Bible Reading: Matthew 4:18-20; Romans 5:6-8; 1 John 4:7-11 Natalie was grinning as she climbed into the car after church. “Can I go fishing next weekend?” she asked. “My youth group leader said I should.” Dad chuckled as he started the car. “You hate fishing, so there’s got to be a catch.” Natalie’s brother Gavin…
Bible Reading: Proverbs 16:24; 18:21; Ephesians 4:29 Kerri and her family sat at the dining room table, playing their favorite word game. It was Kerri’s turn to make a word out of the letters she had on her board. She examined her letters carefully, determined to win. Her family was very competitive. Kerri grinned as…
Bible Reading: Romans 12:9-11; Philippians 2:3-5 Sebastian and his friend Carter looked around the playground on their first day in second grade. Carter pointed out two empty swings. “Hey! Let’s go swing!” The boys ran toward the swings, and as they got closer, Sebastian saw that one swing was higher than the other. I want…
Bible Reading: John 13:33-35 “Okay, the last thing we need is a head of cabbage for dinner,” Aiden’s mom said. Aiden walked over to the side of the produce section. “Hey, Mom, they have purple cabbage. Can we try it?” Mom nodded, so Aiden picked out a head of purple cabbage and added it to…
Bible Reading: 1 John 4:16-17 Gabe watched his tablet with rapt attention. This new game looked so cool! It had everything: monsters, sword fights, pirate ships…this had to be the best game he would ever play. “Dad, check out this game that’s coming out! The preview looks so cool. Do you think we can get…
Bible Reading: John 1:1-4; Acts 17:28; Hebrews 1:10 Maddie loved volunteering at the church nursery. She grinned as the toddlers served play food to her and the preschool teacher, Mrs. Anderson. “Mine!” yelled Max, grabbing a plastic cupcake from Stella. Stella wasn’t giving up so easily. She grabbed the cupcake back, also yelling, “Mine!” Maddie…
Bible Reading: Colossians 3:17, 22-24 “I wish I could do more to help at vacation Bible school,” Amina said as she left the church with her mother. “Today I only helped with little things—like showing some kids where they had to go and picking up paper after the kids were gone.” Amina sighed. “How old…
Bible Reading: 1 John 3:18; 4:19 “Oh no!” Mrs. Patterson yelled as a couple of dogs plowed right through her flower garden. Leah was waiting for the school bus and saw the whole thing. She felt so sad for Mrs. Patterson, her elderly, widowed neighbor. On the ride to school, Leah sat with her best…
Bible Reading: Matthew 5:14-16 Megan and Thomas and their family had gathered at the home of friends from church to celebrate the beginning of summer vacation. There was a cookout, games, and so much food. “Kids! It’s almost time for the fireflies to appear!” Megan’s dad called out. Each person grabbed a jar with holes…
Bible Reading: 1 John 5:9-13 “Mom,” said Everest, “can I walk to the store with Mrs. Kopp? I can help carry her groceries home.” Mrs. Kopp was an elderly neighbor Everest often helped. Mom laughed. “How kind of you,” she teased, knowing Mrs. Kopp usually treated Everest to an ice cream cone on the way…
