Bible Reading: Psalm 119:9-16

"Mom, why is Dad scowling?" asked Jackson as he watched Dad working at the edge of the new concrete patio he had poured. "I think the patio looks great!"

"I think so too. But the concrete is setting faster than Dad expected."

"Setting?" asked Jackson. "You mean it's already getting hard?"

"Right," said Mom. "It's easy to level and smooth cement when it's first poured, but once it's set, you can't change it. So now he has to work fast to try and get it the way he wants it before it's too hard."

"Oh. Well, I wish I could help him, but I guess I can't." Jackson picked up his baseball mitt. "Is it okay if I go to the park to practice throwing with José for a while?"

"That's fine--if you've finished the other things you need to do," said Mom. "Did you pick up your room and take the trash out? And how about your quiet time? Did you do that?"

Jackson nodded. "I knew you'd ask that, so I did all those things right after breakfast."

"Good for you," said Mom. "I'm glad you're making it a habit to do your work and to pray and read your Bible before going out to play. It's important to practice good habits now so you'll keep doing them when you're older--and spending time with Jesus is one of the best habits to practice. When we spend time with Him, He reminds us that He loves us and will always forgive our wrongs and be with us, no matter what we face in life."

Jackson watched his father frantically try to smooth the quickly hardening concrete of their patio. "Does that mean habits are like concrete and harden in place?"

"That's a good way to look at it," said Mom. "Both good and bad habits can become hardened into a person's life over time."

"And that's why you want me to set good habits while I'm young," said Jackson.

Mom nodded. "We can start new habits at any age, but the sooner we let go of bad habits and replace them with good ones, the sooner those good habits will be set in place. The best time to start practicing a good habit is today--no matter how old you are."

–Pauline Youd

How About You?
Are you forming good habits? There are lots of habits that are important in the Christian life, such as praying, reading the Bible, going to church, thanking God for everything He gives us, and confessing our sins and receiving His forgiveness. But forming habits like these takes practice, so start doing them now. As you practice them, they'll begin to set and soon become a part of your everyday life.

Today's Key Verse:
Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come. (NKJV) (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

Today's Key Thought:
Practice good habits

Bible Reading: John 3:16-18

Seeing the gigantic merry-go-round, Harper and Violet squealed in excitement and ran ahead of Mom and Dad to the entrance. They stood next to the height chart. They were both tall enough.

"Whoo-hoo!" Harper clapped her hands in excitement.

The merry-go-round came to a stop and the riders got off. Harper and Violet were about to dash through the gate when someone's arm blocked their way. "Hang on, kids. Not so fast." It was the ride operator.

Harper and Violet gave each other a puzzled look when the operator let other kids go past them and get on the merry-go-round. "Why can't we ride?" asked Violet. "We're tall enough!"

Just then Mom and Dad walked over. "Finally caught up with you!" Mom said.

"Mom," Harper said, her face full of disappointment. "He wouldn't let us on. Why?"

Dad reached into his pocket and pulled out four small pieces of paper. "Here, you need your tickets."

Harper and Violet each grabbed one and brought it to the ride operator. He opened the gate and let them in. They each picked a horse to ride on, bouncing up and down on them excitedly. Mom and Dad gave their tickets to the operator and got on too.

"You know," Mom said thoughtfully, "this reminds me of something Jesus said. There is no other way to heaven except through Him. Tell me, why couldn't you ride the merry-go-round at first?"

"We didn't have our tickets," Violet replied.

"And why was that?" asked Mom.

"We just thought we needed to be tall enough," said Harper. "We didn't know we had to have tickets for it."

"Right," Dad said. "You couldn't ride the merry-go-round without a ticket, and you can't have eternal life without Jesus. It's a gift you need to receive from Him. There's nothing you can do to get to heaven on your own. Your only ticket is to trust Jesus as your Savior, who paid your way by dying for your sins and rising from the dead."

Soon the merry-go-round started moving. "I'm glad I have my ticket for the merry-go-round," Violet said as their horses moved up and down. "But I'm even happier I have Jesus and that one day He'll take me to heaven!"

–Goh Su En and Goh Shao En

How About You?
Have you ever thought that you could be or do enough to get to heaven on your own? You can't. There is only one way to be saved from sin and have eternal life, and that is through Jesus. We all mess up, but Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross, and rose again so we could have eternal life with Him. Trust in Him today! (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:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (NIV) (John 14:6)

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus is the only way to heaven

Bible Reading: Colossians 3:12-17

"Did you see that clunky bracelet Megan is wearing?" Vivian whispered to the girls sitting near her on the bus, but Megan overheard. She looked down at the beaded bracelet she and her grandmother had strung together. Spaced between bright round beads were letters spelling J-O-Y. Megan had been excited to wear her new bracelet, but now it seemed silly. She quickly walked past Vivian and her friends as she got off the bus.

"Hi, sweetheart," said Grandma as Megan came in the house. "Do you want a snack before we finish your necklace?"

"Grandma, would it be all right if we did something else today?"

"Sure, Megan, but you seemed so excited about beading."

"I am. It's just that Vivian said something to some other girls about my bracelet." Megan sighed. "She's supposed to be my friend."

"Well," said Grandma, "I have something I want to show you. Then if you still don't want to finish your necklace today, we'll do something else." Grandma led the way to her craft room. Jars holding beads of many shapes and colors lined the shelves. Grandma reached for a jar hidden behind the others. "I've been saving this for a special project." She pulled out a large red heart-shaped bead. "Why don't you add this to your necklace?"

Megan looked at the necklace she had begun yesterday. The string was already full--there was only room for the clasp. "Grandma, there's no more room. I'd have to take off some beads."

