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

Read: Isaiah 1:16-20 The school bus was expected any minute, so Ethan shoveled his cereal into his mouth. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw his baby sister, Addy, pick up his tablet. He dropped his spoon, darted across the kitchen, and snatched it from her hands. “Don’t touch that!” he yelled. “I told you not to touch my stuff. You break everything!” Addy burst into tears, and Mom came hurrying into the room and picked her up. “What happened?” she asked. “Addy was messing with my stuff again,” Ethan said. “She’s so annoying!” Mom sighed. “I’m sorry, Ethan, I wasn’t paying attention to what she was doing. But you also need to be more careful about not putting your things where she can reach them. And you know yelling at her like that scares her and is not the way we solve problems.” Ethan bit his lip, feeling guilty. “I didn’t mean to make her cry. I’m sorry, Addy.” He gave Addy a hug, and she calmed down. Ethan frowned as he put his cereal bowl in the sink. “I shouldn’t have yelled at her. Is God disappointed in me?” Mom ruffled his hair. “God knows we all mess up. That’s why He sent Jesus to die for us—so we could be forgiven for the wrong things we do. You can tell Him you’re sorry.” “But how do we know that God’s forgiven us?” Ethan asked. Mom smiled. “Do you think your school bus is coming? Even though you can’t see it yet?” She pointed out the window. “Of course,” Ethan said. “Why?” “Because it comes every school day,” Ethan replied. “God is like that,” Mom said. “He never changes. You can always count on Him to forgive you because Jesus died for you—and He’ll help you be more patient with Addy too.” Ethan smiled. “I’m going to ask God to help me be nicer to her and set a better example.” The school bus pulled up, and Ethan looked at the clock. Eight-fifteen a.m. Just like every morning. He grabbed his backpack and ran out the door. It was nice to have things he could count on. –Abigail Singrey How about you? What are some things in your life that you can count on? Maybe you eat the same thing for breakfast every day, or your parents say the same thing to you every night before you go to bed. Like the sun rising every morning, we can count on God to forgive us when we make mistakes. Jesus died for our sins so our wrongs wouldn’t be counted against us. Confess your sins to Him and trust Him to forgive you. Today's Key Verse: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: We can count on God’s forgiveness

Editor’s note: This story’s subject matter may not be suitable for young children. Read: Ephesians 6:1-3 It’s not fair, Ruth typed into her phone. Mom lets Jubilee go out with her friends after school all the time. Three little dots floated in a pale blue bubble as Ben typed back. She just doesn’t want to admit you’re old enough to start making your own decisions. Ruth stared at Ben’s profile picture. His big blue eyes smiled back at her. They hadn’t met in real life yet, but it seemed like he understood her better than anyone in the world. So what if he was as old as her big sister? He was nice and funny. And he liked her. He’d told her so more than once. So, have you decided? Ruth’s heart skipped a beat at Ben’s next message. It’s just the park. You’ll be home before your mom even misses you. He’s right, Ruth thought. Mom’s treating me like a baby. She started typing OK when a verse she’d memorized barged its way into her brain: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ruth stopped. It was like someone spoke the words out loud. Just last week her youth group leader had reminded her that her mom was a blessing from God. He’d put her in Ruth’s life because He loved her. God was helping Ruth grow in her faith in Jesus and become more like Him. That’s why He wanted her to obey Mom’s rules—not to spoil her fun. But was meeting a friend so bad? Another thought came to mind. Her friends didn’t know Ben either. He’d sent her a friend request one day, and she’d let him into her life without question. She’d been talking to a stranger for two months and lying to everyone about it because he’d asked her to keep their friendship a secret. At first it was exciting. Now she was scared. Ruth’s hands shook as she typed: I can’t. Ben said, I thought we were friends. Ruth’s heart sank. She answered, Friends don’t ask friends to lie to their parents. Ben’s next words weren’t very friendly at all. Ruth made her choice. It didn’t matter if she got in trouble or not, it was time to talk to her mom. “Mom?” Ruth took a deep breath and started down the hall. “I need to tell you something.” –Jennifer Lindsay How about you? Have you ever been tempted to break the rules because they seemed unfair? Sometimes it may feel like your parents are trying to make your life hard or stop you from having fun, but God placed them in your life because He loves you. Trust that He’s protecting you and making you more like Jesus as He teaches you to obey your parents. When you obey them, you obey Him. If someone is trying to talk to you and have you keep it a secret, tell a trusted adult right away. Today's Key Verse: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Obey your parents

