Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids

Bible Reading: Psalms 16:11; 37:3-7; Matthew 18:2-4 "Look, Daddy!" exclaimed four-year-old Beck as he peered out the airplane window. "Look! There's snow down there!" Beck's older brother Micah laughed. "That's not snow. Those are clouds. They just look like snow." Dad smiled and nodded. "They look solid, don't they? Like you could walk right out on them." "Yes, but they wouldn't hold you up!" Micah replied. "If you stepped out on one of those clouds, it would be a giant step down to earth." "Maybe the clouds are made of snow!" Beck said. Micah shook his head. "No. Clouds are just water vapor," he said in his best big brother tone. "I learned that in science class. They can't hold anything up." "Ohhh," murmured Beck. Then he had another question. "Why does the plane stay up in the air?" "The plane is built just right for flying," said Dad, "and the pilot goes to school to learn how to make it stay up." Beck seemed satisfied with that explanation and turned back toward the window. Micah watched his little brother for a moment. "You know what, Dad?" he asked quietly. "Beck believes everything we tell him." "That's because he trusts us to tell him the truth," said Dad. "It's too bad, but as we grow older we find there are some people we can't trust. Many people are trustworthy, but even people we trust may sometimes disappoint us." Micah looked out at the clouds moving past the plane. "Last week Pastor Carter said there was someone who would never fail us. He was talking about God." Dad nodded. "God has proven Himself to be trustworthy by keeping every promise He has ever made." "Like how He promised to send a Savior, and He sent Jesus to die for our sins," Micah added. "Exactly," Dad said. "He's as solid as a rock and completely trustworthy. Notice how I'm the first person Beck asks when he has a question. Since God is our Father, He wants us to seek His wisdom before anything else." "Daddy! What's that?" Beck pointed at something else outside the window, and Dad and Micah exchanged smiles. –Ruth Andrews How About You? Who are some trustworthy people in your life? People you go to with questions and trust to tell you the truth? People like that are a blessing from God, but even those we trust can sometimes disappoint us. But God is always trustworthy. He always tells us the truth and keeps His promises. His truth and promises are in the Bible, and that's where we can go to seek His wisdom and guidance. Trust Him to help you and guide you. Today's Key Verse: O Lord my God, in You I put my trust. (NKJV) (Psalm 7:1) Today's Key Thought: God is trustworthy

Bible Reading: Luke 6:27-36; Romans 5:6-8 Max strung out a long piece of cheese and took a bite of his pepperoni pizza. He loved this restaurant--it had tons of fun games. This would've been the best day ever except for the mean kid. "Mom, see that tall kid over there with red hair? When I was shooting hoops, he shoved me and stole my tickets out of the game." His mother frowned. "That wasn't very nice." "I know." Max picked at his food. "I feel like punching him in the face." "Now, Max, you know that's not how we treat people," said Mom. "The Bible tells us to love our enemies." "But he's mean!" said Max. "Do you realize that people were mean to Jesus too?" asked Mom. "The Bible says we were all enemies of God at one time, but Jesus willingly suffered and died for our sins so we could be forgiven and become God's friends." Max took a bite of his pizza and glanced at the boy. "I think I'm gonna play some games with the rest of my tokens." "Okay, but you don't have much time. We need to leave in ten minutes to pick up Grandma from the airport." Max headed for the race car game where he ran into a friend from school. "Hey, Jacob. What are you doing here?" "I'm gonna play this racing game." Jacob jumped in the seat and slid a token into the slot. "I bet I can beat you." "No way." Max smiled as he took a seat behind the wheel. After a couple rounds with Jacob, Mom called to him. "Max, it's time to go!" He looked down at the coins in his hand. He still had five left. For a moment he considered giving them to Jacob. Then he remembered what his mother had said. "I gotta go," he told Jacob. He jogged over to the guitar game where the red-haired boy stood in front of the screen. "Here." Max held out his coins. "These are for you." The boy's mouth dropped open as Max handed over the tokens. "Why would you give me these?" he asked. Max shrugged. "I thought you could use them." Then he smiled and went to find his mom. –Annika Klanderud How About You? Is it hard for you to be kind to mean people? If somebody teases you, do you hope they get in trouble? People often describe Jesus as kind, merciful, and forgiving. But the amazing thing is, He's kind to bullies, cheaters, and people who break all the rules. While dying on the cross, He even asked His Father to forgive His murderers. Now that's an exceptional love--and He wants you to show that love to others. Today's Key Verse: Love your enemies! Do good to them…for [God] is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. (NLT) (Luke 6:35) Today's Key Thought: Love others like Jesus

