Bible Reading: Hebrews 10:23-25

"My class is going on a field trip to see Mount Vernon, George Washington's home," Anissa told her parents. "We've been learning about him, and I need to get books from the library and write a report on his life."

"That's great," said Mom. "I'm sure learning about him before the trip will make it more enjoyable." So Anissa got to work, reading books about George Washington and writing her report.

When Anissa arrived home after the field trip, she told her parents about the good time she'd had. "It was so much fun to see the things and places I'd read about. I even knew some things the guide didn't mention."

After eating breakfast on Sunday, Dad stood up to help Anissa clear the table. "Okay, Anissa. Let's hear your memory verse before we leave for church," he said.

"Um, well, I don't know it yet," Anissa confessed. "I was too busy this week. I'll go study it right now." She hurried off before Dad could reply.

Learning the verse took longer than Anissa expected, and she had to hurry to get ready for church. When it was time to leave, her hair wasn't quite dry and she couldn't find her Bible. After hunting a few minutes, she finally shrugged and ran out to the car without it.

After church, Anissa sighed as she got into the car. "I haven't been getting much out of church lately," she said.

"Anissa," said Mom, "why did you do a lot of reading and write a report about Mount Vernon before going on your trip there?"

"My teacher said I had to. But I'm glad, because learning about it ahead of time made it more special!"

"Why don't you do the same for church?" suggested Mom. "Prepare for it by setting aside some time the night or morning before to read your Bible, learn your verse for Sunday school, and ask God to prepare your heart to worship Him and listen to what He has to say to you."

"Good idea," said Dad. "But don't forget that we go to church to worship Jesus and learn more about Him with other believers. He is present there with us, helping us grow in our relationship with Him--whether we feel it or not."

–Mary Rose Pearson

Bible Reading: Matthew 6:7-13

Emery looked at the tall buildings surrounding her new home. A big lump formed in her throat as she thought about the stormy divorce that had taken her father away from her. She tried to tell her mother how lonely she was, but she felt like Mom didn't really listen. I know Mom's nervous about starting her new job today, thought Emery. But I wish she'd think a little more about me and how I'm feeling on my first day at a new school!

Emery felt nervous as she walked into her new school, but the principal was kind and led Emery to her classroom to introduce her to the class. When the bell rang for lunch, Sara, the girl sitting in front of Emery, turned around. "Want to eat lunch with me?" she asked. Emery breathed a huge sigh of relief as she went with her new friend to the cafeteria.

"What do your parents do?" asked Sara as she and Emery ate.

"My mom is starting a new job at the hospital today, and my dad…" Emery had hoped no one would ask about her dad. "He's a salesman," she said vaguely. "How about your parents? What do they do?"

"My mom's an engineer, and I never knew my dad."

Emery didn't answer right away. "My parents are divorced," she finally said in a small voice. She felt tears rising to her eyes and fought them back. "And Mom just thinks about her own problems and doesn't even listen when I talk about mine."

"I know what you mean," said Sara. "I was really lonely until I met my heavenly Father."

"Your what?" asked Emery.

Sara smiled. "My heavenly Father--God. He always listens. I can talk to Him about anything, and He helps me not feel so lonely."

"Must be nice," said Emery wistfully.

Sara leaned forward in her chair. "Why don't you come to church with me and learn about Him? He can be your heavenly Father too!"

"You mean He'll listen to me too?" asked Emery. "And help me not feel lonely?"

"Definitely," said Sara. "He loves us and sent us His Son, Jesus, because He wants us to be His children." She got up. "Ready to go outside?"

"Yes," Emery said, "but tell me more about your heavenly Father!"

–Matilda H. Nordtvedt

Bible Reading: Mark 14:3-9

"Our youth group is helping out at a preschool program at church next week," Charlotte told her mother as she helped weed the flower beds. "Bria has a great voice, so she's going to teach the kids songs, and Eduardo's a lot of fun, so he's in charge of games." Charlotte sighed. "I'm just helping with check-in."

"Well, that's an important part of the program too," Mom said. "They need to make sure all the kids are accounted for and direct them where to go."

Charlotte shrugged. "I really want to help out and serve the Lord--I just wish I had more to offer."

"Charlotte, that's not--" Mom was interrupted by a squeal from little Billy, who was hurrying across the lawn toward them.

"I make present for Mommy!" he called. Clutched in his soil-stained little hands was a small pot half-filled with dirt. Billy had stuck a dandelion into the dirt. Charlotte grinned as Billy ran toward them with a huge smile on his face.

Mom turned to Charlotte. "It's a dumb present, isn't it?" she asked quietly. "That old pot he used is cracked and dirty. And that's just a weed! He should have brought me roses from the florist."

Charlotte looked horrified. "Mom! How would he get them? He's only three! You're not going to tell him that, are you?"