Read: 1 John 3:1-3 Elsa was eager to find Maggie at school. “Remember how much fun it was to pretend we were princesses?” she asked her friend. “Well, guess what? My dad says I really am one! I’m a child of God, so I’m a child of the King because God is King of everything!” “I’ve never heard that before,” Maggie said doubtfully. “It’s what the Bible says,” Elsa replied. “Anyone who trusts in Jesus is a child of God. You can be His child too! Don’t you want to be?” Maggie just shrugged. After school the girls went over to Maggie’s house, but Elsa didn’t stay very long. “I’m not playing with Maggie anymore!” she said as she burst into the kitchen. “We pretended to be princesses again, and she kept all the prettiest dresses for herself. She wouldn’t let me wear any of them. Then when I got off my throne for just a second, she took it!” Mom frowned. “Are you sure you weren’t trying to get all the best things for yourself?” “But I was her guest—and I really am a child of the King, and she’s not,” Elsa replied. “I told Maggie that, but she wouldn’t even give me back my throne.” Elsa scowled. “But I showed her!” Mom raised her eyebrows. “What did you do?” “I threw her stuff at her and told her she looked ugly in those dresses anyway, and then I ran home.” “Elsa,” Mom said quietly, “do you think you acted like a princess today? The Bible says that when we trust Jesus to save us from our sin and become God’s children, He makes us new people. The Holy Spirit comes into our hearts so we can live pure lives that show others we belong to the King. Do you think your actions today were pure? Do you think your attitude showed Maggie what Jesus was like and made her want to become God’s child?” “I guess not,” Elsa admitted. “Can I go back and apologize?” “Sure,” said Mom. “That will help Maggie see what it’s like to be a real princess—a daughter of the King of kings!” –Victoria Johnson How about you? Do you act the way a prince or princess—a child of God—should act? Do you show others who Jesus is by treating them with love and kindness? If you belong to the King of kings, your life should show it. The Holy Spirit is making you more and more like Jesus each day. Show His love to others so they can see who He is and want to become His children too. Today's Key Verse: All who have this hope in [Jesus] purify themselves, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:3 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Live a pure life

Read: Psalm 24 “Want to come over to my house for a while?” Elsa asked as she and Maggie got off the school bus. “Okay,” said Maggie. “I’ll just have to make sure it’s okay with my mom.” After checking with Maggie’s mother, the girls had a snack and then went to Elsa’s room. “My mom gave me some of her old dresses,” Elsa said. “We could put them on and pretend to be princesses.” “Yeah! That would be fun!” After choosing dresses and putting them on, the girls made paper crowns and walked around in their long princess gowns. They sat on imaginary thrones while imaginary servants did everything they were told. When Elsa’s brother Stellan walked by, he stopped a moment and looked in. “Your Royal Highnesses,” he said dramatically, “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think you need to fire your royal stylist. Your dresses look old and outdated.” “They do not!” Maggie said indignantly. “They’re beautiful princess gowns. You’re just jealous because you’re not a prince!” Stellan laughed. “Whatever,” he said and continued down the hall. After Maggie went home, Elsa sat down to dinner with her family. Stellan passed her the bread basket. “Have a roll, Your Royal Highness,” he teased. “Tell me, are you able to butter it yourself? If not, just snap your royal fingers and someone will apply the golden butter with a golden knife.” Elsa grinned and made a face at her brother. “What’s that all about?” asked Dad. When he heard about the girls’ afternoon activities, he surprised Elsa by saying, “You want to know something? You really are a princess—and Stellan is a prince!” “What?” cried Elsa. “But you’re not a king!” “No,” said Dad, “but since you both trust Jesus as your Savior, God is your Father, and He’s the King of kings. So in a way, that makes you a princess, right?” “Cool!” said Elsa. “Maggie will be surprised to hear that! I’ll tell her about it tomorrow.” “Does Maggie know Jesus?” asked Dad. “Is she a child of the King of kings too?” “I don’t know,” said Elsa. “I’ll ask her. If not, I’ll tell her she can become a real princess too!” –Victoria Johnson How about you? Are you a child of God—the King of kings? If you know Jesus as your Savior, He has saved you from sin and made you God’s child. You might not feel like a prince or princess, but your heavenly Father is the Ruler of the universe! If you haven’t put your faith in Jesus, do it today and He will make you a child of the King of kings. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Revelation 17:14 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: God is the King of kings

Read: Matthew 6:25-34 Jacob’s throat tightened as he peered out the kitchen window. I wish we didn’t have to move, he thought. I miss my friends and my old school. After wiping his blurry eyes, he heard something chirping outside. “Look, Mom!” Jacob called. “There’s a nest under the roof over there, and a mother robin is sitting over four babies!” Mom came in from the other room. “You’re right, Jake! The mother bird will protect her babies until they’re ready to fly and live on their own.” Jacob watched as the male robin flew in and dropped a worm into the mother’s open beak. She ate part of it, then pushed it out and dropped it toward her babies’ throats. The tiny birds stretched their necks skyward, chirping until the worm was gone. “Those babies don’t ever have to worry,” Jacob said. “They are warm, safe, and well-fed.” Mom grinned. “Speaking of being well-fed, you need to eat your pancakes and get ready for school.” Jacob swallowed hard. “Mom, can I stay home? My new school is nothing like my old one. I don’t have any friends here. Besides, I’ve got a huge test today. I’ve studied, but what if I don’t do well?” Mom sat down. “You’ve gone through a lot of changes lately. It’s not easy attending a new school, is it? But I bet you can find someone to play with at recess and invite them to eat lunch with you. And I’m sure you’ll do fine on the test—you studied well. Just leave the rest to God. Remember what you said about the baby birds never having to worry?” Jacob wrinkled his brows. “Yeah, but what does that have to do with me?” “Well, Jake, God is like that mother bird. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us, and we can take refuge in the shadow of His wings. He promises to use everything in your life for good, including the hard stuff. Give Him your worries about making friends and taking tests and trust Him to take care of you and guide you. Just like that mother bird, He will provide everything you need.” –Linda Champagne How about you? Do you worry about your problems? Is there something in your life that you’re struggling with right now, like moving or making new friends? Life can be tough sometimes, and God understands that. That’s why He wants you to give all your worries to Him and trust Him to do what’s best for you. He loves you and wants to help you with every problem in your life. Today's Key Verse: How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Don’t worry

