Keys For Kids Ministries Podcast
Keys For Kids Ministries
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Keys For Kids Ministries is a children's ministry organization, offering Keys for Kids, Down Gilead Lane, and much more.
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12 hours ago
One Small Word
Bible Reading: John 3:18; 1 John 5:11-13
Daniel listened politely as his elderly neighbor chatted with him and his mom in the front yard. "You and my grandson Benjamin would get along so well together," Mrs. Crane was saying. "He really enjoys skateboarding. And did I tell you that he plays basketball?"
Daniel nodded. "And that he's in my grade in school, and that he has a baseball card collection."
Mrs. Crane smiled and nodded. "I really hope the two of you get a chance to meet sometime."
After Mrs. Crane left, Daniel turned to his mom. "Mrs. Crane is always telling me about her grandson. I must know just about everything there is to know about him. He sounds like a nice guy, but I'm getting pretty tired of hearing about him. I wish she'd either introduce us or forget the whole thing."
The next Saturday, it happened. The doorbell rang, and there was Mrs. Crane and a boy about Daniel's age. "Hi, Daniel," said Mrs. Crane. "This is Benjamin, my grandson." She smiled at Benjamin. "And this is Daniel."
Benjamin was visiting his grandmother for a week, so the boys played together often and had a great time.
"I'm glad Mrs. Crane finally introduced Benjamin and me," Daniel told his parents one day. "I knew all about him for a long time, but now I actually know him."
Mom nodded. "You can 'know about,' or you can 'know.' The elimination of one small word makes a lot of difference, doesn't it?"
"It's like that when it comes to Jesus too," Dad said. "Some people know about Him, but they don't know Him personally."
"I often think of that at this time of year," said Mom. "Many people have heard the Christmas story over and over. But knowing about Jesus isn't enough. It's as useless as knowing about Benjamin without being able to meet him."
"Yeah," said Daniel. "I was really tired of hearing Mrs. Crane talk about him! Knowing somebody personally is so much better than just hearing about them. I'm glad I know Benjamin now, and I'm especially glad I know Jesus."
–Hazel W. Marett*How About You?*
Do you get bored hearing the same stories about Jesus coming to earth as a baby and dying on the cross for sinners again and again? Maybe that's because you only know about Jesus, but you don't know Him personally. He loves you and wants you to know Him as your Savior and friend. Trust Him as your Savior and start getting to know Him today. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)
*Today's Key Verse:*
You may know that you have eternal life. (NKJV) (1 John 5:13)
*Today's Key Thought:*
You can know Jesus personally
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1 day ago
Jesus Joy
Bible Reading: Psalm 16; John 15:8-17
Grace twirled her hair nervously as she walked up to Ms. Evie. Evie looked the same as she did months ago--only now she was in a wheelchair.
Evie looked up with a bright smile when she saw Grace. "How is it that you've grown even taller in just a few months?" Evie's green eyes sparkled and she squeezed Grace's hand.
"Hi, Ms. Evie. I'm sorry about your car accident. My parents said you won't walk again."
Evie nodded. "Unless God performs a miracle, I don't think I will."
"But--doesn't that make you angry?" asked Grace. "You're in the middle of going to college and you had so many plans interrupted. But it's weird, you don't seem angry. You look--happy!" Grace clapped her hand over her mouth. "I shouldn't have said all that."
Ms. Evie's laughter sounded like tinkling bells. "It's okay, Grace! It's refreshing to hear some honesty. Let me tell you a secret." Evie leaned forward. "I'm not happy."
"What?" Grace's eyes widened.
"I'll explain. I'm not happy about my situation, but I do have joy."
"What's the difference? I thought they were kind of the same thing," Grace mused.
"Good question! Happiness depends on our circumstances, which can change from day to hour to minute. But true joy comes from knowing Jesus. Jesus joy is my secret weapon."
Grace sighed. "It's not always easy to be joyful."
Evie shook her head. "It's not. For the first few weeks, I was mad at God, asking Him why this happened. I still feel sad about what I've lost, but I've been thinking about what Hebrews 12:2 says about fixing our eyes on Jesus, who endured the cross so we could have the joy of knowing Him. Jesus loved us enough to make the ultimate sacrifice. The joy set before Him was knowing that we would belong to Him forever when we trust Him to save us. Knowing He's always with me and that He promises to give me a new, perfect body one day fills me with joy."
"I guess I'd never thought of it like that," said Grace. "I have noticed that spending time with Jesus lifts me up when I'm feeling sad. When I read my Bible and sing praise songs, it just makes me feel more--"
"Joyful?" Evie interjected.
"Yeah!"
"Sounds like you've got Jesus joy too, girl!"
–Savannah Coleman*How About You?*
Have you ever thought about the difference between joy and happiness? Is there a person in your life who you could see had the joy of Jesus in them despite tough circumstances they were going through? Do you have the joy of Jesus in you to give you strength when hard times come? God promises that when we belong to Him, His joy will be in us and our joy will be full (John 15:11). Spend time in His presence and soak up the joy He offers you!
*Today's Key Verse:*
For the joy set before [Jesus] he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NIV) (Hebrews 12:2)
*Today's Key Thought:*
Jesus gives you genuine joy
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2 days ago
Encased in Love
Bible Reading: Psalm 34:17-22
Aries threw her mom's cell phone on the counter and ran to her room as fast she could. She slammed the door and belly flopped onto her bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
Soon there was a knock on the door. "Aries, can I come in?" Mom asked.
"I guess so," Aries was able to get out between sobs.
Mom sat down on the bed. "I'm guessing your dad called to say he's not coming to get you this weekend like he promised," she said as she rubbed Aries' back.
Aries nodded. "He said something about having to work early on Monday. That's the third week in a row. What's wrong with me, Mom? Why doesn't he want to spend time with me?" Aries asked as more tears flowed down her cheeks.
"Honey, it's not you. I'm not sure what's going on with your dad, but I know it's not your fault," Mom reassured her.
"It's just so hard. I was really looking forward to this weekend," Aries said as she turned toward her mother and began sobbing on her shoulder.
Mom let her cry for a while before breaking the silence. "Aries, I want you to look at my cell phone." Aries sat up and looked at the phone in her mom's hand. "After you got done talking to your dad, you slammed my phone down pretty hard on the counter, but is it broken?" Mom turned the phone over, and Aries shook her head. "Why not?" Mom asked.
"Because the case protected it," Aries said.
"That's right. People are going to disappoint you in life--I may even let you down sometimes--and it's normal to feel hurt because of it. But remember that since you're a Christian, you will always have the love of God protecting you. Jesus gave His life to save you, and He will never fail you. He is with you when you're hurting and wants to comfort you and help you." Mom kissed the top of Aries' head. "I love you, kid. I'm going to go start dinner. Why don't you come join me when you're ready?"
After her mom left, Aries took a deep breath and dried her eyes. "Dear Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me get through this," she prayed as she headed toward the kitchen to join her mom.
–Melissa Yeagle
*How About You?*
Are you going through a rough time right now? Do you feel hurt because someone has let you down? Even those closest to you will fail you sometimes, but God never will. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you so you could be His child, and He promises to always be with you. When you feel hurt or are facing a hard time in life, remember that you are not alone. God loves you and will help you through it, and He'll put people in your life who can remind you of His love too.
*Today's Key Verse:*
God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." (NLT) (Hebrews 13:5 )
*Today's Key Thought:*
God's love never fails
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3 days ago
The No-Feed Horse
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:89-90, 103-106; Matthew 5:6
"How much do horses eat?" asked Jared as he and his Uncle Bill walked through the horse barn.
"A lot!" Uncle Bill replied. "It's a good thing we can put them out to pasture every day." He grinned. "Did I ever tell you about the no-feed horse?"
"No. What's a no-feed horse?" asked Jared.
"Well, I heard about a fella who figured out how to raise a horse that didn't need to eat," Uncle Bill explained. "Just imagine the money he would save!"
Jared gave his uncle a confused look. "A horse that doesn't eat? How is that possible?"
"This guy started out by reducing the horse's feed by an ounce a day," said Uncle Bill. "Then he reduced it by two ounces, and then three ounces, and so on. He did that until the horse was getting by on almost no food at all."
"Wow!" said Jared. "Then what happened?"
"Well, that's the sad part," said Uncle Bill. "One day the horse up and died."
For a moment, Jared stared at his uncle, open-mouthed. Then he saw his uncle grin, and he realized Uncle Bill was just teasing. "Uncle Bill! You're kidding me!"
Uncle Bill laughed heartily. "Yep, I reckon I am. But I really have known some fellas who were almost as foolish as that rancher. They always tried to get by with feeding their livestock as little as possible. Then they'd wonder why their cattle didn't grow like they should." Uncle Bill tugged on his hat thoughtfully. "I've known some Christians like that too," he added. "I was even like that myself for a time. I started off reading my Bible and praying and going to church regularly. Then I tapered off--I was just so busy with things on the farm, see. It took me a while to realize that my soul wasn't being fed and my spiritual life was suffering. I needed that time with Jesus and His people so He could fill me with His peace and remind me of His presence."
"Wow," said Jared. "I never considered going to church or reading my Bible to be just as important as eating food!"
Uncle Bill smiled at him. "Don't ever forget that your soul needs to be fed just like your stomach does."
–Sherry L. Kuyt*How About You?*
Do you remember to eat every day? Of course you do! But what about feeding your soul? It needs Jesus just like your stomach needs food, and if you don't feed it, your spiritual life will suffer. Spend time in fellowship with other believers listening to what God says in His Word, and pray and read the Bible on your own too. Let Jesus feed your soul by reminding you of His truth, love, and promises.
*Today's Key Verse:*
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (NKJV) (Luke 4:4)
*Today's Key Thought:*
Don't neglect your spiritual life
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4 days ago
The Way to Be Wise
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:16; Colossians 2:2-3
The teacher handed out the graded test papers, placing them face down on the desks. Layla was afraid to turn hers over and instead slipped it into her notebook without looking. When the bell rang, she shoved her notebook and jacket into her backpack and headed for home.
Halfway to her house, Layla sat on a stack of tires at the corner of an auto repair shop. She pulled out her notebook and then the graded test. Just as she thought--a big red F! She wadded the test paper up and threw it in the trash can next to the mechanic's garage.
"I hate school!" exclaimed Layla as she walked into the kitchen. "Reading is too hard."
Mom looked concerned. "Isn't that special reading class helping you?"
"Not really." Layla sat in a chair with a sigh. "The teacher is nice and all, but nothing seems to change. I feel so dumb!"
Mom smoothed Layla's hair away from her face. "You're not dumb, Layla. I know you want to do better with your reading, and I'm proud of you for working so hard. Reading is an important skill to have in life, and I'm glad you want to learn how to do it well." Mom smiled thoughtfully. "Did you know there's something even more important to have in your life--something you can't learn on your own?"
Layla shook her head. "What's that?"
"Wisdom," answered Mom. "Wisdom lets us know what is true and right and shows us how to apply that truth to our lives."
"How do we get wisdom?" asked Layla.
"I was hoping you'd ask," said Mom with a grin. "The Bible tells us to ask God for wisdom, and He will gladly give it to us."
"So, I just need to pray and I'll be smarter?" Layla asked, looking confused.
"Being wise is more than being smart and knowing information--it's about knowing God's truth and trusting in Him. In order to have wisdom, we need to have faith in Jesus. Then, as He works in our lives through the Holy Spirit, we will grow in wisdom and in our knowledge of Him."
"I'm glad God gives us wisdom when we ask for it," said Layla. "I'm going to pray and ask Him to help me with my reading too!"
–Bonnie Carr*How About You?*
Do you wish you were smarter? Do you have questions you can't figure out the answer to? While it's important to study in school and learn new things, you'll never have all the answers. Only God does, and knowing Him is more important than knowing anything else. Ask Him to give you wisdom, and He will help you see how much you need Jesus. When you know Him as your Savior, He will help you grow in wisdom and understanding.
*Today's Key Verse:*
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (NIV) (James 1:5 )
*Today's Key Thought:*
Pray for wisdom
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5 days ago
Water of Life
Bible Reading: John 4:7-14
"Hey!" said Zoe. "What's wrong with the water?" She turned the kitchen faucet knob as far as she could, but all she got was a sputtering sound. She groaned. "I'm so thirsty!"
"When I got home from work, I found a notice on the door saying the city water department would be working on our street today," said Mom. "If I'd known earlier, I would have filled some containers. There's still some juice in the fridge."
Zoe grabbed the juice and poured all of it into a large glass. She chugged it greedily, then smacked her lips. "That was good."
"Did you save any for Mikey?" asked Mom, looking up from a pile of mail.
Zoe looked at the empty juice container. "Whoops."
When Zoe's brother Mikey got home a few minutes later and found out there was nothing to drink, he groaned and staggered to a chair. "Water! Water!" he cried weakly.
Zoe laughed. "You don't have to be so dramatic about it."
Mom went to answer a knock at the door, and a minute later Molly, their next-door neighbor, walked in with a gallon of water. "I thought you might be needing this," she said.
Mikey eagerly poured water into a glass and drank it, then sighed with satisfaction. "Oh, thank you, Molly," he said, clasping his hands together. "You saved my life!"
"Oh, brother!" groaned Zoe. "Here we go again!"
"Well, a person dying of thirst can be saved by getting a drink of water," said Mikey. "Isn't that why Jesus is called the Living Water? Because He can save people who are dying?"
"That's a very good point," said Mom. "People have a spiritual thirst that's even greater than the thirst for water. We have a thirst for love, for joy, for forgiveness--
for God. A drink of water can save us from physical death, and Jesus, the Living Water, can save us from spiritual death. But what if you hadn't taken the water Molly offered you, Mikey?"
"I'd still be thirsty," said Mikey.
Mom nodded. "The same thing goes for us if we don't take the Living Water that Jesus offers. It's free and brings everlasting life--but only to those who accept it!"
–Trudy VanderVeen*How About You?*
Do you ever feel unsatisfied with life, even if you have a lot of good things going for you? Do you have a thirsty soul--a spiritual thirst? Jesus can satisfy that thirst. He can quench your soul's deepest desires and fill your life with peace, hope, and joy. He can save you from spiritual death and give you eternal life. Trust in Him, and He will satisfy your soul. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)
*Today's Key Verse:*
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life. (NLT) (John 4:14)
*Today's Key Thought:*
Jesus satisfies thirsty souls
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6 days ago
The Best Place to Be
Bible Reading: Philippians 4:8-13
"You got an email," Abigail's mom told her. "Looks like it's from Ellie." Abigail, whose family were missionaries in Nigeria, eagerly took Mom's phone and opened the email.
"Yesterday Daphne and Ashlyn and I went to an amusement park," Abigail read in Ellie's email. "I wish you could have been with us! We went on a pirate ship ride and on an alpine slide." Abigail sighed. Going on rides with her friends sounded like fun!
"But the African safari river ride was the best one of all," the email continued. "It was so much fun! There were robotic elephants that sprayed water at us, and some mechanical monkeys were chattering in the trees. It seemed so real."
Abigail laughed out loud when she read that. Ellie should come visit me here, she thought. Then she could see real elephants and monkeys.
Just then Benji, Abigail's pet monkey, snuggled up to her. Benji loved being around Abigail and always followed her around the house. Abigail gave him a little squeeze. "You're better than a mechanical monkey," Abigail told him. "You're real."
Abigail thought about all her other pets. Freddy, a baby antelope, was a pretty brown color with a black stripe. And a mongoose named Rollo was a family favorite.
Abigail smiled as she remembered the time Rollo found a ping-pong ball on the floor. She apparently thought it was an egg--one of her favorite foods. She smacked it hard to break it, then jumped back in surprise when it bounced as high as her head.
Of course, Rollo sometimes annoyed them by chirping a lot. But she made up for it by eating cockroaches and other insects. And Abigail knew that when Rollo got bigger, she would also eat snakes!
Abigail grinned. Not many kids have pets like mine! she thought. And even though I really miss my friends back home, I have new friends at our church here, and I know God is helping our family tell the people here about Jesus. Even though it's hard sometimes, I know He brought us here and promises to be with us, so this is the best place for me to be.
"C'mon, Benji," she said. "Let's go find Rollo and take some pictures to send my friends back home."
–Charlie VanderMeer*How About You?*
Do you sometimes wish you could be somewhere else? Or have you learned to be content in the place God has put you for now? In the Bible, the apostle Paul said the secret to being content in any situation is trusting Jesus, who promises to always be with us and help us because we belong to Him. Thank Him for the blessings He's given you and the people He's put in your life, and trust Him to help you be a testimony for Him right where you are.
*Today's Key Verse:*
I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. (NKJV) (Philippians 4:11)
*Today's Key Thought:*
Be content
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Dec 1, 2023
Footsteps in the Snow
Bible Reading: Galatians 6:1-5
"I don't see why Harper can't come Christmas shopping with us tomorrow," Sienna complained. "She always helps me find the best gifts."
"It's not a good idea for your sister to be in a mall right now, Sienna," said Mom. "She needs time to go through counseling and address why she feels the need to steal things."
Sienna sighed and put on her boots and coat. "I'm going to see if the ice is hard on the pond."
When she reached the pond, she tested the ice with her foot. It was firm at the edge, but when she cautiously moved forward, it cracked. No skating yet. So Sienna headed home, taking the back way.
When Sienna reached the house, Mom came out. "Ally was playing out here, but I don't see her anywhere," she said with a worried look.
"The pond!" said Sienna. "Maybe she followed me." She looked down and saw a tiny set of footsteps in the snow next to her bigger ones heading toward the pond. She dashed down the hill as fast as she could. As she approached the pond, she saw her little sister step out onto the ice. It held at the edge, and Ally took another step. "No, Ally!" yelled Sienna, and Ally stopped. When Sienna reached her, she took her hand and led her off the ice.
Mom met them at the top of the hill. "You know you're not allowed to go to the pond by yourself," she said as she hugged her little daughter.
"I thought Sienna was there," said Ally. "I was just following her."
Later that day, Sienna again begged her mom to let her older sister come to the mall with them, but Mom said no. "We need to be careful where our footsteps lead," said Mom. "Harper is struggling with an urge to shoplift, and she needs our support. She shouldn't be in an environment where she may be tempted to steal."
Sienna was quiet for a moment. "I wouldn't want to lead her into a situation where she'd be tempted," she said finally.
"I know," said Mom. "Sometimes we need to make sacrifices to help other Christians in their walk with Jesus, especially when they struggle with things we don't."
- Mary Rose Pearson*How About You?*
Do you help other Christians who are struggling with sin? Are you careful where your footsteps might lead them? We all have different struggles in our lives, and even though you may not be tempted by certain things, the same might not be true for someone else. Trust Jesus to help you be sensitive to the needs and feelings of others so you can support and encourage them in their walk with Him.
*Today's Key Verse:*
Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (NLT) (Galatians 6:2 )
*Today's Key Thought:*
Help those who struggle
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Nov 30, 2023
The Blank Page
Bible Reading: Romans 6:12-18, 22
"Hi, Mom," said Taden as he came into the house. "Want to see the picture I painted at school today?" He held out a paper with a scene of a lake and trees, with mountains in the background.
"This is really good!" exclaimed Mom. "You're a wonderful painter."
Taden beamed. "I think I'm going to be an artist when I grow up. I love to paint." He went to a drawer and took out a fresh piece of paper and some paints.
"I think that would be great." Mom pointed to the paper Taden had spread out on the kitchen table. "Have you ever looked at your blank paper and wondered what it will look like when you're done painting?"
"Of course. I always have something in mind when I start painting." Taden grinned at his mom. "But it doesn't always turn out the way I imagined it. Sometimes I do a good job, but other times I mess it up."
Mom nodded. "Our lives are like that blank paper, and our choices are like the brush that applies the colors to the page, making something beautiful--or a mess!"
"But the brush doesn't paint by itself," said Taden. "It's the artist who chooses the colors and paints the picture. Whether it turns out good or bad depends on the artist."
"That's right," said Mom. "In our life pictures, we can either make ourselves the artists and paint things our own way, or we can trust God to be the artist holding the brush and let Him guide us and shape our lives."
Taden looked at the blank page. "I never thought about my life like that," he said thoughtfully.
"When we trust Jesus and give Him control of our life picture, He promises to make it beautiful," said Mom. "That doesn't mean our lives will be easy or that we won't still sin and make mistakes--we'll sometimes try to take control of the brush and do things our own way. But when we do, Jesus forgives us and paints over our mistakes. He promises to help us make good choices and love others the way He does. He's the greatest Artist there is, and when we give Him control of our lives, He will make them into masterpieces."
- Mary Rose Pearson*How About You?*
Who is painting the picture of your life? No matter how hard you try, you can't paint a good life picture on your own. Everyone has already messed up their picture with sin, but Jesus can paint over your mistakes and make your life beautiful. Trust Him as your Savior today. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.) Then let Him guide you as you live your life, knowing He'll make it into a masterpiece.
*Today's Key Verse:*
Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. (NLT) (Romans 6:13)
*Today's Key Thought:*
Give God control of your life
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Nov 29, 2023
Baby Food
Bible Reading: Hebrews 5:12-14
"Lindy, have you learned your Bible verse for Sunday school?" asked Mom.
"No, but I don't like Sunday school anymore," Lindy grumbled.
"Why not?" asked Mom, spooning cereal into Gracie's mouth.
"We don't sing fun songs with motions anymore, and Mrs. Mac doesn't read from her Bible storybook either," replied Lindy. "Now we have to read right from the Bible and memorize verses and--" She paused as Gracie made a gagging sound. "What's the matter, Gracie?" Lindy asked as she tapped a spoon on the high chair, trying to distract her baby sister.
"She's used to milk and juice, and she's just learning to handle solid foods," Mom explained. "Sometimes they're a little hard for her to swallow."
"Poor Gracie." Lindy turned to her mother. "Why not just let her have milk then?"
"Because she's not a tiny baby anymore. Gracie has to get used to eating solid food to grow big and healthy like you. She already likes it."
"Oh," said Lindy. She stroked her sister's cheek. "Eat up, Gracie. Get big soon so we can play together!"
Mom put the spoon back up to the baby's mouth. "It seems like you're having the same kind of trouble as Gracie," she said.
Lindy looked indignant. "I don't have a problem swallowing my food!"
"Not physical food," said Mom. "But what about spiritual food? Like newborn babies, new Christians need milk--spiritual milk. When you were younger, you could only understand simple things about God, and your attention span was short, so you just sang cute little songs and read simple Bible stories. But now you understand more and are ready for something more solid. Studying harder Bible lessons and verses helps you learn more about Jesus and His love for you so you can grow in your faith." Mom spooned some more cereal into Gracie's waiting mouth. "It can be hard to get used to at first, just like solid food makes Gracie gag sometimes. But she already likes her new cereal, and I know you'll soon like your new lessons too. Remember that God wants to use them to feed you spiritually and help you grow."
Lindy looked uncertain, but then she nodded. "Okay," she said. "I guess I'll go learn my verse."
- Tanya Ferdinandusz*How About You?*
Are you having trouble with your spiritual diet? Do you think the Bible is too hard to understand or that church isn't as fun as it used to be? Easy, fun things aren't always the things that help you grow spiritually. Take learning about God seriously, and put the things you learn into practice. Trust Him to help you understand more and more about how much He loves you and what Jesus did to save you. Let Him feed you the truth of His Word so you can grow in your faith.
*Today's Key Verse:*
Don't think like children. In evil things be like babies, but in your thinking you should be like full-grown adults. (ERV) (1 Corinthians 14:20)
*Today's Key Thought:*
Grow in your spiritual understanding
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Nov 28, 2023
Lost and Found
Bible Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-12; Luke 15:3-10
Zach ran frantically down the stairs. "Has anyone seen Mr. Bunny?" he cried. "I can't find him anywhere!"
"I'm sure he's around here somewhere, Zach," said Mom. "Have you looked in your closet?"
"Yes," said Zach. "I've looked in my room and closet, and in Hailey's room too. I just don't know where he could be!"
"Try checking the living room, and Hailey and I will check the other rooms downstairs," Mom said. Zach sped off to the living room.
"But Mom," said Hailey, "Zach is getting too old to be worrying about a raggedy stuffed animal. It's embarrassing that he takes Mr. Bunny to school with him."
Mom bent to look under the kitchen table. "Remember, Hailey, that Zach finds comfort in having familiar things around him. He gets anxious about going to school, and just knowing that Mr. Bunny is in his backpack helps calm him down."
"I get it, Mom. I'll help look for Mr. Bunny." Hailey headed to the laundry room.
"I found him!" Hailey called a minute later. "He was hiding in the laundry basket under some of Zach's clothes."
"Oh, thank you!" cried Zach, and he gave Mr. Bunny a big hug.
Mom smiled. "I'm so glad we found Mr. Bunny. It's amazing how much joy we feel when we find something important to us that has been lost. Do you remember the stories of the lost sheep and lost coin in the Bible?"
"Yeah," said Hailey. "The shepherd looked all over for the lost sheep, and when he found him, he called all his friends and neighbors over for a party to celebrate! And the lady did the same thing when she found her lost coin."
"That's right," Mom said. "But the most important part of those stories is that they illustrate how much joy there is in heaven when someone comes to trust in Jesus. And just like Zach didn't give up looking for Mr. Bunny, God will never give up on us. Jesus came to earth to rescue us when we were lost in sin, and when we are found, God rejoices over us."
"I'm so happy about that," said Zach. "And I'm so happy I found Mr. Bunny!"
- Lori Haynie*How About You?*
Have you ever lost something very special to you? How did you feel when you lost it? Did you keep searching and searching until you found it? Remember that you are very special to God. He loves you and sent His Son, Jesus, to save you from being lost. No matter what you've done, He wants you to come to Him. He is seeking you. Trust in Jesus so you can be found. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)
*Today's Key Verse:*
For the Son of Man [Jesus] came to seek and save those who are lost. (NLT) (Luke 19:10)
*Today's Key Thought:*
God seeks and rejoices over us
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Nov 27, 2023
Tiny Seeds
Bible Reading: Matthew 13:31-32; 17:14-20
Gianna and her cousins were spending the day at Grandpa's house. "Will you measure us, Grandpa?" asked Alex. "I want to see how tall I am."
"All right." Grandpa followed them to the wall where he had been measuring them since they were toddlers. He made a mark on the wall for each of them and wrote their name and the date beside it.
"I'm the tallest!" exclaimed Alex.
"Gianna, you're not even as tall as I was when I was nine, and you're ten!" said Joy.
"Gianna is a shortie," said Alex, grinning.
Gianna's cheeks grew hot. She hated being teased for her size.
"Enough!" said Grandpa. "Come with me." He led the cousins to his garden shed. "Hold out your hands."
Grandpa placed a large white seed in Alex's hand, a smaller yellow seed in Joy's hand, and a tiny black seed in Gianna's hand.
Of course I get the tiny, unimportant seed, Gianna thought. Just like me.
Grandpa pointed to an open gardening book. "Alex, tell us about your seed."
"My seed is a lima bean," Alex said, looking at the information in the book. "They grow into plants that are fifteen inches to nine feet tall." Alex looked at the seed in his hand. "This seed is tiny to grow so big!"
"Let me see mine," said Joy, pushing Alex aside. "My seed is corn. The plants grow seven to ten feet tall. That's bigger than yours, Alex!"
Alex frowned. "But your seed is smaller than mine!"
"My seed is a mustard seed," said Gianna. "It grows a tree twenty feet tall. It produces purple fruit, and in some places people use the branches to brush their teeth."
"No way!" said Alex. "All that from a tiny seed?"
"It isn't how big the seed is that matters," said Grandpa. "What matters is what God created it to do." He smiled at the kids. "That's true for us too. The Bible says those who have faith in Jesus are new creations. He's made us new people and given us the Holy Spirit to help us do the good things He wants us to do."
Gianna thought about the tiny seed growing into an amazing tree. It wasn't unimportant after all. "If this seed can grow a tree," she said, smiling, "just imagine what we can do!"
- Tracey Eagan*How About You?*
Do you ever feel like you're too small to do anything important? What matters is how big God is and what He's created you to do. If you have faith in Jesus, He has given you the Holy Spirit so you can do great things that show others His love. Just like a tiny seed can grow into a huge tree, God can use you in amazing ways as He builds His kingdom. Be content where God has placed you, and trust Him to show you how you can serve Him.
