Bible Reading: Proverbs 1:1-7, 20-21; 4:7; Romans 11:33

"Whew! It's so hot!" Jaden wiped a hand across his forehead and turned to his little brother. "I hate picking green beans, don't you?"

"Yeah," said Malachi. "You almost have to stand on your head to find some of them." He waved his arms wildly around his head. "And when you have a pesky deer fly buzzing around you, it's even worse."

"Those deer flies love sweaty people," said Jaden.

"Hey, boys!" their grandfather, who was picking tomatoes, called to them. "Listen!"

The boys paused from their work and then suddenly cheered up. "It's the ice cream truck!" they squealed, running and jumping over rows of carrots and onions to reach Grandpa. "Can we get something?"

Grandpa pulled out his wallet and handed them some money. "Here you go, you poor, hungry workers. Get what you want, and get me a fudge bar."

When the boys came back to the garden, they all sat down under a nearby tree to enjoy their treats. "You know," Grandpa said as he unwrapped his fudge bar, "hearing the musical call of that ice cream truck reminds me of a verse I read in Proverbs this morning that says, 'Wisdom calls out in the street.'"

"Like a wisdom truck?" asked Malachi. "I don't think as many kids would come running when they heard that."

Grandpa chuckled. "Maybe not, but that verse is saying we should all go running after wisdom."

"How do we do that?" asked Jaden. "By going to school?"

"Wisdom is more than just knowledge," said Grandpa. "It involves humbling our hearts before God. Another verse in Proverbs says, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.' Who do you think 'the Holy One' is?"

"I know," said Malachi. "Jesus!"

Grandpa nodded. "And where do we learn about Jesus?"

"The Bible!" the boys answered together.

"That's right," said Grandpa. "The Bible shows us our need for Jesus and tells us how we can be saved by trusting in Him. As we read it and get to know God better, He helps us grow in wisdom." Grandpa took a bite of his fudge bar. "And unlike this ice cream, wisdom won't ever melt away!"

-Sara L. Nelson

How About You?
Are you running after wisdom? It's better than ice cream on a hot day. It's more important than anything you study in school. Wisdom begins with understanding your need for Jesus and trusting Him as your Savior. (To learn more, click the "good News!" button in the right column of this page.) Then keep learning more about Him from His Word, the Bible. As you grow in your knowledge of Jesus, you will grow in wisdom too.

Today's Key Verse:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (CSB) (Proverbs 9:10)

Today's Key Thought:
God's Word gives wisdom

Bible Reading: Philippians 4:11-13; Hebrews 13:5

Heather opened Mom's bedroom door and whispered, "Mom, I need help packing for the beach."

"What time is it?" Mom opened one eye.

"It's seven thirty. We have lots to do before Dad comes."

Mom took a deep breath. "You're right."

After breakfast, Heather and her mom packed, gathered beach gear, and picked snacks for the drive. "Your dad will be here soon," Mom said. "Go get dressed."

Heather bit her lip. "Mom, I'm excited to go, but I don't want to leave you here alone."

"I'll be fine, Heather. Besides, I won't be alone--Jesus is always with me. And He's with you too."

"I know. But I'll miss you." Heather hugged Mom. "I liked it better when we went all together--you, Dad, and me."

"I know, honey. But this is your dad's family vacation week, and you'll have a great time with your cousins. We'll have our vacation in two weeks."

Heather and Dad were the last ones to arrive at the beach house. "It's official! Let the family vacation begin," Dad announced. Everyone cheered.

"I'll show you our room, Heather," said Megan. "All the boys are bunking in the loft."

Heather chuckled. "That should be interesting--and noisy!"

After unpacking, the girls headed to the beach. "I'm so glad we're all here," Megan said. "But it seems strange without your mom this year."

Heather stared at the sand. "My mom and I will take our vacation in two weeks."

"Two vacations--that's cool!" Megan said.

