Bible Reading: Galatians 5:22-25

"Mom, can we have fruit salad for lunch?" asked Brynlee.

"Good idea," said Mom. "You can help me make it. We have lots of different kinds of fruit we can use today." As they began putting the fruit together, Mom had an idea. "Maybe we can put nine different kinds of fruit in our salad and pretend we're putting in the fruit of the Spirit," she said. "We learned about them in church last week, remember?"

"Yeah," said Brynlee. "I'll name them as we put them in." She put orange pieces into a big bowl. "I'll call these love," she said. Then she opened a can and added pineapple chunks. "These will be joy. What else do we have?"

"I have some fresh peach wedges ready," said Mom. "And here's a cantaloupe we can cut up."

Brynlee put in the peaches, calling them peace. She decided on patience for the cantaloupe. "The apples will be kindness, and the pears will be goodness," she said. "I'll slice some bananas and call them faithfulness."

"Okay, and you can add some of these grapes," said Mom. Brynlee called the grapes gentleness.

"We still need a fruit for self-control," said Brynlee. "But we don't have anything else, do we?"

Mom shook her head. "No, I don't think so," she said. "Unless…" She opened a cupboard door. "How about some dried cranberries?"

"All right!" said Brynlee. "Now we have something for each fruit of the Spirit."

"Good," said Mom. "You did a great job remembering them. You got them all!"

At lunchtime, everyone enjoyed the salad. "Good to the last bite," said Dad, popping the last piece of pineapple into his mouth.

"And now our fruit of the Spirit is all gone," said Brynlee.

"I hope not!" said Mom. "Spiritual fruit will always be a part of our lives as Christians. As we rely on the Holy Spirit to fill us with love and become more like Jesus, others will be able to see the fruit of God's love in us."

Dad nodded. "I pray that the fruit God produces in our lives will show people we belong to Him."

–Linda Weddle

How About You?
Can others see the fruit of the Spirit in your life? People aren't able to see when you've had apples or peaches or other kinds of fruit for lunch, but the fruit of the Spirit should be visible in the life of every Christian. Are you letting others see the fruit of the love God has planted in your heart? Trust Him to help you let your words and actions show others you know Jesus.

Today's Key Verse:
The fruit that the Spirit produces in a person's life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (ERV) (Galatians 5:22-23 )

Today's Key Thought:
Display the fruit of the Spirit

Bible Reading: Psalm 103:11-13; Isaiah 64:8; Hosea 11:1-4

"Good job!" Dad shouted to Ellery. He was holding on to her by a towel looped under her armpits as she practiced riding her two-wheel bike. Her tongue stuck out of her mouth in deep concentration as she tried to maintain her balance even with Dad's support.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, her eyes going wide. She started wobbling, but Dad held her upright as the bike went down to the ground. He hauled Ellery to her feet and smiled down at her. Ellery looked up at Dad and asked, "Again?"

Ellery practiced her biking skills for a while longer before they returned to the campsite just in time to grill some burgers over the fire. Meredith, her older sister, and Mom were just finishing up their quiet time when they arrived. Dad helped Ellery assemble her dinner just the way she liked it--two slices of cheese, three squirts of mustard, and four pickles.

"I read something interesting in my Bible today," Meredith said as Ellery dove into her food.

Ellery made a strange gurgling sound that resembled the words, "What, what?"

"Manners," both Mom and Dad said in unison.

Meredith looked at her sister and shook her head before continuing. "I read that God is our Father. I think it's cool there are so many different words in the Bible that describe who God is."

"Do you know why God calls Himself our Father?" Mom asked.

"Because He made us!" Ellery jumped in, now having swallowed her delicious bite.

"You're right," Dad said. "And when we trust in Jesus, we become part of God's family. The Bible also describes what kind of Father God is. He teaches us, encourages us, and is always with us."

"Like how you helped me on my bike today!"

"Or how you helped me with my jump shot in basketball," Meredith added.

Dad smiled at them. "Yes, but us human dads aren't perfect. My dad hurt me a lot when I was younger, and I know I'm not perfect and have messed up too. But God never does that. He is the perfect Father."

"He's even better than you?" Ellery asked.

"Even better than you can imagine," Dad responded as Ellery leaned her head against his arm.

–Zoe Brickner

How About You?
Do you have a loving dad in your life? If so, Father's Day is the perfect time to thank God for that wonderful blessing--and tell your dad you're thankful for him too! If you don't have a dad in your life, or your relationship with him is difficult, know that God sees you and loves you more than you could ever know. Unlike human dads, God is a perfect Father. He cherishes you and will be with you always.

Today's Key Verse:
See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children. (CSB) (1 John 3:1)

Today's Key Thought:
God is our Father

Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:3-7; 1 Peter 1:18-19

"Sold!" proclaimed the fast-talking auctioneer, and Logan grinned at his mother. He found auctions fun and interesting, so he hadn't minded when she wanted to stop and see what was happening at this antique auction. "Another broken piece of junk sold to the highest bidder," Logan murmured, stifling a laugh. He liked to tease his mom about liking antiques.

Mom smiled and nudged him with her elbow. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," she told him. Logan shrugged and continued sitting on his hands as the auctioneer began selling an autographed baseball. Logan had learned to avoid lifting his hand during the bidding. Earlier he had started to scratch his head and the auctioneer thought he was bidding on the item being auctioned.

As they drove home after the auction, Logan asked his mom why people were so willing to spend their money on other people's junk. "I can't believe how much they'll pay for that stuff," he said. "I thought a few things they sold at the auction were cool, but people paid less for them than for stuff I wouldn't want if it were given to me! Who decides how much those things are worth?"