*Today's Key Verse:*
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (NLT) (Ephesians 2:10)
*Today's Key Thought:*
God created you to do great things
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Nov 26, 2023
The Virus
Bible Reading: Romans 5:12-13, 18-21; Colossians 2:13-14
"Dad!" Everett stared at his computer screen in dismay. "Chase just told me there's a virus in the game I downloaded! It could ruin the hard drive."
"Oh no!" Dad said. "How much damage has it done?"
Everett groaned and covered his eyes. "I don't know yet."
"What's a virus?" asked Rachel, climbing onto Dad's knee. "Isn't that what gives you the flu?"
"That's right," said Dad. "When a virus gets into your body, it can make you sick. But a different kind of virus can get into a computer, and once it does, it can spread and take control of the programs on your computer so they don't work anymore."
"I don't know how to fix this, Dad," said Everett. "Can you help me?"
"I'm not sure what to do either," said Dad. "But I have a friend who works with computers--I'll check with him." Dad smiled at Rachel. "We need to get rid of viruses as soon as possible--whether they're on the computer or in our bodies."
"Yeah. We have to take medicine to make us all better," said Rachel as Everett turned the computer off.
By the following week, the computer had been fixed and a new anti-virus program installed. "I know two kinds of viruses," announced Rachel as Everett was using the computer one evening. "The kind that makes computers sick and the kind that makes people sick."
"I know a third kind," said Dad. "Sin is like a virus that made the whole world sick. When the first people God created, Adam and Eve, disobeyed Him, sin came into the world and infected it. It took control of people's minds and hearts and makes us do selfish, wrong things instead of loving and obeying God."
"Can we get cleaned up like Everett's computer?" Rachel asked with wide eyes.
"We certainly can! We have something even better than an antivirus program. Jesus died and then rose from the dead to save the world from sin. When we trust in Him, He removes our sin and makes us new so our hearts work the way they should--it's like He gives us a new hard drive! Even though we still do wrong things sometimes, we can confess and turn away from our sin, and Jesus will forgive us and make us clean."
- Tanya Ferdinandusz*How About You?*
Did you know sin is like a virus? It does more damage than a virus in your body or on your computer ever could. Sin separates us from God and affects everything we think and do. But when we trust in Jesus, He removes our sin and makes us clean! He gives us new hearts and makes us able to resist temptation and turn away from sin. And when we do give in and do something wrong, we can confess it to Him and He will forgive us.
*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)
*Today's Key Thought:*
Jesus removes sin
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Nov 25, 2023
Attic Adventure
Bible Reading: Psalm 33:4-12
"Come on, Mal," called Bailey. "Mom said we could play in the attic. Let's try on some of the old clothes in the trunks up there."
The clatter of feet echoed through the halls as Bailey and Mal climbed the steep steps to the attic of the old house. Soon they had the trunks open and began trying on a variety of clothes their grandmother and mother had saved through the years. They laughed at each other as they paraded back and forth in front of a full-length mirror. "Let's go show Mom and Dad our latest fashions," said Mal.
Tipping an old hat to the back of her head, Bailey led the way as they trooped downstairs. Their parents laughed when the girls pranced into the living room.
"I wore those when I was a teenager," Mom said, pointing to the thick flip-flops on Mal's feet. "And I believe that dress belonged to my grandmother. And Bailey, that old-fashioned hat looks great with that gold purse!"
"Those styles were very popular at one time," said Dad. "Ev…
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Nov 24, 2023
Chill Out
Bible Reading: Romans 12:9-21; James 1:19-20
"Bri, I love your new pet! He is so soft and sweet!" Ella stroked her friend's chinchilla, Herman.
"A chinchilla's soft fur is one reason why they're such popular pets," said Bri. "They're native to the Andes mountains in Chile where it gets really cold."
"Remember two years ago when you kept telling everyone you wanted a porcupine for a pet?" Ella could not contain her giggles.
Bri shook her head. "What was I thinking? Chinchillas and porcupines are related, but porcupines are so prickly they don't make good pets." Bri handed Herman a seed and watched him nibble on it while holding it tightly in his tiny front paws.
There was a strange sound on the other side of Bri's closed door. "Ella, I think our brothers are up to something," Bri whispered. "Remember what we did to them last time? Evan said they'd get us back."
When Bri opened her door, she shrieked in anger. There was so much duct tape she could hardly see through to the hallway.…
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Nov 23, 2023
Cold Turkey
Bible Reading: Psalms 42:4-8; 73:21-26
"Maria!" Dad called. "Your aunt and uncle will be here soon. Can you come down and help with dinner?"
Maria sighed and tossed the book she was reading on the floor. The last thing she wanted to do was help with Thanksgiving dinner. It was their first Thanksgiving without Mom, and it wouldn't be the same, no matter how much food they cooked.
When Maria shuffled into the kitchen, Dad smiled at her. "Want to learn how to carve a turkey?" he asked. Maria shrugged, which Dad took to mean yes, she did.
After Dad explained what to do, Maria began slicing the turkey, but the knife wouldn't go all the way through. "Dad, this isn't cutting right, it's--it's frozen!"
Dad took the knife and tried to make a cut, but it wouldn't go any deeper than a few inches. The middle was still frozen solid. Dad groaned. "I must not have let it thaw long enough."
"Why are we even trying to cook a turkey anyway?" bellowed Maria. "Mom's gone, and it won't be the same. I…
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Nov 22, 2023
Thanks for Paper Plates
Bible Reading: Psalm 100
"I pray today!" Jameson announced as his family sat around the breakfast table. Dad nodded at the little boy, and they all bowed their heads. "Thank you, God, for bacon an' eggs an' milk an' toast an' orange juice," said Jameson. He paused and peeked through his fingers. "An' jam," he added. "Amen."
"Thank you, Jameson," said Dad. He shot a look at Elliot and London, who were giggling at their little brother.
After breakfast, everyone went outside to enjoy the beautiful day. When it was time for lunch, Mom called them together around the picnic table. "We'll pray first, and then you can all help get the hamburgers off the grill and get the rest of the food on the table."
"I pray," announced Jameson again. Once more they all bowed their heads. "Thank you for…" Jameson paused a long moment as he looked at the table. There was no food on it yet. "For plates an' knives an' forks an' spoons an' cups an' napkins an' salt," Jameson said. "Amen."
Elliot and Lond…
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Nov 21, 2023
Too Short
Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:4-10
"I do it!" said Isla insistently. Her balloon was stuck up on a shelf, and her mother had offered to help her get it down. Isla was two, and she liked to do things all by herself.
"All right, you do it," said Mom as Madeline came into the room. "How was school, Maddy?"
"Okay," said Madeline. "But I don't seem to be making any headway with Kenna." She sighed and set down her backpack. "Ever since she went to church with me a few weeks ago, she's had questions about Jesus. I tried to explain it to her today, but she still seems to think she can be saved because her parents taught her good morals and she hasn't lived a bad life." Madeline glanced down at Isla, who was dragging a kiddie chair across the room. "What's she doing?"
"She was bopping her balloon in the air and it got caught on the top shelf. She's trying very hard to get it down. I was going to help her, but she told me very firmly, 'I do it.'"
Madeline grinned. "That sounds like her, but sh…
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Nov 20, 2023
A Case of Jealousy
Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 6:6-10
"Annie's house is huge! Did you see her bedroom?" Rayne asked her sister when they got home after visiting their new friend.
"What about her basement?" Lily said. "They had a huge TV with tons of movies and video games."
"The yard was awesome too," Rayne said. "I'm so jealous of their pool."
"I wish we had a house that cool," said Lily. "I wouldn't ever want to leave!"
Rayne nodded and sighed as she looked around their small living room. Their TV wasn't even a quarter the size of the one in Annie's basement. "It's not fair."
Lily made a face. "We don't even get our own bedrooms."
Their mom came into the room and gave them a quizzical look. "You two don't look too happy. Didn't you have a good time at Annie's?"
"It was great." Rayne slouched on the couch.
Lily sighed. "But now we're back to reality."
Mom lifted a brow. "What does that mean?"
"Our house isn't as nice as Annie's. We don't have anything fun to do here," Lily said.
"Nothing," Rayn…
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Nov 19, 2023
Battered Bears
Bible Reading: Isaiah 46:3-4; 1 Timothy 5:1-4
Jordyn gave her battered old teddy bear a hug before setting him on her pillow. Her brother smirked as he walked by. "Why don't you give that ratty old thing a decent burial--in a garbage can?"
"Oh, be quiet, Aaron," said Jordyn, frowning. "You're just mean!"
"Let's go, kids!" Mom called down the hall. Jordyn sighed and made a face. They were going to visit Mom's Aunt Dora, who lived in a nursing home.
"Do we have to go?" asked Aaron. "We don't like going there. It's boring, and she always asks us the same questions over and over."
"Yes, you have to," replied Mom. "Aunt Dora loves to see you."
At the nursing home, Aunt Dora smiled when she saw them. "I'm so glad you came! Can you stay for a while?" she asked as she fondly patted Jordyn's hand.
"Would you like the kids to draw you pictures while we talk?" asked Mom. Aunt Dora nodded happily, so Jordyn and Aaron got out some paper and crayons.
When Jordyn finished her picture, she ske…
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Nov 18, 2023
Translating God’s Message
Bible Reading: Isaiah 43:10-12
Jacob rolled a piece of paper into a ball, took aim, and flicked it toward Cody in the row ahead. It hit its mark, but by the time Cody looked around, Jacob was staring straight ahead. Next to him, Mateo snickered.
Jacob was glad Mateo had come to church with him today. Usually he declined, saying church stuff didn't make sense to him, but Jacob had convinced him that today's special guest, a missionary from Africa, would be interesting.
Something the missionary said caught Jacob's attention--but he didn't understand a word of it. Mr. Mensah spoke in one of Africa's tribal languages. "How many of you understood what I said?" he asked a moment later. When no one raised a hand, Mr. Mensah asked his son to translate as he spoke in the foreign language again. His son repeated his words in English, so this time all the kids understood.
"In Africa, we translate the Bible into languages of several different tribes so the people can read and listen to it in t…
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Nov 17, 2023
No More Dayken
Bible Reading: John 15:9-15
"Amen," whispered Grandma after Aspen knelt at her side and asked Jesus to be her Savior. "Now you'll always have a friend close beside you," said Grandma, giving Aspen a warm hug. "You won't see Him, but He is real and He's right there with you. Talk to Him every day, and read some verses from your Bible each day too. Then ask Him to help you understand what He's saying to you."
Aspen nodded. "He'll be with me all the time, right? He'll be my friend?"
"He absolutely will," Grandma assured her.
Aspen sat thinking to herself for a moment. Then she glanced at her grandmother. "Grandma, do you remember my friend Dayken?"
"Dayken!" Grandma exclaimed with a laugh. "You mean the imaginary friend you had when you were five years old?"
"Yes." Aspen laughed too. "Back then, Dayken was my best friend, even if she was just pretend. I couldn't see her, but I really felt like there was someone for me to play with all day long. When I had Dayken, I was never lonely.…
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Nov 16, 2023
Pilot in Control
Bible Reading: Psalm 121
Stella nervously clasped her hands together as the plane taxied down the runway. She had been excited when her parents said she and Brayden could fly by themselves to see their grandmother. But now Stella was nervous. She looked at her brother, who was eagerly watching the ground rush by.
After they were airborne, Stella still didn't relax. "Do the engines sound funny?" she asked. "Should we be flying so high? What if there's another plane in the clouds?" Brayden tried to assure her that everything was fine. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I think they should try to stay away from the clouds."
"Why don't you just go to the cockpit and take over the controls?" Brayden finally asked her. "You seem to think you know more about flying this plane than the pilot does." Stella scowled. "The pilot knows what he's doing," said Brayden, "and I think this is really cool!"
"Me too," said Stella, but she was very glad when they were finally back on solid ground.
"Did you h…
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Nov 15, 2023
Celebration for Allison
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 6-9
The long procession of cars moved slowly from the school auditorium to the little country cemetery. When they arrived there, Evelyn stood between her parents, holding a damp, wadded tissue. She struggled to keep her tears from overflowing again as some final words were spoken.
"Today we mourn the loss of Allison, our beloved daughter, sister, and friend," said Pastor Drew. Allison's parents and brother huddled closer together beside her grave, and several other people in the group dabbed their eyes. "But in our grief and sadness, we can take comfort knowing that she is in the presence of Jesus," Pastor Drew continued. "Just think of how wonderful it is for her now. The illness that caused her so much suffering is no longer hindering her--her pain and sorrow are gone."
For as long as Evelyn could remember, she and Allison had gone to school and church together. They learned about Jesus when they were little and both trusted Him as their Savior.…
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Nov 14, 2023
Lumps of Clay
Bible Reading: Isaiah 64:4-8; Ephesians 2:10
Cecilia walked beside her mother on the way to an open house at her sister Kaylynn's school. "How will we find Kaylynn?" asked Cecilia.
"She said she'd be in her pottery class," answered Mom, "and she gave me directions to get to it." They soon found the place where Kaylynn was working, and they sat down quietly at the back of the room.
The class instructor was at his potter's wheel, demonstrating how to make a clay vase. The students watched and then began work on their own projects. "Kaylynn's good, isn't she?" whispered Cecilia, watching her older sister at work.
"Yes," said Mom. "The vase she's making will be lovely filled with flowers."
Cecilia sighed. "Ben plays baseball, Sienna sings in the choir, and Kaylynn makes pottery. But me, I'm like…" Cecilia gestured toward the instructor's table. "I'm like one of those ugly lumps of clay."
"Cecilia," said Mom gently, "the vase Kaylynn is making was a lump of clay like those. And so w…
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Nov 13, 2023
The Measuring Stick
Bible Reading: Romans 3:9-12, 21-23
Koen stood next to the wall, holding himself as straight as possible. His father made a chalk mark just above his head. When Koen stepped aside, Dad began to measure the distance from the floor to the mark. "Let me do it," pleaded Brock, Koen's little brother. Brock was studying measurements in school, and he had been measuring things all week.
When Dad nodded and moved to the side, Brock climbed on a chair to measure Koen. "Wow!" Brock marveled after a moment. "You're almost six feet tall already."
"What?" exclaimed Koen. "That can't be right." He looked at the stick Brock was holding. "What kind of measuring stick are you using, anyway?"
"It's one I made," Brock said proudly, holding up the brightly painted stick. "Dad was using the yardstick, so I made my own. I think it looks about right."
"Well, it's wrong," said Koen. "You have to use a regular yardstick, don't you, Dad?"
"That's right," said Dad. "An inaccurate measuring stick will give…
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Nov 12, 2023
Taming Your Tongue
Bible Reading: James 3:1-12
Kaylee threw down her phone and fell back on her bed.
I can't believe Emma isn't inviting me to her party. I thought we were friends!
Just then Mom walked into her room. "Kaylee, please make your bed and take your laundry basket to the laundry room."
Kaylee groaned. "I don't feel like doing it right now, Mom. You're on the way to the laundry room, so why don't you take it yourself."
"Kaylee! Do not talk to me like that. We each have chores we have to do. One of yours is to make your bed and pick up your room."
"I'll do it later," Kaylee said.
Mom frowned at her. "Kaylee," she said in a warning tone.
Kaylee got up and started to smooth out her sheets. "I'm not sure why I talked back to you. I guess I felt angry because Emma just told me I wasn't invited to her party." She sighed as she fluffed her pillow. "Emma's attitude sometimes changes for no reason, and she can really hurt my feelings. One minute she's talking about all the fun we had at youth gr…
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Nov 11, 2023
Is He Really My Neighbor?
Bible Reading: Luke 10:25-37
Daniel usually loved going to science club at the library. Since he was homeschooled, it was fun meeting other kids his age and getting to learn with them. But lately, Daniel had been coming home from science club feeling down and irritated.
"Daniel, what's going on?" Mom asked when she picked him up outside the library. "I've noticed that you don't seem to be yourself after club anymore. Is something bothering you?"
"Someone is bothering me, not something!" Daniel replied in frustration. "There's a new boy named Oliver at club who believes that the world and everything in it was accidently made by some big explosion, not by God. He talks about it all the time, and I hate it. I wish he wasn't there!"
"That's challenging, Dan, and I can see why you're feeling frustrated. But do you know that Oliver is your neighbor?"
"No, he's not!" Daniel responded. "He lives on the other side of town and goes to the big elementary school there."
"I'm not talking abou…
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Nov 10, 2023
Team Player
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Philippians 2:5-8
Dawson scowled as he climbed into the car after basketball practice. "What's wrong, Dawson?" Mom asked. "Did your practice not go well?"
"No!" Dawson responded. "We split into teams for a practice game, and my team won by four, and I scored twenty-eight points! But instead of congratulating me, Coach lectured me after the game. He said I was hogging the ball and taking risky shots. He's going to sit me out half of our game this Friday so the other guys get to play more." Dawson shook his head. "It's not fair, Mom! I'm the best player on our team! I should be on the court."
Mom started driving home. "Do you remember when Dad was offered that high school teaching job last year?" she asked.
"Sure," Dawson replied. "But he turned it down because he likes teaching middle school better, right?"
"Actually, your dad has always wanted to teach high school," Mom explained. "But to take the job, our family would've had to move. You wou…
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Nov 9, 2023
Hiding Place
Bible Reading: Psalm 62:5-8; Philippians 4:6-7
Thiago wriggled into the little thicket of shrubs behind the garage. It was his own special hiding place where he always went when he was feeling unhappy and wanted to be alone. Today he felt bad because he'd missed a ball in the ninth inning of his baseball game, and the other kids got mad at him. He sighed deeply as he thought about it.
A little bird rustled in the bushes, and the wind sighed softly overhead in the trees. As Thiago listened to the sounds around him, he began to forget his sadness. He always felt better in his hiding place. Then he heard his mother's voice. "Thiago!" she called. "Grandpa's here." Thiago quickly scrambled out. He didn't want to miss Grandpa's visit.
A few minutes later, Thiago and Grandpa were sipping lemonade on the porch. "Where were you just now?" Grandpa asked.
"I was feeling bad about missing a ball in our game this afternoon, so I went to my special hiding place," Thiago replied, knowing Grandpa…
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Nov 8, 2023
Band Member (Part 2)
Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-10
"You and Dad are coming to my band concert tonight, right?" Zane asked at breakfast one day. "I've been practicing so much, I think I know our pieces backwards! And I get to play a special number with a smaller group--a brass ensemble."
"We'll be there," Mom assured him. "We wouldn't miss it."
"Can I go too?" asked Matilda eagerly. Mom assured her that she could go along.
When it was time to get ready for the concert that evening, Zane was a bit nervous. "The timing on some of our pieces is kinda tricky," he said. "What if I mess up?"
"Just watch your conductor carefully and you'll do fine," said Dad.
Zane nodded. "Mr. Liu stopped us in the middle of a piece the other day. Torin, one of the drummers, was really going at it, and he wasn't watching Mr. Liu at all. He played half a line before he realized nobody else was playing. Everybody laughed, even Mr. Liu, but then he gave us all a lecture on how important it is to follow his leading." He p…
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Nov 7, 2023
Band Member (Part 1)
Bible Reading: Romans 12:4-8; Colossians 1:12-18
"Mom!" Zane called as he came into the house. "Guess what? Even though we moved here in the middle of the school year, I can join the band! Mr. Liu, the band leader, says the school has instruments the kids can use, so I'm going to be in the band and play a trumpet."
"That's great!" said Mom. "I'm glad that worked out for you. When do you start?"
"Tomorrow," replied Zane. "I'll get my trumpet and officially belong to the middle school band!"
When Dad heard the big news, he grinned. "So, you finally get to play in a band!" he said, knowing Zane had been disappointed his old school didn't have one.
But Matilda, Zane's little sister, frowned. "I want to be in the band too," she declared.
"You can't. You're too small," Zane told her.
"I can too," she insisted. "All you need is an instrument, and I already have one!" She held up a toy horn she'd been playing with.
"And you have to be big enough," added Zane.
Dad smiled at Matilda. "Z…
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Nov 6, 2023
A Passion for Peace
Bible Reading: 1 Peter 3:8-11
Cleo walked around the room collecting assignments from her classmates. As she reached the end of the last row, she saw Kara staring back at her from the front, waiting. When she reached Kara, Cleo held her hand out, expecting Kara to hand over her assignment. Instead, Kara threw the sheet on the ground for her to pick up. Stunned, Cleo felt her face warming up. Soft laughter rippled through the air like tiny waves in the ocean, quiet and discreet. She didn't know what else to do except bend down and scoop the paper off the ground.
After handing the assignments to her teacher, Cleo made the long trek back to her desk while she felt the room staring at her.
Pathetic, she thought. I should have just left the paper on the ground. Better yet, I should have ripped it into shreds!
She opened up her notebook to bury her face in. But she quickly noticed something was different. Oh, this isn't my math notebook, she thought. This is my prayer journal. She furrow…
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Nov 5, 2023
Seeing the Good
Bible Reading: Psalm 34:1-8
Adelyn frowned at the TV. Wind was whipping around in the news video being shown. She trembled as the wind knocked a tree into a house. The reporter on the TV didn't sound scared, but Adelyn didn't like what she was seeing.
"Oh no…" Adelyn covered her eyes as the reporter moved from talking about the tornado to talking about a robbery.
"Adelyn!" Her grandpa sounded startled. "I didn't know you were in here." She heard the creak of his recliner.
Adelyn pulled her hands down from her face and looked at the TV. It was now blank. She let out a relieved breath.
Grandpa nodded toward the door. "We don't need to watch that. Let's go outside and focus on something good."
Adelyn stepped out into the yard, smiling when Grandpa had her stop to smell his favorite rosebush. Everything seemed happier away from the TV.
"Our neighbors brought home a new baby," Grandpa said. "He looks as small as you when you were born." He pointed down the street. "People have been…
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Nov 4, 2023
Moody Maddie
Bible Reading: Proverbs 12:15-18; Galatians 5:22-23
Maddie's brother Jason came into the kitchen wearing a frown. "I just met a grizzly bear!" he told his mom as he poured himself some cereal. "Maddie sure is grumpy." Just then there was a knock at the door. "It's for Grizzly," Jason muttered, seeing one of Maddie's friends through the window. He called for his sister.
Maddie came out of her room and scowled at him. "You could have answered the door," she hissed. She pulled the front door open. "Hey, Claire!" she said, smiling.
After Maddie and Claire left for school, Jason shook his head. "How can she be so grumpy one minute and so happy the next? She sure is moody!"
A few days later, Maddie hummed happily as she helped her dad get the grill ready for hamburgers. But when her little sister wanted to help, Maddie angrily shooed her away. Then she checked the grill. "The fire is out," she said and picked up the fuel starter. "I'll squirt some of this on the coals."
"No, don't!" Dad…
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Nov 3, 2023
Never Alone
Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 31:1-6; Psalm 56:3-4
"Dad, I'm really nervous about school. I can hardly even sleep at night," Thomas told his dad. Their family had just moved to a new town, and Thomas was dreading his first day at the new school.
"I have an idea," Dad replied. "Let's celebrate this new beginning with an adventure! Do you want to join me on a caving expedition?"
Thomas's dad enjoyed exploring caves as a hobby, and Thomas had been asking his dad to take him for years. "Do you really mean it? Yes! That would be awesome!" he readily agreed.
The next morning, Thomas and his dad drove to the mountains. After hiking to a rocky ridgeline, they climbed through a tiny hole and descended a subterranean slope into a pitch-black cave. At the bottom of the slope, Dad gave a surprising directive. "Let's turn off our headlamps for a moment, Thomas. I want you to experience true darkness."
After turning off their lights, Thomas realized he couldn't even see his own hand. Immediately,…
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Nov 2, 2023
Starry Night
Bible Reading: Psalms 73:23-28; 147:4-5; John 1:9-14
"Wow, look at all the stars!" Bretton gaped at the tiny specks of light splattered across the night sky as he and his dad walked onto the beach. "I don't think I've ever seen so many at once!"
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Dad spread a blanket on the sand so they could sit down. "This has always been my favorite part of camping--getting away from all the city lights so we can see the stars."
"Yeah," said Bretton. He pointed to a twinkling point of light. "Look at that one! It's brighter than the rest."
"That's Sirius, or the Dog Star. It's one of the closest stars to Earth, and it's twice as big as our sun."
"Really? It's bigger than the sun?" asked Bretton.
"Sure is. And it's small compared to some other stars out there." Dad pointed to a spot slightly below Sirius. "In that area of the sky is one of the biggest stars we know of--VY Canis Majoris. It's two thousand times bigger than the sun!" Dad took a quarter out of his pocket.…
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Nov 1, 2023
Building Bridges
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Asher and his friend Enzo looked at the creek that ran through the field near their homes. They were trying to figure out how to build a bridge over it. "I bet my dad has some boards we could use," said Enzo.
The two boys ran to the shed in Enzo's backyard and found a couple of long, wide boards. They carried one of them to the creek, lifted it high, and gave it a heave, hoping it would land with both ends on dry ground. But…SPLASH! "Oh no! It missed the creek bank," said Asher. "This board won't work. It's too short." After a quick look at his watch, he added, "I need to get home--let's finish this tomorrow. I'll ask my dad if he has something that will help us." Enzo nodded, and the boys set the board against a tree and headed home.
Mom met Asher at the door. "I'm glad you're home early. We invited the new family down the street to come for dinner tonight."
Asher groaned. "Why do we have to have them over? They don't speak English very well,…
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Oct 31, 2023
Lava Lips
Bible Reading: James 3:3-10
"Hi, Mom," said Journee as she opened the front door. "We had the best class today! We learned about volcanos."
"That sounds interesting," said Mom. "I remember studying them in school. They're a fascinating part of nature."
Journee nodded. "My teacher had a small model of a volcano. She could even make it erupt! Do you know what erupts from a real volcano?"
"Lava, hot gasses, and rock fragments," answered Journee's brother, Nash, who had also just gotten home from school.
Journee frowned. "I asked Mom, not you," she snapped. Then she went on telling her mom more facts about volcanoes. "Pressure builds up, and the red hot ash blasts through the surface. Do you know where it erupts from?" she asked, looking at her mother.
Nash answered again. "It comes from the mouth of the volcano. That's at the top of a cone-shaped mountain."
Journee scowled at him. "Wrong!" she declared triumphantly. "That's what it looks like, but the actual opening is lower than t…
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Oct 30, 2023
Foolish Flies
Bible Reading: John 14:16-17; Hebrews 4:14-16
"Hey, look at this weird plant!" called Andres as he and his fellow campers made their way around the swamp.
"Hmm," murmured Mr. Pete, the counselor. "That's called a pitcher plant! It's one of North America's most interesting insect-eating plants."
"What are all those flies doing down in there?" asked one of the boys as they crowded around and peered into a cluster of leaves.
"That plant has caught them for food," Mr. Pete explained. "It produces a substance--kind of like nectar--that attracts insects. They can easily enter the opening at the top of the leaves, but the sides are slippery and have thousands of tiny hairs that all point downward, and the flies can't get back out."
"So they drown in that pool at the bottom, I guess," remarked Andres. "Those flies think they're getting something good, but instead they get stuck."
Mr. Pete nodded. "That can happen to us too. Sinful things can often look good to us, but they will only harm…
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Oct 29, 2023
A Deeper Love
Bible Reading: Romans 8:35-39
Tears ran down Makayla's cheeks as Dad drove off. She pulled away from her mother and ran down the street. She heard Mom call her name, but she ran faster. Today was the worst day of her life!
Earlier that morning, Mom and Dad had sat on opposite ends of the couch and calmly spoke the words that tore her world apart. "We still love you, Makayla. We just can't live together anymore." The words had pierced her heart.
Makayla finally stopped running and sat on a swing in the neighborhood park. She could no longer cry; she felt empty.
As the weeks went by, Makayla's life fell into a new pattern. After school on weekdays, she and her mother cooked dinner and spent the evenings together. On Fridays, her father picked her up after school, and she went to his apartment for the weekend. They had fun, but it just wasn't the same as having him home.
One Friday Makayla's father called to say he couldn't come. After that, Dad sometimes came, and sometimes he didn'…
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Oct 28, 2023
Cluttered Places
Bible Reading: Psalm 32:1-5; 1 John 1:9
Knox tore open another box and eagerly started unpacking more of his clothes, putting some away in his closet and others in drawers. His family had moved into a new home, and he finally had a room all to himself!
