Bible Reading: Isaiah 41:10; John 10:27-30; Ephesians 6:10-13

Riley watched the smooth, tranquil surface of the water as she and her grandfather drifted across the lake in his boat. Suddenly, twenty or thirty fish leaped out of the water all around Riley, a cauldron of boiling activity. Riley was terrified. What unseen enemy could be so frightening that it could catapult so many fish into the air? She quickly turned toward her grandfather, who was fishing from the opposite side of the boat with his back to her.

"Grandpa!" Riley cried. "What was that?"

"What was what? Did you see an alligator?" he asked, chuckling.

"I didn't see what it was, but something made the fish jump all around me!"

Just then something thumped the boat from below, sending them rocking back and forth. Riley screamed and clutched the railing next to her. Grandpa turned around, startled, and peered out across the water.

"I heard on the news that someone spotted an alligator in this lake, but they never come this far north. I didn't believe it," said Grandpa, rapidly reeling in his fishing line. "Maybe it was an alligator." He saw the petrified expression on Riley's face and smiled. "But you don't need to be afraid, Riley."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Riley as she gripped the railing tighter.

"Quite sure. This boat is too big and the sides rise too high above the water for an alligator to get in." Grandpa started the motor and began steering the boat to another part of the lake. "And besides, this boat isn't the only thing keeping us safe."

"It's not?" Riley asked in a shaky voice.

Grandpa shook his head. "God is with us." He smiled at Riley reassuringly. "The Bible says that no matter what happens, we are safe in His hands. Because you and I both trust in Jesus, nothing can separate us from Him. Even if something terrible were to happen to us, we can have peace knowing that Jesus has saved us from our worst enemies of all--sin, death, and Satan. He is like this boat--He protects our souls just as surely as this strong boat hull keeps us safe from alligators."

Riley relaxed a little, but continued to hold on to the railing. She was not going to stick even her pinky out of the boat!

- Vicky Kaseorg

How About You?
Are you ever afraid of unseen dangers in the world? Our world can be a scary place, and even Christians have bad things happen in their lives. But Jesus promises never to leave us. We don't need to be afraid because, no matter what happens, we have eternal life with Him. Our enemy Satan can never snatch us from God's hands, and even in death Jesus will be with us. If you trust in Jesus, He is your boat, and He will always take care of you.

Today's Key Verse:
Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT) (Romans 8:39)

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus keeps us safe spiritually

Bible Reading: Psalm 103:10-12

"Mom, how much longer on this airplane?" Danny asked. "I liked seeing our cousins in South Korea, but I feel like we've been on this plane forever!"

"Let's look." Danny's mom touched the screen in front of her. "It says here we have three more hours to go. Maybe you can practice memorizing your Bible verses while you wait. I know the perfect verse to start with."

Mom reached down into her purse under the seat and pulled out a tiny pocket-sized Bible. She cracked it open. "Right here," she said, pointing to Psalm 103.

Danny was quiet for a few moments as he read the psalm, but then he looked up and asked, "Mom, what's a transgression? It says here that God removes our transgressions. What does that mean?"

"That's a great question! Remember how we talked about Jesus dying and coming back to life again to save us? Well, that was when God removed our transgressions, or our sins."

"So, transgressions is just a fancy word for sins?" Danny asked.

"Yes, and it gets even better. See here in the next line?" Mom pointed to the page. "It says here that God separates us from our sins as far as the east is from the west."

Danny looked puzzled for a moment. "But those are opposites!" he proclaimed.

"Exactly! You know how we've been on this plane for hours and hours? We've gone all the way from one side of the world to the other. We traveled all the way from the United States in the west to South Korea in the east. And God tells us that He takes our sins even further away from us than that."

"Wow! So, God took my sins all the way to the other side of the world?" asked Danny.

Mom laughed. "Not exactly. The verse is more of a figure of speech--it's saying that, for those who trust in Jesus, God has removed our sin and made us completely clean and whole in His eyes. He no longer holds our wrongs against us. When God forgives our sins, we are completely separated from them."

"Well, that's good, 'cause I don't have any room left in my suitcase to take them home with me!" joked Danny.

-Naomi Zylstra

How About You?
What's the farthest you've ever been from home? Did you have to fly in a plane or take a long car ride to get there? God can take your sins even further away. He removes the sins of anyone who trusts in Jesus. Has He taken away your sins? If not, trust in Jesus today. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.) Then, when you do something that's wrong, you can confess your sin to Him knowing He will forgive you.

Today's Key Verse:
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (NKJV) (Psalm 103:12)

Today's Key Thought:
God removes our sins

Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28

Jake finished taping up the box that held his video games. "What do you think my new school will be like?" he asked Mom.

"I'm guessing it will be similar to Wilson, but we'll have to find out when we get to New Jersey." Mom smiled and gave him a hug. "It's gonna be all right, you know."

"I know," Jake said.

When Mom left the room, Jake picked up a photo album and looked through it. He saw a picture of his best friend, Matt. They'd been best friends since kindergarten, and they played basketball together every day after school. What would he do without him?

"Jake!" Mom called. "We're leaving for Grandma's. Don't forget your swimsuit!"

In the car, Sarah, Jake's four-year-old sister, said, "When we move to New Jersey, I'm changing my name to Melissa the Mermaid." Everyone chuckled.

"Well, Miss Mermaid," said Mom, "you're gonna make quite a splash at the pool today!"

That afternoon in Grandma's pool, Jake was playing Marco Polo with Mom when he looked up and saw Sarah standing on the diving board, asking Dad to catch her. She had never jumped off the diving board before!

Sarah hesitated, like she wanted to change her mind. But finally she took a deep breath, bounced on the board a few times, then leapt into Dad's arms. Dad wrapped his arms around her. "You did it!" Everyone clapped for her.

