Read: Proverbs 12:17-22

“There!” Isaac said as he finished pounding a nail. “This is the best tree house ever! When it’s really windy like this, you can feel the whole tree house move. It’s like being in a swaying castle! Let’s ask if we can sleep out here tonight.”

“I know my dad won’t let me,” said Bryce. “He says he has to be sure it’s safe first.”

“My dad said the same thing,” said Isaac. “I know! Let’s each ask our parents if we can spend the night together. They’ll think we’re at each other’s houses, but we’ll really be sleeping in the tree house.”

“I don’t know,” Bryce said, but he finally agreed to try it.

Their plan worked, but in the middle of the night, a loud crack of thunder and the sound of wind and rain woke the boys. “The whole tree house is swaying!” Bryce said.

“And the roof is leaking!” said Isaac. “Let’s go into the house.”

The storm had awakened Isaac’s parents too, and they were very surprised when the boys stumbled into the kitchen. “What happened? Is something wrong at your house, Bryce?” Isaac’s dad asked.

“No,” Isaac said, “we…um…we were sleeping in the tree house. But it starting swaying and leaking in the storm, so we came here.”

Mom’s eyes widened. “You mean you’ve been in our backyard this whole time? You asked if you could stay at Bryce’s house overnight.”

“Well, not exactly,” said Isaac. “I just asked if I could spend the night with Bryce.”

“I see,” said Dad. “So you didn’t exactly lie, but you still deceived us by letting us think you were at Bryce’s, didn’t you?”

With downcast eyes, the boys nodded.

Dad sighed. “Boys, lying and deceiving others makes you like that swaying tree house—it tells people they can’t trust you. And how do you think we and Bryce’s parents would feel if none of us knew where you were in the morning?”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Isaac said.

“I forgive you,” Dad said. “But the tree house will be off-limits for a while. As you build back our trust, remember that the Bible says Jesus is a firm foundation who is always trustworthy. Trust Him to help you show His love by being truthful in both your words and your actions.”

–Agnes Livezey

How about you? Are you trustworthy? Can people count on you to be honest in both your words and your actions? God hates lying and deceitfulness because it goes against everything He is—a firm foundation who always acts in goodness and truth. We can always trust Him to tell us the truth and do what’s right. As His children, He will help us be truthful in all we say and do.

Today's Key Verse: So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. Ephesians 4:25 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Be trustworthy

Read: James 4:7-11

Harley’s cat jumped up on the desk and started batting at her pencil. “Mom, can you come get Sassy?” Harley called down the hallway. “I’m trying to do my homework.”

Mom came to Harley’s door and laughed when she saw Sassy bat Harley’s pencil out of her hand and onto the floor.

“Can you take her, please?” Harley asked. “She’s distracting me, and I need to get this done so I can meet Grace at the park.”

Mom took Sassy out of the room and closed the door. A few minutes later, Harley saw something move out of the corner of her eye. Sassy was sticking her paws through the crack underneath the door. “Mom, Sassy’s still pestering me!” Harley called.

“Harley, there’s really nothing I can do,” Mom called back. “If I take her away, she’ll just come back the moment I set her down. Just ignore her and stay focused, and eventually she’ll stop.”

Harley did her best to focus on her homework and found that Mom was right. Sassy soon stopped. Harley finished her homework, then left to meet her friend at the park.

Later that day, Harley joined her mom in the living room. “Hi, Harley,” Mom said. “How was the park?”

“It was okay, but Grace kept wanting to talk badly about some of the kids at school,” Harley said as she picked up Sassy, who was lounging on the couch.

“How did you handle it?” Mom asked.

“Well, I thought about Sassy distracting me earlier and that when I stayed focused on what was important, she eventually stopped. So I did the same with Grace. When she tried to get me to talk badly about others, I stayed focused on Jesus and how much He loves the people Grace was talking about. Then when Grace said something bad about someone, I’d think of something nice to say about them instead. Eventually she stopped trying to get me to talk about people.”

Mom got up to pet Sassy, who was now curled up in a ball on Harley’s lap. “It sounds like Sassy has taught you how to resist temptation by focusing on what’s important—Jesus.” At that, Sassy batted at Mom’s hand, and both Harley and Mom laughed.

–Melissa Yeagle

How about you? Do your friends ever try to get you to do things you know are wrong? You can resist by focusing on Jesus. When you’re faced with a tough situation, remember that He saved you and you belong to Him. He gives you the ability to do what’s right and wants you to show His love to others by treating them kindly. When you’re tempted to sin, focus on Him.