Mom came in to see how he was doing. "What a mess!" she said, looking out the window. Knox looked too. There at the end of the driveway was a huge pile of boxes the family had used to move their belongings. "I'm glad the recycling truck comes today," Mom said. "All those boxes clutter the place up and ruin the look of our new home."
"Yeah," said Knox. He looked at his own pile of boxes near the door. "I've got to get these out there too before the truck gets here."
Knox hurried to empty the rest of the cartons holding his things, then added the empty boxes to the pile waiting at the end of the drive. When he returned to his room, he grinned. With the boxes gone, his room looked much bigger and more inviting.
As they finished eating…
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Oct 27, 2023
Grandma and the Butterfly
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-57
"Grandma, do you really think a pretty butterfly will ever come out of this thing?" asked Grant, bringing a large jar to the sofa where his grandmother was resting. He had caught a caterpillar, and it had spun itself into a chrysalis. "We've been watching it for so long."
Grandma turned her head away and coughed, then smiled as she looked at the greenish sac hanging from a stick in the jar. "Oh yes. Just wait." She patted the seat beside her. "Sit down a minute, Grant, and let's talk."
Grant sat down next to her. "Grant, that chrysalis reminds me of myself," said Grandma. "It's going to change soon, and I am too. The doctor says I won't be here much longer--I'm going to die."
A big lump formed into Grant's throat, and tears sprang to his eyes. "But I'll be so sad if you die, Grandma!"
Grandma patted his hand. "I know, and that's okay--it's normal to be sad when a loved one dies. But I want you to remember that I'm going to heaven. My bo…
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Oct 26, 2023
Rising Dough
Bible Reading: Matthew 13:31-33
"I'm ready to make bread!" said Katie as she slipped on her apron.
Mom pulled the flour down off the top shelf, then grabbed sugar, a package of yeast, and salt. "We need eggs, butter, and milk."
Katie carried the items from the fridge to the kitchen table, where her mom had already set out a mixing bowl, measuring cups, and an electric mixer.
After measuring flour into the bowl, Katie opened the packages of yeast and sprinkled them over the flour. "Yeast looks like tiny seeds," she observed.
"Yeast is a single-celled microorganism, a type of fungus," Mom explained as she stirred the pot of milk, sugar, butter, and salt on the stove. Mom taught science. She knew that kind of stuff.
When the liquid was at the right temperature, they added it to the flour, along with eggs, and beat it all with the mixer. Then they added more flour, blending it in until it was too thick to stir. Next came the part Katie loved best--kneading. Sinking her hands into the…
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Oct 25, 2023
The Antique Mirror
Bible Reading: Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John 4:7-13
"Mom, look at this old mirror!" Leah called to her mother, who was going through boxes on the other side of the attic. As she looked in the mirror, Leah giggled at her short, squat reflection. "This mirror makes me look so funny."
Mom came up behind her and looked. "That mirror is very old. It belonged to your great-great-grandmother."
"Can we take it down to show everybody?" asked Leah.
"Sure," said Mom. "I'm sure they'd like to see it too."
That evening, Leah's family laughed together at their reflections in the antique mirror. "It's fun to see myself in this old mirror, but it makes me look all squashed," said Leah. "I'm sure glad we have better ones we use now."
"Yeah," said Noah. "It'd be hard to get ready in the morning using this!"
"Yes, modern mirrors show us much more accurate images of ourselves than this old one," said Mom. "That's the kind of mirror we want to be."
"What do you mean?" asked Noah. "People aren't mirrors…
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Oct 24, 2023
God's Favorites
Bible Reading: Psalm 149:2-5; Zephaniah 3:14-17
"Do we have to go to the grocery store, Mom?" Shiloh asked as her family pulled out of the church parking lot. Shiloh, her brothers and sisters, and her mother had just finished attending their weekly homeschool group. Now Mom informed them that a trip to the store was in order.
"I think you can ask that in a stronger voice," Mom answered. Shiloh knew that meant she'd been whining. Mom was reminding her to think about her tone.
"I've had a sad day, Mom. Can't we go to the store later?"
"Sorry, honey. We have the car today while Dad works from home. It just can't wait," Mom replied.
As the family grabbed reusable bags and headed into the store, Shiloh shuffled behind. Mom sent the other kids to grab bananas, bread, and milk and then put her arm around Shiloh. "What was sad today?" Mom asked.
"Remember the art contest, Mom? I worked hard but didn't even get an honorable mention. Aria won second place, and she told me she barely tried.…
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Oct 23, 2023
Light and Shadows
Bible Reading: Psalm 18:28-33; Matthew 5:14-16
"Mom, did you know that you can carry a light into a dark room and light it up, but you can't carry darkness anywhere at all?" Brody said. He and his sister Rey had begun a unit study on light and shadow.
Rey said, "That's silly! You can trap darkness under a bowl and haul it around." She giggled. "I have a book of hand shadows. Can we try some?"
Mom took a flashlight into the den, and the children followed the instructions in Rey's book. They shined the flashlight on their hands to make dog, butterfly, and goose shadows on the wall.
Mom handed them a few items. "Can you make shadows of these?"
Rey held up a miniature flag, an action figure, and a candlestick. Brody aimed the flashlight at them. Each one cast a distinct shadow on the wall.
Mom pulled out a box of long matches and lit one. "Shine the light on this. What do you see?"
The children had puzzled expressions. Rey said, "Not much."
"Watch the flame carefully." Mom held the…
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Oct 22, 2023
Stair Steps
Bible Reading: Psalm 37:23-31
"You know how I've always wanted to be a doctor?" asked Ethan as he helped himself to a drumstick at his grandparents' house. "Well, we had a special visitor at church last week--a surgeon from a mission hospital in Africa. They need lots more doctors there, so maybe I'll go to Africa someday." Ethan beamed. "I told God I'd go wherever He wants me to."
Grandma smiled. "That's great, Ethan."
"Yeah, but…" Ethan paused. "I don't know if I can do it. It costs a lot to go to school to learn how to be a doctor, and it's hard work. I might not be smart enough."
"Well, I'm not saying it will be easy, but if that's what God wants you to do, He'll help you work it out," Grandpa assured him. But Ethan still looked doubtful.
After dinner, Ethan and Grandpa went out to the garden to pick raspberries to eat with ice cream. "Look at all the berries!" exclaimed Ethan. "We should have brought a bigger container. I'll go get one." He ran to the house and tried to tak…
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Oct 21, 2023
The Book of Life
Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:8-9; Revelation 21:2, 23-27
Judah played outside near his dad, who was working on his car and listening to a sermon on his phone. Judah heard clips of the message--something about a very important book God keeps. The pastor called it the Book of Life. He said only people whose names were written in that book would be allowed into heaven. Wow! I better be good, thought Judah, or else my name might not get in.
When Judah started to tease his little sister later that day, he remembered the Book of Life, and so he gave her a ride on his scooter instead. He also took out the garbage without being asked, and he didn't complain when his mom said he couldn't have a cookie so close to suppertime.
Judah made a list of all the good things he had done that day and proudly showed it to his dad. "Will God write my name in His book now?" Judah asked.
"Well, let's think about that," said Dad. "Do you think your teacher at church should write down your name as a winner in…
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Oct 20, 2023
A Friend's Denial
Bible Reading: Matthew 26:69-75
Maddie buried her face in her pillow. She heard footsteps come into her room and then her mom's voice. "Maddie, what happened?"
"Alexa." Maddie didn't move. "I was waiting for her by the bus, and she walked right past me."
"She did?" Mom frowned. "Did you two have a fight?"
"No," Maddie moaned. "It's that new girl. Summer. Alexa sat by her instead of me."
"I see," Mom said, the bed shifting as she sat down on it.
"She acted like she didn't even know me," Maddie said. "She just walked by without even looking at me or anything." Maddie started to cry. "It hurts so bad. No one knows what this feels like."
"I'm sorry, Maddie," Mom said. "I wish I could take away your pain. Friends can really hurt us badly."
Maddie cried while her mom rubbed her back. "If she had just looked at me and said something, it would have been okay. She could have just told me she was going to sit with Summer."
Mom nodded. "You said that no one understands how you feel, but…
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Oct 19, 2023
Perfectly Suited
Bible Reading: Psalms 138:8; 139:1-6
"I wish I was good at sports," complained Quinn. "I was playing kickball with the neighbor kids and totally missed the ball when it was my turn to kick…twice! I'm so uncoordinated. I think God messed up when he made me."
Mom sat down beside Quinn on the porch swing. "Honey, God never makes mistakes, and you know your value isn't based on how well you can kick a ball--it's based on God creating you in His image and Jesus dying to forgive your sins and make you God's child. But I know it can be frustrating when we feel like we aren't as smart, attractive, or athletic as our friends."
Quinn sighed. "I don't have to be good at everything. I just want to have a little bit of athletic talent--like being able to dribble a basketball without it hitting my foot."
"You are good at a lot of other things though," Mom said. "You really have a gift for understanding scientific concepts. You can explain body systems with such great detail and accuracy. I don…
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Oct 18, 2023
Grandma's Attic
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:97-105
"Oh, look at this!" exclaimed Aunt Jessie as she and Melanie were cleaning Grandma's attic. "Here's a box of mementos from when I was in high school!"
Melanie took a pair of neon green sunglasses from the box and put them on. "Why did you keep these?"
"Tom gave those to me after he won them at the county fair," Aunt Jessie replied with a smile. "I haven't thought about him in years." As she sorted through the other things in the box, she told Melanie about each item and how she'd gotten it.
"Don't you forget anything, Aunt Jessie?" asked Melanie. "Everything you see reminds you of something! Your head must be stuffed fuller than this attic."
Aunt Jessie laughed. "Well, I've heard that people never really forget anything. Everything we experience is stored in our brains, but it may take something like a memento to bring it into a part of the mind where we can recall it." She stretched her arms. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired. Let's ta…
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Oct 17, 2023
Amber’s Mission Trip
Bible Reading: John 6:5-13
"Bye!" Amber waved as her aunt drove away. Aunt Nina had eaten dinner with Amber's family that night. Afterwards, Aunt Nina showed them pictures from the recent mission trip she'd taken.
Amber sighed as she returned to the kitchen. "I wish I could go on a mission trip. I never do anything important."
"Why do you say that?" Mom asked, handing Amber a plate.
"Aunt Nina traveled to another country and told others about Jesus. She helped doctors in that village serve sick people. Everything I do seems like no big deal." Amber shut the dishwasher and looked sadly at her mother.
"Here." Mom placed the leftover garlic bread in Amber's hands.
Amber glanced at the bread. "What do you want me to do with it?"
"Tell me what it is."
"Bread." Amber shrugged. "I don't get it."
"Do you remember the story of the miracle Jesus performed with a few fish and loaves of bread?"
Amber nodded. "A little boy gave his lunch to Jesus. Not much, but it was all he had. Jesus tu…
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Oct 16, 2023
Rerouting
Bible Reading: Psalm 143:8-10; John 14:23-26
"Rerouting…rerouting…"
Landen heard his dad's GPS talking in a lady's voice. "What does rerouting mean?" he asked.
"It means to change direction. We need to stop by the grocery store on the way to Aunt Cyndi's party, so I went a different direction than the one my GPS recommended. Now the GPS is rerouting, figuring out a new way to get to the party."
"Is that a bad thing? The lady sounded mad."
Dad chuckled. "She doesn't get mad, Landen. She's a machine. But, to answer your question, rerouting isn't necessarily bad. It certainly wasn't in this case. We can't have a party without ice cream!"
"Let's get mint chocolate chip!" yelled Landen's younger brother, Archer.
"Good idea." A minute later, Dad spoke again. "Remember last summer, when you two played ball in the house?"
Landen wasn't sure he wanted to remember. He and Archer both nodded but didn't speak.
Dad continued. "God tells us to obey our parents, and you two usually do. B…
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Oct 15, 2023
Leaves of Change
Bible Reading: Psalm 102:25-27; Hebrews 13:5-8
"I'm going to run and jump into the leaves, Daddy. Are you watching?" Meliah asked.
Dad held the rake and smiled at his daughter. "Sure, honey. Go ahead."
Meliah grinned as she started running. When she landed in the pile of leaves, she laughed. "This is lots of fun! I like fall."
Dad raked the leaf pile back together. "I like fall too, though I wish it was warmer. I don't like the changing temperature."
Meliah put her foot into the pile of leaves. "Everything changes," she said with a frown. "Mommy went to live in an apartment. Grandma came to live here. It's getting cold. I got a new teacher because my other teacher had a baby."
Dad set down the rake and stood beside Meliah. "I'm sorry that Mommy moved to the apartment. You can still see her whenever you want if you ask me to drive you. And Grandma wasn't doing well living by herself. Weren't you excited about her coming to live with us? You always loved having her visit."
Meliah…
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Oct 14, 2023
The Penny Drive
Bible Reading: Matthew 10:29-31; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
"Listen to this," Mom said as Hope and her parents relaxed in the living room one evening. "The writer of this blog post says pennies should be discontinued in our money system because it costs too much to make them and nothing can be purchased for a penny anyway. What do you think about that?"
"I agree," said Dad. "Pennies are a nuisance. I don't like bothering with them, so I dump them in a jar on my dresser. It's almost full."
Just then Reuben came charging into the house after his youth club meeting at church. "Guess what! We're going to have a contest to raise money for missionaries. The team that fills their giant container with money the fastest wins. My team is changing the money we collect to pennies so it takes up more space. Will you help me?"
Hope laughed. "I guess the person who wrote that blog post didn't know about the needs of missionaries, Mom. There's a use for pennies after all."
Dad headed for the stairs. "…
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Oct 13, 2023
Dumb Excuses
Bible Reading: Luke 14:16-24
"So are you coming with me to our church youth retreat next weekend?" Molly asked her friend Addison one day.
"No, my parents are going to the college football game," replied Addison. "I think I'll go with them."
Molly frowned. "But everyone's going on the youth retreat. It'll be so much fun! Why don't you come?"
"I don't have the right clothes for it," said Addison.
"Oh, you do too!" said Molly. "All you need is jeans and a T-shirt."
Addison shrugged. "It costs too much."
"You know that's not true! Like I told you, some of the families in the church offered to sponsor the whole group, so it won't cost you a thing." But in spite of Molly's best efforts to persuade her friend to go to the retreat, Addison stubbornly refused.
After Bible club the next week, Addison was quiet as she and Molly waited for their parents to pick them up. "I don't get it," said Addison suddenly. "It seems like every time I go to Bible club, Miss Ellis tells us we need Jesus…
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Oct 12, 2023
One-Way Communication
Bible Reading: Psalms 25:4-5; 143:5-8
Liliana let out a long sigh as she closed her four-year-old sister's bedroom door.
"Whew! I went in to say goodnight to Emma while Mom was getting her ready for bed, but I barely even got to say it! Emma was talking non-stop."
Liliana's brother Milo laughed. "Whenever I talk to her, I feel like all I can say is 'mmm' and 'oh' every once in a while. Did she ask about your field trip to the pumpkin patch today?"
"She did, but before I could answer her, she started talking about something else, and I never got a chance to tell her I brought her back a pumpkin." Liliana giggled. "In our social studies class, we had a lesson on communication, and Mrs. Butler emphasized that it's a two-way thing! Emma must not have figured that out yet, because she just talks and talks."
"She'll learn as she gets older," said Dad. "Though I guess we're all like that sometimes."
Milo and Liliana shook their heads. "Not me!" they said at the same time.
"What about t…
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Oct 11, 2023
A Perfect Teacher
Bible Reading: Psalm 19:7-11; John 14:26
Lydia ran into the house waving a paper she'd brought from school. "Guess what? Miss Peterson gave us an assignment to do!" she said, out of breath with excitement. "Her projects are always so much fun!"
Mom smiled. She was used to hearing about Miss Peterson. Lydia liked her teacher very much and talked about her constantly.
"Miss Peterson gave us these pictures of birds, and we have to look them up online and color them in with the right colors," said Lydia. "I love coloring! I'm so glad I got her for a teacher this year. She's just perfect!"
Lydia pulled out her laptop and started coloring in the birds. But when she came to one of the pictures, she was confused. The bird Miss Peterson had labeled blue jay didn't look like the blue jays she found online. Lydia took the problem to her mother. "Can you help me, Mom? Where can I find this kind of blue jay?"
"I think Miss Peterson labeled this wrong," Mom said after looking at the picture. "T…
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Oct 10, 2023
A New Way to Walk
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:17-24, 32
Diego watched as Lucas walked around the picnic table on stilts and then jumped to the ground. "Wanna try?" asked Lucas. He held the stilts while his cousin climbed up on the picnic table to get on them. "You have to use your arms to help your legs take steps," said Lucas. "Kinda like you're a puppet pulling your own strings."
When Lucas let go of the stilts, they went flying from under Diego's feet. One crashed sideways, smacking Lucas on the side of the head. Mean, angry words exploded from his mouth as he winced in pain and grabbed his head with his hands.
Diego stared at his cousin in surprise. "I didn't mean to hit you with the stilts. I'm sorry."
Lucas sighed. "It's okay. I shouldn't have lost my temper and called you that. I'm sorry too. Here, I'll help you get started again."
Diego wobbled dangerously when Lucas let go of the stilts, but before long he was able to keep his balance for quite a few steps at a time. "Look, Mom!" he said pr…
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Oct 9, 2023
Extra Gravy
Bible Reading: Matthew 25:34-40; James 2:14-17
"Dad, can you pass the gravy, please?" said Noelle as she plopped a heaping serving of mashed potatoes on her plate. Mashed potatoes and gravy were one of her favorite side dishes, along with pumpkin pie, which was also on the table.
Dad handed her the white pitcher. "You sure do like mashed potatoes."
"Yeah, I guess I do," Noelle said as she poured the creamy gravy on her potatoes.
"Save some for me," Dad said with a laugh.
Noelle set the pitcher of gravy back on the table. "I miss Mom."
"I do too," Dad said. "But we should be thankful she was able to go and help Aunt Dawn for a while after her surgery. It'd be hard for Uncle Tim to do it all by himself."
"I'm glad the operation went well," said Noelle. "I love Aunt Dawn."
"And you've really helped get things done while Mom is away," said Dad. "It sure is nice to have the extra help around here, just like it is for Aunt Dawn to have Mom's extra help."
"It's kind of like having ex…
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Oct 8, 2023
The Kite
Bible Reading: Psalm 8
"My church is having a picnic in the park on Saturday," Caleb told his new neighbor as the boys worked on making a kite together. "Wanna come? There will be food and games, and you can meet some of the kids I go to church with."
"Nah," replied Arjun, tying the last ribbon to the kite's tail. "I'm not really interested in church. My dad says there isn't any God, and I think he's right. When I lived in India, I saw lots of people worship statues that couldn't do anything. Here people worship a God you can't even see, and that doesn't make sense to me either."
Caleb's heart sank. How can I explain that God is real, even though we can't see Him? he wondered.
"Let's see if this masterpiece will fly," Arjun said, changing the subject.
Together the boys ran across the yard. Caleb felt the string pull tight as Arjun let go of the kite. He turned to watch it soar high into the air. "Wow!" exclaimed Arjun. "We did it!"
After a while, Caleb handed the string to his fr…
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Oct 7, 2023
Block of Wood
Bible Reading: Job 23:8-10; Romans 8:28
Soren quietly stepped onto the back porch where his grandpa was enjoying the sunshine. He watched as Grandpa began to shape the mustache of the wooden cowboy in his hands with his favorite knife.
"Carving again, Grandpa?" Soren asked.
Grandpa looked up and smiled. "Good to see you, Soren. Have a seat and tell me about your day."
Soren frowned and plopped down in a brown folding chair. "School was okay, I guess. Math is weird. I can't figure out this geometry stuff Mrs. Thompkins is trying to teach us. She keeps trying to explain it, but it's hard to pay attention, since I get kind of distracted sometimes."
"Thinking about the treatments your mom is going through?" asked Grandpa.
Soren nodded. "And Jasper told me today that he's moving because his dad got a new job. We won't be able to play together anymore. He'll be living too far away." Soren put his chin in his hands and frowned. "It seems like everything is going wrong all at once."
Gra…
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Oct 6, 2023
The Beautiful Apple
Bible Reading: Psalm 139:1-5, 23-24
Lincoln woke up early, dressed quickly, and hurried down to eat breakfast. This was the big day he'd been looking forward to--his family was going to the county fair.
When they arrived at the fair, Lincoln went to look at all the horses, cows, and other show animals. He rode the rides and threw darts at balloons and won a prize. As he and his family walked through the fairgrounds, he saw a booth selling caramel apples, and he decided to buy the biggest and best one he could find. So when it was almost time to go home, he ran to the booth at the far corner of the fair. "I came to buy a caramel apple," he told the woman behind the counter. "Can I pick out a big one?"
"Sure," she replied. "Which one would you like?"
Lincoln carefully studied the apples on display. He pointed to a huge one, loaded with nuts and caramel, and the woman put it in a box so he could take it home.
That evening, Lincoln settled down to eat his prized apple. He took a big b…
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Oct 5, 2023
The Memory Box
Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 21:4
Whenever Gabriella visited her grandparents, Grandma usually called her into the kitchen to help prepare a snack. But Grandma didn't call her today. Gabriella sighed as she rocked slowly in her grandmother's favorite chair.
"How's school going?" asked Grandpa.
"Okay." Gabriella looked at the wall where a picture of her grandparents was hanging. She closed her eyes tightly and wished Grandma would be standing there when she opened them. But that couldn't happen, of course.
"You miss Grandma, don't you?" Grandpa asked quietly. A tear slid down Gabriella's cheek. "I miss her too," said Grandpa. "Sometimes I want to call out to her to talk with her. It's hard to accept the fact that she isn't here anymore." He opened the drawer of a table and pulled out a box. "When I feel especially sad, I look through this memory box. As each picture or item brings back memories, I thank God for the special times--and the ordinary ones--I could…
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Oct 4, 2023
Safe in the Boat
Bible Reading: Isaiah 41:10; John 10:27-30; Ephesians 6:10-13
Riley watched the smooth, tranquil surface of the water as she and her grandfather drifted across the lake in his boat. Suddenly, twenty or thirty fish leaped out of the water all around Riley, a cauldron of boiling activity. Riley was terrified. What unseen enemy could be so frightening that it could catapult so many fish into the air? She quickly turned toward her grandfather, who was fishing from the opposite side of the boat with his back to her.
"Grandpa!" Riley cried. "What was that?"
"What was what? Did you see an alligator?" he asked, chuckling.
"I didn't see what it was, but something made the fish jump all around me!"
Just then something thumped the boat from below, sending them rocking back and forth. Riley screamed and clutched the railing next to her. Grandpa turned around, startled, and peered out across the water.
"I heard on the news that someone spotted an alligator in this lake, but they never come th…
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Oct 3, 2023
East and West
Bible Reading: Psalm 103:10-12
"Mom, how much longer on this airplane?" Danny asked. "I liked seeing our cousins in South Korea, but I feel like we've been on this plane forever!"
"Let's look." Danny's mom touched the screen in front of her. "It says here we have three more hours to go. Maybe you can practice memorizing your Bible verses while you wait. I know the perfect verse to start with."
Mom reached down into her purse under the seat and pulled out a tiny pocket-sized Bible. She cracked it open. "Right here," she said, pointing to Psalm 103.
Danny was quiet for a few moments as he read the psalm, but then he looked up and asked, "Mom, what's a transgression? It says here that God removes our transgressions. What does that mean?"
"That's a great question! Remember how we talked about Jesus dying and coming back to life again to save us? Well, that was when God removed our transgressions, or our sins."
"So, transgressions is just a fancy word for sins?" Danny asked.
"Yes, an…
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Oct 2, 2023
A Leap of Faith
Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28
Jake finished taping up the box that held his video games. "What do you think my new school will be like?" he asked Mom.
"I'm guessing it will be similar to Wilson, but we'll have to find out when we get to New Jersey." Mom smiled and gave him a hug. "It's gonna be all right, you know."
"I know," Jake said.
When Mom left the room, Jake picked up a photo album and looked through it. He saw a picture of his best friend, Matt. They'd been best friends since kindergarten, and they played basketball together every day after school. What would he do without him?
"Jake!" Mom called. "We're leaving for Grandma's. Don't forget your swimsuit!"
In the car, Sarah, Jake's four-year-old sister, said, "When we move to New Jersey, I'm changing my name to Melissa the Mermaid." Everyone chuckled.
"Well, Miss Mermaid," said Mom, "you're gonna make quite a splash at the pool today!"
That afternoon in Grandma's pool, Jake was playing Marco Polo with Mom wh…
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Oct 1, 2023
The Mirror Tells All
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:31-32; James 1:19-27; 4:17
Ramona came down to breakfast with a scowl on her face. Her day was already off to a bad start. Her favorite sweater had a hole in it, and she had forgotten to do her math homework. While she ate her pancakes with blueberry syrup, Mom asked her to read a Bible verse for morning devotions.
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you," read Ramona.
Just then Jodi, Ramona's three-year-old sister, poked her with her plastic alligator. Startled, Ramona jumped up and knocked over her juice.
"Look what you made me do!" shouted Ramona, dabbing at her soaked T-shirt. "You're such a pest!"
Jodi began to cry as Ramona stomped upstairs to change. When she came back down, she grabbed her backpack and rushed out the door.
After school, Ramona came home and plopped herself down at the table.…
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Sep 30, 2023
Paws to Show God’s Love
Bible Reading: John 13:34-35
"Where are you headed today?" Mr. Mack asked his young neighbor.
"There's a dog adoption at the park!" said Jesse. "I want a dog, but Mom says she can't afford to feed another hungry mouth. So I just go play with them."
"I love dogs too," said Mr. Mack. "They're great company. I've got this nice fenced-in yard that's perfect for a dog, but my knees aren't strong enough to walk a dog anymore."
Jesse thought about that as he hurried to the park. Mr. Mack seemed lonely since his wife died, and a bit forgetful. Jesse smiled, thinking how lately Mr. Mack's hair stuck out in all directions, like he'd forgotten to comb it. Every week, Jesse's mom invited him to church to hear about Jesus, but Mr. Mack's answer was always, "Maybe someday."
"Mr. Mack may never go to church," Jesse's mom said. "But we can still show him God's love. The Bible tells us to bear one another's burdens--like loneliness. We can be there for him, just like Jesus is always there for us."…
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Sep 29, 2023
It’s a Fact
Bible Reading: 1 John 5:9-13
Ember sat in her science class, nibbling the end of her pencil, but her mind was still on the message she had heard in church the day before. Pastor Warner had stressed the fact that everyone has sinned and needs Jesus as their Savior. Ember sighed. I know I'm a sinner, and I have trusted Jesus to save me, she thought. I know the Bible says He will, but I really don't feel like I'm saved. I wonder if I should ask Him to save me again, just to make sure. Actually, Ember often didn't feel like she was saved, so she'd confessed she was a sinner and told Jesus she trusted Him to save her many times.
Suddenly Ember's thoughts were interrupted as she heard her teacher saying, "Did you know you're moving and spinning right now? The earth travels around the sun at about sixty-seven thousand miles an hour. It takes three hundred and sixty-five days to make the 584 million-mile circuit. The earth is also spinning. Like a top, it spins on its axis, making a complete…
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Sep 28, 2023
Creation Nature Walk
Bible Reading: Genesis 1:1, 9-13, 26-27
"I found a pine cone!" Mariah picked it up and showed it to her mom.
"That's a big pine cone. I'm looking for little things, like this violet." Heidi smiled as she carefully set her violet in the cardboard box she was carrying.
"You're both finding some really cool treasures on our nature walk," Mom commented. "Remember that this is a science walk for our senses, so let's try to hear things."
"I hear the leaves blowing," Heidi whispered. "And the birds are singing."
"I hear the river making bubbles." Mariah giggled. "And I smell the mud by it."
"I can smell that too." Mom smiled. "I can also pick a flower like Heidi's violet and smell that."
"Yeah, and we touch all the stuff we pick up. This pine cone feels prickly. But we can't taste anything in the woods," Mariah pointed out.
"But we can taste the food we grow in our garden, and that's nature." Mom looked around. "What is one thing that all the things we've smelled, heard, touched, and…
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Sep 27, 2023
Salty Sin
Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-6, 17-19; John 1:29
"Thank you for helping with the pie, Lizzy!" said Grandma. The four-year-old beamed.
