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

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

Read: Proverbs 4:1-4; Galatians 5:16-18, 22-25 “Want to see the ring I got?” Lucy pulled a small box from her dresser drawer and showed her friend Skye the delicate opal ring inside. “It used to be my grandma’s.” “It’s so pretty!” said Skye. “Can I wear it for a while?” Lucy bit her lip. “My mom told me not to take it out or wear it until I’m older. She doesn’t want it getting lost.” “Oh, come on!” said Skye. “I won’t tell her. Please?” Lucy had a bad feeling about letting Skye wear the ring, but she was afraid of what Skye might think if she said no. So she handed over the box. Later, the girls went to the park across the street. They were twirling each other on the swings when Skye’s phone buzzed. “It’s my mom,” Skye said. “I gotta go.” As she took Lucy’s ring off and held it out, she stumbled. The ring fell to the pavement, bounced once, and disappeared down a drain. “My ring!” cried Lucy. The girls peered down the drain, but the ring was gone. When Lucy got home, she tearfully told her mom what had happened. “I had a bad feeling about not listening to you and letting Skye wear the ring, but I was afraid she wouldn’t like me anymore if I said no. Now it’s lost forever!” “I’m afraid you’re right,” said Mom. “I’ll check with the city sewer service, but it’s probably impossible to get it back.” She sighed. “You know, Lucy, that bad feeling you had reminds me of how the Holy Spirit often works in our lives. He guides us in doing what’s right and warns us against things that are wrong and hurtful, but we have a choice in whether we listen to Him or not. You’re going to be a teenager soon, and more and more people will try to get you to do things that are wrong—things that can have very serious and lasting consequences.” “So the Holy Spirit helps me say no to things that are wrong?” asked Lucy. Mom nodded. “He helps you live in a way that points to Jesus, who freed you from sin and made you a new person. Any time you sense Him warning you against something, listen to Him.” –Rosalie J. Currier How about you? Do you listen to the Holy Spirit when you sense Him telling you not to do something? Or do you go along with what others want you to do? It can be hard to say no, but doing wrong things to please others can have very serious consequences. When you sense the Holy Spirit telling you something is wrong, listen to Him. He gives you the strength to say no to sin and do what’s right instead. Today's Key Verse: If sinners try to lead you into sin, do not go with them. (NLV) Proverbs 1:10 Today's Key Thought: Listen to the Holy Spirit

Read: John 1:4-5; 8:12; Matthew 5:14-16 Corey shivered as the lights went out in the restaurant where he and his family were eating. “What’s going on?” The room was completely dark and everyone around them mumbled nervously. He heard babies and little kids whimper and cry, probably scared of the dark like he had been when he was younger. “The storm must have knocked out the power,” Mom said. A moment later, light spilled across the table from her phone’s flashlight. “This isn’t much, but it will help until they get things figured out.” “If you had bought me a phone when I asked, I could help make it lighter in here too,” Corey’s sister said. Mom chuckled. “Right, Leah. I should have done that, huh?” Corey looked around him. Little by little, the room began to light up as people got out their phones. The voices started to sound less nervous, the little kids quieted down, and things didn’t seem quite so scary. The small lights worked together to brighten the room until the power came back on. The next morning Corey listened as his pastor talked at church. “You are lights,” the pastor said. “If you trust in Jesus, His light shines in you, and you can shine His light to others through what you say and do. The Bible calls Jesus the light of the world because He came to rescue us from the darkness of sin and death and give us eternal life. As we shine His light together for others to see, each little light makes a difference.” Leah nudged her brother. “Like the phones yesterday,” she whispered. Corey nodded, remembering how the restaurant had brightened as the little lights came on one by one and everyone calmed down. “You might not feel powerful or capable of doing a lot,” the pastor continued. “But Jesus has given each of us the Holy Spirit so we can shine His light to those around us. The world is a dark place, and people need Jesus. When we do what we can to share His love and hope with others—even just through small things—the Holy Spirit works through us to bring more people out of darkness and into Jesus’s light.” Corey smiled. He knew just what shining a little light could do. –Emily Acker How about you? Has the darkness of the world ever scared you? Jesus came to be the light of life and hope in a world full of sin and death. When we trust in Him, our wrongs are forgiven and we are given life and a relationship with God that lasts forever. He also gives us the Holy Spirit so we can shine the light of His love and hope to others. How can you be a light to someone in your life today? Today's Key Verse: Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (NIV) Matthew 5:16 Today's Key Thought: Small lights make a big difference

