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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read: John 10:30; 14:16-20, 26 “Mom, what does ‘Trinity’ mean?” Kaylee asked one afternoon. “Pastor Banks said that word in his sermon this morning.” “It means that God the Father, God the Son—that’s Jesus—and God the Holy Spirit are three persons, yet they are one God,” explained Mom. “The word ‘Trinity’ isn’t found in the Bible, but the idea of one God in three persons is found in several places. I’ll show you a few of them.” Just then the doorbell rang. It was Mom’s sister, who had come to drop off some tools she had borrowed. Kaylee grabbed a book and read on the couch while Mom and Aunt Laura chatted in the kitchen. Aunt Laura had just left when Dad hurried into the room. “Honey, have you seen my black jacket?” he asked Kaylee’s mother. “I think I saw it in a closet recently,” said Mom. “I’ll go look.” A little while later, Mom came back into the room and reached for her Bible. “Now,” she said, “let’s see if I can find some verses and think of an example to help you understand the Trinity.” Kaylee smiled. “Actually, I already thought of an example—you!” “Me?” said Mom, looking puzzled. Kaylee nodded. “You’re just one person, but you’re Aunt Laura’s sister, Dad’s wife, and my mother—one, two, three! As a sister, wife, and mother, you do different things for all three of us, but you’re still just one you.” Mom laughed. “Well, that’s not quite how it works, but I’m glad to see you’re thinking it through. The Trinity is more than just one person being different things to different people—the Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct persons, yet still one God. It’s hard for us to understand because God is beyond our complete understanding.” “Yeah,” said Kaylee. “It’s hard to understand, all right!” “The important thing for us to remember is that even though we can’t understand everything about God, we can trust Him because of His great love for us,” said Mom. “He loves us so much that God the Father sent God the Son—Jesus—to die for our sins. When we put our faith in Jesus, God the Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts as a promise that we will be with God forever.” –Lois A. Teufel How about you? Do you find the Trinity hard to understand? That’s because God is bigger than what our human minds can fully grasp. So don’t worry if you don’t understand God completely. Keep learning all you can, and remember that the most important things the Bible says about Him are things you can understand—that He loves you, died for you, and will always be with those who trust in Him. Today's Key Verse: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God is “three-in-one”

Read: Luke 11:9-13 “Matthew, when you’ve finished raking the leaves, come to the shed.” Matthew’s father pushed a wheelbarrow around the back of the house. Uh-oh, what did Dad want now? The last time he called Matthew to the shed, he asked him to pick up sticks that had fallen from the windstorm. Maybe he was going to give him more chores to do. Matthew bagged up the last of the leaves and stared at the little shed behind the house. He didn’t really want to go back there. Maybe Dad was mad at him. Did Mom tell him about the glass serving bowl that he broke yesterday? Dragging the rake behind him, he headed for the shed. As he approached, he slowed his pace. If Dad knew about the glass bowl, he really didn’t want to go in there. But before he could think about it a minute longer, Dad called to him. “Matthew, is that you?” Here goes. He dropped the rake just outside the door and stepped into the shed. To his surprise, a brown and white puppy with long ears greeted him by wagging his tail and jumping up and down. “The Kleins’ dog had puppies, and I told them it’s about time you had a pet of your own.” With a great big smile stretched across his face, Matthew dropped to his knees and scratched behind the little dog’s ears. “Wow, Dad. You’re the best! I thought you were angry or that you were going to give me more chores to do.” His father grinned. “Matthew, you’re my son and I love you. That’s why I enjoy giving you gifts.” “You do?” “Yes, I do.” Matthew’s father knelt down and stroked the puppy’s back. “Just like our Father in heaven.” “What do you mean?” Matthew asked. “A lot of people are afraid of God. They think He wants to punish them or stop them from having fun. But the truth is that God loves to give His children good gifts. And He gives much better gifts than I do.” Matthew smiled as he rubbed under the puppy’s chin. “If that’s true, then I can’t wait to get His gifts!” “You’ve already gotten His best gift of all,” said Dad. “Eternal life through His Son, Jesus.” –Annika Klanderud How about you? How do you view God? Do you see Him as a loving Father who loves to give you gifts? The Bible tells us God loves His children and gives them good gifts. He even gave us His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for our sin so we could receive eternal life. By trusting in Jesus, you receive the best gift of all! (To learn more, go to https://www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: God is a giver

