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

Read: John 10:14-18 “Why would Jesus allow Himself to be killed if He were really God?” Jackson asked his youth group leader. “I don’t get it!” Mr. Anders did his best to explain, but Jackson still thought it made no sense. A few days later, Jackson joined the group on a campout at a national park. Before heading off, they met with Ranger Davis. He told them about his work and even let them climb up the watchtower where he regularly checked for fires. Then the boys and Mr. Anders headed into the woods. The next day, the group awakened to the smell of smoke in the air. “There must be a fire in the forest somewhere,” Mr. Anders said. He tried to call the park office but couldn’t get any reception on his phone. “We don’t know where the fire is,” he told the boys. “If we start moving, we might head closer to the blaze.” “Look!” Jackson called out. “A helicopter!” The boys whooped as a helicopter zoomed in and hovered over their campsite. Within a few minutes, they were all inside and taken to safety. As the boys talked excitedly about their narrow escape, a sheriff came in. “Where’s Ranger Davis?” someone asked. “Was he able to see where we were from the watchtower?” The sheriff nodded sadly. “He spotted your campsite and radioed your location right before a burning tree fell on the tower.” Jackson gasped. “You mean…he died?” The sheriff nodded again. “He refused to leave before you boys were located. He stayed and saved your lives instead of his own. If he hadn’t…well, you wouldn’t be here now.” Jackson was stunned. Later that day, Mr. Anders talked with Jackson. “How are you doing?” he asked. “I can’t stop thinking about Ranger Davis. He could have left the tower sooner, but he stayed to save us—and died because of it.” Jackson paused to wipe his eyes. “It’s like what you were trying to tell me about Jesus, isn’t it?” Mr. Anders nodded. “Jesus could have chosen not to die, but then we couldn’t have been saved from our sin. He died in our place—and then He rose again! Everyone who trusts in Him will live with Him forever.” “I get it now,” Jackson said in a trembling voice. “I want to trust in Him too.” –Jan L. Hansen How about you? Did you know that Jesus sacrificed His life for yours? You can’t save yourself, but Jesus willingly died so you could be saved and have eternal life with Him. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? If not, do it today and He will save you. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. John 10:17-18 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Jesus willingly died for you

Read: Romans 5:1-5 Marta sat down on the couch beside her grandmother and glanced at the needlepoint canvas she was working on. “That’s so pretty!” said Marta. “That’s going to be the cover for the pillow you made for my bed, isn’t it? Is it almost finished?” “Not yet,” said Grandma, “but it’s getting there.” She turned the canvas over and cut a thread. “Wow!” said Marta. “It doesn’t look so good on the back side—just a big tangle of threads.” She grinned. “Be sure you don’t put it on the pillow inside out!” Grandma laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t.” Marta picked up a photo album from the coffee table and flipped through it. “Grandma,” she said after a few minutes, “I still miss Grandpa a lot. I just don’t understand why God didn’t make him get better! We prayed and prayed for him, but he died anyway.” Grandma squeezed Marta’s hand. “I know you miss him, honey. I do too. I don’t know why the Lord took Grandpa to heaven instead of giving him more time here with us, but…” She paused and held up her needlework so Marta could see the back of the canvas again. “As you pointed out, this side of the picture isn’t very pretty.” She turned the cloth over to the finished side. “That side is much better,” said Marta. “I love the little frogs in that picture. They’re so cute!” “Yes, they are—even though I’m not finished yet.” Grandma laid the needlework back in her lap and looked at Marta. “Some things that happen to us—or to those we love—look like the tangled threads on the wrong side of a needlepoint picture,” she said softly. “But God sees the right side. His picture of our lives isn’t finished yet, and He knows what threads are needed to make it beautiful. We need to trust Him to work out every part just right, knowing that Jesus gave His life so that our lives could be a beautiful reflection of Him.” Marta picked up her grandma’s needlework and smiled. “Once this is finished and on my bed, the frogs in the picture will remind me to trust God with my life, even when things happen that I don’t understand.” –Richard S. Maffeo How about you? Has something sad happened in your life? Is it hard to understand why God allows those kinds of things to happen? When things happen that you don’t understand, trust that God is using them for good, even though you can’t see it. He loves you and will always be there to help you through the hard times, and one day you’ll be able to see the beautiful picture He’s made of your life. Today's Key Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus in everything

Read: James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:18 Sebastian was so focused on coloring the big red heart that he didn’t hear his dad come into his room. Dad stood behind him and read the poem written on the card Sebastian was making out loud. “‘Roses are red, the snow is white…you light up my life like a big headlight.’” Dad grinned. “You certainly have a way with words, son. I’m guessing this Valentine isn’t for your mom.” Sebastian looked up from his coloring. “It’s for a girl in my class. It took me two weeks to come up with that. Do you think she’ll like it?” “I think every girl likes to hear kind words. What else are you planning to do for her for Valentine’s Day?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t planning on doing anything. I was just going to wow her with words.” Dad smiled. “Your words are a great start, but you need to do something to back up what you say. Offer to clean the hamster cage when it’s her turn. Or change your poem to ‘A rosy, red rose, a white snowflake…you warm my heart like a cookie that’s baked,’ and make her a batch of cookies. Do something to prove your words have meaning.” “Did Grandpa give you this advice when you were my age?” Sebastian asked. “Believe it or not, I got this from the Bible.” Sebastian laughed. “I don’t think the Bible talks about baking cookies.” “No, but it does talk about backing up our words with action. It tells us to show the truth of our love not only through what we say, but what we do. Think of it like this. The Bible says that God loved the world and that He gave His only Son, Jesus. God doesn’t just say He loves us. He backs it up with action. And we need to do more than just say nice things to people. We need to do things that show them we care—not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day.” Sebastian pulled a fresh piece of paper from his desk drawer. “What are you doing now?” Dad asked. “Tell me that poem about baking cookies again,” said Sebastian. “I want to remake this card and then go put a batch of cookies in the oven.” –Jared Hottenstein How about you? Do you say kind words to people and tell them you care about them? That’s great, but don’t forget to back up the truth of your words with action. God wants us to build others up with our words, but He also wants us to live out our faith in what we do as well as what we say. Love others like Jesus by letting them know you care through both your words and your actions. Today's Key Verse: Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 1 John 3:18 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Live out love

