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Read: Matthew 14:25-31 Jonah climbed up the playset at the park close to his family’s apartment. Sirens wailed as he settled at the top and looked at the city around him. “Come on, Lydia.” Jonah offered his hand to his little sister. “It’s really cool once you get all the way up here.” “It’s scary.” Lydia shook her head and started to go backwards down the ladder. “I’m going to stay on the ground by Nana.” Jonah looked to where their grandma sat on a bench, taking a work call on her phone. She was busy, and he knew Lydia wouldn’t have any fun if she chose to sit by her instead of playing with him. “I won’t let you fall,” Jonah said. “I’ll make sure you’re safe.” “Okay.” Lydia started to climb up again. A gust of wind blew across the park, and Lydia’s eyes grew wide. “It’s windy. I’m scared.” She went back down to the ground and hugged herself tight. “You should come down too.” Jonah moved to the slide and slid down, then walked over to his sister and put his arms around her. “Do you remember the story of Peter in the Bible?” “He walked on water,” Lydia said. Jonah nodded. “But as soon as the wind blew, he got scared. He began to sink, and Jesus caught him. I’m not Jesus, but I’ll look out for you, Lydia. That wind isn’t going to blow you down. We’ll be safe.” “We can all be like Peter sometimes,” Grandma said, coming up beside them. “I trust God to take care of you two and your mom, but as soon as I hear about anything bad happening here in the city, I worry about the three of you living alone. The wind and other scary things can make all of us doubt. But Jesus is still with us in those times. He died to give us eternal life with Him, and we can trust Him to be with us no matter what.” Grandma put a hand on Lydia’s shoulder. “I bet you can see pretty far from the top. Why don’t you climb up with Jonah and try it out?” Jonah hurried to move up the ladder. “Come on, Peter,” he said. “If you get scared, I’ll reach out and hold your hand, just like Jesus did.” –Emily Acker How about you? Do you trust God even when things start to get a little scary? Or do you start to have doubts? Bad things happen sometimes, but Jesus promises to be with you when they do. Even when your faith falters, He is there to catch you and hold you up. He gave His life to save you, and He won’t ever abandon you. When you feel scared because of what’s going on around you, trust Him. Today’s key verse: Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Trust God when you’re scared

Read: Matthew 5:14-16; John 8:12; 15:7-8 Jayce and Caleb grabbed their flashlights and headed outside for a game of flashlight freeze tag. Caleb moved among the shadows, silently sneaking up on friends and tapping them, freezing them in their spots. “Rats,” Chloe said. “I didn’t see or hear you, Caleb.” Chloe waited for a flashlight beacon to find her, unfreezing her to move again. Caleb had gone off to tag others. Then his flashlight quit. He flicked it off and on, off and on. Nothing happened. That’s when Chloe tapped him on the back. “Gotcha, Caleb. You’re frozen.” After Chloe ran off, Caleb’s voice filled the darkness. “Jayce, help! I’m frozen. My batteries are dead. And look out for Chloe!” “Good thing I always have extras,” said his brother. He touched Caleb with a beam of light and handed him more batteries. “Thanks, Jayce.” Unfrozen and with a flashlight that worked, Caleb quietly disappeared into the darkness. Later, the boys recapped their night. “Hey, I just thought of something,” said Caleb. “Remember the verse we learned in church—‘Let your light shine before others’? I didn’t really understand what that meant, but I think I get it now.” “How so?” asked Jayce. “When we were tagged, we were frozen, stuck in the dark until someone touched us with a flashlight beam. Well, Jesus is our flashlight. His light shines on us when we trust in Him, and we’re unfrozen from all our sinfulness. We’re free to move and think in new ways. We’re not wandering around in the dark because Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit, who guides us by shining His light in our lives. And we can be a light for others.” “I never thought about it like that, but yeah, you’re right,” said Jayce. “When your batteries died, you were stuck in the dark and couldn’t see. That’s what sin does to us. We need Jesus to unfreeze us and fill us with His light. Then we’re able to move and see clearly, and we can run to others and shine His light on them. Through our actions, they can see Him too. We’re like flashlights that shine Jesus’s light!” “Yeah, our batteries may fail us, but Jesus never will,” said Caleb. “He’s an endless source of light.” –Helen K. Dening How about you? Do you feel like you’re stuck in the dark? Or like you’re in an endless game of freeze tag and you’re frozen in place? Sin keeps us in the dark, unable to move or do anything good. When we trust in Jesus, He frees us from sin and fills us with His light. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Then we’re able to see and move so we can shine His light on others. Today’s key verse: Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Jesus is our light

