Read: John 15:13-15 Cara took her cookie and a glass of milk into the utility room where Mom was folding laundry. “Mom, can I invite Amber over?” she asked. “She’s my new friend.” Cara dunked the cookie into her milk. Mom added a towel to the stack on the dryer. “And you probably want to…
Read: Psalm 34:13-14; Hebrews 12:14-15 “I know, but that’s what Bianca said.” Kaylee switched the phone to her other ear. “She told me she was sick of hearing you whine all the time. I can’t help it if she says mean things about you.” When the call ended, Kaylee went into the living room. “Who…
Read: John 15:12-15 “I can’t believe Aanya would do this to me!” Lucy pulled the friendship bracelet off her wrist and dropped it in the trash. “Lucy? Are you okay?” her mother asked. “Why are you throwing away your bracelet from Aanya?” “I thought she was my friend.” Lucy hung her backpack up on its…
Read: Philippians 2:1-4 “Hey, Dad.” Kwan plopped down on the couch next to his father. “Today I tried to be kind like Jesus, but it didn’t work.” “Really?” asked Dad. “What happened?” “I tried to be friendly to Jayden—he’s new at school—but he’d hardly talk to me. I asked if he wanted to sit with…
Read: Ephesians 4:26-32 Mei hung up the phone and walked into the living room with her arms crossed and her jaw clenched. “That was Everly.” Mom frowned. “You’re not still angry with her, are you?” “Of course I am!” said Mei. “She shouldn’t have made fun of me that way. She did it right in…
Read: James 2:1-4 On a bright winter day, Evelyn stopped by her Grandma’s house after school. She found her in the kitchen, pulling a batch of cookies out of the oven. “Hello, sweetheart,” Grandma said. “Grab a cookie. How was school?” “Pretty good,” Evelyn said. “But there’s a new girl in my class. She just…
Read: John 15:12-15; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “Mom, it’s going to be so great having Piper live right across the street!” Ava said as she got ready to go help her best friend’s family move things into their new house. “Now we can sit together on the school bus and go to each other’s houses all…
Read: Matthew 28:18-20 I’m part of God’s family now, Brock thought happily. Earlier that day he had decided to trust Jesus as his Savior. He smiled, thinking of others he knew who were also part of God’s family—his parents, grandparents, and his friends at church. But then he thought of his two best friends at…
Read: Galatians 6:9-10 Imani plopped down in the grass next to the garden. “I’m never talking to that girl again!” “Who? And why not?” asked Dad without looking up. He was planting a row of carrots. “Natalia—the new girl down the street. I’m tired of trying to be friends with her. I said hi to…
Read: John 15:12-13 “Have you ever heard people use colors to describe their feelings?” Miss Iverson asked her class. Carter waved his hand to make sure she saw it. “Like green with envy?” “How about purple with rage?” Mei said. “Or blue—like when they’re sad.” “All good examples,” Miss Iverson said. “Now, people don’t actually…
