Bible Reading: Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20

"Grandma, in Bible times people had to sacrifice animals to God, didn't they?" Jovie asked one day. "Why don't we do that now?"

"When Jesus died for our sins, He was the perfect sacrifice. Animal sacrifices are no longer needed because Jesus's sacrifice covers all our wrongs when we trust in Him."

"Well, when people made a sacrifice, something had to be killed, right?" said Jovie. "But my memory verse talks about a living sacrifice. What does that mean?"

"To be a living sacrifice means to give your whole life to God." Grandma picked up a small piece of yarn. "Pretend this yarn is my life. It's my love, my family, my time, my actions--my everything. Here, I'll give it to you." Grandma held out one end of the yarn. Jovie took it, but Grandma kept hold of the other end. "There--my life is all yours now. I'm sacrificing it to you." She tugged on the yarn a little as she spoke.

Jovie giggled. "Then why are you still holding on to it?"

"Good point," said Grandma. "That's like Christians when we say we've made our lives a living sacrifice to God, but then we leave strings attached to some areas. For example, we might not want God to have any say in how we spend our time or our money. Or perhaps we continue to put ourselves in situations where we'll be tempted to do things that are wrong. It's possible to hold something back in any number of areas." Grandma dropped her end of the yarn. "Now tie that into a bow."

"Okay," said Jovie, but as she began to tie a bow, Grandma reached out and took hold of the yarn again, almost tugging it out of Jovie's grasp. "Grandma! What are you doing?"

"That bow you're making is too small," said Grandma. She smiled at Jovie's puzzled look. "Christians sometimes act the way I just did. When we don't like the way things are going, we try to pull our lives back out of God's hands. To be a living sacrifice, we need to remember that we belong to Jesus, who sacrificed His own life to save us, and trust Him to guide us in every part of our lives."

"Even when things aren't going the way we want, right?" Jovie nodded. "I think I get it."

– Jean A. Burns

How About You?
Are you listening to God as He guides you in every area of your life? Or are you still holding on to some strings and trying to control some areas yourself? Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so you could be saved from sin and spend eternity with Him. He cares about you and what's going on in your life--every part of it. Trust Him to help you and guide you in every area of your life--no strings attached.

Today's Key Verse:
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. (NIV) (Romans 12:1)

Today's Key Thought:
Give your whole life to God

Bible Reading: Lamentations 3:22-23

Mitchell sat on his bed looking out the window. Tomorrow was the start of a new year, but he wasn't all that excited about it. He liked things the way they were, and he didn't want anything to change.

"What's up, Mitchell?" Mom asked as she walked into his room.

Mitchell sighed. "Everyone's talking about how the new year gives us a chance to change things and start something new, but I like things the way they are. What if I don't want the new year to start?"

Mom sat down next to him. "You know, Mitchell, lots of people do look at the new year as a time to have a fresh start, but the truth is that God gives us a fresh start every day. Each morning when you wake up is a new day. Don't let the day on the calendar concern you--it's just another day the Lord has given you to grow and learn and love. Each morning is a clean slate. It's pretty exciting, really."

Mom reached for the Bible sitting on Mitchell's dresser. She opened it up to the book of Lamentations and read, "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." Mom smiled at Mitchell. "God is faithful and full of mercy. Jesus offers us forgiveness and a fresh start whenever we need it, and He's always bringing new things into our lives that will help us grow. So even though some things might change in the next year, you don't need to worry. Even though you can't keep every day or every year the same, you can rest in the assurance that God is faithful and is always with you."

Mitchell grinned. "I guess nothing is really ending at all. Tomorrow is just another day I can use for God."

"Exactly," said Mom. "Would you like to pray?"

Mitchell nodded and closed his eyes. "Dear Lord, help me remember that every day You give me is a great adventure, a fresh start, and that I don't need to worry about what might change. Help me live each day for you. Amen!"

– Lisa Fuller

How About You?
Isn't it wonderful to know that the Lord gives us a fresh start each morning? Each new day is a great adventure we can go on with Him. It's another day to rejoice and be glad for His love and faithfulness. Sometimes we may think we want things to stay exactly the same, but if they did, we would miss out on all the Lord has planned for us. As you begin the new year, remember that Jesus will be with you through whatever changes it may bring.

Today's Key Verse:
This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. (NLT) (Psalm 118:24 )

Today's Key Thought:
Each day is new with Jesus

Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 2:15; 4:1-5

Everleigh excitedly told her church group about her trip to England. "The funniest thing was that most people carried umbrellas everywhere--even on sunny days! That seemed really odd to us."

Mr. Hunt nodded. "I remember how much it rained when I visited England several years ago. Did you take your umbrella everywhere too?"

Everleigh giggled. "Not at first, but one day I got really wet. After that, I usually took one along. It rains a lot in the area where we were--even when it looks like it won't."

"You learned that it pays to be prepared, so you carried your umbrella." Mr. Hunt glanced around the class. "How many of you are prepared to go out today? Are you ready for a shower?"

"It's not supposed to rain today," said Peter.

"I wasn't thinking of rain," said Mr. Hunt. "I was wondering how many of us are prepared to talk with people."

"What do you mean?" asked Everleigh. "We talk with people every day. What are we supposed to do to be prepared for that?"

"You never know when one of them might shower you with questions," said Mr. Hunt. "Will you be ready with answers?"

"But how can we have an answer ready when we don't know what the question will be?" asked Everleigh.

Mr. Hunt picked up his Bible. "The questions will be a surprise, but the answers are here in this book. The trick is to keep them handy."

"You mean we should carry our Bibles everywhere in case we get asked a bunch of questions?" Peter asked in disbelief.

