Read: Psalm 24

“Want to come over to my house for a while?” Elsa asked as she and Maggie got off the school bus.

“Okay,” said Maggie. “I’ll just have to make sure it’s okay with my mom.”

After checking with Maggie’s mother, the girls had a snack and then went to Elsa’s room. “My mom gave me some of her old dresses,” Elsa said. “We could put them on and pretend to be princesses.”

“Yeah! That would be fun!”

After choosing dresses and putting them on, the girls made paper crowns and walked around in their long princess gowns. They sat on imaginary thrones while imaginary servants did everything they were told.

When Elsa’s brother Stellan walked by, he stopped a moment and looked in. “Your Royal Highnesses,” he said dramatically, “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think you need to fire your royal stylist. Your dresses look old and outdated.”

“They do not!” Maggie said indignantly. “They’re beautiful princess gowns. You’re just jealous because you’re not a prince!”

Stellan laughed. “Whatever,” he said and continued down the hall.

After Maggie went home, Elsa sat down to dinner with her family. Stellan passed her the bread basket. “Have a roll, Your Royal Highness,” he teased. “Tell me, are you able to butter it yourself? If not, just snap your royal fingers and someone will apply the golden butter with a golden knife.” Elsa grinned and made a face at her brother.

“What’s that all about?” asked Dad. When he heard about the girls’ afternoon activities, he surprised Elsa by saying, “You want to know something? You really are a princess—and Stellan is a prince!”

“What?” cried Elsa. “But you’re not a king!”

“No,” said Dad, “but since you both trust Jesus as your Savior, God is your Father, and He’s the King of kings. So in a way, that makes you a princess, right?”

“Cool!” said Elsa. “Maggie will be surprised to hear that! I’ll tell her about it tomorrow.”

“Does Maggie know Jesus?” asked Dad. “Is she a child of the King of kings too?”

“I don’t know,” said Elsa. “I’ll ask her. If not, I’ll tell her she can become a real princess too!”

–Victoria Johnson

How about you? Are you a child of God—the King of kings? If you know Jesus as your Savior, He has saved you from sin and made you God’s child. You might not feel like a prince or princess, but your heavenly Father is the Ruler of the universe! If you haven’t put your faith in Jesus, do it today and He will make you a child of the King of kings. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's Key Verse: He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Revelation 17:14 (NKJV)

Today's Key Thought: God is the King of kings

Read: Philippians 2:1-4

Chase stomped his feet to warm them while he waited at the edge of the woods for his grandpa and sister. When they caught up with him, Iris pointed. “What animal made these tracks, Grandpa?”

Grandpa crouched in the fresh snow to peer at the tracks. “Let’s see. Four toes and a heel. And see what a straight line he left? I’d say a fox was here. A fox’s narrow chest lets him place one paw right in front of the other, which is why there’s a single line of prints.”

They followed the trail a little way, and Grandpa pointed out places where squirrels had played tag and rabbits had been hiding. “Wow, Grandpa!” Iris said. “You’re the best tracker in the whole world!” Grandpa laughed. “All tracks tell a story.”

When they got home, Chase sniffed the air. “Yum! Mom’s making pizza, and it smells like it’s ready to eat!”

Iris put away her wooly coat and fuzzy mittens, but Chase dumped his coat on the floor, yanked off his boots, and turned toward the kitchen. Snow clung to the bottom of his pants in small clumps.

“Chase, I can always tell when you’ve been through a room,” Grandpa said, stopping him in the hall. “You leave tracks. And just like animal tracks, what you leave behind tells a story. What kind of story do you think people get from tracks like puddles and coats on the floor?”

“Umm…” Chase thought about it. “That I’m messy?”

“Anything else?” asked Grandpa.

Chase looked down at the puddles on the floor. “I guess it could tell people that I expect someone else to clean up my messes.”

Grandpa nodded. “As Christians, the story we want our actions to tell others is how much Jesus loves them. By acting in unselfish ways—like showing others respect by picking up your things—your actions will leave tracks that tell His story. He cleaned up our mess by dying for our sins, and when we act in thoughtful, loving ways toward others, we point to Him.”

Chase nodded. “I’m sorry, Grandpa. I’ll put away my things and wipe up the puddles on the floor right now.” He grinned. “From now on, you’re going to have a harder time telling where I’ve been!”

–Lisa Nagel

How about you? What kind of story do your tracks tell? Do your actions show others the kindness and love of Jesus—or that you’re only thinking of yourself? If you trust in Jesus, He gives you the power to leave tracks that point others to Him. Even if it’s just in small ways, like cleaning up after yourself or not cutting in line, you can tell His story through kind, loving actions.

Today's Key Verse: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 (CSB)

Today's Key Thought: Your actions leave tracks

Read: Matthew 6:25-34

Jacob’s throat tightened as he peered out the kitchen window. I wish we didn’t have to move, he thought. I miss my friends and my old school. After wiping his blurry eyes, he heard something chirping outside. “Look, Mom!” Jacob called. “There’s a nest under the roof over there, and a mother robin is sitting over four babies!”

Mom came in from the other room. “You’re right, Jake! The mother bird will protect her babies until they’re ready to fly and live on their own.”

Jacob watched as the male robin flew in and dropped a worm into the mother’s open beak. She ate part of it, then pushed it out and dropped it toward her babies’ throats. The tiny birds stretched their necks skyward, chirping until the worm was gone.

“Those babies don’t ever have to worry,” Jacob said. “They are warm, safe, and well-fed.”

Mom grinned. “Speaking of being well-fed, you need to eat your pancakes and get ready for school.”

Jacob swallowed hard. “Mom, can I stay home? My new school is nothing like my old one. I don’t have any friends here. Besides, I’ve got a huge test today. I’ve studied, but what if I don’t do well?”

Mom sat down. “You’ve gone through a lot of changes lately. It’s not easy attending a new school, is it? But I bet you can find someone to play with at recess and invite them to eat lunch with you. And I’m sure you’ll do fine on the test—you studied well. Just leave the rest to God. Remember what you said about the baby birds never having to worry?”

Jacob wrinkled his brows. “Yeah, but what does that have to do with me?”

“Well, Jake, God is like that mother bird. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us, and we can take refuge in the shadow of His wings. He promises to use everything in your life for good, including the hard stuff. Give Him your worries about making friends and taking tests and trust Him to take care of you and guide you. Just like that mother bird, He will provide everything you need.”

–Linda Champagne

How about you? Do you worry about your problems? Is there something in your life that you’re struggling with right now, like moving or making new friends? Life can be tough sometimes, and God understands that. That’s why He wants you to give all your worries to Him and trust Him to do what’s best for you. He loves you and wants to help you with every problem in your life.

Today's Key Verse: How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Don’t worry

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: 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: 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: 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