Read: Isaiah 9:1-7; John 3:16

Christmas presents made Sam nervous. Santa’s “nice” list made him worried. As the days drew closer to Christmas, Sam’s anxiety about presents increased.

Maybe it was the wondering—is Santa coming? Maybe it was the worry—was I good enough this year? Or maybe Sam was afraid he couldn’t buy the perfect gifts for his family with the little money he had.

“Homemade gifts again,” he said sadly.

On Christmas Eve, Sam’s parents took him and his brother, Bobby, on an outing to the zoo to help get their minds off presents. As they walked around, the family noticed the animals were being extra active and noisy in their enclosures. The eagles squawked. The mountain lions grunted, pacing back and forth. The black bears huffed, as one clawed up a tree stump and the other scratched its backside along the fence.

Then the parrot said, “Hi, Bobby.”

“Did he say my name?” asked Bobby in amazement.

The petting zoo sheep and goats were baaing and maaing louder than ever.

“Why are the animals acting so funny?” Sam finally asked.

“I think animals talk on Christmas Eve,” said Dad, grinning. “I think they’re excited for the birth of baby Jesus, just like the barn animals were on the night He was born!”

Sam was old enough to know the animals couldn’t really talk, but he was warmed by the idea of it. The animals were God’s creation, and perhaps they wanted to celebrate Christmas too.

“It’s not about the presents, it’s about God sending Jesus into the world to save us because He loves us,” said Sam. “He’s the present!”

“You got it! Spending time together at Christmas and giving thanks to God for His wonderful gift is what really matters,” said Mom.

Dad nodded. “Jesus died for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life, and He fills our lives with love, joy, peace, and many other good things. There’s nothing better than that!”

That night, Sam slept peacefully and awoke to a beautiful Christmas morning. He jumped out of bed, ready to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

–Elizabeth Janczyk

How about you? Do you worry about presents at Christmas? Maybe you don’t know what will be under the tree or if you’ll be able to buy others the gifts they want. The good news is that the best gift of Christmas isn’t anything anyone can buy. It’s Jesus, and He doesn’t have a “nice” list—He offers eternal life to everyone, even though none of us deserve it. Have you received that gift? Trust in Him today so you can celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's Key Verse: Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Celebrate the gift of Jesus

Read: Mark 4:35-41

“Oh no!” Dad exclaimed as the car slid off the road and into a snowbank. The wind was strong, the snow was deep, and they were stuck!

Dad stepped on the gas pedal and tried to rock the car forward and then back. Nothing happened. So Mom got behind the wheel and Dad, Olivia, and Nina tried to push it free. But it was stuck tight.

Dad sighed heavily. “Last winter I bought a shovel to keep in the trunk in case something like this happened, but then we had such a mild winter that I never needed it. Last spring I put it in the garage—it’s still there.”

Mom pulled out her phone and made a call. Then she flicked on the emergency flashing lights. “I’m afraid we’ll have to wait a while before help can get here,” she said.

She was right. It seemed like a very long time before help arrived, but eventually they were back on the road. “I’m putting that shovel in the trunk the moment we get home,” Dad said as they drove. “While we were waiting, I was thinking about how important it is to be prepared. I was wondering how prepared we would be if we got caught in one of life’s storms.”

“One of life’s storms?” Olivia asked.

“Yes. Think about this,” said Dad. “Up to now, the winter has been mild, so I didn’t pack a shovel. And when things in life are going smoothly, we sometimes forget how much we need Jesus and aren’t as motivated to pray and read His Word. But sooner or later we’re going to be challenged with a storm in life—a difficult problem or time of hardship. We need to be prepared for stormy weather in life, just like on the road.”

“So how do we prepare for life’s storms?” asked Nina.

“When we pray, read the Bible, and go to church, it helps us remember that Jesus died and rose again for us and that He’s always with us,” said Dad. “As we grow in our faith, we’ll be prepared to depend on Him for help when life gets stormy.”

Nina smiled. “We should pray and thank Jesus for helping us through that snowstorm. That will help us remember He’s with us through life’s storms too!”

–Nance E. Keyes

How about you? Are you preparing for whatever may happen in life? If you trust in Jesus, He will always be with you and help you through whatever storms life brings. But sometimes it’s easy to forget that, especially when things are going smoothly. Spending time with Jesus and growing in your relationship with Him will help you remember to trust and depend on Him—not only when life gets stormy, but all the time!