"What about me?" eight-year-old Henry asked, showing his grandmother the pie he'd made out of playdough.
"It's adorable." Grandma moved the apple pie to the back of the stove. "Lizzy, while the oven is heating up, why don't we go pick some green beans from the garden?"
"Okay!" Lizzy replied.
"Henry, are you going to come with us?" Grandma asked.
"I want to make pies," Henry replied, playdough in hand.
"Okay, we'll be outside for a bit then. Please don't touch the apple pie," Grandma said as she followed Lizzy outside.
After dinner and devotions that evening, Grandma served everyone a slice of apple pie. "Lizzy did wonderful today being my helper," she told Grandpa.
Lizzy beamed as she picked up her fork. "I like helping!" As she put a bite of pie in her mouth, the smile disappeared. "Yuck!" she exclaimed. "It's all full of salt!"
Grandpa tried a…
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Sep 26, 2023
A New Friend
Bible Reading: Proverbs 11:25; Philippians 2:1-4
Juan noticed a boy sitting by himself in the school cafeteria. He's new here, and he must be lonely, Juan thought, remembering how he had felt when he was the new kid at school the year before.
When Juan finished eating his lunch and was ready to go outside for recess with his friends, he stopped at the door. I'm going back to talk to that kid, he decided.
Juan slid onto the bench across from the boy. "Hi," he said. "I'm Juan. What's your name?"
"My name is Haneul," replied the boy.
"Where are you from?" asked Juan.
"South Korea," Haneul answered.
"Want to play ball with us?" Juan asked. Haneul nodded enthusiastically.
Juan wasn't sure what made him do it, but as they left to go home after school, he invited Haneul to come over to his house. Haneul looked pleased, and they both checked to make sure it was okay with their parents.
Hanging out with Haneul turned out to be more fun than Juan expected. The boys played basketball and…
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Sep 25, 2023
Changing Colors
Bible Reading: 1 John 3:1-3
Harper looked up when Mom closed her science textbook. "I think it's time for an experiment!" Mom said.
Harper followed Mom into the kitchen, where Mom pulled out one of the white carnations from the vase on the kitchen table. "What's the experiment?" Harper asked.
"What did we just learn about today in science?"
"We talked about how plants absorb water through a process called capillary action," Harper explained.
"Right! So now we're going to see that process in action." Mom handed Harper the flower.
Following Mom's direction, Harper cut the stem of the flower at an angle. Then she filled a glass jar with water and added ten drops of red food coloring. Harper placed the flower in the water. "Now what?"
"Now we wait," Mom said.
Harper watched the flower for a few minutes but left when nothing happened immediately. She forgot about the flower until she came down for breakfast the next morning. There, sitting on the table, was the carnation. But the ca…
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Sep 24, 2023
Not Just a Disguise
Bible Reading: Hebrews 2:9, 17-18; 4:14-16
"Look at me! I'm a newsboy!" Rhett pranced around the room in an outfit that included a brown cap, a gray vest, and a shoulder bag with old newspapers inside.
"You certainly look like a newsboy," Dad said. "What's all this for? A costume party or something?"
Rhett nodded. "Yeah, our history class is having a costume party on Friday, and there's a prize for the best costume. I decided to dress up as a newsboy from the eighteen hundreds. Don't you think I look just like the real thing? I hope I win that prize!" He winced and kicked off his shoes. "Ouch! These shoes hurt!"
"Well, if you want to be realistic, that's good," said Dad. "Newsboys during that time were very poor, and many were homeless orphans, so their shoes probably didn't fit very well. They didn't always have a roof over their heads either, or three square meals a day. If they didn't make enough selling newspapers, they went hungry."
"Wow," said Rhett. "I didn't realize how ha…
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Sep 23, 2023
Heimlich Maneuver
Bible Reading: Mark 6:30-32; Luke 10:38-42
"I hear you're having a pizza party at youth group tomorrow evening," Dad told Eliana as they waited for their food at a restaurant. "That sounds fun."
"Yeah, but I can't go to youth group tomorrow. I have play rehearsal at school."
"Last week you missed youth group because you had a band concert," said Dad. "Are you going to the retreat next weekend?"
"I can't. I have to work on the student council posters on Saturday."
Dad frowned. "Maybe you should cut down on--"
"What's wrong with that man over there?" asked Eliana.
Dad looked to where she was pointing, then jumped up and dashed across the room. "Are you choking, sir?" he asked. The man nodded frantically. Dad wrapped his arms around the man and, with a clenched fist, gave a couple of sharp, upward thrusts. The man coughed and gasped, and a moment later was breathing normally again. Everyone applauded.
"Thank you," said the man when he was able to talk. "I guess I tried to eat too…
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Sep 22, 2023
The Right Way
Bible Reading: John 14:1-6
As August walked down the hallway at school, he saw a little boy crying up ahead. An older girl August's age was talking to him. "Don't cry, I know how to get to Miss Shelby's classroom," August heard the girl say as he got closer. "You go that way until you get to the gym, then turn right and go three doors down, and that's Miss Shelby's room."
August frowned. Those directions weren't right!
As the girl went on her way, August approached the little boy. "Hey, you're new here, aren't you?" The boy looked at him, wide-eyed, and nodded. "That girl gave you wrong directions," said August. "You have to turn left at the gym, not right." The boy's lip began to tremble, and August patted his shoulder. "Look," he said, "I'll take you there. Okay?" The boy smiled and nodded, and soon August had delivered him to his classroom.
When August got home later that day, he told his mom what had happened. "I'm glad you were there to help," said Mom. "By the way, Milo's mom…
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Sep 21, 2023
The Bear Facts
Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17
Brighton was excited as she and her father took their places on the tree stand. It was the first time Dad had taken her bow hunting. As Brighton squinted into the low sun, her gaze froze on something large and black among the trees. She nudged her father and whispered, "Dad, look! What's that? It's coming this way!"
Just then the animal stood on its hind legs, and they saw that it was a large black bear. It raised its head and sniffed the air. Brighton and Dad quietly watched in amazement; this was a rare sight in that area. Still sniffing, the bear cautiously moved toward the edge of the woods. Sitting on its haunches where it could see the area beyond the woods, it gazed longingly at a field of unharvested corn. After several minutes of checking and smelling, the bear ventured cautiously toward the cornfield. It hesitated when it reached the edge of the field, then turned back to the safety of the woods.
Driving home later, Brighton talked ex…
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Sep 20, 2023
Beautiful
Bible Reading: Psalm 139:13-14
Hazel dropped her backpack by the door and trotted out to the garage to find Mom, clad in jeans and an old T-shirt, sitting at her potter's wheel. As she watched, her mom wet her hands, placed her thumbs near the center of the lump of clay, and pressed downward as it spun on the wheel. Before her eyes, the mass of clay became hollow, narrowed, and grew in height.
"How was your day at school?" asked Mom.
Hazel thought a moment before answering. "It was all right, I guess. My classes were fine, but some of my friends teased me because I'm the shortest."
Moving her hands to the outside of the lump of clay, Mom applied a bit of pressure to the sides of her vessel as it spun on the pottery wheel, making the clay elongate dramatically and grow taller. "That wasn't very nice of them."
Hazel sighed. "Yeah, well, I wish I was taller, but there's nothing I can do about it."
Mom continued to gently push the sides of clay inward, making them rise even higher. S…
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Sep 19, 2023
Lost
Bible Reading: Luke 15:1-10
Skye slipped out the front door and started down the sidewalk. Mom was busy working on her computer, so Skye had decided she'd go to the park and play for a little while, even though she wasn't allowed to go by herself. I'll get back before Mom even misses me, she thought.
After turning a corner, Skye heard a dog barking behind her. She was afraid of dogs and began to run. She dodged through a side yard and came out on the next street. Skye was relieved to find that the dog had not followed. She kept walking down the street for a couple blocks before she realized nothing looked familiar. Where am I? she wondered with a feeling of terror.
"Hi there," said a man who was out working in his yard. "Are you lost?"
Skye quickly took off in the opposite direction. She knew she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. But where's the park? she wondered. After turning another corner, she stood still. Now she was definitely lost. Her eyes filled with tears as she sat…
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Sep 18, 2023
No Giving Up!
Bible Reading: Mark 1:16-20; 1 Corinthians 15:58
"Oh no! A fish got my bait again!" Ryder exclaimed as he pulled his fishing line out of the water. "That's it. I give up!" Ryder laid his pole on the ground. "Okay if I go check the frog pond?" he asked. Dad nodded, so Ryder wandered off through the well-known woods on Grandpa's farm, leaving his father to fish alone.
When Ryder returned a half hour later, Dad grinned at him. "Look, Ryder! I believe I've hooked something!" Dad tugged on his line and brought a flapping, struggling fish to shore. Ryder was surprised to see that there were also several other fish in his pail.
"How'd you do it, Dad?" asked Ryder.
"Just by keeping at it," Dad said. "You'll never catch a fish with your fishing pole on the ground."
Ryder picked up his pole and baited his hook again. As they continued fishing, he said, "Maybe Callum and Max are like these fish you caught."
Dad raised his brows. "I don't think your friends would be very flattered to hear yo…
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Sep 17, 2023
Flying Too High
Bible Reading: Proverbs 16:17-20; Romans 12:3
"Mr. Hillis read another story from Greek mythology to our class today," said Weston one afternoon.
"Really? What was it?" asked Ander.
Weston grinned. He knew his little brother loved stories. "These stories aren't true, you know. But this one was about a father and son--called Daedalus and Icarus--who were put in prison by the king. One day, Daedalus--the father--took feathers and made two pairs of wings so they could escape and fly away. He fastened the wings onto his son's back with wax--warning Icarus not to fly too near the sun because the heat would melt the wax and the wings would fall off."
"Did they fly?" asked Ander, bobbing up and down in his chair.
Weston nodded. "Yep, they both flew away. But as Icarus flew higher and higher, he started feeling so powerful that he forgot what his father had said, and he flew too close to the sun. Sure enough, the wax melted, just like his father had warned him. The wings fell off, and Ica…
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Sep 16, 2023
Son Rise
Bible Reading: Lamentations 3:22-23; Romans 6:10-11; 1 Peter 1:3
"Dad, you've got to let me quit cello," said Quincy. "That was embarrassing."
"What happened?" asked Dad. "It seemed like you weren't prepared for this concert."
"It was awful! John and Tara were both out sick, so I was the only cello. There was no one to drown out how bad I sounded. I ruined it for the rest of the orchestra. I just want to go home, quit cello, and forget this recital ever happened."
Early the next morning, Dad woke Quincy when it was still dark. "Wake up, Quincy. I want to show you something."
They hopped in the car and Dad drove to the beach. When they got out, Dad laid out a blanket and told Quincy to watch the sky. It was dark.
"Now, tell me honestly--what went wrong yesterday?" Dad asked.
Quincy sighed. "I haven't been practicing cello. I know I told you I've been practicing after school every day, but that's not true. I just said that so you would sign the practice sheet I have to give my tea…
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Sep 15, 2023
Plugging In
Bible Reading: John 1:5-9; 1 John 1:5-7
"Mom, my aquarium light is broken." Natalie tapped the top of her fish tank. "I guess my new guppy is going to be stuck in the dark."
Mom set her coffee cup on the counter. "But that tank is brand new. It can't be broken."
"It just won't turn on." Natalie clicked the light switch attached to the aquarium cord.
"Let me see." Mom checked under the aquarium. "It's plugged into the wall."
"Maybe the light bulb burned out." Natalie shrugged.
Mom shook her head. "It's an LED light. They're supposed to last a long time. When was the last time it worked?"
"Last night." Natalie clicked the cord switch again. "See. It doesn't work."
"Wait a minute." Mom grinned. "The cord is plugged into the wall, but is it plugged into the aquarium?"
"Um…no!" Natalie found the plug had detached from the light. "It must have wiggled loose when I fed Shimmer his dinner."
"Plug it in and try again," said Mom.
The light clicked on, and Shimmer swished across the…
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Sep 14, 2023
Shelter in the Storm
Bible Reading: Psalms 61:3-4; 121:1-8
Dark clouds covered the sky, and thunder boomed in the distance. "Look at Henny-Penny, Mom." Josie pointed to the chicken near a little coop by the barn. "She's clucking for her chicks. I guess she wants to protect them from the storm."
The mother hen stood in the doorway of the coop, clucking loudly, and the chicks ran to her from all directions. Josie watched as Henny-Penny led her chicks into the coop and settled down, covering them with her wings. A heavy gust of wind and a spattering of rain sent Josie and her mother scurrying into the house.
"There's a tornado warning for our area," Dad told them. "I just got a notification on my phone. Let's go to the basement."
Even in the basement, Josie and her family could hear the storm increasing in fury. The wind raged and howled, thunder roared, and lightning flashed again and again. Josie moved close to her dad, and he put a strong arm around her, hugging her close to his side.
At last the stor…
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Sep 13, 2023
The Dirty Diaper
Bible Reading: Titus 3:3-7
"Ew, Dad, that stinks!" Kallie held her nose dramatically.
Dad placed her baby brother on the changing table and unzipped his jammies. "Cash just needs a diaper change, that's all." He smiled down at the baby who wriggled on the mat. "Let's get you cleaned up, buddy."
Kallie looked on as Dad worked on cleaning up the baby. She scrunched her nose and frowned. "I don't know how you can do that every day," she said. "Don't you and mom ever get tired of changing his diaper?"
Dad chuckled. "Well, Kallie, I won't lie to you, I didn't always have a very good attitude about changing diapers. When you were a baby, I may have even grumbled a few times."
"Was I as stinky as Cash?" Kallie asked.
"Maybe even stinkier!" Dad teased.
"Why don't you still have a bad attitude?" Kallie asked.
Dad fastened the new diaper onto his son and zipped up the jammies. "It wasn't anything I did," he said. "But over time, as I changed more and more diapers, the Lord reminded me of…
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Sep 12, 2023
God’s Gear
Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:13-18
Tate walked into the house, his arms loaded. "Mom, I'm all signed up for football," he said, dropping a big pile of football gear on the table.
"Great!" said Mom. She picked up a mouthpiece from the table. "What's this?"
Tate grinned. "It protects my teeth. We wear heavy padding, shin guards, helmets, mouthpieces--all kinds of protection."
"I'm glad to hear that!" Mom said. "Don't forget any of it."
"I won't," Tate assured her. "I've already learned how important it is. I forgot my mouthpiece when I went to practice the other day, and Coach Grimes wouldn't let me play without it, so I had to go get it. Good thing too. When I got back, I got a good knock on my chin in the very first play. I could have gotten hurt without it."
That evening, Tate showed his football gear to his dad. "I wore all that stuff back when I played football too," Dad told him. "In fact, I still wear special protective gear." Dad grinned at Tate's look of surprise. "It's call…
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Sep 11, 2023
Heavy Burdens
Bible Reading: John 16:33; Revelation 21:1-5
Rowan walked out of his bedroom and rubbed his eyes. He was surprised to see Mom sitting at their small kitchen table. Usually she was in bed by the time he woke up for school, but this morning she sat, still in her uniform, looking weary.
"Hey, Mom," he greeted her. "What are you still doing awake? Aren't you tired?" Rowan's mom was a paramedic, and she worked the night shift driving an ambulance.
She gave him half a smile. "I wasn't ready to go to sleep," she said. "A lot of things happened while I was at work tonight, and I just needed a little time to…process all of them."
Rowan nodded. Ever since his family had moved into the city, Mom's job had gotten a lot more difficult. She saw scary things every day. Sometimes he'd overhear his parents talking about his mom's job. Her ambulance was called to help people who were hurt from drugs or gunshot wounds or car accidents. He knew his mom had to feel scared or sad a lot of the time.
H…
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Sep 10, 2023
Rumor Seeds
Bible Reading: Psalm 19:12-14; Ephesians 4:15-16
"There goes Jade, the new girl," Hadley said to her friends at recess. "I saw her dad pick her up at school yesterday. He has a big scar on his face and looks like a criminal."
"What do you think he did?" asked Grace.
Hadley shrugged. "Who knows? Robbed a bank maybe."
As Hadley slid into her seat after recess, she heard Grace whisper to Payton, "Don't play with Jade--her dad's a bank robber."
The rumor flew and grew until nearly everyone in the class was whispering about Jade and avoiding her. A little voice in Hadley's heart said, Hadley, what have you done? But she tried not to listen.
When Hadley got home, she sprawled out on the lawn to enjoy the sunshine. She saw a dandelion that had gone to seed, so she picked it and blew on it. The seeds floated off into the air like dozens of tiny parachutes. "Oh dear!" said Mom, who had come out with a glass of lemonade. "Those little seeds are going to take root and create more pesky dand…
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Sep 9, 2023
Good Work Gratefulness
Bible Reading: Romans 11:5-6; Ephesians 2:1-10
Asher ran to the door when he heard boots on the stairs. "Dad!" he cried.
Dad scooped Asher up into a big hug. "I've missed you!" Dad said. "My work trip was only a few days, but it felt too long." Dad hugged Mom, then bent to unzip his suitcase. "I've got something for you." Dad handed Asher a bag.
Asher opened the bag. His face lit up when he saw his present. "Cool! Thanks, Dad!" Asher pulled out a small notebook with the Golden Gate Bridge on the cover.
"I thought you might like a new notebook for your drawings," Dad said.
Asher grinned. The first thing he would draw would be a thank-you card for Dad.
Before bedtime, Asher gave Dad the card.
"Asher, I love it! Thank you!" Dad said.
Asher smiled, then worked up the courage to ask the question he had been thinking about all day. "Dad, I've been wanting to ask you something." Asher took a deep breath. "How can I ever be good enough to go to heaven?"
Dad looked up from the card. "W…
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Sep 8, 2023
The Duet
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:31-32
Brooklyn plopped into a chair at the kitchen table and wedged her cheeks between her fists. "I was just at Quinn's and asked if she wanted to go for a bike ride, but all she wants to do is sit on her porch and read," she told her mother. "She never wants to do anything I want to do. It's like she doesn't even want to be friends anymore!"
Mom wiped her hands on a dishtowel and took a seat next to Brooklyn. "Do you remember what happened when you and Quinn played your piano duet at the nursing home last month?"
"Yeah," Brooklyn grumbled. "Quinn lost her place in the music!"
Mom nodded. "And what did you do?"
Brooklyn thought for moment. "I kept playing. But what does that have to with riding bikes?"
"Well," said Mom, "sometimes, in the middle of a song--or even a friendship--our friends can forget how to play their music."
Brooklyn listened intently as her mom continued. "I'm sure Quinn didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Maybe she just doesn't feel…
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Sep 7, 2023
Guilty as Charged
Bible Reading: Romans 3:10-12; 6:23
"There has been a lot of note-passing going on lately," announced Mrs. Barnes. "Anyone I see passing a note from now on will stay in at recess."
Cam nodded. He had noticed a lot of the kids passing notes too.
The next day, Cam watched as Lincoln and Josiah passed notes back and forth. They'd better watch it, he thought, or they're gonna have to stay in for recess. He decided to write a note to warn his friends to be careful.
As Cam slipped his note to Josiah, Mrs. Barnes looked up. "Cam, Josiah, and Lincoln--you will all stay in at recess today."
"Me?" asked Cam. "What did I do?"
"I saw you passing a note," said Mrs. Barnes. "You will stay in with the other boys." And so the three boys spent afternoon recess at their desks.
That evening, Cam complained about his punishment. "I wrote one note!" he grumbled. "The other guys wrote lots more. It's not fair!"
"How many notes did Mrs. Barnes say you could write?" asked Dad.
"Well…none. But I sti…
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Sep 6, 2023
Worth More Than Sparrows
Bible Reading: Matthew 10:29-31
"But I'm so scared!" Rebecca's little sister cried.
"I'm sorry, Cara, but you have to go. You'd better get your shoes on. We leave in fifteen minutes," Rebecca answered.
As Cara pulled on her clogs, she asked, "Rebecca, will it hurt very bad?"
"Well, it will hurt some. When the dentist pulls a tooth, it hurts for a little while. But the pain won't last very long," Rebecca tried to assure her sister.
Tears filled Cara's eyes. "Rebecca, I'm really, really scared. Scareder than you've ever been!"
Rebecca sat down on the bed. "Cara, do you want to know what you can do to help you not be so afraid?" When Cara nodded, she went on. "Whenever we're afraid, we can trust the Lord. We can pray He will help us remember that He's with us and that we can trust Him!"
Cara looked up at her sister. "I thought we prayed to God for big things like when someone is really sick or dying. Are you sure He'd hear my prayer about having a little tooth pulled?"
"God hears…
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Sep 5, 2023
The Beehive
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:18-27
"Whoa! Why the long face?" asked Bristol's dad as she came in the back door.
Bristol frowned. "I was hoping to get a part in our youth pageant, but instead I have to make props. Carrie got picked for the lead." She saw that her dad was putting on his beekeeper's outfit and quickly changed the subject. "I want to go with you to the beehives!"
"Okay," Dad said, so Bristol quickly slipped into her own bee suit, and they went out to the hives.
At the beehives, Bristol watched as Dad pulled a honeycomb from one of them. "Oh good!" he said. "There obviously are workers in this hive. I'm glad there aren't just queen bees here, aren't you?"
Bristol was puzzled. "There's never more than one queen bee in a hive, Dad. You know that."
"Yes, well, that's a good thing too. Queen bees don't make honey, and I like honey!" Dad checked each of the remaining hives and took out additional honeycombs. "As it is, you could say each hive is a self-sufficient super-…
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Sep 4, 2023
The Right Treasure
Bible Reading: Matthew 6:19-21, 33
Miles dreamed about the hoverboard he was saving up for as he raked leaves in his grandmother's yard. His dad had agreed to pay him for his help since Grandma couldn't rake them herself, and Miles was brainstorming more ways to earn some extra money. Maybe some of his neighbors would pay him to rake their leaves.
Just then, he noticed a large hole in the base of a big tree. "Look, Dad!" he called as he knelt to peer inside. "I never noticed this before. This would be a good place to hide stuff."
Dad walked over to look. "Maybe there's a cache of jewels or a sack of stolen money inside," he teased. He poked his rake into the hole, and they heard a scraping sound as the rake hit a metal object.
"Something is hidden in there!" exclaimed Miles. Plunging his hand inside the cavity, he felt around and finally pulled out a small box. "Wow! A real treasure chest! I wonder who put it there." Miles eagerly opened the old box and looked inside. He felt a pan…
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Sep 3, 2023
Cassidy’s Questions
Bible Reading: Romans 5:6-11
"There you are!" Miss Jayla called brightly as Cassidy joined the other kids. Normally one of the first to arrive, Cassidy had been late to children's church that morning. She had tripped on the stairs while walking to class, and some of the kids had laughed at her. Embarrassed, Cassidy had sought a few minutes of alone time in the bathroom.
Now, she plodded to her seat, where the day's activities dragged by as Cassidy waited to ask Miss Jayla the questions whirling in her mind.
"What's going on, Cassidy? You look troubled," Miss Jayla said when most of the kids had been picked up at the end of the morning.
"I need to ask you something. I know I could talk to my foster mom, but I don't want her to get mad at me."
"Let's sit down." Miss Jayla directed them to bean bags by the door so she could watch for other parents arriving.
"I need to know how God punishes us," Cassidy began. "I want to know if God is punishing me if I bump into a table and hurt mys…
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Sep 2, 2023
God with You
Bible Reading: John 14:15-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Kenna wrapped her arms around Milo, her orange tabby cat. A single tear slipped onto her kitty's furry face. Kenna felt more tears inside her, but she was tired from crying every day for the past week, and she didn't know if any more tears would come. "God, I miss my Mom. Why did you take her to heaven?" Kenna's whispered words hung in the air.
Mom had been sick for a couple of weeks, and everyone had been praying. Even when she went to the hospital, Kenna had been a little scared, but she really thought her mom would come home. "I feel so alone." Kenna rubbed her cheek against Milo's soft fur. She thought about her mom's smile--so bright, always full of joy, even when she had to go through her many surgeries over the years.
Kenna remembered her mom reading the Bible to her just a few months back. "Kenna-girl, do you know how much God loves you?" Mom had cupped Kenna's face in her hands. "I want you to remember that He is always…
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Sep 1, 2023
Storing Up
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:9-16
"Look, Dad," said Tristan. "A chipmunk!"
Dad joined Tristan at the window and together they watched the little creature strip an ear of corn from the compost pile. "Look at him peel off those kernels!" said Tristan. "He eats fast!"
"He's not eating them," said Dad. "He's stuffing the kernels into little pouches in his cheeks. Watch what he does with them now."
Tristan watched as the chipmunk scurried over to the woodpile. He laughed when he saw what the little rodent did next. "He's using his hind foot to push the corn out of his cheeks!"
"He's storing it in spaces between the chunks of wood so it'll be there when he needs it later on," Dad explained.
Tristan and his dad watched for several minutes as the tiny animal dashed back and forth from the ear of corn to the woodpile. "I can't believe how much he can store in his cheeks!" Tristan said after a few minutes. "He's got all the kernels stripped from the cob already."
Dad nodded. "You know, Trista…
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Aug 31, 2023
The Dynamite Blast
Bible Reading: Psalm 34:4-9, 17-19; Romans 8:28
Lucy didn't feel like going on the class field trip to the rock quarry. She just wanted Ginger, her lost cat, to come home and her dad to get his job back. I just want everything to be okay again, she thought as she got off the bus with the rest of the kids.
The quarry foreman handed out hard hats to everyone. "We're going to have a dynamite blast today to loosen and break the stone in the quarry," he said, motioning to the other side of a large pit. A loud horn blared. "After the horn blasts three times, cover your ears!" the foreman called out. The horn sounded two more times, and then--BOOM! A loud explosion sent dust and rocks flying. Once the all-clear horn sounded, the foreman let the kids move closer so they could see what had happened. "Don't worry, kids. They've got it all under control," he said, pointing to the workers who controlled the operation and set off the blasts.
When Lucy got home, she picked up one of Ginger's cat…
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Aug 30, 2023
When You Hit a Curb
Bible Reading: Luke 6:43-45; Galatians 5:22-23
"Mom!" Tucker shouted as he dashed into the house. "A dump truck just hit the curb, and now there's a huge pile of gravel blocking our street! Come out and see it."
"I can't leave this pizza sauce right now," Mom said as she sprinkled oregano into the bubbling red mixture she was stirring on the stove. "I'll come out as soon as it's finished."
"Well, I hope they get rid of the gravel before Dad tries to come home," said Tucker. "He won't get past that pile on the road!"
"He may have to go a bit out of his way, but I'm sure he'll find a way to get here," said Mom.
By the time Dad came home, the road had been cleared. Tucker was kneading dough for the pizza crust as he told his dad the story of how the dump truck spilled its load. "All that gravel fell out when the truck hit the curb," said Tucker. "Good thing they had a big scooper to clean up the mess."
"Good thing." Dad nodded thoughtfully. "You know, people are like that truck."
"…
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Aug 29, 2023
Only One Key
Bible Reading: Matthew 1:21; Acts 4:10-12
"Elliot, you can open the door to the house while I get the groceries from the trunk," said Mom. She pulled the keys from the ignition and held on to one as she handed them to him. "This is--"
But Elliot grabbed the ring and scrambled out of the car in a flash. He ran to the door and eagerly shoved in a key. The lock wouldn't turn. He fumbled with the jangling keys and selected another one. It wouldn't even go in. Frustrated, he tried one more, then yelled, "Mom! Which one?"
Mom gently took the key ring from him. "It's the one I was holding," she said. "I tried to tell you, but you bolted out of the car before I could finish." She held out a short silver key.
Sheepishly, Elliot slid the key in and unlocked the door. He returned the key ring with a grin. "I guess there's only one key that will work."
Mom smiled as she loaded his arms with groceries. "Yes, and that's true for more than one thing. Only one key for the house, one for the car--…
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Aug 28, 2023
The Mangled Slipper
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:29; James 3:5-10
"Look what Otis did!" Maria showed her father her soggy, torn slipper. "I scolded him and put him outside."
"I'm sorry, honey," Dad said as he took the mangled slipper. "I can see that little puppy needs a lot more training."
Mom spoke from the doorway. "Maria, Iris is on the phone for you." She held out her phone.
A few minutes later, Maria's voice boomed from the kitchen. "You always want me to do all the work, Iris. You're so lazy! I'm never doing a school project with you again."
