Bible Reading: Psalm 92:1; 100; Luke 17:11-19

Emma sighed. "You really messed up, Elijah."

"What?" Elijah was baffled. "How?"

"You made Mom sad by what you said." Emma folded her arms. "No, it's not what you said, it's what you did. Wait, it's not what you did, it's the way you did it."

Elijah stared at her. His sister wasn't making sense. "So how'd I do whatever I did?"

Emma shook her head. "You mumbled thank you--and walked away! Mom went out of her way to pick up your friends, drive them to the game, and buy everyone lunch. And what did you do?"

"I thanked her!"

"Barely. You didn't sound very grateful at all. Even a whale shows more appreciation than that."

Elijah's face scrunched up. "Huh?"

"In class I learned about a fisherman who spotted a whale tangled in fishing ropes off the coast of San Francisco," Emma said. "He reported it and a scuba diving team came and cut the ropes off the whale."

"Wow," said Elijah. "I bet it was thankful."

"Yes--and it showed everyone how thankful. When it realized it was free, it swam to each diver and gently bumped them, like it was thanking them."

Elijah pictured it swimming in circles, giving the divers a whale-sized thanks. "I gotta fix something," he said.

Elijah found Mom and gave her a big hug. "I'm sorry I didn't thank you nicely for your help."

Mom smiled. "I was wondering if you were like the lepers who weren't thankful to Jesus for healing their awful disease."

Elijah remembered the story. Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one took the time to come back and thank Him. "I think I've been forgetting to thank God for things too."

"Well, I'm glad you came back," Mom said. "True thankfulness starts with remembering all that God does for us. He has set us free from sin and made us His children through Jesus, and He takes care of us and fills our lives with good things. As we grow more thankful toward Him, we'll show more gratitude to others too."

Elijah decided that was the kind of person he wanted to be. "Thanks, Mom. And I really mean it this time." He grinned. "It only took a whale to remind me!"

-Matt Shoemaker

How About You?
Do you thank God for all He's done for you? Do you show you appreciate what others do for you too? God loves you so much, and He has put people in your life who show you His love and care. When you thank God for the blessings He's given you, thankfulness becomes a way of life. Thank God for what He's done, and trust Him to help you show your thankfulness to others too.

Today's Key Verse:
I always thank my God for you. (NLT) (1 Corinthians 1:4)

Today's Key Thought:
Show that you're thankful

Bible Reading: Psalm 46:1-3

Thoughts churned inside Diego as he trudged alongside his grandparents, who had prepared a picnic to share on the beach. Usually he adored picnics, but not today.

If only Papa could find a job, he thought, swallowing back the tears. Then he and Mama would stop arguing. If only I didn't grow so fast and keep needing new clothes and shoes.

"Diego, you and Grandpa go walk and have a chat," Grandma said, placing a blanket on the sand. "I'll read and take care of our food until you return."

Diego and Grandpa said nothing for a while as the waves lapped in and out. Finally Grandpa spoke, breaking the silence. "You're worried about your parents, aren't you?"

Diego nodded, wiping away a tear. "What if Papa never finds a job and we become homeless? I feel so helpless. I pray, but God feels far away at the moment."

"Oh, Diego, our loving God is always near," Grandpa said, hugging him. "Jesus loves you so much He died for you, and He promises to always be with you and help you through hard times. Place all your worries in His hands, and He will give you strength. You will survive this. You'll see. We won't allow you to become homeless. Now let's enjoy this family time we've been blessed with."

The sun glistened on the sea as they walked back. Grandma looked up and smiled when she saw them. "This book is so exciting! There's one challenge after another for the heroine, and I couldn't put it down. I'm desperate to find out what happens next."

Grandpa gave Diego a nudge. "You see? It's not the end. Life is like Grandma's novel, a series of chapters with lows and highs. Through it all, we can always trust Jesus, who walks with us in life. What you're going through is a difficult chapter, but it isn't your whole life. It's a part of it that God will use to help you know Him better, and one day you will pass through it." Grandpa sat down on the blanket. "Come on, let's pray so we can eat."

After they prayed, Diego's heart felt lighter. As he ate Grandma's delicious food, he thought about how this difficult time was just one chapter of his life, and hope and strength filled his heart.

-Cindy Lee

How About You?
Are you experiencing a tough situation in your life? Perhaps you're worried about a family separation, moving, finances, sickness, or something else. Remember that this is a chapter in your life and that you are not alone. In hard times, Jesus is always with us and gives us His peace and strength. Trust Him to help you through this difficult chapter.

Today's Key Verse:
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (NLT) (Psalm 46:1)

Today's Key Thought:
Trust God in hard times

Bible Reading: John 14:16-20, 25-28

Maisie set the table for dinner while her mother made a salad. "You know, Mom, I wish I'd been alive two thousand years ago," said Maisie. "Jesus was living on earth then, and I'd have been able to see Him and talk to Him. But He left us and went back to heaven."

As she spoke, Maisie's tablet dinged, letting her know she had a new message. "It's from Elodie," she said when she opened it. "Madeline Bowers is going to be in town to give a concert next week! Can I go, Mom? Pleeease? She's my favorite singer!"

Mom smiled. "Okay," she said.

"All right!" Maisie grinned at her mother. "I can hardly believe you knew her back in college, and now I'll get to see her in concert!"

"I heard she was coming here for a concert," said Mom, "and since it's been years since we've seen each other, I invited her to stay with us while she's here. Is that okay with you?" Maisie's mouth dropped open, and she stared at her mother in disbelief. Mom laughed. "Madeline and I used to be good friends, so when I heard she'd be in town, I invited her to spend the weekend with us."

