Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids

Bible Reading: Luke 2:41-52 Josiah looked at the craft he'd made in Sunday school. It was a box covered in construction paper that said "Jesus loves you, and He'll always take care of you" on the top. Josiah sighed. Those words didn't make him feel especially happy. I already have too many people taking care of me, he thought. Between his parents and his two older sisters, it seemed like someone was always concerned about him or telling him what to do. And now Jesus was watching over him too. "Hi, Josiah," his sister Miriam said when he came out of his class. "Abigail and I will walk you to the car." After Josiah put on his coat, Miriam made sure it was zipped all the way to his chin. "It's cold outside, and we don't want you getting sick!" she said. "You'd better wear your gloves too," said Abigail. "Here, I'll help you." She took one of Josiah's gloves and was about to put it on his hand when he grabbed it from her. "I got it," he said, hoping no one from his class was watching. When they reached the car, Abigail opened the door so Josiah could climb into the back seat. "All set?" asked Dad as he started the car. "Did you all enjoy Sunday school and youth group?" "Yeah," said Josiah. "I made this." He handed the box to his mother. "Jesus loves you, and He'll always take care of you," Mom read. "That's something I need to remember." "Jesus is taking care of you too?" asked Josiah in surprise. Mom nodded. "Jesus promises to take care of all those who trust in Him, no matter how old we are." "Oh. Well, I have too many people taking care of me!" Josiah replied with a frown. Dad smiled. "It must seem like a lot of people are always telling you what to do, but we all do that because we love you. One way Jesus takes care of us is by giving us a family so we can care for one another." Josiah turned the idea over in his mind. So Jesus uses Mom and Dad and my sisters to take care of me, he thought. I guess having so many people watching out for me is a good thing after all! –Agnes Kempton How About You? Are you grateful for your family? Not all families look the same, but God provides people in your life to love and care for you because He loves and cares for you. Even Jesus had a family who showed love and concern for Him when He was on earth. Think of all the people God has put in your life to help take care of you and thank Him for each one of them. Today's Key Verse: The Lord is the One Who goes before you. He will be with you. He will be faithful to you and will not leave you alone. (NLV) (Deuteronomy 31:8 ) Today's Key Thought: Thank God for your family

Bible Reading: Matthew 14:22-25 "I'm done." Mom wiped her eyes and pushed back from the table. "I need a break." Reagan didn't remember the last time she had seen her mom cry, and this time it was over a sewing machine? She looked at the fabric that was supposed to become a costume for her school play. "You're not going to finish that?" "Not right now." Mom went to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. "I'm going outside." Reagan watched as her mom went out onto the deck. She stood at the railing, sipping her water and staring at their yard. Reagan stepped over to the door. After a few moments, Mom set her water on the patio table and stretched her arms. Her lips were moving, as if she might be talking to herself. Mom caught her gaze, and Reagan stepped back. She hadn't meant for her mom to know that she was watching her. Mom motioned for her to come outside. "It's a beautiful day," she said as Reagan came out onto the deck. Her face looked much different than it had when she was at the sewing machine. She almost looked happy. Reagan walked over to the porch rail. "Are you going to finish my costume?" Mom smiled. "Yes. I just needed a break." She reached over and put a hand on Reagan's head. "The machine wasn't working right, and it was frustrating me. Remember how frustrated you got the other night when you couldn't solve your math problem?" Reagan nodded, her face feeling suddenly warm. "I dumped my whole pencil case all over the floor." "What could you have done instead?" Mom asked. "Taken a break?" Reagan guessed. "Right." Mom messed up Reagan's hair. "Even Jesus did that. There were times when He felt the need to get away. He took breaks to pray, and I think He would want us to take breaks to cool down rather than have us blow up." "It does feel nice to be outside," said Reagan. "Outside. In your room alone. Exercising somewhere." Mom nodded. "When we're frustrated, just taking a breather--and maybe saying a little prayer to God too--can help us feel better." –Emily Acker How About You? What do you do when something frustrates you? Do you throw the game to the floor, tackle your sibling, give up on the project, or shout at everyone around you? Next time taking a break to get away, just for a little while, could help you feel better. Jesus understands what it's like to need a break, and He's always there to listen and help you. Take some time to rest and tell Him how you feel. Today's Key Verse: Jesus often went away to other places to be alone so that he could pray. (ERV) (Luke 5:16 ) Today's Key Thought: Take a break to calm down

Bible Reading: Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 "We made cinnamon biscuits for tomorrow's bake sale at school today," announced Lexi, bounding up the steps and into the house. "Miss Summers took us to the kitchen and helped us. They were gooey and deeeelicious! We were each allowed to have one after all the other ones had been packaged." "They sound great!" said Mom. "I'll have to buy some tomorrow. Maybe we can even make them at home sometime." "Yeah!" said Lexi. "It would be even more fun making them here. At school we each only put in a couple of the ingredients. I got stuck with measuring the dry stuff--the flour and salt and baking powder. It was okay, but I would have liked to mix the gooey part." "Well, you did have an important job," said Mom. "And it sounds like the biscuits turned out well--light and fluffy, right?" "Oh, yes!" Lexi sighed as she thought about them. "They were light and fluffy and so yummy!" "Without the baking powder, they would have been flat and hard," said Mom. "It was your baking powder that made the biscuits light and fluffy." "Really?" Lexi looked surprised. "Well, then maybe I had the most important job of all, even if it wasn't as much fun to do as the gooey part." "Not necessarily. All the ingredients were important, not just the baking powder," said Mom. "Every team member had an important job to do." She looked at Lexi. "We're something like recipe ingredients too." "What do you mean by that?" asked Lexi, perplexed. Mom laughed. "I mean that God has given unique gifts and abilities to each of us--all different, but all needed. As Christians work together and use our different gifts, we show the world God's love and point people to Jesus. It's easy to make judgments about how big or small someone's skills might be, including our own, but each gift is equally important. All of our abilities were given to us by God, and He wants us to use them to serve Him and show His love to other people." "I think I get it," said Lexi. She grinned. "Okay. I'll be the very best ingredient I can be--even if I'm not the gooey part!" –Della R. Oberholtzer How About You? Have you ever wished you could do something someone else could do? Do you feel like your role in God's work in the world isn't as important as someone else's? God loves each of us dearly and has given us special gifts. As Christians work together, each talent and ability is important in helping more people know about Jesus. Know that God sees all you do and is glorified when you use your gifts to show His love to others. Today's Key Verse: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. (NIV) (1 Corinthians 12:4 ) Today's Key Thought: Everybody is important to God's work