Read: Deuteronomy 31:1-8 “Incoming!” Kason ran at top speed and jumped off a stump into a pile of freshly raked leaves. Grandpa leaned on his rake and laughed as Kason peeked at him from the center of the pile, where only the top of his head and eyes were visible. “Thanks for helping me today, kiddo! You deserve a nice jump or five!” “Come on, Grandpa!” Grandpa strolled over to the leaf pile and fell backward beside Kason. “Just as comfy as I remember,” Grandpa joked. Kason and Grandpa lay in the leaves facing the sky as the wind picked up. Several colorful leaves pulled free from tree branches and descended in spirals, twirls, and lazy drifts. “I wish you didn’t have to leave,” Kason said softly. “Me too, Kason. You know I’ll visit you as often as possible—and of course, you can visit me anytime!” “Yeah, but it won’t be the same.” Kason sighed deeply. “Everyone leaves.” “Sometimes it feels like that,” Grandpa agreed. “But don’t forget there is someone who never leaves.” “Jesus?” “You said it, kiddo! Throughout the Bible, God continually showed His people that He was near them. When Moses was nearing the end of his life, Joshua was preparing to take over leading the people of Israel into the promised land. Moses reminded Joshua twice that he didn’t have to be afraid because God would never leave him.” “I bet Joshua was sad and maybe scared because Moses wasn’t going to be there anymore,” Kason mused. “Maybe that’s why Moses told him twice that God wouldn’t leave him.” Grandpa nodded. “Sometimes I have to remind myself of God’s promises over and over when I’m feeling anxious or sad too. But like Joshua, we can trust God’s promise to never leave us. Jesus died for our sins to give us eternal life with Him, and He is always with us.” Kason reached out and caught a falling leaf, handing it to Grandpa. “I’ve got an idea, Grandpa. Let’s each write ‘Jesus Never Leaves’ on a leaf and keep it. When we start missing each other, we can look at it and remember God’s promise!” “Jesus never leaves.” Grandpa winked, waving the leaf in Kason’s face. “Clever! Wonder who you get that from?” –Savannah Coleman How about you? Do you ever feel like lots of people leave you? Maybe you had to move, a friend decided to stop talking to you, your parents got a divorce, or someone you love died. People leaving us can bring sorrow and loneliness. But there’s good news: Jesus never leaves! He gave His life to save us and promises to always be with us. We can be strong and courageous, knowing God is with us wherever we go. Today’s key verse: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Jesus never leaves

Read: Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 John 3:1-2 Mai sat quietly at the dinner table, poking at her rice with her chopsticks. Usually she loved dinner—especially when her dad made his special noodle stir-fry—but tonight, nothing tasted good. “Mai, sweetheart, you’ve barely touched your food. Is everything all right?” Mum asked. Mai’s chest tightened. “I don’t want to do the presentation about Japan,” she blurted, tears stinging her eyes. “I don’t even like my culture!” Her parents exchanged a worried glance. Before either could speak, Mai pushed back her chair and ran to her room. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on her bedroom door. “May I come in?” her mum asked gently. Mai sniffled but nodded. Her mum sat beside her on the bed. “What’s really bothering you?” she asked. Mai hesitated. “I don’t look like you and Dad,” she finally admitted. “Everyone will think it’s weird. You both have blonde hair and blue eyes, and I have black hair and dark eyes. I look different because I’m adopted!” Mum smiled and tucked a strand of Mai’s hair behind her ear. “You know, Mai, we are different in some ways,” she said, “but do you know what you and your dad and I have in common?” Mai shook her head. “We’re all adopted,” her mum said. Mai blinked in surprise. “We