Bible Reading: ECCLESIASTES 3:1-11 Rubbing the last of the toothpaste stains on her sleeve, Stephanie checked herself in the bathroom mirror one last time. Probably nobody would even notice. She rushed into the hallway toward Mom’s impatient calling. “Stephanie, come on! It’s time to leave for—what happened to your uniform?” Stephanie stopped with a grimace…. Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: EPHESIANS 4:29-32 Darien scowled at his tablet screen. 2Cool4U was the worst. He had been playing a game online where they could chat with the other people involved, but this player was mean. Darien gritted his teeth at the rude remark that appeared on his screen. “Darien! Technology time is up!” Dad called… Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: MATTHEW 11:28-30; 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10 “It’s not good enough!” Francis frowned at the picture in front of him. It was messy. He didn’t like it. “It is good enough,” Mom said, her voice calm. “Look at that.” Francis pointed to a spot where his paintbrush had slipped. “That blue isn’t supposed to be… Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: 1 JOHN 5:14-15 Sophia used to come home from school to cookies on the table and a big hug from her mom. She used to sit down and tell her mom all about her day as she ate the warm, gooey treats. But for the past several months, she’d come home to a… Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-8 “I hope all the seeds we planted come up,” said Diego as he looked at the area where he and his grandfather had just finished putting in rows of peas, carrots, and other vegetables. Grandpa leaned on his hoe. “I do too. I just hope we don’t get too many plants… Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: ROMANS 6:4-11; COLOSSIANS 3:1-4 Rami tore the wrapping paper off the birthday gift from his dad. When he saw the book that was inside, he jumped up and down. “All right! The next Archer Perry book!” “Did I get the right one?” asked Dad. “Yeah! This is the next one in the series… Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: HEBREWS 13:2; 1 PETER 4:7-10 “Oh no!” cried Jena when she heard they would be having house guests. “Do the Wilsons have to stay here? All we ever do is have people stay with us. Missionaries, international students—even complete strangers, like those people who got stranded in the snowstorm last winter!” “I thought… Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: EPHESIANS 6:10-18 A dodgeball whizzed past Grace’s head, and she ducked, toppling over the plastic chair she’d been sitting in. I’ve had enough of this, she thought. The only time anyone notices me is when I get in the way of their games. She grabbed her backpack and marched out of the gym…. Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: LUKE 17:11-19 Dayton waved as his friend Cole hopped out of the van, then moved into the front seat beside his mother. “That was fun!” he told her. “I wish we could have a Sunday school class picnic every Saturday.” Mom grinned wearily. “I don’t! After all the work involved, I’m pretty exhausted.”… Continue Reading…

Bible Reading: MATTHEW 22:37-40; LUKE 6:43-45 “I still don’t see why we had to move,” Gwen complained to her brother as they walked home from school. “Well, it’s not so bad here,” Liam replied. “The kids at our new school are pretty nice.” Gwen scowled. “I don’t think so. Some kid bumped into me during… Continue Reading…