Bible Reading: Proverbs 18:24; Philippians 2:3-8

Luke sat in the pew and stared off into space as his parents talked to some friends nearby. His stomach growled loudly, and he hoped his family would leave soon.

"What are you doing sitting here by yourself?"

Luke looked up as Mr. Bryant sat down in the pew in front of him. "Nothing," Luke said with a smile. He liked talking to Mr. Bryant.

"Why don't you go talk to someone?" Mr. Bryant asked.

Luke shrugged. "I don't have any friends here," he said.

"What do you mean you don't have friends?" Mr. Bryant looked around the church. "I bet the kids over there are your age." He pointed to someone up front. "And I know he's your age!"

Luke looked and saw that Mr. Bryant was pointing to his grandson standing by the piano. "It's just--it's hard to know what to say to other kids," he told Mr. Bryant. "I don't mind being by myself."

Mr. Bryant cleared his throat. "Remember when you first started coming to church here with your family? I totally ignored you, and that's how we became friends, right?"

Luke laughed. "No! You were one of the first people to say hello, and we talk all the time now."

Mr. Bryant nodded and leaned his arm on top of the pew. "Listen, Luke. You want friends, don't you?" Luke nodded. "Well," Mr. Bryant said, "to have friends, you have to be friendly and take an interest in others. You have to go right up and introduce yourself, like I did when I first met you."

"But it's hard," Luke said.

"So's math," said Mr. Bryant with a grin. "But you don't have to do it on your own. Jesus is the greatest Friend there is--He became one of us and died to save us so we could be His friends forever! With His help, I think you'll make one of those friends the Bible talks about--one that sticks closer than a brother."

Luke thought about that and smiled. "I guess that'd be cool."

Mr. Bryant leaned over and gave Luke a friendly slap on the shoulder. "Now you're talking." He looked at his watch and got up. "See you later, Luke." He jerked his thumb toward his grandson. "Now go say hello."

–Katlyn Traxler

How About You?
Do you need a friend? Trying to make friends can be scary, but it gets easier the more you practice. Trust Jesus to help you be the kind of friend He is--one who cares about others and takes an interest in their lives. Ask Him to give you the courage to reach out to those around you and be friendly. Just saying hello to someone new could be the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

Today's Key Verse:
A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (NKJV) (Proverbs 18:24 )

Today's Key Thought:
Be a friend

Bible Reading: Psalm 130:5-7

It felt like forever before it was Daisy's turn to ride the swinging ship. She watched the line slowly move forward each time a new group got on the ride. Finally, it was her turn!

"Ready?" Dad grinned.

"More than ready!" Daisy hurried to find a seat.

The ride was just as fun as she expected, and she screamed each time it went down. Her stomach flip-flopped a little, but she still loved it.

"Can we go again?" Daisy asked as soon as they were finished.

Dad pointed toward the line. "It's still long."

"I don't mind," Daisy said. Now that she knew how fun the ride was, she could wait forever.

"You're sure you wouldn't rather ride something else?" Dad asked, pointing toward a shorter line. Daisy quickly shook her head. Dad smiled and led her to the end of the long line. "Some things are worth waiting for, huh?"

"Yeah," Daisy said.

Dad put his hand on her shoulder. "As you get older, you'll realize other things are worth waiting for too. Sometimes we have to be patient to get something good."

"Like a ride on a swinging ship?" Daisy asked.

"And things even better than that," Dad said as they slowly moved forward in line. "God has good plans for you, Daisy. He loves you so much He sent Jesus to save you from sin and give you eternal life! You can trust Him to bring good things into your life at the right time. Be patient as you wait for Him to show you what they are."

"What kind of things?" asked Daisy.

"Well, for example, it took a while for me to figure out God was calling me to be a pastor. Waiting for Him to lead me where He wanted me to go wasn't easy, but it helped me grow in my relationship with Jesus." Dad smiled. "You can trust God to lead you in what's best for your life too."

Daisy nodded. The line didn't seem so bad when her dad was talking, and she knew how much fun she was going to have at the end. She was glad she could trust God to help her be patient and wait for the good things He had planned for her too.

–Bethany Acker

How About You?
Do you ever get impatient? Think of something you know is worth waiting for--like a fun ride or cookies baking in the oven. The good things God has planned for you are worth the wait too. He loves you so much that Jesus died and rose again to save you, and He has good plans for you. Be patient as you wait for Him to show them to you.

Today's Key Verse:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV) (Jeremiah 29:11)

Today's Key Thought:
Wait patiently for God's plan

Bible Reading: Proverbs 6:20-23; 1 John 1:6-7

"Whoo, whoo, whoooo!" Kaylee heard the soft hoot of an owl floating through the still night air as she and her dad walked along a narrow path on their way to see the moon rise over the lake. An owl! she thought. She shined her flashlight toward the treetops, hoping to get a glimpse of the bird, but she couldn't see anything. As she looked straight up and searched the branches, her foot caught on a root sticking up from the path, and she fell down hard.

"Kaylee, are you all right?" Dad hurried to help her up. "What happened?"

"I tripped on a root," said Kaylee, getting up and brushing herself off. "I was pointing my flashlight up at the trees to see if I could find the owl. I guess I should have kept my light on the path."

"Yeah, I guess so," said Dad with a smile. They continued their walk and soon reached the beach. The lake was calm and glassy, and a beautiful silver path led to the moon hanging low over the dark water. They stood and enjoyed the scene in silence for a while. "Well, we'd better head back," Dad finally said. "Be sure to keep your light on the path this time."

