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

Read: Acts 16:22-26 Gabby’s grandpa was in a lot of pain. His hands were nearly crippled, and he sat in a wheelchair when he was able to get out of bed. Gabby thought she would be miserable if she were in his place, but every time she visited him, he seemed to have a smile on his face. “How are you so happy all the time?” Gabby asked as she sat in his living room with him one afternoon. “God has been good to me,” Grandpa said, humming softly. Gabby’s brows knit. How could he say that when he was in pain? “What are you humming?” Gabby asked. “It’s a song about God being good all the time,” Grandpa said. “We need to trust Him no matter what we face. We need to remember that He is good and has given us eternal life through His Son, Jesus.” “I wish I had faith like you,” Gabby said. Grandpa patted her hand with his gnarly one. “Did you ever read about Paul being put in prison?” “I’m not sure,” said Gabby. “Well, when he was beaten and put in prison, he still sang and praised God. Everyone who heard him was shocked.” Grandpa smiled. “I want to be like that.” “And I want to be like you,” Gabby said. Grandpa went back to humming, and Gabby leaned into his shoulder. She felt bad for him because of his pain, but he was one of the happiest and most content people she knew. She wanted to be like him when she was older rather than a lot of the grown-ups she knew who weren’t nearly as happy or friendly. “God can get us through all kinds of terrible times and the pain we face,” Grandpa said softly. “Because Jesus died and rose again to save us, we can be joyful and praise Him no matter what. We just need to trust Him and know that He’s with us.” Grandpa smiled at Gabby. “Maybe I could teach you the words to the song I’ve been humming?” “Sure,” Gabby said. She was eager to learn as much as she could from her faith-filled grandpa. –Bethany Acker How about you? Do you know someone who is happy even when life isn’t easy? We all go through hard, painful times in life, but we can still be joyful and praise God because of what He’s done for us. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He has given you eternal life and promises to be with you through every difficulty you face. Trust Him and praise Him no matter what life brings. Today's Key Verse: In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Psalm 33:21 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Trust and praise God always

Read: John 14:1-6 Cadence and Izabel listened intently as Dad read the story of Finn, a very poor boy who lived long ago in a faraway country. “Everyone said the king was very kind,” Dad read, “so Finn decided to go see him and ask for help. “When Finn arrived at the palace, he was stopped at the gate. He explained that he wanted to see the king, but he was refused admission. Now what can I do? he wondered. I know! I’ll climb over the wall. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, then found a part of the wall surrounded by trees and climbed to the top. Hey! That was easy! he thought, but at that very moment, several fierce-looking dogs in the palace yard rushed up. Finn dropped back to the ground. This won’t work after all, he thought. The only way in is through the gate. Discouraged, he walked back to the gate and sat down at the side of the road. “Soon a carriage drove up, and a young man stepped out. ‘What’s the matter?’ the man asked. Finn explained that he desperately needed help and wanted to see the king. ‘Come with me,’ the young man said. Then he spoke to the gatekeeper, and the gates were opened. They went inside, and Finn could see the dogs out of the corner of his eye. He cringed when he heard them barking. But again the young man gave orders, and the dogs were restrained. “Finn looked at the man wide-eyed. ‘Why does everyone obey you?’ he asked in wonder. “The young man smiled. ‘Because I’m the prince,’ he replied. ‘And now we’ll go see my father—the king.’” Dad stopped reading and closed the book. “Do you know who Finn reminds me of?” “Who?” asked Izabel. “Us,” said Dad. “We all need the King of kings—God—but none of us can reach Him on our own. That’s why He sent His Son to us.” “Jesus!” Cadence and Izabel said together. Smiling, Dad nodded. “We can only be saved through Jesus,” he said. “We can only have eternal life with the King of kings by knowing Him.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Have you ever heard that it’s not what you know but who you know that matters? That’s often true! It’s certainly true when it comes to entering the kingdom of heaven. You need to know the Son of God—Jesus—as your Savior to be saved from sin and have eternal life. Do you know Him? (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: You need to know Jesus

Read: Acts 17:24-27 Allison sang out the words of a song. “Yesu yana kaunar yara.” “What language is that?” asked her friend Gianna. “Like my grandma always says when she doesn’t understand something, it’s Greek to me!” Allison laughed. “It’s not Greek,” she said. “It’s Hausa—a language spoken in Africa. I learned that song from my Aunt Mary, who’s a missionary in Nigeria.” “What does it mean?” Gianna wanted to know. “It means ‘Jesus, He loves the children,’” Allison explained. “Oh, those sound like the words to a song Mom taught me when I was little,” Gianna said. “It’s called ‘Jesus Loves the Little Children.’ The tune sounded familiar too.” Allison nodded. “Aunt Mary teaches a class of Nigerian girls who are the same age as we are. She says one girl reminds her of me.” “Really?” said Gianna. “My dad always teases me and says I’m one-of-a-kind. How are you and the other girl alike?” “Well, Aunt Mary says one way we’re alike is that we both love Jesus,” replied Allison. “And she says we act alike and are interested in a lot of the same things. We’re going to write to each other, and Aunt Mary will translate for us. It’ll be fun having a Nigerian pen pal!” “Cool! I guess we’re not as different from kids in other countries as we think we are,” said Gianna. Allison shook her head. “Aunt Mary always reminds me that we’re all the same to the Lord. He loves Nigerian children—and all the children in the world—just like He loves us.” “Right,” said Gianna. “Just like your song said. How did that go? Sing it again.” Allison sang the words again, and she laughed as Gianna tried it too. “That’s okay. You can laugh at me,” said Gianna. “I bet the Nigerians would laugh at you!” “You’re probably right,” said Allison. “But that’s okay. God understands—even when we mispronounce all the words. It’s not Greek to Him.” “Let’s make it a duet,” suggested Gianna. So they started singing together. –Linda Weddle How about you? Did you know there are children all over the world who love the Lord? They’re like you in many ways. They read the same Bible and memorize many of the same verses and even sing some of the same songs, but in a different language. Always remember that Jesus loves all the children everywhere just like He loves you. Today's Key Verse: Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me…God’s kingdom belongs to people who are like these children.” Matthew 19:14 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: God loves you and all children

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:14, 21-28 Brighton watched as Mom tied the sash of Kayleigh’s sparkly new dress and handed her a basket of flower petals. “It’s not fair,” Brighton muttered. She had never gotten to be a flower girl, but her little sister had been picked for that job in Aunt Erin’s wedding. “All I get to do is stand at the door and hand out programs,” Brighton said. Mom frowned. “Brighton, please stop whining.” “I’m not whining,” said Brighton, but she couldn’t make herself smile. It just isn’t fair! she thought again. “Come here and see Aunt Erin’s flowers,” said Mom. Brighton walked over to the beautiful bouquet on the table. There were white roses and pink tulips, fragrant lilies, and dainty violets. “Which flower is the prettiest?” asked Mom. Brighton studied them. “I like all of them,” she said. “It’s hard to pick one.” “I agree,” said Mom. “It takes all the different kinds and colors to make this type of bouquet. Can you imagine the tulip crying because it doesn’t smell like the rose? Or the violet being upset because it’s smaller than the lily? That would be silly, wouldn’t it? Well, like flowers, people are different too. We all have different jobs to do.” Brighton glanced up. “You want me to stop being mad that I can’t be a flower girl, don’t you?” Mom nodded. “If you and Kayleigh were both flower girls, who would greet the guests? As the family of the bride, we need to work together to show Aunt Erin and Uncle Jeff how much we love them and make their guests feel welcome.” Brighton sighed. “I guess you’re right.” “We need to work together as God’s family too,” said Mom. “The Bible compares Christians to a body made up of many parts that function in different ways. We need to recognize that Jesus loves and died for all of us and that He’s given us different things to do so we can serve Him together. The things God has for you to do won’t be the same as those He has for Kayleigh, but whatever He gives you to do is important.” “Like smiling as I greet everyone who comes to the wedding?” asked Brighton. Mom nodded. “Okay,” said Brighton. “Then I will!” –Jennifer Quakenbush How about you? Are you content doing the things God has given you to do? Or do you wish you could do what someone else is doing instead? God gives each Christian in the body of Christ—the church—different roles and tasks in serving Him and others. When you refuse to do your part, others miss out on having you share God’s love with them. Serve Jesus and show others His love by joyfully doing the things He’s given you to do. Today's Key Verse: All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Every job is important

Read: Colossians 3:20-25 Daniel plopped down on the top step and scowled. His sister, Nia, found him there. “Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and we don’t have a gift for Mom yet,” she said. “Let’s go see what we can find.” “I can’t,” Daniel said. “Mom says I can’t go anywhere. I didn’t clean my room right away like she told me to, and then when I did do it, she still wasn’t satisfied. I told her it was my room and it looked fine to me, so I didn’t care what she thought!” Nia gasped. “Daniel!” “I know,” Daniel said. “It was a dumb thing to say. She grounded me and then made me clean my room again anyway.” “Great, now how am I supposed to get her a present?” asked Nia. “Maybe if I ask her, she’ll let you walk into town with me.” Nia went and made her request, but when Mom said no, Nia became angry and talked back. So she got grounded too. After dinner the next day, Daniel and Nia felt bad about not having a gift for their mom. “We wanted to get you something yesterday,” Nia explained to her, “but you wouldn’t let us go to the store.” Dad raised his eyebrows. “So it’s Mom’s fault you don’t have a present for her?” “Well…no,” Daniel replied slowly. “Tell me,” said Dad, “why is it you wanted to give Mom a present in the first place?” “Because it’s Mother’s Day, and we wanted to show that we love her,” said Nia. “And what’s the best way to show your love?” Dad asked. “Well, um…giving presents and stuff is one way,” said Daniel. “And we also show people we love them by the way we act toward them.” Nia sighed. “Yesterday we didn’t act like we loved you, Mom. I’m sorry I talked back to you.” “Me too, Mom,” said Daniel. “And I’m sorry I didn’t obey you right away.” “I forgive you both,” said Mom. “And so will Jesus,” said Dad. “We also disobey Him when we don’t obey our parents, but He will always forgive us and help us show our love for others through our actions.” Mom nodded. “When you obey me, you give Jesus a present too!” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Do you tell your parents that you love them—not only by saying it or giving them presents, but by obeying them? Or do you whine and complain and sometimes talk back when they ask you to do something? When you obey your parents, it’s like giving them a gift out of love—and you do the same when you obey Jesus. Obey Him by obeying your parents. Today's Key Verse: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Obey your parents