When Billy reached them, Mom bent down and took the flower pot he offered. "Thank you, Billy Boy! I'll put this right in the middle of our dining room table." She gave him a hug and then turned back to Charlotte as Billy ran off. "Actually, I love Billy's gift, even if it's not perfect. I know he brought it to me because he loves me. And when we offer gifts to God, with real love in our hearts, don't you think He's pleased and accepts them too--no matter how big or small they seem?"

"You're talking about me helping with check-in next week, aren't you?" asked Charlotte.

Mom nodded. "I'm glad Billy brought me the gift he was able to give me. That's what God wants us to do too. He wants us to do what we can to serve Him out of love and gratitude for all He's done for us."

–Tanya Ferdinandusz

Bible Reading: Matthew 10:29-31; 25:31-40

The cold winter wind bit at Maryam's nose and ears as she and her mother were shopping downtown. "Can we stop at the pet store and get some birdseed?" asked Maryam. Mom agreed, and they headed for the store.

As they passed an alley, they saw a man sleeping there, huddled against a wall. He was shivering in a shabby coat, his hands bare and his toes poking out from his shoes. Maryam grabbed her mother by the hand and quickly pulled her past the alley. "What's wrong?" asked Mom.

"That man made me nervous," said Maryam. "Why is he dressed like that? And why is he sleeping on the street on such a cold day?"

"He must be homeless," said Mom.

"We talked about homeless people at school," Maryam said as they went into the pet store. "But I didn't think there were any in small towns like ours."

After buying a bag of birdseed, Maryam and her mother started back to the car. As they passed the alley, they saw that the man was gone. Mom looked sad. "I hope he's okay."

When they got home, Maryam filled the family's backyard feeder with birdseed. Then she went inside and rubbed the cold from her tingling fingers. She joined her mother at the window, and they watched birds swoop down to the feeder. "I'm glad we can put out seeds for them," Maryam said. "It's so cold, and it's hard for them to find food. They might die without us." Maryam smiled as she watched the birds flutter around the feeder and peck at the seeds. "You know what? Some verses I read in my Bible this morning said God knows about every sparrow that falls. He cares about birds."

"Yes," said Mom. "And He cares about people much more than birds. People are so valuable to Him that Jesus became one of us so we could be saved from sin and live with Him forever."

Maryam stared out at the snowy backyard, thinking of the man they'd seen. "We found a way to help the birds through the cold winter. Maybe we could find a way to help homeless people too."

"I'm sure we can," Mom said. "Let's come up with some ideas."

–Daryl B. Knauer

Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:10-17

"What are you doing, Thomas?" William stared at his little brother in shock. "Mom, come quick!"

Mom came running into the room. "Who got hurt?" she asked, then frowned. "Thomas, why in the world are you standing on a Bible?"

Thomas grinned. "We learned about it in Sunday school today. The Bible is God's Word, and we're supposed to stand on it!" He thrust his hand into the air.

William began to laugh. "Thomas, you're not supposed to actually stand on the Bible. That's just a fancy way to talk."

Now Mom laughed. "You mean a figure of speech?"

"Yeah, that," William agreed, eyeing the Bible. "We aren't supposed to stand on the Bible, we're supposed to read it."

"Then why do we sing about standing on it?" Thomas stepped onto the floor, looking confused.

"Standing on the Bible means standing firm in its truth." Mom picked up the Bible and flipped to Ephesians 6. "Sometimes people explain ideas using things we're familiar with to help us understand. The armor of God is a good example. Is the armor of God actual armor that you need to buckle and fasten?"

Thomas shook his head. "No, but that would be cool. I could be like a knight!"

"Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in the Lord," continued Mom. "The devil tries to get us to doubt God's goodness and His promises in the Bible and give in to sinful temptations. Standing firm means remembering that God is so good that He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins and that Jesus gives us the strength to resist temptation. It means trusting that Jesus's sacrifice saves us from sin completely and being confident in God's endless love for us. As we learn what the Bible says about Jesus and embrace its truth, it helps us stand firm against the devil's tricks."

"So, instead of standing on the Bible, we want the Bible inside us?" asked Thomas.

William frowned. "What? You don't eat the Bible either!"

"Memorizing means the verses are stuck inside my brain," Thomas explained. "So, if the Bible is stuck inside my brain, then I can stand on its truth!" Thomas threw his fist into the air again, making both Mom and William laugh.

–Kimberly Brokish

Bible Reading: Psalm 31:1-5

"Hurry! Pull up the drawbridge, Winston!" Mitchell hurried into the cardboard castle in their basement. "The enemy is coming!"

Winston pulled up the bridge, and both boys peered through narrow slits in the walls. "Now they won't be able to cross the moat," said Winston. "And even if they do, our strong walls will keep us safe."

Just then Dad came down the stairs, followed by the boys' sister, Charis. "I think it's time for a break," he said, holding out a bowl of popcorn. They all sat in the courtyard of the castle, eating popcorn and admiring the corner towers made by big refrigerator boxes. The towers were connected by cardboard walls.