are?” “When Jesus died on the cross, He made a way for us to become God’s children,” Mum explained. “No matter where we’re from, what we look like, He says, ‘You are My child, and I love you.’” Mai frowned. “So…God adopted me too?” “Yes. He chose you before you were born, and when you put your faith in Jesus, you became His child. And He loves you more than you could ever imagine. One day, Jesus is coming back to take all God’s children home. And you, my sweet girl, are part of that forever family.” Mai wiped her eyes. “Mum,” she said, “can you tell me everything about Japan? I want to know where I come from.” Mum’s face lit up. “I’d love to.” And as they sat together, sharing stories and memories, Mai felt grateful to be part of God’s big, wonderful family. –Esther Espinoza How about you? Did you know that God loves you so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you and make you His child? If you’ve put your faith in Him, you’re part of God’s big family. No matter who you are or where you’re from, God says, “You are Mine!” He is always with you, and one day Jesus will come back and all God’s children will live with Him forever! Today’s key verse: God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) Today’s key thought: God our Father adopted us

Read: Psalm 78:34-39; Ephesians 4:26-32 “Stop following me around, Diego!” Santos yelled at his little brother. “But I want to be with you,” Diego said tearfully. “I don’t care! I’m tired of you following me everywhere!” Santos said as he stormed out of the house. Later that day, Santos went inside to get a snack. “What are you doing?” he asked when he found his dad under the kitchen sink. Dad crawled out from under the sink and fumbled around in his toolbox. “Oh, the faucet is leaking again, and I’m trying to fix it. Ever since it started leaking, I just can’t seem to get it to stop! I may have to call in a professional.” Dad sighed, somewhat discouraged, then went back to work as Santos continued to look for something to eat. A few minutes later, Dad gave up trying to fix the faucet and sat down at the table. “You know, we can be like that faucet sometimes,” he said. Santos looked confused. “What do you mean?” “When we get angry with someone and respond to them harshly, it’s a lot like water dripping from a leak. Once it gets started, it’s hard to mend. The faucet was never the same after I tried to fix it, just like our feelings toward one another are never quite the same when we try to fix them ourselves. We need to call in a professional!” “A professional? Like who?” Santos asked. “Jesus!” Dad answered. “We need to call on Him to fix the leak in our relationships. The only way to stop anger from leaking out of our hearts and hurting others is for Him to replace it with His love. We need to remember how much He loves us and then trust Him to help us respond to others with love and forgiveness instead of anger.” Santos thought about how he had yelled at his little brother earlier that day. “I think I need to ask Jesus to fix a leak in my heart and then go apologize to Diego.” Dad smiled. “I think that’s a good idea. While you do that, I’m going to call a plumber!” –Elena Ketner How about you? Do you have a leak in a relationship that you just can’t seem to fix? Do mean, angry words spurt out of your mouth when you get upset? You can’t fix that leak on your own—you need a professional. Jesus is the only one who can fix the angry leak in your heart. Trust Him to help you love others the way He loves you so you can respond to them with kindness and forgiveness instead of anger. Today’s key verse: A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: God’s love can fix relationships

Read: Acts 4:1-12 How about you? Have you received the antidote for sin? The Bible says everyone has sinned by doing wrong things, and sin leads to death. There’s nothing we can do to save ourselves—the only way to be saved is through Jesus, God’s Son. Trust Him to save you from sin and death and give you eternal life with Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Jesus is the antidote for sin

