Read: Matthew 7:7-11

Snow was starting to fall from the sky as Nick looked out his bedroom window, and he let out a sigh of frustration. His cousins were supposed to come that weekend, but if the roads were snowy and slippery, they wouldn’t be able to make it.

Nick missed his cousins and looked forward to their visits a few times each year. He had all kinds of plans for when they arrived, and he even had their sleeping bags already set up in his room.

Nick turned from the window and went downstairs, where his parents had the TV on. “Is it going to be a bad storm?” he asked as the weatherman talked away on the screen.

“We’re not sure yet.” Dad got up. “Help me make some hot chocolate?”

Nick wasn’t really in the mood for hot chocolate even though it was one of his favorite treats, but he followed his dad to the kitchen.

“Hey, don’t look so down,” Dad said as he filled the tea kettle with water. “The roads might be clear enough by morning. We can pray that they will be.”

Nick pulled his favorite mug from the cupboard. “Do you think God cares about this?”

Dad set the tea kettle on the stove and turned to him with raised brows. “Do I think so? I know so. The Bible tells us over and over again how much God cares about us. He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us so we could start a new life with Him, and that means He cares about every worry or problem we have.”

“So He doesn’t think it’s weird if we ask for the roads to be clear?” Nick asked.

“Not at all,” Dad said. “The Bible says God knows what you need even before you ask Him. He always knows what’s on your heart and mind and wants to help you.”

Dad tossed Nick a bag of marshmallows. “That doesn’t mean the roads will for sure be clear tomorrow. Sometimes He doesn’t answer our prayers the way we ask or expect. But we can always talk to Him about anything that’s on our minds and ask for His help.”

“Okay.” Nick set the marshmallows down and folded his hands. “I’m going to ask right now.”

–Bethany Acker

How about you? When you start to worry about things, do you think to pray? God cares about everything that’s happening in your life—even the “small” things. He knows what you need even before you ask Him for help. He may not always answer your prayers the way you want, but He promises to be with you and help you. Tell Him what’s on your mind, no matter how small it seems.

Today's Key Verse: Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Pray about anything on your mind

Read: Psalm 139:1-12; John 10:11-15

“I shouldn’t have let you see my test paper,” Teo said as he and his friend Joel rode the bus home after school. “I think I should tell Mr. Grant I cheated.”

“Why would you do that?” asked Joel. “You didn’t cheat. I did.”

“But I helped you,” said Teo, “so I cheated too.”

“We’ll never do it again, so nobody will know,” said Joel. “Nobody saw us.”

“God did,” said Teo. “He sees everything.”

“You mean God spies on us?” Joel asked.

“No, but He sees what we do. It’s more like, well…” Teo sighed, not sure how to explain what he meant.

That evening Joel went with Teo’s family to a basketball game in another town. On the way home, they met a car on a two-lane country road. Teo’s dad squinted. “That guy should dim his lights,” he said. “They’re blinding me!”

“Look out!” Mom exclaimed. “There’s a—”

The brakes squealed and the car swerved, then stopped with a thud. A sheep had wandered into the road through a broken fence, but nobody was hurt—not even the sheep. The car had hit a fencepost but wasn’t badly damaged.

“Well, that was exciting,” Joel said when they dropped him off a couple hours later. “It’s lucky nobody got hurt.”

“It was more than luck,” Teo’s mom said. “God was watching over us.”

“That’s it!” said Teo. “That’s what I meant earlier today. God watches us to protect us, not just to catch us doing something bad.”

Dad nodded. “The Bible says Jesus watches those who trust in Him like a Shepherd watching over His sheep. He takes care of us, and when we wander away from Him and do things that are wrong, He offers us forgiveness.”

Joel found Teo at school the next morning. “I’ve been thinking,” he said, “and, well, if you still want to tell Mr. Grant about the test, I’ll go with you.” He sighed. “Do you think God will see us do that too?”

“He sure will!” said Teo. “And if we tell Him we’re sorry for cheating, He’ll forgive us.”

–Barbara J. Westberg

How about you? Did you know that God always sees you? Nothing you do—good or bad—is hidden from Him. He knows we all sin by doing things that are wrong. That’s why Jesus died for our sins—so we could be forgiven. If you’ve done something wrong, confess it to Him and accept His forgiveness. Then trust Him to watch over you as your Good Shepherd.