Read: 1 Kings 17:2-9 Ingrid sat slumped on the couch in the empty living room. Her family was next door eating lunch before packing up the moving van. Aunt Kristin burst in holding a plate of brownies. “Nothing will cheer me up,” Ingrid declared, turning her back to her. “Not even my world-famous brownies?” Aunt Kristin cried. Ingrid shook her head. Aunt Kristin plopped down next to her. “I know it’s scary and sad to move,” she said. “I just don’t want to move!” Ingrid exclaimed. “I know it’s because my parents are helping open a new homeless shelter in the city, but I don’t want to make new friends or have a new teacher.” Aunt Kristin gave Ingrid a thoughtful smile. “Have I ever told you about my friend Elijah? He would be thousands of years old today if he were here eating cookies with us.” “Is he one of your Bible friends?” Ingrid asked. “Yes,” Aunt Kristin said. “He witnessed many miracles and got to hear God’s audible voice. But sometimes God told Elijah to do hard things.” “Like what?” “Well, Elijah lived in a land where it hadn’t rained for years,” Aunt Kristin said. “So God led him to a brook and provided him with food. But later on, God allowed the brook to dry up so that He could send Elijah somewhere else.” “I would’ve been scared,” Ingrid said. “Me too,” Aunt Kristin agreed. “But Elijah trusted God, so he knew God would provide for him in the next place. And guess what happened there? God showed Elijah a family who needed his help. Through Elijah, God even raised that family’s son back to life!” “A miracle!” Ingrid exclaimed. “Just think,” Aunt Kristin added, “because your family is following God’s call to a new place, you’ll be able to bless people you never would have met if you stayed here—and they’ll be able to bless you.” “No matter where I move, God will be there,” Ingrid said, smiling. “But can I take a brownie for the road?” Aunt Kristin handed her the whole plate. “Who knows? You might meet someone who needs one too.” –Hannah Chung How about you? Has God ever brought you to a new place? Maybe it was a new school, home, church, or friend group. Even though change can be scary, God will provide for all your needs no matter where you are. As you grow in your relationship with Jesus, He will help you remember that He is with you everywhere you go. Trust Him to help you be brave as He leads you where He wants you to go. Today's Key Verse: And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: God provides where He leads

Read: Psalm 139:1-3 Ryan and his mom were having boiled eggs for lunch. Ryan watched the eggs impatiently as they rolled around in the saucepan. “How long do they take to boil?” he asked. “I’m so hungry!” “Well, that depends on how you like them,” answered Mom. “Three minutes for a runny egg, and around ten minutes if you prefer them hard-boiled. I like them somewhere in between.” Ryan nodded. “Me too! So how do you know when they’re just right?” “I set a timer for just under eight minutes,” said Mom. “I bet you never knew boiling eggs was so complicated, did you?” “I had no idea!” Ryan said as he buttered the toast. “If only you had X-ray vision so you could see inside the shell.” Mom laughed. “Imagine that? All my food would turn out perfectly every time!” “Yeah, no more burnt turkeys!” Ryan said. People were always teasing Mom about the time she overcooked the Thanksgiving turkey. Just then, the oven timer began to beep. Swiftly, mom spooned the eggs into two egg cups. “Well, here it is. The moment of truth.” She grinned. “Let’s see how they turned out!” Ryan cracked open the shell of his egg and plunged his spoon in. Sticky orange yolk oozed upward from the middle of the egg—not too runny, not too hard. Just perfect for dunking your toast in. “Do you know what’s funny?” asked Mom. “This morning I was reading the story of how God chose David from all of Jesse’s sons.” “I love that story!” said Ryan. “David was the youngest, wasn’t he?” “That’s right,” said Mom. “And he wasn’t even included in the lineup! David was left out in the fields to look after the sheep. But God doesn’t miss a single thing! One by one, all of Jesse’s sons came parading before Samuel—strong and tall and handsome. But not one of them fit the bill. The Bible says God wasn’t looking at their outward appearance—He was looking straight into their hearts!” Ryan gasped. “God has X-ray vision!” “Exactly!” Mom said with a laugh. “God sees beyond our exterior—what we look like on the outside. His eyes see our hearts and whether they’ve been made clean by Jesus.” –Angela Jelf How about you: Do you worry about the way you look? Do you compare yourself to others who seem taller or thinner or have better clothes? We live in a world that places so much value on appearance, but that’s not what matters to God. He’s interested in our hearts. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us. Trust Him to remove the sin from your heart and make you clean. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) Todays Key Thought: God searches our hearts

Read: Romans 5:6-8; 2 Timothy 1:9-10 Bax scooped the wet sand with as much care as he could stand, completing the last tower on his masterpiece. Finally, he thought. He sat back and admired his creation, but only long enough for his three-year-old brother Matt to run up from the water’s edge. “Mommy, I found a—” CRASH! Matt tripped over Bax’s bucket and fell headlong into Bax’s castle! “Matt! Look what you did! I’ve been working on my castle the whole time we’ve been here!” Angry, Bax advanced on his brother, wielding his plastic shovel. Matt beat a hasty retreat behind their mother. “I sorry, Bax, I sorry! Accident!” Matt cried. Mom stepped in. “Bax, we don’t hit others. You know that Matt just tripped over your bucket. I think you can show him some grace.” “But Mom, he ruined my sandcastle! If I had wrecked something Matt made, I’d definitely get in trouble,” Bax complained. “Maybe, but remember what we talked about at church this week? We don’t suffer the worst consequences for the bad things we’ve done because Jesus showed us grace. He died for us on the cross and came back to life. Because of that, you can show that same kind of grace by forgiving your brother.” “But that’s not fair!” Bax exclaimed. “No, that’s not fair, but neither is the grace Jesus gives us. It’s not fair that God should treat us like we’ve done no wrong when we’ve certainly lied and cheated and acted selfishly.” Mom looked at him expectantly as Matt snuffled noisily. Bax looked down at his smashed castle, then back at his brother’s red face. “I’m sorry for yelling at you, Matt. I’m sad about my sandcastle, but I know you didn’t do it on purpose. I forgive you. Can you forgive me too?” Matt shuffled back around Mom and said, “I sorry too, Bax. I forgive you.” “Thank you, boys,” Mom said. “And I have an idea. Let’s go up to the snack shop and get some ice cream!” “Yes!” both boys exclaimed, and they started running up the beach, both relieved that they had been shown grace. –Dylan Kraayenbrink How about you? Can you think of a time when you were forgiven even though you had done something wrong? That wasn’t fair, but it was an example of someone showing you grace. God showed us grace by sending Jesus to die for our sins. When you trust in Jesus and accept God’s forgiveness, He gives you the Holy Spirit, who empowers you to give grace to others, even when it’s not fair or you don’t feel like it. Today's Key Verse: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Forgive others

Read: Psalm 75:4-7; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 HONK! Honk-honk-HONK! The horn on Jace’s tricycle was making an awful racket. Mya clapped her hands over her ears as she came in from school. “You’re hurting my ears with all that honking!” “Jace,” Mom said, “let Mya help you take your tricycle to the playroom in the basement.” “But I wanna ride up here!” Jace wailed. Mya picked up the tricycle and started for the stairs. “Blow it all you want in the basement where it won’t bother anybody.” When Mya came back, she said, “Now I can tell you my news, Mom. I’ve been promoted to the advanced math class! Only five percent of the kids make that class.” Mom came over to give her a hug. “Congratulations, honey!” Mya beamed. “And my art teacher told me she wants me to enter one of my projects in a competition for kids my age. She thinks I might win an award!” “That’s great!” said Mom. “I hope you win!” “Me too. I think I will—the other kids’ projects weren’t nearly as good as mine. Now I just need to tell my friends! Oh, and I need to tell them I’m going to see a Broadway show with you and Dad in New York next month. They’ll be so jealous!” “Mya,” Mom said, “that’s enough. You’re hurting my ears!” Mya looked puzzled. “But Mom, I’m not talking that loud.” “No, but you’re blowing your own horn, and it’s getting louder and louder.” “What do you mean, Mom? I just want to share my news with my friends.” “I know,” said Mom. “But there’s a difference between sharing an accomplishment or opportunity you’re excited about and bragging because you think you’re better than others. God has given you many blessings, like a sharp mind your teachers have helped you develop. But He wants you to use those blessings to point others to Jesus, not brag about how great you are. When none of us could save ourselves from sin, Jesus came and died for us. He’s the one who deserves our praise, not us.” Mom smiled as the faint sound of a tricycle horn drifted up the stairs. “If you’re going to honk your own horn, do it in the basement.” “No thanks,” said Mya. “I don’t want to sound anything like that!” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Do you like to hear people brag? Do you brag yourself? It’s great to accomplish something difficult or receive a special opportunity, so go ahead and be excited when that happens. But don’t brag. Thank God for the blessings He’s given you, and remember that He wants you to use your accomplishments and opportunities to show people the love of Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth. Proverbs 27:2 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Don’t blow your own horn

Read: Matthew 7:9-11 Nathan typed an email to his dad, who was away on sea duty with the Navy. “The Carlsons next door have a litter of puppies,” he wrote. “Can I please have one? Mom says it’s okay with her if it’s okay with you. I wanted to have a dog just like Rex, Uncle Brad’s dog, but this one is free.” Nathan clicked send. He could hardly wait for his dad’s answer. When Nathan got home from school the next day, Mom met him at the door. “I just talked to Dad on the phone,” she told him. “He’ll be home next week.” Nathan grinned. “That’s great! Did he say I could have a puppy?” Mom shook her head, and Nathan’s grin disappeared. “Dad doesn’t want you to get one right now,” she said. “I know it’s hard for you to understand, but please trust your dad. He loves you and wants what’s best for you.” “Yeah, right,” Nathan muttered as he went inside. For a while, Nathan’s disappointment clouded the joy of looking forward to his dad’s return. But when Dad arrived, Nathan threw his arms around him and started asking lots of questions. Then he remembered that Dad hadn’t let him get one of the neighbors’ puppies. “I still don’t see why I couldn’t get that puppy, Dad,” he said with a frown. Just then a sound came from Dad’s pile of luggage. “What’s that noise?” Nathan asked. Dad grinned and lifted a wriggling ball of fur out of a plastic carrier. “A puppy!” Nathan exclaimed. Dad placed the puppy in his arms. “He looks just like Rex!” said Nathan. “The reason I said no to the other puppy was because I knew this was the kind of dog you really wanted,” Dad explained. Mom smiled. “Like I told you before, you can trust your father to do what’s best for you.” “We can trust our heavenly Father to do that too,” said Dad, “even when He says no to something we ask Him for. When that happens, we need to remember that He loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us and that everything He gives us is meant to help us grow in our relationship with Jesus. We can always trust Him to do what’s best.” Nathan grinned and hugged the puppy tight. –Agnes Livezey How about you? Does your heavenly Father sometimes say no to the things you ask Him for? You may not understand why He answers your prayer with a “no” or “wait” instead of a “yes,” but remember that He loves you more than any earthly father could. Even when He doesn’t answer your prayers the way you want, you can trust Him to give you good gifts that help you grow in your faith. Today's Key Verse: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father. James 1:17 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God gives the best