Read: Psalm 20:6-7; Romans 8:38-39 Editor’s note: This story may not be suitable for some children. “Almost time for school,” Mom said as she picked up Rhea’s backpack. “Rhea! What do you have in here? Feels like a bag full of rocks!” She unzipped the top. Rhea’s eyes grew round. “No, Mom, don’t—” But Mom was already pulling out a can of hairspray, a camouflage jacket that belonged to Rhea’s brother, a bicycle helmet, and indeed, one large rock. “Is this for some kind of project at school?” Rhea looked down. “No. I was just…” She sighed. “Scared.” Mom sat down with her on the sofa. “Scared? Of school?” “I’ve been watching the news.” Rhea leaned her head against her mom. “There was another shooting at a school. And we did a drill at school so we’d know what to do if it wasn’t safe.” Mom had a sad look in her eyes. But then they twinkled a bit. “So if someone dangerous comes in, you’re going to…do his hair? Or send him away on a bicycle?” Mom grinned softly, and Rhea smiled too. “I thought I could spray hairspray in his eyes. The bicycle helmet is for me, to protect my head. The camo is so he wouldn’t see me. And I could throw the rock at him. I’ve been practicing.” “Oh, honey.” Mom pulled Rhea onto her lap. “I hate that you feel afraid. But think of the story of David and Goliath in the Bible. Was it the rock that kept David safe?” Rhea nodded. “He killed Goliath with it.” Mom shook her head. “It might seem that way, but that’s not what happened. It wasn’t something that kept David safe, but someone.” Rhea’s eyes brightened. “Oh! You mean God.” “That’s right,” said Mom. “He’s the one who truly keeps us safe, but that doesn’t always mean He’ll keep us from harm. Remember, when Jesus died on the cross, He was right where God wanted Him to be. He was fulfilling God’s good plan for salvation.” “Yeah,” said Rhea, “saving us was a really good plan.” Mom nodded. “And because of that good plan, we know nothing can ever separate us from Jesus, even when bad stuff happens and we feel afraid. He promises to always be with us. And”—she tickled Rhea lightly—“I trust Him a lot more than hairspray!” –Janel Breitenstein How about you? Are you relying on something to keep you safe? It’s good to be prepared and take precautions, but remember where your safety really comes from. No matter what scary situations you face, you’re always safe with Jesus because He died and rose again to save you from sin and give you eternal life. Even when terrible things happen, nothing can separate you from Him. Trust Him to always be with you and keep you safe. Today’s key verse: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Jesus keeps you safe

Read: Genesis 41:46-57 “Guess what Joseph is doing?” exclaimed Ellie as she burst into the kitchen. “He’s burying acorns near the apple tree!” “Who’s Joseph?” asked Mom. “The new boy next door?” Ellie laughed. “No, Mom! Joseph is the squirrel who comes to our garden. But why would he bury acorns instead of eating them?” Ellie’s brother Michael answered her question. “He’s storing them away to eat in the winter.” Mom nodded. “While the weather is good, squirrels collect acorns and hide them,” she explained. “Then when winter comes and food is hard to find, they have their secret supply.” “That sounds like Joseph in the Bible,” said Michael. “God told him to collect grain for seven years so that when a famine came, the people would have plenty to eat.” “You’re right,” said Mom. “We can learn something from both Josephs.” “You mean we need to store up food in case there’s a famine here?” asked Ellie. Mom smiled. “I was thinking of a different kind of food—spiritual food. When difficult times come, we often realize we need God’s help, but we don’t always remember to use the good times to store up spiritual food that will help us trust and depend on Him when things get tough.” “How do we store up spiritual food?” asked Ellie. “When things are going well for us, we should be faithful in learning more about Jesus and what He did to save us so we can grow in our relationship with Him,” replied Mom. “Some of the ways we can do that is by reading the Bible, memorizing verses, meeting with other Christians, and hearing God’s Word explained by pastors and teachers.” “I get it,” said Michael. “If we do those things to store up spiritual food, it will help us remember He’s with us when hard times come.” “Right,” said Mom. “For example, there have been times when I needed wise advice or encouragement, and a verse just popped into my head—one I learned when I was a little girl and hadn’t even thought about for years. We can draw spiritual strength from all the things we’ve learned about Jesus from God’s Word in the past and know our future is safe in His hands.” –Tanya Ferdinandusz How about you? Are things going well for you right now? Then use this time to thank Jesus and learn all you can about Him. But maybe things aren’t going so well and you’re dealing with difficulties in your life. Then remember that Jesus gave His life for you and promises to always be with you, and ask Him to comfort and encourage you. Remember that He helped Joseph in his time of trouble, and He’ll do the same for you. Today’s key verse: Our ancestors trusted in you; they trusted, and you rescued them. Psalm 22:4 (CSB) Today’s key thought: Store up spiritual food

