Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:16; Colossians 2:2-3

The teacher handed out the graded test papers, placing them face down on the desks. Layla was afraid to turn hers over and instead slipped it into her notebook without looking. When the bell rang, she shoved her notebook and jacket into her backpack and headed for home.

Halfway to her house, Layla sat on a stack of tires at the corner of an auto repair shop. She pulled out her notebook and then the graded test. Just as she thought--a big red F! She wadded the test paper up and threw it in the trash can next to the mechanic's garage.

"I hate school!" exclaimed Layla as she walked into the kitchen. "Reading is too hard."

Mom looked concerned. "Isn't that special reading class helping you?"

"Not really." Layla sat in a chair with a sigh. "The teacher is nice and all, but nothing seems to change. I feel so dumb!"

Mom smoothed Layla's hair away from her face. "You're not dumb, Layla. I know you want to do better with your reading, and I'm proud of you for working so hard. Reading is an important skill to have in life, and I'm glad you want to learn how to do it well." Mom smiled thoughtfully. "Did you know there's something even more important to have in your life--something you can't learn on your own?"

Layla shook her head. "What's that?"

"Wisdom," answered Mom. "Wisdom lets us know what is true and right and shows us how to apply that truth to our lives."

"How do we get wisdom?" asked Layla.

"I was hoping you'd ask," said Mom with a grin. "The Bible tells us to ask God for wisdom, and He will gladly give it to us."

"So, I just need to pray and I'll be smarter?" Layla asked, looking confused.

"Being wise is more than being smart and knowing information--it's about knowing God's truth and trusting in Him. In order to have wisdom, we need to have faith in Jesus. Then, as He works in our lives through the Holy Spirit, we will grow in wisdom and in our knowledge of Him."

"I'm glad God gives us wisdom when we ask for it," said Layla. "I'm going to pray and ask Him to help me with my reading too!"

–Bonnie Carr

How About You?
Do you wish you were smarter? Do you have questions you can't figure out the answer to? While it's important to study in school and learn new things, you'll never have all the answers. Only God does, and knowing Him is more important than knowing anything else. Ask Him to give you wisdom, and He will help you see how much you need Jesus. When you know Him as your Savior, He will help you grow in wisdom and understanding.

Today's Key Verse:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (NIV) (James 1:5 )

Today's Key Thought:
Pray for wisdom

Bible Reading: John 4:7-14

"Hey!" said Zoe. "What's wrong with the water?" She turned the kitchen faucet knob as far as she could, but all she got was a sputtering sound. She groaned. "I'm so thirsty!"

"When I got home from work, I found a notice on the door saying the city water department would be working on our street today," said Mom. "If I'd known earlier, I would have filled some containers. There's still some juice in the fridge."

Zoe grabbed the juice and poured all of it into a large glass. She chugged it greedily, then smacked her lips. "That was good."

"Did you save any for Mikey?" asked Mom, looking up from a pile of mail.

Zoe looked at the empty juice container. "Whoops."

When Zoe's brother Mikey got home a few minutes later and found out there was nothing to drink, he groaned and staggered to a chair. "Water! Water!" he cried weakly.

Zoe laughed. "You don't have to be so dramatic about it."

Mom went to answer a knock at the door, and a minute later Molly, their next-door neighbor, walked in with a gallon of water. "I thought you might be needing this," she said.

Mikey eagerly poured water into a glass and drank it, then sighed with satisfaction. "Oh, thank you, Molly," he said, clasping his hands together. "You saved my life!"

"Oh, brother!" groaned Zoe. "Here we go again!"

"Well, a person dying of thirst can be saved by getting a drink of water," said Mikey. "Isn't that why Jesus is called the Living Water? Because He can save people who are dying?"

"That's a very good point," said Mom. "People have a spiritual thirst that's even greater than the thirst for water. We have a thirst for love, for joy, for forgiveness--

for God. A drink of water can save us from physical death, and Jesus, the Living Water, can save us from spiritual death. But what if you hadn't taken the water Molly offered you, Mikey?"

"I'd still be thirsty," said Mikey.

Mom nodded. "The same thing goes for us if we don't take the Living Water that Jesus offers. It's free and brings everlasting life--but only to those who accept it!"

–Trudy VanderVeen

How About You?
Do you ever feel unsatisfied with life, even if you have a lot of good things going for you? Do you have a thirsty soul--a spiritual thirst? Jesus can satisfy that thirst. He can quench your soul's deepest desires and fill your life with peace, hope, and joy. He can save you from spiritual death and give you eternal life. Trust in Him, and He will satisfy your soul. (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 those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life. (NLT) (John 4:14)

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus satisfies thirsty souls

Bible Reading: Philippians 4:8-13

"You got an email," Abigail's mom told her. "Looks like it's from Ellie." Abigail, whose family were missionaries in Nigeria, eagerly took Mom's phone and opened the email.

"Yesterday Daphne and Ashlyn and I went to an amusement park," Abigail read in Ellie's email. "I wish you could have been with us! We went on a pirate ship ride and on an alpine slide." Abigail sighed. Going on rides with her friends sounded like fun!

"But the African safari river ride was the best one of all," the email continued. "It was so much fun! There were robotic elephants that sprayed water at us, and some mechanical monkeys were chattering in the trees. It seemed so real."

Abigail laughed out loud when she read that. Ellie should come visit me here, she thought. Then she could see real elephants and monkeys.

Just then Benji, Abigail's pet monkey, snuggled up to her. Benji loved being around Abigail and always followed her around the house. Abigail gave him a little squeeze. "You're better than a mechanical monkey," Abigail told him. "You're real."

Abigail thought about all her other pets. Freddy, a baby antelope, was a pretty brown color with a black stripe. And a mongoose named Rollo was a family favorite.