"This castle is a lot of fun, Dad," said Mitchell. "Thanks for helping us build it."

"This doesn't seem much like a castle to me," said Charis. "I thought castles were big, beautiful palaces with lots of fancy rooms."

"This castle is really a fortress, not a palace," Dad said. "Fortresses were used years and years ago to protect people from their enemies." He took a handful of popcorn from the bowl. "Did you know that God is described as a fortress?"

"He is?" asked Winston. "How can He be a fortress?"

"Well," said Dad, "remember that school shooting we heard about on the news this morning?"

Charis nodded. "It scared me."

"Me too," said Winston. "What if that happened at our school?"

"We live in a sinful world, and bad things happen all around us," said Dad. "But we can find peace by running to our fortress--Jesus, who sacrificed His life to save us from sin and death. We can draw close to Him and trust Him to take care of us."

"But we could still get hit by an enemy arrow, even inside our castle," said Mitchell.

"That's right," said Dad. "And sometimes even Christians get hurt. But when we take refuge in the Lord, we can have peace knowing we're safe with Him. We can be sure that even if an arrow--some bad thing--strikes us, He will be with us. Even death itself cannot separate us from Jesus, because He conquered death when He rose again. No matter what happens, we can have peace knowing we've been given eternal life in Him."

–Jody Hedlund

Bible Reading: John 9:1-7

Jana looked out the window as a tear slid down her cheek. She watched as the other kids laughed and played in the snow. Her brother Caleb saw her and threw a snowball. She giggled in spite of herself as it softly hit the window. Sighing, she turned away and wheeled herself into the kitchen. "What are you making, Mom?"

"Supper," Mom said.

Jana raised her eyebrows and looked at the clock. "At nine in the morning?"

"Yes," said Mom. "But I think a better question would be what's causing these tears." She wiped away a tear from Jana's cheek.

"Oh, Mom," Jana said, "I just don't understand why my illness has lasted so long. Why doesn't God take away my pain and weakness? I know He could heal me!" The last words came out in a little sob.

Mom carefully lowered the meat into a slow cooker, covered it, and set it on low. Then she spoke. "We don't always understand God's ways or thoughts, but He uses the things that happen in our lives." She paused, then tapped the top of the slow cooker. "It's like this meat I'm cooking. It's a special cut that requires careful preparation and cooking that other meats don't require. If I cooked it faster on a higher heat, it would be tough and hard to eat. But when I cook it all day on a low temperature, it's tender and delicious." She grinned. "Even Caleb will be able to eat it with his missing teeth!"

Jana thought about that. "So you're saying being sick and in this wheelchair for so long may be God's way of making me tender and more like Him?"

"Yes!" Mom said. "I don't know why God hasn't healed you more quickly, but I know He's patiently working in your life for good. He can use hard things to make you more like Jesus, who understands your suffering and promises to be with you through it. I pray each day that He will use this long illness to help you know Jesus better and let His love be seen in your life." She poured hot water into a mug. "Now, would you like to come stir Caleb's hot cocoa?" Jana smiled as she rolled to the table to help.

–Myrical Barton

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:7-11

Leighton was excited to spend time with his aunt. Since his new cousin was born, he hadn't seen her much.

"Let's get right to the card tricks," said Aunt Ellie. "Where did I put my cards?"

There was baby stuff everywhere. Leighton helped his aunt go through it. Finally, they found a deck of cards under a stuffed giraffe.

Aunt Ellie was emptying out the card box when they heard crying coming from down the hallway. She stood. "That's River."

Leighton shuffled the cards as he waited for his aunt. His sister had a birthday party coming up, and he wanted to surprise her guests with the tricks that his aunt knew.

"She needs to eat. Sorry." Aunt Ellie reappeared, sitting down and sticking a bottle into the mouth of the crying bundle in her arms.

Leighton waited as his cousin ate and as his aunt held her and patted her back. He waited as Aunt Ellie changed the baby's diaper, and he watched her lay her in a bassinet.

"Watch Mommy impress your cousin with card tricks, okay?" Aunt Ellie moved back over to Leighton. She was about to do a card trick when River started to cry again. She dropped the cards. "Maybe she has a burp that's stuck."

"She needs help burping?" Leighton watched his aunt pick up the baby and start patting her back again. "I'm never going to learn this trick."

"Babies need a lot from us," said Aunt Ellie. "I was talking about that with your grandma. She reminded me that's how we are with God. First, we need Jesus to save us from sin and give us new life in Him." Aunt Ellie sat down. "Then we need His forgiveness when we don't listen to what He says. We need His protection. We need His encouragement. We need His peace and joy and the hope He offers…"

"Do you think He gets tired of all our needs?" Leighton asked.

His aunt shook her head. "Never." River had quieted in her arms, and she looked at Leighton with a smile. "Know what she needs now? Her cousin." She reached over and placed the baby in Leighton's outstretched arms, and he held her carefully.

–Emily Acker