Bible Reading: Psalms 33:13-15; 139:7-12 Graham held very still when his mom came outside, hoping she wouldn't see him. He loved to hide in the old apple tree. When he peeked through the leaves and branches, he could see Mom in the yard below. He could see Tabby, Mrs. Underwood's cat, creeping through the grass next door. He could see Brie playing with her friend across the street. But no one on the ground could see him. "Graham! Brie!" Mom called. "Lunch will be ready soon--you have about five minutes left to play." She went back into the house. Graham didn't feel like coming down just yet. He lay on a branch, stretched out flat on his stomach. He watched a blue jay land by the fence. He watched Mrs. Underwood come out onto her back porch and call Tabby. He watched a red pickup truck drive down the street. When Mom came out a little later, Graham was still in the tree. "Kids!" Mom called. "Lunch is ready! Time to come in!" Graham swung down and dropped to the ground as Brie came running home. "Surprise, Mom!" Graham said as he entered the kitchen. "I saw you when you came outside, but you couldn't see me! I saw you too, Brie. I could see everybody!" He grinned. "Kind of like how God watches us from up in heaven." "Nah," said Brie. "God watches everybody in the whole wide world, all at once, all the time!" She grinned at her brother. "He was watching you while you were hiding and watching us." "But that's not all," said Mom. "Unlike you in the tree, God doesn't hide from us, and He's never far away. He doesn't watch from a distance but is right here in this room! Because we trust Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit is always with us, caring for us and watching over us." "I guess we can say God is here, there, and everywhere," Brie said. "He always knows where we are and what we're doing. He knows everything about us." "Then He must know I'm hungry!" Graham said as he sat down at the table. "What's for lunch?" –Katherine E. Swarts How About You? Do you like to hide from people? If you're way up high, you might be able to see a lot from far away, but that's nothing compared to what God sees. He sees the whole world and knows everything about each one of us. He even knows what you're thinking and feeling! He watches over you every minute of every day and is always right beside you. Thank Him for caring for you, and remember He's always with you. Today's Key Verse: The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. (NKJV) (Proverbs 15:3) Today's Key Thought: God sees everything

Bible Reading: Psalm 133 "You chose last time!" yelled Jill. "I did not!" said Kelsey. "You did!" "I guess I remember better than you." Jill stomped over to the back porch and sat down. She and Kelsey were cousins, but they didn't always get along very well. Jill's brother Theo came out and sat down next to her. "What's going on?" he asked. "Another argument?" "Kelsey is so bossy," said Jill. "She never wants to do what I want to do." She frowned as she glanced at Kelsey, who was walking toward the swing set. Just then a line of wild geese, honking loudly, flew high overhead. "I wonder what their problem is. They sound terrible!" said Theo. "Maybe one of them wanted to be the boss and butted its way to the front of the line." "Don't they take turns being the leader?" asked Jill. "They're supposed to," said Theo. "But maybe one of them was counting the number of times he had been the leader and decided he wasn't getting his fair share of turns. So he tried to make them do things his way, and now all the other geese are honking at him." He grinned at his sister. "Silly goose." They watched as the long line of geese separated into four lines, then merged into two. The honking became a bit quieter, and finally the two lines formed into one long V. "I wonder which one got them to stop honking and work together peacefully," said Theo. "It takes a real leader to get others to work well together. And it's not about always doing things your way, but putting others before yourself. That's the kind of leader Jesus was. Even though He's King over everything, He became a servant and died for our sins--because that's the only way we could have peace with God." Jill looked over to where Kelsey was swinging. That's what I want to be--a leader, she thought. Not a silly goose. She jumped up and walked over to the swing set. "Okay, Kelsey," she said. "You can decide this time." She smiled at her cousin. "Let's stop honking at each other." –Lois A. Witmer How About You? Do you always want others to do things your way? Do you try to take charge by fighting and forcing everybody else to do what you want? That's not the kind of leader Jesus was. He put others ahead of Himself by sacrificing His life to bring us peace, and He wants us to live in peace with each other. Help others live in peace by doing what's best for everyone, not just yourself. That's the mark of a true leader. Today's Key Verse: Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (NIV) (Ephesians 4:3) Today's Key Thought: Learn to get along with others

