Bible Reading: 1 Peter 2:19-25

Before eating her lunch, Aranya bowed her head and closed her eyes to pray. When she opened her eyes, her lunch bag had disappeared. A few kids watched her and snickered. Aranya sighed. "Who has my lunch?" Several kids burst into laughter.

"Ask God where your lunch is, Miss Christian," said Rob. "You always talk to Him, don't you?"

Mrs. Yates, their teacher, walked over. "The person who has Aranya's lunch will hand it over right now," she said sternly. She paused. "I said now," she repeated. Rob hesitated, then pulled Aranya's lunch bag from his backpack and handed it to her. She quietly took it.

When Aranya arrived home, she told her mother what had happened. "I was so embarrassed, Mom. Not all the kids in my class make fun of me, but some of them call me Miss Christian all the time. I just don't know how to act when they're mean to me. I really felt like throwing something at Rob today--and some of the other kids too--but I didn't."

"I'm sorry, Aranya." Mom gave her a hug. "Your teacher emailed me about what happened, and she's talking to some of the other parents." Mom sighed. "The Bible tells us we'll be mocked and persecuted at times for following Jesus, but knowing that doesn't make it any easier, does it?"

Aranya shook her head. "I keep thinking about how when Jesus was persecuted, He didn't fight or talk back."

Mom nodded. "Follow His example." She paused, then asked, "Do you remember the book you used when you were learning to write? There were letters and words printed on the top line of each page. You copied them the best you could."

"And Jesus is my example for how to act when kids tease me, right?" asked Aranya thoughtfully. "I should copy Him." She sighed. "But I'm not perfect like He is."

"No, but since you trust in Him, you have the Holy Spirit, who is helping you become more like Him," Mom said. "Think about how your letters looked when you first started copying them. Your writing looks a lot more like the letters at the top of the page now than it did when you started. And as you follow Jesus's example, trust Him to let others see more and more of His love in you."

-Mary Rose Pearson

How About You?
Has anyone made fun of you for being a Christian? How did you react? The next time someone teases you because of your faith, ask yourself how Jesus would act if He were in your place. Then trust Him to help you respond to those making fun of you in a loving way instead of trying to hurt them back. When you copy Jesus, you let others see His love in you.

Today's Key Verse:
God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example. (NLT) (1 Peter 2:21)

Today's Key Thought:
Copy Jesus

Bible Reading: Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11; Isaiah 41:10

As Parker boarded the airplane with his grandmother, he had a lump in his throat. His parents were getting a divorce, and he was going to stay with his grandparents for a while. He felt as dark and gloomy as the day around him--not at all excited about flying on a plane for the first time in his life.

Grandma gave him a reassuring smile. "Scared?" she asked.

Parker shook his head--but inside he screamed, Yes, I'm scared! I'm scared of everything. But he didn't say anything. As the plane sped down the runway, huge drops of rain splattered on the small windows. Just like tears, Parker thought. But he didn't cry.

When the plane lifted from the earth, Parker felt like his heart jumped into his throat. He took a deep breath. All around, dark clouds tumbled, and Parker's stomach felt uneasy. Grandma reached for his hand. "Don't be afraid," she said softly. "We'll get through this."

Parker knew his grandmother was talking about more than the plane ride. He knew she was also referring to the dark, stormy clouds in his life. He wanted to believe her, but there was so much fear in his heart.

"We're going to go right into some of those dark clouds, Parker," said Grandma. "For a few minutes, we'll be in a thick fog, because that's what clouds are--fog. But just wait until we get above the clouds. You'll see."

As Grandma spoke, dark clouds closed in all around them. The interior of the plane dimmed. Then suddenly, a brilliant light came streaming through the windows. Parker squinted as he pressed his nose to the window pane. "Wow!"

