Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:29-32; 5:1-2 “It’s not fair!” Lydia said as she followed her mother into the supermarket. She’d been complaining about a teacher almost nonstop since Mom picked her up after school. “When Mr. Benson said we could have free time to study and I opened my history book, my pencil fell off my…
Bible Reading: Psalm 139:13-14 The wax museum—filled with extremely realistic full-size figures of famous people—went completely dark the instant the storm cut the electricity. Courtney crouched low. “Jimmy—where are you?” “I’m over here.” Courtney crawled toward his voice and grabbed onto his leg. “Why did I go into the monster exhibit with you? I should’ve…
Bible Reading: Matthew 26:65-67 “Hey, Dad,” Zachery said as he came into the living room with his shoulders slumped. “Hey, Zachery. What’s wrong?” asked Dad. “I had a really bad day at school. Some of my friends were laughing at me because I was talking to the new kid. They didn’t want me to talk…
Bible Reading: 1 Peter 2:21-24 “That’s it!” Jace said angrily as he walked into the house. “I’m done being Mr. Nice Guy!” Dad looked up from his computer. “Whoa! What are you so upset about?” “I’m way past upset!” Jace exclaimed. “I’m mad!” With that he dropped into a chair. “I’m the one who got…
Bible Reading: Proverbs 14:16-17, 29 When his dad picked him up after school, Logan tossed his backpack on the car seat. “I can’t believe what happened today,” he said. “I got in trouble for something I didn’t even do.” “How did that happen?” asked Dad. “Preston started an argument,” replied Logan, “and he shoved me…
Bible Reading: Matthew 5:5; James 3:13-18 “Meek old Mr. Martin couldn’t hurt a flea,” the girls sang as they jumped rope. Aurora looked up and saw her dad watching them from the balcony with a slight frown as they continued the rhyme. Every new verse began with the words “Meek old Mr. Martin,” and it…
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:18 “Look, Lucy,” said Mom. “A dollhouse! It’d be perfect for Eleanor.” Lucy frowned. The wooden dollhouse in the thrift shop window was not much to look at—nothing like the fancy painted ones she and her younger sister had seen online. Eleanor’s birthday was only a month away, and she wanted…
Bible Reading: Luke 12:22-31 “Mom!” Bella called from the porch. “Help!” Mom came running to the porch, where Bella was leaning over a tiny green-colored hummingbird as it flopped around, struggling with a string tangled around its spindly legs. The bird’s needle-like bill tore at the strand, but the string wound around tighter and tighter….
Bible Reading: Psalm 61:1-5 Cooper lay on his stomach in the sand and stared at the sandcastle he and his dad had just built. Large towers were at each corner, and they were joined by four wide walls. “I’m naming this Fort Sandcastle,” Cooper announced. He turned to his father. “How soon will the ocean…
Bible Reading: 1 John 2:3-6 “You look just like your father when you do that,” Grandma told Lance. “When I do what?” asked Lance. “When you laugh the way you just did,” Grandma answered. “You look and sound so much like him.” “I do?” Lance jumped up and raced to the bathroom to gaze into…