Read: Jeremiah 9:23-24; 1 Peter 5:5-6 “My history report is due tomorrow, and I’m going to have the best one in the class!” announced Mateo as he and his dad got ready to play a game of ping-pong. “Most of the kids write the dumbest essays you’ve ever seen! I also got the top score on our spelling tests three weeks in a row. And the math we’re learning is so simple, it’s pathetic.” Dad didn’t look too happy as Mateo bragged about his schoolwork. “Let’s get started,” Mateo said, bouncing the ball on the table. “I’ll soon have you begging for mercy with my alley slam shot!” Dad grinned. “Maybe, but then again, you might find you’ve underestimated your opponent. By the way, I know just the thing you should write about for your next report—the sinking of the Titanic.” “That big ship?” asked Mateo. “I’ve heard about it. It was one of the greatest passenger ships of all time!” Dad nodded. “It was elegant—crystal chandeliers, velvet curtains, fine china, even a ballroom with its own orchestra. It was the pride of its era. Everyone thought the ship was unsinkable. Only problem was, it sank.” “Why do you think that’s such a good topic for me?” asked Mateo. Dad twirled his paddle. “Because you remind me of the Titanic, Mateo.” “I do?” Mateo looked pleased. “You mean because it was a great ship and I do great in school and stuff?” Dad shook his head. “No, I mean because you sound very proud when you talk about yourself. Pride can be like the iceberg that tore a hole in the Titanic. Jesus is the source of all your talents and abilities—and He didn’t give them to you so you could put yourself above your peers. He wants you to use your gifts to serve Him and show others who He is. It’s good to be thankful for them and do your best, but when you get puffed up and put others down, you’re using the gifts Jesus gave you for yourself, not Him.” “I guess I see what you mean,” said Mateo. “Jesus probably wants me to use my gifts to help kids in my class who are struggling.” He grinned. “I’ll start tomorrow. Now, about that alley slam shot! Are you ready?” –Christi B. Kehn How about you? Do you try to be the best at everything you do? Do you take credit for every good grade, every victory, every prize you win? It’s good to do your best and recognize your abilities, but never forget that you have no reason to be proud. It’s God—not you—who is the source of all good gifts. Give Him the glory and trust Him to help you use your talents to point others to Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Be humble, not proud

Read: Philippians 2:14-16 Julia was quiet as she walked beside her mom at the mall. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Mom asked. Julia sighed. “Kids at school were saying bad things about Christians today. It’s all Paige’s fault! She claims to be a Christian, but she’s the meanest girl I know. So now the other kids think Christians are mean people who pretend they’re good—she gives all of us a bad name!” Just then, a few women wearing headscarves turned a corner and began walking toward them. Julia gasped and moved closer to Mom. “What’s the matter?” Mom asked. Julia spoke in a low voice. “Uncle Jerry said people like them hate people like us.” When the women came closer, Mom smiled at them and said hello, and they smiled back. “Well,” said Mom, “they don’t seem to hate us.” “Maybe not,” said Julia. “Uncle Jerry may be right about some people, but a lot of the time we think badly of certain groups of people just because a few of them are hateful. We should remember that those few people aren’t necessarily a good representation of their entire culture or religion—and that, even if some of them do hate us, Jesus tells us to show them who He is by loving them in return.” “I guess you’re right,” said Julia. “You know, that reminds me of Paige. She can be a bad representation of Christianity and make people think badly of all Christians.” “We’ve all been guilty of that at times,” said Mom. “That’s why we need to depend on Jesus to help us be a good representation of Him. So many people have never read the Bible or maybe never even heard of Jesus, and we might be the only chance they have to know what He’s like.” “Maybe Paige doesn’t