Bible Reading: Psalm 30:10-12

Clunk, clunk, clunk! Olivia slammed her fists on the piano keys, tears stinging her eyes.

Dad put down the evergreen wreath he had been about to hang and hurried to Olivia's side. "What's wrong, Liv? Your piano playing was so beautiful. You know that 'Deck the Halls' is my favorite Christmas carol." He cleared his throat, preparing to sing, but Olivia stopped him.

"No, Dad. I don't want to play this year. Christmas is all wrong."

Dad's expression turned sad. "You're right. Without your mom, Christmas is not the same."

Olivia wiped away a tear and pointed toward the kitchen. "Mom always made homemade snickerdoodles this time of year. It's tradition that we bring snickerdoodles to the nursing home and give them to the residents. Nothing feels right this year without Mom."

Dad nodded slowly. "I wish I could have made snickerdoodles, but I couldn't find your mom's recipe. I know it was one of your favorite traditions." His voice cracked slightly. "I'm sorry, Liv."

Olivia looked at her dad and for the first time realized how difficult this Christmas must be for him too. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for both of them. Jesus, I know You understand what we're going through because you experienced sadness too when you came and died to save us, she prayed. Please help us through this. When she opened her eyes, her gaze fell on the piano music in front of her. Suddenly, she had an idea. "Dad, what if this year we start a new tradition?"

"What do you have in mind?"

Olivia placed her hands on the piano keys and played the opening chords of "Deck the Halls." Instinctively, her dad started singing along. "Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la."

Olivia stopped playing. "See? Neither of us can cook like Mom, but I can play the piano and you can sing. The nursing home has a piano. What if we go there tonight and sing Christmas carols with the residents? I bet it would make their Christmas really special."

Dad's grin said it all. "That's a great idea, Liv. This will be a wonderful new tradition."

Olivia smiled. "A tradition that would make Mom happy."

-Amanda Spino

How About You?
Have you ever felt so sad that you wondered if you would ever be happy again? The Bible promises that at these times, Jesus is very close to you. He knows what sadness feels like, and He wants to mourn with you, comfort you, and help you feel the peace and joy that come from knowing Him. Next time you feel sad, go to Him so He can turn your mourning into dancing.

Today's Key Verse:
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV) (Psalm 34:18)

Today's Key Thought:
Turn mourning into dancing

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:18-22, 27-31

"I wish I could have a singing or acting part in the Christmas play," Angelica said. "It would be nice to be important for a change, instead of just pressing costumes."

"Angelica, you are important," Mom said as she sliced potatoes for dinner.

"Want me to set the table?" offered Angelica, walking over to the cupboard. "Can we use the good crystal goblets tonight? They're so pretty!"

"Sure," said Mom. "But how about taking these cookies over to Mrs. Ashe? She doesn't get many visitors, so it'd be nice if you could stay and talk with her for a while."

When Angelica returned home, her family was just sitting down to eat. As she slipped into her chair, she saw crystal goblets at each place, but no plates. "Let's thank God for our food," said Dad, so Angelica quickly closed her eyes.

When Dad said "Amen," Mom picked up the casserole dish and handed it to Angelica. "Help yourself," said Mom.

Angelica held the dish uncertainly. "Why don't we have plates?" She looked at her little brother and sister. "I bet you guys set the table."

"No, I did," said Mom. "The goblets are very pretty, so why not just use them? Plates would look so ordinary next to the goblets." Dad's eyes twinkled, and Angelica's little brother and sister stifled giggles.

"But we can't use them for this kind of food!" Angelica protested.

"You're right. We need different dishes for different foods," said Mom. "Dishes aren't all alike because each has a different purpose. It's that way in God's kingdom too. He uses people for different purposes--some to sing, some to preach, some to visit elderly people, and…"

"And some to press costumes, right?" Angelica said, smirking.

