Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

"We're here!" Joshua and Jonathan tumbled out of the car and ran ahead of their parents through a gate. Then they stopped and looked around, puzzled. "This is a cemetery!" Jonathan said. "I thought we were going to a battlefield!"

"Yeah," said Joshua. "The only soldier around here is that statue in the middle of the graves. My teacher says statues like that are memorials--things to help us remember something."

"That's right," Dad said as they moved toward the statue. "Actually, this whole battlefield--which, by the way, extends beyond the cemetery--is a memorial."

Mom nodded. "A memorial can have different forms," she said. "It can be a statue like the one we're looking at. Or it can be a holiday--like Memorial Day. Or even a service designed to remind us of someone or something."

"Like how on Memorial Day we remember people who have died," Jonathan said.

"Yes," said Mom. "On that day, we especially remember those who died while serving their country--men and women like the soldiers buried in this cemetery."

The boys began roaming around, reading the tombstones. "Hey, look!" Jonathan called. "This guy had the same name as me. 'Jonathan Wright. Born 1760. Died 1778.' That means he was only…uh…" Jonathan thought for a moment. "Eighteen years old when he died. He wasn't very old!"

"Do you boys know how old Jesus was when He died?" asked Dad.

"Thirty-three," said Joshua. He rolled a pebble on the gravel path under his shoe. "Why don't we have a memorial day for Jesus?" he asked.

"Oh, we do!" said Dad. "We remember His death on Good Friday, but we also have a day when we remember His resurrection. We call it…"

"Easter!" the boys said in unison.

"Yes," said Mom, "and we not only have special days to remember and celebrate what Jesus did for us. We also have a memorial service. Every time we have the Lord's Supper at church--or Communion as it's also called--we're reminding ourselves of Jesus's death and the sacrifice He made to free us from sin."

–Barbara J. Westberg

How About You?
Have you thanked God for the sacrifices others have made for your freedom? How about the sacrifice Jesus made to free you from sin? Christians celebrate Good Friday, Easter, and Communion to remember that sacrifice. As you remember His death on the cross, His burial, His resurrection, and the fact that He will come again, give thanks for all Jesus has done for you.

Today's Key Verse:
[Jesus said], "This is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." (NKJV) (1 Corinthians 11:24)

Today's Key Thought:
Remember Jesus's sacrifice

Bible Reading: Matthew 6:25-30

"Mom, I'm home!" Alyssa called as she came in after school.

"Hi, honey!" said Mom. "How was your day? Did you learn anything interesting?"

"We sure did!" said Alyssa. "Mr. Eddleman, our science teacher, poured some really hot water into two glasses. One glass had a spoon in it, and the other one didn't. The one without the spoon cracked when the hot water was poured in, but the other glass was fine. Mr. Eddleman said the metal spoon helped absorb some of the heat and kept the glass from breaking."

"Well, I hope he had the glass in the sink when it broke!" said Mom.

Alyssa laughed. "He did." Then the smile faded from her face. "Everly wasn't in school today--her family is having all kinds of problems. Her brother was in a car accident last night and had to be rushed to the hospital."

"Oh no, that's terrible!" said Mom.

"Yeah," said Alyssa. "And her dad still hasn't found a job, and her grandma is really sick--she might be dying. I don't see how they can deal with it all."

"Well, they know Jesus," said Mom. "And that makes a big difference."

Alyssa shrugged. "I feel like I would crack, like that glass in science class today."

"That science experiment is a pretty good example of how knowing Jesus helps people," said Mom.

"It is?" asked Alyssa in surprise.

Mom nodded. "Just like the hot water was poured into the glasses, we all have problems come into our lives. Sometimes it can be so overwhelming that we feel like we might crack under the pressure. But Jesus is like that spoon--He helps absorb the heat of our trials. His constant love and care keep our spirits from breaking. I really don't know how anyone can get through tough times without Him." She smiled at Alyssa. "Let's ask God to comfort and encourage Everly and her family and help them trust Him to bring them through it all."

Alyssa nodded. "Okay," she said. "But can't we do something else too? Like take them a meal or something?"

"We sure can," said Mom. "Let's start fixing one right now."

–Linda E. Knight

How About You?
Are you surrounded by problems and difficulties--or do you know someone else who is? Sickness, a parent losing a job, problems at school, death of a loved one--all these and many other things can make you feel like you simply can't stand it anymore. When you feel like you're going to crack, remember that Jesus is with you. He cares and promises to give you the strength you need.

Today's Key Verse:
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (NLT) (1 Peter 5:7 )

Today's Key Thought:
Give anxieties to God

Bible Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21

As she sat working on her homework alone, Star didn't feel very loved. It was a holiday weekend, and all her friends had plans. Megan's parents were taking her to a waterpark. Emma was practicing tennis all weekend with her dad. Mila and her siblings were having fun playing on their new trampoline.

Star's mom was working in her home office. She didn't have a dad around or any siblings to spend time with. All she had was homework she had saved for the weekend, just to give herself something to do.

Star frowned at the paper in front her. Why had her teacher assigned her the word love to write about? She didn't know anything about love.

She picked up her phone and called Mila. She had to convince her friend to take a break from the trampoline so they could talk. "How am I supposed to write about love?" she asked. "No one loves me."

Mila snorted. "No one? What about me? And Emma and Megan?"

"That's…different." Star hadn't thought of her friends as she was considering the topic.

"What about your mom?" Mila asked. "She loves you."

Star glanced toward her mom's office. "She doesn't spend time with me."

"Because she's busy," Mila said. "She's busy because she loves you and needs to work to take care of you." She sighed. "What about God, Star? Aren't you forgetting that He loves you?"

Star twisted her hair around her finger. Maybe she had forgotten God. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like it."