Bible Reading: James 1:21-25 Hurry up, Dad, thought Landon as his dad read a Bible passage aloud. Landon was anxious for morning devotions to end so the day's fishing trip could begin. It seemed like a long time before Dad finally closed with prayer. "Okay, let's go!" said Landon as soon as Dad said "Amen." He grinned at his mother. "We'll bring you some fish for dinner." When they got to the river, Landon and Dad quickly cast their fishing lines into the water. They talked as they waited for the fish to bite, but they didn't get even one nibble. "Maybe they heard us talk about frying them!" joked Landon as he and Dad moved along the riverbank to try a different spot. A few minutes later, something tugged at Landon's line. "I've got a bite!" he exclaimed. He reeled in his catch. "My dinner!" he announced, holding the fish above his head. Landon frowned as he took the fish off the hook and inspected it. "I thought talking too loud was scaring the fish away, but fish don't even have ears." "Sure they do," said Dad. "You just can't see them. Fish have internal ears--that is, ears on the inside--not external ones like us." He tugged gently on Landon's ear. "But you know what?" Landon shook his head. "What?" "Well," said Dad, "even though our ears are on the outside of our heads, our most important hearing takes place on the inside in our hearts. That happens when we listen carefully to the message God has for us. His message is in the Bible--it tells us about our need for Jesus and how we should live as God's children who have been freed from sin. When we listen to that message, God helps us live out its truth." Landon thought about their devotions that morning. He had heard Dad's voice, but he knew he hadn't listened with his heart to God's message. "I didn't do a good job of that this morning." Dad patted his shoulder. "None of us listen perfectly all the time, but God is patient with us. He's also given us the Holy Spirit to help us listen and act on His words." Landon nodded. "Maybe tonight I'll reread the devotions and listen better this time." He grinned. "After I eat some freshly caught fish, that is!" –Nance E. Keyes How About You? How well do you listen when someone reads the Bible or talks about what it means? Do you just hear words, or do you hear a message from God and take it to heart? Every single one of God's words is specially given to us so that we can know God better and experience His love and power in our lives. Trust Him to help you listen to all He says with your heart and put it into practice. Today's Key Verse: Jesus replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice." (NLT) (Luke 11:28) Today's Key Thought: Listen to God with your heart

Bible Reading: Matthew 6:1-4 "Who would like to take this form to the principal for me?" asked Mrs. Li. "It's very important, and he's waiting for it." Flynn raised his hand high for his teacher to see. "Flynn, you may go," she said. Flynn proudly walked to the principal's office with the form in his hand. But when he got there, the principal wasn't there. He dropped the form on the principal's desk and walked slowly back to class. "Some important job," he muttered to himself. At recess, Flynn collected all the balls from around the playground and put them in the bin. No one seemed to notice. On his way home, a woman dropped her keys on the sidewalk. Flynn scooped them up and handed them back to her. But she scurried away without even a "thank you." Flynn sighed and trudged home. His mom was in the kitchen when he arrived. "Want a snack?" she asked. Flynn shrugged. "What's wrong, Flynn?" asked Mom. "Everything okay?" "My teacher at church says that since Jesus saved us we're supposed to do good deeds to show others His love and that we have faith in Him. But what's the point if no one even notices the good things I do?" Mom paused. "Do you remember the year Dad was out of work?" she asked. "Yeah," said Flynn. He did remember. It was a hard year. "And do you remember how a grocery card and Bible verse appeared in our mailbox every single week?" asked Mom. Again Flynn nodded. "Those verses and gift cards kept us going during a very hard time, but we never found out who was behind it," Mom said. "Why didn't they let us thank them?" "I guess it just made them feel good to help us," said Flynn. "I'm sure it did," said Mom. "But I also think they knew that the Bible tells us to do our good deeds in secret and that God, who sees everything, will reward us. Even though your good deeds may not get any appreciation here on earth, keep doing them. God sees every good thing you do for others out of the love He has shown you, and He knows you're doing them for Him." –Laura Kuehn How About You? Do you get frustrated when the good things you do are not appreciated by others? Don't stop doing good. Jesus, who loves you so much that He died for your sins to make you God's child, appreciates every good thing you do out of the love you have for Him. Remember that you are serving Him, not people, and that He will reward you in His way and in His time. Today's Key Verse: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (NIV) (Galatians 6:9) Today's Key Thought: God sees your good deeds