"What was that about?" asked Mom when Maria returned her phone. "I thought Iris was your best friend."
"She…she just caught me at a bad time," mumbled Maria.
"Did your sister catch you at a bad time too?" asked Mom. "I heard you yell at her this morning."
Maria blushed. "She always bothers me when I'm tired. But I told her I was sorry." Maria brightened. "I'll call Iris back and apologize to her."
Just then Otis whined at the door. "I think Otis wants…
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Aug 27, 2023
Escape Plan
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:11-13
"Sarah, Lynn, you need to start packing," Mom said. "The hurricane has turned and is heading this way. They're evacuating the barrier islands."
Sarah quickly jumped into action and started packing, but Lynn began to cry. "I'm scared!"
"It's going to be okay, Lynn," said Mom. "We'll be gone before the storm hits. We'll follow the escape plan and head north to Grandma and Grandpa's house."
Once the car was packed and the house was boarded up, they got on the road. The traffic leaving the islands was already backed up for miles. It was going to take a while to reach the mainland, and from there it would take another four hours to get to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Good thing Lynn and Sarah packed a lot of toys.
When they finally arrived, the girls gave each of their grandparents a big hug and then ran into the backyard to play. It felt good to be out of the car and running around again.
The next day when Grandpa was watching the news, Sarah and…
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Aug 26, 2023
Puzzle Pieces
Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28-32
"Hi, Mom," said Clara as she walked into her mom's hospital room. It seemed so strange to see Mom in a hospital bed. "You feeling okay?"
Mom nodded. "They only did tests today. The surgery isn't until tomorrow, but don't worry. I'm in very good hands." She pointed to a bag Clara was carrying. "What did you bring?"
"I brought a puzzle." Clara dumped the pieces onto Mom's bedside table. "It's just a small one, and I figured we could put it together."
"Good idea!" said Mom, and they began searching for edge pieces.
As Clara worked, so many questions filled her mind. Will Mom's surgery be really painful for her? Will it make her well? And the scariest question of all… Could Mom die during the surgery? But she didn't want to worry her mother, so she kept her thoughts to herself.
"I can't figure out where this piece goes," Clara said, frowning.
Mom smiled at her. "I'm glad you brought a puzzle. It's kind of like my life right now. Being…
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Aug 25, 2023
Who’s Keeping the Kangaroo?
Bible Reading: John 10:27-29
"You look sad, Kevin. What are you thinking about?" Mom finished drying her hands on the kitchen towel she was holding and hung it back up on the rack.
"Well…" Kevin gulped. "Remember how I got saved in Sunday school a few months ago? Well, I think I might not be saved anymore! I keep doing bad things. I disobey you all the time. I lied to my teacher about my homework. I said something mean to Justin when we were playing that video game the other day. Justin says I'm going to lose my salvation if I keep doing all these bad things!"
Mom was quiet for a moment, then she said, "Let's go to the park."
Kevin wiped his nose on his sleeve and slid off the couch. He grabbed his battered stuffed kangaroo and headed to the park with his mom.
"Better leave Joey with me," Mom said when they got to the park. "You don't want to lose him on the playground."
Kevin reluctantly handed his kangaroo over to his mom for safekeeping. Then he ran off to play.
Later, at h…
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Aug 24, 2023
Daddy’s Girl
Bible Reading: Romans 12:9-18; Galatians 4:6-7
"Mom, who do I look like?" asked Avia while her mother braided her hair.
"Who do you look like?" repeated Mom. "Well, let's see." Mom gently tugged on Avia's hair. "Duck," she said.
"I look like a duck?" Avia laughed, knowing Mom meant for her to tip her head so she could braid the hair at the bottom of her neck.
Mom laughed too, then took a long look at both their faces in the mirror. "Actually, that's an easy question. You look more like your father--more so every day." Avia's father had died when she was very small. "You remind me of your dad so much. You not only resemble him in appearance; you act like him too. You eat just as fast as he did," Mom teased as they walked to the kitchen to fix breakfast.
"Isn't it weird that I hardly knew Dad, but now I look like him and act like him?" Avia asked as she set the table. "You always say I like the same foods he did--asparagus and beets and even sandwiches with pickles and peanut butter…
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Aug 23, 2023
Instant Answers
Bible Reading: Psalm 25:1-5; Lamentations 3:24-26
"I don't really see the use of praying about things," Abigail said as she hobbled to the refrigerator one morning. "I've been praying my sprained ankle would heal, but God hasn't answered my prayer." She rummaged around in the fridge. "Where's the orange juice?"
"I'm afraid we ran out," said Mom. "But there are some oranges in there--why don't you squeeze one of those?"
Abigail shook her head. "That takes too long," she said, shutting the refrigerator door. "I'll just buy some from the vending machine at school."
"Mom!" Jude called out from the family room. "The internet's not working again!" Mom and Abigail heard him get up to restart the wireless router. "This thing is so annoying," he grumbled loudly.
Abigail groaned. "That router needs to be replaced. Even when it does work, the internet's really slow. It took me forever to look up facts about mammals for my science homework last night."
"Really?" said Mom. "It took you foreve…
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Aug 22, 2023
Swimming Upstream
Bible Reading: 2 Peter 1:3-9
Calvin waited with his father at the airport. Soon they were greeting their friend Mr. Sato, who had come from Japan to visit.
When they arrived home, Mr. Sato handed Calvin a package. Calvin eagerly opened it, but he wasn't sure what it was. "I'll help you put that together," Mr. Sato said. "If it's okay with your dad, we can go out to the backyard and assemble it now."
"Sure," said Dad, so they went out and got busy fitting pieces together. When it was finished, three plastic fish billowed in the wind at the end of a bamboo pole.
"In Japan we have a special day for children," Mr. Sato told them. "We set up a pole with a fish--a carp like this--waving from it. The carp is a determined fish. It swims upstream and overcomes obstacles. One of the things we teach our children is to be brave and strong like that." Mr. Sato paused. "But many kids in Japan don't know they need Jesus," he added sadly. "They don't know they need Him to set them free from sin an…
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Aug 21, 2023
The Purple Flower
Bible Reading: Matthew 5:15-16
On a sunny summer afternoon, Kayla and her parents decided to take a walk through the woods. When they first moved to the farm, Dad had cleared a path that looped through the woods at the back of their property.
Kayla loved walking in the woods with her parents. She would often just stand still and take in the sounds and smells of the forest. It was always so peaceful and beautiful.
As she rounded a curve in the path, something caught Kayla's eye. "Mom, Dad, come look at this!" she called.
Mom and Dad walked over to where Kayla was standing. On the ground, nestled between a bunch of leaves and sticks, was a bright purple flower.
"Wow, that flower was hidden well," Dad said.
Mom nodded. "If you hadn't been standing right there, we would have missed it."
"It's too pretty to just leave hidden out here. Can I pick it and take it home?" Kayla asked.
Mom checked her phone to make sure it was okay to pick, and then Kayla carefully picked the flower and h…
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Aug 20, 2023
Lost and Found
Bible Reading: Luke 15:3-7
"Stryker! Where are you?" Zion tried to hold back the tears as he searched the barn for his beagle pup. Zion had made the mistake of opening the front door before he'd placed Stryker in his harness. Now Stryker was gone.
"Stryker, come here!" Zion looked in each of the open stalls, hoping to see that cute white snout and those curious brown eyes peek out through the hay.
"Did you find him?" Dad walked into the barn carrying a rain poncho and two flashlights.
"He's not in here, Dad." Zion wiped at his tears with his sleeve. "Where could he be? It's getting dark outside, and it's starting to rain."
Squatting down to Zion's height, Dad looked him in the eye. "I don't think Stryker's gone far, Zion. We've got a big farm, and he's a little pup. But don't worry. We'll keep looking until we find him."
Zion nodded, wiped his eyes once more, and followed Dad down the path toward the pond. The rain pelted his poncho, and the wind kept tugging his hood off his hea…
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Aug 19, 2023
Tumbling Towers
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Ephesians 4:2
"Your move, Tim," said Mom after she placed a wooden tile atop the precarious stack.
Timothy picked a tile from the bottom of the tower and carefully wiggled it out. The stack swayed for a second before tumbling over, sending blocks all over the table.
Mom began gathering the wooden pieces scattered across the table into a pile. "I got a call today from Adam's mom. She said Adam got in trouble today for fighting with a teacher. She told me your name came up once or twice. What happened?"
Timothy stooped down to grab a wooden tile beneath his chair. "I know Adam is my best friend, but he's been so moody lately. Today he blew up when Mr. Green took his comic book. I told Adam he should put it away before Mr. Green saw him goofing off, but he didn't listen. I think Mr. Green heard me, which is how he found out about the comic book in the first place. Adam was really mad at me."
"How about one last round before we call it a night?" Mo…
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Aug 18, 2023
Special Creation
Bible Reading: Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13-16; Romans 5:6-8
"Good morning," Mrs. Fields said to her class at Potter Christian School. "Mason, can you remind everyone what special thing we're going to do today?"
Using his communication device, Mason answered, "We're going to Potter's Woods to pick wildflowers."
"That's right," said Mrs. Fields. "We'll leave after morning recess."
When the recess bell rang, Cody, a new member of the class, stayed behind while the other kids filed out of the classroom.
"Did you have a question, Cody?" Mrs. Fields asked.
Cody nodded. "How can Mason pick wildflowers if he can't walk or use his hands?"
"He can do lots of things, Cody. He has a special chair to help him go places and a special device to help him talk. He'll let us know if he needs our help."
"Okay. Since I can do everything by myself, I'll help Mason if he can't do something," Cody said.
"Thank you, Cody, that's very kind of you. But don't forget that even though you can do many thing…
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Aug 17, 2023
Changing Winds
Bible Reading: John 3:1-8; Romans 6:3-10
"Look at the wind!" exclaimed Clover as she stood at the window. "The trees are swaying back and forth, and some of the branches are breaking off."
"Wow! It's really blowing hard!" said Beau as he came into the room. "I've never seen so much wind!"
Dad joined them at the window. "You can't really see wind," he reminded them. "You can only see what it does."
"It's making that garbage can roll down the street," Clover remarked.
The three of them watched in silence for a few minutes, then Dad said, "Jesus compared the blowing of the wind to becoming a Christian. We can't actually see the wind, and we can't actually see Jesus coming into somebody's life."
"It's His Spirit that comes in, isn't it? And spirits are invisible," said Beau. He looked at Clover. "That's why you still look the same," he told her. "You still have freckles, just like before you trusted in Jesus at Bible camp last summer." Beau loved teasing his sister about her freckles…
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Aug 16, 2023
Helping Hands
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Galatians 6:9-10
"Why do we have to pick up Mr. Cook?" asked Brady. "The nursing home is a long way from the park."
"If we don't pick him up, he won't get to come to the church picnic," Dad answered as he drove. "Since we pick him up on the way to church each week, we can bring him to the picnic too. It's a small thing we can do for the Lord."
Brady thought about that. "It seems like a funny way to do something for God. I mean, God could take Mr. Cook to the picnic on a flying carpet if He wanted to. He doesn't really need our help, does He?"
Just then they arrived at the nursing home. Mr. Cook was waiting outside just like each Sunday when they picked him up for church. But today he had a small brown bag, which he waved in the air. "I remembered it was a picnic," he said. "I brought some lunch."
At the park, Mom spread their lunch on a picnic table. She had brought ham and cheese sandwiches, potato salad, carrots with dip, lemonade, watermelo…
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Aug 15, 2023
God’s Choice
Bible Reading: Isaiah 55:8-9
"Is it a boy? It is, isn't it?" Carter jumped around the kitchen while his grandmother talked to his dad at the hospital. Carter was so excited, he almost dropped the apple he was eating. "It's a boy, isn't it, Grandma?"
Grandma hung up the phone. "You now have a beautiful baby sister," she said gently. "Her name is Oakleigh."
"No!" Carter dropped his apple. "I've been praying for months for a brother." He felt like crying. "It's not fair! Oscar got a baby brother, and he didn't pray at all. Why wouldn't God give me a brother when I asked for one?"
Grandma leaned against the counter. "I remember how happy your mom and dad were when they were expecting you. When people asked if they wanted a girl or a boy, they said they just wanted a healthy baby."
Carter picked up his apple from the floor and rinsed it off at the sink. "I'm sure they were glad I turned out to be a boy."
"Yes, but I was a little bit disappointed. I was hoping for a little granddaughte…
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Aug 14, 2023
Don’t Let Anger Take Control
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:29-32
I didn't do anything wrong, Hayley thought as she stared at the TV, wiping away tears. Her dad never yelled at her like that. She had just been singing. He had told her before that he loved to hear her sing.
"Aren't you going to eat with us?" Hayley's older brother peeked into the room.
Hayley shook her head. "I'm not hungry."
"What's wrong?" Mikey walked over to her.
Hayley's brother was a teenager. He would think she was stupid for crying. "Nothing."
"Something is wrong, Hay." Mikey sat down beside her. "Spill."
"Fine." Hayley closed her eyes. "Dad yelled at me in the car. He told me to shut up."
"What?" Mikey looked shocked.
"I was just singing. And we're not supposed to say that." Hayley started to cry again.
Mikey hugged her. "I'll save you some dinner in case you're hungry later."
Hayley rested on the couch with her eyes closed, her dad's words playing over and over in her head, until she heard footsteps come into the room. She peeked h…
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Aug 13, 2023
Who Made What?
Bible Reading: Psalms 19:1-4; 111:2-4; Hebrews 1:10
Della sighed as she sat on the porch steps, staring off into space. "What's wrong, honey?" asked her dad as he put down the garden hose.
"This girl in my class--Raven--says there's no God," replied Della. "I told her there is, but she said, 'Prove it.' I didn't know how. We can't see God, so how could I give her proof?"
Dad nodded. "You may not be able to prove it to her satisfaction, but there are things she can see that may convince her of the truth. Come with me."
Della stood up and followed her dad into the house. In the dining room, he pointed at the embroidered tablecloth. "Who made this?"
"Grandma did," Della replied.
"What about this casserole in the oven?" asked Dad. "Who put it there?"
"Mom did," Della answered.
Dad nodded and removed a drawing of a flower from the refrigerator door.
"Who made this?"
Della grinned. "I drew that in art class."
Dad smiled. "No matter what I point to in this room, somebody made it, r…
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Aug 12, 2023
Off Balance
Bible Reading: Romans 3:23-24; Ephesians 2:4-10
"Hey, look at that, Killian!" Nathan pointed out the car window to a big crane. "Mom, can we stop and watch?"
"Okay." Mom pulled over and watched with Nathan and his friend Killian as the crane lifted a golden statue to the top of the courthouse.
Killian pointed to the statue. "Why is she blindfolded?"
"And what's in her hand?" asked Nathan.
"That's a statue of Lady Justice," said Mom. "She's blindfolded to show that justice shouldn't be influenced by who people are or how much money they have. She's holding a balance scale, which represents fairness. Both sides of the scale have to hold equal amounts. If a wrong is committed, the penalty has to balance the crime."
"Balance the crime?" asked Nathan. "What does that mean?"
"The crime is on one side of the scale, and if the right penalty is on the other, they balance," Mom explained. "Say someone steals a pair of shoes from a store. To balance that, they'd have to pay for them, or gi…
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Aug 11, 2023
The Vegetable Garden
Bible Reading: Isaiah 58:11; John 4:13-14; 7:37-39
"Are you packed and ready to go?" Macy's mom called.
"I'm ready!" Macy exclaimed as she came bounding down the stairs carrying her backpack. She couldn't wait to spend the weekend with Mimi and Pop on their small farm and help them plant a vegetable garden. Macy and her parents lived in a townhouse in the city, so being out in the wide-open countryside was a real treat for her.
After Mom dropped her off, Mimi helped Macy get her things unpacked and then they headed out to plant the garden.
"Here, you hold the seeds and the hoe while I get the wheelbarrow and dirt," Mimi said.
Pop had already plowed the garden area for them, so they were set to start planting. As they planted the seeds, Mimi talked about how they would need to make sure the garden was properly watered and weeded until harvest time.
Macy sighed. "That sounds like a lot of work."
"It is," said Mimi. "But it will be worth it when you see and taste those vegetables."…
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Aug 10, 2023
Ocean of Love
Bible Reading: Romans 8:35-39; 1 John 1:9
It was a beautiful day for a picnic at the beach. The Patel family spread out a blanket and put up sun umbrellas in their favorite spot. Then Mira and Priya dashed for the water, but Ari looked fearfully at the waves. "The water is so scary today," he murmured.
"Oh, come on in," called Mira. "The waves are fun. Don't be so scared."
But Ari shook his head. He sat down on the beach and began to build a sand castle. "Dad…" he began hesitantly. His voice trembled as he continued, "I feel awful inside. I don't think God loves me anymore."
"God has never quit loving you for a minute in your whole life," Dad said, turning to look at him. "What makes you think He has?"
"Well, my Bible club verse this week says, 'Keep yourselves in the love of God.' That must mean I have to do stuff to keep God loving me, but I don't think I've done that." Ari looked at the ground. "I'm sure I haven't. I lied to you and Mom one day last week, remember?"
"Yes, bu…
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Aug 9, 2023
The Chicken and the Eagle
Bible Reading: John 15:9-10; Romans 6:11-14
"Are you enjoying your book?" asked Mom as Bailey curled up on the couch with a book of folktales.
"Yeah," said Bailey. "I just finished a story about a baby eagle who thought he was a little chick."
"Why did he think that?" asked her little brother, Luke.
"Well, when he was still inside an egg, the egg was stolen and taken to the henhouse," Bailey explained. "The hen didn't know it wasn't one of hers, and she sat on it with the rest of her eggs. After the egg hatched, she brought him up like one of her chicks."
"Someone should've told him he was an eagle," said Luke.
"Someone did tell him!" said Bailey. "The wise old owl who lived near the farm told him he was an eaglet--and that he could fly high in the sky like the great eagle--but he didn't believe it. He just kept on living like a chicken almost until the day he died."
"That was dumb of him!" said Luke. "He could have soared the skies, and all he did was scratch the dirt!"
"We do…
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Aug 8, 2023
Watered-Down Christians
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Revelation 3:15-19
"Mom, what's wrong with these ice cubes?" asked Nora. "They're all brown!"
Mom glanced at the dark cubes and grinned. "I used iced tea to make those," she explained. "I made them for Grandpa. You know how he loves good, strong iced tea on hot summer days."
Nora smiled at her grandfather, who sat at the kitchen table. She knew he disliked his tea watery and weak, the way it got when too many ice cubes melted in it. She popped several of the brown cubes into a tall glass and poured fresh iced tea over them. "Here you go, Grandpa. Good, strong tea, unspoiled by ordinary ice cubes."
"Thanks, Nora," said Grandpa, taking the tea. "Just the way I like it." He took a big gulp and let out a sigh. "Now, what can these ice cubes teach us about living the Christian life?"
Mom and Nora exchanged knowing glances. Grandpa seemed to be able to find a spiritual lesson in almost anything.
"Well," said Nora, "I guess ice cubes made out of tea…
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Aug 7, 2023
Bean Pie
Bible Reading: Psalm 25:16-22; Matthew 11:28; Philippians 4:13
"What are you doing?" asked Jonie, astonished to see her grandmother spilling beans into a pie crust.
"I'm using uncooked beans as weights so my crust will bake evenly," answered Grandma. She slid it into the oven and set the timer.
Jonie laughed. "I thought you were making bean pie!"
Grandma smiled. "No, beans add pressure so no air gets inside to puff up the pastry. My crust will bake beautifully once the real filling replaces the beans." She pointed at a bowl of green apples. "There's our filling. Would you like to peel those?"
"Sure. Apple pie sounds way better than bean pie!" Jonie got to work with the peeler. "I love your baking, Grandma. It never affects my allergies."
Cutting the fruit, Grandma said, "It must be hard keeping track of what's in your food."
Jonie raised her hand. Counting on her fingers, she listed, "Nuts, eggs, tomatoes, and seafood." She returned to her task. "It's not fair. Some people only…
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Aug 6, 2023
Listen to the Call
Bible Reading: Genesis 6:17-24
"Can I go out and play now?" Dylan asked.
"Can I go too?" asked Molly, Dylan's younger sister.
Mom nodded, and the kids took their plates to the sink and then hurried out the door.
Dylan went straight for his bike that he had thrown in the middle of the yard when his mom had called them in for dinner. Molly went to the driveway and continued working on her chalk drawing. They were not outside long when they heard the rumbling of thunder. Soon rain started to fall fast and hard.
"Molly! Dylan!" Mom called. "Come inside before you get soaked!"
Molly knew there was nothing she could do to save her chalk drawing, so she quickly gathered her chalk and ran into the house. Dylan, however, continued to ride his bike in the rain.
"Dylan!" Mom called again. "It's not safe to be out there when there's lightning. You need to come in right now."
Just then a huge bolt of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder. Dylan quickly threw down his…
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Aug 5, 2023
Zacchaeus’s Tree
Bible Reading: Luke 19:1-10
"I can't see anything," Joey complained at the concert. Everyone was standing in front of them and he just wasn't tall enough to get a view of the stage.
His dad crouched down beside him. "Get up on my back!" he shouted above the music.
Joey quickly did as he was told and could finally see the band. "Wow!"
"Too bad we don't have Zacchaeus's tree," Dad said.
It was too loud to talk much in there, so Joey didn't ask his dad what he meant right then.
The next day, when he and Dad were getting the grill going for supper, Joey brought it up again. "What did you mean yesterday about Zacchaeus's tree?"
Dad lit the grill and turned to him. "Don't you remember the story of Zacchaeus?"
"Not really," Joey said.
"Well, we have time for it now." Dad sat in a lawn chair and Joey pulled one up beside him. "When Jesus was living on earth, many people wanted to see Him and hear Him speak," Dad explained. "He drew crowds everywhere He went, and one day a man named Za…
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Aug 4, 2023
Lesson from a Little Brother
Bible Reading: Psalm 71:15-18; 1 Peter 2:9
"Little kids are so funny!" Brayden said, laughing as he came into the kitchen. "Finn and his friend Arlo are playing war. They're upstairs building a bunker in the bathtub--filling it with pillows. We'd better be careful, Dad! According to them, there are bombers overhead, submarines all around the house, and tanks roaring up the street!"
Dad chuckled. "I see what you mean."
"But get this, Dad!" said Brayden. "I was standing outside the bathroom, and I heard Finn say, 'Are you going to heaven, Arlo?' And Arlo said, 'I don't know.' Then Finn said, 'We could die in this battle, and it's real important to know you're going to heaven to be with Jesus when you die. So repeat after me!' And, Dad, he led Arlo in a prayer to accept Jesus."
"That's amazing!" said Dad.
"But, Dad! The danger isn't even real!" said Brayden.
"Well, the war they're preparing for in the bathtub certainly isn't real," Dad agreed. "But I'm proud my little boy loves his…
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Aug 3, 2023
Home Soon
Bible Reading: Revelation 21:1-5; 22:20
Keziah loved it when she and her mom got to babysit two-year-old Elodie, Mrs. Gordon's daughter from church. Mom, Keziah, and Elodie would color, play dress-up, read books, and munch on snacks all morning while Mrs. Gordon attended seminary classes.
One such morning, Elodie was missing her mom more than usual. As they played all her usual favorite games, she would occasionally get very quiet and say, "Mama home soon."
When this happened, Keziah or her mom would give Elodie a hug or a shoulder squeeze and say, "That's right. Mama will be home soon. She loves you so much and can't wait to come back to see you."
Sure enough, Mrs. Gordon was home soon, and when she arrived, Elodie screeched with delight and ran to her.
Mrs. Gordon wrapped her daughter in a big hug, "I missed you too, little one! I love you so much."
After the Gordons left, Keziah and Mom began to clean up the various toys and books strewn across the living room. "It was cute ho…
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Aug 2, 2023
What's Missing?
Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-29; 1 Corinthians 10:31
When Kai came home after school, he sat down with a heavy sigh. "What's wrong, Kai?" asked Mom as she added ingredients to the almond bars she was making.
"I don't seem to be good at anything at school," Kai replied. "I'm not good in sports, so I can't be on the soccer or basketball team. I can't sing, so I can't join the choir. I'm not good at math or science either. Other kids have important things to do, but not me."
"What about helping Mr. Brown in the library?" asked Mom. "He depends on you to return books to the shelves. That's important. And then there's after-school safety patrol--you help the smaller children get to the right buses."
Kai looked doubtful. "Oh, Mom, almost all the kids take turns doing those little jobs. They don't count. Anybody can do them."
"It takes responsible kids to do those things, Kai. I know you'd be greatly missed if you left them for somebody else to do."
For dessert that evening, Mom set a p…
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Aug 1, 2023
Off the Path
Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:20-27; 28:13; 1 John 1:9
Gia traced her finger along a pack of gum in her pocket as she and her twin sister Teagan walked down a winding forest trail near their family's cabin. Mom had said they could take a hike if they stayed together and didn't go far. I wish Mom and Dad had let us buy gum when we stopped at the gas station, thought Gia. But their parents hadn't let them buy gum, so the girls snuck some from the shelf into their pockets. It seemed exciting when they did it, but now the gum was bothering Gia's conscience.
She sighed and turned her attention to the trail. "Dad says there's a lake just over this little hill. I'll race you there."
"Okay," said Teagan. "You're on!" The girls took off running.
Gia was so eager to beat Teagan that she flew down the path, never looking down. She cut corners on the curves and often strayed off the trail. Suddenly, her foot hit a rock, and she went sprawling into the leaves and weeds. She felt bruised and shaken…
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Jul 31, 2023
The Nail and the Toothpick
Bible Reading: Psalm 27:1-5, 14; 1 John 4:4
Several boys on Diego's street were at it again, making fun of people in the neighborhood. Diego stood there, hating it all, but saying nothing. "Do you get it?" asked one of the boys when Diego didn't laugh at his joke about an elderly woman who lived nearby.
Diego swallowed hard. "I have to go." He sighed as he walked away. Why didn't I tell them I don't like how they talk about people? he thought. It's not easy being the only Christian kid in the neighborhood.
Diego was so wrapped up in his own thoughts he didn't see Pastor Barros until he smacked right into him. "Oh, sorry!" said Diego.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked the pastor, who was fixing the fence in his yard.
"Nowhere--just getting away from the guys." Diego hesitated. "It's really hard to stand up to others all by yourself."
"Yes, it is." Pastor Barros took a toothpick from his pocket. "You're like this toothpick. Here--see if you can break it."
Diego took the…
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Jul 30, 2023
Goodbye, Sparky
Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:1-2; Philippians 2:1-5
"Mom! I don't want Sparky to leave!" exclaimed Sarah. "He's part of our family." Sparky was a service dog, and they had been fostering and training him until he was ready to leave and be rehomed. "Please let him stay," Sarah begged. "Why can't we keep him?"
Mom gently held her daughter's hand. Sparky's soft brown eyes looked up at them both. He sat down beside them, wagging his tail, sensing they were troubled.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but no, we can't keep him. Sparky is a very special dog with an important job to do. We've been blessed to have him with us, but it's time for him to move on and be a blessing to someone who needs his help.
Sarah stormed up to her bedroom. Sparky followed. Hugging him, she sobbed and said, "I'm going to miss you so much. I'll always love you." Then she whispered a prayer. "Dear Jesus, please help me do this."
When James, the dog handler in charge, came to collect Sparky the next morning, Sarah's eyes…
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Jul 29, 2023
Pine Cones
Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-5, 8:28; James 1:2-4
A big nose blew a gust of air into the side of Torin's head, and he turned and patted his grandparents' horse Firefly on the head before continuing to brush her glossy brown coat. He was glad his parents had let him come to Wyoming to help with the chores on the ranch for a while, after everything that had happened. In late May, his grandmother got sick and had to go to the hospital. Then one day when Grandpa was going to see her, another car crashed into his. Grandpa wasn't hurt, but the car was totally wrecked. That same week, a pine tree behind the stables had been struck by lightning and burned down.
Torin finished brushing Firefly and sent her out to the pasture. He thought about asking Grandpa if he wanted to go horseback riding later that day, but Grandpa always seemed tired from taking care of Grandma, who was home now and in bed most of the time. Grandpa would probably want to go to bed early so he wouldn't be tired at church in…
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Jul 28, 2023
Spoiler Alert
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-9; Colossians 1:24-27; 2:2-3
Becca and her mom sat on the back porch, reading and drinking iced tea.