Today's Key Verse: [Jesus] called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” John 6:20 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Be prepared for life’s storms

Read: Psalm 51:1-4, 7; Romans 3:23

“It’s still snowing, Grandpa,” said Evan. “We’ll have a white Christmas for sure!” Evan had not seen much snow when he lived in the valley, but now he was staying with his grandpa in the mountains.

Grandpa nodded. “It makes the whole world look so clean, doesn’t it? It reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses. Isaiah 1:18 says our sins can be made as white as snow. That happens when we trust Jesus as our Savior.”

Evan nodded, even though he wasn’t really sure what that meant. “I like the snow,” he said. “Can I go sledding for a while?”

“Sure,” said Grandpa, so Evan bundled up and went out.

That evening, Evan enjoyed a mug of hot chocolate while Grandpa read the Christmas story from the Bible. When Grandpa finished, Evan turned to him. “Grandpa, I was thinking about that verse you like—the one about snow. Didn’t you say my dad trusts Jesus as his Savior?” Grandpa nodded. “So does that mean his sins are as white as snow now?” Evan asked.

“It sure does,” Grandpa assured him.

“Then why is Dad still in jail?” asked Evan.

“Well, Evan, your father broke the law, so now he has to face the consequences for what he did—even though He decided to trust in Jesus while he was in jail and asked Him to forgive him for all the bad things he did. Jesus washed all his sin away and made his heart clean, and your dad is a new person and will spend eternity with God. Even though he’s still in jail, God won’t hold the wrong things he did against him. In God’s eyes, your dad’s heart is as clean and white as snow.”

Evan thought about that. “I want my heart to be as white as snow too.”

“It can be,” said Grandpa. “Shall I pray with you so you can ask Jesus to forgive your sins and make you clean? Then you can have a white Christmas—inside and out.”

–Esther M. Bailey

How about you? Did you know that you can have a white Christmas anywhere in the world? Even if you don’t get snow where you live, you can have a white Christmas on the inside by asking Jesus to wash away all the wrong you’ve ever done. He died to take the punishment for your sin, and when you trust in Him, He will make your heart as clean and white as snow. Trust in Him today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's Key Verse: Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus as your Savior

Read: 1 John 4:7-12

Jessie and Grandma clapped as Chloe emerged from backstage long after the audience left. Chloe had spent weeks preparing to audition for the role of Mary in her church’s Christmas musical, but she was instead cast as Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth.

“Wonderful job, Chloe,” Grandma said. “You played an excellent Elizabeth.”

Chloe sighed. “Thanks, Grandma.”

“Do you get to keep the gray wig?” Jessie asked.

“Why would I want to keep that?” Chloe cried.

“You could pretend to be Grandma on her birthday and get all her presents.”

Grandma poked Jessie playfully on the shoulder. “How about instead of stealing presents, we go get frozen yogurt to celebrate Chloe’s performance?”

“Yay!” Jessie exclaimed. Chloe nodded reluctantly.

As they stood in line, Grandma went on and on about how wonderful the musical was. Finally, Chloe couldn’t take it anymore. “Can we stop talking about the musical already? It’s not fair that Shelley got to play Mary and I was stuck playing Elizabeth!” Chloe wailed. “When will I get to play the most important role?”

Jessie’s eyebrows furrowed. “Chloe, what does Ms. Hill say before every rehearsal?”

“There are no small parts, just small actors,” Chloe grumbled.

“Right—your attitude matters more than the part you play. Even though you didn’t get the role you wanted, you can encourage Shelley and be happy for her.”

“And don’t forget what the Christmas story is all about—Jesus’s birth!” Grandma added. “Jesus plays the most important role—in the Christmas story and in our lives. Without His love and sacrifice on the cross to save us from our sins, we wouldn’t get to look forward to eternity with Him or be able to share His love with others on earth. We all have an important role to play, but none of us are capable of filling Jesus’s lead role.”

“You’re right,” Chloe admitted. “Jesus’s role is too big for me.”

“Or any of us,” Jessie added.

They got their frozen yogurt and sat down. “Maybe we should thank Jesus before we eat,” Chloe said.

“Good idea,” Grandma said. “And not just for the yogurt, but for His love too.”

–Hannah Chung

How about you? Do you compare yourself to others? Maybe your friend connects faster with younger kids than you do, or you don’t have as much money to give at church as your older siblings. The good news is Jesus doesn’t love us based on our works. The best news is Jesus already completed the most important work—dying for our sins and coming back to life! Our job is to love Him and love others.

Today's Key Verse: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Only Jesus can save us

Read: James 2:1-4

On a bright winter day, Evelyn stopped by her Grandma’s house after school. She found her in the kitchen, pulling a batch of cookies out of the oven.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Grandma said. “Grab a cookie. How was school?”