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Grace and Alicia got off the bus and walked to Grace's front door. "Our church is having a kids' festival on Saturday," said Grace. "We'll have crafts and food, and the high schoolers will perform a drama about Jesus's death and resurrection. You want to come?" "Nah," said Alicia. "My parents say church is made up of people who believe in silly things. Besides, I think it's crazy to think that something that happened so long ago makes any difference in people's lives today." Alyssa quickly changed the subject. "What topic did Mr. Larsen give you for your history project? I got Armistice Day. Mr. Larsen said that was the day World War I ended. What did you get?" "The Lusitania," said Grace. "Mr. Larsen said that was a British ship that was torpedoed right before the war. I don't know much about it, but I think my parents have a picture of it." Grace's mom greeted them when they walked in. "Did you get your project topics today?" she asked. "Alicia got Armistice Day, and I got the Lusitania," said Grace. "Don't you have a picture of that around here somewhere?" "I do," Mom said. "Because you know what, Grace? If the Lusitania hadn't been destroyed by a torpedo, you wouldn't be here!" Grace was puzzled. "What do you mean?" "Your great-great-grandfather's first wife was sailing from New York to England to visit her very ill father. She was on the Lusitania and lost her life when it went down. A few years later, your great-great-grandfather married again and your great-grandmother was born, followed by my mother and then me and then you. None of us would've been here without the Lusitania sinking. Life would've been very different for our family if that event hadn't happened." "Wow," Grace said, "I didn't know that." Then she thought of something. "Alicia, you said a long-ago event couldn't make a difference in our lives today, but that's not true! Just like the Lusitania changed lives in our family, Jesus's death and resurrection changes lives too! What He did changes everything, because now anyone can be forgiven for their sins and have a relationship with God." "I never thought about it like that," said Alicia. "Maybe I'll go with you Saturday after all." –Linda Weddle How About You? Is there a historical event that changed your family's history? What about Jesus's death and resurrection--has that made a difference in your life? If God hadn't sent His Son to die for our sins and then raised Him from the dead, we wouldn't be able to have His joy and peace in our lives and the promise of eternal life with Him. Jesus changes lives, and if you trust in Him, He will change yours today! (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and…He was buried, and…He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (NKJV) (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ) Today's Key Thought: Jesus's death and resurrection changes lives

Bible Reading: Acts 20:17-21 "The British are coming! The British are coming!" Jacob cried as he spurred his horse past Uncle Eric and thundered through the pasture back toward the barn. Uncle Eric soon caught up. "You must have learned about the Revolutionary War and how Paul Revere warned the colonists that enemy troops were coming," he said as they slowed the horses to a walk for the rest of the way in. Jacob grinned and nodded. "I wish I could have lived back then. Riding at night to warn people of danger must have been really exciting!" Uncle Eric shrugged. "Exciting, yes, but don't you think it sounds scary too? How many of us would really have dared to do that and risked getting captured?" "I would have!" Jacob exclaimed as he dismounted and led his horse inside the barn to rub him down. "Maybe," said Uncle Eric thoughtfully. "But we have an even more important message to share with people, yet sometimes fear keeps me from sharing it." Jacob looked doubtful. "What do we have to tell people about?" Uncle Eric began to rub down his horse. "God has given Christians the task of sharing His message of love with the world. We need to tell people that Jesus died and rose again to free us from sin and that the only way we can be forgiven for our wrongs and have eternal life is by trusting in Him." "Oh!" Jacob frowned. "Won't they think we're kind of weird?" "Do you think Paul Revere worried about what people might think when he warned them that the British were coming?" asked Uncle Eric. Jacob shook his head. "But we worry about things like that, don't we?" said Uncle Eric. "Our message is far more important than Paul Revere's, yet we often keep quiet out of fear of being embarrassed or judged. But time is short, just like it was for Paul Revere. Jesus is coming again one day to bring all those who trust in Him to live with Him forever, and no one knows when that will be. That's why we need to depend on Him to give us the courage to tell others about Him now." Jacob latched the door shut behind his horse and got an idea. "Next time we ride, maybe I'll shout, 'Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming!'" –Jean A. Burns How About You? Have you ever shared the message of Jesus's love and forgiveness with someone? God wants every single person on this planet to experience His love, and He wants us to be part of His work! If you trust Jesus as your Savior, you can ask Him to give you the words to say and the opportunity to share the good news of His love with others. Today's Key Verse: And then [Jesus] told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." (NLT) (Mark 16:15 ) Today's Key Thought: Share the message of Jesus