Read: Ephesians 5:1-4 Brooke’s bag bounced against her back as she raced across the field. Her sister April stood on the sidewalk just outside the middle school. “I can’t believe you’re here!” Brooke squeezed her big sister. “How long will you be home before you have to go back to college?” “Two weeks.” April smiled and tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder. Kids poured out of the school and whizzed by. One of Brooke’s friends waved as she zipped past. “See you on Monday, Brooke.” “Bye,” Brooke called after her. Her cell phone vibrated against her leg, and she pulled it out. You HAVE to text me after you see this. It was a message from her friend Mindy. Brooke touched the screen and music blared from her phone. “What are you watching?” April asked. She peered over Brooke’s shoulder at the screen. An unflattering photo of the principal’s head was attached to the body of an ape. It danced around for a couple seconds, and then everything faded to black. April frowned as Brooke slid the phone into her pocket. “I hope you don’t watch videos like that all the time.” Brooke shrugged. “I’ve asked Mindy to stop sending them, but she doesn’t listen.” “Well, it’s not your fault if she tries to get you to watch things that you shouldn’t. But you do have a choice. You can choose not to view the things she sends.” Brooke nodded. Her sister was right. The videos Mindy sent her didn’t even make her laugh. They made her feel terrible. April rested a hand on Brooke’s shoulder. “You know how Mom’s always talking about how we need to love others the way Jesus loves us and treat people the way He would? Well, that includes people online and on our phones too. We need to treat them with love and respect because Jesus loves them and died for them.” “I guess that makes sense,” Brooke said. “Why don’t you get out your phone so we can take some selfies?” April gave her cheesiest grin and made bunny ears behind Brooke’s head as Brooke took a picture. “Then maybe you can show me the most recent pics of you and your friends.” Brooke nodded, then held up her phone for another selfie and smiled. –Annika Klanderud How about you? Have you ever watched something online that you knew you shouldn’t have? Sometimes it may feel like the things we do online are pretend and don’t really matter, but they can hurt both you and others. Show others God’s love by treating them with respect both online and in person, and use technology to enhance your relationships with others instead of hurting them. Today's Key Verse: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Use technology in good ways

Read: Ephesians 5:1-4 Brooke’s bag bounced against her back as she raced across the field. Her sister April stood on the sidewalk just outside the middle school. “I can’t believe you’re here!” Brooke squeezed her big sister. “How long will you be home before you have to go back to college?” “Two weeks.” April smiled and tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder. Kids poured out of the school and whizzed by. One of Brooke’s friends waved as she zipped past. “See you on Monday, Brooke.” “Bye,” Brooke called after her. Her cell phone vibrated against her leg, and she pulled it out. You HAVE to text me after you see this. It was a message from her friend Mindy. Brooke touched the screen and music blared from her phone. “What are you watching?” April asked. She peered over Brooke’s shoulder at the screen. An unflattering photo of the principal’s head was attached to the body of an ape. It danced around for a couple seconds, and then everything faded to black. April frowned as Brooke slid the phone into her pocket. “I hope you don’t watch videos like that all the time.” Brooke shrugged. “I’ve asked Mindy to stop sending them, but she doesn’t listen.” “Well, it’s not your fault if she tries to get you to watch things that you shouldn’t. But you do have a choice. You can choose not to view the things she sends.” Brooke nodded. Her sister was right. The videos Mindy sent her didn’t even make her laugh. They made her feel terrible. April rested a hand on Brooke’s shoulder. “You know how Mom’s always talking about how we need to love others the way Jesus loves us and treat people the way He would? Well, that includes people online and on our phones too. We need to treat them with love and respect because Jesus loves them and died for them.” “I guess that makes sense,” Brooke said. “Why don’t you get out your phone so we can take some selfies?” April gave her cheesiest grin and made bunny ears behind Brooke’s head as Brooke took a picture. “Then maybe you can show me the most recent pics of you and your friends.” Brooke nodded, then held up her phone for another selfie and smiled. –Annika Klanderud How about you? Have you ever watched something online that you knew you shouldn’t have? Sometimes it may feel like the things we do online are pretend and don’t really matter, but they can hurt both you and others. Show others God’s love by treating them with respect both online and in person, and use technology to enhance your relationships with others instead of hurting them. Today's Key Verse: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Use technology in good ways

Read: Psalm 119:97-105 After the church service was over, Cooper helped his mother straighten up the nursery. It was raining hard, so when they were almost finished Mom went to get the car while Cooper put the rest of the toys away. Just as he was about to leave, a crash of thunder shook the building and all the lights went out. “Oh, great!” Cooper said, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the blackness. They didn’t. The room was deep in the building and had no windows. I’ll just have to be careful, he thought. Cooper walked cautiously toward the door. His knee bumped into something. He reached down and felt a table the toddlers used. He stepped to the right. “Ow!” he exclaimed as his head caught the corner of a shelf. It rattled, and books fell to the floor. This isn’t like when the power goes off at home, he thought. There you know where things are. Feeling his way along the wall, he walked straight into a box of building blocks. The box turned over and the blocks tumbled out as Cooper fell to his knees. This is ridiculous, he thought. He found the wall again and moved slowly to the door. Where is Mom, anyway? I need a light! Just then a phone light flickered at the end of the hall, and he heard his mom’s voice. “Hang on, Cooper,” she called. “I’m coming.” As they headed home, Cooper told his mother about the verse his class had learned that day. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” he recited. “But the Bible certainly didn’t give me any light in that dark nursery room!” Mom laughed. “You know that verse isn’t talking about the kind of light that comes from the sun or from lamps, right? It’s talking about light the Bible shines on our lives by showing us our sin and what Jesus has done to save us. It also gives us wisdom and direction as we trust and follow Him. Does that make sense?” Cooper nodded. “That’s pretty much what my teacher said too.” “Stumbling through the building in the dark was bad enough,” said Mom. “I’m glad God gave us the Bible so we wouldn’t have to stumble through life without His light!” –Debra W. Smith How about you? Are you stumbling through life without the light God gives through His Word, the Bible? It tells us who God is and how we’ve been separated from Him because of our sin, and how Jesus died to save us so we could have eternal life. It also offers us wisdom and encouragement as we trust in Jesus and show His love to others. Shine light on your life by reading God’s Word! Today's Key Verse: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: The Bible gives light

Read: 1 Timothy 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:5 When Rayna went into the kitchen, Mom was putting the finishing touches on her birthday cake. “It looks like the ants have decided to come to your party,” Mom told her. “Aunt Joyce and Aunt Linda?” Rayna asked. Mom laughed. “No, those ants!” she said, pointing to the floor where several ants were scurrying around. “Why don’t you get an ant trap from the closet.” As Rayna crouched down to put the trap on the floor, she began to cry. Mom set the cake aside. “What’s wrong, honey?” “Everything!” Rayna said between sobs. “I hate this old house. Melody has a nice house, and she got more stuff shopping yesterday than I’m going to get for my birthday.” Rayna tried to stop her tears. “And she has a dad, and her mom doesn’t have to work like you do. It’s just not fair! Sometimes I—” She hesitated. “Sometimes I almost hate Melody. I try not to feel that way because I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help it.” Mom put an arm around Rayna. “It can hurt to see others with something we wish we had, but it’s important not to let those feelings turn to bitterness and jealousy.” She pointed to the plastic square on the floor. “Do you know how those traps kill ants?” “They have poison inside that the ants think is food. They bring it home for all the ants to eat, and it kills them.” Rayna frowned. “But what does that have to do with bitterness and jealousy?” “Well, they’re a lot like ants. Trying not to feel them is like trying to kill ants one by one—they just keep coming back! But a thankful spirit works like an ant trap—it kills bitterness at its source. After your dad left, I was very bitter. But when I looked to Jesus and remembered that He died to save me and saw all His blessings in my life—like you, my health, and my church family—that bitterness turned to thankfulness. Though I still feel sad, I remember that Jesus loves me—and that He loves your dad too.” Rayna nodded and wiped her eyes. “I’ll put out a bitterness trap right now by thanking Jesus for all my friends coming to my party—especially Melody.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Are you jealous of people who have more stuff than you? Do you feel bitter because your life doesn’t look like someone else’s? Bitterness and jealousy are poisonous and can eat you up inside. When you feel them creeping in, go to Jesus. Remember that He died and rose again so you could have eternal life with Him, and think of some other blessings He’s put in your life. Then trust Him to help you replace bitterness with thankfulness. Today's Key Verse: Let the peace of God rule in your hearts…and be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus frees you from bitterness

Read: Ephesians 1:3-6 “Leo, it’s your turn to help with the dishes tonight,” Mr. Phillips said as the kids finished scraping up the last smudges of tomato sauce with their garlic bread. “Why do I have to do so much around here?” asked Leo. “Because you’re part of the family, and family members help with the chores,” answered Mr. Phillips. Leo looked down at his plate. “Even though you’re just my foster family?” Mr. Phillips looked across the table at Mrs. Phillips, who smiled as the kids began carrying their dishes to the sink. “Leo, do you know why we agreed to be your foster parents?” she asked. “Well, I’m guessing it wasn’t for my dishwashing skills!” Mrs. Phillips laughed. “Not even close! We didn’t care what you looked like, sounded like, or how smart you were. We loved you even before you joined our family because God created you in His image and brought you to us.” “Okay, but what does that have to do with me washing dishes?” Leo asked. “Think of it this way,” said Mr. Phillips. “We become part of God’s family when we trust Jesus as our Savior. We can’t earn a place in His family, but He sent His Son to die for our sins because He loves us and wants to be our heavenly Father. When we become His children, our actions and words should show it. His love for us makes us want to serve Him and love others.” Mrs. Phillips nodded. “You weren’t born into our family, but since you’re part of it now, I hope you’ll want to show it by helping with the dishes.” Leo brought his dishes to the sink and turned the water on hot. As he began to scrub, he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. “So it’s okay that I’m not the smartest kid in class or the best on the basketball team? You guys love me no matter what and want me to be part of the family?” “Absolutely,” said Mrs. Phillips. “It’s not about what you do, Leo. We aren’t going to send you away when you mess up or make a mistake. You’re part of our family now.” Leo couldn’t hide his smile as he turned back to the sink and continued washing dishes for his family who loved him. –Emily Saxe How about you? What’s your family like? Maybe you’re adopted, in foster care, or you live with relatives. Whatever your situation, if you trust Jesus as your Savior, you’re in God’s family forever! He loves you and will help you love others, and He’ll never turn you away when you mess up. If you’re not part of His family, you can become one of His children today. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Be part of God’s family