Read: James 4:13-15 When Journey and her dad clapped their hands and shouted loudly, two barn swallows quickly flew out of the garage, their tails looking like forks against the blue sky. “Why can’t we let them nest in the garage, Dad?” Journey asked as she watched the birds fly over a neighbor’s house and disappear. “Our garage wouldn’t be a safe place to raise baby birds,” said Dad. “See what happens when the garage door is closed?” He pressed a button to lower the garage door. Instantly, it became dark, and the cool breeze was gone. Journey nodded. “Our garage would get too hot for them, wouldn’t it?” “Yes, and not just that. When the door is closed, the mother and father birds wouldn’t be able to go in and out and bring food for the baby birds.” Dad opened the garage door and let the cooler air back in. “I guess they’ll have to change their plans and find a new home—just like we had to change our plans and find a new home when we moved here.” Journey sighed. “Sometimes I wish our plans hadn’t gotten changed. I like living here, but I miss my old school and the friends I had there.” Dad nodded. “Mom and I liked where we lived before too. We were surprised when my company wanted us to move here, but I’m sure we’ll grow to like it.” He leaned against the wall and thought for a minute. “We can make our plans, Journey, but like the Bible says, it’s the Lord who determines our steps—and we want to follow Him wherever He leads us.” “But why would God want us to move?” “Why did we chase those birds out of the garage?” Dad asked. “Well, because we know they need to build their nest someplace else,” Journey replied. “Right. The birds don’t understand that, but we know it’s best. And we don’t know why God would want us to move, but because He loves us so much that Jesus died for us, we can trust Him to know what’s best—even when it doesn’t make sense to us.” “I know,” Journey said. “And I’m thankful He’s with us and promises to help us through the things we don’t understand.” Dad smiled. “Me too.” –Mary F. Watkins How about you? Is it hard for you to accept a change in your plans? It’s good to plan ahead, but remember that God is the one in control and that your plans may have to change in order for Him to do what’s best. Trust Him to work things out for your good, knowing He’s with you and will always help you through any difficult changes in your life. Today's Key Verse: We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Accept God’s plans for you

Read: Ephesians 2:19-22 “Hey, Blaine, what are you working on?” Dad asked as he walked into Blaine’s room. “I’m making a building out of interlocking blocks for the library contest,” Blaine said. “If I post a picture on their website, I could win a free meal at a local restaurant.” Suddenly, he frowned. “Hey, where’s my baseplate? Can you help me find it, Dad? It’s the big flat one that I have to build on to make sure the structure won’t tip over.” “All right.” Dad kneeled and began to look through the chest of blocks. He pulled out a large flat piece like Blaine had described. “Is this it?” “Yeah! Thanks, Dad.” “Do you mind if I build something too? I loved playing with blocks like this when I was younger.” Blaine nodded. “Sure.” “I think I’ll build a minivan like ours.” Dad began looking for black blocks to use for the tires. “So, did you finish reading this week’s Bible passage for Sunday school?” “I started, but I don’t really understand it. It talks about something being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the cornerstone.” “It’s talking about the church,” Dad explained. “Everyone who joins the church by trusting in Jesus is an important part of it.” He pointed at the blocks Blaine was attaching to his building. “It’s like those blocks. Imagine if you only got one block in a set! You wouldn’t be able to build a complete car, or building, or much of anything with one block. But when you have many blocks that fit together perfectly, you can build a structure that is complete.” “So, are we the blocks?” Blaine asked. “Yes! Christians make up the church the way your blocks make up the building you’re working on. And just like your baseplate, Jesus is the base of our church. It’s built on what He did to save us from sin—His death and resurrection. Like blocks that connect together, we are connected through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us and is shaping us to be more like Jesus.” Blaine nodded. “I think I understand better now. And I’m finished with my building!” “All right. I’ll take a picture,” Dad said. “I can already taste that free meal!” –Jessica Kleeberger How about you? Have you ever built something with interlocking blocks? If so, you know how much fun it is to see a bunch of tiny pieces come together to form a complete creation. The church is the same way! Each Christian belongs to the church and has a part to play in what God is building on the foundation set by Jesus. His Spirit lives in us and works through us so others can see Jesus’s love. Today's Key Verse: In [Jesus] you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:22 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: The church is built on Jesus

