Read: James 4:13-15 When Journey and her dad clapped their hands and shouted loudly, two barn swallows quickly flew out of the garage, their tails looking like forks against the blue sky. “Why can’t we let them nest in the garage, Dad?” Journey asked as she watched the birds fly over a neighbor’s house and…
Read: Job 1:1-3, 13-21; 3:25; Matthew 6:33-34 Mom found Clare crying in the backyard, watching her dog, Sheba, paw at leaves in the flower bed. “What’s the matter, honey?” “I don’t want Sheba to get sick,” Clare said. “I know the vet took that lump off her leg, but she said it could come back.”…
Read: Revelation 21:1-5, 9-11, 18-27 “I’d rather go to school than shovel the snow left behind from the blizzard,” Miguel grumbled. “Oh, it’s not so bad.” Dad pitched a large scoop of snow into the yard before he stopped and looked at their surroundings. “I think a heavy blanket of snow like this is pretty.”…
Read: Acts 16:19-25 Josiah felt like his head was going to explode. “Get married! You’re going to get married? To Ryan? But what about Dad?” “Josiah, you know that after your dad left, he married someone else. He won’t be back,” Mom said quietly. “I thought you liked Ryan.” “Not for a dad! And I…
Read: Romans 8:16-18; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-8 “Why does Grandpa have to hurt so much?” Bentley asked his dad as they left the nursing home one afternoon. “I don’t know, Bentley. It’s hard to see Grandpa the way he is now, isn’t it?” They were silent as they walked out to the car and got…
Read: Mark 4:35-41 “Oh no!” Dad exclaimed as the car slid off the road and into a snowbank. The wind was strong, the snow was deep, and they were stuck! Dad stepped on the gas pedal and tried to rock the car forward and then back. Nothing happened. So Mom got behind the wheel and…
Read: Luke 1:11-19, 26-38; John 20:24-29 Yamen set his pencil down with a sigh. “I can’t concentrate on schoolwork, Mom. All these doubts keep filling my mind.” Mom plopped down next to Yamen. “Like what?” “Like…stuff they taught us in science class when I was going to school last year. They made it sound like…
Read: Psalm 37:23-28 Weston shuffled through the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. “Wow, I’ve never tried to do a puzzle with so many pieces before!” “I know it looks hard, but I’m sure you can do it,” said Mom. “Want some help? I could turn the pieces right side up for you.” “Okay,” Weston said….
Read: Matthew 6:25-34 “This state park is really nice, isn’t it?” Dad said as he and Henry walked along a wooded path. “Huh? Oh, yeah,” Henry mumbled in response. But he hadn’t really noticed—he’d been too busy wondering if Dad would be able to find a new job. The place where his dad worked was…
Read: Psalm 65:1-8; Philippians 2:5-8 “Mittens, you’re driving me crazy!” Li said as she stepped over her cat. “What’s Mittens doing?” Mom asked. “Nothing, but I always have to step over him. I’ve actually stepped on his tail lots of times,” Li said. “I don’t do it on purpose, but he always gets under my…