"Yeah, maybe. Now I have two birthday parties, two Christmas celebrations, and two homes. And as exciting as that might sound, I'd give anything for my parents not to be divorced." Heather paused. "And you know what's weird? When I'm with Mom or Dad having a great time, I sometimes feel guilty for having fun without the other one."

"I never thought about that," said Megan. "I'm sorry, Heather."

Heather sighed. "Divorce is really hard. I wish my parents were still together, but I'm trusting God to help me accept it. I memorized a Bible verse that says, 'I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.' It helps me remember that Jesus is with me, giving me His strength and peace, and that I can be content in any situation because of Him."

-Lynda Boucher

How About You?
Do you have circumstances in your life you don't understand? Situations beyond your control? Perhaps your parents divorced, someone close to you died, or you just feel all alone. Many things in life are hard to understand. Remember that Jesus, who died to save you and has given you eternal life, is with you in your difficult situation. Trust Him to help you through it and to give you His peace and contentment.

Today's Key Verse:
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. (NIV) (Philippians 4:11)

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus is always with you

Bible Reading: John 10:27-30; 20:24-27

"I'm ready to go to the store, Mom," said Aurelia. "You said you needed some milk, right? Anything else?"

"I also need a loaf of bread and a package of cheese," Mom replied. "Oh, and I could use some cornstarch and some baking powder too. Can you remember all that?" She glanced at her daughter. "What are you doing?" asked Mom.

Aurelia lifted her head and grinned. She turned her hand to show her mother what she had done. "I wrote the list on my palm with this pen so I'll be sure to know what you need. I could have made a list on paper, but I might have lost that. I can't lose my hand."

Mom laughed. "That's a unique idea. Okay, I think that's everything--but hold on just a minute. I want to show you an interesting verse in the Bible." She walked over to her desk, picked up her Bible, and opened it to the book of Isaiah. "Read this," Mom said, pointing to a verse. "Read it out loud and tell me what you think of it."

Aurelia read the verse. "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands." She looked up at her mom. "Hey, that's cool! God writes on His palms too."

Mom nodded. "Actually, He does more than just write. After all, that ink will wash off your palm--at least I certainly hope it will! But God told the people of Israel they were inscribed on His palms, and we can apply that to Christians too. Some translations use the word engraved. Engraving goes deeper than writing. It won't ever come off." Mom smiled at Aurelia. "Whenever I read that verse, I think of Jesus's hands. When He appeared to His disciples after He rose from the dead, He had scars on His palms where He had been nailed to the cross for our sins. Those scars show how much He loves us. I'm so thankful I'm engraved on God's palms."

Aurelia was silent for a moment. She looked down at the black writing on her hand. "Me too." She closed her hand over the writing. "It's a safe place to be, isn't it?"

-Lynn Stamm Rex

How About You?
Have you ever written on your palm to remember something? Your palm is a safe place to write things down so you won't forget them. God says His children are engraved on the palms of His hands. Is your name there? Jesus died for you so you could become a child of God. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.) No matter what happens in your life, if you're in God's hands, you're in the safest place you can be.

Today's Key Verse:
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. (NKJV) (Isaiah 49:16)

Today's Key Thought:
You are safe in God's hands

Bible Reading: Psalm 32:1-5; 1 John 1:9

"Grandma, will you read The Princess and the Pea to me before I go to bed?" begged Alonya when she and her sister were staying over at Grandma's house.

"Oh, you know that story," said Thea. "The princess couldn't sleep because there was a pea under her mattress. Even though there were lots of mattresses on her bed, the pea still kept her awake, and she--"

"Don't tell it!" said Alonya. "I want to hear Grandma read it."

"I'll read it." Grandma took the book Alonya handed her and read the story. "Bedtime," she announced when she finished.

As she tucked the girls in, Grandma began feeling under the mattress.

"What are you doing, Grandma?" Alonya asked.

"I'm looking for peas, Princess!"

Thea giggled. "There aren't any there, Grandma."