Today's Key Verse: The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Proverbs 15:3 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: God sees everything

Read: Revelation 21:1-5

Luke peered out the van’s window as his dad drove down the cemetery’s narrow path past rows and rows of small gray tombstones. Snow and ice covered the ground from the last winter storm. When they reached the last row of tombstones, Dad pulled to the side of the road and turned off the engine. They all got out of the van, and Mom opened the back door and pulled out a colorful cross made of purple flowers. Purple had been Luke’s grandma’s favorite color.

Luke pulled his hood tightly around his head as he and his parents walked slowly down the row of graves. He counted the tombstones as they passed each one. He knew his grandma’s grave was the seventh in the row. When they reached it, the family stopped and read the inscription once again: Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.

They stood silently for a moment as a bitter wind pierced the air. Then Luke spoke up. “It’s so sad and depressing coming out here.” He looked around the cemetery and shivered. “Just thinking about how many dead people are buried in these graves gives me chills.”

Dad put his arm around Luke. “I know, buddy. But we know the grave’s not the end. We have hope for eternal life. Jesus said He is the resurrection and the life and that anyone who believes in Him will live forever.”

Mom nodded. “Grandma trusted Jesus as her Savior, so she is with Him now. Even though our physical bodies die, Jesus promises to always be with those who trust in Him—even in death. After we die, we go to be with Him, and one day He will give us new bodies that will never die.”

Dad gave Luke a pat on the shoulder. “Nothing beats that hope.”

“Do you want to put the flowers on Grandma’s grave?” Mom asked, holding out the flowered cross.

Luke took the cross and stooped down beside his grandmother’s tombstone. He pushed the stake down firmly into the ground. As he started to stand up, he noticed something green behind the grave. A few blades of grass were poking up out of the snow. There in the cemetery, out of the deadness of winter, the new life of spring was on its way.

–Vanessa Small

How about you? Do you know someone who has died? Are you afraid of dying yourself? Death can be a difficult reality to face, but those who trust in Jesus have hope beyond the grave. If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, you can trust in Him today. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) If you do know Him, share the hope you have with others so they can have eternal life with Jesus too.

Today's Key Verse: Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” John 11:25 (NLT)

Today's Key Thought: Christians have hope for eternal life

Read: Philippians 2:1-4

“Hey, Dad.” Kwan plopped down on the couch next to his father. “Today I tried to be kind like Jesus, but it didn’t work.”

“Really?” asked Dad. “What happened?”

“I tried to be friendly to Jayden—he’s new at school—but he’d hardly talk to me. I asked if he wanted to sit with me at lunch, and he said no. During recess I asked him if he wanted to play, and he just shrugged and said, ‘I don’t think so.’ He must not want friends.”

“Any idea why he acted that way?” asked Dad.

“Well, Jackson’s aunt knows Jayden’s mom, and he said Jayden had to change schools because his dad is in jail and his mom had to sell their house and move to an apartment.”

“It sounds like Jayden has a lot of things on his mind,” said Dad.

“I know, but doesn’t he need a friend?” asked Kwan.

Dad nodded. “Remember when you broke your leg and your friends came over with books and games to cheer you up? As I recall, you weren’t very interested in them that day. Your pain medicine made you sleepy, but if you didn’t take it, your leg hurt too much. You didn’t feel good enough to do anything.”

“Yeah,” Kwan said. “That was a bad day.”

“You were healing, so you needed space. Jayden may need time too. With all the difficult things that have happened in his life recently, he must be hurting. He might not have enough energy to make new friends right now. Maybe you can ask Jesus to show you another way you can be a friend to him.”

That’s when Kwan got an idea. He took a piece of paper and wrote, Jayden—I’m sorry if I bugged you today. I won’t do that anymore. How about I be your silent friend? If you want to play with me, just let me know, okay? Kwan.

The next morning, Jayden was standing alone on the school playground, so Kwan walked over and handed him the note. “What’s this?” asked Jayden.

Kwan decided to remain a silent friend, so he just smiled. As he left, he glanced back over his shoulder. Jayden was reading the note, and Kwan thought he saw a little smile appear on his face.

–Janice M. Jones

How about you? Are you sensitive to how other kids feel? Be friendly with others, but don’t be upset if someone wants to be left alone. They may be dealing with difficult things and not want to talk about them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still be a friend to them. Pray about the situation and ask Jesus to show you how you can help. Show His kindness to those who are hurting.

Today's Key Verse: Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Be sensitive to the feelings of others

Read: Psalm 33:20-22

Aisha very carefully rolled onto her side, trying to get a little more comfortable. At least she was feeling a little better than earlier.

