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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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