Read: Psalm 96:1-6; Isaiah 41:9-13 Brook loved to sing. Whenever there was an opportunity to sing at church, she took it. It felt good to be on the stage singing in front of everyone, and she loved singing for God too. She felt close to Him when she sang songs in church. One day when she was up on stage singing a solo, Brook messed up on some of the words. She felt her face flush and was tempted to step away from the microphone, but she somehow carried on. “You did great,” her family said when she finished. Brook shook her head, wanting to run away and hide. A few days later, her mom came into her bedroom. “They’re looking for volunteers to sing next Sunday,” she said. “I didn’t see your name on the list yet.” “I don’t want to sing again.” Brook pulled her knees up to her chest. Her mom’s brows rose. “You’re not going to sing again?” “I messed up last time. It was embarrassing,” Brook said. Mom touched her hand. “It wasn’t so bad, and even if it had been, you can’t give up just because of that. You love singing up there.” “But I let everyone down,” Brook said. Mom shook her head. “You didn’t let anyone down.” “But I always want to do my best for everyone in the audience and especially for God.” “And you did,” Mom said. “Everyone makes mistakes, honey. God knows that, we know that, and no one is disappointed in you. It’s not important that you messed up the lyrics, and it wouldn’t matter if you did again—all that matters is that you want to sing for God. You want to, right?” Brook nodded. “I love singing for Him.” “I know. God has given you that gift so you can use it to worship Him and point others to Jesus and what He did to save us. So, you just need to do it again.” Brook sighed. “It will be scary.” “God can help you do scary things.” Mom squeezed her hand. “And we’ll be rooting for you.” Brook did love singing and would miss it if she quit. “Okay,” she finally agreed. ”I’ll ask God to help me be brave and try again.” –Bethany Acker How about you? Have you ever wanted to quit something because you messed up? Everyone makes mistakes, so don’t let them stop you from doing something you believe God wants you to do—mistakes often teach us what we need to learn to do better. When you mess up, remember that Jesus is always with those who trust in Him and promises to help us. Trust Him to help you be brave and try again so you can use your gift for Him. Today's Key Verse: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (NIV) Joshua 1:9 Today's Key Thought: Be brave and try again

Read: Romans 8:14-17; 9:25-26 Sophie sat on the kitchen floor petting her new golden retriever puppy while Mom snapped the stems off green beans. “Mom, you’ll never guess what happened today,” Sophie said. “Mira told our class she’s a real-life princess.” Mom let out a little chuckle, but when she looked at her daughter’s face she could tell Sophie was serious. “Don’t you think that’s a little—foolish?” asked Sophie. “I mean, we’re not little kids anymore.” “Oh, honey, I’m sure she was just kidding,” said Mom. “No, she means it!” Sophie insisted. “She said that since God is her Father that makes her a real princess. She was calling herself Princess Mira!” “Hmm,” said Mom. “You know, it may not be as foolish as it sounds.” Sophie raised her eyebrows and tilted her head down. She couldn’t believe what her mom was saying. “It reminds me of Goldie,” added Mom. “Some people might not accept Goldie as her real name.” “What?” asked Sophie in disbelief. She looked down at the sleeping puppy curled up in her lap and stroked her soft golden fur. “But that’s what we named her!” “Well, when Goldie was rescued by the animal shelter, what did they call her?” asked Mom. Sophie thought a moment. “Molly,” she answered. “Right. Just like Molly’s name changed when we adopted her, our name also changes when we’re adopted into God’s family. In the Bible, God says, ‘Those who were not my people, I will now call my people.’ And do you know what He says next?” Sophie shook her head. “No, what?” “The very next verse says that ‘they will be called children of the living God,’” said Mom. “I think Mira has figured something out—something really special. When she trusted Jesus as her Savior, she was adopted into God’s family. Just like Molly was adopted into ours and—” “And became Goldie!” Sophie gently removed the sleeping dog from her lap. “Well, you and Goldie will have to excuse me—this princess has homework to finish!” –Nichole Gatten How about you? Have you been adopted by God? Have you become part of His family by trusting in Jesus? If so, you are now one of His children. Your heavenly Father has given you a new name and a new life! If you’re not yet one of God’s children, you can be adopted through Jesus, who sacrificed His life to save you and welcome you into His family. Trust in Him today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: You received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Embrace your new name