Bible Reading: Psalms 23; 139:1-6; Matthew 7:9-11 "Layla is crying again," Kiera told her aunt. "What do you think she wants this time?" "She's probably hungry," said Aunt Michelle as she picked up her five-week-old baby. "She can't do anything for herself, can she?" asked Kiera. "You have to pick her up and carry her. You dress her, you feed her, you rock her, and you have to give her baths." "That's right," said Aunt Michelle. "Right now your little cousin depends on me for almost everything. I take care of her day and night." When Kiera returned home, she told her parents all about Baby Layla. "Aunt Michelle must get really tired," said Kiera. "She has so much work to do. She does everything but breathe for that baby!" "We were all babies like that once," Dad said. "You were too, and Mom and I did the same things for you." "Well, I'm not like that anymore," replied Kiera, standing tall. "I take care of myself." "I'm still like a baby in some ways," said Mom. Kiera giggled. "But I am!" Mom insisted. "I depend on my Father for everything. Sometimes I get upset because He doesn't meet my needs right when I want Him to. But most of the time I rest, trusting my Father to care for me." "But Grandpa lives in California!" said Kiera. "You don't depend on him to take care of you." Dad smiled. "Mom isn't talking about her earthly father. She's talking about God--her heavenly Father." Mom nodded. "My heavenly Father is with me day and night. I need Him all the time." "We all do," said Dad. "Aunt Michelle loves Baby Layla, so she's happy to take care of all her needs. But just think of how much more God loves us, and how much more capable He is in providing everything we need. When we needed a Savior to rescue us from sin, God loved us enough to send His own Son, Jesus." "Right," Mom said. "Unlike human parents caring for their children, God knows what we need before we can even ask for it." "Well, then I guess it's okay to be like a baby in that way," said Kiera. "I know I want God to take good care of me!" –Nance E. Keyes How About You? Do you know that in some ways you're like a baby? Even though you're much bigger and able to do lots of things a baby can't, you still need to depend on God. He gives you the air you breathe and provides everything you need. He knows how to best care for you and understands your deepest needs and desires. Trust that He is a good Father to you--His precious child. Today's Key Verse: If you…know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him. (CSB) (Matthew 7:11) Today's Key Thought: God takes care of you

Bible Reading: Galatians 3:11-13; 4:4-7 "Mom, what does 'redeem' mean?" asked Brock. "Redeem?" repeated Mom. "It means to buy back. Why?" Brock pointed to a coupon in a paper. "This coupon for popsicles says it will be 'redeemed in accordance with company policy.' Does that mean somebody will buy the coupon back?" Mom nodded. "An ice cream company put that coupon in the paper to get people to buy their popsicles. After the coupon is used at the store, the ice cream company will redeem it--they'll buy it back by giving the store the amount of money the customer saved with the coupon." Brock's sister Madeline looked at the coupon. "I'd rather have ice cream bars," she said. "Do you think they'd let us use the coupon for that?" "I don't think they'd allow that," Mom replied. "'Redeemed in accordance with company policy' means according to their redemption policy--their rules." She looked at the kids thoughtfully. "You know, the Bible talks about redemption too," she said. "You mean people way back in Bible times used coupons?" asked Madeline. Brock grinned. "I don't think so! I'm sure they didn't have coupons back then." Mom laughed. "No, but when Jesus died on the cross, He paid the price for us to be redeemed by God. Everyone has sinned and strayed away from God, but Jesus gave His life to buy us back." "So does that mean God has a redemption policy like this ice cream company does?" Brock asked, holding up the coupon. "Yes," Mom said. "And that means we have to be redeemed according to God's rules. God has a pretty simple redemption policy, but people often don't want to follow it. They want to make their own rules. Many people think they're not really so bad or that the good things they do will get them into heaven." "But that's not God's way of redeeming us, is it?" said Madeline. "No," said Mom. "God's redemption policy requires that we confess our sin and our need for Him to redeem us. We must believe that Jesus really did die to save us. We need to trust in Him as our Redeemer--our Savior." "I've done that!" Brock said. "Me too," said Madeline. She looked at her brother. "So we've both been redeemed!" – Lyndel F. Walker How About You? Have you taken advantage of God's redemption offer? Or are you trying to get to heaven according to your own plan? It doesn't work that way. You can only be redeemed and have eternal life with God in accordance with His redemption policy. Jesus paid the price of your redemption. Trust Him as your Redeemer today. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: In [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (NKJV) (Colossians 1:14) Today's Key Thought: Trust Jesus and be redeemed

Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:17 Jadyn thrust his blue foam sword at his brother's arm and shouted, "Ha! I got you." Tyler smacked his green foam sword across Jadyn's leg and yelled back, "I hit your leg! You can't fight now." "I don't need two legs. I will fight you to the death!" Jadyn hopped on one foot and sliced his sword down, narrowly missing Tyler's hand. "Well, I will fight you until snack time!" Tyler swung his sword high in the air with both hands, his eyes wide with intensity. "Snack time!" Mom called from the front porch. The boys tossed their swords to the ground like paper airplanes taking a nose dive and scrambled to get to Mom first. "You boys having fun?" Mom sat on the front step as she handed out the snacks. Tyler took a large bite out of his apple, while Jadyn put an entire granola bar in his mouth and chewed like a squirrel saving nuts for winter. "We are the strongest boys on the block, and we have the best weapons!" Tyler said with apple juice running down his chin. "Yeah, we're good fighters," Jadyn mumbled through his mouth full of granola. "I believe it," Mom said. "But there's an even more powerful weapon than your blue and green swords. Do you know you can have the greatest weapon of all time?" The boys' eyes bulged as they looked at each other in excitement. "Really? Where is it?" Tyler asked as he took another bite of his apple. "Well, Ephesians 6:17 says that we have the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. There isn't anything more powerful in the world than the Word of God. That's why we memorize Bible verses--to keep our sharp swords ready for use." "I don't get it. How can words be swords?" Jadyn asked. "Remember when you were scared last week, and we read a verse about God's peace?" asked Mom. "You felt better after that. That's God's Word going to battle for you. It reminded you that you belong to Jesus and can have His peace in any situation." "Oh, I get it," said Tyler. "We'll be sharpening our God-swords when we do our devotions tonight!" He looked at his brother. "But now, we fight!" The boys laughed and ran to pick up their swords. – Tannis Oliveri How About You? Do you want to be strong and courageous? Do you want the best weapon to help you defeat the enemies in your life? Then take time to make sure God's Word is in your heart and mind. When you feel attacked, you'll be able to bring His Word to your situation. Let its truth speak God's power into your life as you read it, study it, and remember what it says. Today's Key Verse: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. (NKJV) (Hebrews 4:12) Today's Key Thought: Read and memorize God's Word