Read: Philippians 2:1-4 Chase stomped his feet to warm them while he waited at the edge of the woods for his grandpa and sister. When they caught up with him, Iris pointed. “What animal made these tracks, Grandpa?” Grandpa crouched in the fresh snow to peer at the tracks. “Let’s see. Four toes and a heel. And see what a straight line he left? I’d say a fox was here. A fox’s narrow chest lets him place one paw right in front of the other, which is why there’s a single line of prints.” They followed the trail a little way, and Grandpa pointed out places where squirrels had played tag and rabbits had been hiding. “Wow, Grandpa!” Iris said. “You’re the best tracker in the whole world!” Grandpa laughed. “All tracks tell a story.” When they got home, Chase sniffed the air. “Yum! Mom’s making pizza, and it smells like it’s ready to eat!” Iris put away her wooly coat and fuzzy mittens, but Chase dumped his coat on the floor, yanked off his boots, and turned toward the kitchen. Snow clung to the bottom of his pants in small clumps. “Chase, I can always tell when you’ve been through a room,” Grandpa said, stopping him in the hall. “You leave tracks. And just like animal tracks, what you leave behind tells a story. What kind of story do you think people get from tracks like puddles and coats on the floor?” “Umm…” Chase thought about it. “That I’m messy?” “Anything else?” asked Grandpa. Chase looked down at the puddles on the floor. “I guess it could tell people that I expect someone else to clean up my messes.” Grandpa nodded. “As Christians, the story we want our actions to tell others is how much Jesus loves them. By acting in unselfish ways—like showing others respect by picking up your things—your actions will leave tracks that tell His story. He cleaned up our mess by dying for our sins, and when we act in thoughtful, loving ways toward others, we point to Him.” Chase nodded. “I’m sorry, Grandpa. I’ll put away my things and wipe up the puddles on the floor right now.” He grinned. “From now on, you’re going to have a harder time telling where I’ve been!” –Lisa Nagel How about you? What kind of story do your tracks tell? Do your actions show others the kindness and love of Jesus—or that you’re only thinking of yourself? If you trust in Jesus, He gives you the power to leave tracks that point others to Him. Even if it’s just in small ways, like cleaning up after yourself or not cutting in line, you can tell His story through kind, loving actions. Today's Key Verse: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 (CSB) Today's Key Thought: Your actions leave tracks

Read: Matthew 7:7-11 Snow was starting to fall from the sky as Nick looked out his bedroom window, and he let out a sigh of frustration. His cousins were supposed to come that weekend, but if the roads were snowy and slippery, they wouldn’t be able to make it. Nick missed his cousins and looked forward to their visits a few times each year. He had all kinds of plans for when they arrived, and he even had their sleeping bags already set up in his room. Nick turned from the window and went downstairs, where his parents had the TV on. “Is it going to be a bad storm?” he asked as the weatherman talked away on the screen. “We’re not sure yet.” Dad got up. “Help me make some hot chocolate?” Nick wasn’t really in the mood for hot chocolate even though it was one of his favorite treats, but he followed his dad to the kitchen. “Hey, don’t look so down,” Dad said as he filled the tea kettle with water. “The roads might be clear enough by morning. We can pray that they will be.” Nick pulled his favorite mug from the cupboard. “Do you think God cares about this?” Dad set the tea kettle on the stove and turned to him with raised brows. “Do I think so? I know so. The Bible tells us over and over again how much God cares about us. He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us so we could start a new life with Him, and that means He cares about every worry or problem we have.” “So He doesn’t think it’s weird if we ask for the roads to be clear?” Nick asked. “Not at all,” Dad said. “The Bible says God knows what you need even before you ask Him. He always knows what’s on your heart and mind and wants to help you.” Dad tossed Nick a bag of marshmallows. “That doesn’t mean the roads will for sure be clear tomorrow. Sometimes He doesn’t answer our prayers the way we ask or expect. But we can always talk to Him about anything that’s on our minds and ask for His help.” “Okay.” Nick set the marshmallows down and folded his hands. “I’m going to ask right now.” –Bethany Acker How about you? When you start to worry about things, do you think to pray? God cares about everything that’s happening in your life—even the “small” things. He knows what you need even before you ask Him for help. He may not always answer your prayers the way you want, but He promises to be with you and help you. Tell Him what’s on your mind, no matter how small it seems. Today's Key Verse: Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Pray about anything on your mind