Read: Lamentations 3:25-26; Romans 5:1-5 Hudson cast his line into the water. The bait landed with a small plop. On the other end of the boat, his grandfather quietly held his fishing pole. All was silent except for the sound of crickets chirping. Suddenly, a loud squawk split the misty air. The sound came again, and Grandpa pointed across the bayou to an owl perched on the top branch of a tall tree. A large crow circled him, squawking. “What’s that crow’s problem?” asked Hudson. Grandpa shrugged. “The owl might be sitting too close to the crow’s nest. Or maybe the crow is just pestering the owl and keeping him from sleeping. Crows do that kind of thing sometimes.” Hudson watched as the black bird swooped again and again, its harsh cries filling the swamp. Only the owl’s head moved as it turned to watch the crow. “I wish that crow would go away,” he said. “Can it hurt the owl?” Grandpa shook his head. “Not likely. God gave owls what they need to protect themselves—strong wings and sharp talons. If the crow gets too close, he’ll be in trouble, and he knows it. See how he stays at a safe distance?” “Yeah, but if I were the owl, I’d fight or fly away,” said Hudson. Grandpa chuckled. “Maybe the owl knows the crow will get tired and go away after a while.” He pulled up his line and cast it out again. “You know, we could learn a lesson from that owl. Instead of getting flustered and upset when things happen that trouble us, we can quietly look to Jesus and trust Him. We can ask Him to show us if there’s something we should do to change the situation or if we just need to patiently wait for Him to work things out.” “Because Jesus promises to work everything out for good, right?” said Hudson. Grandpa nodded. “He died and rose again to save us, and that means we can trust Him. Even when our problems don’t go away, He’s still with us, and He promises to come again one day and end all our troubles forever.” Hudson turned his attention back to his fishing line. A little later, he realized it was quiet again. “Hey, Grandpa,” he said with a smile, “the crow is gone!” –Debra W. Smith How about you? Are you troubled by something happening in your life or in the world? Life can be scary and hard at times, but you can rest knowing that God is in control of every situation. Trust Jesus to help you act wisely and show others His love in times of trouble. Remember that He is with you even in the hardest situations and trust Him to give you peace. Today’s key verse: Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Be patient and trust Jesus

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 11:33-36 “I think we’re going in circles,” Troy said as he and his dad and sister tried to make their way out of a corn maze. “I think we’ve been down this path before.” “How can you tell?” Elinor asked. She looked up at cornstalks that were twice as tall as she was. “Everything looks the same. Do you know the way out, Dad?” Dad laughed. “At the moment, I’m not quite sure.” “Hey, look!” shouted Troy. “There’s a platform-thing. We can climb up there and see where we are!” Sure enough, in the middle of the path was a high platform. Troy and Elinor ran up the steps, and Dad followed them. Standing above the stalks, they could see the whole field. Elinor pointed. “There’s the orange flag at the end of the maze. We gotta go that way!” “And look how far we’ve come,” said Troy. “With this a-maze-ing view, we can see we’re not going in circles after all.” They laughed at Troy’s joke. When they had found their way out of the maze, Dad bought warm cinnamon doughnuts and hot apple cider. They settled down on hay bales to enjoy their snack. “Dad,” Troy said, “why do you think God is having us move to another state for your job? I like it here!” “Yeah,” said Elinor after a sip of cider. “We have so many friends here—and we like our church so much! Why would God want us to move?” “I don’t know,” Dad replied. “We don’t always understand the way He leads, but you know what? Our lives are something like a corn maze. Remember when we stood on that platform? We saw the whole maze—where we’d been and where we needed to go. That’s how God sees us—He has an a-maze-ing view too! He sees our lives from beginning to end. The way God leads us may