Bible Reading: Matthew 6:25-34 Elliot looked out the kitchen window. It had rained all morning, but now the sun was shining brightly. The leaves on the big tree outside were golden and seemed to glow in the sunlight. If only those leaves could be turned into real gold, thought Elliot. Then Mom and I could solve all our problems. He sighed. He couldn't help worrying now that his mom had lost her job. Things had already been tight before--how would they manage now? Turning toward his mother, he asked, "What are we going to do about money, Mom?" "Don't you worry about that," said Mom. "I have a bit saved up, and I'm sure I'll find another job soon. There are lots of jobs available in the medical field." As Mom stood beside Elliot at the window, several sparrows swooped down and perched on the volleyball net someone had set up in the courtyard of their apartment building. Under the weight of the birds, the net sagged and swayed in the wind. Soon the thin, weak poles that supported the net became uprooted, and everything crashed to the ground. Elliot and Mom watched as the frightened birds flew away. "You know, Elliot," said Mom, "that flimsy net is like money and material things. When we count on them to hold us up in times of trouble, they always fail, just like that net failed those birds. Aren't you glad we can count on someone who never fails?" "You mean God, don't you?" said Elliot. "That's right," said Mom. "I'm thinking of a verse you learned at camp this summer--the one about birds. Do you remember it?" "About birds?" Elliot thought about it. "I think I remember. We learned Matthew 6:26, which says, 'Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?'" Mom nodded. "God takes care of the birds, and He'll provide for our needs too. Jesus has already provided for our biggest need of all by saving us from sin and giving us eternal life. Because of that, He is always with us, and we can trust Him to take care of us." Elliot smiled. "I'm glad He never fails." – Dorothy R. King How About You? Do you know someone who is out of work? Or maybe you're worried your own family might not have enough money for all the things you need. Pray about it, and trust God to provide. He loves you so much that He sent His own Son to die for your sins, and He cares more about you than you could ever imagine. You can trust Him to provide you with everything you need. Today's Key Verse: My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (NIV) (Philippians 4:19 ) Today's Key Thought: God provides all you need

Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:14-18 "Okay, class, change of plans," called Miss Allen from the front of the bus. Ana could barely hear her because of the wind and rain beating against the bus windows. "Due to the storm, we're not going to be able to visit the zoo today after all. However, the state capitol is not far away, and they said they could fit us in for a last-minute tour, so we'll be going there instead." All the kids groaned except for Ana's friend Evelyn, who bounced up and down in the seat next to her. When they got to the capitol building, a tour guide greeted them at the door and led them down a long hallway decorated with gaudy statues. "This is boring," one of the boys complained. He tugged on the tour guide's sleeve. "Can we see the governor?" The tour guide shook his head. "As much as he would like to, the governor isn't able to visit with every school class that comes through. Thousands of kids visit the building each year." Just then several important-looking people emerged from the elevator. "That's the governor in the gray suit," the tour guide whispered. Suddenly Evelyn started running toward the group of people. "Uncle Mike!" she called out. The governor turned and held out his arms when he saw Evelyn to give her a hug, then he walked her back to her class, who were all staring at them open-mouthed. "My niece tells me your field trip to the zoo didn't work out," he said. "Maybe you kids would like to see my office instead?" That night Ana excitedly told her family about everything her class had seen at the capitol that day, thanks to Evelyn. "Like they say, it all depends on who you know," said her older brother. "True," said Dad. "Evelyn gave you access to the governor. She was your go-between." Ana smiled. "I know what you're going to say next, Dad. In our devotions this week, we talked about Jesus being our go-between--the mediator between us and God. Through Him we have access to our heavenly Father because Jesus paid the price for our sin and made us right with God." "I'm glad you were listening, Ana--and your trip to the capitol today is a perfect example." – Linda Weddle How About You? Have you ever gotten to meet someone well-known or go somewhere special because of who you know? Did you know that, because of Jesus, you can have access to God? You can't approach God on your own because of your sin, but Jesus died to take your sins away. Anyone who trusts in Him has full access to God. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus. (NIV) (1 Timothy 2:5) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is our mediator

Bible Reading: Philippians 2:13-16 "Whenever I get home from school, all I want is food that's cool," chanted Marina, making up the rhyme as she opened the freezer and took out an ice cream bar. She grinned at her brother Archer. Archer rolled his eyes and made up a rhyme of his own. "I think your rhyme is kind of sad--your poetry is really bad." Marina laughed and went outside to where her mother was working in the garden. "Hello, Mother with a thumb that's green. You have the best vegetables I've seen." Mom smiled. "Still working on that poem you need for school?" "I'm trying, but all I can think of are silly things," said Marina. When Dad arrived home, Marina greeted him with another one of her rhymes. "Dad, your work day is finally done. Now it's time to have some fun!" "Oh, Marina, I think your poems are getting worse," said Archer. "How about this? Mom, that chicken pasta looks so yummy. I want to put it in my tummy!" Dad laughed and joined in. "My family's always such a delight. It's a joy to be with them each night." As he sat down at the table, he said, "Actually, I know of a very special poem. It's mentioned in the Bible--in Ephesians 2:10." "That was our verse at church last week!" exclaimed Marina. "It says, 'For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.' But that doesn't rhyme like a poem, and it doesn't say anything about a poem." "The word handiwork comes from the Greek word poiema--that's the word we get our English word poem from," Dad explained. "So to say we are God's handiwork is like saying we are His poem." "I like that," said Marina with a grin. Dad smiled. "And just like a poem can bring joy to people through its words, you can bring joy to people through your good works--the good things you do for others that show them the love of Jesus. God created us to do these things and gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us in doing them. We are His poems that tell the story of the great things He has done for us." Marina's eyes lit up. "God is our Creator, and He made us for something greater!" – Lyndel F. Walker How About You? Do you have a favorite poem? If you're a Christian, remember that you are God's poem, created to love Him and bless others. God created you with unique gifts and passions, and He gave you the Holy Spirit to help you do the good things He calls you to do. When you love and help other people, you're pointing them toward your Author--Jesus Christ. Today's Key Verse: For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV) (Ephesians 2:10) Today's Key Thought: Christians are God's poems