Bible Reading: Genesis 1:28-31; Colossians 1:15-20 Gabe turned his nose away from the fast-food scraps and held them at arm's length. "I think my nose is more sensitive than most. This is disgusting." The sun beat down, and a soft breeze sent wafts of rotten smells up his nostrils. His friend Cassi just shook her head and urged him on. Their church had partnered with the city to orchestrate a park cleanup across the street from their chapel. It's about time, Gabe had thought. He was tired of stepping over litter at the playground. Volunteers spread across the grassy opening armed with gloves and rolls of trash bags; only the lucky ones got plastic reach extenders to jab at the waste. After a couple hours of picking up trash, Gabe looked around at the huge park and wondered if it even made a difference. "Good work, guys!" Gabe and Cassi turned to see the pastor's eldest son, Brent, wheeling a wagon over their way. "Want a bottle of water?" he asked. They nodded vigorously and Brent handed them each a bottle. Gabe guzzled his down in seconds, flattened the bottle, and tossed it into the recycling bag. He groaned. "It smells out here." "Do you know why we're doing this park cleanup?" Brent asked them. Gabe had no idea. With a shrug, Cassie said, "To do something nice for the community, I guess." "Yes, and we're doing it because God gave us this earth as a gift," Brent explained. "God's given us everything out of love for us--including His own Son to save us so we can have a relationship with Him. The earth is a blessing from God; He provides food, water, shelter, clothing, and medicines through its resources. The things of this earth are meant to be a blessing for everyone, so one way we can show others the love of Jesus, who is King over all God's creation, is by making sure the earth is taken care of." Cassi nudged Gabe's shoulder and smiled. "Like making sure the playground is clean for everyone to use." Gabe looked over the playground and imagined how nice it would be for the community if it were all cleaned up. "I guess it would be a good way to love our neighbors." –Zoe Brickner How About You? Do you enjoy being outside in God's beautiful creation? What are some things you have benefited from that come from nature? God made this world for us as an overflow of His endless love--love so great that He gave us His Son, Jesus, who reigns over the earth. One way we can thank God for His gifts and love our neighbors at the same time is by caring for the earth so everyone can enjoy it. Today's Key Verse: The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. (NIV) (Psalm 24:1) Today's Key Thought: Take care of the earth

