Bible Reading: Proverbs 14:16-17, 29; 16:32; 19:11 “Ouch!” yelled Emmett. “You tripped me!” He held onto his skinned knee and rocked back and forth. “I didn’t trip you,” said Dakota. “You weren’t watching where you were going, and you fell over my foot.” Emmett’s face was red with anger. “You stuck it out on purpose.”…
Bible Reading: Romans 12:1-2 Darcy stared at a painting in an art store window of two hands clasped in prayer. “Why would an artist paint hands, Mom?” “That’s a well-known painting,” Mom said. “I recently read an article about it. The artist’s name was Albrecht Durer, and it’s believed he painted the hands of someone…
Bible Reading: Proverbs 12:15; Isaiah 9:6; James 1:5 Tears filled Derek’s eyes as he ran home from the field to hide in his room. He hadn’t gotten a hit for the last three games. “What’s wrong, Derek?” Mom asked as he whizzed by. She followed him to his room and asked again. Derek sniffed. “I…
Bible Reading: John 3:16-18; Romans 8:35-39 Mom greeted Ben at the front door with a heart-shaped cookie and some pink milk to go with it. “How was your Valentine’s Day party at school?” she asked. Ben sat down at the table and took a big gulp of milk before he answered. “It was fun. We…
Bible Reading: Romans 5:8; 8:35-39 Sawyer groaned as the bowling ball hooked slowly toward the left and rolled into the gutter. “I bet you wish you’d left me home,” he said, slumping into the seat beside his grandfather. “I didn’t even hit any pins.” Grandpa smiled and picked up his bowling ball. “Some days are…
Bible Reading: Psalm 27:7-14 Natasha slipped off her backpack with a sigh and took a warm chocolate chip cookie from the plate in front of her. “How was your sleepover at Tracy’s?” Mom asked, pulling off her oven mitts. “It was great,” Natasha mumbled through a bite. “Then why the long face?” Mom plopped down…
Bible Reading: Hebrews 13:5-8 Dylan went into his bedroom and slammed the door shut. He took his pillow and hurled it across the room, then sat down on the bed. Great, he thought, another change in my life. His mom had just told him she had gotten a full-time job and he would have to…
Bible Reading: Isaiah 53:3-5 Jacob grinned up at his dad as they walked down the front steps of the church together. “Papi, Camila is so cute,” he said. His baby sister curled against Papi like a small purple cloud, head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes were shut tight and her mouth was smooshed open,…
Bible Reading: Hebrews 1:10-12; 13:8 As Ian finished eating a caramel apple at the carnival, his mom glanced at her phone. “We only have time for one more thing, Ian. What will it be?” Ian’s eyes darted back and forth as he tried to decide what one thing he wanted to do before leaving. Straight…
Bible Reading: Genesis 16:13; Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 28:20 Emma wrung her hands as her mom drove to the museum. Going to the art museum was Emma’s favorite thing to do on a rainy day. She just hoped she wouldn’t see anyone from school. Once they arrived, they looked at a few paintings. Emma moved close…