Bible Reading: Psalm 57:7-11 "Let's get ready for church," said Dad. "We don't want to be late." "Dad says that every week," Amos told his sister, Maggie. "We should get ready early some Sunday, just to see if it's really Dad talking or if it's a recording that plays every week." Dad grinned and nodded. When they arrived at church, no other cars were there. "That's odd," said Mom. "I wonder what--" She stopped and pulled out her phone. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. "We're an hour early! Last spring we moved the clocks ahead an hour, and last night we were supposed to set them back again." They could hardly believe that no one had remembered to change the clocks around the house. "While we wait, let's get ready for church," suggested Dad. Maggie giggled. "It must be a recording after all, Amos. We woke up, ate breakfast, cleaned up, got dressed, and even came to church a whole hour early--but the recording is still going off!" Dad laughed with the rest of the family. "We prepared our bodies," he said, "but it would be good to prepare our hearts for worship too, and today we have time." "We can't feed our hearts breakfast," said Amos. "Sure we can. We can feed on God's Word for a few minutes." Dad opened his Bible and read a short passage aloud. "Okay, but we can't wash our hearts, can we?" asked Maggie when Dad finished reading. "Sure we can," said Dad. "We can search our hearts and confess sins to Jesus, and He'll cleanse us." "We can't dress our hearts though," said Amos. "Sure we can!" Maggie echoed Dad's words before he could say them. Then she looked at her parents. "But how?" "How about by praising God?" suggested Mom. "Singing praises to Him can help set our mood for worship. What should we sing?" Amos suggested a praise song, and Maggie wanted an old hymn she liked, so the family sang them both. "Maybe we should do this every Sunday and really get ready for church," Maggie said as other cars began to arrive. "Is that my recording I hear?" asked Dad. They all left the car smiling. – Nance E. Keyes How About You? Do you prepare your heart as well as your body for worship? It's good to be clean and look nice, but it's also important to make sure your heart is ready to worship God and learn from His Word. Next time you get ready for a church service, pray that God would soften your heart and open your eyes and ears to the things He has for you. Today's Key Verse: Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart. (NKJV) (Psalm 10:17) Today's Key Thought: Prepare your heart for worship

Bible Reading: John 3:3; 14:1-6; 1 Peter 1:3-5 "Do you really believe what your Sunday school teacher said?" asked Oscar. He was spending the weekend with his friend Michael while his parents were out of town. "Your teacher said some people won't go to heaven. If that's true, who gets to go? Do you? Do I?" "Like Mr. George said, only people who trust Jesus as their Savior will go to heaven," Michael replied. "Well, I don't get it," said Oscar. "Can we ask your dad?" Michael nodded, and the boys went to the living room where Michael's father was reading. Oscar cleared his throat. "Hey, Mr. Woods, everybody will go to heaven, right?" Mr. Woods shook his head. "Not everybody." He looked at Oscar and rubbed his chin. "Oscar, when you go home after school each day, do you ever ask yourself, 'Will Mom let me stay for dinner?' Or, 'Will my parents give me a bed to sleep in tonight?' Or maybe, 'What will I do if Mom and Dad don't let me in the house today?' Do questions like that ever come to your mind?" Oscar laughed at such a ridiculous idea. "Of course not! I'm their kid, so it's my home." "Well, it's the same way with God's family," said Mr. Woods. "When you trust Jesus as your Savior, you become a child of God--part of His family--and your home is in heaven with Him. If you haven't trusted in Jesus, you're not part of God's family, and heaven isn't your home." Michael turned to his friend and asked, "Are you part of God's family, Oscar?" Slowly, Oscar shook his head. "You can be," Mr. Woods told him. "You were physically born into your parents' family, so you're their son. To be part of God's family, you need to be born again--not physically, but spiritually." "How do I do that?" asked Oscar. "That's the best part--God has already done all the work for us! Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again so that we could have eternal life with Him. When we trust that His work is enough to make us part of God's family, we have a home with Him forever." Mr. Woods picked up his Bible. "Come sit and let me explain, okay?" Oscar nodded. "Okay," he said and took a seat. – Nani T. Bell How About You? Is your home in heaven with Jesus? The Bible says that everyone who trusts Jesus as their Savior is born into God's family, and their home is with Him. The only way to have eternal life is through Jesus. Trust in Him today, and you will have a home with Him in heaven forever. Is your home in heaven with Jesus? The Bible says that everyone who trusts Jesus as their Savior is born into God's family, and their home is with Him. The only way to have eternal life is through Jesus. Trust in Him today, and you will have a home with Him in heaven forever. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. (NLT) (Philippians 3:20) Today's Key Thought: Heaven is home for Christians

