Bible Reading: Romans 12:9-13

"Look!" said Rylee, stepping back from the huge saguaro cactus. "There's something in that hole!"

Dad and Easton came over to see. Sure enough, a pair of blinking yellow eyes peered back at them from a hole in the trunk of the cactus.

"I think it's a screech owl," said Easton. "We learned that woodpeckers peck holes into cactuses when they make their nests. Then after they leave, other birds move into the empty holes and live there."

Dad nodded. "Each time the cactus skin is broken--like when a woodpecker makes a hole--a thick gluey liquid seeps out and forms a waterproof pouch. The liquid hardens, kind of like a scab, to make the pouch permanent. Inside the hole it's cooler in the day and warmer at night, so it makes an ideal home for desert birds."

Rylee saw big and little holes in the arms of one of the cactuses--they were everywhere. "This saguaro is like a high-rise apartment building!" she said with a laugh. "What a crowded place to live."

Easton grinned. "Just like our house."

Rylee nodded thoughtfully. Grandma had recently moved into their house, and Julia, a single mom who went to their church, was going to be living with them for a while with her two-year-old son, Wilder.

Rylee remembered the discussion they'd had about Julia and Wilder coming. "You're kidding!" Rylee had said. "Where are they going to sleep?"

"Well, they will need to move into your room, and you'll have to share a room with Easton." Dad patted Rylee's hand when he saw the look on her face. "It's only for a while until Julia can get back on her feet. We'll all have to make some sacrifices, but that's often necessary when we're called to love others like Jesus, who sacrificed everything for us. Pray about it, will you?"

Rylee had tried, but she hadn't felt comfortable praying. She knew she was being selfish. But now Rylee looked at the big saguaro that offered a home to any creature who needed it, even if it meant having holes pecked into its walls. I won't complain, she thought. Even if Wilder pounds holes into our walls too--and knowing him, I'm sure he will!

–Trudy Vander Veen

How About You?
Are you willing to give up some of your comforts or conveniences to help others? Try to put yourself in their shoes and consider how you might feel if you needed help and no one was willing to give it. When we needed to be rescued from sin, Jesus sacrificed His life to save us. Trust Him to help you love others the way He does and be willing to make sacrifices for them.

Today's Key Verse:
No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. (NIV) (1 Corinthians 10:24)

Today's Key Thought:
Make sacrifices for others

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:9-16

Rylee leaned back to see the top of the huge saguaro cactus next to her. Its spiny arms reached out and up toward the sky. "With so many big arms, this thing should be holding something. Try sitting on one of its arms, Easton," Rylee said with a grin.

"No way!" said Easton. "I'm not sitting on those prickly things!"

"Those arms," said Dad, "are holding what is probably the most valuable thing in the entire region."

"And I know what it is," Easton said. "Water! Cactus plants can live in the dry, hot desert by storing water inside their trunk and arms."

"That can't be right," said Rylee, looking around at the sand and rocks. They extended as far as she could see. "There's no water here!"

"Easton is right," said Dad. "Cactus roots don't go very deep into the earth. Instead, they go down only about three feet and then spread out about a hundred feet in all directions. The spread-out roots draw in every drop of rain, sending it to a hidden storage area in the arms and trunk of the cactus. That inner water supply is what keeps this cactus alive and growing. These big fellas can soak up as much as two hundred gallons of water--enough to last them a whole year!"

"Yeah, that's why they're pleated like an accordion," Easton said, eager to show his knowledge. "The pleats expand as the spongy material inside absorbs water."

"That's incredible!" said Rylee. "Well, Mr. Cactus, I can see you're a pretty smart guy!"

Dad smiled. "One with a good lesson for us about the importance of storing things."

"About storing water?" asked Easton. "I don't really mind carrying a water bottle--and I like the size of my arms the way they are!"

Dad laughed. "I wasn't thinking of your arms, Easton. Let's try your heart! I hope both of you will store God's Word in your heart and mind. Then when things get difficult, you can draw from those words of hope, comfort, and guidance. Knowing God's Word helps us remember what Jesus has done for us and that He's always with us. Like water in a dry desert, it will nourish you and help you grow in your relationship with Him."

–Trudy Vander Veen

How About You?
Have you been growing spiritually? Are you storing God's Word in your heart by reading the Bible and memorizing verses? Storing God's Word in your heart will help you understand how much Jesus loves you and who you are in Him. Read and study it so He can use it to guide you in your life, comfort you in hard times, and remind you of His promises.

Today's Key Verse:
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. (NKJV) (Psalm 119:11)

Today's Key Thought:
Soak up God's Word

Bible Reading: Revelation 7:9-12

I can't even understand what they're saying," Ezra said as he and his family entered the church building. His family's car had broken down just over the Canadian border, so they now had to go to church at a place in Quebec, Canada, that his dad had heard about. Everything about the church seemed different to Ezra--the language most of all.

When everyone started singing hymns, Ezra's dad passed him a book that said Cantiques on the front. "It's a hymnbook," Dad said. He flipped to the correct page and pointed to a line of words in the song. Ezra tried to follow along with the French song, but none of the words made any sense to him.

Later, after church was over, Ezra noticed someone waving to him as he and his family left. He waved back, and his dad asked, "Who's that?"

"Oh, that's Jacque," Ezra explained. "I met him in Sunday school. He helped me understand the French on the papers the teacher handed out whenever there wasn't English underneath it."

"I see," his dad said. "I suppose it was a bit confusing for you in the church service and in Sunday school."

"You can say that again," Ezra replied.