A quiet knock sounded on her door, and Dad came in. “Do you think you could handle some soup?” he asked. Aisha shook her head. “I’m sorry you have to miss Vivian’s party,” Dad said.

“Me too, but I told Vivian she could come over here next weekend. We could have a late birthday celebration—just the two of us.” Aisha rolled over onto her back. “Dad, could you get me another blanket? I’m cold.”

“Sure, honey. Got one right here.”

Aisha smiled as her dad covered her up all the way to her chin. “I’m glad you stayed home from work to take care of me today. When I feel better, can we play a game?”

“That’s a good idea.” Dad sat down on the edge of the bed. “Know what, honey? I appreciate you not getting upset about missing Vivian’s party. Her mom always fixes a big feast for you kids, and I know how much you enjoy it.”

“Yeah,” said Aisha, “but it sure doesn’t sound good today.”

“Well, you and I are having a feast right here at home.”

Aisha opened her eyes in surprise. “A feast? But I can’t eat anything right now, and all you had was soup. That’s not a feast!”

“Not a physical feast,” said Dad. “A spiritual one. The Bible says that when we have a cheerful heart, we have a continual feast. When we remember the hope we have in Jesus—even on bad days—we feast on His goodness and grace, and that affects our attitude and how we respond when things don’t go our way. We can be joyful even in hard times knowing He saved us and is always with us and will one day come back to make all things new—including giving us new bodies that will never get sick.”

Aisha laid her head back on her pillow and sighed. “I can’t wait for that!”

Dad adjusted Aisha’s blanket and turned out the light. “Get some rest now, and before you know it, you’ll be able to give your stomach a feast too.”

–Mary F. Watkins

How about you? Are you having a feast today? It’s no fun to feel sick or have to deal with other hard things. At times like that, you probably wouldn’t describe yourself as cheerful. But if you focus on Jesus and His love and promises—even in times of disappointment—He can help you keep a cheerful attitude. This gives you a different kind of feast—a feeling of joy in spite of circumstances.

Today's Key Verse: The cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus even on hard days

Read: Psalm 119:33-40; Matthew 4:4

“Hi, Grandpa,” called Caleb as he and Abigail ran up the porch steps to their grandpa’s house.

“Hi, yourself,” answered Grandpa with a grin. “What are you up to today?”

“We got behind in learning our verses for Bible club,” said Abigail, “so we have to learn a whole bunch of them today. Mom said we could take a break and come over here for a while.”

“Yeah,” said Caleb. “I just don’t see how I’m going to remember all those verses.”

Grandpa smiled. “Do you know your locker combination? And what about your address? Aren’t they hard to remember?”

Caleb shook his head. “They’re easy to remember because I use them all the time.”

“I see,” said Grandpa. “In other words, we remember what we use in everyday life.” He sniffed the air.

“Mmmm…I smell fresh bread!”

Abigail opened the sack she was carrying. “Mom sent this loaf for you.”

“How nice!” Grandpa took the bread and set it on the table next to the lamp. “It looks good there, don’t you think?” He sat down on the sofa and looked at the bread.

Caleb stared at him. “You’re not going to leave it there, are you?”

Grandpa smiled and shrugged. “What else should I do with it?”

Abigail threw up her hands. “Eat it, of course! Just letting it sit there isn’t going to do you any good.”

Grandpa nodded. “I agree. Bread doesn’t do us any good if it’s left on the table—and the Bible doesn’t do us any good if it’s left on the bookshelf! I’ll eat this bread and get energy from it, and if you regularly ‘eat’ God’s Word—if you read it and let it nourish your soul—it will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. So keep learning those verses! The more you think about them and apply them to your everyday life, the easier they’ll be to remember.”

“Okay, Grandpa,” said Caleb. “We’ll keep ‘eating’ God’s Word and ask Him to use it to help us grow.”

“Good.” Grandpa picked up the loaf. “And now I’m going to eat some of your mother’s bread, and it will help me grow—around my middle!” He patted his stomach, and they all laughed.

–Jan. L Hansen

How about you? Where is your spiritual “bread”? Are you “eating” it—or is it just lying on a shelf? If you haven’t been reading the Bible, why not start now? You can begin with the suggested verses at the top of this page. Ask God to give you encouragement and direction as you think about what you read in His Word. Then trust Him to use it to help you grow in your faith.