not make sense to us, but He has a different view.” “I guess that’s why He tells us to trust Him,” said Troy. “Exactly,” said Dad. “We don’t see all that will happen, but God does. And He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us so we could have eternal life with Him. We can trust Him and accept this move as part of His plan for our family.” –Jennifer Quackenbush How about you? Is there something in your life that doesn’t make sense to you right now? Do you feel all alone? Turn to God for comfort and peace. You may not understand the things that are happening, but He does. He sees things more clearly than you do, and He’s working in your life. He loves you so much He sent His Son to die for you, and He will be with you no matter what. You can trust Him. Today’s key verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart…In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Trust God with your life

Read: James 1:13-16 Mitchell sniffed the air as he walked into the house. “Mmm, cookies! Can I have one, Mom?” “Not right now,” said Mom. “They need to cool, and we’re going to be having dinner soon. You can have one for dessert after we eat.” “Okay,” said Mitchell, but he looked longingly at the cookies as they cooled on the counter. They smelled so good, and he knew they tasted even better. He was still standing there, looking at them, when his mother took another cookie sheet from the oven. “The more I smell these cookies, the more I want one,” he said. “Can’t I just have a small one?” Mom shook her head. “It would be easier to wait if you went somewhere else instead of standing there where you can see them and smell them,” she said. “Remember the Bible verse you learned last week?” “You mean the one about God always providing a way to escape temptation so we don’t have to give in to it?” asked Mitchell. “That’s the one,” said Mom. “And I think the way to escape this temptation is to go outside and play.” “But cookies aren’t bad,” said Mitchell. “It’s not a sin to eat a cookie.” “True,” said Mom, “but if you stay around the cookies long enough, you might give in to the temptation to eat one. And then you’d be disobeying me, which is a sin.” Mitchell sighed. “Okay, I’ll go outside.” He left the kitchen and went out the door to the garage. He was shooting baskets in the driveway when his mother called him to come in for dinner. “You were right, Mom,” he said as he sat down at the table. “The cookies quit bothering me after I got away from them. When I got busy doing something else, I forgot all about them.” Mom nodded. “As Christians, we can always say no when we’re tempted to sin because Jesus freed us from sin, and it has no power over us anymore. But it’s still a good idea to get away from things that we know will tempt us. Sometimes that’s the best way to avoid giving in!” –Pamela J. Kuhn How about you? Is it hard for you to say no to sin? When you’re tempted to do something wrong, remember that if you trust in Jesus, He has freed you from sin, and you don’t ever have to give in to it. But it’s still a good idea to avoid putting yourself in situations where you know you’ll be tempted. Ask God for guidance in knowing when to stay away from something. When you do find yourself in a tempting situation, trust Him to show you a way out. Today’s key verse: But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ERV) Today’s key thought: Avoid temptation

Read: John 11:32-35; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “Mom?” Libby stepped into the apartment kitchen. She had heard movement; she knew someone was up. “What’s going on, sweetie? It’s early.” Mom sat at the island with a steaming mug in front of her. “I can’t stop thinking about BJ,” Libby said. “I miss him, Mom.” Mom held out an arm, pulling Libby close when she walked over to her. “I was thinking about him this morning too.” Libby’s eyes filled. “He’s been gone for months. When am I going to stop crying?” “We can’t rush the grieving,” Mom said. “Your brother was very important to us.” “Allie said that her dad doesn’t want her crying anymore,” Libby said. She and her best friend were dealing with the same thing. Their older brothers had both lost their lives on the same day, in the same crash. “She said he told her that she’s cried enough and needs to get over it.” “Poor Allie,” Mom said quietly. Libby looked down at the floor. “Is that what Jesus thinks?” she asked. “That I need to stop crying about it?” “Jesus? No.” Mom rubbed her shoulder. “Jesus understands your pain. He’s not going to rush your grieving