Grandma looked over Parker's shoulder at the bright blue sky outside the window. "Even when we can't see it, the sun is always shining. It still shines above the clouds." She smiled and gently patted Parker's hand. "Our family is going through a dark cloud right now, Parker. Things look pretty bad to us, but remember that Jesus is still with us. Even in the darkness, the light of His love never stops shining. He will help us get through this dark time, and one day He will make everything in our broken world right again. Someday we'll break through the clouds."

-Barbara J. Westberg

How About You?
Are you going through a storm in your life? Are you afraid of the future? Whatever storm you're going through, remember that the sun is shining even when you can't see it. And God is near even when it doesn't feel like it. If you know Jesus as your Savior, He promises never to leave you. He will be with you and help you through life's storms and one day lift you above the clouds.

Today's Key Verse:
God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid. (NKJV) (Isaiah 12:2)

Today's Key Thought:
Trust Jesus in hard times

Bible Reading: Philippians 4:6-9

"Mom!" Eloise shouted from the darkness of her bedroom.

Mom ran upstairs to find Eloise hiding under her covers, shaking. "Eloise, what's wrong? Are you sick?" Mom asked anxiously.

"No, I'm not sick. I'm, um, scared," mumbled Eloise.

"What has you so scared, sweetie?" asked Mom.

"I don't want to tell you." Eloise peeked out at her mom. "You'll get mad at me."

"I promise I won't get mad," Mom assured her. "You can tell me anything."

"Well, when I was at Madeline's today, we watched a movie. It was all about people getting chased and hurt. Now I can't get those thoughts out of my head!"

Mom was quiet as she smoothed the blankets on Eloise's bed. "Do you remember last weekend when your softball team was in the playoffs?" asked Mom.

"Yeah," replied Eloise. "We were so nervous--our opponents were undefeated!"

"And do you remember what your coach told you before the game?"

Eloise nodded, remembering her coach's words. "He said, 'Don't think about all the games they've won or the home runs they've hit. Instead, think about how well you guys play as a team. Remember what you've practiced and focus on getting the bat to make contact with the ball and your glove grabbing the ball out of the air. Think positive!'" Eloise smiled. "I think it worked, because we won!"

"You sure did," said Mom. "The Bible tells us to do the same thing."

"It does?" asked Eloise with a puzzled look.

"Yup," said Mom. "A verse in Philippians tells us not to worry about anything, but instead to replace those worried thoughts with things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. You traded in your worried thoughts about the game for the truth of how well you're able to play as a team, and you can do the same thing with the thoughts you're having about the movie."

"I can?" Eloise sat up. "How?"

"Whenever we have scary or bad thoughts, we can focus on good things instead--like the truth that Jesus is always with us and wants us to give our fears to Him so we can feel His peace."

Eloise brightened and settled back into bed. "Thanks, Mom. I'm going to lie here and think about good things!"

-Laura Kuehn

How About You?
Have you ever seen or heard something that gave you bad thoughts? Do you sometimes struggle to get scary or worried thoughts out of your head? Don't let them take over. Tell Jesus about the thoughts you're having, and ask Him to help you trade them in for good thoughts. Replace them with the truth that Jesus loves you and promises to take care of you so you can feel His peace.

Today's Key Verse:
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. (NLT) (Philippians 4:8 )

Today's Key Thought:
Think good thoughts

Bible Reading: Romans 8:35-39; 1 John 4:13-16

SPLASH! Joelle's brother filled the trench between their two sandcastles with a full bucket of water.

"No!" Joelle's eyes filled with tears. "Now they can't get to each other!" She jumped to her feet. "Take the water away, Stanley!"

Her brother shook his head. "There has to be water in the moat."

"No!" Joelle looked between the two castles. "No!"

"What's going on?" Tessa, their babysitter, walked up to them. "Joelle, calm down."

"He put water between the castles!" Joelle pointed at her brother. "Now they can't get to each other!"

Tessa smiled. "Oh, and they're in love?"