Read: Psalm 139:1-12; John 10:11-15 “I shouldn’t have let you see my test paper,” Teo said as he and his friend Joel rode the bus home after school. “I think I should tell Mr. Grant I cheated.” “Why would you do that?” asked Joel. “You didn’t cheat. I did.” “But I helped you,” said Teo, “so I cheated too.” “We’ll never do it again, so nobody will know,” said Joel. “Nobody saw us.” “God did,” said Teo. “He sees everything.” “You mean God spies on us?” Joel asked. “No, but He sees what we do. It’s more like, well…” Teo sighed, not sure how to explain what he meant. That evening Joel went with Teo’s family to a basketball game in another town. On the way home, they met a car on a two-lane country road. Teo’s dad squinted. “That guy should dim his lights,” he said. “They’re blinding me!” “Look out!” Mom exclaimed. “There’s a—” The brakes squealed and the car swerved, then stopped with a thud. A sheep had wandered into the road through a broken fence, but nobody was hurt—not even the sheep. The car had hit a fencepost but wasn’t badly damaged. “Well, that was exciting,” Joel said when they dropped him off a couple hours later. “It’s lucky nobody got hurt.” “It was more than luck,” Teo’s mom said. “God was watching over us.” “That’s it!” said Teo. “That’s what I meant earlier today. God watches us to protect us, not just to catch us doing something bad.” Dad nodded. “The Bible says Jesus watches those who trust in Him like a Shepherd watching over His sheep. He takes care of us, and when we wander away from Him and do things that are wrong, He offers us forgiveness.” Joel found Teo at school the next morning. “I’ve been thinking,” he said, “and, well, if you still want to tell Mr. Grant about the test, I’ll go with you.” He sighed. “Do you think God will see us do that too?” “He sure will!” said Teo. “And if we tell Him we’re sorry for cheating, He’ll forgive us.” –Barbara J. Westberg How about you? Did you know that God always sees you? Nothing you do—good or bad—is hidden from Him. He knows we all sin by doing things that are wrong. That’s why Jesus died for our sins—so we could be forgiven. If you’ve done something wrong, confess it to Him and accept His forgiveness. Then trust Him to watch over you as your Good Shepherd. Today's Key Verse: The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Proverbs 15:3 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God sees everything

Read: Revelation 21:1-5 Luke peered out the van’s window as his dad drove down the cemetery’s narrow path past rows and rows of small gray tombstones. Snow and ice covered the ground from the last winter storm. When they reached the last row of tombstones, Dad pulled to the side of the road and turned off the engine. They all got out of the van, and Mom opened the back door and pulled out a colorful cross made of purple flowers. Purple had been Luke’s grandma’s favorite color. Luke pulled his hood tightly around his head as he and his parents walked slowly down the row of graves. He counted the tombstones as they passed each one. He knew his grandma’s grave was the seventh in the row. When they reached it, the family stopped and read the inscription once again: Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. They stood silently for a moment as a bitter wind pierced the air. Then Luke spoke up. “It’s so sad and depressing coming out here.” He looked around the cemetery and shivered. “Just thinking about how many dead people are buried in these graves gives me chills.” Dad put his arm around Luke. “I know, buddy. But we know the grave’s not the end. We have hope for eternal life. Jesus said He is the resurrection and the life and that anyone who believes in Him will live forever.” Mom nodded. “Grandma trusted Jesus as her Savior, so she is with Him now. Even though our physical bodies die, Jesus promises to always be with those who trust in Him—even in death. After we die, we go to be with Him, and one day He will give us new bodies that will never die.” Dad gave Luke a pat on the shoulder. “Nothing beats that hope.” “Do you want to put the flowers on Grandma’s grave?” Mom asked, holding out the flowered cross. Luke took the cross and stooped down beside his grandmother’s tombstone. He pushed the stake down firmly into the ground. As he started to stand up, he noticed something green behind the grave. A few blades of grass were poking up out of the snow. There in the cemetery, out of the deadness of winter, the new life of spring was on its way. –Vanessa Small How about you? Do you know someone who has died? Are you afraid of dying yourself? Death can be a difficult reality to face, but those who trust in Jesus have hope beyond the grave. If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, you can trust in Him today. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) If you do know Him, share the hope you have with others so they can have eternal life with Jesus too. Today's Key Verse: Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” John 11:25 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Christians have hope for eternal life

Read: Philippians 2:1-4 “Hey, Dad.” Kwan plopped down on the couch next to his father. “Today I tried to be kind like Jesus, but it didn’t work.” “Really?” asked Dad. “What happened?” “I tried to be friendly to Jayden—he’s new at school—but he’d hardly talk to me. I asked if he wanted to sit with me at lunch, and he said no. During recess I asked him if he wanted to play, and he just shrugged and said, ‘I don’t think so.’ He must not want friends.” “Any idea why he acted that way?” asked Dad. “Well, Jackson’s aunt knows Jayden’s mom, and he said Jayden had to change schools because his dad is in jail and his mom had to sell their house and move to an apartment.” “It sounds like Jayden has a lot of things on his mind,” said Dad. “I know, but doesn’t he need a friend?” asked Kwan. Dad nodded. “Remember when you broke your leg and your friends came over with books and games to cheer you up? As I recall, you weren’t very interested in them that day. Your pain medicine made you sleepy, but if you didn’t take it, your leg hurt too much. You didn’t feel good enough to do anything.” “Yeah,” Kwan said. “That was a bad day.” “You were healing, so you needed space. Jayden may need time too. With all the difficult things that have happened in his life recently, he must be hurting. He might not have enough energy to make new friends right now. Maybe you can ask Jesus to show you another way you can be a friend to him.” That’s when Kwan got an idea. He took a piece of paper and wrote, Jayden—I’m sorry if I bugged you today. I won’t do that anymore. How about I be your silent friend? If you want to play with me, just let me know, okay? Kwan. The next morning, Jayden was standing alone on the school playground, so Kwan walked over and handed him the note. “What’s this?” asked Jayden. Kwan decided to remain a silent friend, so he just smiled. As he left, he glanced back over his shoulder. Jayden was reading the note, and Kwan thought he saw a little smile appear on his face. –Janice M. Jones How about you? Are you sensitive to how other kids feel? Be friendly with others, but don’t be upset if someone wants to be left alone. They may be dealing with difficult things and not want to talk about them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still be a friend to them. Pray about the situation and ask Jesus to show you how you can help. Show His kindness to those who are hurting. Today's Key Verse: Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Be sensitive to the feelings of others