Read: Ephesians 4:26-32 Mei hung up the phone and walked into the living room with her arms crossed and her jaw clenched. “That was Everly.” Mom frowned. “You’re not still angry with her, are you?” “Of course I am!” said Mei. “She shouldn’t have made fun of me that way. She did it right in front of everyone, and they were all laughing at me!” “I know she hurt you, Mei, and what she did was wrong. But you can’t let bitterness fester in your heart. That’s wrong too.” Mom knelt down to scrub a spot on the carpet. “You need to deal with your anger.” Mei watched as her mother vigorously rubbed the dark spot on the carpet. “Do you think that will ever come out?” she asked. “It doesn’t really look much better than before.” “I hope it will,” said Mom. “Of course, it would have come out a lot easier if I had cleaned it right after the juice was spilled.” Mom wiped sweat off her face and glanced up at Mei. “You should deal with your anger the way I should have dealt with this stain.” Mei frowned. “What do you mean?” Mom continued to rub the dark blotch. “Time has allowed this stain to penetrate into the carpet fibers. Once it’s soaked in and dried, it’s really hard to remove all traces of it. Anger does something like that to your heart. If you let it stay and saturate there, it becomes more and more difficult to remove. Over time, it can grow into bitterness and rage.” Mei looked at the stain on the carpet and sighed. “I don’t know how I can stop being mad at Everly, but I want to.” “Good for you!” Mom said. “Start by talking to Jesus about it, and trust Him to help you forgive others the way He’s forgiven you. And pray for Everly too. It’s hard to be angry with someone you’re praying for. With God’s help, you can replace your bitterness with His love. Then maybe you should call Everly and ask her to come over so you can talk about what happened.” Mei nodded. “Okay,” she said. “I will.” –Suzanne Daly How about you? Are you angry about something? Anger isn’t a bad emotion, but left unchecked, it can fester into bitterness or rage. Don’t let anger build up in your heart. Ask Jesus to help you when you’re struggling with something someone did to you. He is with you and knows your pain, and He gives you the power to forgive others the way He’s forgiven you. Trust Him to replace your anger and bitterness with His love. Today's Key Verse: Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. Psalm 37:8 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Deal with anger now

Read: Psalm 143:8-10; 1 John 4:1-6 “Dad, what are those ropes on the side of the road?” asked six-year-old Arthur as they drove down the highway. “Those are called guardrails,” Dad replied. “Sometimes guardrails are made of wide metal bands, and sometimes they’re heavy wire ropes. They’re to make sure people driving on the highway stay on the road.” “Why would they want to leave the road?” Arthur asked. “They wouldn’t want to leave the road,” said Arthur’s brother, Keaton. “But sometimes people have accidents. Like in winter. If the road gets slippery, cars might run into each other and go off the road.” Dad nodded. “Or drivers may not be paying attention to what they’re doing, or they may get sleepy and swerve off the highway. Then those guardrails would catch their cars before they could roll down the hill at the side of the road. Without the guardrails, the cars would suffer much more serious damage—and the people inside them could have more serious injuries.” “Wow!” Arthur said. “Then I’m glad they’re there. They’re really important!” “Yes, they are.” Dad smiled. “You know, God’s Word can be like a guardrail. Just like guardrails protect us on the highway, reading the Bible can protect us from false teaching.” “What do you mean?” asked Keaton. “The Bible shows us what comes from God and what doesn’t,” said Dad. “It shows us who God is, and if we know Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit to help us understand His Word and use it to test ideas we come into contact with. The Bible helps us recognize when something is false teaching and not the truth.” “Like what that person was saying on the radio earlier?” asked Keaton. “The one who said all religions lead to God?” “Right. That’s not what the Bible says—it says the only way to have eternal life with God is by trusting Jesus to save us from sin.” Dad sighed. “We hear so much in the world that’s untrue, which is why we need to be careful not to veer off the right path in our spiritual lives. As we read the Bible and learn about it at church, we can trust the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom about what it says so we can guard our hearts against falsehoods.” –Robert Truesdale How about you? Do you read the Bible regularly? Do you check it when you’re not sure about something you’ve heard? As you learn what God says in His Word, the Holy Spirit will use it to give you wisdom and help you recognize Satan’s lies. So keep reading the Bible and studying it, and trust God to use it to help you stay on the right road in your walk with Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. 1 John 4:1 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God’s Word contains truth

Read: Ephesians 2:4-7 Harvey threw a baseball toward his dad. “What if I do all this practicing and I still don’t make the team?” Dad grinned. “I’ll still love you.” Harvey sighed. “You’ll always love me. You say that all the time.” “God will always love you too.” Dad lifted his arm. “Get ready to swing.” The ball came toward Harvey. He swung hard, but his bat didn’t connect with the ball. “This is what I mean.” Harvey went to get the ball so he could try again. “What if I somehow make the team and then I strike out every time I’m up? My teammates are going to hate me.” “If we keep practicing, I don’t think that will happen,” Dad said. “But even if it does, I will still love you, and God will still love you too.” Harvey threw the ball back to his dad. Dad held on to it as he looked over at him. “God and I will still love you, Harvey, but how will you feel about yourself? Do you feel like you have to do well to be deserving of love? What’s going through your head, bud?” Harvey looked down at the ground. “Ever since Mom left, I find it hard to believe that anyone really loves me. Even you and God. Sometimes I don’t like myself too much either.” He heard footsteps and knew his dad was coming over to him, but he was surprised when Dad knelt on the ground in front of him. “Bud?” His dad looked up into his eyes. “You are so worthy of love. You can’t imagine how much I care about you and how much God loves you. He sent Jesus to die for you so you could be His child! Your mom leaving had nothing to do with you or anything you have or haven’t done.” “But…a mom shouldn’t leave her kid.” Harvey blinked his eyes hard. “No, she shouldn’t.” Dad dropped the baseball and wrapped his arms around Harvey. “But what she did doesn’t change your value in my eyes or God’s eyes, and it shouldn’t change how you think about yourself either. God will always love you, and I will too.” –Emily Acker How about you? Do you let what others think about you affect how you see yourself? You have great value in God’s eyes, and nothing will ever change how He feels about you. He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for your sins so you could belong to Him forever. He cares about you so much and will never, ever leave you. When others let you down, know that He is with you and that you are loved. Today's Key Verse: As the Father loved Me [Jesus], I also have loved you; abide in My love. John 15:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: You are very loved