know that,” Julia said. “Her family only started going to church a little while ago.” “She might need you to be an example of Jesus’s love,” said Mom. “He loves us so much that He was willing to die for us when we were His enemies. Remind her what Jesus is like by treating her and everyone else in a loving way—even when they’re not loving in return. That’s how we live up to His good name.” –Katelyn Van Kooten How about you? Are you a good representation of Jesus for other people? Do your actions show others who He is and how much He loves us? Because of the great love Jesus has shown us, we’re able to treat others the way He would—even when it’s not easy. Trust Him to help you show His love to others so they can see what He’s like through you. Today's Key Verse: By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Treat others as Jesus would

Read: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “I wonder why geese always fly in a V formation,” Zion said as he and his dad raked their lawn. Overhead, a flock of geese honked their way southward in the cloudless fall sky. “Do you see how closely they fly together?” asked Dad. “As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird following it. That means the bird behind it uses less energy as it flies. By flying in a V formation, the flock can fly about seventy percent farther than if each bird flew alone. The leader—the first one—has to work the hardest, so they take turns being in front.” “Hey, that’s cool!” said Zion. “Smart birds!” They finished raking, and Zion grabbed some large plastic bags from the garage. “Is it okay if I skip church tomorrow?” he asked as they stuffed the leaves into the bags. “Caden got a new game for his birthday and invited me over to play it in the morning.” “You can play Caden’s game another time,” said Dad. “That’s not a good reason to skip church.” “But I’ll do my devotions before I go,” said Zion. “Why can’t I just spend time with Jesus on my own instead of going to church?” “Zion, praying and reading the Bible on your own is very important, and I’m glad you do that,” said Dad. “But it’s not the same as going to church.” “Why not?” asked Zion. “That’s basically what we do at church, just with more people.” “Exactly,” said Dad. “Remember those geese we saw in the V formation? They would never be able to make the long journey south on their own—they need each other. And we need other Christians on our journey with Jesus. They support and encourage us and help us see a bigger picture of how He’s changing people’s hearts and lives. Jesus wants us to spend time with Him on our own, but He also wants us to spend time with Him as a body of believers because He loves all of us and knows how much we need each other.” Zion looked up at the sound of honking. More geese were on their way south. “Okay, Dad,” he said. “I’ll play Caden’s game another time.” –Rosemary C. Wilson How about you? Do you ever wonder why you need to go to church? Would you rather just spend time with Jesus on your own? That’s not how He designed the Christian life to be. He wants you to learn about Him and worship Him with other Christians so you can support and encourage one another. So don’t neglect going to church—we’re all on this journey with Jesus together! Today's Key Verse: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: We need other Christians

Read: Psalm 34:1-8; Revelation 4:11 “Psalm thirty-four verse three. Oh, magify…magify…” Sadie struggled with her memory verse as she and her older sister walked up the driveway to their grandfather’s house. “Hi, Grandpa,” said Bryn as they went into the house. “Hi, girls.” Grandpa folded his newspaper. “I was just reading.” “What’s that, Grandpa?” Sadie pointed to an object on the coffee table. “That’s his magnifying glass,” Bryn answered. “That’s right,” said Grandpa. “These old eyes aren’t as good as they used to be, and that magnifying glass makes the letters look bigger so I can see them. Here.” He motioned for them to come close. “Try it.” “You know what, Grandpa?” Sadie said after looking through the glass. “I’m learning a Bible verse about a magifying glass.” Bryn laughed. “The word is ‘mag-ni-fy,’ not ‘mag-i-fy,’” she informed her little sister. “And the verse isn’t about a magnifying glass. It says, ‘Oh, magnify the Lord with me…’” Bryn paused. “Wait, magnifying something means to make it bigger, but we can’t make God bigger!” Grandpa smiled. “True, but when I use this magnifying glass to read, the letters just look bigger to my eyes. But they’re not really any bigger than they were before, are they?” “No,” said Bryn. “But I still don’t see what it means to magnify the Lord.” “I think one way we magnify God is by