Today's Key Verse: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Stay focused on Jesus

Read: Matthew 18:15, 23-35

“Dad, look at this sore on my arm.” Cole pulled up his sleeve to expose a weeping red gash on his forearm.

“Is that where you got burned at the bonfire?” Dad asked. “It’s getting worse. Let’s see if Dr. Patel can look at it.”

While Dad called the clinic, Cole scratched his arm. When Dad hung up the phone, he said, “They had a cancellation. If we hurry we can see the doctor.” As Dad drove, he said, “I hope they can do something so you can go to your church group tonight.”

“I don’t want to go. I might run into Brad, and this is his fault. I told him to stop pushing me by the fire. But he wouldn’t quit, and I got burned.”

“He was wrong to do that, Cole. But missing church to stay away from him is just going to make things worse. Jesus says that if someone sins against you, you’re supposed to tell him, and if he asks you to forgive him, you do it because Jesus forgave you.”

“I told him, but he just laughed. Our youth leader had a talk with him. Even if Brad apologizes now, I’ll just laugh at him.”

Dad parked in the clinic lot. “Does your arm look good to you, Cole?”

“No, it looks gross.”

“That’s exactly what an unforgiving heart looks like to God—oozing, stinking, and unable to heal. When you hold a grudge against someone, it’s like tearing open a wound every time you think about it. You told Brad that he did wrong—that’s the first step the Bible tells you to take. Now you need to trust Jesus to help you forgive. Remember, He paid for all your sins and forgives you completely whenever you do something wrong.” Dad opened the car door. “Let’s go or we’ll miss the appointment.”

Dr. Patel cleaned and bandaged the wound and told Cole to come back in a week.

On the drive home, Dad said, “I see that bandage is protecting your sore. You’re not scratching it now.”

“It feels better. And I feel better about forgiving Brad. I prayed about it at the clinic, and instead of imagining how I’ll get back at him, I’m ready to forgive.”

–Laura Roesler

How about you? Is there anyone who has wronged you and won’t apologize? Do you feel bitter about it? Do you plan to hold a grudge and never forgive that person? Don’t let bitterness ooze like a wound that won’t heal in your heart. Remember how much Jesus has forgiven you, and trust Him to help you always be ready to forgive.

Today's Key Verse: Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Get rid of bitterness

Read: Matthew 14:22-33; Hebrews 11:1-2

Callie turned down the final loop of the zoo. “Best day of school ever! I love animals!”

“And I love that we’re both homeschooled and can go on field trips more often!” Callie’s best friend, Katie, grinned. “Hey, look at that cool-looking antelope!” Katie and Callie marveled at the antelope’s twisted horns that spiraled close to thirty-five inches high.

“Mom, why are they enclosed with such a short fence? It can’t be more than four feet high!” Callie pointed out.

Katie frowned in concentration. “Yeah, it says right here that African impalas can jump up to ten feet in the air! I wonder why they aren’t just roaming all around the zoo?”

“Let’s consult my phone,” Mom joked. “You girls always have great questions. Interesting! This article says impalas won’t jump unless they see where they’ll land. Since they can’t see the ground on the other side of this wall, that must keep them in their habitat.”

“It’s kind of sad when you think about it,” Katie pondered. “Freedom is just a jump away, but fear keeps them trapped.”

Mom nodded. “We can learn a lesson from the impalas. Callie, remember when you felt like God wanted you to serve in the children’s ministry at church, but you were scared because you weren’t used to working with kids?”

“Yeah, I was nervous about it.”

“But then your best friend reminded you that faith is stepping out in confidence even when you can’t see the outcome,” Katie reminded her. “Just like it says in Hebrews chapter eleven.”

“That whole chapter is filled with people who trusted God to help them take great leaps of faith, even though they weren’t sure how things would turn out,” Mom mused. “We can do the same when we remember that Jesus is always with us. He died and rose again to give us eternal life, and that means we can always trust Him.”

Katie smiled. “Hey, maybe we can have a code word! The next time one of us wants to hold back because of fear, we can yell ‘Impala!’”

Callie jumped in the air dramatically. “That will remind us to take a leap of faith!”

–Savannah Coleman

How about you? Do you ever feel held back by fear? Maybe you sense God’s prompting to talk to a lonely kid. Perhaps you need to confront a friend for doing something they shouldn’t. God may even put it on your heart to speak about Him to someone who doesn’t know Him. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He is with you and will help you complete the work He wants you to do. Trust Him to help you take that leap of faith.