Read: Luke 16:1-10 Mina pouted as her older sister, Jackie, folded a pastel quilt and placed it on top of a large stack of quilts their mother had made. “Ready to go?” Mom asked as she hurried into the living room. Kitty, Mina and Jackie’s toddler sister, giggled as she bounced on Mom’s hip. “Ready!” Jackie replied, grinning. “Why can’t I go to the craft fair too?” Mina whined. “Dad will take you and Kitty this afternoon,” Mom said. “But babysitting Kitty is boring,” Mina said. “I want to help at the fair!” “Shh, don’t listen to her,” Jackie said teasingly, cupping her hands over Kitty’s ears. Mom passed Kitty to Jackie and led Mina to the couch. “Mina, we’ve talked about this. You are helping me by babysitting.” “But why does Jackie get to work at the booth and I don’t? Do you love Jackie more than me?” Mina wailed. Jackie groaned. “Mina, please. You don’t really believe that. If it means that much to you, I can watch Kitty and you can go with Mom.” “Really?” Mina asked, hopping to her feet. “Yay!” “Hold on,” Mom said. “I appreciate your willingness, Jackie, but I will make the final call. Mina, there’s a reason why I chose Jackie, even though I love all three of you equally.” “Why?” Mina asked, slumping back down. “Jackie already spent years babysitting both you and Kitty. Because I can trust her with smaller responsibilities, I can give her bigger responsibilities. Even now, she put your interests before her own.” “Oh,” Mina whispered. “Believe it or not, I’m doing this out of my love for you, based on Jesus’s example,” Mom said. “Jesus loves us and is shaping us to be more like Him, and He offers us opportunities to be faithful and show His love to others. But because He knows us so well, He only gives us challenges we can handle. I want to give you a task you can succeed in to encourage and prepare you for bigger challenges to come.” Mina nodded. “I guess you’re right. I’ll be faithful by taking care of Kitty today.” Mom hugged Mina. “Thank you.” –Hannah Chung How about you? Have you ever been given a task that felt too simple? Maybe you’ve compared yourself to older siblings or friends who were given tasks you wanted instead. Jesus was always willing to do anything God asked of Him, from washing dirty feet to dying on the cross for us. As you experience Jesus’s love, you will realize any task is important when it shows others His love and faithfulness. Today's Key Verse: Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much. Luke 16:10 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Even small tasks help us grow

Read: Luke 15:11-24 Brock was sprawled on his bed with a book when Seth, his older brother, came into the room. “Hey, Brock, did you know that Dakota Smith talked with Pastor Briggs after church yesterday and decided to trust Jesus as his Savior?” “Great,” Brock said halfheartedly. “Maybe he’ll stay out of trouble now.” Then he frowned. “But what if he doesn’t? What happens if he sins again? I always wonder about that. Or even you—you’re a Christian. What if you sin again?” “You mean you think I don’t sin?” Seth grinned. “Wow! Go on thinking that!” “But what if you started doing really bad things?” Brock asked. “Well, sometimes Christians do really bad things, Brock. But when I do something wrong, that doesn’t mean I’m not saved anymore. I’m God’s child forever.” “I don’t know,” said Brock doubtfully. “I don’t want to trust in Jesus till I’m sure I can live right.” “Brock, no one can live right—that’s why Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We can only be good in God’s eyes by trusting in Him.” But Brock still wasn’t sure, and Seth couldn’t convince him otherwise. A few days later, an older boy from church crashed his parents’ car while driving it recklessly. “Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are so upset,” Mom said. “But they’re glad Caden’s okay.” After Mom left the room, Seth turned to his brother. “It’s too bad Caden’s not a Peterson anymore, isn’t it?” “What are you talking about?” asked Brock. “Well, Caden took his parents’ car without permission and crashed it into a tree.” “But he’s still a Peterson,” said Brock. “He’s still their son.” “Right,” said Seth. “And just like Caden still belongs to the Peterson family, a Christian who sins still belongs to God’s family. Once you trust in Jesus, you’re God’s child forever. Christians still sin, but when we admit our mistakes to Jesus, He forgives us. If you wait until you’re good enough to trust in Jesus, it’s never going to happen. Only He is good, and once you’re part of His family, He will help you live in a way that shows His goodness to others.” Slowly, Brock nodded. He was beginning to understand. –Agnes Livezey How about you? Have you put off trusting in Jesus because you think you can’t live the way a Christian should? When you know Jesus, He forgives you when you sin and gives you the ability to do what’s right. Once you become part of God’s family, you’re His child forever. Nothing can change that. If you haven’t joined His family, don’t wait any longer. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. John 10:28 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: You are God’s child forever