Bible Reading: Psalm 23:1-6 Madison's dog nuzzled up against her hand, whining anxiously. Madison closed her history textbook and looked down. "What's wrong, Buddy?" she asked, even though she knew Buddy couldn't answer. Then she heard thunder booming in the distance. Buddy perked up his ears, then whined again. Madison looked out the window at the dark clouds piling high as rain began hitting the glass. A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. Madison bent down to stroke Buddy's head. "It's okay," she said. "It's just a storm. You're safe inside." Buddy whined some more. Madison sighed. She needed to study for her big test tomorrow. Her heart beat faster just thinking about it. "Come on, Buddy, you're fine." Madison picked up her book again, feeling sick to her stomach. She always had trouble remembering all the dates and places, then she'd panic, which made it even harder to think. She hoped she wouldn't forget everything she studied. Mom walked into the room. "What's wrong?" she asked. Madison sighed again. "Buddy's scared of the storm, but I need to finish my homework." Mom nodded. "Buddy's always been scared of storms." She thought for a minute. "What are some things that scare you, Madison?" Madison looked up, surprised. "I'm scared of heights. Remember when Dad wanted me to go down that big water slide, but I couldn't even make it up the stairs?" She paused. "And sometimes I'm scared to take tests. I worry I won't remember everything and will get a bad grade." "So who do you go to for help?" asked Mom. "Well, sometimes you and Dad. You help me study." "And that's good. But there's someone else you can also go to." Mom reached down and patted Buddy's head. "Isn't it interesting that Buddy knows to come to you for comfort? That's how Jesus wants us to think about Him. He wants to be our first option for peace and comfort. When we come to Him with our fears, He comforts us and reminds us that He's in control and will always love us and be with us no matter what happens." "So, since I'm worried about my test, I should pray about it?" Madison asked. Mom nodded. "I think that's a great idea." –Abigail Singrey How About You? What scares you? Is it spiders, the dark, or meeting new kids at church or school? Maybe you freeze up with fear, or maybe you get a funny feeling in your stomach. Whatever worries you have, you can bring them to Jesus. He won't think they're silly. When we pray to God about whatever is troubling us, He will calm our worries and let us know He's with us. Today's Key Verse: Give all your worries to Him because He cares for you. (NLV) (1 Peter 5:7 ) Today's Key Thought: Pray about your problems

Bible Reading: John 19:28-30 Evan breathed deeply through his nose as he walked into the kitchen. "Yum!" he said, walking over to where his older sister was working. "Lemon pie!" "Oh no, you don't!" said Zoe, shooing him away with her spatula. "This is nowhere near finished." "Okay, but I'll be waiting for it," Evan said, then headed upstairs to do homework. When he came back later, Zoe had poured the filling into the pie shell. "Can I have some pie now?" he asked. Zoe shook her head. "It's still not finished," she told him. "It's lemon meringue pie, and it doesn't have any meringue on it yet." Evan checked back one more time before dinner. "It's finished now," Zoe told him, "but you can't have any yet. I baked it for dessert tonight." After dinner, Zoe finally brought the pie to the table. Evan scooped up and swallowed every bit on his plate. "Now the pie's really finished," he said, patting his stomach. "It's all gone." For devotions that night, Dad read from the Gospel of John. "'It is finished.' Those were the last words Jesus said on the cross," Dad said, closing his Bible. "Sounds a lot like some of the words being said in the kitchen this afternoon. A couple of times I overheard Zoe tell Evan that the lemon pie wasn't finished yet. Finally, she said it was finished, but even then it didn't do Evan any good. Why not?" "Because I didn't eat any of it," replied Evan. "Her fault, not mine!" "I don't doubt it," Dad said with a smile. "Well, Jesus came to earth to take the punishment for our sin. On the cross, He finally said, 'It is finished.' His work was done. But a lot of people are missing the full benefit of His finished work. Why?" "Because they haven't trusted Him as their Savior," Zoe said after a moment. "Right," said Dad. "To enjoy the finished pie, we had to take it for ourselves and eat it. And to enjoy the benefit of Jesus's finished work--the joy and peace of having a relationship with God that lasts for eternity--we have to receive it for ourselves. We have to believe in Jesus and trust Him to save us to become a child of God." –Hazel W. Marett How About You? Have you received the benefit of what Jesus did for you on the cross? Are you trusting Him to save you from sin and give you eternal life? He finished the work of purchasing your salvation, and He offers it to you right now. Receive it for yourself by trusting in Him. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (NIV) (John 1:12 ) Today's Key Thought: Accept Jesus's finished work