Read: 1 Samuel 3:4-11; Psalm 103:13-14 When the school bell rang, Xavier tossed his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door. He spotted his older brother, Malik, standing on the sidewalk. “Hey, what’s up?” asked Malik as they headed for home. “Not much.” Xavier kicked a plastic bottle, and it hit a parking meter. “Did you get to shoot some hoops at recess?” asked Malik. Xavier nodded. “Sink any threes?” “Yeah, but…” Xavier looked through the window of a coffee shop at all the people on their computers and cell phones. “There’s a new kid at school named Devon. I saw him when we were playing ball.” “And?” Malik raised his eyebrows. “Well, now I’m thinking he wanted to play. He just stood by the court watching us the whole time.” “But you didn’t ask him to be on your team?” Xavier shook his head. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it then.” He sighed, breathing in the smells of a Greek restaurant as they passed by. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up over it.” Malik stopped at the crosswalk and turned his head to look down the street. A city bus whizzed by, then the light changed and they stepped into the road. “Do you remember that Bible story about the boy named Samuel? God called to him three separate times, and each time Samuel thought it was the priest calling him.” “Yeah, I remember,” said Xavier. “Well, what happened with the new kid at school today is kind of like that.” Xavier gave his brother a puzzled look. “How?” “Samuel didn’t realize it was God calling him the first three times he heard His voice,” said Malik. “But the fourth time, after the priest told him who it really was, he got it. He knew God was calling him and was able to listen and obey.” Malik waved at a guy with ear buds walking down the other side of the street. “You didn’t realize Devon wanted to play at first, but now you know he did. So now you can do what God is calling you to do.” “You mean I can ask Devon to play ball with us tomorrow,” said Xavier. Malik clapped Xavier on the back. “Exactly.” –Annika Klanderud How about you? Do you ever wish you could go back and take advantage of a missed opportunity to be kind to someone? Jesus knows we’re only human and don’t always recognize ways to show His love to others. He forgives our mistakes and always gives us another chance. Ask Him to show you something you can do to share His love with someone today. Once you know what it is, do it! Today's Key Verse: For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (NKJV) Psalm 103:14 Today's Key Thought: Do what you know is right

Read: Luke 19:1-10; Romans 3:23-24 “Hey buddy, what’s wrong?” Dad asked when it was time for Nolan’s bedtime prayers. “It’s Grandpa,” said Nolan. “He doesn’t believe in Jesus. That means he’s not going to heaven.” “He needs to have a relationship with Jesus,” said Dad. “Shall we pray for him?” Nolan nodded, and he and his dad prayed for Nolan’s grandfather. The next morning Dad took Nolan and his sister on a walk in the woods. As they went along, colorful leaves rustled under their feet. “A lot of leaves are still falling,” said Nolan. “They’re gonna get trampled on.” He grinned at his sister. “I bet I can catch more before they hit the ground than you can.” “You’re on!” said Liliana. So as they walked, they tried to catch every falling leaf. “Okay, let’s count them,” Nolan said as they headed back home. “All right.” A few moments later, Liliana grinned. “I’ve got seventeen!” “So do I!” said Nolan. “We rescued a bunch of them, didn’t we?” Dad smiled. “I’m glad you were able to rescue those fallen leaves. It reminds me of what Jesus does—He rescues fallen people.” “Fallen people?” asked Liliana. “I know Jesus found Zacchaeus in a tree, but he didn’t fall from it.” “No, but he was fallen in other ways. Zacchaeus was a lost sinner, but Jesus saved him and changed him. All people are fallen sinners—we all fall short of God’s perfect standards by doing wrong things, so Jesus came to rescue us. And He wants those of us He’s already saved to help bring others to Him so they can be rescued too.” “People like Grandpa,” said Nolan. “I know Jesus can save him, but Grandpa’s already pretty old. We pray for him a lot, but what else can we do to help bring him to Jesus?” Liliana looked at the leaves in her hand. “Let’s press these leaves and put them in different places around the house. We can pray for Grandpa every time we see one of them.” “Okay,” said Nolan. “We could also invite him to the program at church next week.” “And help him rake his yard!” said Liliana. Dad nodded. “Those are good ways to help him know how much Jesus loves him—and how much we love him too.” –Steve Hulet How about you? Do you have family or friends who don’t believe in Jesus? Share His love with them through your words and actions. Jesus came to save people who are fallen and lost, and if you’ve been saved by trusting in Him, He wants you to be part of the process as He rescues others. He loves your family and friends even more than you do, so don’t give up. Keep reaching out to those who need Jesus. Today's Key Verse: For the Son of Man [Jesus] came to seek and save those who are lost. (NLT) Luke 19:10 Today's Key Thought: Reach out to those who need Jesus