Read: Matthew 25:31-40; Philippians 2:3-8 “Mom!” Jade called as she ran into the kitchen. “What’s up?” Jade’s mom asked from where she stood kneading bread dough. “I just saw an ad about kids who don’t have enough food to eat or clothes to wear, and I want to help, Mom!” Jade explained in a rush. Mom dusted flour off her hands. “Jade, I’m so glad you want to help and serve others. Why don’t we start with Mr. Barton?” Mom turned to the cabinet and pulled down two cans. “I have this chicken noodle soup that we can drop off to him since he’s sick.” Jade frowned. “But he lives just down the street. I want to help people in a poor country in another part of the world.” “He’s an older man who lives alone,” said Mom. “It’s hard for him to afford groceries or cook, and he can’t drive anymore. We can show kindness to Mr. Barton by helping him out.” “He’s just one person, Mom! I want to help lots and lots of people!” Jade exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. Mom removed her apron. “Jade, remember when you trusted Jesus as your Savior last year?” Jade nodded. “Of course I remember.” “Well,” Mom continued, “when you trusted Jesus to forgive your sins, the Holy Spirit came to live in your heart. He gives you the desire and ability to love and help others so they can know Jesus loves them too.” “Then isn’t it good that I want to help lots of people?” Jade asked. “Of course!” Mom smiled. “Jesus doesn’t want us to forget about people in faraway places. But He wants us to look for opportunities to bless people who are nearby too.” “So serving one person is just as important as helping out lots of people?” Mom nodded. “Jesus said that whenever we serve even one person, we are actually serving Jesus Himself.” “Wow!” Jade’s eyes grew big. “Let’s take Mr. Barton the soup right now. I’ll grab a jug of orange juice from the fridge too. Come on, Mom! We have important helping to do!” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? Has God given you a desire to help people around the world who are struggling? What about people in your hometown or church? Or just one person down the street? When we help others, we show them Christ’s love. You don’t need lots of money or have to go someplace far away to live out His love. Helping a neighbor, friend, sibling, or whoever God places in your life is a wonderful chance to serve Jesus by serving others. Today's Key Verse: The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Serve others near and far

Read: Genesis 1:26; 2:15; Psalm 128:1-2 “I’m outta here!” Micah dunked an old cleaning rag in the trash can and ran into the house. Calvin looked around at his half of the garage, then at the other half that had been Micah’s responsibility to clean. What a difference! He knew Micah had worked a lot harder than he had. Now Micah was finished and could go to the ball game. Calvin scowled. He hated cleaning the garage! By the time Calvin finished, the game had been going for an hour. “I’m done!” he called to his mother as he entered the house. “Will you take me to school so I can see the rest of the game?” “No, Calvin. You should have been ready when I took Micah. I’m cooking dinner now.” Calvin sighed. “What are you making?” “Chicken tacos and lemon-garlic potatoes,” Mom replied. “Yum!” Calvin’s mouth watered as he thought about biting into a taco. “You make the best food. You must love to cook.” Mom shrugged. “Not always—it can be hard, messy work sometimes. But I do it because I want to provide you and Micah and Dad with healthy food that you enjoy.” Calvin was surprised. “I sure wouldn’t do all that work if I didn’t have to!” “Calvin,” Mom said, “did you know that work is part of God’s loving plan for us?” “No,” Calvin muttered. “I kind of figured work was more like God’s way of punishing us.” Mom shook her head. “Work is a good thing. The first thing God did after He created Adam and Eve was give them work to do. It was the curse of sin that made work difficult, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find joy and satisfaction in our work.” “How do we do that?” asked Calvin. “By remembering that God has done the most important work of all. Jesus saved us by dying for our sins, and God is working in our lives to make us more like Him—and that means the work we do is important. He uses it to help us learn and grow and show others who He is.” “He does?” Calvin smiled. “I guess work isn’t so bad after all.” “I’m glad to hear you say that.” Mom handed him a bowl. “Because I could really use some help peeling potatoes!” –Agnes Livezey How about you? Do you hate work? Do you complain about it or avoid doing it? God created work to be a good thing, but when sin entered the world, work became difficult. The good news is that because Jesus did the most difficult work of all—dying for our sins—we can find joy in our work. Even when you have to do things that seem boring or unimportant, do them for Jesus, knowing He’ll use your efforts for good. Today's Key Verse: Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people. Colossians 3:23 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Find joy in work

Read: Matthew 10:28-31 “Shall I brush your hair before you go to bed, sweetie?” Grandma asked. Jiya, who was spending the night with her grandparents, nodded and got her hairbrush. Her scalp tingled as Grandma brushed her hair with long, gentle strokes. When she finished, Grandma handed the brush to Jiya. “There, now. Why don’t you clean the hair out of the brush so it’ll be all ready for next time?” Jiya carried the brush to the wastebasket. “When you brush my hair, a lot comes out, Grandma,” she said as she pulled out strands that had twisted around the bristles. “Am I going to be bald like Grandpa?” Grandma chuckled. “No, you don’t have to worry about that, sweetheart. It’s normal to lose up to a hundred hairs a day, but you have many more than that on your head—maybe a hundred thousand.” “Wow!” said Jiya. “That’s a lot! I wonder who counted them.” “Well, God keeps count of every one,” Grandma said. “He does?” “That’s right. The Bible says the hairs on our heads are all numbered. I think that shows He loves us very much, don’t you?” Jiya nodded. “The first verse I ever learned was John 3:16—‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…’” She paused, thinking hard. “God loves me so much He sent Jesus to die for me, and He cares how many hairs I have. That’s awesome!” “Yes, God is awesome,” Grandma said, pulling back the sheets on Jiya’s bed. “He even knows when a hair falls out, and He cares for you and watches over you day and night.” “Even when I’m sleeping,” Jiya said with a yawn. Grandma smiled. “Yes, and I can see that it’s time for you to snuggle into bed. Go tell Grandpa goodnight and then I’ll tuck you in.” “Okay. And I’ll tell him not to worry about his hair,” Jiya said, heading for the bedroom door. “I’ll tell him God cares how many hairs he has and won’t let him lose more than he should.” –Kim Sheard How about you? Are you aware that God knows everything about you—including how many hairs are on your head? He knows when you’re happy and when you’re sad. He watches over you when you’re awake and when you’re sleeping. He loves you so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you, and He cares about every detail of your life. He is truly an awesome God! Today's Key Verse: The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10:30 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: God cares for you