"No!" Joelle stomped a foot. "Stanley has the king's house. He built a castle for him. And I built the princess's house. She's his daughter. Her daddy needs to be able to get to her."

"Oh." Tessa scratched her head. "Hmm…"

"There has to be water in the moat," Stanley said quickly.

"Well…" Tessa crouched down. "If the daddy loves the little girl, he will find a way to get to her." She picked up a shell and set it by Stanley's castle. "This is a boat for him to use to get to his daughter."

"What if the boat doesn't work?" Joelle asked, brushing at her eyes.

Tessa picked up a piece of driftwood and set it between the two castles. "And this is a bridge."

Joelle swallowed. Maybe that would work.

"If the daddy loves his princess, he'll find a way to get to her," Tessa said. "Just like God will always find a way to be with us. Nothing can ever separate us from Him. Jesus became human and died to save us, and He will always be with us."

"What about when we do bad things?" Stanley asked, looking up from his castle.

Tessa shook her head. "When we trust in Jesus, our sins are forgiven."

"What about when it's storming?" Joelle asked.

Tessa smiled and shook her head. "Are you asking about God or the people living in your castles?" she asked. "God won't let anything separate you and Him. That king in Stanley's castle is going to find a way to the princess, even if it starts to storm."

Joelle stared at her babysitter for a long minute before she smiled too. She liked the thought of that.

-Emily Acker

How About You?
Do you know that if you trust in Jesus, He is there with you no matter what you face? He isn't going to leave you because you do something bad or because your life is too messy. He came to earth, died for our sins, and then rose again so He could be with us forever. Nothing can separate God from His children. Even when you face storms in life, He will be with 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:
Nothing can separate you from God

Bible Reading: Psalm 8:3-9; Isaiah 49:15

"I have a message for you," Leo's mom told him when he came in from playing outside. "Michael called a few minutes ago. He wants you to call him back."

"Michael Burke?" asked Leo in surprise. "I thought he was on vacation."

"No, it was Michael Watson," said Mom. "I forgot you had more than one friend named Michael."

Just then Leo's older sister burst into the room. "Guess what! I'm going to the church softball game with Michael!" she exclaimed. "He asked me today."

Leo laughed. "Which Michael?"

"I only know one Mi--" She stopped. "Oh, that's right. I do know other Michaels. Well, this one is Michael Ford."

Before going to bed that night, Leo prayed for his family and friends. He thought about a boy in his class at church who needed surgery. "Dear Lord, please be with Michael," Leo began. Then he paused. "You know--Michael Smith," he added. "The one who needs heart surgery."

Leo frowned as he thought about how many Michaels there were in the world. There must be lots of Lukes and Sophias and Bens too, he thought. And Leos! He had thought of God as his personal friend, but suddenly he felt like just one of millions of people. He felt small and unimportant.

A few days later, Leo's dad, who was a doctor, called from the hospital. "Michael had his surgery today, and he's doing fine," he told Leo. "Guess what? There are three other Michaels on this floor!"

"Well, I hope the doctors and nurses don't get them mixed up," said Leo.

Dad laughed. "There's even another Michael Smith here, but don't worry. Our Michael's mother is the head nurse on this floor. Believe me, she knows which Michael belongs to her!"

When Leo prayed for his friend that night, he knew he didn't have to remind God which Michael he was praying for--or which Leo was asking. Just as a mother knows her own son, God knows each of His children. God knows I belong to Him because I trust in Jesus, Leo thought. I'm just as special as if I were the only Leo in the whole world!

-Catherine Runyon

How About You?
Do you think God ever gets tired of caring for so many people? Do you wonder if He's too busy to hear your requests, fears, or problems? Don't worry! God knows each of His children, and every one is special to Him. He sent His own Son, Jesus, to die for you so you could belong to Him, and He cares about everything you go through in your life. He will never forget you!

Today's Key Verse:
I [God] have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. (NKJV) (Isaiah 43:1)

Today's Key Thought:
God knows you personally