Later, Jake went inside to talk to Grandma. "Did you see Sarah jump off the diving board? She's always been too scared to do it before. Do you think she was terrified?"

"She was probably frightened," said Grandma. "But she knows your dad loves her, and she trusted him to catch her. That's the way we should trust God."

"What do you mean?" asked Jake.

"It's normal to feel uncertain and afraid when we're facing challenges in our lives," said Grandma. "But when we trust God, it's like we're leaping into His arms, believing He will catch us with His love and protection. We might not know what will happen in the future, but God does, and we can trust Him because He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us and promises to work everything out for our good."

"So does that mean I should trust God with our move to New Jersey?" asked Jake.

"Absolutely," said Grandma. "And remember, He'll be with you every step of the way."

-Katie Suarez

How About You?
Are you facing a big change in your life? Maybe you're moving to a new neighborhood or a new school, or maybe you will soon have a new baby brother or sister. No matter what you're going through, you can trust God. Remember how much He loves you--so much He sent His Son to die for you--and trust Him to help you through difficult times.

Today's Key Verse:
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. (NKJV) (Psalm 56:3)

Today's Key Thought:
Trust God when you're afraid

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:31-32; James 1:19-27; 4:17

Ramona came down to breakfast with a scowl on her face. Her day was already off to a bad start. Her favorite sweater had a hole in it, and she had forgotten to do her math homework. While she ate her pancakes with blueberry syrup, Mom asked her to read a Bible verse for morning devotions.

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you," read Ramona.

Just then Jodi, Ramona's three-year-old sister, poked her with her plastic alligator. Startled, Ramona jumped up and knocked over her juice.

"Look what you made me do!" shouted Ramona, dabbing at her soaked T-shirt. "You're such a pest!"

Jodi began to cry as Ramona stomped upstairs to change. When she came back down, she grabbed her backpack and rushed out the door.

After school, Ramona came home and plopped herself down at the table.

"Did you have a tough day?" asked Mom gently.

"Today was the worst. I got a zero in math, and the other kids were laughing and pointing at me all morning. It wasn't until after recess when I went to the bathroom that I saw why they were laughing--I had blueberry syrup on my nose! I was so mad at my friends for not telling me, I told them I would never speak to them again!"

"Do you remember what you read for devotions at breakfast?" Mom asked.

Ramona looked down and shook her head.

"Well, it looks like blueberry syrup wasn't the only thing you missed in the mirror this morning," said Mom.

"Huh?" asked Ramona, confused.

"God's Word is like a mirror. When we read it, it shows us what's wrong in our hearts and points to our need for Jesus. It tells us to go to Him for forgiveness and to trust Him to help us treat others with love and kindness. But if we read it and don't do what it says, it's like ignoring a big smudge of blueberry syrup on the end of your nose."

Ramona thought about yelling at her sister and her friends. "I guess I need to be sure to check my face and my heart in the mirror before I leave for school."

-Laura Kuehn

How About You?
Do you pay attention when you hear or read God's Word? Do you do what it says and turn to Jesus for forgiveness and help? Don't just read God's Word--let it be a mirror for your heart. When God shows you smudges of sin in your life, confess them to Jesus and trust Him to wipe them away and help you show others His love.

Today's Key Verse:
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (NIV) (James 1:22)

Today's Key Thought:
Obey God's Word

Bible Reading: John 13:34-35

"Where are you headed today?" Mr. Mack asked his young neighbor.

"There's a dog adoption at the park!" said Jesse. "I want a dog, but Mom says she can't afford to feed another hungry mouth. So I just go play with them."

"I love dogs too," said Mr. Mack. "They're great company. I've got this nice fenced-in yard that's perfect for a dog, but my knees aren't strong enough to walk a dog anymore."

Jesse thought about that as he hurried to the park. Mr. Mack seemed lonely since his wife died, and a bit forgetful. Jesse smiled, thinking how lately Mr. Mack's hair stuck out in all directions, like he'd forgotten to comb it. Every week, Jesse's mom invited him to church to hear about Jesus, but Mr. Mack's answer was always, "Maybe someday."

"Mr. Mack may never go to church," Jesse's mom said. "But we can still show him God's love. The Bible tells us to bear one another's burdens--like loneliness. We can be there for him, just like Jesus is always there for us."

When Jesse got to the park, there were many dogs, but one medium-sized yellow dog named Mike followed him everywhere. "Are you lonely, Mike?" Jesse asked. "You should meet Mr. Mack. He's lonely too, and your hair sticks out in all directions, just like his…like someone forgot to comb it for you."

That gave Jesse an idea. He hurried home to tell his mom, and she liked the idea too. Together, they went to see Mr. Mack.

"I found a great dog named Mike at the park today," Jesse said. "He's a good dog, but he seems lonely. If you want to adopt him, I'll walk him every day and help you care for him."

As Mr. Mack considered the idea, Jesse's mom added, "It's your decision, of course, but if you'd like to meet Mike, I'll drive you to the park." And she did.

An hour later, Mike had a new home and a new name--Mike Mack. Mr. Mack had a new fuzzy friend that needed him. Neither of them seemed lonely anymore, but they both still had crazy hair. And Jesse was excited to be an official dog walker.

"Well done, Jesse," Mom said when they got home. "You demonstrated God's love to Mr. Mack through your kindness."

-Teresa Ambord

How About You?
Do you know someone who is reluctant to learn more about Jesus? Someone once said that we might be the only Bible some people ever read. But whatever age you are, if you know Jesus, you can show people His love by helping when you see a need. Through your kindness, they can get a glimpse of Jesus. How can you lift someone's burden today and show them God's love?

Today's Key Verse:
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (NKJV) (Galatians 6:2 )

Today's Key Thought:
Kindness can lift someone's burden