Read: Job 1:1-3, 13-21; 3:25; Matthew 6:33-34 Mom found Clare crying in the backyard, watching her dog, Sheba, paw at leaves in the flower bed. “What’s the matter, honey?” “I don’t want Sheba to get sick,” Clare said. “I know the vet took that lump off her leg, but she said it could come back.” “It could, but maybe it won’t,” said Mom. “It may never come back.” “But what if it does?” Clare sniffed. “I don’t want Sheba to die.” “Of course you don’t,” said Mom, giving Clare a hug. “But worrying about that is keeping you from enjoying her. You look just as sad now as you would if she died.” Mom bent down to pet Sheba. “Do you remember what happened to Job?” “Job?” asked Clare. “You mean the man in the Bible?” “Yes,” said Mom. “He had plenty to be happy about—a big family, lots of money. Then he lost everything. After Job’s problems started, he said, ‘What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.’” “That doesn’t make me feel better,” said Clare. “Wait! I have a point.” Mom dried a tear from Clare’s cheek. “All those years, he had his family with him. He had prosperity and success. Do you think his worrying helped him enjoy those things?” “No,” said Clare, petting Sheba’s head. “And did being afraid of losing everything stop it from happening?” asked Mom. Clare hugged Sheba. “No. But what can I do about being sad? It doesn’t have an off button.” “No, but we have a choice when it comes to worrying about sad things that might happen,” said Mom. “We can worry, which doesn’t help anyway, or we can remember that Jesus died for us and will always be with us and thank Him for the good things we have today—like Sheba. We can talk to Him about troubling things and trust Him to work them out. Job did that. He continued to love and believe in God.” Mom picked up a ball and looked at Sheba, who wagged her tail. “I think she needs a playmate,” said Mom, throwing the ball. Clare took off running. “Come on, Sheba! I bet I can get that ball before you do.” Sheba quickly caught up with her, and together they raced across the lawn. –Elise L. Perl How about you? Do you worry about what might happen tomorrow? If worrying keeps you focused on what might go wrong, you can’t enjoy what you have right now. When you start to worry, pray about the problem, and talk to a parent or another adult about it. Then choose to thank Jesus for the many blessings you do have and enjoy them as you trust in Him. Today's Key Verse: Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Enjoy your blessings today

Read: Psalm 119:9-16; Acts 2:40-44 Oliver was passing the kitchen door when he heard his little brother’s voice. “Dad, can I please have those shoes? They’re the kind Daryl Stewart wears.” Oliver grinned and went into the kitchen. “Do you think that since Daryl Stewart is a basketball star those shoes will automatically turn you into a great player?” Jude shrugged. “They might help.” “Jude,” said Dad, “you know it’s effort, not a fancy pair of shoes, that will help make you a good basketball player.” Oliver nodded. “Dad’s right, Jude. If you practice every day, you’ll get better and better, no matter what kind of shoes you wear.” Jude looked a bit disappointed. “Guess I’ll start practicing then,” he said with a sigh and headed for the door. Oliver grinned at his dad. “I was about to head over to Bible study at church, but I think I’ll stay and help Jude with his basketball practice instead.” Dad motioned toward Oliver’s Bible on the kitchen counter. “Grandma gave each of you kids a new Bible for Christmas, didn’t she?” he asked. “Is that it?” Oliver nodded. “Yep. My name’s on the cover. Isn’t that cool?” He smoothed his hand over the embossed name. Dad nodded thoughtfully. “Nice shoes and nice Bibles are great, but just having them doesn’t make you a good player or help you grow spiritually, does it?” It took a moment for Oliver to realize what his dad meant. “You’re saying that just like Jude needs to practice to become a better basketball player, I need to learn from God by spending time in His Word.” Dad nodded. “And one really great way to do that is to study the Bible with other believers. After all, you can’t learn to play basketball all by yourself, can you? You need to practice and learn from the coach as a team. Jesus never meant for us to live the Christian life alone—He puts other believers in our lives so we can learn to walk with Him together and love and support each other along the way. That’s a big way He shows us who He is, and why church and Bible studies are so important.” “Okay, Dad,” Oliver said. “I’ll go to Bible study. I don’t want to miss practice with my spiritual team!” –A. J. Schut How about you? Do you want to get to know Jesus more and more? To improve in sports, you need to learn the game and spend time practicing. To deepen your relationship with God, you need to learn about who He is, and a good way to do that is to spend time in His Word—both by yourself and with other believers. Spend time with other Christians so you can learn about Jesus together and encourage each other in your walk with Him. Today's Key Verse: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Learn with other Christians