"Maybe not," Mila said. "But He really does, Star. Like we learned at church, His love is bigger than any human love. Jesus died on the cross so you could live with Him forever. What love is bigger than that?"

Star nodded slowly. "You're right."

"You don't need to go on a trip or get amazing gifts in order to be loved," Mila said. "But, Star? I really am loving the new trampoline and I would like to get back to it. Since your mom is working, want me to ask my mom to give you a ride over so you can try it out?"

Star's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really," Mila said. "Because I love you." She laughed. "Don't forget how much God loves you too, Star."

–Emily Acker

How About You?
Have you had times when you felt like you were not loved at all by anyone? God's love is greater than the love of any human--He loves you so much that He sent His Son to save you so you could spend eternity with Him, and He promises to always love you and take care of you. If you think about all the people He's put in your life, you'll probably realize you're loved by many others too.

Today's Key Verse:
As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. (NKJV) (John 15:9)

Today's Key Thought:
God has great love for you!

Bible Reading: Exodus 20:12-15; Ephesians 4:25-32

Alastair walked into the kitchen where his sister Stasia was doing homework. "Emerson got in trouble again," said Alastair. "I can't believe he's going to flunk math over this!"

Stasia looked up in surprise. "Over what? What did he do?"

"Mr. Hoover caught him looking at somebody's paper during a test," Alastair replied. "Emerson said he was just checking one or two answers. That's all. I think Mr. Hoover just hates Emerson, so he's making a big deal out of nothing."

"Well, if Emerson was caught cheating, what did he expect?" Stasia asked.

"It's not like he was stealing somebody's money during gym class," said Alastair, trying to make his sister understand. "Other kids in school do a lot worse stuff than what Emerson did."

Alastair turned to Mom, who was loading the dishwasher. "Can you hand me a glass, Mom? I'd like some juice."

"Sure," said Mom, and she handed him a dirty glass.

Alastair grimaced. "Yuck! I can't drink out of this. There's still dried milk in the bottom of it."

"But it's cleaner than these others that need to be washed," Mom said.

Alastair didn't say anything right away. He was pretty sure this had something to do with what they were just talking about, and he was trying to figure out what it was.

"After all," Mom continued, "if cheating is no big deal because it doesn't seem as bad as what somebody else did, then a little dried milk in a glass shouldn't be a big deal either, as long as it's not as dirty as the other glasses."

"Oh, well, I…um…" Alastair didn't know what to say.

"It can be easy for us to excuse the wrongdoing of our friends--and especially our own wrongs--because someone else did something that seems worse," Mom explained. "But it's all sin in God's eyes. After all, cheating is stealing too--it's stealing the work someone else did and claiming it as your own, which is a sin, and it hurts them just as much as if you were stealing their money."

Alastair nodded. "Sorry, Mom." He looked at the glass in his hand. "I guess I'll wait to have some juice, since all the glasses are dirty."

–Mike A. Dize

How About You?
Do you think it's okay to do some things because they don't seem as bad as other things people do? Do you overlook cheating or lying because it's not as bad as robbery or murder? God says all wrongdoing is sin. No matter what other people think about it, it's hurtful to others and disobedient to God. Don't excuse any form of wrongdoing. If you're the one at fault, confess your sin to Jesus and He will forgive you.

Today's Key Verse:
All wrongdoing is sin. (NIV) (1 John 5:17)

Today's Key Thought:
All wrongdoing is sin

Bible Reading: Matthew 14:22-23; Mark 1:35-39

Micah ran into the house and threw his backpack on the kitchen table. "Mom! Do we have any frozen pizza?"

He cocked his head. The house was silent. He looked down and noticed Mom's phone on the counter. That's weird, he thought. She usually carries it with her.

Micah walked back to his parents' bedroom and knocked. Mom opened the door. "Oh, hi, honey. I didn't hear you come in."

"You left your phone in the kitchen, Mom."

"I know, Micah," said Mom. "I was praying, and I didn't want to be disturbed."

"Praying? In the middle of the day?"

Mom smiled. "I always have prayer time while your sister naps. I'm usually finished before the bus drops you off. I guess I had a lot to tell God today!"

"But we pray together--at the dinner table, and at church. Isn't that enough?"

"Praying together is very important, but the Bible says to pray without ceasing--that means continually connecting with Him and seeking His wisdom in our lives. So it's good to spend time with Him on our own too. I find it helpful to have a place of solitude to do that. Even Jesus needed a quiet space sometimes--he often went onto a mountain to pray."

Micah considered this. "Maybe I should find a place of solitude too!"

First Micah tried the living room. He sat on the couch, closed his eyes, and--

"Hey, Micah!" His little sister Sophie plopped onto the couch and turned on the TV. "Time for my cartoons!"

Next Micah tried his bedroom. He shoved the toys off the bed, closed his eyes, and--

A big wet tongue gave his cheek a slobbery kiss.

"Not now, Puddles!" Micah laughed and scratched the old hound dog behind the ears. "I'm looking for solitude--but this house is too crowded!" A swirl of rustling leaves outside the window caught his eye. "I've got it!" he said and ran out of the house.

He climbed the strong branches of the oak tree and closed his eyes, feeling the spring breeze brush his face. Jesus climbed a mountain to find solitude, thought Micah. I only have to climb a tree!

–Jennifer Dillard

How About You?
Do you take a break from your everyday activities to spend time with God? If you find it hard to connect with God with everything going on around you, try to find a quiet place to pray. Jesus even had to take a break from those around Him to spend time with God. Take a moment away from the world's noise and busyness and connect with God.

Today's Key Verse:
Pray without ceasing. (NKJV) (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Today's Key Thought:
Spend time with God