Read: Matthew 21:12-13; John 11:35; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Dad?” Madison opened the door to her dad’s workshop.

“My favorite girl! How was art class?” Dad asked.

Madison ran to hug him. “The art part was good.” She paused as she bit her lip.

“What part wasn’t?” Dad asked her, looking concerned. He took off his gloves and set them on the bench.

“Well, Mia told me that I’m too happy. She said I need to wipe the smile off my face sometimes.” Madison frowned. “But isn’t being happy good? I don’t like being sad.”

“Being happy is great. It reminds me of one of my favorite verses, First Thessalonians 5:16. It’s a really short verse, only two words—‘Rejoice always.’ God wants us to rejoice in Him. We can always be joyful because He loves us and sent Jesus to save us.”

Madison smiled. “I like that verse. But I know sad stuff happens, like when Mom died.” She frowned. “I guess that was sadder for you. Did you ever smile then?” Madison’s mom had died when she was three months old, and Dad often told Madison stories about her.

“I was sad, and I’m still sad that she’s gone. But yes, I still smiled.” Dad looked at Madison. “After all, I have you! You make me smile every day. I thank God that I was blessed with such a bundle of joy.”

Madison giggled. “I love you too, Dad. And if Mia asks, I’ll tell her about the verse. Being happy is good.” She twitched her nose. “Being sad isn’t bad, is it?”

Dad shook his head. “Not at all. In fact, there’s another short verse about that in the Bible—‘Jesus wept.’ He cried when He found out that Lazarus had died. None of our emotions are bad, and Jesus felt them all the same way we do. Whatever we feel, He wants us to share it with Him. That’s a great way to rejoice—by sharing everything with God.”

Madison gave her dad a hug. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll make sure Mia knows that it’s okay if she feels sad, but I’m gonna rejoice!”

–Kimberly Brokish

How about you? How do you feel right now? We all experience a lot of emotions, and none of them are bad. Remember Jesus was human just like us, and He felt all those emotions too—He knows what it’s like to be happy, sad, even angry. He knows exactly how we feel and loves us. Can you tell Him how you feel? He would love to help you rejoice in Him.

Today's Key Verse: Rejoice always. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: You can always rejoice

Read: 1 John 4:7-16

Ella was pouting when she and her mother returned home from shopping. “What’s the matter, grumpy face?” asked her brother, Jax.

Ella scowled. “Mom gets you everything you want, but she wouldn’t buy anything for me. All I wanted was a smiling flower shirt.”

Jax laughed. “A smiling flower shirt on you? That would be a joke! The way you whine?” Using a high-pitched tone, he imitated her. “Moooom! Why won’t you buy me everything I want?” He smirked, and his sister hit him. “Ow!” he yelled, hitting back.

Dad walked into the room as the kids continued to hit each other. “Break it up!” he said. “The place I’d like to see a smile is on your faces for a change.”

On Sunday, Jax and Ella got ready to go to church with their next-door neighbors. “Why don’t you come to church with us today?” Jax asked his parents hopefully. Both he and Ella had been Christians for some time, but their parents were not believers.

Dad settled into his armchair. “And miss out on some peace and quiet without you two fighting? I don’t think so!” Jax and Ella didn’t know what to say.

“We’ve got to quit fighting,” Ella told Jax later. “It’s not helping us get Mom and Dad to listen when we try to tell them about Jesus.”

Jax nodded thoughtfully. “I know. It’s like what Pastor Peters said last week—love is what shows others we belong to Jesus. He gave us the Holy Spirit so we can show His love in all we do. We need to remember that when we’re tempted to fight.”

So they prayed and asked Jesus to help them remember to show His love in their words and actions. And He did! Soon their parents noticed a difference. When a vase was broken several weeks later, both Ella and Jax admitted to not being careful as they played.

Dad was amazed. “You’re not blaming each other! I never thought I’d see the day.”

The next Sunday, Dad surprised them. “Mom and I aren’t too old for church, are we?”

“You mean you’ll go?” Jax asked.

Mom and Dad nodded, and Jax and Ella gave each other high fives. “Hey!” Dad said, laughing. “That brought smiles to your faces!”

–Agnes Livezey

How about you? Do your actions and attitudes show that you have the love of Jesus in your heart? If you’re a Christian, He’s made you a new person and given you the Holy Spirit, who fills you with His love. When you let that love shine out in the way you treat people, others will be able to see that you belong to Him. Trust Him to help you show His love in all you do so others can see who He is.

Today's Key Verse: [Jesus said,] “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Let others see Jesus’s love in you

Read: Isaiah 1:16-20

The school bus was expected any minute, so Ethan shoveled his cereal into his mouth. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw his baby sister, Addy, pick up his tablet. He dropped his spoon, darted across the kitchen, and snatched it from her hands.

“Don’t touch that!” he yelled. “I told you not to touch my stuff. You break everything!”

Addy burst into tears, and Mom came hurrying into the room and picked her up. “What happened?” she asked.

“Addy was messing with my stuff again,” Ethan said. “She’s so annoying!”

Mom sighed. “I’m sorry, Ethan, I wasn’t paying attention to what she was doing. But you also need to be more careful about not putting your things where she can reach them. And you know yelling at her like that scares her and is not the way we solve problems.”

Ethan bit his lip, feeling guilty. “I didn’t mean to make her cry. I’m sorry, Addy.” He gave Addy a hug, and she calmed down.

Ethan frowned as he put his cereal bowl in the sink. “I shouldn’t have yelled at her. Is God disappointed in me?”

Mom ruffled his hair. “God knows we all mess up. That’s why He sent Jesus to die for us—so we could be forgiven for the wrong things we do. You can tell Him you’re sorry.”

“But how do we know that God’s forgiven us?” Ethan asked.

Mom smiled. “Do you think your school bus is coming? Even though you can’t see it yet?” She pointed out the window.

“Of course,” Ethan said.

“Why?”

“Because it comes every school day,” Ethan replied.

“God is like that,” Mom said. “He never changes. You can always count on Him to forgive you because Jesus died for you—and He’ll help you be more patient with Addy too.”

Ethan smiled. “I’m going to ask God to help me be nicer to her and set a better example.”

The school bus pulled up, and Ethan looked at the clock. Eight-fifteen a.m. Just like every morning. He grabbed his backpack and ran out the door. It was nice to have things he could count on.

–Abigail Singrey

How about you? What are some things in your life that you can count on? Maybe you eat the same thing for breakfast every day, or your parents say the same thing to you every night before you go to bed. Like the sun rising every morning, we can count on God to forgive us when we make mistakes. Jesus died for our sins so our wrongs wouldn’t be counted against us. Confess your sins to Him and trust Him to forgive you.

Today's Key Verse: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: We can count on God’s forgiveness