Today's Key Verse: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus and take the leap

Read: Matthew 7:7-8; 11:27-30

“Grandpa, I think Grandma needs hearing aids,” said Kelsey. “Someone knocked at the door this morning and Grandma didn’t hear it. By the time I got to the door, the person was gone.”

“That’s odd,” said Grandpa. “I haven’t noticed a problem, but I’ll try to pay more attention.”

Kelsey had been living with her grandparents for a few weeks while her mother was away on military duty. She loved her grandparents, but living with them was weird.

She refilled Grandpa’s coffee cup and asked, “Do I have to go to church today?”

“Of course! We always go as a family. Going to church is a privilege many people don’t have. It’s a way we worship God and connect with other believers.”

“That’s just it,” said Kelsey. “You and Grandma love all that God stuff and talking to your ‘believer’ friends. I believe in God, but I’d rather spend Sunday hanging out with my school friends.”

“Honey, you have the whole afternoon for that,” Grandpa said.

That day in Sunday school, the lesson was about Jericho, but Kelsey was thinking about her mom. Mom never took her to church. Sunday mornings with Mom were for sleeping in. Then they’d walk to the Waffle Barn. The waffles smelled like a cake baking. You could smell them from a block away. She’d smother her waffles with pecan syrup and butter.

Kelsey was still thinking about those waffles when suddenly, there was a firm knock on the Sunday school room door. To her shock, no one went to answer the door. No one else seemed to hear it.

Maybe I’m the one with bad hearing, thought Kelsey.

That evening as she got ready for bed, she noticed a small painting on her bedroom wall. It was Jesus standing outside a door. At the bottom it said, “I stand at the door and knock.”

Knock? thought Kelsey. What’s the deal with all this knocking that nobody seems to hear but me? Is it my imagination or…Jesus, is that You?

Kelsey took the picture and carried it to Grandpa. “I’ve heard this verse before, Grandpa. But what does it mean? Does Jesus knock for real?”

“Sit down here, honey,” he said. “I’ll tell you all about it.”

–Teresa Ambord

How about you? Is Jesus knocking at the door of your heart? It’s not a sound you hear with your ears but an invitation He offers to you in His Word, the Bible. If you’re not a believer, He wants you to trust Him to save you from sin and give you eternal life. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) And if you do know Him as your Savior, He invites you to spend time with Him in prayer, at church, and in His Word so He can fill your life with peace, hope, and joy.

Today's Key Verse: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Jesus is knocking

Read: John 1:35-45

“This is the best pizza I’ve ever eaten!” Jonah pumped a fist in the air. “I can’t believe this place is here to stay. I’m going to tell my friends about it.”

Mom smiled. “I think our family will be eating here often.”

As soon as he got home, Jonah started a video conversation with a couple of his friends. He was quick to tell them about the pizza he’d just had and where they could get it.

When he went outside that afternoon to help his dad shovel snow from the sidewalk in front of their house, Jonah saw one of his neighbors also shoveling. “Hey, Mr. Fisher!” He waved as he walked over to the older man. Jonah couldn’t help but tell him about the pizza. “You’ll love it,” he said. “You should get it for dinner when you’re done shoveling.”

“I just might do that.” Mr. Fisher grinned.

Dad tapped Jonah’s shoulder as they headed into the house. “I think it’s really interesting how you’re spreading the word about that pizza.”

“It’s just so good!” Jonah’s mouth watered just thinking about it.

“It reminds me of something I was reading,” Dad said. “In the book of John.”

“They didn’t have pizza in the Bible, did they?” Jonah made his way to the kitchen. All that shoveling had made him thirsty.

“No,” Dad said. “But they had something even greater. Jesus.”

Jonah pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “Why did the pizza make you think of Jesus?”

“When the early disciples first started following Jesus, they told their friends and family,” Dad said. “They got others to follow Him too. Sort of like how you’re getting others to go out and get pizza.”

“Because the pizza was amazing,” Jonah said. “Following Jesus had to be pretty amazing too.”

“It was, and it is,” Dad said. “And you’ve got me thinking that maybe we should be telling others about that, sharing our faith a little more. I mean, if you can get people that excited about pizza…”

Jonah nodded. “We could get people excited about Jesus too!”

–Emily Acker

How about you? Have you ever experienced something great and wanted to tell everyone you knew all about it so they could experience it too? Have you told others about Jesus, letting them know how amazing He is? As you share your faith with others and let them know what Jesus has done for you, they might want to know Him themselves. Let others know how great Jesus is so they can get excited too!

Today's Key Verse: Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. Mark 5:19 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Tell others how great Jesus is

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