Read: Psalm 33:20-22 Aisha very carefully rolled onto her side, trying to get a little more comfortable. At least she was feeling a little better than earlier. A quiet knock sounded on her door, and Dad came in. “Do you think you could handle some soup?” he asked. Aisha shook her head. “I’m sorry you have to miss Vivian’s party,” Dad said. “Me too, but I told Vivian she could come over here next weekend. We could have a late birthday celebration—just the two of us.” Aisha rolled over onto her back. “Dad, could you get me another blanket? I’m cold.” “Sure, honey. Got one right here.” Aisha smiled as her dad covered her up all the way to her chin. “I’m glad you stayed home from work to take care of me today. When I feel better, can we play a game?” “That’s a good idea.” Dad sat down on the edge of the bed. “Know what, honey? I appreciate you not getting upset about missing Vivian’s party. Her mom always fixes a big feast for you kids, and I know how much you enjoy it.” “Yeah,” said Aisha, “but it sure doesn’t sound good today.” “Well, you and I are having a feast right here at home.” Aisha opened her eyes in surprise. “A feast? But I can’t eat anything right now, and all you had was soup. That’s not a feast!” “Not a physical feast,” said Dad. “A spiritual one. The Bible says that when we have a cheerful heart, we have a continual feast. When we remember the hope we have in Jesus—even on bad days—we feast on His goodness and grace, and that affects our attitude and how we respond when things don’t go our way. We can be joyful even in hard times knowing He saved us and is always with us and will one day come back to make all things new—including giving us new bodies that will never get sick.” Aisha laid her head back on her pillow and sighed. “I can’t wait for that!” Dad adjusted Aisha’s blanket and turned out the light. “Get some rest now, and before you know it, you’ll be able to give your stomach a feast too.” –Mary F. Watkins How about you? Are you having a feast today? It’s no fun to feel sick or have to deal with other hard things. At times like that, you probably wouldn’t describe yourself as cheerful. But if you focus on Jesus and His love and promises—even in times of disappointment—He can help you keep a cheerful attitude. This gives you a different kind of feast—a feeling of joy in spite of circumstances. Today's Key Verse: The cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus even on hard days

Read: Psalm 119:33-40; Matthew 4:4 “Hi, Grandpa,” called Caleb as he and Abigail ran up the porch steps to their grandpa’s house. “Hi, yourself,” answered Grandpa with a grin. “What are you up to today?” “We got behind in learning our verses for Bible club,” said Abigail, “so we have to learn a whole bunch of them today. Mom said we could take a break and come over here for a while.” “Yeah,” said Caleb. “I just don’t see how I’m going to remember all those verses.” Grandpa smiled. “Do you know your locker combination? And what about your address? Aren’t they hard to remember?” Caleb shook his head. “They’re easy to remember because I use them all the time.” “I see,” said Grandpa. “In other words, we remember what we use in everyday life.” He sniffed the air. “Mmmm…I smell fresh bread!” Abigail opened the sack she was carrying. “Mom sent this loaf for you.” “How nice!” Grandpa took the bread and set it on the table next to the lamp. “It looks good there, don’t you think?” He sat down on the sofa and looked at the bread. Caleb stared at him. “You’re not going to leave it there, are you?” Grandpa smiled and shrugged. “What else should I do with it?” Abigail threw up her hands. “Eat it, of course! Just letting it sit there isn’t going to do you any good.” Grandpa nodded. “I agree. Bread doesn’t do us any good if it’s left on the table—and the Bible doesn’t do us any good if it’s left on the bookshelf! I’ll eat this bread and get energy from it, and if you regularly ‘eat’ God’s Word—if you read it and let it nourish your soul—it will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. So keep learning those verses! The more you think about them and apply them to your everyday life, the easier they’ll be to remember.” “Okay, Grandpa,” said Caleb. “We’ll keep ‘eating’ God’s Word and ask Him to use it to help us grow.” “Good.” Grandpa picked up the loaf. “And now I’m going to eat some of your mother’s bread, and it will help me grow—around my middle!” He patted his stomach, and they all laughed. –Jan. L Hansen How about you? Where is your spiritual “bread”? Are you “eating” it—or is it just lying on a shelf? If you haven’t been reading the Bible, why not start now? You can begin with the suggested verses at the top of this page. Ask God to give you encouragement and direction as you think about what you read in His Word. Then trust Him to use it to help you grow in your faith. Today's Key Verse: Direct my steps by Your word. Psalm 119:133 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Read God’s Word