Read: Leviticus 19:17-18; Matthew 5:43-48 After school Declan walked to the nearby dentist’s office where his mom worked as a receptionist. “Hi, Mom,” he said as he walked in. He plopped down onto a chair in the waiting room while she got ready to leave. His book bag slid to the floor beside him, and he gave it an angry little kick. Mom noticed. “What’s wrong, Declan?” she asked as they headed for the car. “I don’t like Isaiah,” said Declan. “In fact, after what he did at school today, I hate him!” “Whoa!” said Mom. “Hate is not a word I like to hear. What happened?” “Isaiah threw an eraser and hit Aaliyah in the back of the head. Since I sit right behind her, she thought I did it and told Mrs. Cramer. I told Mrs. Cramer I didn’t do it, but she didn’t believe me, and I had to stay in during recess. After school Isaiah tried to apologize, but it was too late then. He should have admitted he did it right away!” Mom looked at Declan thoughtfully. “Sounds like you need a filling.” “A filling! What does this have to do with teeth? Besides, I just had a filling. My teeth are fine!” “What did the dentist do when you had that cavity?” Mom asked. “Well, first she drilled out the decay, and then she filled the space with a special material,” said Declan. “But why are we talking about fillings? What about Isaiah?” “I was thinking of the problem you’re having with him,” said Mom. “It seems a lot like the problem you had with your tooth. They both need drilling and filling. Isaiah was wrong, but I think you need to drill the decay—the hate—out of your heart and fill the space with forgiveness.” “Drill out the hate?” asked Declan. “How can I do that?” “You need a much more powerful tool than a dentist’s drill,” said Mom. “You need prayer. Only Jesus can help you get rid of the hate and forgive Isaiah.” Declan sighed and didn’t say anything. “Pray about it and trust Jesus to help you love and forgive Isaiah, Declan,” added Mom. “I’ll be praying for both of you.” –Dorothy R. King How about you? Do you find it hard to forgive people who have wronged you? It’s not easy, but with Jesus it can be done. Pray and tell Him how you’re feeling, and trust Him to replace any hate in your heart with love. Remember that He loves you so much that He died for your sins so you could be forgiven. He loves everyone that much—including those who have wronged you. Trust Him to help you show them His love by forgiving them. Today's Key Verse: But I [Jesus] tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. (ERV) Matthew 5:44 Today's Key Thought: Drill out hate with prayer

Read: Matthew 7:7-11 Brecken was doing his homework on the couch when his dog, Winston, brought his toy over and set it at Brecken’s feet. Brecken picked it up and threw it into the kitchen. Winston immediately ran after it and brought it back. This time Brecken threw the toy a little harder, and it landed in the middle of the kitchen table. Winston ran to the table, looked up, and began to whine. He then began to run back and forth between the table and Brecken. “I think he’s trying to ask you to get it down,” Mom said. Brecken got up and grabbed the toy. “Here you go, Winston,” he said as he threw it toward the couch. Winston ran to get it and then took off down the hall, squeaking it loudly. Brecken went back to the couch and pulled out his math book. “Ugh! I don’t get this,” he said a few minutes later. “Do you need some help?” Mom asked. Brecken tossed the math book onto the floor. “It’s no use. My teacher already tried to explain it to me, but I still don’t get it.” “Have you tried praying about it?” asked Mom. “I think God has bigger things to worry about than my math homework,” Brecken said. Mom smiled. “Why did you get Winston’s toy for him earlier?” she asked. Brecken shrugged. “I knew he was upset he couldn’t reach it and was asking me to get it. But what does that have to do with my math homework?” “Well, just like you wanted to help Winston because you care about him, God wants to help us with our problems—no matter how small,” Mom explained. “Because Jesus already took care of our biggest problem of all by dying for our sins, we can go to Him with any problem we have. He cares about the problems you’re having with math and wants you to ask Him for help. That doesn’t mean you won’t still struggle with math, but He can give you the strength you need to keep at it. He wants you to go to Him for help with all your problems.” “Even math problems?” Brecken picked his math book up off the floor and smiled. Then he bowed his head to pray. –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Do you ask God for help with all your problems? Or only if it’s something really big? Jesus definitely wants to help you with the big problems in your life, but He wants to help you with the small ones too. He loves you so much He died for you, and He cares about everything you’re going through. Ask Him for help with all your problems, big or small. 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. (NKJV) Matthew 7:7 Today's Key Thought: Pray about all your problems