"Here? In our house? And she said yes? She's actually going to stay with us?" Maisie danced up and down in delight. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Mom grinned. "I wanted to surprise you."

Maisie reached out to give her mom a hug. "I can't wait to tell Elodie!"

"Remember what you said a little while ago, Maisie--that you wished you'd been living when Jesus was on earth?" Mom asked thoughtfully. "I think you forgot something important."

"What?" Maisie asked.

"Well, seeing Madeline Bowers will be great, but she'll come and soon be gone again. But that's not what happened when Jesus left the earth. When He ascended into heaven, He said He'd send us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives not just with us but in us because we've trusted in Jesus. Through Him, Jesus is always present with us. That's even better than having your favorite singer in town for just one weekend."

-Tanya Ferdinandusz

How About You?
Have you ever wished you'd been alive when Jesus was on earth? It would have been wonderful to see Him heal the sick, make the blind see, and raise the dead. His disciples were sad when He said He was going to leave them, but He promised to send the Holy Spirit to comfort them--and He did! If you know Jesus as your Savior, you have the Holy Spirit living in you too. Through Him, Jesus is always with you.

Today's Key Verse:
Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God. (NKJV) (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Today's Key Thought:
The Holy Spirit lives in Christians

Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:3-10; 2:1-10

"Oh no!" Grant groaned, pulling a tray of overbaked cookies out of the oven. "I completely ruined these cookies!"

"That's okay," said Grant's cousin, Katy. "You can just make another batch!"

"I don't have time! I was going to deliver them to my friend Ryan for his birthday, which is today!"

"Hmmm," said Katy. "I have an idea. Here, get the grater."

Grant found a cheese grater and handed it to Katy. She used it to scrape off the burnt bottoms of the cookies.

"They're not burnt anymore, but they're still rock hard," Grant pointed out.

"Do you have ice cream?" Katy asked. Grinning, Grant ran to the freezer. They put a scoop of ice cream between two cookies and squished them together. "There!" declared Katy. "Ice cream sandwiches!"

"Wow! Thanks for helping me!" Grant exclaimed. "The cookies were terrible, but you saved them and transformed them into something even better--cookie ice cream sandwiches!"

"You're welcome!" Katy laughed. "One might say that I 'redeemed' the cookies."

"Redeemed. I think the pastor said that in the church service last Sunday, but I didn't know what it meant," Grant said.

Katy explained. "To redeem means to recover, to rescue, or to make up for something. Your burnt cookies are a bit like us. God created everything good. But just as burning the cookies ruined them, sin--turning away from God--brings hurt and death into the world. We were ruined by sin, and there was nothing we could do to fix our relationship with God. But Jesus died so that we could have life; His death brought a solution to the problem of sin that separated us from God. He didn't stay dead and rose again to life, bringing eternal life to all those who trust in Him!"

"Oh, I get it," Grant said. "Our cookies were a disaster, but we redeemed them into something good again."

"Yep!" Katy nodded. "And even when our lives seem like disasters, God works through the hard things to bring us good. And one day, He will restore the whole world."

Grant smiled. "I'll have to tell Ryan the whole story when I give him the redemption cookie ice cream sandwiches!"

-Abby Ciona

How About You?
Do you ever feel like you're too bad to be rescued by Jesus? No matter what you've done, Jesus's sacrifice pays the price for your sin. When we trust in Jesus, our sin is cleaned away, and we have a new life in Him. He can work through the hard things in our lives to do great things for His Kingdom. Trust Him as your Savior, and He will redeem you. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)

Today's Key Verse:
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. (NKJV) (Ephesians 1:7)

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus brings life out of death

Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:1-2

"It must be so lonely for the people in the nursing home." Anna placed her Bible on the dining room table. "After I read Mrs. Henshaw the Bible, her whole face lit up. I wish she could read the Bible on her own, but she's blind, so she can't."

"I'm sure Mrs. Henshaw appreciated you visiting her with your Sunday School class," said Mom. "Here." She handed Anna an empty cardboard box. "Can you help me find things around the house we don't need? Our church thrift shop is asking for donations."

"Let's check my room." Anna sped to her bedroom, and Mom followed.

"Anna." Mom pointed at the bed. "You sure have a lot of stuffed animals. Do you think you can part with a few?"

"Okay, I don't mind giving most of them away, but I can't part with Effie, my stuffed elephant. I've had him since I was three years old."

"Doesn't he have the whole Bible in a pocket on his tummy?" asked Mom.

Anna nodded. "There's a recorder inside the pocket. You just press the button and he speaks God's Word. I used to listen to him every night, but now I only sleep with him."

"Why did you stop listening to the recording?"

"Because now I can read the Bible on my own." Anna's brows scrunched up. "You know, I think Mrs. Henshaw would love listening to Effie, but it would be hard to give him up. I could give her the Bible recording without Effie, but I think she'd like him too."

"That would be a sacrifice, Anna."

"What's a sacrifice?"

"A sacrifice is something you give up for another person. Jesus made a sacrifice for us when gave up His life to save us by dying on the cross. When we give up things for others, we show how much we love Him because of what He did for us and that we want others to know His love too."

Anna picked up her stuffed elephant and hugged him. "I'm going to really miss Effie, but I want Mrs. Henshaw to have him. Do you think we can stop by the nursing home again today?"

-Chanda Singleton Griese

How About You?
Have you ever made a sacrifice? Was it hard to do? Do you know about the sacrifice Jesus made for you? Jesus Christ, God's own Son, sacrificed Himself by dying on the cross for all the wrong things we do so we can be forgiven. When we trust in Him, He fills us with His love, and then we can be willing to make sacrifices to help others know Him too.

Today's Key Verse:
The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (NIV) (Matthew 20:28)

Today's Key Thought:
Live a life of sacrifice