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12-15 Sierra shut her bedroom door and tossed her backpack onto the bed. She set her cat, Tommy, on the floor. “Stay away from the curtains, Tommy,” she warned. “You know you always get stuck in them.” Sierra flopped onto her bed and opened her backpack. After digging around a moment, she pulled out a book. “What do you think, Tommy? Should I?” Tommy didn’t answer. He was staring at the lace curtain waving in the breeze from the window. Sierra tossed the book onto the bed beside her. “I know Mom told me not to read these kinds of books, but all my friends read them. They can’t be that bad, can they?” She picked the book up again. The cover looked interesting. She flipped it over and read the back for the tenth time. A few pages couldn’t hurt. Sierra opened the book and soon had read several pages. Then a quick movement made her jump. It was only Tommy, she realized with relief. He had pounced on the curtain. His claws were caught in the fabric, and he hung down, his full length stretched out. He was helpless. “Silly cat, leave the curtain alone!” Sierra freed him, and he marched across the room and sat with his back to the curtain. Sierra turned to her book again. She knew she shouldn’t read any more, but soon she was engrossed again. She had finished the first chapter when a sound caught her attention. She looked up and stared in disbelief. Tommy was hanging from the curtain again. The temptation had been too great. Sierra began to laugh. “Tommy, you should know better, after all the times you’ve gotten stuck. Resist the temptation! You should—” Sierra stopped and stared at Tommy and then at the book in her hand. She dropped the book as though it were on fire. I’m acting just like Tommy, she thought. But he can’t resist temptation, and I can, because Jesus gives me the power to say no to sin. She loosened Tommy from the curtain again, then picked up the book and placed it in her backpack. “I’m going to return this book and ask Jesus to forgive me for disobeying Mom,” she told her cat. “I don’t want to become ensnared like you!” –Christa Long How about you? Have you ever given in to temptation and regretted it later? When you give in to sinful desires, it’s easy to get stuck. But there’s good news—Jesus gives us the power to resist temptation. Confess the wrong you’ve done to Him, and He will forgive you and help you do what’s right. 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: Resist temptation

Read: Psalm 40:1-5; Ephesians 2:4-7 The waves crashed as Graham sat on the beach. Even though he was vacationing with his friend Omar and his family, his thoughts were dark. Back home, things were anything but a fun day at the beach. No one wants me, Graham thought to himself. Mom and Dad are too busy fighting to notice me. Except when I get bad grades. That’s the only time my teacher notices me too. Graham held back tears as his thoughts ran on. I can’t do anything right. I wish I’d never been born! Just then Omar’s grandfather came over. “Mind if I sit down?” Graham nodded and watched as the elderly man began to chip small bits from an old piece of driftwood. “What are you going to do with that?” Graham asked. “Oh, I have great plans for this old piece of wood,” replied the man. “I’m carving a whale this time. I like to carve sea animals.” He lifted a beautifully carved dolphin from his bag and handed it to Graham. “Here’s one I finished recently.” “Wow!” Graham held up the dolphin, then looked again at the wood the man was carving. “That driftwood you’re working on now is so old and dirty. It looks worthless! How can something as cool as this come from junk like that?” The man smiled. “It takes time, work, and skill to get rid of the dirt and make something beautiful from the wood. I carve it carefully, sand it, and polish it.” He turned the wood over in his hand. “This driftwood is something like me.” “Like you?” asked Graham. “How’s that?” “There was a time when I felt worthless—like all the things I did and said were wrong and I might as well give up. In fact, even though I know better now, I still feel that way sometimes. Ever feel that way yourself?” Graham nodded. “Well, we’re definitely not worthless—not to God,” said the man. “Whenever bad things happen in my life or I feel worthless, I remember that Jesus loves me so much that He died and rose again to make me His. When I trusted Him to save me, He made me into something beautiful. Have you asked Him to do that for you?” Graham shook his head and sat up straighter. He was eager to hear more about how Jesus could make something beautiful out of his life. –Harry C. Trover How about you? Do you sometimes feel worthless, as if nothing you do is any good? Everyone does wrong, and there’s a lot of pain and hardship in the world because of it. But you’re special to God. He made you, He loves you, and He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you. When you trust in Jesus, He makes you into something beautiful. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Jesus makes us beautiful

Read: Matthew 5:14-16; John 1:1-14 “Come on, Dad. We’re ready,” called Lina. They had all gathered for family night. It was storming outside, but in the den, they felt snug and cozy with plenty of games and popcorn. “Coming,” Dad called from the bedroom. Just then the power went out. “Oh no!” said Manuel. “No lights!” “Now what do we do?” Lina asked. “Honey,” Mom called, “bring that big candle from the bedroom, please. There are matches in the drawer there too.” “Okay,” said Dad. “I hope I can find them in the dark—ouch! Stubbed my toe on the dresser!” A moment later they saw a glow in the bedroom as Dad lit a match, and he soon arrived in the den with the flickering candle. “I hope the power won’t be off long,” said Manuel. He was eager to play games and munch on popcorn. “I don’t even care. I like the room with just the candlelight,” Lina said. Before long, they all agreed they could see well enough to play a game. “It’s amazing to see what a difference a small light makes, isn’t it?” said Mom. Lina nodded. “When the lights first went out, the dark seemed kind of scary, but when Dad brought in the candle, it lit up the whole room.” “A dark room may seem scary,” said Dad, “but it’s not nearly as scary as the darkness of sin. Without the light of Jesus, we’d have good reason to live in fear. But because He came into the world to save us and give us His light, we no longer have to go on stumbling in darkness.” “Like you were in the bedroom when you stubbed your toe, Dad?” Manuel asked with a grin. Dad chuckled. “Right. Jesus brings the light of His love into our lives, and we can share that light with others—just like I shared the light of this candle with you by bringing it in here from the bedroom.” “So we have to let our lights shine, just like it said in the verse I learned at church last week,” Lina said. “We need to tell people about Jesus and let them know how much He loves them.” –Robert Truesdale How about you? Are you sharing the light of Jesus’s love with those around you? Don’t hide His light because you’re embarrassed about what others might think or say about you. When we were stumbling in the darkness of sin, Jesus came to save us even though He knew many people would reject Him. If you have His light in your life, share it with those around you. Tell others about Him and show His love in all 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 the light of Jesus