focusing on Jesus and remembering the sacrifice He made to save us,” said Grandpa. “Then, in a way, He becomes ‘bigger’—or more important to us. We think more about Him and how great He is. We get to know Him better and look for ways we can show His love to others.” “Look!” Sadie held the magnifying glass over a cartoon in the paper. “Look how big this cat’s whiskers are!” “I think Sadie just pointed out another way we magnify the Lord,” said Grandpa. “She’s the one looking at that cartoon, but even from here we can see some of what she sees. When we magnify the Lord, it helps other people get a glimpse of how great He is too.” –Hazel W. Marett How about you? When you think about the greatness of God, what comes to your mind? Do you think about all the wonderful things He’s created? Do you remember all He’s done to save you and recognize Him working in your life? Even in the midst of your busy days, pause to think about how amazing God is and how much He loves you. Then tell others so they can understand how great and good He is too. Today's Key Verse: Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:3 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Magnify the Lord

Read: Psalm 118:24-29; Isaiah 43:19-21 Sawyer was kicking the soccer ball around in the front yard when his dad drove up. “Hey, Sawyer-man,” Dad said as he got out of the car. “How’s it going?” Sawyer shrugged. “I don’t think I did well on my spelling test at school today. And it was supposed to be my turn to feed the class hamster, but Jasper said it was his turn. Then I spilled my milk all over the lunch table. And I have tons of homework!” He sighed. “So, not that great.” “I’m sorry you had a rough day,” Dad said. “Wanna talk about it?” Sawyer poked at a mound in the grass with his foot. “Maybe later.” “Well, remember you can talk to God about it too,” said Dad. “He wants to hear about your problems—and even on tough days, He wants to hear you say thank you to Him too.” Sawyer wrinkled his forehead. “He does?” Dad nodded. “Some days you may not feel like it, but that’s when you need to do it the most. Start by telling Him how you’re feeling and why, and then say thank you to Him. Thank Him for loving you and for sending Jesus to save you. Thank Him for the blessings in your life. Even when things are difficult, you can be thankful because of the joy Jesus gives you.” Dad scooped up the soccer ball. “Time for some Super-Sawyer praise!” he exclaimed as he pretended to flex his muscles. “Ready?” He tossed the ball at Sawyer. “I’m thankful you’re my son!” he shouted. Sawyer caught the ball. “I’m thankful I’m your son too!” He tossed the ball back to Dad. “Is that a smile I see?” Dad asked with a grin as he threw the ball to Sawyer. Sawyer knee-bumped the ball back to Dad. “I’m thankful I can play outside.” “I’m thankful we can talk to Jesus anytime,” Dad said, stopping the ball with his foot and then kicking it back to Sawyer. Sawyer and Dad kept the ball going back and forth as they shouted out things they were thankful for. With each toss and kick of the ball and each thank you to God, Sawyer started to feel lighter somehow. He decided he was going to start saying thank you to Jesus a whole lot more. –Kelly Hope How about you? Have you ever had a day when things just didn’t seem to go right? Get out some crayons or markers and start making your own thank-you list. When you’re finished, post the list where you can see it every day. This will help remind you that there’s always something to thank Jesus for. Today's Key Verse: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Psalm 150:6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Praise and thank God

Read: Matthew 10:29-31; Luke 19:1-10 Kevin was lost. The cornstalks were so far above his head that even when he jumped, he couldn’t see any way out. If only he hadn’t insisted on going into the corn maze by himself. His mom and dad had both offered to come with him, but he wanted to go on his own. Now he was lost, alone, and afraid. It was starting to get cold. He put his hands on his upper arms. What if he couldn’t find his way out by nightfall? What if it started to rain? What if he had to use the bathroom? All sorts of possible disasters filled his mind. A couple had passed him a few turns back, but Kevin hadn’t seen anybody since. He should have followed the couple. He should have never come in by himself. So many “should haves” filled his thoughts. He heard footsteps then—the heavy footsteps of a grown man. But the twists and turns of the maze hid the man from his view. What if it was a kidnapper? What if he never saw his family again? The footsteps came closer still. “Dad!” Kevin’s heart soared. “I