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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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