"I just finished my third mystery!" Becca closed her book with a smile. "I love reading mysteries and trying to guess the endings. I'm pretty good at it."
"I like mysteries too." Mom grinned at Becca. "My favorite mystery book is the Bible!"
Becca gave her a strange look. "The Bible isn't a mystery, Mom."
Mom laughed. "Sure it is! A mystery is something hidden being revealed, right?"
"Yeah, but you usually don't find out who did it until the end."
Mom took a sip of her tea. "In the Old Testament, God told His people He would send a Savior to save the world from sin and all the bad stuff that happens because of it. Though we get clues about Him all throughout the Old Testament, that Savior isn't revealed until the New Testament. Then we meet Jesus, God's Son."
"Well, maybe you're right. If someone reads the Bible from the very beginning, and they…
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Jul 27, 2023
Picking Blueberries
Bible Reading: Psalm 34:8-14
"Yummy!" Sophie squealed as she popped another blueberry into her mouth.
Amber giggled. "Sophie is having so much fun."
"When you were little like your sister, you used to do the same thing," Mimi said. "There's just something special about picking blueberries for the first time."
"And picking them off your blueberry bushes--well, that makes them taste even sweeter!" Amber added.
Amber continued picking blueberries with her sister and grandmother until their baskets were full. "Now," said Mimi, "let's go inside and make some blueberry pancakes!"
Once inside, everyone washed their hands, and Mimi got out all the ingredients to make the pancakes.
"I help! I help!" Sophie said as she knelt on a chair next to the counter.
Mimi smiled and said, "You can help stir the batter. Amber, would you start adding in some of the ingredients?"
Amber mixed in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt as Mimi read off the recipe. Then Mimi poured in the egg and milk…
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Jul 26, 2023
Inside the Shell
Bible Reading: Jeremiah 17:9-10; Matthew 23:23-28
"Half of these nuts aren't any good," complained Gracie, who had been cracking walnuts for the dessert her mother was making. "They're black and dried up on the inside." She picked up a nut and showed it to her mother.
"Don't bother cracking the bad ones," said her brother Calvin, who had just come into the kitchen. "Dump those and use the good ones."
Gracie scowled at him. "You can't tell which ones are good. They all look fine on the outside."
"I bet I can tell," Calvin said, shaking one. "This one's good." Gracie took it and cracked it open. Sure enough, it was good. "See," said Calvin, grinning. "I'll pick them out for you." He chose another one. "This one's good too." Gracie cracked it open, but it was dried up. Calvin frowned and handed her another nut. It wasn't good either.
"You can't tell any better than I can," declared Gracie, taking a nut Calvin had rejected. "I'll try this one." She was delighted to find that it was go…
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Jul 25, 2023
Give It to God
Bible Reading: Matthew 6:25-33
"Mom, I'm scared," Presley whispered in the middle of the night. "I can't sleep. I keep thinking about Isabel and her car accident. What does intensive care unit mean?"
Mom offered her a much-needed hug. "Presley, have you not been able to sleep because of this? It's scary, isn't it? Intensive care unit means she's getting extra care at the hospital right now."
"I woke up wondering if I will ever see Isabel again," Presley said. "I would miss her so much."
Presley's mom went to the kitchen and came back with two glasses of milk. "I know this is really hard. I've been praying for Isabel and her family ever since Pastor Jim called. The doctors are doing all they can, but it's possible she may not survive."
Tears welled up in Presley's eyes. "How could God let this happen?"
Mom shook her head. "Some things we just don't know. The best thing we can do is trust God."
"But how?" asked Presley. "I just get a sick feeling in my stomach whenever I think abo…
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Jul 24, 2023
The Party
Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:3; Hebrews 4:13-16
"Happy third birthday, Jake," Elizabeth said, handing her younger brother his present. It was beautifully wrapped up in superhero paper. "Hope you like it."
They were having a party outside in the garden for him with some families from church. Jake glanced up before giving a loud shriek and yelling. He left the package on the table and ran inside. Dad followed him.
"What have I done? Why doesn't he want my gift?" Elizabeth asked, blushing. "I saved up my pocket money to buy him something special. Now he's crying and run off!"
"Darling, you haven't done anything," Mom said. "He's tired. You know he doesn't like change. It's all been too much for him having so many people around. It's not your fault."
Elizabeth couldn't concentrate on the conversations around her. Her thoughts rattled with the memory of Jake and his outburst. Why did I even bother? she thought crossly, taking the unopened gift and throwing it on a chair. Soon Dad calmed…
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Jul 23, 2023
Leah’s Eyes
Bible Reading: John 9:1-7
Seth crept into the dark room. He switched on the lamp and waved his arms back and forth above the crib. Leah didn't notice him. She was blind.
"Hi, baby," he whispered. She turned her tiny head toward the sound of his voice. He patted her hand through the bars.
"What are you doing in here?" asked Mom, coming in from the hallway.
"I'm trying to make Leah see me," Seth said.
Mom spread a quilt on the floor. "I'm not sure she'll ever be able to see you, Seth. But she can hear your voice and feel your touch."
Seth sighed. "Why did God give her eyes that don't work?"
Mom lifted Leah out of her crib and laid her on the quilt beside Seth. "We don't always understand the ways of the Lord, but we know that He can use the bad things that happen to us for good."
"Blind eyes aren't good," said Seth.
"The Bible tells a story about a man born blind like Leah," said Mom. "People questioned Jesus about that man's eyes too." Leah gripped Seth's finger as Mom continue…
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Jul 22, 2023
The Flame
Bible Reading: Psalm 16:2, 11; Philippians 1:6, 9-11; 1 Peter 3:10-11
Not another essay! Serena groaned to herself as the teacher wrote the subject on the board: What I Want to Be When I Grow Up. I hate writing essays. Besides, I don't know what I want to be. Serena sighed and wrote down the topic.
At home that evening, Serena complained about the assignment. "How do I know what I'll want to do when I'm older? I'm just a kid!"
Dad smiled as he lit a candle on the table. "You don't have to commit to any career right now, but it doesn't hurt to think about what you might enjoy doing. In fact, I think you're already doing that. Just a couple days ago you and your sister hauled me into your doctor's office to check my ears and blood pressure. And a couple days before that, you and your brother were talking about settling on the moon."
Serena grinned. "Maybe I will be a doctor someday. Or an astronaut. I don't know. But I can tell you what I don't want to be--an author. I don't like wri…
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Jul 21, 2023
Never Muted
Bible Reading: Jeremiah 29:12-13; 1 Peter 3:12
"Grandma, you're on mute. You have to tap the little microphone icon to turn your sound on," ten-year-old Samara instructed her grandmother over the video call. "I can see your mouth moving but I don't know what you're saying," Samara said in frustration. She was eager to tell her grandmother about her dance recital. "Let me call you back and see if that will turn your microphone on."
She ended the call then tapped the video call button again. After a few rings, her grandmother picked back up.
"Can you hear me now? I think it's working this time," Grandma said.
"Yes! I can hear you! Grandma, did you see the video Mom sent you of me dancing?"
"Oh yes, you were wonderful, honey! I can't believe how well you can dance!" Grandma and Samara talked for nearly an hour about her recital, and at the end Samara was so happy she could share her experience with her grandmother even though she didn't live nearby.
She tangoed into the kitchen and…
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Jul 20, 2023
False Lights
Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-6; James 4:7
During their vacation by the sea, Lena and her family visited an old lighthouse in the area. "What does a lighthouse do, Daddy?" asked Lena's little sister Arianna.
"It shines light far and wide, so ships out at sea are guided to a safe place to dock," Dad told her.
"Yes, but do you know what some people used to do long ago?" Mom pointed out toward the sea. "Can you see those rocks way over there? Well, sometimes men called wreckers would light their lamps and swing them over there near those rocks. The ships' captains would think that was a safe harbor, and then they'd end up on the rocks."
"That's horrible!" said Lena. "Why would anyone do that?"
"Well, after the ship crashed into the rocks, the wreckers would steal the cargo," said Mom. "Ships often carried gold in those days."
"I'm glad there are no wreckers now," said Arianna.
Lena nodded. She shuddered as she studied the sharp, cruel-looking rocks.
"Actually, we still need to watch…
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Jul 19, 2023
An Eye for an Eye
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Danar was silent as he rode home from his first pencak silat competition. He had been looking forward to the Indonesian martial arts competition and had even won third place, but now he found it hard to celebrate.
His father looked at him. "You've been awfully quiet, Danar," Ayah said. "What's the matter?"
Danar sighed, then blurted out, "I gave up my free time and rode my bike really far to go cheer Budi's soccer game last week, and Ucok's mathlete the week before. They both said they were coming today, but they didn't show up. And they didn't explain why either." Danar glanced at his phone, but there were no new messages.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Danar. It hurts when people don't show up for you."
Danar crossed his arms. "Well, I'm never going to show up for them again!"
Ayah frowned. "Danar, have you heard the saying 'An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind'?" Danar shook his head. "It means that trying to get back…
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Jul 18, 2023
Clay Pots
Bible Reading: Isaiah 64:8; 1 Corinthians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 4:10-11
"I don't understand why Miss Wong picked Melanie to sing the solo at church instead of me," said Freya as she flattened a stick of red modeling clay onto the table. "I'm the best singer in the choir, and I have a much better stage presence than Melanie." She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Miss Wong says I have a natural talent for music."
"And a natural talent for bragging!" muttered Brody. Freya made a face at her brother as she started shaping the clay into a slender vase. "Don't be jealous just because I'm smarter than you." Brody sighed impatiently and left the room. Freya stood back to admire her handiwork. "I wish I could fire this vase in a kiln so it would hold water, but it will look pretty just sitting on a shelf." She smiled at her mom. "Mrs. White says I'm quite the artist."
Mom glanced at Freya's work. "Well, that blue bowl you made yesterday looks fantastic! And this red clay vase is turning out so w…
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Jul 17, 2023
Folding Up the Tent
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
"This camping trip was fun," said Jack as he helped Dad pull out the stakes that held their sturdy tent in place. "But I miss Grandpa. He would have loved this."
Dad stretched out an arm and drew Jack close. "I miss him too," Dad said gently. "But he's with Jesus now."
Jack nodded. "I know. I just wish he didn't have to die."
Dad was silent as they folded up the tent. Jack patted it affectionately. "Jack," said Dad, "I know it's a little sad to be packing up our tent and leaving, but aren't you looking forward to being home again?"
"Sure," said Jack. "I miss Mom." He grinned impishly. "Believe it or not, I even miss Topher!"
Dad laughed. "Yeah, you miss teasing him!" He began rolling up the folded tent. "Jack, this camping trip may help us understand something about dying." Jack raised his eyebrows and waited for Dad to explain. "We had a fun weekend living in a tent and cooking outdoors, didn't we?" asked Dad.
Jack nodded. His eyes sparkled a…
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Jul 16, 2023
The Brightest Star
Bible Reading: Revelation 22:12-17
"Let's see who can find the brightest star," Garrett said to his sister one hot summer evening as they looked up at the starry sky. "The loser has to buy ice cream tomorrow."
"I don't think you can prove which one is the brightest," said Eden. But she suddenly pointed to the north. "That one's mine! That bright one up there."
Garrett squinted. "I think I see the one you mean, but I see a brighter one." He pointed in another direction. "See--right in the middle of that cluster of stars. That one's brighter than the one you found."
"How do you know that?" asked Eden. They continued searching the heavens as they argued about which star was brighter.
When Dad came out to tell them it was bedtime, Garrett and Eden told him about their competition and asked him to judge which star was brightest of all. "Okay, I'll do my best," Dad said, and they pointed out the stars they had chosen. "As judge," said Dad, "I declare that neither of those is the brighte…
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Jul 15, 2023
A Perfect Example
Bible Reading: 1 Peter 2:19-25
Before eating her lunch, Aranya bowed her head and closed her eyes to pray. When she opened her eyes, her lunch bag had disappeared. A few kids watched her and snickered. Aranya sighed. "Who has my lunch?" Several kids burst into laughter.
"Ask God where your lunch is, Miss Christian," said Rob. "You always talk to Him, don't you?"
Mrs. Yates, their teacher, walked over. "The person who has Aranya's lunch will hand it over right now," she said sternly. She paused. "I said now," she repeated. Rob hesitated, then pulled Aranya's lunch bag from his backpack and handed it to her. She quietly took it.
When Aranya arrived home, she told her mother what had happened. "I was so embarrassed, Mom. Not all the kids in my class make fun of me, but some of them call me Miss Christian all the time. I just don't know how to act when they're mean to me. I really felt like throwing something at Rob today--and some of the other kids too--but I didn't."
"I'm sorry, Ara…
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Jul 14, 2023
Above the Clouds
Bible Reading: Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11; Isaiah 41:10
As Parker boarded the airplane with his grandmother, he had a lump in his throat. His parents were getting a divorce, and he was going to stay with his grandparents for a while. He felt as dark and gloomy as the day around him--not at all excited about flying on a plane for the first time in his life.
Grandma gave him a reassuring smile. "Scared?" she asked.
Parker shook his head--but inside he screamed, Yes, I'm scared! I'm scared of everything. But he didn't say anything. As the plane sped down the runway, huge drops of rain splattered on the small windows. Just like tears, Parker thought. But he didn't cry.
When the plane lifted from the earth, Parker felt like his heart jumped into his throat. He took a deep breath. All around, dark clouds tumbled, and Parker's stomach felt uneasy. Grandma reached for his hand. "Don't be afraid," she said softly. "We'll get through this."
Parker knew his grandmother was talking about more than t…
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Jul 13, 2023
Think Positive
Bible Reading: Philippians 4:6-9
"Mom!" Eloise shouted from the darkness of her bedroom.
Mom ran upstairs to find Eloise hiding under her covers, shaking. "Eloise, what's wrong? Are you sick?" Mom asked anxiously.
"No, I'm not sick. I'm, um, scared," mumbled Eloise.
"What has you so scared, sweetie?" asked Mom.
"I don't want to tell you." Eloise peeked out at her mom. "You'll get mad at me."
"I promise I won't get mad," Mom assured her. "You can tell me anything."
"Well, when I was at Madeline's today, we watched a movie. It was all about people getting chased and hurt. Now I can't get those thoughts out of my head!"
Mom was quiet as she smoothed the blankets on Eloise's bed. "Do you remember last weekend when your softball team was in the playoffs?" asked Mom.
"Yeah," replied Eloise. "We were so nervous--our opponents were undefeated!"
"And do you remember what your coach told you before the game?"
Eloise nodded, remembering her coach's words. "He said, 'Don't think about a…
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Jul 12, 2023
Nothing Can Separate
Bible Reading: Romans 8:35-39; 1 John 4:13-16
SPLASH! Joelle's brother filled the trench between their two sandcastles with a full bucket of water.
"No!" Joelle's eyes filled with tears. "Now they can't get to each other!" She jumped to her feet. "Take the water away, Stanley!"
Her brother shook his head. "There has to be water in the moat."
"No!" Joelle looked between the two castles. "No!"
"What's going on?" Tessa, their babysitter, walked up to them. "Joelle, calm down."
"He put water between the castles!" Joelle pointed at her brother. "Now they can't get to each other!"
Tessa smiled. "Oh, and they're in love?"
"No!" Joelle stomped a foot. "Stanley has the king's house. He built a castle for him. And I built the princess's house. She's his daughter. Her daddy needs to be able to get to her."
"Oh." Tessa scratched her head. "Hmm…"
"There has to be water in the moat," Stanley said quickly.
"Well…" Tessa crouched down. "If the daddy loves the little girl, he will find a…
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Jul 11, 2023
Too Many Michaels
Bible Reading: Psalm 8:3-9; Isaiah 49:15
"I have a message for you," Leo's mom told him when he came in from playing outside. "Michael called a few minutes ago. He wants you to call him back."
"Michael Burke?" asked Leo in surprise. "I thought he was on vacation."
"No, it was Michael Watson," said Mom. "I forgot you had more than one friend named Michael."
Just then Leo's older sister burst into the room. "Guess what! I'm going to the church softball game with Michael!" she exclaimed. "He asked me today."
Leo laughed. "Which Michael?"
"I only know one Mi--" She stopped. "Oh, that's right. I do know other Michaels. Well, this one is Michael Ford."
Before going to bed that night, Leo prayed for his family and friends. He thought about a boy in his class at church who needed surgery. "Dear Lord, please be with Michael," Leo began. Then he paused. "You know--Michael Smith," he added. "The one who needs heart surgery."
Leo frowned as he thought about how many Michaels there were in…
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Jul 10, 2023
A Special Home
Bible Reading: John 14:1-6; Revelation 21:1-4
"What are you doing, Mom?" Cami asked as she walked out to the barn. Her mother stood at the open door.
"Watching some birds," said Mom softly. She pointed toward the rafters. Cami stood beside her mother, and together they quietly watched a bird fly into the barn with a small feather in its mouth. Another bird soon joined it, and Cami and her mom watched as the two birds flew back and forth, busily building a nest.
Suddenly Cami sneezed, and the birds flew away. "Oops! Sorry, little birds. I didn't mean to scare you off," said Cami.
"I'm sure they'll soon be back to finish their nest," said Mom.
"What kind of birds are those, Mom?" Cami asked as they turned to go back to the house.
"They're barn swallows," Mom replied.
"Cool! I should have recognized them. We learned about them at school. Our book said the birds gather mud and roll it into a pellet. They carry it back to the place they've picked out and use it to build a cup-shaped…
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Jul 9, 2023
Drill It Out
Bible Reading: Psalms 19:7-14; 119:132-133
James clenched the arms of the dentist's chair, hoping Dr. Jones was nearly finished drilling out his cavity. It was a relief when the drill's buzzing stopped and Dr. Jones checked the tooth. "Are you finished yet?" James asked anxiously.
"Almost. Just a little more drilling, James. We want to make sure the tooth won't continue to decay underneath the new filling." He began drilling again. "If we don't get every bit of the decay out of this tooth, it will get worse and cause problems later on." Dr. Jones hesitated. "It's a bit like that with sin, isn't it? If we notice sin in our lives and ignore it, it will also cause problems later on."
"Uh-huh," James said, glad he couldn't talk while Dr. Jones was working. I'm not sure I like having my Sunday school teacher for my dentist, he thought.
"For example," continued Dr. Jones, "when I was younger, I used to tell a lot of little lies--white lies, they're often called. I didn't think they'd hur…
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Jul 8, 2023
Burning Bushes
Bible Reading: Exodus 3:1-10; 2 Timothy 3:14-16
"We had a Bible story about Moses in my class at church today," Autumn told her family at dinner. "We learned that God talked to Moses from a burning bush. Our teacher says God still speaks to people."
Wesley jabbed his fork into a potato. "Maybe, but not through anything as interesting as a burning bush." He grinned. "I'd like to see one of those--and I don't mean the kind that has red leaves in the fall. I mean one that's really on fire!"
"Yeah!" said Autumn. "Imagine one of Mom's best bushes on fire and God speaking to us out of it!"
Mom laughed. "Make it a bush way at the back of the yard, will you? We don't want to burn the house down!"
"You know, it doesn't require a real burning bush for God to speak to us," said Dad. "That bush was just what got Moses's attention. It was when he stopped what he was doing to check it out that God spoke to him. Today God speaks to us through His Word, the Bible, and He often uses a different ki…
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Jul 7, 2023
Feeding Pigs
Bible Reading: Luke 15:11-24
Grant didn't mind helping out on his uncle's farm. Some parts of the job were even fun. But there were a few things his uncle asked him to do that Grant could do without--like taking care of the pigs.
"They're just so messy," Grant said after helping his uncle feed the pigs.
Uncle Ron laughed. "They are messy," he agreed. "You know what they always make me think about?"
"Not me, I hope!" Grant made a face. "I'm not that stinky and messy."
Uncle Ron laughed again and led him toward the house. "No, not you. They make me think about the parable of the prodigal son in the Bible. Do you remember it?"
"Sort of," Grant said.
They went inside and washed up, and then his uncle grabbed his Bible from the shelf in the living room. "Jesus told a story about a young man who wanted to get away from home. He asked his dad for his inheritance--the money he would get when his dad passed away--and he took it and left."
Grant sat down and nodded. "He did some bad thin…
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Jul 6, 2023
S’mores Prayer
Bible Reading: Matthew 6:5-13; Hebrews 4:14-16
"I love chocolate!" Marylynn exclaimed as she watched her aunt put a piece of chocolate on top of a graham cracker.
Aunt Kari smiled. "I love chocolate too. Why don't you set your roasted marshmallow on top of this chocolate and I'll use the other graham cracker to take it off your stick."
Marylynn did as instructed, then set down her stick to take the plate her aunt gave her. "Yummy!"
"One moment, before we have our s'mores, let's pray and thank God for this delicious treat," Aunt Kari said.
Marylynn frowned. "I don't know how to pray."
"Well, praying is simple. You can talk to God just like you would a friend or like you would talk to me." Aunt Kari smiled at Marylynn's still-confused expression. "Let me teach you. We can use the s'more to remember one way to pray."
Aunt Kari picked up a graham cracker. "The first cracker is the greeting. You can start prayer by saying something like 'Dear God.'" She picked up a square of chocolat…
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Jul 5, 2023
Give It Back
Bible Reading: Malachi 3:8-12; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:7
As church began, Ginny was thinking about how she had finally earned enough money for a whole week at summer camp. For weeks she had been putting every cent she earned into the bank.
Ginny's thoughts were interrupted by a nudge on her elbow. The offering was being taken, and she hadn't given anything for a long time. But my money will be used for camp where I'll be learning more about Jesus, she thought, so she let the plate pass her by.
The following Saturday, Ginny's youth group had a cookout at their teacher's house. After they had eaten, the kids played with Miss Harper's little dog, Pixie. "Watch this," Miss Harper said, throwing a ball far across the lawn. Pixie sprinted after it, then ran back and dropped it into Miss Harper's hand. Each time Miss Harper threw the ball, Pixie got it and brought it back.
"This game wasn't much fun when I first got Pixie," said Miss Harper. "When I'd throw the ball, she'd grab it and…
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Jul 4, 2023
Sheltered
Bible Reading: Psalm 27:2-5; Romans 8:38-39
Waiting for the parade to begin, Evelyn watched as her sister buried her face in Mom's shoulder. Evelyn used to do that too when she was little. There was a woman talking to Mom, and Elise was scared of the stranger. Mom motioned Evelyn over.
Evelyn straightened up. It was okay for a toddler to bury her face, but Evelyn was ten, and she wasn't going to hide. She walked over and smiled when Mom introduced her to her friend.
The parade started with a loud siren ringing out. Evelyn covered her ears with her hands. She saw Elise bury her face in Mom's shoulder again. Part of her wished she could join her.
Evelyn watched as a band marched through the street. The clashing cymbals were her favorite. She hoped that she could be in a band like that one day. Next, there were horses, then a decorated truck.
Evelyn was enjoying the parade and barely noticed the rain as it started to fall. Then it started to thunder. Everyone scattered. She turned t…
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Jul 3, 2023
The Soldier's Story
Bible Reading: Romans 5:6-11
The somber black wall, engraved with rows and rows of names, filled Wylder with awe. He was visiting Washington, D.C. with his family, and he was standing in front of the monument honoring the men and women who had died while serving in the Vietnam War. All their names were listed on the wall.
An older man wearing a veteran's hat stood nearby. He seemed to be looking for something as he read the names. Then he placed a finger on one of them and began tracing the letters. Over and over he traced the letters of that name. Curious, Wylder edged closer. He was surprised to see tears on the man's cheeks. The man noticed him, and feeling embarrassed, Wylder backed away.
"It's all right, son," said the man. "Let me explain the reason for these tears." He squatted down and looked Wylder in the eye. "The name I was tracing belongs to a good friend of mine--a man who fought with me in Vietnam. We were together when a grenade landed right beside us. Glenn threw him…
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Jul 2, 2023
Chameleon Christians
Bible Reading: Galatians 5:22-26
"I hate being cooped up with this dumb broken leg," Jack complained to his uncle. "All my friends are out having fun without me. It's not fair!"
"Well, I brought something that might help." Uncle George handed Jack a paper bag. Eagerly, Jack opened it. He found a jar containing a little green creature about three inches long. "It's a chameleon," said Uncle George. "Here--you can let him out of the jar. He'll enjoy running through your mother's houseplants on the windowsill."
Jack laughed. "Not if Mom sees him, he won't," he said as he carefully placed his new pet on the stem of a large plant. "Hey! He looks different, Uncle George! His color is changing."
Uncle George chuckled. "He must know he's in a new environment."
"Cool!" said Jack. "I knew they changed colors, but I never saw it happen before. My teacher says people sometimes think chameleons only change color to blend in with their surroundings, but they also change color based on what kind…
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Jul 1, 2023
Growing
Bible Reading: 1 Peter 2:1-3
"Did I really wear this?" asked Rylee as she and her mother were sorting through a
box of memories. Rylee held up a tiny knitted bonnet. "It's so small!"
Mom smiled. "It's amazing how much babies grow, isn't it?" She picked up a pair of baby shoes. "You wore these when you were just starting to walk." Mom rubbed the soft leather. "Before long, you were running everywhere and ready for a larger pair of shoes."
Rylee found a small scrapbook and opened it. "Look what you wrote here, Mom! It says, 'Rylee's drawings from ages three to six.'" She examined the pages. "I'm glad to see they got better each year! The more I grew, the better I drew." Rylee grinned at her mom. "I'm a poet and you didn't even know it!"
Mom laughed and turned to another page in the book. "Look. Here's a list of questions you asked when you were in kindergarten."
Rylee eagerly looked at the list. "Listen to these, Mom. 'Are clouds made out of cotton candy?' 'Is God everywhere all t…
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Jun 30, 2023
A Handful of Rice
Bible Reading: John 6:5-14
"I know we're supposed to share the good news of Jesus with people wherever we are, like Pastor Bowers said today," Braden told his mom. "But it's too hard to do that in my class at school."
"Why do you say that?" asked Mom, scooping up some rice.
"Well, there are thirty kids in my class, and as far as I know, Flynn and I are the only Christians. What can just two of us do?" Braden broke off and sniffed appreciatively. "What's cooking?"
"Chicken curry," said Mom.
Braden frowned. "I don't remember having it before. Do I like it?"
"I think you'll like it," said Mom. "Aunt Alicia and Uncle Jeff are coming over for lunch. We're having chicken curry and rice." She put rice in a pan and added water.
Braden looked at the small grains that lay at the bottom of the pan. "That won't be enough rice to feed everybody!" he said. "Uncle Jeff eats lots, and I do too. I know I like rice." He was hungry and didn't want to run out of food.
"It will be plenty," Mom assu…
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Jun 29, 2023
Adventures and Angry Words
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:29-32
Kaylee and Jackson were best friends. Every day of summer vacation, they were in Kaylee's backyard, where there was lots of space to play. They liked to pretend they were adventurers searching the woods for buried treasure and keeping records of their travels.
One afternoon they were in the backyard as usual, tracing leaves in the notebooks they called their "field journals." They sat in the grass, talking about their adventures.
Kaylee picked up Jackson's binoculars from the grass and looked through them. "There's a flock of birds flying toward us! What should we do, Jackson?" she exclaimed.
"Hey, those are my binoculars," Jackson said. "Can I please have them back? You didn't ask to play with them."
Kaylee frowned. "You weren't playing with them. I just wanted to try them for a minute. It's not a big deal."
"They were a gift, and I don't want them to break."
Kaylee dropped the binoculars. "Well, can I look at them now?"
Jackson shook his head…
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Jun 28, 2023
House Repairs
Bible Reading: Romans 3:23-26; 8:19-25
"Caleb, could you hand me that wrench?" Dad was sprawled out under the kitchen sink, attempting to replace a seal that was broken. Caleb grabbed the wrench and handed it to his dad. "Okay, let's see if this new seal works," said Dad. "Turn on the dishwasher."
Caleb turned on the dishwasher, and they waited to see if it was going to leak. When it didn't, Caleb cheered. "Success!"
Dad nodded his approval. "Let's go ahead and change out the air conditioner filters too while we're at it."
Dad grabbed the tool bag, and Caleb grabbed the filters. He liked helping his dad fix things around the house.
"Hand me the screwdriver," Dad said.
"Can I do it?" Caleb asked.
Dad smiled and nodded. "Sure!"