hope you don’t mind,” Dad said. “I know you wanted to do this all by yourself, but you were taking so long. Your mother and I were worried about you.” Kevin gave his father the biggest hug ever. “I thought you might leave me here.” “Are you kidding me? We would never leave you. Just like God will never leave you. No matter how lost you may seem to be, God is with you. When we were lost in sin with no hope of finding our way out, He sent Jesus to save us. Since you trust in Him, He will always be with you and help you.” Kevin frowned. “He wasn’t helping me find my way out of the maze.” “But He was,” said Dad. “He sent me, didn’t He?" “I didn’t even remember to pray,” said Kevin. “I was too focused on finding my own way.” “God knew the prayers of your heart even if you didn’t speak them to Him. God always knows. And He’ll always be with you. God loves you even more than your mom and I do. And that’s a lot!” –Carol Raj How about you? Have you ever been afraid? Really afraid? Maybe you were lost like Kevin. Maybe you were sick. Maybe you were moving to a new neighborhood and you worried you might never make any friends. God wants to hear your little worries as well as your big ones. He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to find you when you were lost. Trust Him to be with you and help you whenever you’re afraid. Today's Key Verse: [God] himself has said, “I will never leave you or abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Pray when you’re afraid

Read: Romans 8:14-17 Leo sat at the dining room table with his mom, dad, and two older brothers. He had been part of the family for exactly nine years now. They bowed their heads, and Leo’s dad prayed. “Father in heaven, today we celebrate the day You brought Leo to our family. Thank You for letting us adopt him. He has brought us great joy. Bless our son in every way. In Jesus’s name, amen.” When Leo looked up and saw his mother’s smile, he felt warm and wonderful inside. Even though being adopted held mysteries and he’d been asking his parents a lot of questions about it lately, he was glad to be part of his family. After dinner they had family devotions, and Leo listened closely when Dad talked about adoption during Bible times. “Historians tell us that many sons were adopted,” said Dad. “In fact, some people believe Mary’s husband, Joseph, adopted Jesus as his very own son, even though God Himself was Jesus’s real Father.” Mom smiled. “You’re in good company, Leo,” she said, giving him a hug. “In Bible times, a man with no children would adopt a son in order to pass on all that he owned,” Dad continued. “That son took the man’s name and called him ‘Father.’” “Hey! No fair!” Leo’s brother Corbin kicked at him playfully. “We’ll be glad to share the inheritance with you, but you don’t get it all!” “Dad was talking about guys with no children,” said Leo. “Mom and Dad had children when they adopted me.” “Right,” said Dad. “So the three of you will share the inheritance. And there’s an even better inheritance that all of us get to share as God’s adopted children.” “There is?” asked Leo’s other brother, Timothy. “What is it?” “When we trust Jesus as our Savior, we’re adopted into God’s family. Then we can call God ‘Father’ and share in the inheritance of Jesus—an eternal inheritance far greater than our little minds can fathom. The Bible says we’re heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.” “Wow,” said Leo. “I’m glad I’m part of God’s family.” He grinned at everyone seated around the table. “And this family too!” –Christi B. Kehn How about you? Did you know that God wants to be your heavenly Father? He paid a great price. He gave Jesus, His only Son, to take the punishment for your sin and give you eternal life. Become His adopted child by trusting Jesus to save you from sin. Then you’ll become part of God’s family and share an inheritance with Jesus that lasts forever! (To learn more, go to https://keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Christians are God’s children