Read: Luke 12:22-28 Nari sat at the kitchen table, staring blankly at her math assignment. “You’ve been looking at the same problem for ten minutes,” said Mom. “Is something the matter?” “I’m worried about the game on Friday,” Nari replied. “What if we lose?” Mom stopped chopping vegetables and put down her knife. “Follow me,” she said. Mom led Nari to her bedroom and pointed to a cage on Nari’s dresser, where Mr. Whiskers, Nari’s pet hamster, was running on his little hamster wheel. Nari arched an eyebrow at her mom. “Mr. Whiskers is supercute, but I don’t understand what he has to do with my game on Friday.” “Mr. Whiskers runs on his wheel quite a bit, doesn’t he?” Mom said. “How much time do you think he spends running on his wheel every day?” “He runs on it all the time,” Nari answered. “He probably spends four or five hours a day on it.” Mom nodded. “And he uses a lot of his energy to run on the wheel too.” “Yeah, he sure does!” Nari looked at her mom. “But I’m still confused.” “With all the time and energy Mr. Whiskers devotes to running, how far has he run?” Nari giggled. “Mom, that’s a silly question. He hasn’t run anywhere! He’s still right there in his cage.” “Well, honey, it’s the same with worrying,” said Mom. “You can spend a lot of time and energy worrying about something, and you’ll still be in the same place you were when you started. That’s why the Bible tells us not to worry. Instead, we need to give our cares to Jesus.” “How do I do that?” asked Nari. “First, remember that He loves you so much He died to save you from sin and that He cares about every worry and problem you have. Pray about whatever it is you’re worried about and ask Him to give you peace and strength. Then trust Him do what’s best—even if it’s not what you were hoping for. Play your best at the game on Friday and leave the results to God.” The wheel in the hamster cage grew quiet as Mr. Whiskers slowed down and then hopped off. Nari picked him up and held him in her hands. “Okay, Mom. I will.” –Casey Comstock How about you? Do you ever worry about things that are out of your control? It’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of worrying that doesn’t get you anywhere. That’s why Jesus wants you to give your cares to Him. Pray about your worries and look to Him to give you peace and strength. Then trust Him to do what’s best in any situation, knowing He’s in control. Today's Key Verse: Give all your cares to the Lord and He will give you strength. Psalm 55:22 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: Give worries to Jesus

Read: Psalm 19:7-11 THUD. “Oh no! A bird flew into the glass!” Torin turned to his dad. “I hope he’s okay!” Dad and Torin went to the large glass window in the living room. “I don’t see him,” Dad said as they looked down at the ground. “I guess he must be okay—he probably flew away.” “Well, I think we should put up a poster or something to warn the birds that there’s a window here,” said Torin. “They can’t see the clear glass.” Dad smiled. “What should it say?” “Dad! You know birds can’t read. It would just have to be something solid on the glass so they could see it was there.” “Well, I don’t think Mom would like a sign like that on the front window,” Dad said. Torin shrugged. “Probably not.” “You know, Torin, we can be like that bird sometimes,” Dad said thoughtfully. “We can?” asked Torin. “How?” “There are dangerous things in life that we may not see either,” replied Dad. “There’s a difference though—while we’re unable to warn those birds about the window, God warns us about things that will hurt us. Do you know how He does that?” “Well, my teacher once warned me not to run in the hallway, but I did anyway and ran into someone, and we both got hurt,” said Torin. “Is that how God warns us? Through our teachers?” “That’s one way,” Dad replied. “He puts parents and teachers in our lives to teach us to be wise and do what’s right. But I was thinking of something bigger than running in the hallway.” Torin thought about it. “Last week Pastor Grey talked about sin and gave a strong warning about that.” “Right,” said Dad. “God warns us about sin in the Bible, and He puts people in our lives who help us understand those warnings. He warns us that if we don’t trust Jesus to save us from sin, we won’t have eternal life. The Bible also warns Christians about the consequences of sinful actions in our lives. He warns us because He loves us and doesn’t want us to get hurt.” Torin nodded as a bird flew by the window. “Then we’d better pay attention!” –Karen Locklear How about you? Do you pay attention to God’s warnings? God warns us about the dangers of sin in the Bible, and He often uses people, such as parents, teachers, and pastors, to help us understand those warnings. Do you listen? Don’t ignore God’s warnings about sin. Trust Jesus to save you. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Then depend on Him to help you do what’s right. Today's Key Verse: Key Verse: [God’s] teachings warn his servants, and good things come to those who obey them. Psalm 19:11 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Pay attention to God’s warnings

Read: Psalm 34:13-14; Hebrews 12:14-15 “I know, but that’s what Bianca said.” Kaylee switched the phone to her other ear. “She told me she was sick of hearing you whine all the time. I can’t help it if she says mean things about you.” When the call ended, Kaylee went into the living room. “Who was that?” asked Dad. “Sounded like you were trying to stop World War III!” Kaylee sighed. “It was Emmylou. She and Bianca are my best friends, but they hate each other! And I seem to always get caught in the middle of their arguments.” “Why don’t they like each other?” asked Dad. “I don’t know,” said Kaylee. “But they’re always saying mean things about each other.” “Hmm,” said Dad. “Well, I don’t know what their problem is, but when you hear one of them say something unkind about the other, have you tried keeping it to yourself? Didn’t you just tell Emmylou that Bianca told you she was sick of her whining?” Kaylee blushed. “Uh, yeah, I guess. But that’s what Bianca said.” “Yes, but you’re contributing to the problem, Kaylee,” Dad told her. “Jesus tells us to be peacemakers. He brought us peace by making us right with God, and He wants us to help make peace between others. To do that, we need to act in a kind, loving way when others aren’t being kind to each other.” “But I was just telling the truth!” said Kaylee. “Isn’t that what Jesus wants me to do?” “While Jesus wants us to tell the truth, the way you’re doing it isn’t very kind or loving to either of your friends. When you tell one of the girls the mean things the other said about her, you’re making her feel bad about herself and angry at the other person. Instead, see if you can pick up on anything nice they say about each other and repeat those things.” Kaylee thought it over. “I guess it’s worth a try.” “At the very least, you can stop spreading the bad feelings around,” said Dad. “And as they see God’s love in you and your care in what you choose to tell them the other person has said—and in what you say yourself—they might start saying kind things more often!” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Do you repeat unkind things and stir up trouble? Today’s Bible reading says to seek and pursue peace. One way to do that is to keep any unkind words you hear someone say about another person to yourself. Instead, listen for kind things said about others and repeat those—and add some of your own! Let the peace and love you have in Jesus spread into your relationships through the words you choose to say. Today's Key Verse: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Be a peacemaker

Read: Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4:6-9 Zachary leaned back and sighed. He couldn’t concentrate on his homework. He’d been worrying about next week’s science test all day, and then he’d overheard someone tell a bad joke and couldn’t get it out of his head. When the worries and bad thoughts just wouldn’t stop, he finally decided to talk to Dad about it. “I’m so sorry you’ve been going through that, buddy,” said Dad. “Sometimes bad things we see and hear or our own fears and worries can put bad thoughts in our minds that are hard to get rid of.” Zachary sighed. “So what can I do about it?” “Have you heard of the law of space?” asked Dad. “Yeah,” said Zachary. “No two things can occupy the same space at the same time. We learned that in science class, but it’s also just common sense.” He pointed to a book. “Like that book. Nothing else can be in that space on the table unless the book is moved.” “Right,” said Dad. “Well, it’s the same with your mind. When it’s filled with good things, there’s no space for heavy worries or bad thoughts.” “But how do I fill it with good things?” Zachary asked. “By staying focused on Jesus and remembering that His power is greater than the power of bad thoughts,” replied Dad. “As soon as you feel heavy with worry or a bad thought comes to your mind, ask Jesus to cleanse your mind and help you replace those thoughts with thoughts of things that are good and true—like how He freed you from sin and promises to take care of you in every situation. Give your thoughts over to Him.” “Okay,” Zachary said. “But what if I still worry or can’t stop thinking about something bad?” “Well, then it might be good to talk to me or another adult about it,” said Dad. “And you know what else can help? Looking for ways you can show God’s love to others. Focusing on others helps you think more about them and less about whatever it is that’s bothering you.” “Thanks, Dad,” Zachary said. “I’m going to go pray and ask Jesus to help me rearrange the space in my mind.” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Do you have trouble controlling your thoughts? Are you constantly worrying about problems or thinking about something you saw or heard that you know doesn’t please God? Give your thoughts over to Jesus. He saved you from sin and gives you the power to replace bad thoughts with good ones. When you’re struggling with your thoughts, focus your mind on Him. Today's Key Verse: We take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Focus your mind on Jesus

Read: Matthew 22:36-40; John 13:35; 14:21-24 “Bye! Have a great time! Take lots of pictures!” Everyone was waving to Leanne and Logan as they left their wedding reception to go on their honeymoon. Charis noticed Leanne’s little sister Bryn sitting off by herself, looking unhappy. “What’s the matter?” Charis asked the little girl. Bryn sniffed. “I don’t want Leanne to go. I’m gonna miss her.” “But she’ll be back soon!” Charis said. “Maybe you can make a ‘Welcome Home’ poster to hang on the door of her and Logan’s new apartment before she gets back. Won’t that be fun?” On the way home, Charis told her parents about her conversation with the little girl. Mom smiled. “Bryn doesn’t understand that Leanne’s place is with Logan now. But imagine how hard it would have been for Leanne to convince people she loved Logan if she hadn’t wanted to go with him today.” Charis laughed. “I guess it would have been awkward if everyone had heard Leanne say ‘I do’ to Logan during the wedding ceremony but then not want to go with him on their honeymoon. They’d think she didn’t really love him after all!” “So we could tell that Leanne loves Logan by what she said and by what she did, couldn’t we?” Dad said as he turned onto the highway. “Speech and actions are both important in showing that we love others.” “And also in showing that we love Jesus,” added Mom. “Yes,” said Dad. “He loves us so much that He willingly died on the cross to save us. But do you think others will believe us when we say we love Him but don’t show it through our actions?” “You mean if we say we love Jesus but don’t do what He says or treat people the way He wants us to? Then we’re not acting like we love Him very much?” Charis asked. “It seems that way to me,” Dad said. “After all, real love is more than words. It’s showing your love through your actions.” “Right,” said Mom. “And the best way to show that we truly love Jesus is to obey Him by trusting Him to help us show His love to others.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Do your actions show that you love Jesus? Or do you just say you love Him but not do what He says? The Bible says that those who love Jesus obey Him, and His greatest commands to us are to love Him and love others. Trust Him to fill your heart with His love so you can treat others with kindness, even if other people don’t like it or make fun of you for it. Let your actions show others how much you love Jesus. Today's Key Verse: [Jesus said,] “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Show your love for Jesus