“Pretty good,” Evelyn said. “But there’s a new girl in my class. She just moved here. I don’t like her.”

“Oh? That doesn’t sound like my kind granddaughter. Why don’t you like her? Is she mean to you?”

Evelyn blushed. “I’m sorry, Grandma, I didn’t mean to sound unkind. I haven’t talked to her, but she just looks so grumpy! She never smiles.”

Grandma put a hand on Evelyn’s shoulder. “Would you do me a favor, honey? Run upstairs to my bedroom and get the box underneath my bed.”

Soon Evelyn was back downstairs with the box. “What is it?” she asked.

Grandma opened the box and pulled out a very old violin. It was dirty and missing parts, and all the strings were broken.

“Oh, ew!” Evelyn exclaimed.

Grandma smiled. “Yes, this old thing has been through some rough times. I haven’t touched it in years. Tell you what—come back in a week and I’ll show it to you again.”

The next week, Evelyn was back. “I want to see that violin again,” she reminded her grandma. “Did you clean it up some?”

“Yes, I did,” Grandma said. “In fact…” She pulled the violin out of a case and handed it to Evelyn. “It looks like a different instrument.”

Evelyn gasped. “Grandma! This is beautiful! I had no idea.”

"It just needed some love,” Grandma said. “You know, Evelyn, I showed you this because I thought it might change your mind about the girl from your school. Sometimes people seem mean or grumpy because they’ve been through rough times or are having a bad day. They need love and care, just like my old violin. That’s one reason the Bible says we shouldn’t judge by what we see on the outside. Everyone, no matter what they act like, needs Jesus just like we do, and He wants us to show them His love by caring for them.” Grandma gave Evelyn a wink. “See if you can’t make that girl smile tomorrow.”

Evelyn smiled. “Thanks, Grandma. I will!”

–Lucy Alessio

How about you? Do you know someone who doesn’t seem very likable from a distance? Instead of holding it against them, maybe you need to get to know them. God commands us not to judge people by how they look or act but to treat people equally and show love to everyone. We all need Jesus, and He died for our sins when none of us were very likeable. Follow His example by showing everyone His love.

Today's Key Verse: Stop judging by the way things look. Be fair and judge by what is really right. John 7:24 (ERV)

Today's Key Thought: Love instead of judging

Read: John 1:14-17; 3:16-17

Caleb and Vanessa sat in the back seat of the car on the way home from Christmas shopping. They didn’t dare say a word. Mom’s face said it all. They were in big trouble. They had saved up money to buy gifts, but when they got to the store, they pushed and fought over every toy. After a couple warnings, Mom marched them out of the store empty-handed.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Caleb ventured. “I don’t know what happened.”

“Are we in big trouble?” Vanessa asked.

Mom took a deep breath. “We’ll see when we get home. I’ll talk to your dad.”

When they walked through the front door, Dad saw their glum faces. “Uh-oh. What’s going on?”

Mom looked at Caleb and Vanessa. “I want you both to go sit on the couch in the living room. We’ll be there in a minute.”

They slowly walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Soon their parents came in.

Dad looked stern. “I’m very disappointed to hear about your behavior today, but after talking it over, Mom and I decided we want you to open an early Christmas present.”

Caleb and Vanessa looked startled as Mom handed them a small wrapped box. “Is this for real?” Caleb asked.

Mom nodded, and they both tore off the wrapping paper. Caleb pulled out a glass ornament of baby Jesus. Vanessa squealed. “It’s beautiful!”

Caleb smiled but still looked a bit suspicious. “What’s the catch?”

“Do you think you deserved an early Christmas present today?” Dad asked.

Caleb frowned. “No, Dad. We deserve something else. We deserve to be punished.”

Mom smiled. “That’s exactly why we wanted to give this to you.”

Dad nodded. “We are all full of sin—we all act ugly and do bad things. Because of that sin, we all deserve punishment from God. But instead of punishing us, He sent us the most wonderful, undeserved gift. He sent us a baby to be our Savior.”

“I get it!” Vanessa said. “Our little undeserved ornament will remind us that God sent Jesus to save us from sin.”

Caleb smiled. “I understand too. Jesus was a gift we didn’t deserve.”

–Bethany Den Boer

How about you? Do you get lots of gifts at Christmas? Do you feel like you deserve your presents and get angry when you don’t get what you want? We receive gifts at Christmas not because we earned them, but because those who give them to us love us. These gifts remind us God gave us Jesus to be our Savior not because we deserved such a wonderful gift, but because He loves us.

