of them slipped, the other caught him so he didn’t fall. “This is fun,” Chan said. “I was scared I’d fall again, but now I feel safe.” “Maybe we can help each other out of the water too,” Oliver said. “You know, like Pastor Evans was talking about in church last week. He said Christians need to hold each other up spiritually when we start to fall. That’s why going to church and having Christian friends is so important.” “How can we hold each other up spiritually?” Chan asked. He thought about it. “I know! We could talk about what we read in the Bible.” “Yeah, and we can share stuff we’re struggling with or worried about and pray for each other,” added Oliver. “That sounds like a great idea,” Chan said, holding on to his friend as he walked across another slippery rock. “We’re stronger together!” –Amy Glendinning How about you? Do you ever feel like the Christian life is too hard? Do you forget to read your Bible or have trouble praying? Maybe you’re discouraged about struggles in your life. Jesus never meant for you to walk with Him alone. Become friends with other Christians and talk often about Jesus and His promises in the Bible so you can encourage and support each other as you walk with Him. Today’s key verse: Two are better than one…For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Christians can help each other

Read: Romans 5:6-11 Oh no! Poor little bird! Aelin thought when she noticed a bird fluttering around in the grass. It’s hurt. I think it has a broken wing. Maybe I can help it. She picked up her butterfly net and tried to catch the bird, moving slowly and quietly toward it. But each time she got close, it flapped its wings and wiggled out of her reach. The bird led her to the front of the house. Just when she thought she could catch it, the bird flew up and perched on a power line high above her. Aelin was surprised. That bird can fly! Why was it acting like its wing was hurt? She ran into the house to ask her mom about it. Mom smiled when she heard Aelin’s story. “There’s a nest with baby birds in the maple tree out back,” she said. “I think that must have been the mother bird, and she wanted to lead you away from her babies.” “But wasn’t she afraid I’d catch her?” Aelin asked. “Maybe, but she’d rather have you come after her than get too close to her family.” Mom smiled at Aelin and gave her a hug. “She’s a good mother, isn’t she? Parents who love their children that much would do almost anything to keep them safe.” “Wow!” Aelin said. “I guess we don’t think about that very often.” “What’s even better is that someone loves us more than parents do,” said Mom. “Someone actually died for us!” Aelin smiled. “You mean Jesus, don’t you?” Mom nodded. “He willingly gave His life for us so we could have our sins forgiven and live with Him forever. We know that, but we don’t often think about how much love it took. It makes me feel good to think someone loves me that much.” “Me too,” said Aelin. When Aelin went back outside to play, she heard baby birds chirping way up in the tree. “Your mother loves you,” she called to them, “but Jesus loves me even more!” –Karen Cogan How about you? Do you realize how much Jesus loves you? He loves you so much that He came down to earth and suffered and died on the cross so that you could be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him. Have you responded to His great love by trusting Him as your Savior? If not, trust in Him today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. 1 John 3:16 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Jesus loves you

Read: Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 4:8-11 “Your friend Mason is really growing in his faith, isn’t he? It’s been fun to see him plug in at church,” Uncle Ken said as Aiden helped him replace the worn-out boards on the porch. “Yeah,” Aiden said. “His solo with the junior choir was great,” Uncle Ken said between creaks and squeaks as he pulled nails. Aiden didn’t answer. As they worked, he was very quiet—too quiet. Uncle Ken put down his hammer. “Aiden, is everything okay?” Aiden sighed. “It’s just that Mason does everything better than I do. I used to sing solos, but now Mason sings most of them. He’s the star student in our class at church too—he brings more visitors and learns more Bible verses than anybody else.” Uncle Ken nodded. “Get the tape measure out of the toolbox, will you, Aiden? Let’s measure and cut the new boards.” He grinned. “What would you think if the hammer got mad when we started using the tape measure? Or what if the tape measure said, ‘You left me in this box for an hour, so I’m not going to measure anything