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 “I’m sorry to interrupt your schoolwork, boys,” Mom said, “but we should go outside and see the sunset. It’s spectacular tonight.” Zach and Connor bookmarked their pages and got up from the sofa. “How do you even know what the sunset looks like tonight, Mom?” Connor asked as he glanced toward the window. “This window faces north. There’s no way you can see the sun from here.” Zach nudged him. “Moms have eyes—or spies—everywhere. It’s a known fact.” Mom laughed as she opened the door. “It’s true I see a lot of things. But my only spies are the houses across the street.” “Huh?” Connor stepped out, squinting around the neighborhood. “Look at their windows. What do you see?” The three of them stood on their front steps. “The sunset!” Zach pointed. “I can see it in the neighbors’ windows! That’s how Mom knew what it looked like.” Dad joined them as they walked down the driveway until they could see the sun in all its glory to the west. “What if the neighbors didn’t have any windows?” Dad asked. “Then we wouldn’t have known there was a wonderful sunset tonight,” Zach replied. “That’s right. There’s a spiritual lesson here for us,” Dad said. “The Bible says others can see Jesus in us, almost like we are windows or mirrors reflecting Him. He changes us more and more into His likeness when we spend time with Him and grow in our faith. Then when our neighbors look at our lives, they may see He’s for real and want to know Him themselves. We want others to see wonderful things about Jesus when they look at us.” “You mean like seeing us do nice things for people? Like forgiving others or taking food to sick neighbors?” Zach asked. “How about being more patient when younger kids wanna shoot hoops with us?” Connor added. Dad put an arm around each of the boys as the family walked back to the house. “Yep. Something like that.” "Cool! Let’s make a list of ways we can be good reflectors before bed,” said Connor. “Good idea,” said Mom. “Just don’t forget to finish your schoolwork.” –Robin Steinweg How about you? How do you reflect Jesus in your life? You might try hard to do good all on your own, but you’ll only end up showing people yourself. To reflect Jesus, you need to belong to Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Then, as you spend time with Him and read His Word, He will renew your mind and transform you from the inside out. Trust Him to help you reflect Him so others can see Him at work in you. Today's Key Verse: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Reflect Jesus

Read: Hebrews 11:8-9 “Guess what?” Isla said when her mom got home from work. “Miss Collins is moving, and she doesn’t want to take her fish tank with her. She gave me her three Oscar fish.” “Aren’t Oscars really big?” Mom asked. “In an open lake they are, but if they grow up in a fish tank, they stay small. Miss Collins says they always grow in proportion to their surroundings.” “That’s interesting.” Mom went over to Isla’s fish tank and peered at the newcomers. “Your fish might be an interesting topic for you to talk about on show-and-tell night at your youth group next week. In some ways, we’re like those fish.” “We are?” Isla frowned. “Mom, about youth group…after this year, kids my age are supposed to move up to the older group, and we don’t want to. We just want to keep our same small group.” “You’re worrying about that a little early, aren’t you? Your group will stay the same for quite a while yet.” Mom looked at Isla’s fish. “What if Miss Collins had set those Oscars free in the lake instead of giving them to you, Isla? What would happen?” “I guess they would have grown much bigger,” Isla replied. “Right,” said Mom. “Now, do you think God would want you kids to be like little fish in a tiny cramped tank, never growing very much? Or do you think He’d want you to stretch and grow spiritually as Christians?” “I guess He’d want us to grow.” Isla thought of her older cousin Chris, who was a missionary overseas. “Chris probably had to grow a lot before he was ready to leave his family and tell people in another country about Jesus. I bet he never thought he’d be doing that when he was my age!” Mom nodded. “He had to learn to depend on Jesus and follow wherever He led—even if it was somewhere he wasn’t totally comfortable at first.” Isla sighed. “Okay, I’ll use my fish for an illustration on show-and-tell night. Maybe the other kids will agree that it will be good to move up so we can stretch out and grow.” –Heather Tekavec How about you? Do you have a place where you can go to grow spiritually? Do you have Christian friends who help you? Going to church, learning about the Bible with others, taking part in service projects that show people the love of Jesus—all these things help you grow as a Christian. It may be scary at first, but take advantage of new opportunities that help you learn more about Jesus and share His love with others. Today's Key Verse: But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Go where you’ll grow

Read: Matthew 6:5-8 Callum heard someone calling his name. “Amen,” he said quickly, then opened his closet door to find his dad standing in the middle of his room. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” Dad said, “but I’m curious. Why were you praying in your closet?” “Well, I always pray beside my bed, but our lesson at church this week was about prayer, and my teacher read a verse that said to go into your closet and shut the door when you pray. So tonight I prayed in my closet.” Dad chuckled. “I think the closet in that verse means something a little different from the closets where we keep our clothes. In fact, most Bible scholars agree that the word closet in that verse could also be translated room. That’s the word many Bible translators use.” “Really?” said Callum. “Well, that’s good! Then I can go back to praying beside my bed again. It was really stuffy in the closet!” Dad smiled. “I think the main thing Jesus is saying in that verse is that we should pray in order to talk with Him and worship Him—not to show off in front of other people. That’s why it’s good to get away by ourselves—like in a separate room—and shut the door.” Dad paused. “Of course, we can pray anytime, anywhere. Then we just need to shut the door of our hearts and minds.” “How do we do that?” asked Callum. “That just means find a way to eliminate distractions,” Dad explained. “One way to do that is to close your eyes when you pray. But even if you’re doing something where you can’t close your eyes, you can focus your mind and shut out thoughts about other things.” “Like making a prayer room inside my head.” Callum grinned. “And I’ll have it with me all the time, so I can pray anywhere.” “Right!” said Dad. “It’s great to be able to pray at home, at school, when you’re playing—or anywhere else. But also having a special prayer time alone with God is a wonderful way to get to know Him better. He sent Jesus to save us so we could have a relationship with Him, and He wants us to spend time with Him in prayer.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Do you spend time alone with God? Do you talk to Him when you’re afraid, thankful, happy, or in need? You can talk to Him anywhere, but it’s also good to talk with Him regularly in a quiet place by yourself. Tell Him what you’re struggling with, pray for the needs of others, and thank Him for His love and what He’s done for you. Today's Key Verse: When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father. Matthew 6:6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Spend time in prayer