Read: Luke 6:43-45 Willow slammed the door and threw herself onto her bed sobbing. It wasn’t fair! She had practiced just as hard as Lailani did for the play tryouts at school. While her best friend was chosen for the lead part as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Willow was just one of the many Munchkins in Munchkinland who might get to sing about lollipops. Knocking softly on the door, Mom came in and sat down beside Willow. “Your brother told me what happened.” She leaned over and gave Willow a hug. “You know, I think my favorite character in The Wizard of Oz was the Tin Man.” Willow sniffed. “Why?” “Well, he wanted a heart so he could feel things. Can you imagine living life without feeling things?” Willow shook her head. “But my heart doesn’t know how to feel right now.” “That’s why we need to keep close watch over our hearts,” Mom said. “There’s a Bible verse that talks about guarding your heart above all else because every single thing you do flows from it.” “What do you mean?” Willow asked, sitting up and wiping the rest of her tears away. “Your words and actions show what’s really in your heart,” Mom explained. “We all experience difficult feelings in life, but we need to make sure they don’t take control of our hearts and make us act in ways that are wrong. That’s what it means to guard our hearts.” “So what should I do about the play tryouts and Lailani?” Willow asked. “Pray,” Mom said. “Jesus understands your feelings because He experienced human feelings too, but He never sinned by letting them take control. Share your feelings with Him and pray that He would help you guard your heart and know what to do next.” Closing her eyes, Willow prayed and asked Jesus to help her guard her heart and treat others in a loving way even though she felt sad and upset. Then she had an idea. “Can I invite some friends over to watch the Wizard of Oz movie so I can get a head start on being the best Munchkin I can be?” “Lailani too?” Mom asked. Willow smiled and nodded. “Lailani too.” –Kelly Hope How about you? Have you ever felt sad or upset by something? Maybe you worked hard for something but it didn’t turn out the way you wanted, or someone said or did something that hurt your feelings. It’s okay to feel bad about those things, but don’t let your feelings take control of your heart and determine how you treat others. Jesus understands how you feel, and He will help you guard your heart so His love can flow from it into your words and actions. Today's Key Verse: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (NIV) Proverbs 4:23 Today's Key Thought: Guard your heart

Read: Romans 8:18, 28-31 Carson tried to stay out of the movers’ way as they carried furniture into the apartment, so he stood in the corner and frowned. “Why the long face?” asked one of the men who was helping. “I don’t like this apartment,” said Carson. “I miss having my own yard.” He didn’t add that he didn’t know anybody in the neighborhood and would have to go to a new school. The man nodded. “Well, you know what they say—when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” “Lemonade?” asked Carson. The man smiled. “Yeah, you know—make the best of whatever happens. It may seem like a sour lemon, but it can turn into something sweet.” Carson sighed. He sounds like Mom, he thought. She’s always saying God works things out for good. Carson went outside and noticed a boy sitting on the steps. “Hi,” Carson said, and the boy glanced up. He looked like he had been crying. “What’s wrong?” Carson asked. “I don’t like it here,” the boy replied. He had a strong, musical accent. “Bad things happened in my country, so my family left. But everything is different here, and my English is not good.” “Sounds fine to me.” Carson sat down on the step beside his new neighbor. “I haven’t moved as far as you, but I’m new here too. I have to start school on Monday and don’t know anyone.” The boy looked at Carson. “I can walk to school and eat lunch with you,” he said. “Really?” Carson smiled. “And I can help you with English and anything else you have questions about.” A smile spread across the boy’s face. “Want to play ball?” he asked, pulling up a soccer ball from the side of the step. “Sure!” As they kicked the ball around, Carson thought his new home might not be so bad after all. Maybe Mom and the moving guy are right, he thought. Maybe God is making lemonade out of the lemons I got—and the ones my new neighbor got too. I don’t know what God has planned for me, but I’m glad He helped me make a new friend. –Matilda H. Nordtvedt How about you? Is there a lemon in your life—something that’s hard for you? God isn’t allowing that circumstance into your life in order to hurt you. He uses everything we go through to make us more like Jesus so we can know Him better and share His love with others. Trust Him to use hard situations for good so others can see Jesus in your life. Today's Key Verse: We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV) Romans 8:28 Today's Key Thought: Make the best of circumstances