for you’? Or, ‘If you don’t let me pull nails, I won’t work’?” Aiden grinned. “They couldn’t do each other’s jobs! They’re tools. They have to do what they’re made to do.” “Right,” Uncle Ken said. “And Christians are tools in God’s hands—He gives each of us a job to do. It’s not a competition. We serve because we love Jesus and want to share His love with others, not to make ourselves look good.” Aiden frowned. “But why does Mason have to do everything I do—only better?” “How many hammers are in my toolbox, Aiden?” asked Uncle Ken. Aiden checked. “Two,” he said. Uncle Ken nodded. “And I use both of them. It’s like that with Jesus. He uses us in different ways, but like any tool’s purpose is to serve the carpenter, His purpose for all of us is the same—to work in our hearts so that we’ll grow in our relationship with Him and share His love with others. It’s not about what we do or how well we do it—it’s about trusting Him to use us however He pleases to accomplish His greater purpose.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Are you jealous of other Christians? Remember that Jesus uses each of us to do His work and share His love with others in the way He knows is best. We often compare our tasks and abilities to other people’s, but that’s not what God is concerned about—His focus is on our hearts and how to shape them to make us more like Jesus. Trust Him to help you serve Him faithfully as one of the many tools in His toolbox. Today’s key verse: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Christians are God’s tools

Read: Philippians 1:21-26; Revelation 22:3-5 On the way home from church, Joanna noticed her brother staring out the window. “What’s wrong, Derek? You’ve hardly said a word since we got in the car.” Derek sighed. “I was just thinking about what Pastor Kevin said about Jesus coming again.” Joanna frowned. “Don’t you want Him to come?” “Sure…someday,” Derek replied. “Sometimes I wish He’d come right away,” said Joanna. “Like before my math test tomorrow.” “If you’d study, you wouldn’t have to wish that,” Derek pointed out. “Wishing for Him to come soon is a good thing,” said Joanna. “Grandma always ends her prayers with ‘Lord, come quickly,’ remember?” “That’s easy for her to pray—she’s old!” Derek said. “I want a dog first, but if Jesus comes too soon, I’ll never get to have one.” Dad smiled. “Remember the camping trip we took last summer? I promised we’d go, but we couldn’t set an exact date because I didn’t know when I’d be able to get off work. So we got all our camping stuff ready and then went on with our daily lives.” “That’s right,” said Mom. “When Dad finally said he could go, we hopped in the car and took off. Nobody wanted to stay home and miss all the fun of camping, even if it meant not being able to do other things we had planned.” “You’re saying that being with Jesus will be even better than having a dog, aren’t you?” Derek asked. “Better than we can imagine!” Dad said. “He’s always with those who trust in Him, but when He comes back, we’ll be able to see Him face-to-face, and He’ll restore all of creation so there will be no sin, sickness, or death ever again! Until that time comes, He wants us to keep loving others and growing in our relationship with Him. Working, learning, making plans, having fun—those are all important things God wants us to enjoy, but none of them compare to what it will be like when we’re with Jesus.” “I guess you’re right,” said Derek. “But I still hope I get to have a dog while I wait for Jesus to come!” –Bonnie L. Kinne How about you? Have you ever hoped Jesus wouldn’t come back before you had the chance to do certain things? Are there places you want to see, people you want to meet, or activities you’d like to try? It’s good to hope and plan for things like that, but remember that nothing compares to what awaits for those who know Jesus. When He returns, we will live with Him in a new, perfect world, and it will be better than anything you can imagine! Today’s key verse: [Jesus] says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20 (ERV) Today’s key thought: Nothing compares to being with Jesus