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 12:1-3 Austin watched as his uncle put a treat right in front of Trixie. “No, Trixie! No!” Uncle Josh told the puppy. “Look at me!” Trixie looked straight at her master’s face, then glanced down at the treat she wanted so much. “Trixie, no! Look at me!” The dog raised her eyes and gazed at her master again, ignoring the treat. “Why does Trixie have to look at you?” asked Austin. “If she looks at me instead of at the treat, she’s more likely to obey.” Uncle Josh had Trixie sit and lie down, then picked up the treat and gave it to her. “Trixie just showed us how we should act when we’re tempted to do something wrong,” he said, patting Trixie on the head. “If we’re focused on whatever it is that’s tempting us, it’s easier to give in. But if we keep our eyes on our Master—Jesus—we’re far more likely to obey Him.” “How do we keep our eyes on Jesus?” asked Austin. “We can’t really see Him.” “You played in a tennis competition last summer,” said Uncle Josh. “You worked so hard to be in shape. Why did you do that?” “I wanted to win the trophy,” said Austin. “And I did!” “So you understand what I mean if I say you had your eyes on the prize?” “Yeah,” Austin said. “I couldn’t really see the trophy, but I kept thinking about it and what I had to do to win it.” Uncle Josh nodded. “We can do what God wants us to do by keeping our eyes on the prize—Jesus! But unlike your tennis competition, Jesus has already won the trophy for us. He saved us by dying for our sin, and He’s given us the Holy Spirit so that we have the power to do what’s right.” “And that’s why we need to keep our eyes on Him,” said Austin. “Right. When we’re tempted to do something we know is wrong, we need to remember that Jesus has already won the battle against sin and that we belong to Him. That’s how we resist temptation—by looking to Him and what He’s done for us.” –Caroline E. Yost How about you? Do you keep your eyes on Jesus? When you’re tempted to do something wrong, remember that He has saved you from sin and given you the reward of eternal life with Him. Sin doesn’t define you anymore, and you have the power to obey Jesus instead. Keep your eyes and heart focused on Him, and trust Him to give you strength to fight every temptation. Today's Key Verse: Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore! Psalm 105:4 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Look to Jesus

Read: Romans 4:6-8; 5:6-8 “Dad’s here!” Keziah peeked her head around the side of the house. “Jonah!” Jonah stared at his older sister. “No. He can’t be here yet.” Jonah’s eyes filled as he heard his dad greeting his sister. He wanted to join them, but he’d been working on painting the fence for their mom all afternoon. He didn’t want to look all messy when they reunited. He heard his dad’s voice. “Where’s my Jonah?” Jonah couldn’t stop himself from running to Dad as soon as he rounded the house. “You’re home!” Dad opened his arms. “I’m home.” Jonah let his dad hug him tight, then pulled back. “I’m probably getting your uniform dirty. I wanted to get cleaned up before you got home…” “It’s fine.” Dad chuckled. “I’m just happy to be back home with you.” He pulled Jonah back into a hug. “I missed you.” “I’m a mess,” Jonah muttered. “You don’t have to get cleaned up for me.” Dad patted his back. “I love you even when you’re messy. You don’t know how much I’ve been looking forward to being back with you, your mom, and your sister.” Later, after Jonah had taken a shower and put on clean clothes, his dad took him out for ice cream. “You know,” Dad said. “I was thinking…I told you that you didn’t need to get cleaned up for me, and that’s true. God feels the same way—and isn’t it great that He does? When we make a mess of our lives with sin, we don’t have to get cleaned up before we go to Him—we can come to Him just as we are, and He will make us clean.” “I could’ve used some help getting clean today—that paint was hard to scrub off!” Jonah teased. Dad rolled his eyes. “You could take care of that yourself. But we can’t clean ourselves of sin. Yet God loves us even when we’re messy—that’s why Jesus died and rose again to save us. When we trust in Him, we become God’s children—clean and forgiven.” –Emily Acker How about you? Have you ever felt too messy for God? Have you wondered if you’ve done too many wrong things for Him to love you and accept you? The amazing news of the gospel is that God loved us while we were sinners. We can’t clean ourselves up, so Jesus died for our sins. When we trust in Him, He will forgive us and make us clean. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: God loves us at our messiest