Read: James 1:19-25 Ryan, Avery, and Mom took off on horseback down the dirt road—Ryan and Avery on Velvet, and Mom on Lady. Ryan glanced back toward the stable. “Look, Dad is feeding Buster his grain.” Buster was an older horse, and when he ate with the others, he often got pushed away from his own grain by Lady, who tried to be the boss of the barnyard. “Oh, good,” said Avery. “I’m glad Dad’s making sure he gets enough to eat—he’s been looking thin lately.” She patted Velvet. “Not you, Velvet. You’re pretty plump!” Mom nodded. “I noticed that too. It’s probably because all Velvet does is eat. She needs to be ridden or exercised every day.” “Avery and I can do that,” said Ryan. “Can we canter? That would be good for Velvet.” Mom agreed, and they were off. As they unsaddled the horses later, the kids told Dad about their ride. “One of us is going to exercise Velvet every day,” Ryan said, and Avery nodded. “Good,” Dad said. “She needs it. And it’ll help remind us that we need to do the same thing.” “You mean not eat too much and remember to exercise?” asked Avery. “Well, yes, but I was thinking of spiritual diet and exercise,” said Dad. “As Christians, we feed our faith by learning about Jesus and spending time with Him. Praying, reading our Bibles, and going to church are spiritual foods that keep us full and help us grow. But we also need to exercise our faith to stay in good spiritual shape.” “How do we do that?” asked Ryan. “By putting our faith in action and doing things that show others the love of Jesus, like telling people about Him, serving those in need, and treating others with kindness.” Mom nodded and patted Buster. “We also need to be careful not to become like this old horse. He gets enough exercise, but he doesn’t always get enough to eat. Christians like him may do many things to serve the Lord but not take time to get spiritual food. That leaves us spiritually hungry and makes it harder for us to live out our faith.” “We need a proper balance between food and exercise,” said Dad. “Both physically and spiritually.” –Tracy J. Ellifrets How about you? Do you feed your faith by reading the Bible, going to church, and spending time with other Christians? That’s great! But are you also exercising your faith by living out what you believe and showing others Jesus’s love? There are lots of ways to put your faith in action, like helping someone in need or telling a friend about Jesus. Feed and exercise your faith to stay healthy spiritually. Today's Key Verse: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Feed and exercise your faith

Read: 2 Kings 5:1-4, 9-14 The breeze felt cool against Eli’s cheeks as he and Uncle Martín stood quietly on the pier. They were watching ships enter and leave the great harbor. “Look at those little tugboats moving the big ships through the water, Uncle Martín!” said Eli. “It doesn’t seem like boats that small could even move those big ships!” Uncle Martín shook his head. “They’re interesting, aren’t they?” After watching a while longer, he said, “Those little tugboats remind me of you.” Eli turned away from the ships to look at his uncle. “Me?” he asked in surprise. “Why do they remind you of me?” “Well, there’s a Bible verse that says, ‘Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right.’” Uncle Martín smiled. “Those great big ships are helped into the harbor by the little tugboats. And grownups can be influenced—and helped—by the actions of kids.” “Kids like me?” asked Eli. “Kids like you,” said Uncle Martín. “Children, as well as adults, can be examples of Jesus to those who don’t know Him. They can show others they have a relationship with Him by the way they live, and they can lead people to Him. Jesus has given each one of us who know Him the Holy Spirit, who helps us share His love with others through our words and deeds—no matter how old we are.” Uncle Martín gestured to another small tugboat passing in front of them as it pulled a ship into the harbor. “You may think other kids are the only ones who would listen to you, but that’s not true. You certainly can influence kids, but adults may also take notice.” Eli watched the tugboats in the harbor as he thought about what Uncle Martín had said. “There may be quite a few teachers at my school who don’t know Jesus,” he told his uncle. “And next week is our family reunion. Some people coming to that might not know Jesus either.” He smiled. “I’m going to ask God to use me to point others to Jesus—both kids and adults.” –Richard S. Maffeo How about you? Do you think you’re too young to lead someone to Christ? Don’t underestimate what God can do through you. Today’s Bible reading gives one example of a young person who influenced an adult as she served God—and He can use you to influence adults too. Trust Him to help you share the love of Jesus with others, no matter how old they are. Today's Key Verse: Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right. (NKJV) Proverbs 20:11 Today's Key Thought: God can use you

