Bible Reading: Psalms 3:1-6; 42:8; 63:6

Lara ran so hard it hurt. She glanced over her shoulder. The lion was still chasing her and getting closer. Suddenly, she tripped and fell flat on her face! A huge roar echoed, and she could almost feel the lion's hot breath on her neck. She screamed--then woke up in her own bed. All the covers were kicked off, and her forehead was sweaty.

Lara lay still, trying to calm her beating heart and go back to sleep. But every time she closed her eyes, she saw the lion chasing her. Finally, she got out of bed and tiptoed to her mom's room. "Mom," she whispered, "I had another nightmare, and I'm afraid to go to sleep." Mom got up, and together they went back to Lara's room.

"I know the dream wasn't real, Mom, but it was so scary!" Lara said after Mom tucked her back in bed. "How can I get it out of my mind?"

Mom switched on the lamp and got Lara's Bible out of a drawer. "God's Word can help with your nightmares," she said as she turned the pages. "The book of Psalms is a good place to find verses of comfort when we feel afraid. Let's read Psalm 118:6. Here, read it out loud for me."

Taking the Bible, Lara read, "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" She gave her mother a little smile. "The last part could say, 'What can mere nightmares do to me?' Is it okay to read it like that?"

Mom nodded. "That will remind you that your nightmares can't hurt you, and that Jesus is always there to comfort you."

Lara put a bookmark between the pages to save the place. "I'll read this whenever I have a nightmare. Then I won't have to get up and find you."

"Great idea," said Mom, returning the Bible to the drawer. "It's short, and you could even memorize it. That way you can repeat it to yourself whenever something scares you." She smiled. "But you can still come and get me if you feel afraid."

After Mom kissed her goodnight, Lara snuggled down deep into the covers and whispered, "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid."

–Faith Alessio

Bible Reading: Genesis 50:19-20; Romans 5:1-5

"Sofia, chore time! Today we're going to--what's wrong?" Aunt Lori set down the buckets she was holding and gently put her hands on Sofia's shoulders. "Aren't you having a nice time on the farm?"

Sofia tried to smile. "I just wish Mom and Dad were here with me." Her throat felt tight. She buried her face in her aunt's denim shirt, trying to control her tears.

"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry." Aunt Lori hugged her niece tight, remembering when her own parents separated many years before.

"Why did God let this happen to me if He's supposed to be good? I don't see anything good in my parents getting a divorce!" Sofia said fiercely.

Aunt Lori was silent as she brushed Sofia's hair. After a moment, she said, "Let's go empty the compost."

As they emptied the buckets into the compost bin, Sofia grimaced at the smell of the decomposing fruits and vegetables. "Gross," she muttered. Then they walked to the garden to do some weeding.

"The plants are gorgeous," Sofia observed. "How do you keep them so healthy?"

"I put compost on them. But those haven't been getting much," Aunt Lori said, nodding to some rows of sadder-looking plants. "Let's put some compost on them now."

As they worked, Aunt Lori said, "You know, Sofi, I think we're like these plants, and the difficulties we face are like compost."

"How?" Sofia asked, puzzled.

"Well, God can use the hard things in our lives to help us trust Him more and grow in our faith. He promises to use everything for good. Jesus's death on the cross was horrible, yet that's how God did the greatest good of all and saved us from our sins. And He can bring good from bad things that happen. God hates divorce--it's not good. My parents' divorce was awful, but it helped me see God as my perfect, loving Father. By His grace, I'm not a withered, dying plant because I know He is always with me, giving me strength." Aunt Lori smiled.

Sofia had never thought about life that way. She did want to be vibrant and strong like the healthy-looking plants. She would think hard about what Aunt Lori had said.

–Rachel Avallone

Bible Reading: Psalms 27:7-10; 116:1-9

When Maggie stepped into the batter's box, she already had two strikes. One more would put her on the bench. She glanced at the stands. Her foster mom wasn't there. Maggie sighed. Her team chanted, "Two-strike hitter, don't be a quitter!" The pitch came in fast, and Maggie connected, sending the softball past the outfield.

Softball took her mind off everything. When she got back home, her social worker was out front holding a bag with all Maggie's belongings. Oh no, I forgot! I'm moving today. She forced her feet to keep walking. Ever since Dad died, it was one foster home after another.

After several months in her new house, Maggie saw a Bible lying open on her foster mom's desk. The words "I love the Lord because He hears my voice" jumped out at Maggie. "He doesn't hear my voice," she said out loud.

Alice, Maggie's foster mom, came in and asked, "Who doesn't hear you, honey?"

"Jesus doesn't. When Mom left, Dad told me to pray. When Dad got sick, I prayed. Now they're both gone."

Alice put a soft hand on Maggie's shoulder. "You play softball--I did too. Do you ever cheer, 'Two-strike hitter…'"

"'Don't be a quitter!'" Maggie answered. "I'm a quitter at asking God for anything."

Alice tapped the Bible. "Look at this psalm--Psalm 116. This man had pain and death all around him. He said he was brought low, but God heard him. Think--when your mom left, who was still with you?"

"Dad." Maggie paused. "And Jesus. And when Dad was sick, he told me that because Jesus died for me, I could trust Him even in hard times."

Alice nodded. "Psalm 27 says that even if your mother and father are gone, the Lord will care for you. The Lord is taking care of you, Maggie. He sent you here, and we love you. We prayed for you before you came--and we're praying for your mom too. We don't know what she'll do. But we know what Jesus will do."

"He'll hear my voice?"

"Yes, He always hears you. Praying gives you a deeper friendship with God. When it comes to prayer, be that two-strike hitter, Maggie."

Maggie grinned. "I won't be a quitter."

–Laura Roesler