Bible Reading: John 10:2-5, 14 "Oh, look!" Amelia said as her mother parked the car at Grandpa's farm. "I see Grandpa's new sheep! Let's go pet them." The children climbed out of the car and raced toward the sheep, but the animals darted to the far corner of the pen. "Oops! We scared them," said Josiah. "Let's try again. Let's pull some grass for them, and this time let's walk, not run." Amelia agreed, and they each pulled a handful of grass and slowly carried it toward the corner where the sheep huddled. But as they approached, the flock spun around and dashed away. Amelia dropped her grass. "I give up." "Me too," said Josiah, throwing his grass on the ground. A moment later, the children saw their grandfather coming. They ran to give him a hug. "Grandpa, why do you have those baby bottles?" Amelia asked. "Two of my lambs need these," replied Grandpa. "I feed them because their mother died." "I wish I could feed one of them," said Amelia, "but your sheep don't like us. They run away." Grandpa smiled. "Watch," he said as he led the children to a small pen beside the barn. They saw that it held two little lambs. "Here, Fluffy. Here, Snowball," Grandpa called as he opened the pen. The lambs scampered out and followed him as he crisscrossed the lawn. Josiah laughed. "They're playing follow the leader!" Grandpa handed each of the kids a bottle. "Here," he said. "You can hold these for them." "Cool!" said Amelia, offering her bottle to one of the lambs. She giggled in delight as the lamb eagerly took it. "This one dances while he eats!" Amelia looked at Grandpa. "But why wouldn't your other sheep eat the grass we pulled for them?" "Sheep know their shepherd's voice and follow him. They tend to run away from strangers," Grandpa explained. "It reminds me that we are like sheep. We follow our Shepherd--Jesus--by obeying Him and trusting Him to guide us and take care of us. We don't let anything or anyone lead us away from Him because we've heard His voice and know that He is the Good Shepherd who calls us to eternal life with Him." –Margaret M. Primrose How About You? Are you following Jesus, the Good Shepherd? You may not have wool and four legs, but the Bible often refers to Christians as sheep who hear and follow Jesus's voice. He's the one who loves us so much that He gave His life to save us and promises to guide us, care for us, and supply our needs. If you trust in Jesus, you are following Him. Today's Key Verse: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (NKJV) (John 10:27) Today's Key Thought: Follow your Shepherd--Jesus

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 2:19-25 Anissa leaned out the car window to watch a line of people walking along the side of the road. Accompanied by a police escort, a large number of children and adults followed a man who was dressed to look the way Jesus did in pictures. The man was wearing what looked like a crown of thorns, and he was carrying a large cross on his back. "One of the local churches must be reenacting what happened on Good Friday many years ago," Mom said as she slowed the car at the policeman's signal. Anissa looked away. She didn't want to think about what really happened--how Jesus had suffered when He went to the cross to die for sinners. But she looked back when she heard the loud voice of a man in another car. "Hey!" the man hollered. "You're nuts!" He honked his horn and then hollered some more. The man portraying Jesus didn't even look up. He and the crowd of followers continued their solemn journey. "That guy wasn't very nice!" Anissa remarked. "No, but that kind of thing--and much worse--happened when Jesus was crucified," said Mom. "People mocked Him, but Jesus kept on going too. He was committed to doing the will of His Father." "That must have been hard," said Anissa. "Yes," said Mom. "Christians today might get teased and mocked for following Jesus. When that happens, we need to look to Him for the strength to keep going and do God's will, just like He did." "I know." Anissa sighed. "Sometimes I want to go along with other kids and do things even when I know they're wrong. But being left out or putting up with mean things they say is nothing compared to what Jesus went through for me!" Mom nodded. "Jesus took up His cross, and He tells each of us to do the same. That means being willing to give up whatever is necessary to live the way He wants us to--from what others think of us to our very lives. The good news is that He is with us and will help each of us carry our cross the way He did so others can see His love in our lives." –Nance E. Keyes How About You? Are you ever teased or rejected because of what you believe? Jesus understands. He suffered that kind of rejection too. He was scorned and mocked and even spit on. He suffered real, deep pain when He took the punishment for sin you deserve. He loves you that much, and He will help you follow Him and show His love to others, no matter what anyone else says or does. Today's Key Verse: [Jesus said,] "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me." (NLT) (Luke 9:23) Today's Key Thought: Take up your cross

Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-21 Hunter and his dad chose a spot in the backyard to set up the rain gauge Hunter had made at school. He was proud of the hollow tube and its funnel-like top. "This is the best school project ever," he said. "I hope it rains soon!" "Hunter," Mom said when he came inside, "Mr. Blake isn't feeling well, and he's afraid his garbage cans might roll out into the street if they stay in his driveway. Would you go bring in his trash cans?" "Okay," said Hunter, and he headed out the door. He returned a few minutes later and sighed heavily. "What's wrong?" asked Mom. "Mr. Blake seems to be sick a lot," said Hunter. "And I know he's sad about losing his wife. I wish I could do something more to help him. When I brought his trash cans in, I noticed paint peeling off his house. I wish I could paint his house for him!" A timer beeped, and Mom pulled brownies from the oven. "Well, you may not be able to paint his house, but you can run some of these over to Mr. Blake. That'll cheer him up." "Okay. But it'd be cool to do something big instead of just this little stuff." Mom smiled at him. "I know it may not seem like much, but remember the Bible says that we serve Jesus by serving others. By helping Mr. Blake--even in small ways--you're showing him the love of Jesus." Later that day, it began to sprinkle, so Hunter and his parents went to check his rain gauge. "It's collecting water!" Hunter said. "Good," said Dad. "But this is a very light rainfall. It will take a lot more rain than this to really measure water in your gauge." "Maybe," said Hunter. "But look! A little water is running into it--and every drop counts! The water will build up over time." "You're right," Mom said. "Every little bit does count, and you know what? Every little thing you do for Jesus counts too. No matter how small or insignificant it may seem." "You mean like the stuff I do to help Mr. Blake?" asked Hunter. "Yes," said Mom. "Jesus can use it to show him a big picture of God's love." –Nance E. Keyes How About You? Do you think the small things you do for others don't amount to much? Do you wish you could do something big? The Bible tells us Jesus came down from heaven to serve us by dying for our sins, and He wants us to serve others--even when it doesn't seem like much to us. He uses the small things we say and do to show people how much He loves them. Serve Jesus by serving others. Today's Key Verse: The Son of Man [Jesus] did not come to be served, but to serve. (NKJV) (Mark 10:45) Today's Key Thought: Serving others shows them God's love

Bible Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15; 1 John 1:7-9 Cole followed his grandpa across his new backyard. "I want to see inside!" Grandpa stopped at the door of a big shed. "Ready?" Cole nodded. Grandpa pulled the door open, and Cole jumped back. The smell coming from inside was terrible. He moved to a place where he could take deep breaths of fresh air and looked over to see Grandpa laughing at him. "We're going to need to take care of that." Grandpa held up a handkerchief. "Until then, I have this." "You knew it was going to smell like that and you're still going in there to clean it?" Cole couldn't believe it. "Your grandma needs a place to work on her pottery." Grandpa shrugged. "I love her, so I'm going to clean that place out and get it ready for her." "Speaking of Grandma…" Cole backed toward the house. Grandpa laughed again. "You go inside and spend time with her. I don't expect you to work with me." Cole didn't go back to the shed until weeks later when Grandpa convinced him he had to see inside. "I don't want to smell it." Cole dragged his feet as they made their way across the yard. "It doesn't smell anymore." Grandpa pulled the shed door open. Cole's eyes widened. Gone was all of the mess that had been in the place before. And the smell coming from the shed was one of fresh paint and stain. He saw shiny wood floors and perfect white walls. "It's amazing." Grandpa grinned. "It's really different, isn't it?" Cole dropped to his knees on the clean floor. "This reminds me of something." "Yeah?" Grandpa asked. "You know how Jesus loves us even though we're sinners?" Cole asked. "He's willing to step into the dirty, the gross, and make things better. He loves us enough to deal with the smelly stuff, just like you loved Grandma enough to do that. And now…now the shed has been made clean! Some people might have said it'd be best to just burn it down or something, but you made it new." Grandpa squeezed Cole's shoulder. "I like that." –Emily Acker How About You? Do smelly things bother you? How much love would it take for you to step into a smelly, messy place to make it better for someone you love? Because of His great love for us, Jesus came into our messy world and died for our sins. When we trust in Him, He cleans us and makes us new. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) No matter how many times we mess up, He will always forgive us. Today's Key Verse: But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (NKJV) (1 John 1:7) Today's Key Thought: Jesus cleans you because of His love