Read: Psalm 18:31-36 “I knew I’d win a prize. I just knew it!” Jack stroked the shiny blue ribbon he was holding and grinned, remembering how quickly his horse had stood straight and still, with ears flicked forward. “Blaze was the best because he had the best trainer—me!” “You did a good job training your horse,” Dad said. “But remember, you didn’t train him alone.” “Yes, I did,” said Jack. “No one helped me—at least not much. I don’t need help. I know everything about…” He paused as Dad suddenly slowed down and stopped at the side of the road. “Aha!” Dad said. “I thought I saw something odd.” “What?” asked Jack, peering out the window. “Come and see.” Jack got out and followed Dad to a fence that ran beside the road. “Look.” Dad stopped beside one of the thick, round fence posts. A big turtle sat on top of it, sleeping in the sun. Jack was flabbergasted. “How did he climb up there?” “Well, I’d say someone must have put him there,” said Dad. “But he probably never even saw the hands that picked him up!” He lifted the turtle and set him on the ground. “Or the hands that put him down. When he sees his friends again, maybe he’ll tell them—in turtle language, of course—that he got up on that post and back down again all by himself.” Jack had a feeling Dad was talking about more than just the turtle. “Invisible hands,” said Dad softly. “I’d say that’s the help you had in training Blaze—God’s invisible hands.” “You mean God helped me?” asked Jack. “God helped me train a horse?” Dad nodded. “God gave you a brain and arms and legs and the ability to learn how to train Blaze—and people who taught you how to do it. Right?” “Well, yeah,” Jack said thoughtfully. “So…” “So maybe He deserves some credit?” suggested Dad. “After all, if Jesus hadn’t died and rose again to save us, none of our accomplishments would mean a thing. But He did save us, and He’s given us the abilities we have so we can use them to point to Him and everything He’s done for us.” Jack sighed. “You’re right, Dad. I owe Him everything. He deserves the credit, not me.” –Jane K. Chase How about you? Do you give God the credit for your accomplishments, like getting good grades or winning at sports? Or do you let others think it’s all you? It’s okay to feel good about things you do well, but don’t forget to thank God for each success—after all, He’s the one who created you, saved you from sin, and blessed you with everything you have and are able to do. Nothing you do compares to what He’s done, so give Him the credit He deserves. Today's Key Verse: If anyone wants to be proud, he should be proud of what the Lord has done. 2 Corinthians 10:17 (NLV) Today's Key Thought: Give God credit for everything

Read: Psalms 95:1-7; 96:11-13 Gannon’s mom plopped the mushy, still-warm mound onto the coffee table for him to enjoy. After locating a recipe for homemade playdough online, Mom and Gannon gathered the ingredients and started creating. He was so excited to see the first batch! Gannon pressed his small hands into the stretchy substance, pulling it this way and that. “It feels perfect, Mommy! I like it!” he exclaimed. “How did you do this?” Gannon asked. “You must be the goodest playdough maker in the world!” Gannon’s mother smiled and settled on the rug beside the coffee table. “As much as you enjoy what I made for you, I’m just as happy about the playdough as you are,” she said. “You are?” Gannon rolled the dough between his hands. “Yep, I love to see how much joy it gives you. To know I made something for you that brings you pleasure is a blessing to me.” Then she picked up a lump of playdough and began pressing it into shape. “I’m not the only one who likes creating things for their children to enjoy,” Mom continued. “I mixed together some items from our pantry to make the playdough—but think about what God created.” “Yeah! Oceans, mountains, flowers…even koalas!” Gannon exclaimed. Mom laughed. “Yes, even koalas. And God created all of that out of nothing.” “Not even stuff from the pantry,” Gannon said. “That’s right. God shows us His glory through His handiwork in the world, and He likes it when we enjoy His creation.” “The world is a neat gift from God.” Gannon twirled his playdough into a bird’s nest. “It is, and when we know God as His children—by trusting in Jesus, who lived a perfect life and then died to take the punishment for our sins—we understand how God loves to show us His love. He gives us good gifts, like the beautiful world we live in, and the gift of Jesus so we could become His children.” “Mommy, we should say thank you to God for the world He made, for Jesus—and for this good playdough!” –Allison Wilson Lee How about you? When you play outside, do you notice the world around you? God created it for you to enjoy—the sun and moon to give you light, grass for you to play on, and animals for you to see and learn about. God not only created a beautiful world because He loves you; He also sent His Son, Jesus, so you could have eternal life. Next time you go outside, let the world God made remind you of His love! Today's Key Verse: He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God gives good gifts