Read: Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 9:37; 16:15 Hudson dribbled his basketball up the driveway, aiming for the hoop above the garage. As the ball swished through the net, he glanced next door. The new girl was at the window again. She always seemed to be watching, especially on weekends when his family left for church. One afternoon, Hudson was riding his bike up and down the street when he spotted her kicking a football. As he zoomed past, she gave him a shy wave. Hudson stopped his bike and smiled. “Hi,” he said. “I’m Hudson.” “I’m Sami,” she said shyly. “Do you want to kick the ball with me?” Hudson hesitated, but then nodded. “I’ll ask my mum.” With permission to stay for an hour, he followed Sami into her garden. They kicked the ball back and forth, laughing as they tried trick shots. After a while, Sami tilted her head. “So…why are you always dressed up on the weekends?” she asked. “And why do you and your family carry black books?” Hudson scratched his neck. “Oh…hmm…well…that’s because we go to church. The black book is the Bible.” Sami’s eyes widened. “I’ve never been to a church. What’s it like?” “It’s nice.” Hudson relaxed. “We sing songs, read the Bible, and learn about Jesus.” Sami kicked the ball gently. “Jesus…what’s so special about Him?” Hudson thought for a moment. “Well, He’s God’s Son, and He loves us. He came to earth and died and then rose from the dead to save us. That’s why we want to know Him more.” Sami nodded slowly. “Sounds interesting. Can I ask my mum if I can go with you one day?” Hudson’s heart thumped with excitement. “Yeah! That’d be cool.” A few days later, Sami peeked over the fence. “Hey, Hudson!” she called. “Mum said I can go with you to church!” When Sunday morning arrived, a knock on the door startled Hudson. He opened it to find Sami standing there in a bright yellow dress, beaming. “Ready?” she asked. Hudson grinned. “Yep! Let’s go.” As they drove to church, he felt a warm feeling inside. He was glad he hadn’t been too embarrassed to talk about Jesus. Maybe this was the beginning of Sami giving her heart to God. –Esther Espinoza How about you? Have you ever felt shy talking about Jesus? Don’t be embarrassed to talk about Him. You never know whose heart you might touch. Jesus wants us to share His love and truth with others so more people can know about Him and live in heaven with Him one day. Sharing your faith is a powerful way to show God’s love to the world. Trust Him to help you tell others about Jesus. Today’s key verse: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. Romans 1:16 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Sharing Jesus brings joy and hope

Read: Galatians 4:4-7 Morgan never got tired of hearing what happened when her parents took her home from the adoption agency. “You were only six weeks old,” her dad told her one evening when she begged to hear the story again. “I’ll never forget when the agency called to say they had a baby for us. I was at work, and I was so excited I forgot to ask if it was a boy or a girl.” Everyone laughed as they recalled the happy event. Mom continued the story. “The ride home was a long one, and they sent a bottle along with us so we could feed you on the way home. But you kept falling asleep when you were supposed to be drinking your bottle.” Morgan giggled. “So Dad kept blowing the horn to try to keep me awake, right?” “Yes, I did,” Dad said with a grin. “I guess that was kind of silly.” “And so you adopted me,” said Morgan. “What does the word adopt mean again?” “It means to take something as one’s own,” said Mom. “In the case of parents and children, it means to voluntarily take a child of other parents as one’s own child.” Mom gave Morgan a hug. “We gladly took you as our own. We’re so thankful the Lord brought us together.” “I am too,” said Morgan. “You know, Morgan,” Dad said, “the Bible talks about adoption. God wants to adopt us into His family. The Bible says that when we trust in God’s Son, Jesus, God accepts us as His own children.” “That’s right, and being adopted into God’s family is even more wonderful than being adopted into our family,” said Mom. “We become God’s children and heirs—we inherit the gift of eternal life that Jesus earned for us by dying for our sins.” “Then I’ve been adopted twice,” Morgan said. “I was adopted into your family when I was a baby, and I was adopted into God’s family when I trusted in Jesus. Now I belong to you, and I belong to God.” She grinned. “I love being adopted!” –Charles VanderMeer How about you? Have you been adopted into God’s family? Even if you have a wonderful family here on earth, God wants you to become part of His family too. You can only become a child and heir of God by trusting Jesus as your Savior. What could be more wonderful than that? Become God’s child today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 (NLT) Today’s key thought: God wants to adopt you

