Bible Reading: Psalm 73:13-28; Proverbs 2:1-9

Kahlil closed the book he was reading and sighed.

"You don't look very happy," said his sister, Anisa. "What are you thinking about?"

Kahlil hesitated. "God," he admitted. "I've been wondering if God really hears us when we pray."

"Of course He does!" said Anisa.

"And my teacher at church says God is everywhere," said Kahlil. "How can that be? And how can He have no beginning?"

"I can't believe you're questioning God!" said Anisa. "Better not let Mom or Dad hear you do that."

"Do what?" asked Dad as he walked in and sat down.

Kahlil nervously picked at the corner of his book. "Well, sometimes I don't understand things about God and what the Bible says about Him. I have lots of questions, and Anisa thinks that's wrong."

"No, it's not wrong," said Dad. "It's perfectly okay for you to have those kinds of questions."

"It is?" asked Anisa. She and Kahlil looked at each other in surprise.

Dad nodded. "You learn by asking questions. For example, you made macaroni and cheese yesterday, right? How did you learn to do that?"

Anisa chimed in. "I heard him ask Mom a ton of questions. He asked how much water to use and how high to set the burner. And he asked how long it had to boil." She turned to her brother. "You've seen Mom make it a million times, but you didn't know anything when you tried to do it yourself."

Kahlil made a face at his sister. "Well, I could do it now!"

Dad smiled. "I'm sure you could. Asking questions helped you learn what to do. That's one reason God welcomes our honest questions--He knows they help us learn."

"You mean God's not mad?" Anisa asked.

Dad shook his head. "The book of Psalms is full of hard questions the writers asked God. Their questions helped them understand more about God and why they could trust Him. So don't be afraid to ask hard questions. Questions can strengthen your faith as you learn more about who God is and how Jesus came to save you and promises to be with you through life's difficulties." Standing up, Dad said, "I'm hungry. Why don't we ask God some questions together over a bowl of Kahlil's mac and cheese?"

–Sheri Shaw

How About You?
What are some things about God you don't understand? It's okay to ask hard questions--they can help you learn and grow in your relationship with Jesus. Ask your parents, teachers at church, or any Christian adult you feel you can talk to. Look to the Bible for answers too, and ask God to help you understand more about who He is and what He's done for you.

Today's Key Verse:
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know. (CSB) (Jeremiah 33:3)

Today's Key Thought:
Ask and learn

Bible Reading: Luke 12:16-21

Malachi put down the wood for the campfire and hurried to see why Boomer, his puppy, was barking. The little dog stood at the edge of the stream, looking down into the clear water. "What is it, Boomer?" asked Malachi. He looked down to see what was in the water and began to laugh.

"What is Boomer barking at, Malachi?" asked Dad.

"Himself! He's barking at his own reflection in the water." Malachi shook his head. "Silly dog! Come on, Boomer. I'll get you a treat." The magic word was treat--Boomer immediately left the edge of the water and scurried over to the tent. Soon he had his treat and was stretched out near the stream.

Dad smiled as he watched Boomer happily chomp on his treat. "This reminds me of an old fable about a dog and a bone," he said. "As the dog carried his bone across a bridge, he thought he saw another dog in the water below, and he bristled."

"That sounds like Boomer, all right!" said Malachi.

"Yes, and this dog wasn't going to let that other dog get his bone," continued Dad. "So he began to bark to make the other dog go away. I'm sure you can figure out what happened when he opened his mouth to bark."

Malachi laughed. "His bone fell into the water, right?"

"Right, and the greedy dog ended up with nothing." Dad added another log to the campfire. "Greed makes us want to get things and hold on to them at all costs, but in the end we lose everything we had and more. True riches and fulfillment come from Jesus, not from anything we own. Money and possessions don't last, but Jesus offers us a gift that lasts forever--forgiveness for our sins and eternal life with Him. To loosen the grip of greed on our hearts, we need to turn to Jesus and trust Him to provide us with everything we need, including joy and contentment."

Just then Boomer ran up, looking for another treat. Malachi smiled and got one out. "Here you go, Boomer," he said, holding it out for Boomer to take from his hand. "But it won't last long, so don't get greedy."

–Marilyn J. Senterfitt

How About You?
Do you think having the right things will bring you happiness? Are you so focused on getting and keeping those things that you don't care about anything or anyone else? Lasting joy doesn't come from having lots of money or cool stuff--it comes from knowing Jesus. Having a relationship with Him brings us true riches that last forever. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Today's Key Verse:
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (NIV) (Mark 8:36)

Today's Key Thought:
Seek true riches

Bible Reading: Isaiah 40:28-31

Kaylee softly sang a song as she zipped her suitcase. "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles…"

"Time to go," called Dad.

Reluctantly, Kaylee turned and followed her parents to the car. Usually she loved going to church retreats, but this time Lyra, her best friend, wouldn't be there. Lyra had died just a few weeks before. A tear trickled down Kaylee's cheek, and she hastily rubbed it away as she slid into the backseat of the car, closed the door, and fastened her seat belt.

"All set?" asked Dad. Kaylee nodded.

"I liked the song you were singing," said Mom.

Kaylee bit her lip so she wouldn't start crying again. "It was one of Lyra's favorites."

"I remember hearing her sing it," said Dad, and as he backed out of the driveway, he began singing the song. Mom and Kaylee joined in.

"What exactly does it mean to mount up with wings as eagles?" asked Kaylee when they finished singing. "We can't really fly."

Dad smiled. "The eagle is a unique bird. Other birds try to avoid storms, but eagles fly straight into them. They use the violent winds to lift themselves up high above the storm clouds."