Mom nodded. "That's another way He uses some of us. Some jobs appear to be more glamorous to us than others, but each is as important as the next. Each one of us is special to Jesus, and He's given us different abilities and tasks so we can all serve Him together and help more people know about Him."

"Okay, I get the point," Angelica said. "Ordinary plates are very important. I'll get them." She grinned. "And after dinner, I have some very important costumes to press!"

-Hazel W. Marett

How About You?
Do you realize that everything you do for Jesus is important? Today's Bible reading points out that just like each part of your physical body is important, each member of the body of Christ--every Christian--is important too. Don't make the mistake of thinking that what someone else does or even what you do is more important than some other job. As we serve Jesus together, He will use every task done for Him to accomplish His purpose.

Today's Key Verse:
Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (NKJV) (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Today's Key Thought:
Whatever you do is important

Bible Reading: Luke 18:9-14

"Colton can't come over this afternoon," said Travis. "He has to go with his mom door-to-door to pass out church fliers and stuff."

"Really?" Dad was interested. "Are Colton and his family Christians?"

"I don't think so. They talk about faith in Jesus, but they don't believe He's God. That doesn't make sense to me. They seem to think they have to do a lot of good things to be saved--like handing out church fliers. I don't understand it. I don't think Colton does either, but he does whatever he's told. Says it can't hurt."

"It sounds to me like he needs to drop the oars and grab the rope," Dad said.

"What do you mean?" asked Travis.

"There's a river with a big waterfall near the town where I grew up," said Dad. "Just above the falls, the water is very wild and dangerous. It's unsafe for boating, and I remember one time when a teenager in a rowboat got caught in the swift current." Dad paused, remembering.

"So what happened?" asked Travis.

"The strong current pulled him closer and closer to the falls. A crowd gathered on the bank, and people called to him to row harder. He tried his best, but it was obvious he wasn't going to make it. Then someone threw a rope to him. What do you think the crowd called out to him then?"

"Uh, they probably told him to grab the rope," said Travis.

Dad nodded. "They yelled, 'Drop the oars! Grab the rope!' He did, and they pulled him to shore." Dad paused, still seeing the scene in his mind.

"Why does Colton remind you of that?" asked Travis.

"Well, because he reminds me of myself," Dad replied. "I was the teenager in the boat."

"Wait…what?" Travis gaped at his dad. "You almost went over those falls? Like, for real?"

Dad laughed. "Yes, for real. And when those people pulled me to shore, God used that experience to help me realize I'd been trying to save myself spiritually too. But trying to save ourselves from sin is useless. The only way any of us can be saved is to trust Jesus to save us. Let's pray God would do what He did for me and help Colton and his family understand that."

-Hazel W. Marett

How About You?
Are you struggling to save yourself? Do you think that living a good life will save you from your sins and earn a place for you in heaven? It won't. Don't be like the Pharisee in today's Bible reading. You can only be saved when you stop trying to save yourself and simply trust Jesus--as the tax collector did. Pray today as he did, putting your trust in Jesus to be your Savior. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)

Today's Key Verse:
God, have mercy on me, a sinner! (CSB) (Luke 18:13)

Today's Key Thought:
Trust Jesus to save you

Bible Reading: Isaiah 9:2; John 1:4, 9-10; 2 Corinthians 4:6

Josiah stared out the car window as his dad drove slowly past the lit-up homes. The lights seemed extra bright this Christmas. There were red, white, green, and blue lights strung along roof lines and door frames, wrapped around porch columns, and draped across tree branches. Inflatable Santas, snowmen, and reindeer stood on front lawns, some of them taller than his dad.

When they turned the corner, Josiah noticed that one of the houses only had a single light. A spotlight sat on the grass, illuminating a large sign with words written in red.

"Jesus is the reason for the season," Josiah read. "What does that mean?"

"I know," said Tiana, his older sister. "It means that Jesus is more important than all the other stuff we focus on at Christmas--like presents, cookies, decorations, or getting two weeks off from school, my personal favorite."