Read: Colossians 3:12-15; 1 John 1:9 Samuel ran into the house and threw his jacket on the table. “Weather report,” he panted. “It’s pouring!” “Ohhhh noooo!” Olivia rushed over. “You threw your wet jacket on my seascape painting for school—it’ll be ruined!” “It’s a picture of ocean waves—all I did was add more water.” Samuel laughed. Olivia lifted Samuel’s jacket. “See? The paint ran! Why didn’t you look first?” “Why’d you leave your painting on the table?” “The paint was drying! Aren’t you even going to apologize?” “Fine,” Samuel said with a shrug. “I’m sorry. Are you happy now?” “That’s it?” Tears filled Olivia’s eyes. “My painting is ruined, and you’re only sorta-sorry? Then I only sorta-forgive you.” Dad walked into the room. “I can hear you down the hall,” he said. “You know, God’s good at forgiveness. Hasn’t He forgiven each of you when you’ve asked Him?” “Yeah, always,” Samuel said. Dad sat at the table. “Because Jesus died to pay for our sin, God promises to forgive. When we tell God we’re sorry for wrong things we’ve done, He completely forgives us—He doesn’t sort-of forgive us. Because God forgives our sin, shouldn’t we forgive others?” Olivia sighed. “Yeah, we should.” Dad looked at Samuel. “You were careless and ruined Olivia’s painting—but you weren’t really sorry, were you? And Olivia, you can’t sort-of forgive. You either forgive—or you don’t. “Olivia,” Samuel said. “Dad’s right. I’m sorry I ruined your painting.” Olivia wiped her tears. “Well, if God can forgive me, I can forgive you.” “You know,” Dad said, “after God forgives us, He does something amazing. He restores our relationship with Him and reminds us of His love and kindness.” Samuel gave Olivia a hug, and an idea flashed in his head. “Leave the room for a minute, would you? But Dad, you stay. I’ll need your help.” Olivia gave him a funny look, but left. Two minutes later Samuel called her back. He’d put fresh paper on the table and had dad pull up a soundtrack of ocean waves on his phone. “There’s still time to paint it over,” Samuel said. “Wanna try?” Olivia smiled. “You turned a weak apology into the best one ever!” –Matt Shoemaker How about you? Have you been forgiven by God? When we confess our sin to God, He forgives us. He also gives us the ability to forgive others when they do wrong to us. Our ability to forgive others always starts with God. Trust Him to help you forgive others the way He has forgiven you through Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (NLT) Ephesians 4:32 Today's Key Thought: Forgiveness starts with God

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 54-57 Landon ducked as a bee buzzed by, barely missing his head. He watched the bee settle on a flower before moving on. “That bee was so close to your head, he almost gave you a buzz cut!” Dad said with a smirk. Landon didn’t laugh. He had something else on his mind. “Dad, can I ask you something?” He hesitated, and Dad waited quietly. “Grandma died months ago, but I’m still sad about it,” Landon said at last. “Is that bad?” “No, it’s natural to feel sad.” Dad put an arm around Landon’s shoulders. “Death is not how it’s supposed to be—it came when sin entered the world. But for Christians, death is not the winner. Even though we’re sad, we can take comfort in knowing that we don’t have to be afraid of death because Jesus defeated it when He rose from the dead.” Dad thought for a moment. “Why were you afraid of that little bee that flew by a minute ago?” he asked. “Because I could have gotten stung!” said Landon. “That hurts!” “Yes, and death hurts too—like how we’re hurting after Grandma died,” said Dad. “But do you have any reason to fear that bee like Ellis would?” Landon shook his head. Ellis, his older brother, was severely allergic to bees. “Ellis could die if he was stung by a bee and didn’t go to the hospital right away,” Landon said. “It would still hurt if I was stung, but I wouldn’t have to worry about dying from it.” “Exactly,” said Dad. “You have no reason to fear bees the way Ellis does, and Christians have no reason to fear death the way the world does. It still hurts when death takes away someone we love, but it can’t take away the eternal life we have in Jesus.” “So it’s okay to feel sad because I miss Grandma?” Landon asked. “Of course,” said Dad. “Even though Grandma is with Jesus and we know we’ll see her again, it still hurts not to have her with us. But one day, Jesus will come back to get rid of sin and death for good, and those who trust in Him will be raised to life and never feel the sting of death ever again.” –A. J. Schut How about you? Do you feel sad because someone you love died? It’s okay to be sad because death stings when it takes away those we love. But even though death hurts, Christians have no reason to be afraid of it. Jesus has conquered death, and one day He will raise everyone who trusts in Him from the dead to live with Him forever! (To learn more, go to https://keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (NIV) 1 Corinthians 15:55 Today's Key Thought: Jesus has conquered death