Read: Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20 Hattie stopped in front of the toy shop at the mall. The white tiger in the display had a pink ballerina tutu and little pink toe shoes that laced around its ankles with sparkly pink ribbon. “Mom, look!” called Hattie. But when Hattie looked around, Mom was nowhere in sight. Hattie’s heart dropped and her head got spinny like when she first rode the rollercoaster at the theme park. Taking a couple of steps out into the mall, she looked both ways. No Mom. She was alone. Hattie squeezed back tears and prayed, Dear Jesus, please help me find Mom! Then she remembered the verse they’d read during devotions that morning. “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God.” Hattie took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. She knew she should stay put and not wander off. Mom couldn’t have gone very far and would be looking for her too. She remembered Mom’s words: If you’re ever lost, stay calm and find a trustworthy adult. Hattie scanned the mall. It was very busy, and there were lots of adults walking fast. Mom had told her to look for someone with a security uniform or a worker with a name badge. There were no security people that she could see, so she walked into the toy store and up to the counter. The girl who was ringing up a customer at the register had a nametag on. Hattie spoke up in a loud voice. “Excuse me! Can you please help me? I’m lost.” The worker immediately called mall security, and the customer put her arm around Hattie. “You are so brave! We’ll find your mom right away.” When the security people arrived, Hattie gave them her mom’s cell phone number. She was glad Mom had made her memorize it. Soon Mom rushed into the store to get her. “Oh, Hattie!” Mom cried, scooping her up into a big hug. “I was so worried! All I could think about was you in this big mall all by yourself.” “Don’t worry, Mom!” said Hattie. “I wasn’t alone. Jesus is always with me, and He helped me remember what to do.” –Kelly Hollman How about you? Have you ever been lost? Have there been times when it felt like you were all alone? At times like that, remember that Jesus is always with those who trust in Him. You can go to Him in prayer anytime and receive His peace and strength. He sacrificed His life to save you when you were lost in sin, and He will never leave you. You are never alone. Today's Key Verse: Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand. (CSB) Isaiah 41:10 Today's Key Thought: Jesus is always with you

Read: Matthew 28:18-20 I’m part of God’s family now, Brock thought happily. Earlier that day he had decided to trust Jesus as his Savior. He smiled, thinking of others he knew who were also part of God’s family—his parents, grandparents, and his friends at church. But then he thought of his two best friends at school. Clay and Miles don’t go to church, he thought. I wonder if they’ll still want to be my friends when they find out I’m a Christian. The three boys had been friends since kindergarten. Clay was a practical joker, and Miles was a storyteller. In fact, they all liked to tell funny stories and make each other laugh—but now Brock was afraid they’d be laughing at him. Maybe I won’t tell Clay and Miles I accepted Jesus, Brock thought when he got to school the next morning. He shuffled to his seat just as the bell rang. Clay waved and pointed to a plastic spider he had put on the chair in front of him. Clay would do anything for a laugh, but today Brock didn’t feel like laughing. “Hey guys, wait till you hear the new story I’ve got!” Miles said as they went out at recess. “You got any new ones you want to tell first?” Brock took a big breath. He suddenly knew this was the right time to tell them he had decided to trust in Jesus. “Yeah.” Brock spoke quickly before he lost his nerve. “You’ll never guess what happened to me yesterday…” When Brock finished telling them his new story, it was quiet for a moment. “Oh. Well, that’s cool,” said Miles. “I don’t really know much about Jesus.” “I can tell you more, and you can come to church with me if you want,” said Brock. “That’s a good place to learn about Him. You can come too, Clay.” Clay shrugged. “I don’t know. I have other stuff to do on the weekends. Hey, let’s go get a ball game started.” “I’ll ask my mom if I can come to church with you,” Miles said as he and Brock followed Clay out to the ball field. “I’d like to hear more about Jesus. It sounds like a really good story.” –Darlene M. Root How about you? Are you afraid to talk to your friends about Jesus? Lots of kids don’t know they need Him to be saved from sin. They need someone to tell them—and Jesus may want you to be that person. Trust Him to help you know what to say, and don’t get discouraged if they don’t respond right away. Keep praying for them and letting them see Jesus in the way you live your life. Today's Key Verse: Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you. (NKJV) Mark 5:19 Today's Key Thought: Tell your friends about Jesus

