Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 31:6; Isaiah 49:14-15; Matthew 6:9-13

"It's time to dismiss our class, but before we go, let's pray to God using the prayer Jesus taught us," said Mrs. Mac. "Last week we talked about the meaning of the words and phrases. Think about them as you say them today." The kids in the Sunday school class stood up and together recited the Lord's Prayer.

As the children were leaving, Mrs. Mac smiled warmly at Ben, a new boy in the class. "We're so glad you came today," she said. "We hope you'll come again."

Ben shrugged. "You all said that prayer just now--that one that begins, 'Our Father in heaven.' Well, I don't want to have anything to do with God if He's a father!"

"What makes you say that, Ben?" asked Mrs. Mac.

Ben scowled. "Because fathers don't treat people right, so I don't want one," he said angrily, but his eyes filled with tears. "You know what my father did? He left my mom and sister and me when I was five years old. Who wants another father like that?"

"Oh, Ben, I'm so sorry." Mrs. Mac was quiet for a few moments as she silently prayed for the right words to say. "Ben," she said at last, "we compare God to many things. But because God is perfect, no human example can ever describe Him properly." Ben still looked glum. "Ben, tell me about your mom," said Mrs. Mac.

Ben's face lit up as he thought about his mother. "Mom's great! She loves me and my sister, and she takes good care of us."

"Well, think of God as someone who loves you and cares about you even more than your mom does," said Mrs. Mac. "The Bible tells us that even if a mother forgets her child, God does not forget us. I'm so sorry your dad left you, but I want you to know that God will never leave His children."

"Really?" asked Ben, hope shining in his eyes.

"Yes, really. God loves you so much that Jesus became human and died for your sins so you could have a relationship with Him. He wants to be with you through the pain your dad caused you, and He won't ever abandon you. Jesus came to save you so you could be part of His family forever."

-Tanya Ferdinandusz

How About You?
Has God blessed you with a loving mom and dad? Then thank Him, and remember that He is even more loving than your parents. Perhaps you've been abandoned by your father or mother. Be assured that God, who is the perfect Father, will never forget His children. He loves you so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to provide the way for you to become part of His family. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)

Today's Key Verse:
Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I [God] would not forget you! (NLT) (Isaiah 49:15 )

Today's Key Thought:
God is a perfect Father

Bible Reading: Philippians 1:6, 9-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

"Why do we have to wear goggles and a mask?" asked Lily.

Lily's mom covered her mouth and nose and dropped goggles over her eyes. "When we pour lye into water, it causes a chemical reaction. The fumes aren't good to breathe."

Lily put on a mask, goggles, and gloves, then stirred the water as her mom slowly added the granulated lye. "Wow! That still burns my eyes."

"It takes something powerful to change oil into soap," Mom explained.

Lily put a thermometer into the water and lye solution. She put another thermometer into the olive oil they had warmed on the stove. "The lye water is 250 degrees. That's hot!" Lily checked the oil. "The oil is only 150 degrees."

"We'll mix them when both temperatures are around 110 degrees," said her mom.

They set the pitcher of lye water in a sink filled with cold water to cool it down. Then they waited. Thirty minutes later, both temperatures were just right. They poured the lye into the oil and stirred, then kept stirring, resting every fifteen minutes.

Finally, Mom said it was ready. "See how thick it is? When I make trails on top of the soap with my spoon, they stay there."

"It looks like vanilla pudding!"

Mom stirred a lavender-scented liquid into the mixture, then poured the soap into long, rectangular molds.

"When can we use it?" Lily asked.

"First it needs to harden in a dark, warm place for a day or two. Then we'll unmold it, cut it into bars, and let it dry for four weeks."

Lily's eyes widened. "That's forever!"

Mom laughed. "You need to be patient--like Jesus."

"What does Jesus have to do with making soap?" asked Lily.

"Think of it this way. We're the oil, and the Holy Spirit is the power that changes us. When we put our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit is poured into us. Over time, He purifies our hearts so we become more like Jesus and others can see we belong to Him. He teaches us to turn from sin and helps us grow in our faith. Jesus waits patiently for that to happen."

Lily smiled. "I want my heart to be as clean as our sweet-smelling soap!"

-Bonnie Carr

How About You?
Did you know that Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to live inside everyone who trusts Him as Lord and Savior? The Holy Spirit helps us become more like Jesus. He guides us in our thoughts, words, and actions so we can show His love to others. That doesn't mean we won't make mistakes! We will. It takes time to clean up hearts, but Jesus is patient. Trust Him to mold your heart to be more like His.

Today's Key Verse:
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (NKJV) (Psalm 51:10)

Today's Key Thought:
The Holy Spirit purifies us

Bible Reading: Hebrews 1:1-3, 10-12

Olivia stretched out under her favorite eucalyptus tree and gazed in wonder at the koala above her. This was the best time of the day, when the skies darkened and some of the nocturnal koalas finally woke up to snack on the tree leaves. Olivia had named this koala Kiki. "I could watch you all night, Kiki--if you stayed awake for that long." Olivia giggled softly at her joke, aware that koalas slept for up to eighteen hours each day.

"God," Olivia prayed, "it seems like Kiki never changes. She sleeps all day and wakes up to chew on eucalyptus leaves, then falls asleep again so she can digest them. I wish my life could be that simple and unchanging."

Olivia's prayer was interrupted by her older brother Levi plopping down beside her. "Hi, sis. How are you holding up?"

Olivia sighed. "I just don't want everything to change. Why do Grandpa and Grandma have to leave Australia?" Olivia's lip trembled.

"They said God was calling them to America--their new mission field. We've been lucky to have them right down the road our entire lives. I'm sorry, Liv. I know change is hard."

