Eyes on Me

Bible Reading: Matthew 14:28-31; Hebrews 12:1-2 “Are you ready?” Scott asked as Jenny placed her feet on her bike pedals. Jenny nodded. It had been a hard week for both of them. Their dad’s company had laid him off, and it was getting harder and harder to find work. So to get their minds off…

Towering Fears

Bible Reading: Psalm 27:1, Isaiah 41:10, 13 “Mr. Robinson asked me to give my testimony at our youth meeting Sunday night,” Rachel told her mother as they walked along a path in the woods. “I’m going to tell him I just can’t do it! I’m too scared!” She pointed toward a nearby hill. “There’s the…

Where’s the Parade?

Bible Reading: Isaiah 48:17-18 “Mom, I see the parade! It’s coming!” Kelly squealed with excitement and grabbed hold of her little brother’s hand. “Gabe, get ready because they’re going to throw candy right at us and we can put it in our bags, okay?” Gabe nodded and grinned. Kelly looked down the street and hopped…

Making Sacrifices

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7 As Dr. Jensen talked about his work as a missionary, Karl wondered what it would be like to move to a different country to serve God. Dr. Jensen described it as Jesus giving him such a deep love for the people in that country that he had to move there, but…

Tangled Threads

Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-5 Marta sat down on the couch beside her mother and glanced at the needlepoint canvas she was working on. “Oh, cool!” said Marta. “That’s going to be the cover for the pillow you made for my bed, isn’t it? Is it almost finished?” “Not yet,” said Mom, “but it’s getting there.”…

Cooper’s Problem

Bible Reading: Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 3:1-2 “Why are Dad’s golf clubs by the door?” asked Cooper one afternoon. “Mom’s selling them,” answered his sister, Ashlynn. “Selling them?” Cooper’s voice rose. “But Dad will want them when he comes back!” “Oh, give it up, Cooper,” said Ashlynn. “Dad’s not coming back.” “He is too!” said…

In the Garden

Bible Reading: Galatians 5:22-26 “This is the prettiest flower garden I’ve ever seen!” said Nia. Grandma looked up from her weeding. “I enjoy it too. When it’s nice outside, I spend time almost every day watering, weeding, or transplanting something. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.” She smiled as she pulled a…

The Log Bridge

Bible Reading: Romans 3:10-12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6 On the first morning of their family camping trip, Cara and her older brother, Eric, went to explore the creek next to their campsite. After walking upstream for a while, they found a narrow spot in the creek and jumped over it. They worked their way back toward…

Warning Strips

Bible Reading: Psalm 19:7-11 Maria, who had been leaning against the back seat of the car, bolted upright. “What was that loud noise?” she asked, peering out the window. “It’s okay,” said Dad. “I just strayed onto the shoulder of the road.” “But what was that noise?” Maria asked again. “There are little bumps on…

Hidden Fruit

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 8:1-3 The sun was just poking its head over the tops of the trees when Tess and her mother left for a walk in the woods near their new home. “I didn’t understand what Dad read in the Bible this morning,” Tess said. “Why can’t we just skip the parts of the…