Today's Key Verse: But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the greatest gift

Read: Psalm 139:13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Nate and Peter watched as Dad assembled a miniature model of the human body they had gotten for their homeschool biology class.

“I’m amazed at God’s creation,” Dad said, holding up the plastic heart piece. “Did you know that the human heart, which is only about as big as a clenched fist, can pump up to two thousand gallons of blood a day?”

“I heard that in our class videos,” said Peter. “We learned about eyes too. They’re set in holes, or sockets, and they’re protected by seven interlocking bones.”

“And our eyelashes and eyebrows keep out dust and sweat,” said Nate. “And each time we blink, a special fluid washes over our eyes.”

Dad grinned. “Right! And have you noticed that the palms of your hands are sort of skid-proof so you can get a grip on things? And think about your fingers and all they can do. You use them to write, paint, hammer a nail, play the piano—”

“Catch a football,” added Nate.

Dad nodded. “Just like the Bible says, we’re fearfully and wonderfully made. God created the human body to do amazing things. His great handiwork is nothing to laugh about, is it?”

“Laugh about?” asked Peter. “What do you mean?”

“Well, sometimes I hear people say things that aren’t respectful about the human body,” said Dad. “They make jokes about things God designed it to do, and sometimes they even mock others whose bodies look different from theirs.”

Peter nodded. “Sometimes my friends send me things that make fun of stuff like that—or even specific people.”

“That’s not how God wants us to treat the bodies—or people—He created,” said Dad. “He loves us so much He sent Jesus to die for us. When we trust in Him, He gives us new hearts—not a physical heart that pumps blood, but a desire to know and follow Him and share His love with others. And one day He’s going to give us new bodies too! Perfect bodies that will be free from sin, sickness, and death.”

“Wow,” said Nate. “That sounds amazing!”

Dad nodded. “It is amazing. That’s why we need to treat the bodies God gave us—and everyone else—with respect.”

–Agnes Livezey

How about you? Are you ever tempted to make fun of the amazing bodies God created? Maybe you’ve made inappropriate jokes about them or looked at pictures or videos that are disrespectful. Perhaps you’ve even mocked someone for the way their body looks. Ask Jesus to forgive you for the times you didn’t treat people He loves and their bodies with respect. Remember that our bodies are meant to remind us of His amazing love.

Today's Key Verse: I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Respect the bodies God created

Read: Colossians 4:2-6

Johannah stared out her bedroom window as Mom came into the room and sat down on the bed. “How are you feeling?” Mom asked as she stroked Johannah’s forehead. “I think you still have a fever.”

“Why do I have to be sick today?” moaned Johannah. “I wanted to go sing at the hospital with my Sunday school class.” Her lower lip quivered a little.

“And it makes you feel bad that you can’t go, doesn’t it?” said Mom.

Johannah nodded. “I was really looking forward to going around and singing to people who were sick. Now I can’t.”

“I know, honey,” said Mom. “But you can pray and ask Jesus to use your class to bless the people at the hospital with their singing.”

Johannah shrugged. “It just doesn’t seem the same,” she said with a sigh.

“Maybe not, but…” Mom stood up. “I’ll be right back.” She left the room and returned a few minutes later with a strand of pearls. “See this necklace? Your great-grandmother gave it to me when I was a teenager.” She held it out so Johannah could look at it. “But there’s a very important part of it you can’t see.”

Johannah looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“Well, what do you see when you look at it?” asked Mom.

Johannah took the necklace. “The pearls,” she said after examining it.

Mom nodded. “That’s what everyone notices, but look.” She carefully pulled two pearls apart to reveal the thin white thread holding them together. “No one notices this plain and simple thread, but without it, my necklace would fall apart.”

Still puzzled, Johannah looked at the pearl necklace and then at her mother. “Okay,” she said uncertainly.

“Prayer is like this thread,” Mom explained. “We often pray as an afterthought, but really, it’s what holds everything together—nothing we do would make any difference without God working behind the scenes and in people’s hearts. Even though you can’t go with the others to the hospital, you can have a very important part in what they’re doing. You can ask Jesus to use their singing to encourage the people at the hospital and show them how much He loves them and cares for them.”

–Richard S. Maffeo

How about you? Do you ever feel like you can’t do anything important for Jesus because you’re too young, too sick, or too shy? That’s not true! There’s at least one thing every Christian can do, and that’s pray. It’s not something everybody notices, but Jesus does. He hears each prayer. Pray and ask Him to work in people’s hearts as you and fellow Christians serve Him and show others His love.

Today's Key Verse: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Prayer is important