Read: Psalm 46:1-7 “I miss our old house,” said Tomás. He sighed as he thought about why they had moved into a trailer on Grandpa’s farm. First his little brother, Felix, was seriously injured in a car accident. Then the company Dad worked for went bankrupt, and it had taken him quite a while to find a new job. Tomás knew living in the trailer on the farm saved a lot of money. “But it’s kinda nice to be living near Grandpa,” he said. “I like that too,” replied Mom. “It’s one of the blessings that has come along with our troubles.” She glanced out the window. “It’s terribly windy today, and I think we’re in for quite a storm. Let’s get over to Grandpa’s house. We’ll be safer there.” Mom picked up Felix and they hurried over to the farmhouse. “I think we’d better get downstairs,” Grandpa said soon after they got there. “I don’t like this wind.” So they went down and huddled together in the basement. Even there, they could hear the storm raging outside. “Let’s pray,” Grandpa said. He prayed out loud, thanking God for the rain. I can’t believe Grandpa didn’t even ask God to stop the storm! Tomás thought. When the storm finally did stop, they hurried out to look things over. “It’s still raining a little,” said Mom, “but look at the beautiful rainbow the storm brought us!” “Grandpa, when you prayed, why didn’t you ask God to stop the storm?” Tomás asked. “Well, the storm was really a blessing. It brought the rain we needed so badly.” Grandpa smiled at Tomás. “You know, sometimes it takes storms in our lives to bring special blessings too. When everything goes the way we’d like, we often forget how much we need Jesus. But when we go through difficult times, we learn how much He loves us as He takes care of us and walks with us through our struggles.” Mom nodded. “I’ve learned that when God allows storms to come into my life, He can use them to help me know Him more deeply and trust Him to see me through them.” “Right!” said Grandpa. “Having faith in Jesus and trusting Him to give us strength will help us brave any storm that comes our way.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Are there storms in your life right now? Is someone you love sick? Are you having trouble with friends or siblings? Is money tight at your house? You may never know the reason for the storms in your life, but you can trust Jesus to be with you and help you through them. Remember how much He loves you and be thankful for the blessings He brings through the storms. Today’s key verse: Count it all joy…knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. James 1:2-3 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Trust Jesus in life’s storms

Read: Job 12:7-10; Psalm 96:11-13; 2 Peter 1:16-21 “Why are we lying on the trampoline?” Penny asked her dad as she looked up at the sky. “All I see is a couple clouds. And it’s so creepy and quiet.” “There are clouds, you’ve got that part right. But I don’t think the silence is creepy. Let’s listen for a few moments and see what specific sounds you can hear.” Dad shifted on the trampoline as he spoke. Penny sighed, but did what her dad said. She watched as one of the clouds floated across the sky. She heard the soft tweeting of birds from somewhere in the yard and noticed the rustling sound the leaves made when the wind hit them. “I hear wind and birds,” she told her dad. “Great! I hear the little tip-tapping of a woodpecker on a tree, and the swish of the grass moving. Who gave us all those sounds?” Penny sat up, frowning. “Gave us sounds? I don’t know.” “God did,” Dad explained. “I know that life has been moving really fast and is probably pretty scary for you with your mom and me getting divorced. A lot is happening, and a lot is changing.” Dad looked around the yard. “Sometimes we just need to stop and listen for a little bit. God is right here with us. You can hear the wind He made in the trees. You can hear the birds He created singing to Him.” Penny frowned. “But mom’s apartment doesn’t have an outside. There’s no trampoline to listen on.” Dad smiled. “You don’t have to be in a certain place—you don’t even have to be outside. God is everywhere—there’s nowhere you can go where you won’t hear Him. Even when everything is crazy and confusing, God is always there. You can open a window and hear nature singing His praises.” Penny clapped her hands together. “And I can open my Bible too! That’s another way to hear God.” “That’s right!” said Dad. “The sounds of nature point us to God, but He speaks directly to us in His Word. The Bible tells us about the hope and promises we have in Jesus and reminds us that He is always with those who trust in Him.” Penny smiled. “I’m glad He’s always with me and I won’t ever be alone.” –Kimberly Brokish How about you? Do you ever feel like life is moving really fast? Sometimes we forget to take a break and listen to God. We can hear Him everywhere, like out in nature, where all of creation sings His praises. Most importantly, we can hear Him speak to us in the Bible, where He promises to always be with us and invites us to come to Him anytime. Where can you go to take a break and listen to God? Today’s key verse: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:20 (NIV) Today’s key thought: You can hear God everywhere