Caleb took the screwdriver and removed both screws. After he helped Dad change out the filter, Caleb fastened the screws back in and they went on to the next filter.
By the end of the day, they had fixed the leak in the kitchen, changed out both air condi…
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Jun 27, 2023
Helping Hands
Bible Reading: Mark 1:40-45; Hebrews 6:10
"Hey, Laura, wait up!" Laura turned at the door of her classroom at church and saw Anissa hurrying down the hall toward her. "You have nursery duty with me today, don't you?" asked Anissa. "Let's go."
Laura dropped her gaze. "Um, actually, Jessie is going to take my place."
Anissa's forehead creased in a frown. "Why? You and I always work in the nursery together. Why aren't you helping today?"
"Well, I, uh…" Laura squirmed uncomfortably. "I just don't feel like helping in the nursery anymore."
Anissa eyed her suspiciously. "Laura, I've never met anyone in my whole life who likes babies more than you do. Something's going on. What is it?"
Laura sighed. She knew it was no use trying to hide the real reason she had decided to quit working in the nursery. "Well, it's just…kids have so many contagious illnesses, and I don't want to come down with them myself. There's always somebody with a cold or something. The day after I was in the nurs…
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Jun 26, 2023
Brownie Batter
Bible Reading: Luke 18:9-14
"Mom, how can you tell if someone's a Christian?" Ginny asked. "Because my friend Elle says she is, but she never prays before she eats, and I heard her tell Melanie a lie on the playground, and one time she asked if I wanted to come over on a Sunday morning, so I don't think she goes to church!" Ginny huffed out a breath.
Mom put down her whisk. "You and I can't really tell what's in someone's heart, Ginny. Only God can. Praying and going to church are important in helping us grow as Christians, but they don't make anyone a Christian, and Christians still do wrong things sometimes. Does that make sense?"
"Sort of…but we pray and go to church. Doesn't that show other people we're Christians?" Ginny asked.
Mom started to answer, then stopped. "Let me see if I can explain it a different way. Take these brownies I'm making. We can add things into our lives like praying…" Mom cracked in an egg. "Or going to church…" She poured in vanilla. "Or telling t…
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Jun 25, 2023
The Fallen Tree
Bible Reading: Psalm 1; Ephesians 3:16-19
"Why do we have to go to church every Sunday?" Paige grumbled. Her glum face pressed against the car window, and her grouchy mood reflected the dismal, gray weather. "On a stormy day like this I'd rather be sleeping in."
"I like Sunday school! Don't you want to learn about God, Paige?" her younger brother Eric asked. A twinge of guilt pricked Paige's conscience, but she ignored her brother.
"Wow! Look at that tree!" Dad pointed to a large tree that lay uprooted along the roadside.
"That was a strong wind we had last night," Mom said. "It ripped that tree right out of the ground."
"It couldn't survive the wind because it had shallow roots," Dad added.
"Another good reason to stay home today," Paige muttered. "It's safer."
"But I want to go to Sunday school!" said Eric.
"Paige, did you know one of the psalms compares a person to a tree?" asked Dad. When Paige shook her head, Dad said, "Psalm 1 says a wise and righteous person is like a he…
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Jun 24, 2023
No Shoes Needed
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 54-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
"Is Poppy wearing his shoes?" asked six-year-old Noelle. Mom patted Noelle's arm and went on talking. The funeral home was full of people talking quietly. The room was filled with the smell of flowers. Noelle stood beside her mother, who was greeting the people who had come to show their sympathy. Noelle's great-grandfather lay in the casket--a long box lined with satin--with his eyes closed and his hands folded. He looked like he was sleeping, but somehow he didn't quite look like the kind man Noelle knew. She felt strange and out of place.
Noelle felt a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, kiddo. I'll take you home now," said Dad.
Noelle tried to smile, but her lips trembled. "Does Poppy have his shoes on?" she asked again.
"No, sweetie, he doesn't need them anymore," Dad said.
"But, Daddy," Noelle protested, "how will he be able to walk around in heaven? He always put his shoes on first thing when he wanted to go…
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Jun 23, 2023
Wisdom Truck
Bible Reading: Proverbs 1:1-7, 20-21; 4:7; Romans 11:33
"Whew! It's so hot!" Jaden wiped a hand across his forehead and turned to his little brother. "I hate picking green beans, don't you?"
"Yeah," said Malachi. "You almost have to stand on your head to find some of them." He waved his arms wildly around his head. "And when you have a pesky deer fly buzzing around you, it's even worse."
"Those deer flies love sweaty people," said Jaden.
"Hey, boys!" their grandfather, who was picking tomatoes, called to them. "Listen!"
The boys paused from their work and then suddenly cheered up. "It's the ice cream truck!" they squealed, running and jumping over rows of carrots and onions to reach Grandpa. "Can we get something?"
Grandpa pulled out his wallet and handed them some money. "Here you go, you poor, hungry workers. Get what you want, and get me a fudge bar."
When the boys came back to the garden, they all sat down under a nearby tree to enjoy their treats. "You know," Grandpa said a…
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Jun 22, 2023
Accepting Circumstances
Bible Reading: Philippians 4:11-13; Hebrews 13:5
Heather opened Mom's bedroom door and whispered, "Mom, I need help packing for the beach."
"What time is it?" Mom opened one eye.
"It's seven thirty. We have lots to do before Dad comes."
Mom took a deep breath. "You're right."
After breakfast, Heather and her mom packed, gathered beach gear, and picked snacks for the drive. "Your dad will be here soon," Mom said. "Go get dressed."
Heather bit her lip. "Mom, I'm excited to go, but I don't want to leave you here alone."
"I'll be fine, Heather. Besides, I won't be alone--Jesus is always with me. And He's with you too."
"I know. But I'll miss you." Heather hugged Mom. "I liked it better when we went all together--you, Dad, and me."
"I know, honey. But this is your dad's family vacation week, and you'll have a great time with your cousins. We'll have our vacation in two weeks."
Heather and Dad were the last ones to arrive at the beach house. "It's official! Let the family vacation…
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Jun 21, 2023
A Safe Place
Bible Reading: John 10:27-30; 20:24-27
"I'm ready to go to the store, Mom," said Aurelia. "You said you needed some milk, right? Anything else?"
"I also need a loaf of bread and a package of cheese," Mom replied. "Oh, and I could use some cornstarch and some baking powder too. Can you remember all that?" She glanced at her daughter. "What are you doing?" asked Mom.
Aurelia lifted her head and grinned. She turned her hand to show her mother what she had done. "I wrote the list on my palm with this pen so I'll be sure to know what you need. I could have made a list on paper, but I might have lost that. I can't lose my hand."
Mom laughed. "That's a unique idea. Okay, I think that's everything--but hold on just a minute. I want to show you an interesting verse in the Bible." She walked over to her desk, picked up her Bible, and opened it to the book of Isaiah. "Read this," Mom said, pointing to a verse. "Read it out loud and tell me what you think of it."
Aurelia read the verse. "See,…
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Jun 20, 2023
The Princess and the Pea
Bible Reading: Psalm 32:1-5; 1 John 1:9
"Grandma, will you read The Princess and the Pea to me before I go to bed?" begged Alonya when she and her sister were staying over at Grandma's house.
"Oh, you know that story," said Thea. "The princess couldn't sleep because there was a pea under her mattress. Even though there were lots of mattresses on her bed, the pea still kept her awake, and she--"
"Don't tell it!" said Alonya. "I want to hear Grandma read it."
"I'll read it." Grandma took the book Alonya handed her and read the story. "Bedtime," she announced when she finished.
As she tucked the girls in, Grandma began feeling under the mattress.
"What are you doing, Grandma?" Alonya asked.
"I'm looking for peas, Princess!"
Thea giggled. "There aren't any there, Grandma."
"Good," said Grandma. "I hope there aren't any in your lives either." She smiled at the puzzled expression on the girls' faces. "The pea in the story reminds me of a time when I did something wrong," Grandma tol…
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Jun 19, 2023
Follow the Leader
Bible Reading: Titus 2:7-8, 11-14
"Look at all the people!" exclaimed Austin. "This traffic is terrible!"
"Yes," said Dad. "Today's parade better be good, or I'll wish I'd stayed home." He inched forward with the traffic. "A lot of cars are turning here. Looks like a good idea to me. Maybe they know of a place to park around the corner." He made a right turn, following the car in front of him.
Immediately the traffic speeded up, but instead of finding a place to park, they found themselves on a long ramp leading to a freeway. "Oh no," Dad groaned. "I didn't see the sign for the freeway! Now we'll have to go a few miles before we can turn around." He scowled at the car ahead of him. "Thanks a lot, mister. You led me wrong!"
Mom laughed. "So it's his fault?"
"What about the car behind us?" asked Austin. "I noticed that they followed along too. Is that your fault, Dad?"
Dad grinned. "Nope. They should have watched where they were going!" Everybody laughed.
"Hey, Austin, Dad sounds…
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Jun 18, 2023
The Perfect Dad
Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 31:6; Isaiah 49:14-15; Matthew 6:9-13
"It's time to dismiss our class, but before we go, let's pray to God using the prayer Jesus taught us," said Mrs. Mac. "Last week we talked about the meaning of the words and phrases. Think about them as you say them today." The kids in the Sunday school class stood up and together recited the Lord's Prayer.
As the children were leaving, Mrs. Mac smiled warmly at Ben, a new boy in the class. "We're so glad you came today," she said. "We hope you'll come again."
Ben shrugged. "You all said that prayer just now--that one that begins, 'Our Father in heaven.' Well, I don't want to have anything to do with God if He's a father!"
"What makes you say that, Ben?" asked Mrs. Mac.
Ben scowled. "Because fathers don't treat people right, so I don't want one," he said angrily, but his eyes filled with tears. "You know what my father did? He left my mom and sister and me when I was five years old. Who wants another father like tha…
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Jun 17, 2023
Heart Soap
Bible Reading: Philippians 1:6, 9-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
"Why do we have to wear goggles and a mask?" asked Lily.
Lily's mom covered her mouth and nose and dropped goggles over her eyes. "When we pour lye into water, it causes a chemical reaction. The fumes aren't good to breathe."
Lily put on a mask, goggles, and gloves, then stirred the water as her mom slowly added the granulated lye. "Wow! That still burns my eyes."
"It takes something powerful to change oil into soap," Mom explained.
Lily put a thermometer into the water and lye solution. She put another thermometer into the olive oil they had warmed on the stove. "The lye water is 250 degrees. That's hot!" Lily checked the oil. "The oil is only 150 degrees."
"We'll mix them when both temperatures are around 110 degrees," said her mom.
They set the pitcher of lye water in a sink filled with cold water to cool it down. Then they waited. Thirty minutes later, both temperatures were just right. They poured the lye into th…
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Jun 16, 2023
Unchanging
Bible Reading: Hebrews 1:1-3, 10-12
Olivia stretched out under her favorite eucalyptus tree and gazed in wonder at the koala above her. This was the best time of the day, when the skies darkened and some of the nocturnal koalas finally woke up to snack on the tree leaves. Olivia had named this koala Kiki. "I could watch you all night, Kiki--if you stayed awake for that long." Olivia giggled softly at her joke, aware that koalas slept for up to eighteen hours each day.
"God," Olivia prayed, "it seems like Kiki never changes. She sleeps all day and wakes up to chew on eucalyptus leaves, then falls asleep again so she can digest them. I wish my life could be that simple and unchanging."
Olivia's prayer was interrupted by her older brother Levi plopping down beside her. "Hi, sis. How are you holding up?"
Olivia sighed. "I just don't want everything to change. Why do Grandpa and Grandma have to leave Australia?" Olivia's lip trembled.
"They said God was calling them to America--their n…
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Jun 15, 2023
For His Glory (Part 2)
Bible Reading: Psalms 104:24-31; 145:14-21; 1 Peter 5:7
"How was the campout?" asked Cole's mom at breakfast the next morning.
"Great!" Cole said. "I think we ate three pounds of hot dogs."
Ethan laughed. "And two pounds of marshmallows."
"You sure had a beautiful night for sleeping under the stars," Mom said.
"Yeah," said Cole. "Made us think about God a lot."
"Thinking about the whole universe made me feel pretty small," said Ethan.
Mom smiled. "I know what you mean. It's good to think about how great God is, but it's also important to remember that He's interested in little things. Actually, the fact that He's interested in small things as well as big ones really emphasizes His greatness." She turned to Cole. "Have you shown Ethan the microscope you got for your birthday?"
"Yeah, he did. It's cool!" said Ethan. "Let's go use it, Cole."
"Okay," Cole replied, and the boys hurried off.
As Ethan peered through the lens a little later, he saw what appeared to be a giant horned…
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Jun 14, 2023
For His Glory (Part 1)
Bible Reading: Psalms 19:1-6; 145:1-7; Ephesians 2:8-10
Cole and his friend Ethan lay in their sleeping bags, gazing up at the sky. "I love camping out in the backyard," said Cole. "I wonder how many stars are out there. Look at them all! There must be millions of them."
"Yeah, and those are just the ones close enough to see without a telescope," Ethan said. "My science teacher says there are over a hundred billion galaxies, and each galaxy has millions or even billions of stars! Just think how big the universe must be. Do you ever wonder how it all got there?"
Cole was silent for a moment, then replied, "I believe what the Bible says--that God created everything. God hung the world in space and placed each star just where He wanted it." Cole rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow to face Ethan. "Have you ever thought much about God, Ethan?"
Ethan stared into the vast darkness overhead. "Sometimes I do. I guess there must be a God, but I don't really understand wh…
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Jun 13, 2023
The Old Doll
Bible Reading: Isaiah 51:6-8, 11; 1 Peter 1:23-25
"I'm glad you came to help me today, Danielle," Aunt Meg said as the two of them explored the cluttered attic. They laughed at their discoveries as they sorted through boxes, getting ready for a garage sale. Aunt Meg picked up a box. "I think my doll Rosie should be around here somewhere."
"Is this it?" Danielle asked.
"It sure is--my little Rosie! I played with her all the time when I was your age." Aunt Meg took the doll and settled its soft body into the crook of her arm like a real baby. Its round face smiled up at her.
"These dolls were very popular when I was a kid," said Aunt Meg. "They came with birth certificates and adoption papers, and people were crazy about them. Rosie was a birthday gift from my parents." She looked at the doll thoughtfully. "I still remember a message our pastor gave the Christmas before I got Rosie. People stood in line for hours and paid big money for these dolls. Pastor Burton told us they would ev…
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Jun 12, 2023
Tending the Flock
Bible Reading: Acts 2:40-42, 46-47; Hebrews 10:24-25
"Good morning, Hendrick," Ivan said to his lamb as he entered the fenced enclosure. "C'mon. I'll brush your nice wooly coat. You're going to win that blue ribbon at the fair in a couple of weeks." Ivan got busy and groomed Hendrick until his mother called him for lunch.
"Hendrick is going to win that blue ribbon, Mom. I just know it," Ivan said as he bit into his sandwich.
Mom smiled. "He just might," she replied. "By the way, have you talked to Sebastian to see if he'll be going to church with us tomorrow?"
Ivan shook his head. "No, but he got saved last week, so it doesn't matter." He went out the door. "I'm going to see what Hendrick's up to."
When Ivan reached the enclosure, he saw that the gate had been left open and the lamb was gone. "Mom!" he called as he ran to the house. "Hendrick got out! Will you help me find him?" Mom came quickly, and together they searched for Ivan's lamb.
"Hendrick! I was worried sick!" Ivan sai…
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Jun 11, 2023
Lyrebirds
Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:29–5:2
"I can't see anything, Grandpa," said Sophie as she peered through her binoculars into the woods. "What am I looking for again?"
"You're trying to find a superb lyrebird, honey," said Grandpa. "I'm sure there are a few that live in this part of the woods. Maybe we should sit on this log and listen for a while. We might hear them before we see them."
Sophie and Grandpa sat quietly together, listening for any distinct lyrebird sounds. Sophie was spending the summer at her grandparents' home in Australia. She loved learning about all the unique animals that lived nearby.
They heard a few dogs barking in the distance and a squirrel chattering up in a tree. "Well," said Sophie after a few minutes, "I don't think we're going to have any luck today, Grandpa."
Just then, Grandpa gave Sophie a nudge and pointed to some brush in the distance. A medium-sized brown bird with long, flowing tail feathers was foraging for insects on the ground.
"Wow," whisper…
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Jun 10, 2023
The Right Road
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:27-32
"Jason, are you sure we're on the right road?" asked Mom, sounding worried. The family was driving through rugged mountains with tall trees on each side. The road was becoming narrower, and they hadn't seen any cars or houses for quite a while.
"Well, I was sure this was the right road," Dad answered. "But now I'm beginning to wonder. I thought we would be at the campsite by now. Let's look at the map on my phone." While Dad stopped the car, Mom pulled up the map. Then they both studied the screen. "Here's the town where we bought gas," Dad said, pointing to a spot on the map. "And here's where we want to go." He moved his fingers across the screen to zoom in. "Oh no!" he exclaimed. "I thought the campground was on this road, but there's a turnoff here. We'll have to go back."
In the back seat, Jonathan and Stella looked at each other and groaned. "We're tired!" complained Jonathan. "We've been driving so long already!"
"Yeah," said Stella. "This vaca…
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Jun 9, 2023
Root of Bitterness
Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:14-15
"Get a move on, Josh," said Luke as he scraped the dishes and piled them on the counter. "You're being lazy. Do your share of the work!"
Josh stopped daydreaming and slowly filled the dishwasher. "I'm doing my share," he muttered.
"You are not!" Luke replied angrily.
"Boys, boys!" Mom said as she entered the kitchen. "I'm tired of the constant bickering going on between you two. You're brothers, and you should love each other."
"Love? Who could love him?" Luke asked. "Every time we do anything, Josh drags his feet, so I end up doing most of the work."
"That's not true!" Josh shot back. "Mom, he's always picking on me!"
"That's it!" said Mom. "You boys apparently need to work off some extra steam. When the dishwasher is loaded, we're all going out to the berry patch to pull crabgrass."
"Aw, Mom!" The boys tried to protest, but soon they all were busy in the garden. By the time they were done, the boys were hot, dusty, and too tired to fight. They…
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Jun 8, 2023
Rainy Day Riddle
Bible Reading: Matthew 10:29-31; Hebrews 4:14-16
It was raining, and Dante was bored. "Grandpa, this weather ruined our fishing," he complained. "What can I do now?"
Grandpa settled back in his rocker. "Know any good riddles?" he asked.
Dante thought for a minute. "What's black and white and red all over?"
Grandpa snapped his fingers. "A newspaper," he said.
"Nope." Dante grinned. "An embarrassed zebra!" Grandpa laughed. "I know another one," said Dante. "What happens to a blue shoe that is thrown into the Red Sea?"
"Well, I believe blue and red mixed together make purple," said Grandpa. "So I guess the shoe turns purple?"
Dante shook his head. "No, it gets wet." They both laughed, and then Dante asked, "Do you know any riddles, Grandpa?"
"Well, let's see." Grandpa reached into his pocket, pulled out his hand, and held out a closed fist. "In my hand there is something no one on earth has ever seen," he said. "The farmer who grew it, the grocer who sold it, your grandma who boug…
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Jun 7, 2023
Reflections
Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 6:17-19; 1 John 2:15-17
Tegan paused the video on her phone and held the screen up as she gazed into the mirror. She had worked a long time trying to get her hair to look like the young woman's in the online tutorial. Tegan turned toward her sister. "Do I look like her?"
Sienna shrugged. "A little, maybe. Come on--we've got to go. Mom and Dad are waiting." The girls hurried out to the car.
On the way to the lake, Tegan mentioned the girl in the tutorial again. "She's so beautiful," she said, staring at her phone. "And she has tons of followers too. Lots of people watch her videos on hair and makeup and buy her stuff. She must be rich!" Tegan sighed. "I wish I could be like her. She probably has a really exciting life."
"Maybe she does, but remember that fame and fortune aren't all they're cracked up to be, Tegan," said Mom. "People who are rich and famous have problems just like the rest of us, and some of them have really difficult lives."
Soon they were…
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Jun 6, 2023
Making Pearls
Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-5; James 1:2-4, 12
"My new school is horrible!" Clara said as she came into the living room. "The kids all have their own groups of friends and ignore me. My teacher's always in a bad mood and gives ridiculous assignments. I miss my old friends. Why did we have to move here?" She collapsed wearily onto the sofa. Picking up a book that was lying on the coffee table, Clara absentmindedly flipped through the pages. Her dad glanced up, about to say something, when Clara held up the book and pointed to a picture. "Look at this," she said. "It's an oyster. They're not very pretty, are they? But they can make such beautiful pearls."
Dad looked more closely at the picture. "That's true. Do you know how oysters make pearls?"
"Sure. We studied that in school," said Clara. "The oysters have a strong, hard shell outside, but they're soft and fleshy on the inside. Sometimes a grain of sand or something like that gets inside the oyster's shell. The sand irritates the inn…
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Jun 5, 2023
More than Sand
Bible Reading: Psalms 40:1-5; 139:17-18
One hot afternoon, Lorelei and Brandon's dad took them to the beach. After a refreshing swim, they stretched out on a blanket under an umbrella. Dad read a book, and Brandon fiddled with a waterproof watch he'd brought along. Lorelei sat up and took a handful of sand. She brushed most of it away and then tried to separate the grains in the small amount that was left.
"What are you doing?" asked Brandon.
"My teacher at church said our lesson next week is going to include something about sand. She asked if we ever tried counting the grains, so I thought I'd try." She went on counting--or trying to count--the tiny grains of sand in her hand.
"That's impossible!" Brandon said after watching her for a moment. He rolled his eyes, picked up his raft, and headed for the water again.
Lorelei sat on the blanket, staring at the sand, and Dad looked up from his book. "How's the counting coming? Do you think you'll be able to finish the whole beach this…
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Jun 4, 2023
A Song God Loves
Bible Reading: Psalm 100
"How was Sunday school today?" asked Mom as the family ate lunch together after church.
"Great," said Lydia. "Mrs. Simons always makes the stories interesting."
"Did you learn any new songs today?" asked Dad.
"Not today," Ian answered. Then he chuckled and looked across the table at Lydia. "Did you hear Ronan singing?"
"Did I!" Lydia giggled. "How could anyone not hear him?"
"He sings so loud, and if he hit one correct note, it would be a miracle," said Ian. "I can hardly stand to sit by him during song time."
After lunch, everyone went to sit out on the deck. Ian and Lydia played a game at the picnic table. When some sparrows settled on the nearby shrubs, Lydia looked up and watched them. "Sparrows aren't the prettiest birds, but I love to hear them tweet and twitter," she said.
Mom pointed. "There's a hummingbird drinking from that red flower. And see the magpies at the back of the yard? They're pretty, but they're not good singers."
"What bird song…
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Jun 3, 2023
Batter Up!
Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1; Isaiah 40:31; Galatians 6:9
Every day after work, Dad would walk to Spencer's school and together they'd walk home, past the city baseball park. On Fridays the ballpark was bursting with noise from a city baseball game. Spencer wanted to see what was happening, but a tall wooden fence blocked the view.
"Can we go in, Dad?" Spencer asked one day.
"The game's almost over now," said Dad. "Let's wait until we can see a whole game."
Then Spencer noticed something. "I can see second base through this knothole." From another knothole, he could see third base. "But now I can't see second base anymore. No fair!"
Then Dad said, "There's a bigger knothole up ahead. Go check it out."
Spencer ran to it. "Dad! The batter just made it to second base!"
"Can you see home plate?"
"No," Spencer said, disappointed. "I can still only see part of the action."
"Knotholes are like that," Dad said. "When I was a kid, your grandpa used to tell me that life is like a kno…
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Jun 2, 2023
A Gentle Approach
Bible Reading: Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:23-25
Gracie sat down on the couch next to her mother. They both laughed as three-year-old Maggie chased their new kitten around the living room. "Come here, Kitty! Come here!" Maggie yelled, holding out a treat, but the kitten darted away.
Gracie sighed. "Mom, I don't know what to do about Andrea. She always complains about her grades, but she hardly ever does homework. I finally told her to stop whining and spend more time studying. She got upset, and now she won't talk to me."
"I'm not surprised," said Mom.
"But why?" asked Gracie. "I'm just trying to help!"
"Yes, but if you said it to her the way you did just now, it probably didn't sound like help. She may have felt it was an attack."
Just then Maggie joined them with the unaccepted cat treat still in her hand, crying in frustration. "Gracie, why don't you show Maggie how to give the treat to the kitten?" said Mom.
"Okay." Gracie took her little sister by the ha…
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Jun 1, 2023
A Name That Fits
Bible Reading: Matthew 7:21-27; Romans 10:9-10
"Look, there's a ladybird!" cried Olive.
Jocelyn dropped her doll on the grass and looked up at the sky. "Where? I don't see any birds--or a lady either! Besides Mom, I mean." She smiled at her mother.
Olive laughed. "A ladybird isn't a bird--or a lady." She pointed to a small red and black creature crawling its way up the stem of a plant. "That's a ladybird."
Jocelyn stared at it. "That's a bug!" She placed her hands on her hips. "Why is it called a ladybird when it's not a bird at all? That doesn't make any sense!" She shook her head and picked up her doll again.
"Most people around here call it a ladybug," said Mom. "That name fits it better, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess," said Olive. "My teacher calls it a ladybird, but she moved here from England, and sometimes they have different names for things there."
"I can think of another creature with a name that doesn't really fit," said Mom. "What did Dad show you last night?"
"Firefl…
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May 31, 2023
The Better Basket
Bible Reading: Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 2:10
Aubrey picked up her basket (Or what was intended to be a basket, she thought glumly) from the craft table on her way out. She'd just finished her morning classes at her weekly homeschool co-op. Now she and the other families in the group would gather at a nearby park for lunch and playtime. Aubrey looked forward to this day each week.
But today felt different. As Aubrey met her stepmother at their car, she sighed sadly.
"What's up, honey?" Gina asked as Aubrey tossed her backpack in the trunk.
"Just look at my basket!" Aubrey said, holding up the item she'd labored over during crafts class that day. "All I had to do was weave the cord in and out of the frame. That's all I needed to do to create a basket, which I was planning to give Grammy for her birthday. But I couldn't make the cord stay in place. Look, Gina!"
Aubrey's stepmom gently took Aubrey's creation in her hands and examined the cord that had slipped down to the bottom of the…
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May 30, 2023
Fish Out of Water
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
As the small rowboat rocked with the gentle motion of the water, Andrew watched his father cast out his fishing line. "Dad," said Andrew, "I don't want to go to the new church tomorrow. All my friends are back at our old church. I know we had to move because of your job, but I'm going to miss Pastor Davis and my friends."
Dad slowly reeled in his line a little and looked at his son. "I'm going to miss everybody too, but when we get settled in a new church, we'll make new friends. We still need to worship God and learn more about Him."
"But can't we just have church by ourselves at home?" asked Andrew. "You could play your guitar and we could sing. Then you and Mom could teach us from the Bible."
"Hold on a minute," said Dad. "I've got a bite." A minute later, he held up a small bluegill. "Looks like this one is too small to be of any use to us," he said. "What would happen if we just threw this fish in the boat and left it there?"
"It would d…
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May 29, 2023
Twinkle, Twinkle, All the Stars
Bible Reading: Psalms 46:10; 119:162-171
Jasper leaned against a tree trunk, his hands behind his head. He loved the annual family camping trips. This year they'd seen deer when they hiked in the woods. They'd explored the river gorge and found fossils, and they'd climbed some of the rocks. They'd also fished and waded in the river. Jasper sighed with pleasure. "This sure is a cool place!"
It was too dark to see, but Jasper could hear the smile in his mom's voice. "You seem to be enjoying yourself in spite of no playgrounds or ice cream shops or TV or video games."
"Yeah." Jasper grinned.
Late that evening, the family sat contentedly by the smoldering campfire, listening to it crackle and hiss. Crickets chirped, and small creatures scurried by, rustling the leaves. In the background, the river murmured as it flowed over the rocks. "Wow! Just look at all those stars!" Jasper said as he gazed up at the sky. "We sure can't see this many stars at our house. They seem closer to us here…
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May 28, 2023
The Right Fit
Bible Reading: Psalm 25:1-5
Kara went into the den where her parents were working on a puzzle. "I just got a text from Cadence," she announced glumly. "She told me she has a job for the summer--babysitting the Preston kids two afternoons each week."