Mom turned around in her seat. "That's right, Tiana. It's good to celebrate the holiday with all those things, but we need to remember that it's Jesus we're celebrating. It can be easy to get caught up with the glitter and busyness of the holiday and forget to gaze at the one true light that came to earth in the form of a tiny baby--Jesus!"

Josiah was confused. "How can a baby be a light?"

"Jesus is the light of the world," Dad told Josiah. "He is God, but He became human so He could save us and be with us. Everyone who trusts in Him will always have His light shining in their hearts."

"I don't like the dark," said Josiah. "I need a night-light."

Dad chuckled. "We all get frightened at times, especially when we can't see what is around us or what might hurt us. We stumble in the darkness, just like we did when the power went out last week."

"I stubbed my toe looking for a flashlight," said Tiana.

"It was scary," said Josiah.

"But when we have the light of Jesus in our hearts, we're no longer in spiritual darkness. He's always with us and shows us the right way to go." Mom smiled. "I have an idea. These Christmas lights are beautiful, but they'll be turned off soon. Let's go home and read about the birth of Jesus, our everlasting light!"

-Bonnie Carr

How About You?
When December arrives, do you look forward to new toys, gingerbread cookies, holiday music, and colorful decorations? Those are all fun things to enjoy during the Christmas season, but don't forget that Jesus is the reason we celebrate. After all the presents have been opened and the lights and decorations have been put away, His light continues to shine in the hearts of those who trust in Him. Make this Christmas season bright by celebrating Jesus.

Today's Key Verse:
[Jesus] said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (NIV) (John 8:12)

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus is our light

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 1:22-25

"Here we are," said Mom as she pulled the car into a parking space at an antique store. "There are lots of breakable things here, so be careful, okay?"

"I'll be careful," Jane said as they went in. "I love to visit antique stores and see all the old stuff. Old things are way more interesting than new ones. I always wonder what kind of lives they had."

Mom laughed. "It would be interesting to know who owned these things. Were they rich or poor, young or old? Too bad these old things can't talk and tell us their stories." She pointed to a platter. "Wouldn't that be pretty on the shelf in the dining room?"

"Mom, can we get it?" Jane asked eagerly.

They checked the price, and Mom agreed to buy it. After paying the shopkeeper, they took the platter home, and Jane proudly showed it to Dad.

"Mom, do we always have to leave it on the shelf?" Jane asked. "Can't we use it sometimes?"

"Well, I guess we can use it now and then," Mom said. "But not every day. It's very old, you know, and I don't want it to get broken or chipped."

"Here's a riddle," said Dad. "What very, very old thing do we have that we can use all we want and it will still last forever, and it talks to us?"

"Mom and I wished antiques could talk!" exclaimed Jane. "Do we really have one that does?" She thought about it. "Is it an old radio? Or an old vinyl record?" But she shook her head. "No. Those wouldn't last forever."

"Look here." Dad opened his Bible to the book of First Peter and read, "The word of the Lord endures forever." Dad turned to Jane and smiled. "And God wants us to listen to what it says over and over, again and again. He wants us to use it to focus our minds on Jesus and remember His promises."

"But, Dad, Bibles wear out! Yours is just about worn out already. You could use a new one!"

"Yes, but God's Word isn't the paper and binding and glue that make up this book," Dad said. "It's what's written in it, and that will last forever!"

-Dean Kelley

How About You?
Do you let God's Word talk to you day after day? Or is your Bible not being used? It has a lot to say to you. It tells the story of Jesus and what He did to save you. It reminds you of God's love for you and His promise to make all things right one day. Listen to what the Bible says by reading it and taking its truth to heart. The pages and binding may wear out with use, but God's message will always remain. You can never wear out God's Word.

Today's Key Verse:
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (NKJV) (Mark 13:31)

Today's Key Thought:
Listen to God's Word