"Does that help them fly better and be safe?" asked Kaylee.

"Yes," Dad said. "With God's strength, you can be like an eagle. You can fly straight into the storms of life instead of running away from them. Even when you face difficult things--like the grief and loneliness you feel because of Lyra's death--you don't have to be afraid, because you know Jesus is with you. He has saved you and given you eternal life, and He can use difficult experiences to help you learn to trust Him and grow in your faith. He is strong, and He promises to give you His strength in life's storms."

Brushing away tears, Kaylee nodded. "It still hurts, even though I know Lyra's in heaven, but I want to trust God to give me strength. I want to fly like an eagle."

Mom squeezed her hand. "Let's sing that song again." And they all began to sing.

–Jean A. Burns

How About You?
What problems are you facing today? Are you sad because a friend has died or moved away? Because your mom or dad is out of work? Because what's happening in your life makes it seem like your world is falling apart? Remember that Jesus loves you and wants to help you face your problems. He gave His life to save you and promises to always be with you. Trust Him to give you the strength to face life's storms.

Today's Key Verse:
Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. (NKJV) (Isaiah 40:31)

Today's Key Thought:
God gives strength to face problems

Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6; John 18:36

"Uh-oh!" said Mom. "That sign says, 'Detour Ahead.' The ramp to the freeway is closed." She drove on down the street.

"But we're going away from the freeway," Maggie said as she looked out the window.

"We just need to follow the orange detour signs," said Mom. "See if you can find the next one."

After they drove a couple of blocks, Maggie pointed and said, "There! It says to turn right--but we'd have to turn left to go in the direction of the freeway. Someone must have switched the signs!"

"Let's just do what the signs say," said Mom, turning to the right. The next sign also said to go right, and the next said to go right again.

"We're going in circles," said Maggie. "This can't be right!"

"Look ahead," said Mom. "There's the freeway. The signs were correct even though they seemed wrong." She turned onto the ramp. "You know what? Someone has given us directions for our lives too, and we have to trust that His directions are right--even if they sometimes seem backwards. Do you know who I mean?"

Maggie thought about it. "Dad?"

Mom laughed. "He'd be happy to hear that answer, but I was thinking of God. The Bible says, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,' and, 'A gentle answer turns away wrath.' Compared to what we want or what others might say, those statements may seem wrong."

"How about, 'Love your enemies'?" said Maggie. "That was my memory verse last week."

Mom grinned. "Here's a good one for us today. 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.'"

"I wish I remembered that verse when I was worried about finding the freeway!" said Maggie.

Mom nodded. "God's directions go against the messages we often hear in the world that say to think of ourselves and do what we want. That's because, as Christians, we're called to live like Jesus. He came into our world to save us from sin and bring us into God's kingdom. When we follow God's directions, He will lead us to live in a way that shows we belong to Jesus and are part of His kingdom."

–Pauline Youd

How About You?
Do God's directions--the instructions He gives in the Bible for how to live--sometimes seem like they don't make sense? That's because the heavenly kingdom Jesus brought to us when He came to earth is very different from how our world does things. Instead of putting yourself first, Jesus says to love others--even your enemies--the way He loves us. Trust God to help you walk in His way of love as you follow His directions.

Today's Key Verse:
In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (NIV) (Proverbs 3:6)

Today's Key Thought:
Trust God's directions

Bible Reading: Psalm 62:5-8

Landon listened as the woman on TV reported that temperatures had dropped to a record-breaking low with a strong wind. "Can we still go for our breakfast tomorrow?" he asked. For him, the best part of celebrating the new year was having breakfast with his dad on New Year's Day. Each year, they'd get up at dawn, load backpacks with supplies, and walk through the snow to a nearby lake where they would start a fire and cook their food.

"It will be an adventure--a really cold one!" said Dad. "But let's do it."

Early the next morning, they dressed in several layers of warm clothes and headed for the lake. Wind whipped the snow all around, stinging Landon's cheeks. When they finally made it to the rocky lakeshore, Landon was freezing. "Maybe we shouldn't have come," he yelled to his father over the sound of the wind.

"We'll be okay," Dad assured him. "Head for those huge boulders over there."

Behind a towering rock, Landon instantly felt warmer. Within minutes, they had a fire going, and he began to warm up even more. "I can hardly feel the wind here," said Landon.

"I know," said Dad as he turned bacon in the frying pan. "We can hear it blowing all around us, but the rocks protect us from most of its effects." He cracked some eggs into the pan. "This huge rock is a good picture of what the Bible means when it says God is our Rock. He saved us from sin and gives shelter and protection, and we can trust Him even though there's chaos all around."

"My teacher at church said something like that," said Landon. "But I didn't really know what it meant until now."

Dad put the bacon and eggs on their plates, and Landon poured hot chocolate out of the thermos. "I'm glad we came," Landon said, "but I'd hate to be out here very long without this rock to shelter us."

"Me too," said Dad. "And I'd hate to be in this world without God, our Rock, to shelter me. He sent His own Son to die in our place so we could be His children, and when life's storms are raging, He surrounds us with the protection of His love, hope, and peace."

–Lyndel F. Walker

How About You?
Have you ever stood behind a big rock to get out of the wind? Rocks can protect you in many ways, and the Bible says God is a Rock for His children. Remember that Jesus gave His life for you and is with you during storms in your life--the difficult experiences you sometimes have to face. Trust Him to help you through them as you take shelter in the peace and comfort of His presence.

Today's Key Verse:
He [God] only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. (NKJV) (Psalm 62:6)

Today's Key Thought:
God shelters His children