Read: Romans 3:10-12; 5:6-8 “Cade,” Mom said, coming into Cade’s room, “do you know where Ducky is?” Finley, Cade’s little sister, was wailing in the hallway. “Cade took him. I know he did!” “I don’t know where that dumb duck is, but I hope it’s gone forever!” Cade said. Ducky was a stuffed toy, and although the little duck was worn and ragged, Finley loved it dearly. She didn’t care that its fluff was all rubbed off and it was limp and faded. But Cade thought it was awful. He called it the Ugly Duckling. “Well then, come out here and help look for Ducky,” Mom said, and the search was on. They looked everywhere—in the basement, under the furniture, even in the garbage can—but Ducky was nowhere to be found. The next day, Mom had a talk with Cade. “Have you noticed that Finley is still very unhappy over losing Ducky?” she asked. Cade rolled his eyes. “Why would she feel so bad about that thing? It looks like it’s made of old rags and sawdust. How can anybody love anything so ugly?” Mom smiled. “Actually, Finley’s love for the Ugly Duckling, as you call him, reminds me of God’s love for us. He loves us even though we’re ugly ducklings, in a way—we’re all ugly sinners. For example, some of us tell lies.” Mom looked intently at Cade, and his face turned red. “I—I lied,” he admitted. “I hid Ducky. He’s on the top shelf in my closet.” “I saw him there when I was putting away laundry,” Mom said. “How do you think God feels about that?” “I guess I never thought about how He feels—or thought of myself as an ugly duckling.” Cade hesitated. “Do you think God loves me anyway? Like Finley loves the Ugly—I mean, like Finley loves Ducky?” “He loves you much more than that,” Mom assured him. “He loves you so much that He sent Jesus to take the punishment for your sins. He wants to cleanse you and make you His child. Would you like to ask Him to do that?” Cade nodded. “I don’t want to be an ugly duckling anymore.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Do you realize that, in God’s sight, you’re like an ugly duckling? The Bible says everyone—including you—has sinned by doing wrong things, and sin is ugly. But God loves you in spite of your sin. He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you. You don’t have to be an ugly duckling any longer. Trust Jesus as your Savior, and He will make you clean and new. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus died for sinners

Read: Colossians 1:9-12 Hadley came running out of children’s church. “How was your class today?” Mom asked as they climbed into the van. “Mrs. Burton’s lesson was on intercession. When we pray, we need to pray for others too. Mrs. Burton explained that intercede means to act or plead on someone’s behalf,” Hadley proudly stated as she buckled in. “Praying for others is important,” Mom said. “It’s easy to pray for ourselves, but sometimes we forget to ask God to help others with their needs and let them feel His love and presence in their lives.” “Mrs. Burton often walks around her neighborhood praying for her neighbors. She calls it prayer walking,” Hadley said. “We went on a prayer walk this morning while you were in big church. We prayed for Pastor Tom, the congregation, and all the children’s church teachers. Mae and I want to start prayer walking around our apartment complex each week.” “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Hadley!” Mom replied. “Why don’t we put together a list of specific prayer requests for our neighbors.” Starting that week, Hadley, Mae, and their moms prayer walked every Tuesday. One evening, as they were walking past Mr. Swanson’s apartment, he came out to visit. “Getting your exercise each week, I see.” “And we’re praying too,” Hadley explained. As she talked, she noticed a tear slide down Mr. Swanson’s cheek. “Is everything okay?” Mr. Swanson shook his head. “May I share a prayer request with you?” Hadley, Mae, and their moms gathered around as he spoke. They took turns praying over Mr. Swanson, then he said, “Thanks for praying with me.” “Anytime,” Mae answered. As the weeks went by, many prayer requests were answered in their small apartment community. The most exciting news was when one of Hadley’s neighbor friends gave his life to Jesus! “You know, Mom, prayer walking has really taught me how to pray for others, and it’s been so exciting to see prayers answered,” Hadley said one Tuesday night. “It’s given us so many reasons to praise God,” Mom replied as she gave Hadley a hug. “And it’s been great exercise too!” –Lisa Fuller How about you? Did you know that God wants us as Christians to intercede for others in prayer? Prayer is powerful, and when we ask God to act in other people’s lives out of love for them, it can result in changed hearts and deeper relationships with Jesus. You can pray for anyone anytime and anywhere, but doing a prayer walk in your church, school, or neighborhood is a great way to practice praying for others. Today's Key Verse: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Pray for others

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-16 Amir rushed into the house and dropped his backpack. “Look at this!” he said, holding out a fossilized bone. “My teacher said I could borrow it to show Grandpa. Can I show it to him today?” Mom smiled. “We’ll go over to the nursing home after supper.” “Mrs. Patterson says only one out of millions of bones becomes a fossil,” Amir told his mother. “It has to be buried in just the right minerals. As the bone decays, the minerals seep into the pores, and bit by bit they replace the bone until there’s no bone left, just hard, strong rock mineral.” “Really? Grandpa will love to hear about that,” Mom said. “I bet his neighbor, Mr. Wyatt, would like to see that fossil and hear about it too.” “I doubt it,” said Amir. “He doesn’t like anything—or anybody. He’s too grumpy!” Amir set the fossil on the table. “I know he’s old, but Grandpa isn’t grumpy like that, and he’s even older than Mr. Wyatt.” Mom thought for a moment. “Grandpa is a lot like that fossil,” she said. Amir’s eyes grew wide. “He’s not that old!” Mom laughed. “What I mean is, because Grandpa knows Jesus, God’s goodness and love have seeped into his heart over the course of his life. Just like minerals filled and replaced the materials originally found in the fossil, the Holy Spirit filled Grandpa with love, joy, and peace—all the right things. Now he’s pretty old. He’s growing weak and tired and is starting to forget things, but God’s Spirit is evident in him.” “And it’s not in Mr. Wyatt?” Amir asked. “As far as we know, Mr. Wyatt has never trusted Jesus as his Savior,” said Mom. “If he hasn’t, then he doesn’t have the Holy Spirit in his heart working to replace his old self with God’s goodness and love.” Amir picked up the fossil. “Maybe I should show this to Mr. Wyatt like you said.” He looked at Mom. “And we should tell him how Jesus changes people like minerals change bones.” “Yes,” Mom replied. “It’s not too late for him. God can still work a miracle in his life.” –Heather Tekavec How about you? Is God’s goodness seeping into your heart? Are the desires of your old sinful self being replaced with His love? When you trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit begins working in your life to make you more like Him. Even though our physical bodies may grow old and weak, we have eternal life with Jesus, and through His Spirit our faith in Him grows stronger each day. Today's Key Verse: Our human body is wearing out. But our spirits are getting stronger every day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus changes us

Read: Colossians 1:15-20 Judah stomped into his brother’s room. “You are not going to believe this, Isaac!” Judah was so angry his ears were red. Isaac closed the book he was reading. “What’s the matter?” “Just look at my new interactive robot!” The robot’s arm dangled from its side. “That’s the last time I ever let Sam use one of my toys. Do you know how much I paid for this?” Judah shook his head. “That guy has no respect for other people’s stuff!” The next morning, Isaac and Judah were late for school. “Here.” Isaac tossed Judah a granola bar. “We don’t have time for breakfast, so eat this on the way.” As the brothers took a shortcut through a neighbor’s backyard, Judah ate his granola bar in just three bites, then tossed the wrapper on the ground. “Hey!” Isaac stopped and pointed to the wrapper “That’s littering! Go pick it up.” “Oh, come on. It’s just one wrapper, Isaac.” “It’s not your yard, Judah. How do you think the neighbors would feel if they saw you dropping trash in their yard?” Judah sighed and picked up the wrapper. “I guess I wasn’t thinking.” “Yeah,” said Isaac. “Kind of like Sam wasn’t thinking when he broke your robot.” On Sunday, Mrs. Rawlings gave a lesson on creation. “God made everything,” she said. “But because our sin has made a mess of everything, Jesus is making everything new—not just the people who trust in Him, but one day, all of creation! Everything belongs to Jesus, and He wants us to enjoy everything He’s made. But we also need to respect that it belongs to Him and take good care of it.” I know what it’s like to have someone not respect your stuff, thought Judah. I wouldn’t want to do that with God’s stuff! The next morning, as Isaac and Judah passed by a neighbor’s yard on their way to school, Judah saw a plastic bag blowing across the grass. “I got it!” he called out. He raced over and stepped on it before it blew away, then placed it in the trash can at the end of the driveway. “Hey!” shouted their neighbor from the porch. “Thanks for cleaning our yard!” “No problem!” Judah shouted back. “And actually, it belongs to Jesus!” –Kelly Carlson How about you? Do you respect what doesn’t belong to you? Jesus created everything in the world around you—trees, grass, land, animals—and will one day make everything new and even better than it is now! Everything belongs to Him, and He wants you to help take care of what He’s made. How can you be respectful and take care of God’s beautiful creation? Today's Key Verse: The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. Acts 17:24 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Care for God’s creation