Mom looked puzzled. "You don't sound very happy about it, but it seems like a good opportunity for Cadence."
"But I'd heard that Mrs. Preston wanted somebody to babysit, and I was going to ask her about it this weekend. I should have told Cadence I wanted it." Kara paused, then her face brightened. "If I text her back and tell her how much I want the job, maybe she'll let me have it."
"That wouldn't be fair to Cadence," said Mom. "Just be happy for your friend and pray about finding some other summer job."
"But why wouldn't God want me to have this job?" asked Kara. Then she glanced at her dad curiously. He had picked up a puzzle piece and had gotten out his pocket knife. He seemed to be considering cutting the puzzle piece. "Dad, what…
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May 27, 2023
Your Own Way
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:9-16; Proverbs 3:1-6; Isaiah 53:6
Nathaniel gasped when he saw a quick flash of white through the trees. "A deer," he whispered. Carefully picking his way across sticks and fallen branches, Nathaniel quietly walked toward the deer. Glancing over his shoulder, he could still see his family's campsite, so he went on. When he got a little closer to the deer, it bounded off through the trees. Nathaniel ran after it, but soon it was lost from his sight. Nathaniel stopped beside a small stream. "Goodbye, Mr. Deer," he called as he turned back toward camp, but…where was camp? In one quick second Nathaniel knew he was lost.
Nathaniel's excitement turned to terror as he recalled the ranger's warning about bears in the area. Dear God, he prayed, I'm scared! I know I wasn't supposed to lose sight of our camp, but I forgot. I'm sorry! Please help me find my way back.
Just then Nathaniel heard a voice over the gurgling of the stream. "Nathaniel!" it called. "Nathaaanie…
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May 26, 2023
The Secret to a Happy Life
Bible Reading: Galatians 6:7-10; Philippians 2:12-13
Mae was lost in thought as she helped her mother put away the dishes. "A penny for your thoughts," said Mom, nudging her.
"They're worth much more than that!" Mae said with a grin. "But since you're my mom, I'll give them to you for free. I was thinking of something my teacher said this morning at church. She said the only way for us--for Christians--to be really happy is to do what God wants us to do instead of doing what we want." Mae paused. "It doesn't make sense. How can we be happy if we're always doing things we don't want to do?"
"I agree that if the Christian life was just a matter of forcing ourselves to do unpleasant things, it certainly wouldn't be very enjoyable," said Mom. "But what makes you think you wouldn't want to do what God asks of you?"
Mae shrugged. "Well, if I'm doing what He asks instead of what I want, that means I don't really want to do what He tells me to, doesn't it?"
"Let's think about that," Mom s…
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May 25, 2023
A Better Friend
Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; John 15:12-15
Addison sat cross-legged on the bedroom floor, surrounded by snapshots. "Look, Mom!" she exclaimed. "Here's another picture of me and Mousie. I really loved that old stuffed animal."
As Addison shuffled through several old photos, her mother peeked over her shoulder. There were pictures of Addison swinging in the backyard, riding her first bike, and wearing a red Christmas dress. There were a number of pictures of her blowing out candles on birthday cakes. In many of the pictures, the little girl clutched a blue stuffed toy.
"Why did you love that grubby old bear so much?" asked Mom. She laughed. "It really was a bear, you know, not a mouse."
Addison grinned. "I know, but I thought he looked more like a mouse. I guess I loved him because he was a good guy to talk to. He just sat and listened." Addison could remember times when she had sobbed about her hurts into the fur of her faded blue friend. "I told Mousie all my secrets, and he…
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May 24, 2023
Sharp Words
Bible Reading: James 3:3-10
Beck was talking on his phone as he walked into the house after school. "I'm not kidding, Jake! I heard Mrs. Simpson comes to school looking all bleary-eyed because she's an alcoholic. The kids say she sometimes stumbles over her words in class, and she…" Beck paused when he noticed his dad motioning for him to hang up. "Gotta go, Jake. My dad wants me for something. Bye." Beck hung up. "What is it, Dad?"
"You'll have to call Jake back and apologize for the gossip I just heard," said Dad. When Beck started to protest, Dad held up a hand. "Do you have any idea why Mrs. Simpson is having a hard time?"
Beck shook his head. "I don't have her for any classes. I just see her in the hall sometimes, and the kids say she drinks a lot."
"Well, you have no reason to believe that's true. The fact is that Mrs. Simpson's husband is very sick. She has to stay up many nights caring for him. No wonder she's tired."
"Oh…I didn't know that." Beck looked truly sorry.…
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May 23, 2023
Clear Again
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:97-105
Liam squinted at the pitcher, ready to send the ball soaring. But three swings later, he heard the umpire call, "You're out!" Liam hung his head and walked off the field. Why can't I hit the ball like I used to? he wondered.
The next morning, Liam sat next to his friend Colson during Sunday school as their teacher, Miss Bryan, started the class in song. When they finished, she held up a card. "This is our new memory verse for the month. Liam, can you read it aloud for the rest of the class?"
Liam squinted at the card. "You--Your word is, is…" His voice trailed off when he couldn't finish.
Miss Bryan looked to Liam's left. "Colson, can you help Liam out?"
Liam's face flushed as Colson read the verse perfectly. He wondered if he would ever be able to do anything right again.
Miss Bryan pulled Liam's parents aside when they came to pick him up at the end of the hour. Later on the car ride home, Dad said, "Liam, we're going to schedule an appointment…
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May 22, 2023
A Joy Like No Other
Bible Reading: Psalm 30:5; Philippians 4:4
Georgia went home crying to her sister Cecilia. "Cece, I was trying to be joyful today, but I can't! I saw how happy my friend was when she told me about her parents' anniversary. It must be easy for her to be joyful since her parents are still together." Georgia looked down, her bronze hair falling in her face.
Her older sister tucked Georgia's hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I understand." Cecilia sighed and looked down at her feet. "Do you remember when you were only four years old?"
"Yeah, maybe." Georgia looked puzzled.
"You had so much joy," said Cecilia. "I remember one day at summer camp, the playground suddenly grew dark, and rain came pouring down. All the other kids ran underneath the playground equipment for shelter. The teachers started to get nervous as they searched for the kids. But you stayed and danced in the rain with your bright smile shining in the darkness. The kids began to come out from their hiding places and dance in…
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May 21, 2023
Who’s Right?
Bible Reading: John 17:20-23; 1 Corinthians 12:25-26
"Dad, at Declan's church they don't teach exactly the same things as they do at our church," Nicholas said one day. "We had an argument about it. Declan said his church is right, and I said ours is. Ours really is right, isn't it?"
Before Dad could attempt an answer, Nicholas's little sister and brother came into the kitchen carrying a toy keyboard. They set it on the table. "Connor and me want to play one of the songs Daddy taught us," said Nevaeh. "Okay?"
Nicholas laughed. "Okay." Using just one finger each, the kids began to play. As they carefully pressed the keys, Nicholas thought he recognized "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." But then it became obvious that the two youngsters were each playing a different song.
"Wait a minute!" Dad stopped the little musicians. "You're not following my instructions. I said you should decide together which song to play and then come and show me how well you could do it. Go practice one song,…
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May 20, 2023
Safe through the Storm
Bible Reading: Psalm 107:29; Mark 4:35-41
Kyle and Callam looked out at their backyard as rain pelted the glass. Lightning flashed and thunder crashed. "Yikes!" Callam jumped.
"That was close," Kyle said as the tornado siren sounded.
"Everyone to the basement!" Mom yelled. She turned on the TV downstairs to keep track of the storm.
"A tornado warning has been issued for our area," the TV meteorologist said. "Go to your safe place now."
"I wish Dad was here," Callam said as winds howled and objects outside hit their house.
"We should pray," said Kyle.
The boys and Mom held hands. They prayed for God to protect their family, friends, and neighbors. "Amen," Mom said. "Never forget, boys, that God is our shelter in every storm of life."
Just then the electricity went off. Kyle turned on a flashlight.
"Do you remember in the Bible when Jesus and His disciples were in a boat and a storm suddenly came on the lake?" Mom asked.
Callam nodded. "Jesus was asleep, and the disciples thoug…
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May 19, 2023
The Overdue Book
Bible Reading: Psalm 103:10-14; 1 Peter 1:17-21
Rachel groaned when she discovered a library book tucked away in the corner of her closet. I checked this out more than a year ago! she thought as she flipped through the pages. By now, the fine will be really huge. I'll never be able to pay it! She sighed. I bet Mom and Dad will be mad too. They always say I need to be more responsible.
Rachel shoved the book back into the closet, but she continued to worry about it for days. Finally, just before family devotions one evening, she told her parents she had found the long-forgotten book. "I'm really sorry I didn't return it a long time ago. I would have told you before, but I thought I'd try to save enough money to pay the fine first." Rachel looked down at her hands. "I don't know if I'll ever have enough money though. The fine's probably really big by now. What should I do?"
"Oh!" said her mom. "When I was at the library several months ago, the librarian asked me about that book. It wa…
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May 18, 2023
Who Gets the Credit?
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
"Morgan was in Sunday school today," Leah announced with a frown.
"Why do you look so down about it?" asked Mom in surprise. "I think that's great! Didn't you invite her yourself a few times?"
"That's the point," said Leah. "I've been trying to get her to come to church for three years, and she's always said no. Then today she shows up with Safiya!"
"Well, the important thing is that she came," Mom said. She was interrupted by the doorbell. "That must be Grandma with those flower plants she said she'd bring over."
After Grandma left, Leah and her mom decided to plant the flowers right away. "You know something, honey?" Mom said as she handed Leah a trowel. "These plants remind me of you and Morgan."
"Me and Morgan?" Leah looked confused. "How?"
Mom dug in the dirt as she explained. "Well, Grandma planted the seeds for these flowers and nursed them along until they developed healthy roots. Now we'll back up Grandma's efforts…
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May 17, 2023
Pulling Weeds
Bible Reading: Romans 6:1-2, 11-14; 8:5-6; 1 John 1:8-10
Trevor stopped working and wiped sweat from his face. Grandpa stopped too. "Gardening is hard work," he said. "Maybe we should take a break and go have some of Grandma's cookies and punch."
As they headed to the house, Grandpa pointed to a single row of peas he had planted two weeks earlier. "Taking care of a garden is hard work. Weeds grow easily, don't they?"
"Yeah," said Trevor. "Why did God make weeds, anyway?"
"Well, they're the result of sin," said Grandpa. "We have them because we live in a sinful, broken world." He looked at Trevor. "Are there any weeds growing in your life that need to be pulled?"
"You mean in our yard at home?" Trevor shrugged. "I guess there probably are some."
Grandpa smiled and shook his head. "I mean in your life."
"In my life? I don't get it," said Trevor. "How would weeds grow in my life?"
"Not weeds like these," said Grandpa. "Weeds of sin. Farmers need to destroy weeds to keep them from…
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May 16, 2023
Outgrown
Bible Reading: Psalm 145:3; Isaiah 40:21-28
When Nolan's mom told him it was time for family devotions, he looked up from his video game. "Aw, Mom, can't we skip it tonight? I'm almost to the next level of this game. Besides, I know all that stuff. I hear it all the time at church, and I even go to a Christian school!"
"Nolan," Dad called from the next room. "Turn off the game and come now, please."
Nolan sighed and followed his mom into the living room.
The next morning when Mom told Nolan to hurry and get ready for church, he frowned. "We probably won't hear anything we haven't heard before," he grumbled as he shuffled toward his room. A few minutes later, he was back again. "I need new pants!" he exclaimed, motioning at the pants he was wearing. "Look at these. They're getting really short."
Mom nodded. "I see that. You're growing right out of them. We'll look for a new pair this week."
"Good idea." Dad grinned. "I guess those pants must have shrunk," he joked. "Or could it be…
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May 15, 2023
The First Tomatoes
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; James 1:17
"I don't see why I always have to put some of the money I earn in the church collection," grumbled Amos. He fumbled in his pocket and reluctantly took out some coins, which he set aside. "I only have a few dollars left now!"
"Amos," Mom began, but before she could continue, the patio door jerked open and Vivienne dashed into the room.
"Mom!" exclaimed Vivienne, holding her hands behind her back. "Guess what?"
"We give up," said Amos. "What?"
Vivienne flashed a triumphant grin. "Look!" She held out both hands. In each one lay a big red tomato. "My very first tomatoes are ripe already!" She looked at her brother and laughed. "I told you they were getting ripe fast, and you said they wouldn't be ready for a long time yet. But here they are!"
"Wonderful!" said Mom. "They look delicious. Should we have them for dinner tonight?"
"That would be great, but…" Vivienne paused. "It's just that Grandma gave me those plants, and Grandpa helped…
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May 14, 2023
Tulips and Labradors
Bible Reading: Isaiah 49:8-16; Matthew 12:46-50
"Okay, kids," Miss Long, the substitute teacher, said as she passed cards out to Mihai's class. "Your task is to create a card for your mom or stepmom thanking her for all the wonderful things she does for you."
Exclamations of delight erupted from everyone except Mihai. Staring at the blank card, his insides churned. He clenched his fists, wanting to tear it up into tiny pieces. It's not fair, he thought, swallowing the angry tears down. If Mrs. Flint was here, this never would have happened.
Looking over at his best friend Isaiah, he sighed. Mihai's mom had left five years ago, leaving a note telling them she was returning to her birth country and not to contact her. They hadn't heard from her since. Dad no longer spoke about it.
"Mihai, you haven't started yet," Miss Long said, patrolling the classroom.
"He hasn't got a mother," Isaiah whispered. "Well, not one living at home."
"Oh! I'm sorry," Miss Long said, pausing for a mome…
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May 13, 2023
An Inheritance
Bible Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-5
Joey liked to visit Great-Uncle Hank's dairy farm. He liked to work in the barn and swing on ropes in the hayloft. He liked to ride on the tractor. But most of all, he liked to work with Uncle Hank on an old car in the shed behind the tractor barn.
Uncle Hank enjoyed restoring old cars, and now he was patiently working to restore another one to its original condition. First, it had been taken apart piece by piece. Then each piece had been cleaned. Worn parts had been repaired or replaced. The old paint had been stripped off the body, the rust removed, and a new coat of paint applied. Now the work was almost done. As Uncle Hank put the engine back together, Joey polished the car until it shone.
As they were working on the car one day, Uncle Hank turned to Joey. "How would you like to have this car?" he asked. Joey grinned, and his eyes lit up. Uncle Hank smiled. "I can see that you like it as much as I do, and someday it will be yours. It's going to be yo…
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May 12, 2023
Falling Short (Part 2)
Bible Reading: Psalm 18:27-33
Lia couldn't stop thinking about her ballet practice earlier that afternoon as she followed her mom through the zoo. I'll never be able to do a high demi pointe, she thought, sighing.
Mom stopped when they reached a habitat filled with rock formations. "Here we are! These animals I want you to see live in Africa among these types of rocks called kopje."
Lia read the sign. "Klipspringers? That's a fun name--oh look, Mom! There's one right there!" Lia and Mom watched in fascination as the two-foot-tall dwarf antelope leapt gracefully from one kopje rock to the next.
"Look at how tiny their hooves are--it says here they're the diameter of a dime. I can just imagine a little pink tutu on that klipspringer and itty bitty ballet shoes!" Lia squealed in delight.
Mom smiled. "Did you notice how they stand?"
"Yeah, it kind of looks like they're standing on their toes, even though they have hooves. It's so impressive that they can jump and land on a section of…
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May 11, 2023
Falling Short (Part 1)
Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-5; 8:14-19
Lia threw her ballet shoes into the back seat of the car and slid in with a sigh.
"Practice went that well, huh?" Mom gave Lia a sympathetic glance before pulling away from the curb.
"Mom, I want to quit--I keep falling short in my high demi pointe! Every time I try to raise up higher on my toes, my legs feel all wobbly. Today I fell, and Cathy laughed at me! She does all her moves perfectly. It's not fair!"
"Lia, you've got to remember that Cathy has been in ballet for years and this is only your sixth month. She shouldn't have laughed at you, but you need to focus on what you have accomplished and how far you've come."
Scowling, Lia scrunched farther down in her seat. She tried to stop the tears from filling her eyes. "I just feel so useless sometimes--like everyone is better than me and more talented."
"I think everyone feels that way at some point," said Mom. "However, you can't let how you feel or other people's skill levels deter you fro…
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May 10, 2023
Model Building
Bible Reading: Psalms 25:8; 32:8-11
After supper one evening, Caden helped clear the table and then covered it with old newspapers. "I'm going to work on my new model car," he said. He grinned as he took it out of the box. "Just look at all those pieces! And these details are awesome!"
Caden began working, but it wasn't long before he went looking for his father. "Can you help me with my model car, Dad?" he asked.
Dad looked up from his computer. "Sure, but can you manage it by yourself until I finish what I'm working on?"
"I'll try," Caden replied. But when Dad came to help him a little later, almost nothing had been done.
"What's the problem, buddy?" asked Dad.
Caden sighed. "I don't understand how everything is supposed to fit together."
Dad took the instruction sheet. "Okay," he said after glancing at it, "let's figure it out together." They got to work and soon were busy reading instructions, finding pieces, and fitting them to one another.
After a while, Caden's mom remin…
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May 9, 2023
Just a Little Thing
Bible Reading: Matthew 15:32-39
Bree's mom looked flustered as she grabbed her purse. "I'm going across the street to Grandma's to shampoo her hair," Mom said. "When I get back, I'd love for you to help me make some cookies. I'm supposed to bring a treat to work tomorrow."
"Okay, Mom," Bree said. As Mom hurried out the door, Bree had an idea. I've helped Mom make cookies lots of times. I'll mix them now, and then Mom will only have to bake them. Bree went to the kitchen and found the recipe for her favorite cookies--chocolate mountains. She read the directions, then began putting ingredients into a bowl and stirring them together. Let's see--it says to add a teaspoon of baking powder. Bree looked for the baking powder, but she couldn't find it. Well, it only calls for one teaspoon, so it probably doesn't matter that much.
Bree finished mixing the cookies and had the first batch ready for the oven when Mom came back. "Oh, Bree, thank you!" said Mom. "I was wondering how I was going t…
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May 8, 2023
Emma’s Chocolates
Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:8; Titus 3:3-7
"Mom, I asked my friend Rae if she was a Christian," Sarah said as she and her mother were relaxing on the back porch. "She thinks she is because she goes to church all the time. I told her that didn't make her a Christian, but she didn't believe me. I didn't know what to say."
"It's sometimes hard to convince people that going to church doesn't make them Christians," said Mom, "but don't give up. Try to help her see that it's not what we do that makes us Christians, it's what Jesus did for us when He took our sins upon Himself and died on the cross."
"Okay, Mom. I'll keep praying for Rae and try to help her understand that she needs Jesus, not just a church. It's just hard to know what to say because she thinks she's right."
Sarah's little sister, Emma, left her swing set and walked up to the porch. In her hand she clutched a pretty box. "Mommy, I have some chocolate candy for you," she said, holding out the box.
"Thank you, sweetie," sai…
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May 7, 2023
A Lesson from Shadow
Bible Reading: Psalm 37:3-5; 2 Peter 3:18
Michael stood on the lawn, wishing he had someone to play with. "Timmy!" he called loudly, hoping his friend next door would hear him. "Tiiimmmeeee!"
Michael's mom appeared on the back porch. "Go over and knock on Timmy's door, Michael. It's not polite to just yell for him."
"But what if his mom answers?" asked Michael. "What if she doesn't want to be bothered?"
"Oh, Michael, Timmy's mom is a very nice lady. She wouldn't mind answering the door," Mom assured him. "Don't be so shy."
Michael looked at the neighbors' door. Mom was right--he was shy around adults he didn't know well. But knowing that didn't make him feel any braver. I think I'll just play here, he thought when his mom went back in. Maybe Timmy will see me and come out.
Michael wandered behind the house to the tall maple tree where a black squirrel lived. He had named the squirrel Shadow and often tried to get close to watch the little animal get kernels from the ear of corn D…
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May 6, 2023
A Good Name
Bible Reading: Acts 9:10-15, 36-39
"Grandpa, I hate my name," Edna told her grandfather one day.
"Well now, I think Edna is a pretty name," said Grandpa. "Your mom named you after your great-grandmother, whom she dearly loved."
"But I have to go to school with kids who have names like Braxton and Jacob. I wish I had a name that wasn't so old-fashioned!"
"A lot of babies are being given old-fashioned names these days," Grandpa told her. "Take the name Jacob, for instance. That's a popular name now, but it's a very old one. Remember Jacob in the Bible?"
Edna sighed. "Yes, but I still wish I had a different name. I think I'll change it someday. After all, the Bible says a good name should be chosen rather than riches."
Grandpa smiled. "Oh, honey, that verse isn't talking about changing your name! It's talking about what people think of you when they hear your name and think of your character. Like I said, the name Edna reminds your mom of one of the sweetest people she ever knew. An…
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May 5, 2023
Spread the Word (Part 2)
Bible Reading: Acts 22:1-15
Matías ran into the house. "I'm going over to Nathan's, Mom." He stopped before going back outside. "If I get a chance to talk to him about Jesus, what should I say? How can I get him to understand?"
"Well," said Mom, "how did you help your brothers know how to paint the shed yesterday? Did you tell them how some of the world's great artists mix colors? Or did you explain various types of strokes and painting techniques?"
"Of course not." Matías gave her a puzzled look. "I just told them what Dad told me, and I showed them how I did it."
Mom nodded. "You started with your own experience, didn't you? Why not do that when you talk to Nathan about Jesus? Tell him how you became a Christian. That's what the apostle Paul often did."
"Okay, Mom," said Matías. "I'll try."
When Matías got to Nathan's house, his friend greeted him at the door. "Hi, Matías," said Nathan. "Come see the model airplane I've been working on."
Matías looked at the model. "Wow!…
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May 4, 2023
Spread the Word (Part 1)
Bible Reading: Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:11-13
"Looks good, guys." Matías stood back and surveyed the side of the shed he and his younger brothers, Luis and Vincent, were painting. Matías was in charge of the project. He'd helped his dad paint their house before, so he was showing his brothers how it should be done. "Be sure to brush the paint out nice and smooth," said Matías.
As they worked, the boys started talking about their friend Nathan who lived nearby. "Nathan asked me about our church and what we believe," said Vincent. "I didn't really know what to say. I was afraid I might not answer right, so I gave him my Sunday school teacher's email address."
"Maybe we should ask Pastor Garcia to talk to him," said Matías.
"Yeah," agreed Luis. "It's the pastor's job to tell people about Jesus."
Soon Mom came out with a tray of cookies and lemonade. "Matías," she said as the boys sat down to enjoy their snack, "since you're the only one who's painted before and know how to do it, w…
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May 3, 2023
New Coat of Paint
Bible Reading: Lamentations 3:22-23; 1 John 1:7-9
Olivia stared around her new bedroom in dismay. Not only were the moving boxes from their old house scattered and stacked messily around the room, but the walls were also covered in pencil drawings from the previous owner's children. Doodles, words, and plain old scribbles adorned the white walls all around her new room.
Mom always told her, "If you want something, work hard for it!" So Olivia found a washcloth in one of the moving boxes, soaked it with water, and set to work on her walls. If she worked hard, she could have it clean by supper!
After what felt like hours of vigorous scrubbing, Olivia sat back to examine her work. It was too much. "Mom!" she called out in frustration.
Mom poked her head in. "Olivia, did you call me? And do you want tacos or hamburgers for dinner? Dad's picking it up."
"Mom," Olivia said in exhaustion, "I've been scrubbing this wall as hard as I can! And I only got a tiny bit of the pencil off. It's t…
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May 2, 2023
The Backyard Bear
Bible Reading: Psalm 40:1-5
When Brody got home from school on his birthday, Dad winked and said, "Head out to the back porch. There's a special treat waiting for you on the picnic table."
Brody ran outside as quickly as he could. The picnic table held two paper plates and a large empty platter smeared with icing. Brody frowned. "Hey, Dad?"
Dad came out to the porch. "Yeah?"
"Is this platter supposed to be empty?"
Dad's forehead wrinkled, and he scratched his chin. "What in the world…"
Brody looked under the picnic table. A few crumbs sprinkled the ground. He swallowed. "It was my birthday cake, wasn't it?"
"It was. But where did it go?"
Brody didn't want to throw a fit on his birthday. He was a year older. He was supposed to be more mature. But his eyes burned. He wiped his hand under his eyes, determined not to let tears fall. "We have to solve this mystery."
The crumbs beneath the table led down the porch and into the yard, leaving a faint trail. Brody and his dad followe…
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May 1, 2023
One Chance
Bible Reading: Acts 26:26-29
"Hey, Sawyer!" Cameron called down the hallway to his friend. Sawyer opened his locker and waited as Cameron hurried to talk to him. "I've been meaning to ask you--do you want to play ball with my church team?"
"Some other guys asked me to play with them," Sawyer said, pulling books from his locker. "I'm gonna be the pitcher on their team."
"But you should play on my team!" said Cameron. "We're friends. The guys from church really want you to play with us too."
Sawyer slammed the locker shut. "Yeah, and if I do, they'll want me to come to church with them," he grumbled. "To tell you the truth, that's why I'd rather play with the other guys. I don't want to hear about all that church and Jesus stuff!"
As he spoke, a noisy group of boys rushed down the hall toward Cameron and Sawyer. "Hey, Cameron," called the tall boy in the lead. "Sawyer here is going to be on our baseball team. Want to play with us too? We joined a Sunday morning league. How about it?…
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Apr 30, 2023
Spring Clean-up
Bible Reading: Colossians 3:8-16
Looking into her mother's bedroom, Kalina saw piles of old clothes and jewelry scattered everywhere. "I'm cleaning out my closet," Mom explained. "Why keep clothes and jewelry I never wear? I thought I'd donate them to the thrift store."
"Wow!" said Kalina. "Want some help packing it up?"
"Sure--but why don't you go through some of your things too?" suggested Mom. "Get rid of what you don't use." Kalina frowned. "Go on," said Mom. "Some of your clothes have gotten too small and should be replaced."
Kalina brightened. "Replaced? What a great idea!" She left and returned a little later with a big box. "Look, Mom!" she said as she pulled out an old stuffed bear. "There's hardly any stuffing left inside. And this sweatshirt is three sizes too small for me now." Together she and Mom sorted through the rest of the things.
At dinner, Kalina told her dad about all the things they found to get rid of. "You should probably get rid of some junk too," she said…
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Apr 29, 2023
Apologies
Bible Reading: Matthew 5:23-24; 1 John 1:5-9
"I didn't try to do it!" Connor told his sister when her card tower toppled over after he ran by too fast and bumped the edge of the table.
Sophia glared at him. "Mom would tell you to apologize."
"But Mom's not here." Connor hurried away and pulled on his shoes, trying to ignore the guilt he felt over how he was acting.
His best friend Griffin lived next door, and Connor was looking forward to spending the day with him. Griffin's dad was getting off work early to take them to the aquarium.
"My dad just called," Griffin said with a frown when Connor stepped into the house. "He might not make it on time."
"What?" Connor's heart deflated. "But we've been looking forward to this forever."
"I know." Griffin sighed. "We can still hang out if you want."
It wasn't as fun as going to the aquarium, but Connor followed his friend to the driveway to shoot some hoops. They'd been playing for a while when Griffin's dad's car pulled into the drive…
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Apr 28, 2023
TLC
Bible Reading: Mark 12:28-33; John 13:34-35
"There's a new girl in my class," Nuri remarked as she helped clear the table. "Her name is Elizabeth--and that's what she wants to be called. Elizabeth."
Mom looked up from loading the dishwasher. "I hope you were friendly. Remember how it feels to start at a new school?"
"Yeah, but she's so stuck-up, Mom," Nuri said. "We asked if she has a nickname, and she said if anybody calls her anything but Elizabeth, she won't answer. And she kept talking about the big, wonderful house her family moved into."
The back door burst open. "Look what I found! Isn't he cute?" Nuri's brother Tae set a wet, muddy kitten down on the kitchen floor.
"Tae, get that cat out of the kitchen," Mom said. "He's filthy! Where did you find him?"
Tae picked up the frightened, shivering animal. "He's been hanging around Blake's house. I'm sure he doesn't belong to anybody. Can I keep him, Mom? He won't be any trouble."
"No trouble?" Mom laughed and rolled her eyes.…
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