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:11-13; 1 Peter 5:8-9 “Look at Roxy crouching under the bushes,” Lyra said softly. Dad nodded. “I think she sees the doves looking for seeds underneath the bird feeder,” he replied. “She’d like to ambush them.” “That means make a surprise attack from a hiding place, right?” As Lyra spoke, the cat sprang toward the birds, and the doves quickly flew to a tree branch. “I’m glad they got away,” said Lyra. “I think they know there’s a cat in this yard, so they watch out for her when they eat.” “You’re probably right,” said Dad. “We could learn a lesson from them.” He smiled at Lyra’s surprised expression. “That cat reminds me of how Satan likes to hide and then spring out at us when we least expect it. Sometimes we may feel tempted to do something because he’s ambushing us. We need to be alert to when he may be trying to get us to sin.” The next day, Lyra pointed the cat out to her dad again. Dad laughed when he saw Roxy, her tail up, slowly walking across the patio toward the doves. “It looks like she’s pretending to be their friend so they’ll think she won’t hurt them,” he said. “Well, I don’t think it’s going to work,” said Lyra. “But that’s another lesson from Roxy, isn’t it? Satan often pretends he’s our friend too by making what’s wrong look good, but he’s still trying to fool us into disobeying Jesus.” Lyra watched as the birds flew away when the cat got too close. “Roxy didn’t fool the doves at all.” “No, they weren’t fooled,” said Dad. “It almost seems like God gave birds an instinct—a natural ability—to sense danger and escape it.” “It would be nice if we had an instinct to get away from Satan,” said Lyra. “We do!” said Dad. “When Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead, He defeated Satan, and He gives us the power to resist the devil. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit living in us to warn us of danger and guide us in doing what’s right. We can guard ourselves against Satan’s ambushes by remembering that Jesus has freed us from the power of sin and given us all we need to escape temptation.” –Pauline Youd How about you? Did you know that Satan sometimes tries to get you to do wrong? Not all temptation comes from him, but there are times when he tries to get Christians to sin and believe his lies. You can fight his attacks by remembering that Jesus freed you from Satan’s power when He died for your sin and rose again. Whenever the Holy Spirit makes you uncomfortable about something, don’t shrug off the warning. Resist Satan by standing firm in your faith in Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Resist [the devil], standing firm in the faith. (NIV) 1 Peter 5:9 Today's Key Thought: Don’t let Satan deceive you

Read: John 20:24-29 It was Grandparents’ Day at Finley’s school, and the kids were taking turns introducing their grandparents to the class. When it was Finley’s turn, he went forward and proudly introduced his grandparents. “Grandma and Grandpa Smith are visiting from Arizona,” he said. “They like to travel, and they’re going to take me to the Grand Canyon the next time I visit.” Finley turned to his other grandmother. “Grandma Peters lives here, so I see her a lot. She’s teaching me how to play the piano, and she always makes me laugh.” Then Finley held up a picture for everyone to see. “This is my other grandpa. He’s not here today because he’s in heaven. He went there before I was born, so I never saw him. But I feel like I know him because Dad and Mom and Grandma tell me all about him. He was always helping people, and he was a great baseball pitcher.” Finley smiled and returned to his seat beside his grandparents. That evening Finley told his mom and dad about Grandparents’ Day. “I’m glad you tell me about Grandpa Peters and how he was always kind and loved to help people,” Finley said. “I feel like I love him even though I’ve never seen him.” Dad smiled. “I love someone I’ve never seen too,” he said. “Do you know who that is?” Finley looked uncertain for a moment, then smiled. “I think you mean Jesus,” he said. “I love Jesus too. So do Mom and all my grandparents.” “Yes, we do,” said Mom. “You love Grandpa Peters because we tell you how good and kind he was. Why do you love Jesus?” “Well, the Bible tells me how good He is,” replied Finley. “He loves me too! And He gives me lots of good things—you and Dad and my friends and everything I need. Best of all, He died for me, and He’s always with me—I can talk to Him anytime.” “That’s exactly right, Finley,” said Dad. “We love Jesus even though we’ve never seen Him—but someday we will see Him, won’t we?” “Yep!” Finley grinned. “Just like Grandpa Peters is seeing Him in heaven now!” –Teresa M. Beverly How about you? Do you love Jesus even though you’ve never seen Him? He loves you—so much that He died to take the punishment you deserve so your sins could be forgiven. Love Him in return. Confess your sin and trust Him as your Savior. Then you can look forward to seeing Him face-to-face in heaven someday. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You can’t see him now, but you believe in him. (ERV) 1 Peter 1:8 Today's Key Thought: Return Jesus’s love