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:12-19; 13:4 Anna came home from yet another lost softball game. As she walked past the living room cabinet, she saw her sister’s softball trophies. Macy’s team was undefeated. Anna sighed as she walked upstairs. “Macy, have you started your math homework?” asked Anna. “Started? I already finished. It’s easy,” said Macy. Macy was in the advanced track at school. Anna was not. As Anna opened her binder to her math assignment, she felt a knot in her stomach. She couldn’t remember how to do the problems. She slammed her binder shut, put her head on her desk, and cried. Anna heard a knock at her bedroom door. “Go away,” she said through tears. Macy opened the door anyway. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “What’s wrong is that no matter how hard I try, you’re always there being a know-it-all!” yelled Anna. “I’m not a know-it-all!” Macy yelled back and slammed the door. “Who slammed that door?” Mom asked. “I did,” said Macy, “because Anna called me a know-it-all.” “Girls, come out here, please,” said Mom. Anna and Macy stepped out of their rooms. “I have an idea,” Mom said. “Let’s play softball in the backyard.” “But we don’t have any infielders,” said Macy. “Or enough people for the basemen,” added Anna. “We need people with different strengths to make a whole team, don’t we?” said Mom. “That’s true for more than just sports. As Christians, God has given each of us different strengths so we can work together to spread the good news of Jesus and show others His love. He made each of you girls to be smart and talented in your own way, and He loves you so much that Jesus died for you. Math might be harder for you, Anna, but Dad and I are so proud of you for winning your school’s essay contest.” “I know.” Anna sighed. “I’m sorry for calling you a know-it-all, Macy.” “I forgive you,” Macy said. “Would you like me to help you with your math homework?” Anna smiled. “I’ll trade you homework help for the painting I made today.” “Deal,” said Macy. –Alexa Fetterly How about you? Have you ever felt jealous of someone else? It’s easy to compare ourselves to friends and siblings, but God created each of us with unique gifts so we can show His love to others in our own special way. Jesus thought that you, in all your uniqueness, were worth dying for—that’s how much He loves you! Let Him replace your jealousy with love so you can use your gifts alongside other Christians to point people to Him. Today's Key verse: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) Today's Key thought: God made you unique for a purpose

Read: John 15:12-15 “I can’t believe Aanya would do this to me!” Lucy pulled the friendship bracelet off her wrist and dropped it in the trash. “Lucy? Are you okay?” her mother asked. “Why are you throwing away your bracelet from Aanya?” “I thought she was my friend.” Lucy hung her backpack up on its hook and sat down at the table. “But she told my secret to the entire class. Even the boys!” “What secret?” asked Mom. Lucy told her, and Mom sighed. “I’m sorry, Lu.” Mom thought for a moment. “Do you have any more of the thread you use to make bracelets?” Lucy nodded. She got up and brought the box of brightly colored threads to the table. Mom started looking through the threads and picking some out. “What are you doing?” Lucy asked. “I’m making you a friendship bracelet. It will remind you that you always have a friend, one who will never betray you.” Mom began twisting the strands together. She pointed to a dark thread. “This friend loves you even though you’ve done bad things and will always love you no matter what you do.” “Is it you?” Lucy asked. “No. Even though I love you very much, this person loves you even more.” Mom picked up a red thread. “He died to save you from your sins.” She held up a white one and a green one. “He washed you clean of sin and gave you new life.” “I know who my friend is! It’s Jesus!” Lucy exclaimed. “And the bracelet has the same colors as the wordless book I made at church. The gold stands for the streets of gold in heaven.” “Yes, Jesus loved you enough to give His life so you could have eternal life with Him. He loves you so much, Lucy. He’ll always be there for you, even when no one else is.” She reached over and slipped the bracelet onto Lucy’s wrist. “You can wear this as a reminder that Jesus is the best friend you’ll ever have.” Lucy looked at the bracelet. “Since Jesus is such a good friend to me, maybe I should give Aanya another chance.” Mom smiled and gave Lucy a hug. “That’s a great idea. Jesus will be with you as you show His forgiveness to Aanya.” –Jessica Kleeberger How about you? Have you ever been disappointed by someone? Maybe it was a friend, a parent, a brother, or a sister. The good news is that God’s children have a friend who will never let them down. That friend is Jesus Christ! He loved you enough to die for you so you could have eternal life with Him. You can trust Him as your very best friend. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the ultimate best friend

Read: Hebrews 4:14-16 Bryson wrote something on a piece of paper, then crumpled it up and threw it in the trash can. He did this several times, and before long he was out of paper. He laid his head on his desk in frustration. Just then Mom walked by. “What’s wrong, Bryson?” “I’m all out of paper. Can we go to the store so I can get some more?” Mom glanced at the crumpled balls of paper in and around the trash can. “What are you trying to write?” “Our Sunday school teacher challenged us to write an encouraging letter to someone. I immediately thought of Dylan. He’s been really upset lately about his parents getting a divorce. So I’ve been trying to write him a letter, but everything I write sounds dumb.” Bryson picked up a ball of paper and handed it to his mother. “You can read one of my attempts if you want.” Mom uncrumpled the paper. “Hey, Dylan. Sorry your parents are getting a divorce. Hope you have a good day anyway.” “See, Mom? Everything sounds so dumb, and I don’t know what I can say to make Dylan feel better. I have no idea what he’s going through, but I know it must be hard.” Bryson sighed. “And now I’m all out of paper.” “I’m sorry, Bryson,” Mom said. “I have no idea how to make paper, so I can’t help you.” Bryson frowned. “Mom, I don’t need you to make me paper. I just need you to take me to a place where I can get some.” Mom nodded. “You’re exactly right—and it’s the same with Dylan. He doesn’t need you to solve his problems. He just needs you to take them to someone who can—God. Jesus understands what Dylan is going through and loves him so much that He suffered and died to save him. He knows exactly what Dylan needs. The biggest encouragement you can give Dylan is to tell him you’re praying for him and then do it.” She smiled. “I’ll pick up some more paper at the store tomorrow. In the meantime, why don’t you take Dylan’s problems to Jesus in prayer?” Bryson nodded, and after Mom left, he bowed his head and said a prayer for Dylan. –Melissa Yeagle How About You? Do you know someone who’s going through a hard time? Even though you may want to, you can’t solve everyone’s problems. The best thing you can do for a friend in need is take their problems to God in prayer. He may direct you to help them in other ways too, but ultimately He’s the only one able to give them what they need. Encourage your friend by letting them know you’re praying for them. Today's Key Verse: God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Pray for those who are hurting

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 37:5-9, 39-40 Mallory blew her nose. Again. “Mom, how long do allergies last?” she asked as they drove away from the doctor’s office. Mom smiled sympathetically. “The doctor said you have seasonal allergies, so you’ll probably have them the next couple of months.” “Great,” said Mallory glumly. She felt stuffed up, and her head was foggy. “I know you don’t feel well,” Mom said. “We’ll be home soon.” As they drove across a bridge, a blanket of fog seemed to come up out of nowhere and surround them. Mallory peered out the window, trying see the water below the bridge, but it was like everything had disappeared. “I can hardly see a thing,” Mom muttered as she turned on the headlights. She slowed down and carefully steered the car over the bridge. A few minutes later they were off the bridge and heading home. Mallory couldn’t believe how quickly it went from being so foggy to clear skies and sunshine. She turned around to watch the fog slowly float away behind them. “Wow, that was crazy, Mom! Weren’t you scared driving over the bridge when you could hardly see?” Mom nodded. “It was a little scary, but as long as I kept my eyes focused on what was in front of me, I knew we’d get to the other side of the bridge eventually.” She turned the headlights off and headed into the sunshine. “You know, Mallory, faith can sometimes be foggy too,” she said thoughtfully. “How can faith be foggy?” Mallory asked. “Even though we have Jesus in our lives, there will sometimes be days when we won’t feel joyful or know what to do about a tough situation. That’s when we need to depend on God to show us the way through our foggy faith.” “How do we do that?” asked Mallory. “By keeping our focus on Jesus. We can do that by listening to what He says to us in the Bible and talking to Him about everything. Even when we can’t see what’s in front of us, we can hold on to God’s promises and what we know is true. Jesus will always be with us in the fog, and we can trust Him to bring us out on the other side.” –Kelly Hope How about you? Are you going through a foggy time in your faith? Maybe you’re not feeling very joyful or you’re facing difficulties in life. Keep talking to Jesus in prayer and reading your Bible to get to know Him better. Remember that He saved you by dying for your sin, and trust Him to help you get through the fog and show you the next step to take. Today's Key Verse: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus in foggy times

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 Wynn visited her garden every day, and her tomato plants, which she and her sister had named Love, Joy, Patience, and Goodness, grew and grew. Then one evening dark clouds began to gather on the horizon. At first Wynn watched from her bedroom window as droplets of water fell from the sky, but soon she could no longer see her poor little tomato plants through the sheets of falling rain. Suddenly lightning cracked in the sky, and the wind blew so hard that a tree branch fell inches from the window. Mom called for Wynn and Riley to come down into the basement. In the morning, when the storm was over, Wynn and Riley walked timidly to the garden. The grass was swampy, and several branches littered the ground. Wynn’s and Riley’s rain boots made great slurping noises as they plodded through the mud. Both girls were afraid of what they might find in the garden, but when Wynn approached, she let out a shout of excitement. “They’re okay!” All four tomato plants were unhurt. Wynn was about to give Riley a hug when she heard a sob from next door. She looked over to see Kai, the mean neighbor boy who had made fun of her tomato plants, crying. The wind had lifted his tomato plants up by the roots, and the rain had pounded them into the ground. Now the space of earth where Kai’s garden had been was nothing but green mush. Riley leaned down and whispered into Wynn’s ear as they watched Kai go back into his house. “Do you remember what the first fruit of the Spirit is?” “Love,” said Wynn. “Nothing grows without love.” The girls whispered together for a moment longer, then Riley got a shovel. Carefully she dug up Love, the tomato plant that had just begun to sprout little green fruits. They were careful not to damage the roots as they lifted the plant out of the ground. Together they took the plant next door. Riley dug a spot in the ruined mush of Kai’s garden. Then, ever so carefully, Wynn placed the tomato plant inside the hole. She filled the hole with dirt and planted Love there in the center of her neighbor’s garden. –Kristin Beaven How about you? Is it hard for you to love someone who’s been mean to you? The Bible tells us that love is the most important way we show others who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. He loved people who were mean to him—He died for us when we were His enemies, separated from God because of our sin. When we’re kind to others—even when they’re not kind to us—we’re planting seeds of His love. Today's Key Verse: Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Plant seeds of love