Read: Ephesians 5:1-2, 21-33 Hailey knew she should ask for help before trying out her new manicure set, but she couldn’t wait. She needed something to take her mind off the bad day she’d had. She spilled the glittery nails onto her desk, and without bothering to read the directions, she grabbed the glue and unscrewed it. “What’s wrong with this glue?” she muttered as the watery liquid squirted out of the tiny spout. She shook it, wondering why it wasn’t thick like school glue. Shrugging, she held it against her fingernail and squeezed out a generous amount. She pressed one of the nails onto the glue, which seeped out the edges and down her finger. Moments later, Mom walked in. “Oh! You’re already trying those out? Be careful with that glue!” Hailey smiled, then frowned as she tried to pull her hand away from the table. “Help! My hand is stuck!” Mom groaned and rushed over to inspect. “I wished you’d asked me for help! This glue sticks really tight.” Hailey gulped back a sob. “It does? I think I used a lot!” Soon Hailey’s hand was free, but some of her fingers had lost patches of skin. She held up her bandaged fingers. “Mom, you know what this reminds me of?” “What’s that?” Mom asked. “The bad news I heard from Megan today,” Hailey said sadly. “Her parents are getting a divorce, and that’s a lot like getting my fingers unstuck from that table, only worse. Ungluing hurts!” “I’m sorry to hear about Megan’s parents,” Mom said as she sat down. “You’re right, divorce hurts much worse than trying to get that strong glue off your fingers. God created marriage as a picture of Christ and His church—the unity and love between a husband and wife is meant to show how much Jesus loves us. But divorce is a result of living in a world full of sin and broken relationships, and it hurts.” Hailey nodded. “Megan’s really upset, and both her parents are too.” “Maybe you can help Megan by reminding her how much Jesus loves her,” Mom said. “When broken relationships hurt us, He promises to comfort us and never leave us. Show her what that looks like by sticking by her as a friend.” Hailey looked at her bandaged fingers and nodded. –Rebekah Love Dorris How about you? Do you know someone who’s gone through the pain of a divorce? Maybe you’ve experienced divorce in your own family. Divorce hurts because it’s not God’s plan for marriage. If you’re experiencing the pain of divorce, remember that Jesus loves you and promises to never leave you. If a friend is dealing with divorce, point them to the love and comfort they can find in Jesus as you walk by their side. Today's Key Verse: Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Ephesians 5:2 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Divorce hurts

Read: Luke 11:37-39 “Sean, the family shelter downtown needs donations. I’ve collected some items. How about donating some of your toys?” Sean knelt in front of his toy box. “I don’t have any toys I want to give away, Mom.” “What about this car?” Mom asked. “I haven’t seen you playing with it in a while, and I’m sure any little boy would love to have it.” Sean looked at the remote control race car his mom was holding. “It doesn’t work anymore.” “Let’s have dad take a look at it. Maybe he can get it running again. Then would you like to donate it?” “I guess. I do have a lot of toys.” After supper Sean handed his father the race car. “Can you fix this, Dad? It doesn’t work anymore. I’d like to give it to a kid at the shelter.” “Let’s take a look at it.” Dad examined the body of the race car. “I don’t see why it wouldn’t be working. This car looks as good as new.” Sean followed his dad to the garage. After taking the screw out of the lid holding the batteries, Dad held the car out for Sean to see. “I think we’ve found the problem.” “Eww!” Sean said. “What is that?” “It’s corrosion, and the build-up has caused the electrical connection to be broken.” “Can you fix it?” Sean asked. “I think so. But first we’ll need to clean the inside of the battery pack.” Sean’s dad handed him a cloth and a little brush and showed him how to clean the inside. “This is like the story Pastor Tim told on Sunday, isn’t it, Sean? About how Jesus told people they were making the outside of themselves clean but ignoring