Bible Reading: Ezekiel 36:26-27; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 “Breanna,” said Mom. “Can you please run to the basement and get the last two jars of Grandma’s pickled beets?” “Okay,” said Breanna. She soon returned with two dusty jars of deep purple-red beets. “I love the color of these beets—it’s so pretty!” She put one jar…
Bible Reading: John 20:24-29 “Mom,” Nick said hesitantly one day, “did you…uh…did you ever think about having plastic surgery to fix all those scars on your face?” For as long as Nick could remember, there had been ugly red scars on his mother’s face and hands. He was used to them and hardly noticed them,…
Bible Reading: Philippians 4:4-7 “What if I don’t make the team, Dad?” Felix asked as they hiked a rugged trail. He had spent most of their backpacking trip finding things to worry about. “Felix, I bet by now you’ve listed a dozen things that worry you,” Dad said. “I could understand your concerns if we…
Bible Reading: Psalm 40:1-5, 16-17 After a simple dinner one evening, Dad read out loud from his Bible. “‘I did not give up waiting for the Lord. And He turned to me and heard my cry.’” Dad looked up. “That’s a good verse for us. We need to be patient and keep trusting the Lord…
Bible Reading: Isaiah 55:8-9; John 9:1-3 “Why, God?” murmured Jolene as she hugged her baby brother. They had recently learned that Kyler was deaf. “Oh, Jolene,” Mom had said gently after they found out. “God’s ways are not like ours. He is good, so we need to trust Him, even when we can’t understand.” But…
Bible Reading: Isaiah 26:3-4 Just as Mom and Alana were sitting down to eat lunch, the door opened and Dad walked in. His clothes and face were dirty, and his hand was bandaged. “What happened?” cried Mom. “The apartments near my factory caught on fire, and several of us ran to help,” Dad said. “You’re…
Bible Reading: Luke 6:43-45 “Hop in, Timmy.” Grandfather opened the truck door. “Time to select our new apple tree.” Timmy climbed in and fastened his seat belt. When they got to the nursery, they walked between rows of young trees. “How about this tree, Grandfather?” Timmy stood on his tiptoes and stretched his fingertips to…
Bible Reading: John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:1-5 “All right!” Garrett exclaimed as they pulled into Grandma’s driveway. “We’re finally here!” Grandma lived so far away that they had been traveling for two days to get to her house. “Yay!” said Charis. “I’m tired of being in the car.” Dad grinned. “Me too. All I want to…
Bible Reading: Hebrews 11:8-9 “Guess what?” Isla said when her mom got home from work. “Mrs. Brink 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…
Bible Reading: John 10:14-18 “Why would Jesus allow Himself to be killed if He were really God?” Blake asked his youth group leader. “I don’t get it!” Mr. Carter did his best to explain, but Blake still thought it made no sense. A few weeks later, Blake joined the group on a campout at a…