"You know, friendship is a bit like stringing beads," replied Grandma. "You have to decide what to keep and what to put aside. We have both happy and hurtful moments with our friends. But if we hold on to the hurtful moments, we won't have room for anything else. Forgiving friends when they hurt us makes room for joy." Grandma carefully eased some beads off the string. She threaded the heart onto the strand and handed Megan the necklace. "When forgiving is hard, we can go to Jesus," Grandma said. "He's the Friend who always forgives us, and He'll help us forgive others."

"I need to forgive Vivian," Megan said as she slid more beads onto the strand. "Then we'll have room for more happy moments as friends."

–Heidi J. Schmidt

How About You?
Are you holding on to something someone did or said that hurt you? It hurts when others do or say mean things, especially a friend. But remember that if you're a Christian, Jesus has forgiven you for all the hurtful things you've said and done. Let your friends know when they hurt you, but then forgive them so you'll have room for more joyful moments together.

Today's Key Verse:
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (NIV) (Colossians 3:13)

Today's Key Thought:
Forgive and make room for joy

Bible Reading: Psalm 42:1-2; Matthew 5:6

"Mommy, can I have some juice? Ivy made me thirsty! She gave me potato chips."

Ivy grinned at her little brother. "You didn't have to eat them, Kylan."

"Yes, I did," said Kylan. "You made me want them! You said they were so good, and you kept eating them and eating them. That's why I ate so many, and now I'm thirsty!"

"You can have some water," said Mom. She poured water into a cup and gave it to Kylan, then reached over and took a potato chip from the bowl in front of Ivy. "Did you know that Christians are supposed to be like potato chips?" she asked, holding up the chip in her hand before popping it into her mouth.

"What? That's silly." Ivy took another chip from the bowl and studied it. "How can anybody be like a potato chip?"

Kylan grinned at his big sister. "I'd sure be thirsty if I ate a potato chip as big as you, Ivy. That would be a giant one!"

"Yes, it would," said Mom. "You'd probably have to drink a whole bucket of water!" She gave Kylan a playful jab. "Well, that's exactly how you're supposed to be like a potato chip--you should make people thirsty to know Jesus."

Ivy frowned. "How are we supposed to do that?" she asked, taking a few more chips.

"Potato chips make you thirsty because they're so salty, and Jesus calls His followers the salt of the earth," Mom explained. "If we're salt, we should make people thirsty for the joy, peace, and hope we have in Jesus."

"I still don't get how to make them want that though," said Ivy.

"Kylan said you made him want the potato chips by telling him how good they were, right?" said Mom. "He also saw you keep eating them and that you enjoyed them."

"I think I get it!" said Ivy. "We should tell our friends how great it is to know Jesus and let them see how glad we are to have Him in our lives."

"That's it," said Mom. "Jesus is always with us, giving us joy, peace, and hope--even in difficult times. You want to make them thirsty and want what you have." Mom crunched another chip and smiled.

–Mary L. DeMott

How About You?
Are you a salty Christian? Do your friends see the joy Jesus brings to your life and that He is with you in everything you go through? Have you told them about what He's done for you? As you show your faith in Jesus each day--even though you have struggles and problems--your friends may become thirsty for the peace and comfort He gives you and want Him in their lives too.

Today's Key Verse:
You are the salt of the earth. (NKJV) (Matthew 5:13)

Today's Key Thought:
Make others thirsty to know Jesus

Bible Reading: Romans 8:35-39

Eva zigzagged around mud puddles as she walked home in the rain, but her feet were still getting wet. I know Mom and Dad both had to work late today, but I wish they'd asked someone to give me a ride, she thought gloomily. And they know I don't like being home alone! But when Eva reached the back porch, she was surprised to see her older sister there. "Hi!" said Kate. "I'm home from college for the weekend." She grinned. "What a beautiful, sunshiny day, don't you think?"

"No, I don't!" said Eva, wiping water off her face.

"Oh, but it is!" insisted Kate. "Even if it doesn't look like it."

"I think you've been studying too hard, Kate. Your brain must be taking the weekend off too."

"So you're saying the sun isn't there anymore?" Kate asked, peering up at the heavy clouds. "That it totally disappeared?"

"Of course not," Eva answered. "But it's sure hidden. I haven't seen it for days!"

"Well, just because we can't see the sun doesn't mean it's not there. Behind those dark clouds, the sun still shines! It just goes to show that we can't always trust what we see--we need to trust the truth." When Eva didn't reply, Kate smiled and added, "Take Jesus, for example."

"Jesus?" asked Eva. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when bad things happen, we might feel like we're all alone, but we're not," Kate explained. "Jesus is always with us. The truth is that He's there, whether we feel like He is or not."

"So the clouds are like our problems," said Eva. "The clouds keep us from seeing the sunshine, but the sun is still there--and dealing with hard stuff may keep us from feeling like Jesus is with us, but He really is there."

"Right!" said Kate. "Because Jesus died and rose again to defeat sin and death, nothing can separate us from God and His love. That's His promise in the Bible, and we should trust Him. The sun is always shining, and God's love is always shining too."

Eva grinned. "Okay. So how about going for a walk?" She laughed when her sister made a face. "Come on, Kate. Don't let a little rain stop you on this beautiful, sunny day!"

–Diane Strawbridge

How About You?
Have you trusted in Jesus as your Savior? If you have, He promises that He will always be with you and never leave you. You may not always feel like He's there, but don't depend on your feelings. Trust the truth of God's Word, which says He will always be with His children. There is nothing that can separate you from God and His love.

Today's Key Verse:
[God] himself has said, "I will never leave you or abandon you." (CSB) (Hebrews 13:5)

Today's Key Thought:
Trust God, not feelings