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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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