or get upset when you cry.” “Are you sure?” “Yes,” Mom said confidently. “There’s actually a time in the Bible where we see Jesus in a situation that we can relate to,” she said. “Mary had lost her brother Lazarus, who was Jesus’s friend, and she was upset about it. When Jesus saw her weeping, He cried too. He had lost His friend, and He also felt the pain of the sister who had lost her brother. He didn’t try to stop Mary from grieving. He grieved with her.” “Do you think Jesus cares about me and the pain I’m feeling?” Libby asked. “I know that He does,” Mom said. “He loves you, and it hurts Him to see you hurting.” She squeezed Libby’s shoulder. “Why don’t we talk with Him now while I make you some hot chocolate?” “With marshmallows, the way BJ loved it?” Libby asked. Mom smiled and wiped her eyes. “With marshmallows,” she said. –Emily Acker How about you? Have you lost someone you were close to? Maybe your grandparent passed away, or maybe a parent left. Did you feel guilty for grieving? Did you feel like you could only cry about it for so long and then you had to get over it? There is no time limit on grief. Losing a loved one hurts, and Jesus understands that. He sees your tears and is with you in your grief. Today’s key verse: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Jesus sees your pain

Read: 1 Peter 2:21-25 Ian picked up a crumpled piece of paper from the ground and opened it up. It was a flyer advertising a sale at one of the local stores. He crumpled it back up and threw it on the ground. “Why did you do that?” Mom called to Ian from the porch. “It’s nothing important,” Ian said. “Besides, that’s how I found it. Someone else left it there like that.” He kicked the paper to the side of the sidewalk. “Ian, pick it up and throw it away, please. I know you’re not the one who put it there in the first place, but we all need to do our share in keeping our neighborhood looking nice, even if that means picking up trash that belongs to someone else.” Ian sighed and picked up the paper. “This is the second time this week I got stuck with the consequences for something someone else did,” he said, thinking of the day before when his younger twin brothers were acting up at the park and Mom had taken them all home early. He threw the crumpled paper in the trash and sat down on the porch next to his mother. “I know it seems like you’ve been suffering the consequences for other people’s behavior lately,” said Mom, “but remember there have been times when others have picked up your trash. In fact, I often pick up your candy wrappers around the house. And I seem to recall that the last time I had to take everyone home early from a fun outing was because of something you did. There is only one person who was completely innocent and suffered the consequences for those who were at fault. Do you know who that was?” Ian thought it over. “Was it Jesus?” Mom nodded. “Jesus never sinned, but He died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. He suffered the consequences we deserved so we could have eternal life with Him.” Ian kicked at a leaf that had blown onto the porch. “I’m really glad He did that,” he said. “When I have to deal with the consequences of what other people do, I’ll remember what Jesus did for me.” –Melissa Yeagle How about you? Have you suffered consequences for something someone else did? Even though you may not have done anything wrong then, you’ve done plenty of other wrong things. We’re all sinners who deserve to suffer the consequences of our sin, which is eternal death, or being separated from God forever. But Jesus died so we wouldn’t have to. He suffered the consequences you deserve so you could have eternal life with Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today’s key verse: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NKJV) Today’s key thought: Jesus suffered the consequences of our sin