"That's not a bad idea--and in fact, many of us do that already," Mr. Hunt said, holding up his phone. "But we also need to carry God's Word in our minds and hearts. As you learn more about Jesus by reading your Bible and going to church, He will help you grow in your understanding of who He is and what He did to save you. Then when others ask about your faith, you'll be able to tell them about Him. Memorizing verses can help you share the truth of God's Word with people too. You never know when you might get showered with questions, but with God's help, you can always have an answer ready."

– Heather Tekavec

How About You?
What will you say if someone asks how you know you're going to heaven when you die? If someone asks how we can know God loves us, will you have an answer? As you learn more about Jesus and His promises in the Bible, be prepared to give an answer when someone asks you about your faith. Trust God to help you grow in your understanding of His Word and carry its truth in your heart.

Today's Key Verse:
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (NIV) (1 Peter 3:15)

Today's Key Thought:
Be prepared to talk about Jesus

Bible Reading: Leviticus 19:16-18; Romans 12:17-21

"Mom, can we go to the park?" asked Harmony. "I want to go sledding."

"All right," said Mom. "But we've got to get this kitchen cleaned up first, including the refrigerator."

"Okay," said Harmony. "I'll start there." She opened the refrigerator door and started going through the items.

"Harmony, why don't you invite Tessa to come to the park with us?" asked Mom.

"No," said Harmony shortly as she dumped some moldy lemons into the trash.

"No?" Mom looked surprised. "Why not?"

"She's probably with Amy today." Harmony frowned. "Tessa is Amy's friend now."

"Can't Tessa have more than one friend? You could invite Amy too."

"No!" snapped Harmony. "Tessa knows I can't stand Amy. Last year Amy said some nasty things about me, and she--eww! What do I smell?" Harmony made a face.

Mom grimaced. "You must have uncovered something that's spoiled."

Harmony held up a bowl. "It's this old tuna casserole. Gross!" She held her nose.

"Quick!" said Mom. "Get rid of it!"

Soon the casserole was disposed of and the trash taken outside. "I guess we should clean out the fridge more often. Food smells really bad when it gets too old," said Harmony.

"Yes, it does." Mom paused for a moment. "Certain attitudes do too. For almost a year now, you've been holding a grudge against Amy, and frankly, that grudge is beginning to stink."

Harmony sighed. "But, Mom, she said--"

"I know--you've told me," said Mom. "But you've said some pretty mean things about her too." Harmony blushed. She hadn't thought of that. "Don't you think it's time to throw that grudge out?" Mom asked gently. "I know Amy hurt you, and I'm not saying you need to be friends with her. But as Christians, we need to be willing to forgive others when they hurt us--just like Jesus forgives us for our wrongs. Tell Him about the hurt you feel so He can help you let go of the bitterness in your heart and forgive Amy."

Harmony took a deep breath. "I'll ask Tessa if she wants to come to the park," she told her mom. "And if she wants to invite Amy, she can come too."

– Barbara J. Westberg

How About You?
Are you holding a grudge against someone? Do you refuse to forgive that person for what they did? When you let a grudge against someone grow stale and sour in your heart, it hurts you as well as others. If you trust in Jesus, He has forgiven you for all your wrongs, and He will help you forgive those who have wronged you. Trust Him to help you let go of bitterness and replace it with His love. *If you're struggling to forgive someone who hurt you deeply, tell a trusted adult so they can help.

Today's Key Verse:
Forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (NIV) (Colossians 3:13 )

Today's Key Thought:
Don't hold grudges

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 12-13; Ephesians 5:15-17

"I used to look forward to Saturdays before we moved here," Dad said as he crawled out from under the sink. "Since we began restoring this old house to its original splendor, it seems like there are never enough hours in the day to fix everything!"

"Well, now that the garbage disposal is fixed, you can move on to the next thing on the list," Gwen said with a grin.

Dad groaned. "Ugh, the list! What's next on that thing?"

Gwen laughed. "The faucet in the upstairs bathroom. It's leaking."

Dad got to his feet. "We probably should have fixed that first. I read somewhere that a dripping faucet can waste more than two thousand gallons of water over the course of a year."

"Really?" asked Gwen.

"Yep," said Dad. "It reminds me of my life." He laughed at Gwen's surprised expression. "The passing of time is something like a dripping faucet. As the water drips out, it doesn't seem like much, but slowly and surely it adds up to a lot. That happens with time too. Our minutes and days don't seem like they add up to much, but they do--one day you'll wake up all old and wrinkled like me and realize how valuable all those minutes were!"

"You're not old and wrinkled," said Gwen. She grinned. "Not that much, anyway."

Dad laughed. "Maybe not, but it's important to remember that we need to use our time wisely. It goes by fast."

"Yeah, it does," said Gwen. "I've been so busy with school and helping fix the house, I haven't had time for anything else!"

"Yes, you've definitely been working hard," said Dad. "But we also need to use our time for things besides work. Playing, resting, enjoying friends and family, and spending time with Jesus are all just as important. The time we have in this life is limited, which is why we need to use it wisely. When we remember that Jesus saved us so we could live forever with Him, it helps us use the time we have now to get to know Him better and share His love with others." Dad picked up his toolbox. "Tell you what--let's go fix that faucet and then see how big a snowman we can build in the front yard. I think we've spent enough time on the list for one day."

– Mike Dize

How About You?
How do you use the time God gives you? Today's verse tells us to use our time wisely. Though it can seem like each minute or hour doesn't matter much, it adds up quickly, and one day our time on this earth will come to an end. As you make time for work, play, and rest and spend time with God and other people, look forward to the promise of eternal life with Jesus and use the time you have now to point others to Him.

Today's Key Verse:
Be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. (NLT) (Ephesians 5:15-16 )

Today's Key Thought:
Use time wisely