Read: Galatians 5:16-26 “Riley!” Wynn called to her sister as she inspected her four tiny tomato plants. “Look, little green tomatoes!” This was Wynn’s very first time growing a garden, and she was very excited. Riley smiled. “See? You just needed to have patience.” Riley was fourteen and had helped their mother grow vegetable gardens before. “Look at those shrimpy tomatoes!” a voice taunted from next door. “We had tomatoes on our plants weeks ago.” The voice came from Kai, their neighbor, who was always mocking Wynn. He and his mother also had a garden. They had bought their plants already half grown, and they were now full of fruit. Riley put her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Ignore him. Yours are growing just fine. Now that they’re starting to get fruit, we should name them,” she told Wynn, trying to distract her from Kai’s rudeness. “That’s what Mom and I do with our plants each year.” “What should we name them?” Wynn asked. “Well, tomatoes are fruit,” said Riley. “And the Bible tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” “Wow, that’s a lot of fruit!” said Wynn. “Yep,” said Riley. “And it’s all fruit that the Holy Spirit grows in our lives when we put our faith in Jesus, just like your tomatoes grow in your garden.” “But we only have four plants, so which names should we choose?” asked Wynn. “I think the first one should be Patience,” said Riley, “to remind you to have patience as the tomatoes grow.” Wynn giggled. “Okay, and we’ll name the second one Joy because I will be full of joy when they finally do! And the next one can be Goodness, because the tomatoes will be full of yummy goodness.” Wynn smiled. “Now I’ve named two and you named one, so you have to name the last one.” “The last one should be Love,” said Riley. “Because nothing grows without love.” Wynn looked down at her garden. “Now all four of our fruit of the Spirit plants have names.” “Yep,” said Riley. “And they’re going to keep growing just like the fruit of the Spirit is growing in you.” –Kristin Beaven How about you? Did you know that, if you’re a Christian, you have fruit growing in your life? When we trust Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit begins to work in our hearts so that His ways grow in us like fruit in a garden. As He fills our hearts with love, He grows the fruit of the Spirit in our lives to make us more like Jesus. Trust Him to fill your life with good fruit so others can see His love. Today's Key Verse: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: God grows fruit in Christians’ lives

Read: Psalm 133:1; Philippians 2:14-16; Colossians 3:23 George rubbed his stomach and John licked his lips as they entered the kitchen. “That sure was a good meal,” said George. “I love that chicken Mom makes.” John set his plate in the sink with a clang. “But look at all the dirty dishes,” he said. “The sink is full of them. I’m glad it’s your turn to clean up.” “It’s not my turn. I did dishes last night. Don’t you remember?” John put his hands on his hips. “I know you did them last night, but last week I did them two nights in a row because you had soccer practice. So you owe me.” Mom entered the kitchen. “Goodness, boys. Do you have to fight about everything? I worked hard to make this meal because I know it’s one of your favorites. I’d appreciate your help cleaning up.” John pointed his finger at George, and George stuck out his tongue. “You know what the Bible says?” Mom asked. “It says lots of things,” said George. “In the book of Philippians, Paul tells us to do everything without complaining or arguing.” “Everything?” asked John. “Even dishes? I bet Paul never had to do dishes.” “Maybe not,” Mom said. “But he worked really hard as a missionary. And he also worked as a tentmaker because he didn’t want to ask for money. In Colossians, another book of the Bible, Paul tells us to do our work willingly and joyfully because we’re really doing it for Jesus, who willingly died on the cross to save us. And do you know what else the Bible says?” George and John both answered at the same time. “It says lots of things.” Mom smiled. “In Psalms it says it is good and pleasant when brothers live in unity.” George and John glared at each other. Then George’s lips curved up the tiniest bit. Then John grinned even more. And suddenly they were both laughing. “I know you did the dishes last night,” said John. “Sometimes when I have band rehearsal, you do them two nights in a row, and I don’t always repay you. So I can do them tonight.” “Or maybe we can do them together,” George said as he picked up a dish towel. “You wash, I dry?” John nodded and flicked on the faucet. –Carol Raj How about you? Do you complain about work you have to do? Do you argue with others when it seems like you’re doing more than they are? Instead of complaining and arguing, think of chores and other tasks as opportunities to show others God’s love. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the one we’re truly working for, and when we do our work out of love and joy, we reflect Him. Today's Key Verse: Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14 (ERV) Today's Key Thought: Help without complaining

Read: Job 12:7-10; Matthew 6:26 “Mom, what is this animal?” Tiana asked as she gazed past the zoo fence. The animal looked strong like a horse, but it had the stripes of a zebra on its legs. “Is it a type of zebra?” Mom looked at the plate in front of the cage. “It’s an okapi. It’s related to the giraffe.” “Not a zebra?” Tiana asked, wondering where the dark brown on the animal’s head and back came from. It was kind of cute with its big ears. “Do you think okapis have good hearing?” “Not sure, but they can lick their own ears!” Mom exclaimed. “They have long, blueish tongues that help them reach and grab hold of leaves they want to eat. That’s crazy!” “I hope I see one stick out its tongue today.” Tiana watched the okapis closely, hoping to catch a glimpse of one licking its ear. “They also have oily coats that make rain slide right off,” Mom said as she continued reading the plate. “So, they never get wet.” “That’s super cool,” Tiana said, still staring at the animals. “Tiana, how did the okapi learn to get an oily coat?” Mom asked her. “Do you think they rub their backs in a puddle of oil?” Tiana frowned. “No, that’s silly. They were made that way.” “Made that way by who?” Mom asked. “God,” Tiana answered. “He made everything.” “He did, didn’t He? He gave them their ears and tongues and oily skin. He clearly cares a whole lot about okapis.” Tiana shrugged. “I guess.” “If God cares so much about these animals, how much more do you think He cares about you?” Mom asked gently. “I know you’ve been having a hard time since I started dating Rod. I know you miss your dad. I just want you to remember that Jesus loves you and is always with you. He came to earth and died to save you, and He cares about every detail of your life. You can talk to Him about anything—big or small.” “I’m glad God cares about me.” Tiana watched one of the okapis lie down and lick its ear. She smiled. “And I’m glad He cares about okapis too.” –Kimberly Brokish How about you? Do you ever wonder if God cares about you? He does. When you look at the amazing way He created each animal and gave it exactly what it needs, you can see how much He cares about His creation. Yet the Bible says He cares about us even more than animals. He made us in His image and sent His Son, Jesus, to save us so we could have eternal life with Him. You can talk to Him about anything, knowing He cares about you. Today's Key Verse: Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God cares about you

Read: Philippians 3:4-9 As Dad and Micah walked into the station, the train on the track gave two long whistles. “It looks like our train is almost ready to pull out—we must be later than I thought!” said Dad. “Good thing I got our tickets ahead of time. Come on!” They made a dash for it and were just settling down in their seats when the train began to move. Micah was so excited he could hardly sit still. “I can’t believe we’re really going to see the Cubs play in person! How many miles is it to Chicago, Dad?” “I don’t know exactly. You can ask the conductor. Here he comes now—get your ticket ready! Here, you can give him mine too.” The conductor approached, and Micah proudly held out the tickets. “Thank you, young man,” the conductor said. He looked at the tickets, and then turned to Dad. “Sir, I’m afraid you’ve either got the wrong tickets or the wrong train. Your tickets are for Chicago, but this train is going to St. Louis.” “Oh no!” exclaimed Dad. “How could I have made such a mistake? I was sure I had the right train.” “You can get off at the next station,” the conductor said. “Then you can catch the first train back the other way. It shouldn’t take too long.” “Are we going to make it to Chicago, Dad?” Micah asked anxiously. “What about the ball game?” “I think we’ll still make it to the game,” Dad assured him. “You know, Micah, this kind of thing happens a lot.” “You mean a lot of people get on the wrong train?” Micah asked. “I was thinking of something even worse than that,” Dad replied. “Everyone wants to go to heaven someday, but when we try to get there the wrong way, it’s like we’re on the wrong train. No matter how good we try to be, the Bible says we won’t get to heaven by anything we do. Do you know the way that does lead to heaven, Micah?” “Sure,” Micah answered. “Jesus says He’s the way.” “Right,” said Dad. “He’s the one and only way to heaven. We can only have eternal life with God by trusting in Him.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Are you trying to get to heaven by living a good life? By going to church, giving to people in need, or doing nice things for others? If so, you’re going the wrong way! None of those things will get you to heaven. Jesus is the only way. It’s not what you do, but what He did for you on the cross, that gives you eternal life. Trust in Him today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the way to heaven

Read: Psalm 119:9-16 Manuel looked up when Grandpa walked into the room. “Do you know where I left my glasses?” Grandpa asked as he reached for his Bible. Grandma sighed. “Did you lose those glasses again? You had them on when you paid the pizza delivery man.” “We didn’t order pizza today. That was yesterday,” said Grandpa. “Somebody else was here today. Now…” He stopped a moment to cough. “Your cough doesn’t seem to be getting better,” Grandma said. “You’d better get more medicine.” “I just got some,” said Grandpa. He paused and furrowed his brows. “Leo!” he suddenly called out, making Manuel jump. “That’s who came today!” Grandpa turned to Manuel. “Leo lives next door, and he picks up medicine for me.” Just then Manuel spied Grandpa’s glasses lying on the table. “Here are your glasses, Grandpa.” “Oh good, you found them,” Grandma said. “Now, if only I could find mine!” Manuel grinned. “They’re on your head, Grandma!” “Oh, look at that!” Grandma laughed. “I don’t remember putting them on.” Grandpa put on his glasses and opened the Bible he was holding. “Are you gonna memorize some verses, Grandpa?” Manuel asked. Grandpa shook his head. “Not today, but we used to memorize whole chapters when we were kids.” “That’s right,” said Grandma. “Sometimes when our eyes are tired now, we just say some of them together.” “Wait a minute,” Manuel said with a puzzled look. “You can’t remember things that happened today—even just a little while ago—so how do you remember things you learned when you were kids?” Grandpa smiled. “The things we learn as kids just stick in our brains better, I guess. The older you get, the harder it is to remember things. That’s why we encourage you to read and memorize God’s Word as much as you can now, while you’re young.” Grandma nodded. “The verses I learned as a child have stuck with me all through my life. They’ve reminded me in difficult times that I belong to Jesus and that He’s always with me. That’s something I’ll never forget!” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Are you hiding God’s Word in your heart? One way to do that is by memorizing Bible verses. Try it now with today’s key verse. Read it over a few times, then shut your eyes and see if you can say it out loud. Try to do that with a different verse every day or week. But don’t just memorize the words—think about what God is telling you. Use His Word to help you remember His truth and promises. Today's Key Verse: Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Memorize Bible verses