Bible Reading: Psalm 136:1-9 "Our room is going to look so cool!" Ivy said as she set her brush down and took a seat on the floor. She and her twin sister, Elinor, had just finished painting their room completely black. After it dried, they were going to put star-shaped glow-in-the-dark stickers all over the walls. "It's going to be like sleeping outside!" Elinor said. "Okay, now we need to decide how we're going to put the stickers up," said Ivy. "Do we want to do some sort of pattern or just put them up randomly?" Just then Mom walked in. "The walls look good, girls." She turned on the overhead light. "I'm glad you're going to add the stickers though, otherwise it would be pretty dark in here." "Thanks, Mom," said Elinor. "That light helps--it's only three in the afternoon and it's already getting hard to see in here!" "Yeah," said Ivy. "Can you imagine what it would be like if God had made the sky completely black, without any stars or light?" "That would be pretty dark," replied Elinor. "Do you remember when we first moved here and we'd try to find the bathroom in the middle of the night with no lights on?" "I do," said Mom. "You girls got so many bruises from running into things that we finally had to get a night light." "Yes, and we were sure thankful for it!" Elinor picked up a star sticker from the floor. "I'm thankful God gives us night lights outside too. The stars and moon are beautiful to look at." "And bright," added Ivy. "When the sky is clear and the moon is full, we don't even need the house light on to play basketball." Mom nodded. "Sometimes we take for granted all that God has created and provided for us. It's important to remember to pause and thank Him for everything. I'm thankful that Jesus is the light of my life and that He loves me enough to die for my sins." Ivy sat up. "Elinor, that gives me an idea for how we should arrange the stickers! Let's scatter them around, but in the center of one of the walls, we form the words 'Give Thanks.'" "Let's do it!" said Elinor. "That will be a good reminder to thank God for everything He's done for us." – Melissa Yeagle How About You? Do you remember to thank God for everything He's given you? He created this beautiful world for us to enjoy and provides for our needs each day. He gave us His own Son, Jesus, who died and rose again to save us from sin so we could live with Him forever. What are some things you're thankful for today? Take a few moments to pray and give thanks to God for the wonderful things He's given you. Today's Key Verse: Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (NKJV) (Psalm 136:1) Today's Key Thought: Give thanks to God

Bible Reading: Psalm 118:6-9; Isaiah 41:10 Danae was excited when she returned home from an afternoon of horseback riding. "That was so much fun!" she told her family. "We went on a trail ride through the woods. My horse was spooked once, but I didn't fall off!" "Spooked?" asked Dallas, Danae's little brother. "Did you see a ghost?" Danae laughed. "No, Dallas. It's just that when horses see something they don't expect--like a piece of paper blowing in the wind--they might all of a sudden jump sideways or try to run away. We call that being spooked. If you're not a good rider, you might fall off when the horse does that." "Horses are so big!" said Dallas. "Why would papers scare them?" Danae shrugged. "I don't know. They just do. But if the horse knows you and trusts you, he usually calms down and you can get him to go places he'd be scared to go otherwise." "Sounds like you've learned a lot about horses and how to ride them," said Dad. "Your description of how a horse responds when he trusts his rider is a good picture of how we should respond when we truly trust God." Danae tilted her head. "You mean we shouldn't be afraid to go wherever God wants us to go because we can trust Him to take care of us?" "Exactly," said Dad. "We need to trust Him in every situation. Sometimes we get spooked when unexpected things happen in our lives. We need to learn to trust God to take us through all the scary places." "Like when Mom was diagnosed with cancer?" asked Dallas. "That was scary." Mom nodded. "It was scary for me too. But your dad's right--we can trust God to take care of us in scary situations like that. Even though I was afraid of what might happen, I knew that because Jesus died to save me, He would always be with me through everything. Knowing that gave me peace and helped me not be afraid." "I didn't know I'd learn all this just from horseback riding," Danae said. A mischievous grin crept across Dallas's face. "Maybe it's time for me to take lessons too so we can all learn more about Jesus!" – Deborah S. Marett How About You? What things in life spook you--what scares you or makes you nervous? When you face scary situations, remember that Jesus is with you and in control of everything that happens. He loves you so much that He gave His life for you, and He promises to take care of you. Trust Him to help you through any situation. Today's Key Verse: In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. (NKJV) (Psalm 56:11) Today's Key Thought: Trust God in scary situations

Bible Reading: Psalm 34:1-15; 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Thea inhaled the mist from her nebulizer. She felt her chest muscles relax as air rushed in. Just a few minutes before, an asthma attack had robbed her of her breath. "How do you feel now?" Mom asked as Thea let out a breath. "Better," Thea said. "I wish I didn't have asthma." "I know," Mom said. "But thank God we have this medicine when you do have an attack." "Mom, why doesn't God just heal my asthma like I've asked Him to?" asked Thea. "Doesn't He like me?" "I don't know why God heals some people and not others. Even when Jesus lived on earth, some sick people weren't healed. But we know that Jesus loved them and that He loves you because He died so we could have our sins forgiven." "Then why pray about it if God isn't going to heal me?" Thea asked. "I still have the medicine to make me feel better when I need it." "Remember when we took you to the emergency room during your first asthma attack?" Mom asked. "Yeah, that was scary," Thea said. "I could hardly breathe at all! Then Dr. Singh came. He knew what medicines I needed." "Maybe since you have your medicine, we don't need Dr. Singh anymore," Mom suggested. "But Mom, he's in charge of my treatment plan!" Thea protested. "You're right, Thea. We still need Dr. Singh--and we also need God. When we pray, we're asking God to take charge of our lives. God loves you and is working for your good. In fact, God gave the knowledge to treat asthma to doctors like Dr. Singh. Your medicines came from the earth He created. Your doctor isn't here for every attack, but we trust and follow his treatment plan. We don't know all the ways God is working in our lives, but we know He loves us and is always with us, even when doctors can't be. We can trust that God knows just what we need and is bringing about good, even when He doesn't answer our prayers the way we ask." Thea sighed. "Then I guess the best treatment plan for my asthma is to keep praying and let God be in charge." – Heidi Schmidt How About You? Have you given up praying for a problem that has lasted a long time? Are you unsure what God is doing about it? Remember that prayer is asking God to be in charge. Prayer invites Him to be with you and bring His power into your life. God always hears you. He loves you and gave you the gift of His Son, Jesus, who died to give you eternal life. You can trust Him to work for your good. Today's Key Verse: The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. (NKJV) (Psalm 34:15) Today's Key Thought: Ask God to take charge of your life

