Bible Reading: Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; Colossians 3:13 Ben slowly folded a shirt and placed it in his suitcase. “Why can’t I stay here with you?” “Because your father wants to spend time with you, Benji,” his mother answered. Ben sat on his bed next to the open suitcase. “Then he shouldn’t have left us.”…
Bible Reading: Psalm 42; Romans 5:1-11; 15:1-13 Masiko raced to the garden on the other side of the road. The sun shone warm and comforting on her head as she ran. She waved at a majestic-looking kob, a type of antelope plentiful in Uganda, that was watching her lazily from behind some reeds. Masiko gathered…
Bible Reading: Matthew 7:20-23; Romans 8:14-16; Ephesians 1:13-14 Mateo wiped the back of his hand across his damp forehead. “This is awesome, Selena!” he called to his sister. “We got lots of cans today!” The kids lived in a resort town and collected empty cans and bottles that had been discarded by tourists. They turned…
Bible Reading: Luke 2:1-7 Ava listened as her Sunday school teacher told the Christmas story. “Mary had a big tummy because Baby Jesus was almost ready to be born,” said Mrs. Keller. “But even with her big tummy, Mary and Joseph had to take a long trip, all the way to Bethlehem. Back then, there…
Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:21-26 “The saying ‘no news is good news’ is so often true,” Dad said as he switched off the car radio. “I’ve heard enough bad news for today.” “The guy on the radio was talking about escaped prisoners. Could they be around here?” Lark asked, peering anxiously out the car window. “What…
Bible Reading: Acts 16:16-31 “I didn’t make the basketball team, Mom.” Evelyn slumped down in a chair. “I’m not bragging or anything, but I am a good basketball player, you know.” “Yes, you are,” agreed Mom. “But there were only two openings on the team, and the coach had to choose, didn’t she? Who did…
Bible Reading: Psalm 116:2; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Grace held her golden retriever’s head in her lap and scratched behind her silky ears. But Blondie didn’t look up at her with big brown eyes like she usually did. Instead, she lay still, barely breathing. “Why doesn’t God hear my prayers?” Tears flowed down Grace’s cheeks. “He…
Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:1-5 “Hey, what do you see?” Dad asked. Madeline had climbed halfway up the swing set and was clinging to the frame as she peered through a pair of binoculars. “A bird I didn’t recognize just flew into that tree,” Madeline answered, pointing to a tall maple. “I thought it might be…
Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:5-6 “I’ll pick you up after school and take you to see Grandpa at the hospital,” Mom told Jaxon and Elexa as they put on their coats. Jaxon tried to swallow the lump in his throat. “Is…is he going to die?” Mom took a deep breath. “I don’t know, Jaxon. But whatever…
Bible Reading: Psalm 27:1-7 The sound of pattering footsteps filled the hallway as five-year-old Maverick ran to the door of his older sister’s room. “Marissa, I’m scared!” “What’s wrong, buddy?” Marissa asked. “There’s something knocking on my window,” Maverick said in a frightened voice. “Can you call Dad?” Their dad was at the neighbors’ house…