Today's Key Verse: Direct my steps by Your word. Psalm 119:133 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Read God’s Word

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

“I’m sorry to interrupt your schoolwork, boys,” Mom said, “but we should go outside and see the sunset. It’s spectacular tonight.”

Zach and Connor bookmarked their pages and got up from the sofa.

“How do you even know what the sunset looks like tonight, Mom?” Connor asked as he glanced toward the window. “This window faces north. There’s no way you can see the sun from here.”

Zach nudged him. “Moms have eyes—or spies—everywhere. It’s a known fact.”

Mom laughed as she opened the door. “It’s true I see a lot of things. But my only spies are the houses across the street.”

“Huh?” Connor stepped out, squinting around the neighborhood.

“Look at their windows. What do you see?”

The three of them stood on their front steps. “The sunset!” Zach pointed. “I can see it in the neighbors’ windows! That’s how Mom knew what it looked like.”

Dad joined them as they walked down the driveway until they could see the sun in all its glory to the west. “What if the neighbors didn’t have any windows?” Dad asked.

“Then we wouldn’t have known there was a wonderful sunset tonight,” Zach replied.

“That’s right. There’s a spiritual lesson here for us,” Dad said. “The Bible says others can see Jesus in us, almost like we are windows or mirrors reflecting Him. He changes us more and more into His likeness when we spend time with Him and grow in our faith. Then when our neighbors look at our lives, they may see He’s for real and want to know Him themselves. We want others to see wonderful things about Jesus when they look at us.”

“You mean like seeing us do nice things for people? Like forgiving others or taking food to sick neighbors?” Zach asked.

“How about being more patient when younger kids wanna shoot hoops with us?” Connor added.

Dad put an arm around each of the boys as the family walked back to the house. “Yep. Something like that.”

"Cool! Let’s make a list of ways we can be good reflectors before bed,” said Connor.

“Good idea,” said Mom. “Just don’t forget to finish your schoolwork.”

–Robin Steinweg

How about you? How do you reflect Jesus in your life? You might try hard to do good all on your own, but you’ll only end up showing people yourself. To reflect Jesus, you need to belong to Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Then, as you spend time with Him and read His Word, He will renew your mind and transform you from the inside out. Trust Him to help you reflect Him so others can see Him at work in you.

Today's Key Verse: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: Reflect Jesus

Read: Hebrews 11:8-9

“Guess what?” Isla said when her mom got home from work. “Miss Collins is moving, and she doesn’t want to take her fish tank with her. She gave me her three Oscar fish.”

“Aren’t Oscars really big?” Mom asked.

“In an open lake they are, but if they grow up in a fish tank, they stay small. Miss Collins says they always grow in proportion to their surroundings.”

“That’s interesting.” Mom went over to Isla’s fish tank and peered at the newcomers. “Your fish might be an interesting topic for you to talk about on show-and-tell night at your youth group next week. In some ways, we’re like those fish.”

“We are?” Isla frowned. “Mom, about youth group…after this year, kids my age are supposed to move up to the older group, and we don’t want to. We just want to keep our same small group.”

“You’re worrying about that a little early, aren’t you? Your group will stay the same for quite a while yet.” Mom looked at Isla’s fish. “What if Miss Collins had set those Oscars free in the lake instead of giving them to you, Isla? What would happen?”

“I guess they would have grown much bigger,” Isla replied.

“Right,” said Mom. “Now, do you think God would want you kids to be like little fish in a tiny cramped tank, never growing very much? Or do you think He’d want you to stretch and grow spiritually as Christians?”

“I guess He’d want us to grow.” Isla thought of her older cousin Chris, who was a missionary overseas. “Chris probably had to grow a lot before he was ready to leave his family and tell people in another country about Jesus. I bet he never thought he’d be doing that when he was my age!”

Mom nodded. “He had to learn to depend on Jesus and follow wherever He led—even if it was somewhere he wasn’t totally comfortable at first.”

Isla sighed. “Okay, I’ll use my fish for an illustration on show-and-tell night. Maybe the other kids will agree that it will be good to move up so we can stretch out and grow.”

–Heather Tekavec

How about you? Do you have a place where you can go to grow spiritually? Do you have Christian friends who help you? Going to church, learning about the Bible with others, taking part in service projects that show people the love of Jesus—all these things help you grow as a Christian. It may be scary at first, but take advantage of new opportunities that help you learn more about Jesus and share His love with others.

Today's Key Verse: But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Go where you’ll grow