Read: Matthew 10:16-20; John 14:15-17, 25-27 Joy took a deep breath of the fresh afternoon air. Her older brother paused now and then to examine a tree or check out animal prints. Living near the woods was nice because you could take a nature walk whenever you wanted to. Suddenly, the kids heard a menacing rattle. James flung his arm in front of Joy and stopped her from continuing down the trail. There, just a few feet from where they stood, was a large snake rattling its tail. When it rose to assume a striking position, Joy felt her mouth dry instantly with fear. “Stay still and quiet,” James whispered. A few seconds later, he laughed. “Notice anything about that snake, Joy?” “It’s blue,” Joy whispered, confused. “So, it’s not a rattlesnake?” Michigan had only one kind of venomous snake, the Massasauga rattlesnake. Because of where they lived, Mom ensured they knew all about it. “Nope, I’m pretty sure it’s a blue racer,” said James. “See how there’s no rattle on its tail?” The snake lowered its head and darted down the path away from them. “Whoa, it’s fast!” said Joy. “That’s why they’re called blue racers!” Joy was in awe. “Blue racers are wise to make us think they’re rattlers. The way it shook its tail against the leaves sounded like the sound real rattlesnakes make!” The siblings followed a gentle cooing sound around the next bend. Perched on a high tree branch was a grey bird. “That’s a mourning dove,” Joy noted. “I’d rather see birds than snakes!” “Hey, sis, I just thought of something! Remember that verse in Matthew Mom was talking to us about last week?” “The one about snakes and doves…” Joy gasped. “That verse said, ‘Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.’” James nodded. “Jesus wanted His disciples to spread the good news of how He came to save us. He warned them that some people would not want to accept their message, so they had to be wise about how they shared it—in both their words and their actions,” James recalled. “Like them, we need to trust God to help us share His love and truth with wisdom and innocence.” –Savannah Coleman How about you? Do you ever worry about what to say to someone who doesn’t know Jesus? Jesus told His disciples that sharing the truth about Him wouldn’t be easy, but He promised they wouldn’t have to do it alone. If you are a child of God, you have His Holy Spirit inside you to help you and guide you. Rely on Him to give you the wisdom you need as you share the truth and love of Jesus with others. Today's Key Verse: Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. (NIV) Colossians 4:5 Today's Key Thought: Be wise in sharing Jesus

Read: Daniel 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “What beautiful zucchini!” Mom said as she and Alex walked in their garden. “It’s amazing how God makes all kinds of wonderful food grow for us, isn’t it? He’s so good!” Alex smiled and nodded, then looked down as his phone buzzed with a text message. “Nicholas’s sister Joceyln is driving him to that new burger place down the road, and he invited me to go with them,” he said. “Can I go?” Mom agreed, so Alex hurried off to join his friends. When they sat down at the restaurant with their food, Alex remembered his mom’s words. If zucchini was something to be thankful for, burgers were blessings for sure! I want to thank God for the food, Alex thought. He usually prayed before meals, but he hadn’t known Nicholas and Joceyln very long and didn’t know if they were Christians. Will they understand? he wondered. Nicholas took a big bite of his hamburger, then looked at Alex. “Why aren’t you eating?” Alex hesitated as Joceyln came to the table with napkins, then sat down and unwrapped her sandwich. He waited to see if she would bow her head. When she didn’t, Alex decided to ask about it, even though he was a bit nervous. “Um, do you mind if I pray? I just want to thank God for the good food He’s given us.” To Alex’s surprise, Nicholas and Joceyln both looked up from their burgers and smiled. “That would be great!” said Joceyln. “We completely forgot to do that.” Then they all bowed their heads. When they finished, Joceyln grinned at Alex. “I’m glad you reminded us to pray. It’s good to talk to God throughout the day and thank Him for all He’s given us—even burgers!” “You made me think of Daniel in the Bible,” said Nicholas. “He prayed to God even though the king said he’d be thrown into a lion’s den if he did. He prayed during a scary time, but it’s just as important to pray during good times too.” Joceyln nodded. “Jesus wants us to go to Him in all situations—to thank Him in good times and look to Him for help in times of trouble.” She smiled. “And now, here’s something else you can thank Him for—ice cream sundaes on me!” –Margaret M. Primrose How about you? Did you know you can pray to God anytime? Daniel prayed when people were trying to harm him and he needed strength from the Lord. But we can also pray to thank Him for good things as they’re happening. Jesus gave His life to save you so you could have a relationship with Him. Talk to Him throughout your day, asking Him for help with your problems and thanking Him for blessings in your life. Today's Key Verse: Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. (NKJV) Psalm 55:17 Today's Key Thought: Go to God in prayer