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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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