the nasty stuff on the inside. Do you remember?” Sean nodded. “He said it doesn’t matter how good you look to others. If your heart is dirty, you’re broken and disconnected from God.” “Right. That’s why we need Jesus.” Dad replaced the old batteries with new ones and reattached the lid. “When we trust in Him, He cleans our hearts and makes us run as good as new—just like this car.” “Wow,” Sean said, watching the car zoom across the floor. “It is as good as new!” –Sharon Mowery How about you? Do you try hard to make your life look clean when you’re really broken and dirty on the inside? No matter what good things you do, you can’t be clean until Jesus removes the sin from your heart. He makes you clean and new so your heart can work the way it’s supposed to. Trust Him to give you a clean heart today. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. Titus 2:14 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Jesus cleans our hearts

Read: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 A delicious aroma drifted through the door as Audrey walked into the house. She inhaled deeply, wondering for a minute what it was. I know—apple pie! Maybe Mom will let me have a piece before supper. Her stomach growled as she went into the kitchen. No Mom. No apple pies either. Audrey found her mother in the living room. “I was just reading an email from your teacher,” Mom said, grinning. “I think you’ll be pleased to hear what she has to say.” Mom turned to her computer and read the email out loud. “It’s such a delight to have Audrey as one of my students. She often gives up her free time to help her classmates and has befriended the new girl from Indonesia. She is like a breath of fresh air in our class. By the way, she invited me to visit your church sometime, and I’d like to do that.” The email was from Mrs. Hollis, Audrey’s teacher at school. Mom beamed and gave Audrey a big hug. “I’m so proud of you, honey!” Audrey looked pleased. “Hey, where’s the apple pie?” she asked. “I know you made one—I can smell it. Can I have a piece?” Mom furrowed her brows. “Apple pie? I didn’t make any…oh, it’s the candle.” She pointed to the candle burning on the mantle. “It’s an apple pie spice candle.” “Oh.” Audrey was disappointed. “It made me hungry for apple pie.” Mom smiled. “You know what? I think your life is like that candle. It made you hungry for apple pie because it smells so good, and I believe your actions and attitude at school have made your teacher hungry for what you have—I think that’s why she wants to come to church.” “I made her hungry for church?” Audrey asked, confused. “Not church, exactly—Jesus,” said Mom. “Your teacher doesn’t realize she’s really hungry for a relationship with Jesus, but she sees something in your life that appeals to her. I think that seeing you display Jesus’s love in the way you treat others is making her want the real thing—Him.” Mom grabbed her keys. “Come on. That candle is making me hungry for apple pie too, so let’s run to the store and pick one up!” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Do your actions and attitude make people want to be around you? Does seeing how you treat others make them want to know more about Jesus? As you show others love, kindness, patience, and helpfulness, they get a taste of who Jesus is and what knowing Him is like. As people interact with you, they may become hungry for what you have—hungry to know Jesus. Today’s key verse: We are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:15 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Make others hungry for Jesus

Read: Psalm 34:1-3; Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Hey, Joel!” shouted Micah from the other side of the parking lot at school. “What’s up?” Joel asked as the two of them began to walk toward the school building together. “I was wondering if you’d like to come to my house after school,” Micah said. “I got a new bike for my birthday, so maybe you could bring yours.” “Sure, I’ll come over,” said Joel. “My dad bought me a girl’s bike, and we had to paint over the flowers! We worked really hard on it.” After school they went to Joel’s house and got his bike. Then they went to Micah’s house. “I present to you, the fastest bike the world has ever known!” Micah said with a flourish. He looked at Joel’s bike and giggled. “Umm…I can still see the flowers you painted over,” he said. “My bike is new, and I bet it’s faster than yours.” Joel looked down at the ground as he put his helmet on, looking hurt. Just then Micah’s mom came out of the house. “Micah,” she said, “I’d like to speak with you for a minute. Please come inside.” “Wait a minute, Joel!” Micah said as he quickly ran inside. He sat down on the couch beside his mom. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “How do you think you were treating Joel out there?” Mom asked. Micah didn’t answer. “You were boasting about your bike, weren’t you?” “I’m sorry, Mom,” Micah answered. “I’ll tell Joel I’m sorry too, but…I thought you said we could boast about…” Micah’s voice trailed off. Mom laughed. “You mean we can boast about God. That’s much different than what you were doing. God tells us not to boast about ourselves because everything we have comes from Him, and putting down Joel’s bike and bragging about your own hurt him. But boasting about God and the wonderful things He’s done for us helps us share His love with others. What are some things God has done that we can boast about?” “Well,” said Micah, “we can boast about God because He is so good and faithful, and because He sent His Son to die for us.” “Very good,” said Mom. “How about you go apologize to Joel and compliment his bike?” “Sure,” said Micah. “And no more bad boasting!” –Emmaline Craymer How about you? Have you ever boasted about something you own or something you can do? You probably have, maybe even without knowing it. If others have bragged about themselves in front of you, you know how much it hurts. When you put yourself above somebody else, it hurts them. But when you boast about God and the wonderful things He’s done for all of us, you praise Him and reflect His love and kindness to others. Today’s key verse: My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Psalm 34:2 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Boast about God

Read: 1 Peter 1:23-25 “I can’t believe Grandma gave me a Bible for my birthday!” Ethan said as he and his older brother Sam walked home from the library. “What am I gonna do with that?” “Well, you could read it,” Sam said. Ethan laughed. “How could an old book written thousands of years ago have anything to say to us today? Dad is always saying the Bible is old-fashioned and outdated. Maybe he’ll let me return it and get something else.” He pointed down the street. “Hey, let’s stop and see the house Uncle Andrew is building. It’s only a couple blocks away.” Sam agreed, so the brothers stopped at the new house. “Looks nice,” Sam said when he saw it. “Is that a solar panel on the roof?” Ethan nodded. “Most of the power for heating and cooling will come from the sun. Uncle Andrew says more and more people are using solar energy now. It’s cheaper and better for the environment.” Sam glanced up at the sky and shrugged. “I don’t see what the big deal is. The sun is just an old star. How could it be useful?” “What are you talking about?” asked Ethan. “The sun gives us the light and energy we need to survive. There wouldn’t be any life on earth without it!” Sam smirked. “Yeah, but it’s older than the Bible, so it can’t be any good to us today, right?” “Oh, I see what you’re doing,” Ethan said, rolling his eyes. “You know it’s not the same thing.” “Actually, it kind of is,” said Sam. “The sun gives us the light we need to live on earth, but the Bible shows us the light of a different Son—Jesus, the Son of God. It tells us how we can have eternal life by trusting in Him. And just like sunlight, the light the Bible shines on our lives is just as powerful today as it was thousands of years ago. It’s the light of God’s truth, and He never changes.” Ethan was quiet as they started heading home. “I guess I’ll give my new Bible a try,” he finally said. “I’ll give you some verses to start with if you want,” Sam said. “Then maybe we can talk about them.” Ethan smiled. “That would be great!” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Do you think the Bible is outdated because it’s been around for a long time? It may be old, but it shines the light of God’s truth on our lives, and His truth never changes. It tells us how God’s Son, Jesus, died for us and rose again so we could have eternal life. Even though it was written thousands of years ago, its light is still shining today. Read it and ask God to help you see and understand its truth. Today’s key verse: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Mark 13:31 (NIV) Today’s key thought: The Bible is for today