Read: Proverbs 15:23; 25:11-13 “Whoa!” Lachlan yelled as his remote control jeep crashed. He picked it up and saw that a piece had fallen off. Lachlan tried to fix the jeep—but it was no use. “Parker, can you fix this?” he asked his older brother. “You’re always breaking things!” said Parker. But he held out his hand. “All right, give it to me.” In no time at all, the jeep was as good as new. “Thanks, Parker,” said Lachlan. “I sure wish I could fix something myself.” Lachlan often knew in his head how to fix things, but the information seemed to get lost between his head and his hands. Lachlan put the jeep back on the floor and raced it into his bedroom. He plopped down on his bed. I can’t fix anything, he thought. Last week when the chain flew off my bike, Parker had to fix it. When my bird feeder fell apart, Dad fixed it. I wish there was something I could fix. Lachlan did the one thing that always helped him when he was struggling. He talked to God. “Jesus,” Lachlan prayed, “I know you’re able to fix anything. You fixed people who couldn’t see or walk, and you fixed me by taking away my sin. Please show me something I can help fix. Amen.” Later that evening, Lachlan went to the kitchen where Mom was making dinner. Instead of smiling as she usually did, she looked sad. He heard her sigh, and Lachlan wondered what was wrong. “What’s the matter, Mom?” he asked. “Oh, Lachlan,” said Mom, “it’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ve just had a difficult day, that’s all.” Lachlan wrapped his arms around his mom and gave her a big hug. “Don’t be sad, Mom,” he said. “I love you. You’re the best mom a kid could have!” Mom wiped tears from her eyes and began to smile. “Thank you, honey,” she said. “You’ve just made me the happiest mom in the whole world.” Lachlan smiled too. Jesus had answered his prayer and helped him fix something—his mom’s sad heart. –Steven R. Smith How about you? Do you ever feel like you can’t help anyone? One of the very best things you can do is encourage others. If you know Jesus, He has given you the ability to help discouraged people by showing them His love. He can use you to help bring healing to tough situations. Share His love with those who are hurting through kind words and a helpful heart. Today's Key Verse: Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. Proverbs 16:24 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Encourage someone today

Read: Psalm 139:23-24; Jeremiah 17:10 “Why is there an old apple core inside a crinkled chip bag under your pillow?” Dad asked when Camila came into the kitchen. Camila smirked. “The real question is why were you looking under my pillow?” “I was just following my nose,” said Dad. “Your room is a mess! You need to clean it before going to Mackenzie’s house.” Camila stomped upstairs, mumbling something about how unfair life was. Dad had just finished his second cup of coffee and morning Bible reading when Camila scooted into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “I’m guessing you’re taking a snack break,” he said. Camila crunched into an apple. “Nope. I’m finished.” “How could you have cleaned your room in thirty minutes? I couldn’t have cleaned it that fast with a bulldozer.” “Take a look if you don’t believe me.” Camila followed her dad upstairs. He was amazed. There was no clutter to be found. Dad got down on his hands and knees. “What are you doing?” Camila asked. This didn’t look good. “When I was a kid, my favorite cleaning method was to shove all the junk under my bed so everything looked clean. I didn’t think my dad was smart enough to look there.” Dad peeked under the bed. “And it looks like you didn’t think your dad was smart enough either. I guess you have a full day of cleaning ahead of you.” “I thought it’d be easier to just hide everything by shoving it under the bed,” said Camila. “I didn’t know you were going to send out a search party!” Dad sat on the edge of her bed. “Believe it or not, a lot of people think they can do the same thing with their sin—they try to hide it to make their lives look perfect. They may think they’re fooling everyone, but they’re not fooling God. In the Bible, David asks God to search his heart. He wanted God to find the sin in his life so he could confess it and be forgiven.” “Well, God is our Father, and fathers are really good at finding stuff!” Camila said. “I guess I need to tell Jesus—and you—I’m sorry.” “I forgive you,” Dad said. “And Jesus promises to always forgive us too.” –Jared Hottenstein How about you? Do you try to hide your sin and keep others from seeing the messes in your life? Even if you’re able to hide the wrong things you do from others, you can’t hide them from God. The Bible calls the wrong things we do sin, and the best way to handle sin isn’t to try to hide it from God, but to show it to Him. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful to His promise to always forgive us. Today's Key Verse: Search me, God, and know my heart…See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Let God search for sin

Read: Ephesians 6:1-3 Charley toddled happily around the living room. He had just learned to walk, and it was Lacie’s job to keep an eye on him while Dad was cooking dinner. He was a very curious little boy and almost always found a way to get into trouble. “Charley, get out of there! You could pull the whole bookcase down on you,” Lacie exclaimed. Charley had begun to climb up the shelves to grab an interesting picture he wanted to see. Lacie pulled him off the shelf, and he howled in anger. She set him back on the floor and watched for his next move carefully. He casually glanced back at his sister, then wandered over to the basement stairs. Lacie wasn’t fooled, and she knew he couldn’t handle going down big steps yet. She scooped him up, and again he screamed. Lacie tried to explain what would happen to him. “Charley, if you try to do things that will hurt you, then I’m going to keep you from doing them. I know you’re mad because you don’t get to do what you want, but you have to learn what’s good for you and what’s dangerous.” It didn’t make a difference to Charley. I really hope he figures out he could really get hurt if he keeps this up, Lacie thought. I don’t want to keep rescuing him from danger just because he doesn’t know it’s dangerous. As Lacie thought about Charley’s attitude, she realized she was doing the exact same thing. Not that she was going to climb a bookcase, but her dad had told her several times that she couldn’t get her own phone like the other girls at school. I just want to fit in with my friends, Lacie thought. But maybe Dad knows it’s something I’m not ready for yet. I need to remember that God wants me to obey Dad because He loves me, and Dad loves me too. I can trust that they both know what’s best for me. “I know today hasn’t been fun for you, Charley,” she told her bawling brother, “but thanks for helping me learn that I can’t always get what I want either. I just hope I can help you learn the same thing too!” –Dylan Kraayenbrink How about you? Do you get angry when your parents won’t let you have something you want? Maybe you’re upset that you can’t have a smartphone, a new bike, or the latest clothes. Remember that God puts parents in our lives to help us learn and grow because He loves us. We need to trust that they—and God—know what’s best for us. Obey your parents and trust that God is using them to help you grow. Today's Key Verse: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Trust your parents to know best