Abigail smiled as she remembered the time Rollo found a ping-pong ball on the floor. She apparently thought it was an egg--one of her favorite foods. She smacked it hard to break it, then jumped back in surprise when it bounced as high as her head.

Of course, Rollo sometimes annoyed them by chirping a lot. But she made up for it by eating cockroaches and other insects. And Abigail knew that when Rollo got bigger, she would also eat snakes!

Abigail grinned. Not many kids have pets like mine! she thought. And even though I really miss my friends back home, I have new friends at our church here, and I know God is helping our family tell the people here about Jesus. Even though it's hard sometimes, I know He brought us here and promises to be with us, so this is the best place for me to be.

"C'mon, Benji," she said. "Let's go find Rollo and take some pictures to send my friends back home."

–Charlie VanderMeer

How About You?
Do you sometimes wish you could be somewhere else? Or have you learned to be content in the place God has put you for now? In the Bible, the apostle Paul said the secret to being content in any situation is trusting Jesus, who promises to always be with us and help us because we belong to Him. Thank Him for the blessings He's given you and the people He's put in your life, and trust Him to help you be a testimony for Him right where you are.

Today's Key Verse:
I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. (NKJV) (Philippians 4:11)

Today's Key Thought:
Be content

Bible Reading: Galatians 6:1-5

"I don't see why Harper can't come Christmas shopping with us tomorrow," Sienna complained. "She always helps me find the best gifts."

"It's not a good idea for your sister to be in a mall right now, Sienna," said Mom. "She needs time to go through counseling and address why she feels the need to steal things."

Sienna sighed and put on her boots and coat. "I'm going to see if the ice is hard on the pond."

When she reached the pond, she tested the ice with her foot. It was firm at the edge, but when she cautiously moved forward, it cracked. No skating yet. So Sienna headed home, taking the back way.

When Sienna reached the house, Mom came out. "Ally was playing out here, but I don't see her anywhere," she said with a worried look.

"The pond!" said Sienna. "Maybe she followed me." She looked down and saw a tiny set of footsteps in the snow next to her bigger ones heading toward the pond. She dashed down the hill as fast as she could. As she approached the pond, she saw her little sister step out onto the ice. It held at the edge, and Ally took another step. "No, Ally!" yelled Sienna, and Ally stopped. When Sienna reached her, she took her hand and led her off the ice.

Mom met them at the top of the hill. "You know you're not allowed to go to the pond by yourself," she said as she hugged her little daughter.

"I thought Sienna was there," said Ally. "I was just following her."

Later that day, Sienna again begged her mom to let her older sister come to the mall with them, but Mom said no. "We need to be careful where our footsteps lead," said Mom. "Harper is struggling with an urge to shoplift, and she needs our support. She shouldn't be in an environment where she may be tempted to steal."

Sienna was quiet for a moment. "I wouldn't want to lead her into a situation where she'd be tempted," she said finally.

"I know," said Mom. "Sometimes we need to make sacrifices to help other Christians in their walk with Jesus, especially when they struggle with things we don't."

- Mary Rose Pearson

How About You?
Do you help other Christians who are struggling with sin? Are you careful where your footsteps might lead them? We all have different struggles in our lives, and even though you may not be tempted by certain things, the same might not be true for someone else. Trust Jesus to help you be sensitive to the needs and feelings of others so you can support and encourage them in their walk with Him.

Today's Key Verse:
Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (NLT) (Galatians 6:2 )

Today's Key Thought:
Help those who struggle

Bible Reading: Romans 6:12-18, 22

"Hi, Mom," said Taden as he came into the house. "Want to see the picture I painted at school today?" He held out a paper with a scene of a lake and trees, with mountains in the background.

"This is really good!" exclaimed Mom. "You're a wonderful painter."

Taden beamed. "I think I'm going to be an artist when I grow up. I love to paint." He went to a drawer and took out a fresh piece of paper and some paints.

"I think that would be great." Mom pointed to the paper Taden had spread out on the kitchen table. "Have you ever looked at your blank paper and wondered what it will look like when you're done painting?"

"Of course. I always have something in mind when I start painting." Taden grinned at his mom. "But it doesn't always turn out the way I imagined it. Sometimes I do a good job, but other times I mess it up."

Mom nodded. "Our lives are like that blank paper, and our choices are like the brush that applies the colors to the page, making something beautiful--or a mess!"

"But the brush doesn't paint by itself," said Taden. "It's the artist who chooses the colors and paints the picture. Whether it turns out good or bad depends on the artist."

"That's right," said Mom. "In our life pictures, we can either make ourselves the artists and paint things our own way, or we can trust God to be the artist holding the brush and let Him guide us and shape our lives."

Taden looked at the blank page. "I never thought about my life like that," he said thoughtfully.

"When we trust Jesus and give Him control of our life picture, He promises to make it beautiful," said Mom. "That doesn't mean our lives will be easy or that we won't still sin and make mistakes--we'll sometimes try to take control of the brush and do things our own way. But when we do, Jesus forgives us and paints over our mistakes. He promises to help us make good choices and love others the way He does. He's the greatest Artist there is, and when we give Him control of our lives, He will make them into masterpieces."

- Mary Rose Pearson

How About You?
Who is painting the picture of your life? No matter how hard you try, you can't paint a good life picture on your own. Everyone has already messed up their picture with sin, but Jesus can paint over your mistakes and make your life beautiful. Trust Him as your Savior today. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.) Then let Him guide you as you live your life, knowing He'll make it into a masterpiece.

Today's Key Verse:
Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. (NLT) (Romans 6:13)

Today's Key Thought:
Give God control of your life