Read: Genesis 2:1-3; Mark 4:35-38; 6:30-32 Lilia pulled her paddle into the canoe and laid it over her lap. Spencer followed her direction and did the same. After a few moments of floating down the river confused, Spencer spoke up. “Hey, Lilia,” he asked his sister, “why did we stop paddling?” “Well, we’ve been paddling down this river for close to an hour, and I think it’s time we took a rest,” said Lilia. “But I’m not tired! I don’t think we need a rest. Let’s keep going!” “Sometimes we need to rest even when we don’t feel like we need it. Plus, we need to rest up to paddle all the way back,” Lilia reasoned. Spencer groaned, still not convinced. “You know, I’m not the only one who tells you to rest,” Lilia said. “I know,” Spencer huffed. “Mom and Dad do too.” “And God tells you to rest too!” Lilia added, splashing a little water toward Spencer. “He does?” Spencer asked, splashing water right back at his sister. “Yes. God set aside a day after creation to rest.” “But why?” Spencer asked. “God didn’t really need to rest after making the world, did He?” “No, but He knows we need to rest, so He set an example for us to follow. Jesus also showed us the importance of rest. He took breaks from teaching to rest and spend time with God, and once He even took a nap on a boat during a storm. When we take time to rest, it helps us remember to trust Him instead of relying on ourselves. We can rest knowing that He saved us by dying on the cross and promises to take care of us.” Spencer tucked his paddle next to his leg. “I guess that makes sense. Okay, we can rest for a little while.” “Oh, and there’s one other reason I wanted to take a break from paddling.” Lilia smiled slyly. “Look up.” Spencer looked up and gasped at the beautiful trees along the river. They arched along the riverbank and made a bright tunnel of autumn colors for the canoe to float through. “When we rest, it’s easier to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation,” said Lilia. “We might have missed this spot if we were focused on paddling.” Spencer just nodded, not able to take his eyes off the beautiful trees all around him. –Naomi Zylstra How about you? Have you ever been told to take a break even when you didn’t want to? Or maybe bedtime came around but you weren’t tired yet. Rest is important, even when we don’t feel like we need it. We often think we should keep going without a break, but Jesus tells us to rest because it helps us learn to trust Him and enjoy His blessings around us. Schedule rest into your daily life so you can be refreshed body, mind, and soul. Today’s key verse: [Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31 (NIV) Today’s key thought: Rest in Jesus

Read: Psalm 119:102-105 Jalen finished his Bible reading, then checked off the corresponding reference on his sheet. “There!” he said. “I’m all done with this week’s youth group challenge. We had to read a different passage from the Bible every day this week.” “That’s great,” said Mom. “It’s always good when others encourage you to read the Bible every day. Now it will be easier for you to keep doing it on your own.” “Oh, I’m not planning to do that,” Jalen said. Mom raised her eyebrows. “You’re not?” Jalen shook his head. “I just did it to complete the challenge. I go to church and youth group every week, and we read and talk about the Bible there. I feel like that’s enough.” That evening, as Mom walked past Jalen’s room, she reached in and turned off the light. “Hey, Mom!” Jalen called out. “I’m in here!” “I know,” Mom said, returning to his door. “But you had the light on quite a while, so I figured you’d had enough and it was time to turn it off.” Jalen gave his mom a curious look as he reached for the switch. “But it’s way too dark with the light off. I’m working on my science project, and I need the light on so I can put my solar system model together.” “But couldn’t you do that with the light off?” Mom asked. “I mean, you know the rough size of each planet, right? Can’t you just feel around for them?” Jalen stared at her. “Well, I guess I could, but it wouldn’t turn out well!” Mom smiled. “It’d be a lot easier to do with the light on, wouldn’t it?” “Yeah!” “Well, God refers to His Word—the Bible—as light,” Mom said. “It shows us how much we need Jesus to save us and helps us see the path we’re walking with Him more clearly. Even though you get that light in church and youth group, it’s also good to spend time in God’s Word on your own. I think that’s why your youth group did that challenge in the first place—to help you get in the habit of shining God’s light on your life every day.” After a moment’s pause, Jalen nodded. “I guess that’s a light we always need to have on.” –Deborah S. Marett How about you? Do you spend time in God’s Word every day? It’s great to read and talk about the Bible with others at church, but it’s important to read it on your own too. That will help you learn more about Jesus and shine His light on your life every day. Get in the habit of taking a few minutes to read His Word each day, and ask God to use that time to speak to your heart. Today’s key verse: The teaching of your word gives light. Psalm 119:130 (NLT) Today’s key thought: Read God’s Word every day