Read: 1 John 1:5-9 “Ronan!” Mom called. “Can you take out the trash, please? I had to get rid of the old trash can, so you’ll just have to stack the bags in the garage for now.” Ronan scowled. “Why can’t Daisy put it out for once? All she ever does is sit around and text her friends.” Daisy scowled back at him. “At least I have friends!” “Both of you, stop it!” said Mom. “Why do you kids have to fight all the time?” Ronan didn’t say anything more as he grudgingly took out the trash. When they pulled into the garage a couple days later, Daisy held her nose as she got out of the car. “Ugh! Something stinks in here!” “It’s the trash!” said Mom. “Let’s move these bags out to the driveway. I’ll text Dad and remind him to pick up a new trash can on his way home.” “Hey! Come back here and help!” Ronan called to Daisy, who was going into the house. “No wonder you didn’t get a part in the school play—they must have known you’d be too lazy to learn your lines!” Daisy kicked at the bag he was holding. “Be quiet, dummy!” she yelled. “That’s enough!” Mom said sternly. “You’ll both help.” When they finished, Mom made them go to the kitchen and sit down. “Your attitudes remind me of that trash,” she told them. “Sorry,” Ronan muttered. “Can I get up now?” “No!” Mom pulled out a chair and sat down. “The way you’ve been acting stinks worse than the trash you took out of the garage today. Things like bad attitudes, selfishness, and jealousy hurt people Jesus wants us to love and drive them away from us. That’s why we need to confess those stinky sins to Jesus. He’ll forgive us and make us clean. He’ll also help us apologize to others for what we’ve done and replace mean, selfish attitudes with kindness and love.” Daisy and Ronan were quiet for a moment, then they looked at each other. “I’m sorry,” they said in unison. That made them smile. Mom stood up and grinned. “It smells better in here already!” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Have you noticed any trash in your life lately? Sins like meanness, gossip, laziness, selfishness, and unkind words can really stink up your life and hurt your relationships with others. Ask Jesus to take out the trash! When you confess your sins to Him, He forgives you and makes you clean. Then trust Him to help you tell others you’re sorry and replace unkind attitudes with His love. Today's Key Verse: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Confess sin and be clean

Read: Isaiah 53:4-11 “Mom, I don’t understand this verse,” Alec said. “It’s Second Corinthians 5:21. ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’ I know it’s talking about Jesus, but what does it mean when it says He was made to be sin for us? Jesus never sinned, did He?” “No, He didn’t,” said Mom. “That’s why He was able to save us by taking our sin upon Himself. Let’s see if I can find a way to help you think about it.” She pulled up a picture on her phone. “Here’s a picture of a leper—a person who has leprosy. It’s a contagious disease mentioned often in the Bible, and it can still be found in some parts of the world today.” Alec looked at the picture and frowned. “That poor man. He doesn’t have any fingers or toes, just little stumps!” “Yes,” said Mom, “and he’s blind too. If you saw this man, what would you do for him?” Alec thought about it. “I would give him a drink of water and some food.” “But he’s dying,” said Mom. “Would you love him enough to get down beside him and take him in your arms and tell him that if he trusts in Jesus, he’ll go to heaven?” Alec hesitated, then nodded. “But I’d want to wear a mask so I wouldn’t get sick.” “But what if, in order to really help him, you had to get sick?” Mom asked. “What if you had the power to allow all of his sickness to flow into your body and let all of your strength and health flow into his? Would you do that?” Alec cringed at that idea. “I don’t think I could do that,” he said. “He has such a horrible disease!” Mom nodded. “Yet that’s what Jesus did for us, Alec. He never sinned, but He took all our sin upon Himself and died on the cross to take our punishment. That’s what caused Him to suffer so much—not just the physical pain of the crucifixion, but bearing the huge weight of our sin.” Alec thought it over. “I think I’m beginning to understand.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Have you ever thought about what Jesus did when He died for your sins? He suffered great shame and horror by taking your sin upon Himself. He took your place on the cross so you could spend eternity in heaven with Him instead of hell—He loves you that much! Accept His sacrifice for your sins and trust Him as your Savior. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus took your sin upon Himself

Read: Ephesians 1:4-6 Audrey sat on the front steps, lost in thought. She’d had a rough week. She failed her math test and skinned her knee, and one of her best friends had moved away. Why is God letting all these things happen to me? she thought. It almost seems like He doesn’t care about me anymore. Audrey glanced up when her puppy came bounding out onto the front porch. “Hello, Shamrock,” she said. But Shamrock didn’t seem interested in her—he was too busy gnawing on something. “Hey, that’s mine!” Audrey exclaimed, grabbing a wallet from the puppy’s mouth. “I just got this, and now you’ve ruined it!” She looked the torn-up wallet over and sighed. “Maybe Mom can fix it.” Mom came out onto the front porch and examined the wallet. “Hmm, this is pretty torn up. We’ll probably have to throw it out.” “But it’s still good,” said Audrey. “It’s just a little torn.” “This wallet has been through a lot,” Mom said. “Are you sure we shouldn’t throw it away? It’s too torn and dirty to be worth anything.” “Mom, just because it doesn’t look so good doesn’t mean it isn’t worth anything. If we fix it up, it will be as good as new.” Mom smiled. “You probably feel a lot like this wallet right now, don’t you?” Audrey gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean?” she asked. “I know this wallet is still good, and with a little TLC, I can fix it up,” Mom said. “I just wanted to help you see that your life is like this wallet. I know this week has been rough for you. But even though you’ve been through a lot, you’re still valuable. You belong to Jesus, who came into our broken world and gave His life to save you and make you His, and He’ll always be there to help you through life’s difficulties. His thoughts toward you will never change, no matter how torn up you feel.” “Thanks, Mom,” Audrey said, giving Shamrock a hug. “I’m glad I’ll always be valuable to Jesus. And I’m glad you can fix my wallet—things are already starting to look up!” –Norah Varner How about you? Have you ever felt like God has turned away from you? Do you feel like you can’t do anything right? Jesus loves you so much that He died and rose again to save you, and He’ll never leave you. No matter what has happened to you or what you’ve done, His thoughts toward you will never change. He will always love you and care for you. Today's Key Verse: This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life. Psalm 119:50 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: You’re valuable to Jesus

Read: John 13:35; Romans 1:14-16 “Happy birthday!” Ivy said when she arrived at her friend Rennah’s birthday party. Ivy’s family had moved recently, and she’d been praying for new friends. Now she had some. But there was a problem at Rennah’s party. “Okay, you guys,” Rennah said when they were ready to play the first game. “Here’s what you do. Everybody has to draw a slip of paper from this basket. When it’s your turn, you have to do what it says.” She began to pass the basket, and each girl pulled out a piece of paper. Ivy eagerly unfolded her slip of paper and looked at it. Oh no! she thought. Doing this would be wrong, but if I don’t do it, everyone will laugh at me. Ivy tried to think of a way out. Maybe I could trade with somebody—but then I’d be asking someone else to do it. What am I going to do? She silently asked Jesus to help her know what she should do. Then she heard her name being called. Ivy took a deep breath. “I’m supposed to draw a picture of who I think is the ugliest boy at school and have you guess who it is, but I—I can’t do it.” The room became very quiet. “I don’t like to look at people that way,” Ivy continued. “I feel like I’d be treating someone God created and loves very badly if I did that.” After a moment, Rennah shrugged. “That’s okay. We’ll skip you. Jasmine, you’re next.” The next day at school, Serena, one of the girls who had been at the party, came up to Ivy. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said at the party,” Serena said. “I’m a Christian too, but I don’t usually let people know that because I’m afraid they’ll make fun of me. I probably would have just done what was on that slip of paper and then felt bad about it afterward.” She paused. “I’m glad you didn’t do that. You reminded me that I need to let people know I belong to Jesus and show it in the way I treat others.” Ivy was surprised. “Thanks, Serena.” She smiled. “Wanna join me for lunch?” Serena nodded, and the girls continued talking on their way to the cafeteria. –Bernard Palmer How about you? Are you afraid to let others know you’re a Christian? Do you think they’ll make fun of you for doing what God says is right? People might respond negatively, but Jesus will help you. He took your sin and shame on Himself to give you eternal life. Because of Him, you have nothing to be ashamed of! Let others know you follow Him and see His love in your life. Today's Key Verse: I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Romans 1:16 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Let others know you follow Jesus

Read: Ephesians 2:8-10 “I wish I never came to your house for spring break,” Miles told his cousin Jonathan. “Since you became a Christian, all you say is ‘Don’t do this’ and ‘Don’t do that.’ Next you’ll be complaining about the picture on my t-shirt and telling me to dress in a choir robe!” Miles stomped outside, letting the door slam behind him. When the house grew unusually quiet, Jonathan’s dad came into the living room. “Where’s your cousin?” he asked. Jonathan told his dad about the argument. “I was only trying to get Miles to act more Christian,” he said. Just then a male robin flew to the driveway and began attacking the side mirror of Dad’s truck. “Hey, look at that!” Jonathan exclaimed. “That bird’s a fighter!” “You’re right,” said Dad. “If he keeps that up, he’ll wear himself out. I’d better go put the truck in the garage.” Once the truck was out of sight, the bird flew to the lawn and tussled with another male robin on the grass. “Why are those birds fighting?” asked Jonathan. “They’re fighting to claim nesting territory,” Dad answered. “The fight at the mirror was also over territory. When the robin saw his reflection, he assumed an intruder was challenging him. After I put the truck away, the bird left to chase a real robin.” “Well, that makes more sense,” said Jonathan. “He wasn’t going to get anywhere fighting his own reflection!” “Right,” said Dad. “That’s why it’s important to chase the real robin in Miles.” Jonathan looked at his dad. “You want me to chase birds?” Dad laughed. “No! What I want you to do is fight real battles. Miles’ problems are deeper than his actions. He needs Jesus. While Miles is here, I’ve set certain limits for him. But rules won’t change his heart—only Jesus can. Instead of expecting Miles to act like a Christian, let’s show him Christ’s love. He needs to know Jesus died for him and trust Him as his Savior. Only then will he be able to live as a Christian.” “Okay, Dad. I’ll go find him and tell him I’m sorry for making him upset.” “Good,” said Dad. “But first let’s pray and ask Jesus to help us show Miles His love.” –David J. Belleau How about you? Have you wished a non-Christian friend would act more Christian? Even if you could get them to change their behavior, you wouldn’t be able to change their motives. Only Jesus can change a person’s heart. Pray for your friend. Show them God’s love through your actions. Then, if they ask what makes you different, tell them how Jesus changed you. Today's Key Verse: Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Only Jesus changes hearts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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