Bible Reading: Philippians 2:1-4 "Oh man! Julie's here again?" whined Luke. "I told Aunt Megan I would watch her for a few hours," said Mom. "What's wrong? I thought you loved your baby cousin." "She's fine, I guess. It's just that whenever she's here, Kevin totally ignores me. He doesn't want to play or go outside. He just wants to hold Julie. What's so great about her, anyway?" muttered Luke. "She can't even do anything," "Let me show you something we liked to do with you when you were a baby," said Mom as she led him to Julie and his older brother, Kevin. "It takes a while for a baby's sight to develop. Julie can only see things that are eight inches away from her face." "Really? How far is that?" asked Luke. "That's just the right distance to see whoever's holding her," Mom replied. "Watch this." She slowly stuck her tongue in and out of her mouth at Julie. Julie started doing it back! "The only time it's not rude to stick out your tongue is if you're playing with a baby," Luke said with a laugh. "Let me try!" Much to Luke's delight, Julie mimicked him too. "Let's try peekaboo," suggested Kevin. Luke covered his face with his hands and then suddenly pulled them away and said, "Peekaboo!" Julie started kicking excitedly and huffed with joy. Then Kevin and Luke both tried the tongue trick again. When Aunt Megan arrived, Luke asked if Julie could stay longer. "I guess Julie grew on you, Luke," said Mom. "Once I realized she could see me, it was fun to connect with her," said Luke. "And that connection is important," said Mom. "Julie was looking up at you today, and she'll continue to look up to you as she grows. Just like you enjoy having your brother's attention, younger kids will thrive when you give them your attention, and you'll be showing them God's love too. He wants us to help younger children grow by loving and caring for them the way He loves and cares for us as His children." "I guess that means I'll have to stop sticking my tongue out at Julie," said Luke with a smile. – Kelly Bakshi How About You? Do you show younger children that you care about them? Do you know that you play an important role as a big kid? Babies and younger kids are always watching you. Don't ignore them--they are gifts from God! Show them you care by talking and playing with them and making them feel loved. As you care for them and help them learn and grow, you'll be pointing them to the love God has for us. Today's Key Verse: Don't be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too. (ERV) (Philippians 2:4) Today's Key Thought: Care for young children

Bible Reading: Psalms 27:5-10, 14; 91:14-16 Because there was so much arguing going on inside the house, no one heard Jude slip out the back door. He ran across the yard and shimmied up his favorite tree. Somehow, sitting in the big old tree made Jude feel better--safe from things like noise and heartache. The tree was his hiding place and escape. Jude stayed in the tree for a long time. He listened to birds chirp and sing. He watched small, quick squirrels run around the yard. The day looked better from high up in his favorite hiding place. There were no problems here. Still, his heart was very heavy. "Jude!" called Mom from the back door. "Where are you?" Jude saw that his grandma was there too, so he climbed down and walked slowly toward the house. "Grandma wants to know if you'd like to go home with her for a while," said Mom. "Do you want to?" Eagerly, Jude nodded. "That tree you were in must be very special to you," Grandma said as they got into the car. "Your mom says you spend a lot of time there." "I like it up there," said Jude. "It's away from everything." He sighed. "But it's almost winter. Then I won't be able to hide in my tree anymore." "Sounds like you'll need a new hiding place," said Grandma. "And you know what? There's an even better place where you can take shelter from the things that trouble you." Jude was surprised. "There is? Where?" "Any place you want it to be," Grandma replied. "It's the Lord's presence. Because you trust in Jesus, His Spirit lives in you, and He's always with you. He wants to help you and remind you how much He loves you. You can talk to Him anywhere, anytime." Jude kicked his feet together, looking down at the mat in the car rather than his Grandma's gentle gaze. "What if I don't want to talk about it, even with God? Grandma was silent for a moment. "Then remember that Jesus knows exactly what you're going through and promises to give you strength," she finally said. "If you don't want to talk, remember that He loves you so much He died for you, and know that you're safe in His care. He will listen whenever you're ready and will carry you through." – Nance E. Keyes How About You? Where do you go when you feel hurt, sad, or afraid? When you feel like you need to get away and hide, remember that God is with you. He wants to be your shelter and your hiding place. He provides comfort and peace through His Word, His Spirit, and the community around you. Wherever you are, He is with you, and He cares for you deeply and promises to help you. Today's Key Verse: The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. (CSB) (Psalm 91:1) Today's Key Thought: Rest in God's care