"Going to church in a different country is an interesting experience, isn't it?" said Dad. "Though it can be confusing when things are different from what we're used to or we don't understand what's being said, it's good for us to worship God with Christians from other places in the world. We're all part of God's church and are brothers and sisters in Christ, who saved us by dying for our sins. We worship God in the same way, just in different places and languages." Dad smiled. "In fact, the apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation that there will one day be countless people of every nation, tribe, and language worshiping Jesus in heaven."

"Including people from Quebec who speak French?" Ezra asked.

"That's right." Dad turned to see Jacque and his family leaving. "By the way, au revoir means 'goodbye' in French."

"Au revoir, Jacque!" Ezra called.

"Au revoir, Ezra!" Jacque called back. "I hope to see you again!"

–Ethan Terry

How About You?
Have you ever attended a church in a different country or where a different language was spoken? Church is not simply a building--God's church is made up of everyone who trusts in Jesus, and He saves people from all over the world. Though we worship Jesus in different places and languages, we are all part of God's family, and one day we will worship Him together in heaven.

Today's Key Verse:
I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. (NLT) (Revelation 7:9)

Today's Key Thought:
Christians live around the world

Bible Reading: Romans 5:1-5; 8:24-28

"It's such a nice day," Adrianna said. "Look at the sunshine, Mom! Nate, don't you wish we could go to the waterpark today?"

Nate looked at his little sister. "It would be fun, but I'm sure Mom and Dad have other plans for the day."

"I'm not sure what our plans are," Mom said, taking a sip from her mug of coffee. "And it does look like a nice day."

"Can I ask Daddy if we can go to the waterpark?" Adrianna asked, carrying her cereal bowl to the sink.

"You can ask," Mom said. "I'm not sure what he's thinking for today though."

"Yay!" Adrianna skipped out of the kitchen. "The waterpark! The waterpark!" she sang.

Mom smiled at Nate. "She's sure abounding in hope, huh?"

"What?" Nate's forehead wrinkled. "What do you mean?"

"In the Bible, the apostle Paul writes to the church in Rome encouraging them to abound in hope," Mom said. "To abound in hope means to be filled with it."

"What kind of hope?" Nate asked. "Hope in what?"

"Hope in God," Mom said. "Paul reminds them that those who trust Jesus as their Savior have peace and joy and can be filled with hope because of His promises. It's a little like how Adrianna has hope your dad will say yes to a waterpark trip--she knows he loves her and enjoys doing good things for her."

"And we can have hope God will do good things for us?" Nate asked.

Mom nodded. "That doesn't mean He'll give us everything we ask for, but we can abound in hope knowing that He saved us, gave us His Spirit to be with us, and promises to do good things in our lives."

"Do you think Dad will say yes to the waterpark?" asked Nate.

Before Mom had a chance to respond, Adrianna bounded back into the room. "We're going to the waterpark!" she shouted.

Mom grinned. "Your sister's hope did not disappoint," she told Nate. "Just like God does not disappoint us when we hope in Him."

"The waterpark--yay!" Nate pumped a fist in the air. "And a God we can hope in." He glanced at his mom. "I'm happy for that too."

–Emily Acker

How About You?
Have you ever hoped for something? Did it work out the way you wanted, or were you disappointed? The Bible says that if you trust in Jesus, you can abound in hope knowing that He will never let you down. He saved you from sin and gave you eternal life, and He promises to always be with you. Let the joy, peace, and hope of knowing Him fill your life as you trust Him to do good things.

Today's Key Verse:
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV) (Romans 15:13)

Today's Key Thought:
Have hope in God

Bible Reading: Psalms 26:1-3; 139:23-24

"What's wrong with the car, Daddy?" asked five-year-old Lydia as the family drove to their country home after a church service in the village. "It's jerking."

"It's sure running rough," said Dad. "It's been doing that lately, but it's never been this bad before."

"Are we going to make it home?" Lydia peered through the window at the trees lining the steep drop at the side of the road.

"Sure, we'll make it," said Lydia's older brother, Barrett. "We always do."

The car slowly climbed a long, steep hill. Dad pushed the accelerator pedal to the floor, but the car refused to speed up. Dad frowned. "I must say, I'm annoyed with myself for not checking this out sooner," he said. "I should have taken the car to the mechanic when I first noticed it wasn't running smoothly."

"I think it's getting worse," said Barrett. He wasn't so sure they'd make it home after all.

Mom sighed. "Well, at least we're close enough to home that we can walk the rest of the way if we have to, but we'd have a long uphill hike."

"I guess the car needs regular checkups just like we do," said Barrett. "Like Pastor Kim said in his sermon this morning--have a checkup every day, and if you see a trouble spot, take care of the problem before it gets worse."

"Our car needs a checkup every day?" Lydia asked, puzzled.

Barrett laughed. "No, we do! As we pray, read the Bible, and go to church, we need to be on the lookout for any trouble spots of sin that God may be pointing out to us. If we see any, we need to confess them to Him right away. Jesus will forgive us and help us fix them so we can run smoothly again."

To the relief of the whole family, the car kept going and they finally reached their driveway. "Well," said Dad, "I hope you'll remember this lesson about doing regular checkups in your life, because I don't intend to let this car teach us that lesson again. Tomorrow it goes to the mechanic to be fixed!"

–Emilia D. Nichols

How About You?
Do you do regular checkups in your life? Do you spend time with the Lord in prayer, in His Word, and at church? When you do that, you may see trouble spots of sin in your life that don't match up to how He wants you to live. If so, confess them to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. Trust Him to help you turn away from sin. Then keep doing checkups to make sure you're living in a way that shows others His love.

Today's Key Verse:
Search me, O God…see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (NKJV) (Psalm 139:23-24)

Today's Key Thought:
Examine your life daily