Read: Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23; 1 John 5:9-12 After enjoying a picnic lunch, Uncle Don pointed toward the paths around the picnic area. “Do you remember which path we took to get here?” “It was the one by the swings,” Kennedy said. Elliot disagreed. “It was the one by that flowering bush over there.” “Nuh-uh! I remember seeing the swings right away,” Kennedy insisted. “But I remember seeing a bird’s nest on the other side of that bush!” Elliot shot back. “Let’s try an experiment,” said Uncle Don. “You each sincerely believe you’re right, don’t you?” “Yes!” shouted both of the children. “All right. How about you each try your path and we’ll see who’s right. I’ll walk with Elliot, and Aunt Sue can walk with Kennedy. Whoever finds the car can text the other group. If no one finds the car, meet back here in fifteen minutes.” The kids agreed, and off they went. Fifteen minutes later, they were back at the picnic spot. “I can’t believe neither of us found the car!” Kennedy said. “Uncle Don, do you know where it is?” Uncle Don smiled. “Follow me.” They followed Uncle Don down a path near some wildflowers, and after a few minutes, they saw he was right. “There’s the car!” yelled Elliot. “How did you know, Uncle Don?” Kennedy asked. Uncle Don held up his phone. “I have an app that tells me where my car is parked. It showed me which path to take.” “That’s kind of like what we were talking about earlier—about how the Bible shows us the only path to heaven,” Elliot said. Uncle Don nodded. “You both were very sincere in believing that the path you chose would lead to the car, but your sincerity didn’t help you. You can also be very sincere about the path you choose to try to get to heaven, but unless you choose the right one, your sincerity won’t help you get there either. My phone showed me the truth about where the car was parked, and God’s Word shows us the truth about how to get to heaven. There’s no other way to have eternal life except through Jesus. He’s the one and only way to heaven.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Do you know the way to heaven? Do you think the way to get there is by going to church, saying prayers, or doing good things? The Bible says nothing you do will ever get you to heaven. It says Jesus is the only way—only He can give you life that lasts forever. Choose the right path by trusting in Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Jesus is the way to heaven

Read: John 14:6; Acts 17:10-12 “It’s so pretty here!” Kennedy told her aunt and uncle as she gazed around the picnic area. She turned to her brother. “Don’t you wish we could live in the Rockies, Elliot?” “It sure is nice,” Elliot said. “Look—I guess everybody likes this spot. There are paths coming here from all directions. It’s just like the city of Rome.” “How is this like Rome?” Aunt Sue asked. “Last week our pastor said that in the days of the Roman Empire, you could follow any road and it would lead you to Rome,” Elliot explained. “He said that’s like going to heaven. No matter what religion we follow, it will lead us to heaven if we’re sincere and do our best.” Uncle Don frowned. “Perhaps all roads did lead to Rome, but all religions certainly don’t lead to heaven. The Bible has something to say about that.” “That’s right,” said Aunt Sue. “If we want to know what’s true and what’s not, we can’t accept the word of any person—unless what they say agrees with what we read in the Bible. And in the book of John, Jesus says He is the way to heaven. We can only be saved from sin and have eternal life by trusting in Him.” Kennedy looked doubtful. “I never heard our minister say that. Wouldn’t he know?” “Yeah,” said Elliot. “He’s had lots of training, and he’s a really cool guy!” “It doesn’t matter who he is or how nice he is,” Uncle Don said. “What matters is whether he teaches what God says in His Word. The book of Acts talks about the apostle Paul going to a city called Berea. When he preached to the people there, they checked the Scriptures to see if what he said was correct. That’s what we need to do too.” “I never thought about that,” Elliot said. “I always thought whatever our pastor said was true, but I guess he could be wrong.” Uncle Don nodded. “People can be wrong, but what God says in His Word is always right.” He pulled out his phone. “How about I show you some more Bible verses that talk about how Jesus is the only way to have eternal life?” Elliot and Kennedy nodded and scooched closer. –Harry C. Trover How about you? Do you go to church to learn about God? Do you read books, watch videos, or listen to programs that talk about God? That’s great, but make sure what you’re learning agrees with God’s Word. If you’re not sure whether something is true, ask a parent or teacher to help you find it in the Bible. Follow the example of early Christians and study the Bible so you know what it says. Today’s key verse: They received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Study the Bible