"I hate change," Olivia muttered. "I wish my life could be like Kiki's sometimes."

Levi tugged on his sister's ponytail. "That would be a pretty boring life though, don't you think?" Olivia shrugged. "Remember this, Liv--everything around us may change, but God never does. God was here before He created the world, and He will remain when this world fades away."

"When we were little, we learned a verse that says God does not change," Olivia said. "'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.' No matter what happens, Jesus stays with us, and He never changes."

"Some of us are still pretty little," Levi said with a grin. Olivia rolled her eyes.

Levi stood and brushed off his pants. "Ready to head inside? Grandma and Grandpa are coming to spend more time with us tomorrow."

"I guess." Olivia tilted her head to look at Kiki one more time. "Hey, Levi? Thanks for reminding me that God never changes. I'm going to try to remember that when I'm feeling sad about Grandma and Grandpa."

-Savannah Coleman

How About You?
Are you going through a time of change in your life? Sometimes change can be fun, such as getting a pet or meeting a new friend. Other times change can be very difficult, like when someone you love moves away. When hard changes come, remember that God is unchanging. The God who created the world will be the same throughout your entire life, and He promises to always be with you.

Today's Key Verse:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (NIV) (Hebrews 13:8)

Today's Key Thought:
God never changes

Bible Reading: Psalms 104:24-31; 145:14-21; 1 Peter 5:7

"How was the campout?" asked Cole's mom at breakfast the next morning.

"Great!" Cole said. "I think we ate three pounds of hot dogs."

Ethan laughed. "And two pounds of marshmallows."

"You sure had a beautiful night for sleeping under the stars," Mom said.

"Yeah," said Cole. "Made us think about God a lot."

"Thinking about the whole universe made me feel pretty small," said Ethan.

Mom smiled. "I know what you mean. It's good to think about how great God is, but it's also important to remember that He's interested in little things. Actually, the fact that He's interested in small things as well as big ones really emphasizes His greatness." She turned to Cole. "Have you shown Ethan the microscope you got for your birthday?"

"Yeah, he did. It's cool!" said Ethan. "Let's go use it, Cole."

"Okay," Cole replied, and the boys hurried off.

As Ethan peered through the lens a little later, he saw what appeared to be a giant horned monster. "Ew! What is that thing?"

"A flea." Cole laughed. "I got it off my dog."

Ethan took another look. "I didn't know fleas had all those horns and claws. Let's find some other things to look at." Soon the boys had examined an ant, a leaf stem,

a worm, and parts of a flower. "Cool!" Ethan said as he looked at a drop of water they had taken from a puddle.

"Wow!" exclaimed Cole when Ethan moved over so he could peer into the lens. The boys were amazed at all the tiny creatures they found swimming in the water. "There must be billions of these microscopic things all over the world, and we never see them," said Cole.

Mom spoke from the doorway. "Even though no one sees those little creatures, each one was created by God in a special way. And He sees and knows each one of us too, even when it seems like no one else does. He created each of us and loves us so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us. Even though we may feel small sometimes, we're very important to God, and He cares about every detail

of our lives."

-Sherry L. Kuyt

How About You?
Do you realize that God cares about every little thing--even those too small for you to see? Do you realize He cares about you? He knows every detail of your life and has a purpose for you. God, the great Creator, loves you so much that He humbled Himself to be your Savior. You can bring any care or worry to Jesus, no matter how small it seems. Praise Him for His greatness and for the love and care He shows you each day.

Today's Key Verse:
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. (NIV) (Psalm 145:21)

Today's Key Thought:
Praise God for His care

Bible Reading: Psalms 19:1-6; 145:1-7; Ephesians 2:8-10

Cole and his friend Ethan lay in their sleeping bags, gazing up at the sky. "I love camping out in the backyard," said Cole. "I wonder how many stars are out there. Look at them all! There must be millions of them."

"Yeah, and those are just the ones close enough to see without a telescope," Ethan said. "My science teacher says there are over a hundred billion galaxies, and each galaxy has millions or even billions of stars! Just think how big the universe must be. Do you ever wonder how it all got there?"

Cole was silent for a moment, then replied, "I believe what the Bible says--that God created everything. God hung the world in space and placed each star just where He wanted it." Cole rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow to face Ethan. "Have you ever thought much about God, Ethan?"

Ethan stared into the vast darkness overhead. "Sometimes I do. I guess there must be a God, but I don't really understand why He made all those galaxies and stuff that nobody can see anyway."

Cole grinned. "That reminds me of what I said to my mom when I cleaned my room yesterday. I told her I didn't see why I had to clean under my bed, since nobody looks under there anyway. She said she had her reasons even if I didn't understand them. So she said to clean it for her."

Ethan laughed. "That sounds like my mom too. I guess all mothers are like that."

Cole nodded. "Mom has her reasons for wanting me to clean under the bed, and I'm sure God has His reasons for all that He created. I know the Bible says everything--what we see and what we can't--was made by God and for God, so it sounds to me like He created everything for Himself, not just for us. But all those billions of stars help us realize how great and awesome God really is."

"Yeah," replied Ethan. "Makes me feel kind of small."

"I know," said Cole. "But the Bible says we're His greatest creation of all. He made us and Jesus came to save us for His glory."

-Sherry L. Kuyt

How About You?
Do you ever think about the vastness of the universe? Does it make you think of the greatness of God? You can never fully comprehend His greatness or the reasons for all the things He has done, but know that you are important to Him. Out of all the amazing things He created, the Bible says we are His masterpiece, created for His glory in Jesus. Enjoy the glorious splendor of God's majesty as you rest in His great love for you.

Today's Key Verse:
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. (NIV) (Psalm 145:3)

Today's Key Thought:
God is great and awesome