"I will!" Kaylee assured him. "I've learned my lesson. That owl can hoot all he wants--I'm gonna watch where I'm going!"

"I've been thinking about a verse in Psalms--one that says God's Word is a light for our path," Dad said as they started back. "If we forget to shine the light of God's Word on our lives, it can cause us to trip and fall in our walk with Jesus."

"That would be worse than the fall I took, wouldn't it?" said Kaylee.

Dad nodded. "Jesus is our light in this dark world--He saved us and promises us eternal life with Him. That's why we need to let His truth light our way and guide us in how we live. And when we trip and fall into sin, the Bible says Jesus will always forgive us when we confess our wrongs."

Kaylee smiled. "I'll listen to what God says in the Bible so His light will shine on my path--just like this flashlight!"

–Judith K. Boogaart

How About You?
Do you take time to read your Bible? Do you listen when others teach about it and ask them to explain things you don't understand? As you study God's Word in your walk with Jesus, it will remind you that you belong to Him and show you how He wants you to turn from sin and love others. Keep reading and listening to what He says in the Bible so His light can shine on the path of your life.

Today's Key Verse:
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (NKJV) (Psalm 119:105)

Today's Key Thought:
Let God's truth light your way

Bible Reading: Isaiah 41:8-10; John 14:16-17

Evelyn peeked through the blinds of her bedroom window at the SOLD! sign on her front lawn. She turned back to the sea of boxes surrounding her as a tear slipped from her eye and landed with a wet splat on the cardboard.

I can't decide if I want my butterfly pillow at Mom's apartment or Dad's house, she thought. With a big sigh, she threw it into the box marked Mom along with some other toys and books.

Evelyn's mom knocked on her door. "Evelyn, is everything okay in there? You need to be finished packing by lunchtime."

When Evelyn didn't answer, Mom opened the door and found her silently crying over the open box. "What is it?" Mom asked, wrapping her tightly in a hug.

"I can't decide if I want my butterfly pillow at your apartment or Dad's house. I need it to fall asleep," Evelyn said, wiping her eyes. "Why do we have to sell our house and move into two separate places? I want my pillow with me every night! And I want you and Dad with me every night too."

"I'm so sorry our divorce has hurt you so badly, Evelyn," Mom said, rubbing her arm. "We both love you very much, even when we're not with you. And the good news is you can take your pillow to Dad's house and then bring it back to my apartment. Your pillow can go everywhere with you. You never have to leave it behind." Mom picked up Evelyn's Bible from the open cardboard box. "Just like God promised us in the Bible that He would never leave us. When you trusted in Jesus, God gave you the Holy Spirit to help you, comfort you, and guide you. He is always with you, Evelyn, even when Dad and I are not."

Mom gently placed Evelyn's butterfly pillow and Bible into her backpack. "How about we keep these two special things in your bag so they're easy to take back and forth between my apartment and Dad's house?"

Evelyn glanced out the window again at the sign in her yard. "Okay," she said. "I guess I can give it a try."

–Nicole Kraayenbrink

How About You?
Have you experienced the pain and feelings of abandonment that divorce brings? Maybe your own parents are divorced, or an aunt and uncle, or perhaps a friend's mom and dad. Even when it feels like someone in your life has left you behind, remember that God will never leave you. He cares about you and will always be with you wherever you are.

Today's Key Verse:
The Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. (CSB) (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Today's Key Thought:
God will never leave you

Bible Reading: Matthew 2:1-2; Luke 2:1-16

"Visit our store and enjoy Christmas every day of the year!" Georgia read the billboard out loud as she and her family traveled home from a weeklong vacation. "Cool!" she said. "That's in the town at the next exit, isn't it? Can we stop at that store?"

Dad shrugged. "Why not? We could use a break from driving. Watch for signs so we'll know where to turn."

They found the store, and everyone smiled when they heard "Jingle Bells" playing over the loudspeaker as they walked in. The store was filled with all kinds of Christmas decorations--ornaments, trees, twinkling lights, and wreaths. In one corner, a woman was handing out decorated Christmas cookies.

As Georgia and her parents ate their cookies, they wandered over to a large manger scene. The animals looked so real, Georgia could almost imagine she was in Bethlehem. As she thought about the events of that night long ago, she imagined Mary putting baby Jesus in a manger with all the sounds and smells of animals around them. She thought about the angels singing, the shepherds running to the stable to see Jesus, and the wise men traveling from far away to worship the new King.

"Come on, Georgia," said Mom, interrupting her daydreams. "Time to be on our way."

Georgia continued thinking about the manger scene on the drive home. "I wish we could celebrate Christmas all year long like they do at that store," she said.

"We can!" said Dad. "What is Christmas, Georgia?"

"It's the time when we remember Jesus being born," Georgia replied.

"Exactly!" said Dad. "The night God sent His Son to earth as one of us so He could save us from sin. Don't you think that's something we should celebrate all year long?"

"Well, sure," said Georgia. "We should thank God every day for sending Jesus, shouldn't we?" She grinned. "So can we put up the Christmas tree when we get home?"

Mom laughed and shook her head. "We'll save that for December," she said. "We can remember God's gift of Jesus and the meaning of Christmas without the tree."

–Linda Weddle

How About You?
Are you thankful every day for God's amazing gift? He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth as a human being to take the punishment for your sin so you could have eternal life with Him. There's no better gift than that! Don't wait until December to thank God for His great gift. Jesus is the reason to celebrate Christmas all year long!

Today's Key Verse:
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (NKJV) (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Today's Key Thought:
Think of God's gift all year long