"Good," said Grandma. "I hope there aren't any in your lives either." She smiled at the puzzled expression on the girls' faces. "The pea in the story reminds me of a time when I did something wrong," Grandma told them. "I took some money from my mother's purse. I thought it didn't matter because it wasn't very much. But my stealing was like the pea in the story. It was hidden, but it really bothered me. Sometimes I would lie awake at night thinking about it."

"Just like in The Princess and the Pea!" Alonya cried. "But you're not a princess, Grandma."

"In a way I am," said Grandma. "Our heavenly Father is the King of kings, and we're His children, so doesn't that make us princesses?"

"Wow! I never thought of that," said Alonya. "What happened next?"

"Finally, I couldn't stand trying to hide my sin any longer. I had to confess what I did and ask Jesus and my mother to forgive me."

"And did you live happily ever after?" Thea asked, grinning.

Grandma laughed. "I must admit I still sin sometimes, but when I think about what happened so long ago, it's a good reminder to always confess my sin. Then I have peace knowing Jesus has forgiven me because He took the punishment for all my sins when He died on the cross." Grandma gave each of the girls a kiss on the forehead and turned off the light. "He wants us to rest in His love and forgiveness--without any peas under our mattresses!"

-Lucinda J. Rollings

How About You?
Do you have any peas under your mattress? Have you done things that you feel guilty about? Don't let that guilt continue to prickle your conscience by trying to hide your sin. Jesus died for you so your sins could be forgiven and you could be free from guilt. Confess what you did wrong to Him, and He will forgive you. Then you can feel His peace.

Today's Key Verse:
I decided to confess my sins to the Lord. I stopped hiding my guilt and told you about my sins. And you forgave them all! (ERV) (Psalm 32:5)

Today's Key Thought:
Confess sin and find God's peace

Bible Reading: Titus 2:7-8, 11-14

"Look at all the people!" exclaimed Austin. "This traffic is terrible!"

"Yes," said Dad. "Today's parade better be good, or I'll wish I'd stayed home." He inched forward with the traffic. "A lot of cars are turning here. Looks like a good idea to me. Maybe they know of a place to park around the corner." He made a right turn, following the car in front of him.

Immediately the traffic speeded up, but instead of finding a place to park, they found themselves on a long ramp leading to a freeway. "Oh no," Dad groaned. "I didn't see the sign for the freeway! Now we'll have to go a few miles before we can turn around." He scowled at the car ahead of him. "Thanks a lot, mister. You led me wrong!"

Mom laughed. "So it's his fault?"

"What about the car behind us?" asked Austin. "I noticed that they followed along too. Is that your fault, Dad?"

Dad grinned. "Nope. They should have watched where they were going!" Everybody laughed.

"Hey, Austin, Dad sounds like you," said Austin's brother David. "Last week you said it wasn't your fault you got in trouble at the church picnic because you were just doing what some older kids were doing. At the same time, you didn't think it was your fault when Gracie copied what you did."

"All right, all right. We've already dealt with that problem, so let's not keep dredging it up," said Mom.

Dad nodded. "There's a lesson for us here though. We tend to forget that God has given each of us the ability to make our own decisions, and He wants us to do that instead of blindly following the crowd."

"Yes," said Mom. "He's also given us the Holy Spirit, who guides us in how to live in a way that shows others we belong to Jesus and have His love in our hearts. He should be the example we follow in everything we do."

They were approaching an off ramp. "I don't know about that guy ahead of me," said Dad, "but I'm going to get off here and turn around." As they left the highway, Austin looked to see if the car behind them would follow. It did.

-Hazel W. Marett

How About You?
Are you using the freedom God gave you to think for yourself instead of following the crowd? Jesus saved you from sin and gave you the Holy Spirit so you could live a life that points to Him and His love for us. Don't use the excuse "everybody's doing it." Instead, follow Jesus as your example. As you trust Him to help you live in a way that shows His goodness and love, you'll be pointing others to Him.

Today's Key Verse:
Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. (NLT) (1 Timothy 4:12)

Today's Key Thought:
Follow Jesus's example