"The condition of the piece is important," said Mom, "and whether the item is rare or not is also a factor. But the bottom line is…well, how much someone is willing to pay for it. That's really what determines how much an item is worth."

Logan thought for a moment. "That's kinda like something we talked about in my class at church last week," he said. "Our teacher explained that God sent His Son to die for us--Jesus paid for our sins with His own life. I guess that makes us worth a lot!"

"I like that, Logan," Mom said. "I think you got a lot from that auction--even though you didn't buy anything."

Logan had one more question. "Um, Mom, what did I almost buy today when I scratched my head?"

"An old record player," Mom replied.

"Oh." Logan paused. "What's a record player?"

–Mike Dize

How About You?
Do you know how much you're worth? Because of what Jesus did for you, you're worth a lot--He paid a huge price for you! He gave His life to pay the price of your sin. Have you responded to that great love? Have you trusted Him as your Savior? If not, 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:
You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (NKJV) (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Today's Key Thought:
You're worth what Jesus paid for you

Bible Reading: Isaiah 55:8-9

Gunner ran to the garage when he heard his parents drive in. "Is Grandpa okay?" he asked anxiously as they got out of the car.

Dad put his hand on Gunner's shoulder. "Your grandfather isn't suffering anymore," he said quietly. "He died this afternoon--he's in heaven now."

Gunner swallowed hard, forcing back tears that choked his throat. He walked away while Dad was still talking.

In his room, Gunner thought about all the things he and Grandpa had planned to do. "It's not fair!" he muttered. He looked up as Dad came in. "I don't get it," Gunner said. "I prayed all day for Grandpa. God can do anything, can't He? So why didn't He heal Grandpa?"

"Sometimes God's answer to what we ask is no," Dad said gently. "I don't know why He didn't heal Grandpa, but I know Jesus promises to be with us in our pain and sadness. Grandpa is in heaven with Him now, and someday we'll see him again."

Gunner turned away. He wasn't ready to give up his grandfather. "But I wanted Grandpa to stay here with us."

Dad sat down beside him. "When you ask Mom and me for something we don't think is good for you, we tell you no. You don't like it when we say no. You might be upset about it--maybe even angry sometimes. But you know we love you and want what's best for you, right?" Gunner nodded. "We talk about what's happening and how all of us feel, and we go on loving each other," continued Dad. "We're a family even though we disagree. Well, that's how it is with God too. When we don't get what we ask Him for, we're unhappy and sometimes get angry with Him. It's okay to tell Him how we feel, but we need to remember that God loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us. He wants what's best for us--and for Grandpa."

"But I'm going to miss Grandpa so much," Gunner said, resting his face against his dad's shoulder.

"Me too," Dad said. "We can cry together." Gunner slipped his arm around his dad and hung on tight. "But let's thank Jesus that Grandpa is with Him now," said Dad. "And let's trust Him even though we're hurting."

–Janet Boulter

How About You?
Has someone you love died? Is someone sick? Tell Jesus about your hurts and fears. You may not always understand why He allows certain things to happen, but He will always be there with you and help you through times of pain and sorrow. Remember that He is good and that He loves and cares for you, even when you don't understand.

Today's Key Verse:
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways. (Isaiah 55:9)

Today's Key Thought:
Trust Jesus when you're hurting

Bible Reading: James 4:13-17; 1 Peter 4:7-11

Jade stretched and yawned. Then she jumped down from her place on the top bunk and hurried to get dressed.

"Let's go, troops!" yelled a cheery voice from outside. "We have many miles to cover on our morning hike."

"How can Ella be so cheerful at seven o'clock in the morning?" asked Hayley, one of Jade's cabinmates.

"I don't know," Jade answered, "but I like it. Her cheerfulness rubs off on me. Let's go."

Jade and Hayley joined the other campers as they gathered in front of the dining hall. "Good morning!" said Ella, their camp counselor. "Are you ready for our adventure? We'll fix breakfast a little way down the trail."

A few minutes later, they were off. "Make sure you stay on the trail," Ella told the group. "There was a heavy mist last night, and everything is damp. The grass is pretty wet, and your feet will be too if you walk on it."

"It's not misty now," said Hayley. "Isn't it funny how mist just disappears?"

"Yeah--like a vapor," said Jade. "I learned a verse at church that says life is a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

"That's right," said Ella. "I know that verse too. It tells us how short life is--like a mist. And what did the mist do while it was here?"

"It made things wet," Hayley replied. "It soaked the grass so much that we don't want to walk on it."

Ella nodded. "Right. And in a way, we soak our environment too. For example, do you know anyone who soaks you with joy?"

Jade spoke up quickly. "You do! You always soak me with your cheerfulness, Ella. You make me feel happy."

Ella was surprised. "Why, thank you! But you know, the only reason I'm able to do that is because Jesus fills me with joy. Our lives may be short, but Jesus gives us the ability to soak other people's lives with His love. When we trust in Him, He fills our short lives on this earth with great purpose--the purpose of helping others know He loves them and offers them eternal life with Him."

–Kathy A. Brand

How About You?
What do you soak those around you with? Our time on earth may be short, but with Jesus, you can make a big difference in other people's lives. When you trust in Him, He fills you with His love and joy so you can point others to Him. Even though life is short, trust Jesus to help you become more like Him so He can use your life for His great purpose.

Today's Key Verse:
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (NIV) (John 13:34)

Today's Key Thought:
Share Jesus's love with others