Bible Reading: Psalm 62:5-8 For as long as they could remember, Isla and Parker had lived a block away from the beach. Now they were at the water's edge saying goodbye to their favorite spot. Isla pushed her bare feet into the sand while Parker threw rocks out into the water. Tears trickled down Isla's cheeks as she thought of the moving van parked in front of their house--only it wasn't their house anymore. Isla would always remember the last day of school before spring vacation a few weeks ago. She and Parker had bolted off the school bus, excited about heading to the beach. They'd burst through the front door. "Mom, we're home!" Isla called. The house was silent. "Mom?" called Parker. They went into the living room and found Mom and Dad sitting there. Mom looked like she'd been crying. "What's wrong?" asked Isla. That's when her world fell apart. "You've probably noticed that your mother and I haven't been able to agree on many things lately," said Dad. "We've decided that it will be better for all of us to live apart." It just kept getting worse. Not only was Dad leaving, but Isla and Parker were moving with their mom to Grandma's. They'd have to find a new school and make all new friends. And there was no beach nearby. Isla stared at the waves crashing against a huge boulder out in the water. "God, this isn't fair," she whispered. As the waves sprayed over the boulder, she remembered a verse she'd learned in church. The Lord is my Rock, she thought. He's always solid and never changes, and He'll always be with me and care for me. Parker finished throwing rocks and came and sat beside Isla. "Don't worry, Isla. Everything will be okay," he said half-heartedly. "I know," replied Isla. "I just remembered that Jesus is a solid, steady Rock to stand on. We may feel like those waves out there being tossed all over the place, but Jesus is like that big boulder. Even if everything else is changing, He's still the same. He cares about what's happening to us and will always be with us. We have to trust Him." –Betty Yeider How About You? Are you going through a difficult time in your life? A time when you feel hurt and alone and life doesn't seem fair? Remember that Jesus is a close friend, one who is always there for you. He loves you so much He died for you, and He cares about what is happening. When everything around you seems to be falling apart, He is solid and unchanging--a Rock you can trust. Today's Key Verse: Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (NIV) (Psalm 62:8) Today's Key Thought: Always trust God

Bible Reading: Romans 3:21-26 "Can I crack the eggs?" Penelope asked as her mom started blending the butter and sugar. "Sure," Mom said, and as each egg was added, she beat it into the cookie dough. "Now we need to add flour, baking soda, and salt." "I can do that," said Penelope. She carefully measured the flour into a bowl, then added the baking soda and salt. She looked down at the bowl in surprise. "I thought flour was supposed to be white." "It looks white to me," said Mom. "But look," said Penelope. "The baking soda and salt are on top of the flour, and they're really white. They make the flour look almost gray." "That's true," Mom said as she stirred the ingredients together. "Penny," she said after a moment, "if I said the flour is like us and the baking soda is like God, what do you think I'd mean?" Penelope thought for a moment. "I'd think you weren't making any sense," she said with a grin. Mom smiled. "When I saw those ingredients together and the difference in color, it occurred to me that we often think we're decently good people. But compared to what God says, we don't look so good." "I think I get it," said Penelope. "Compared to the baking soda, the flour isn't very white. And compared to how the Bible says we should live, we're not very good at all." "That's right," Mom said as she dropped spoonfuls of dough onto the cookie sheet. "The only person to ever live up to the Bible's standards was Jesus, the Son of God. He lived a perfect life, then died to take the punishment for our wrongs. When we trust in Him, He replaces our sin with His righteousness--His goodness--and makes us pure in God's eyes. If this baking soda could turn all the flour in this bowl pure white, that would be like what Jesus does for us." "These cookies will remind me of that," said Penelope, putting a tray in the oven. "So I should eat lots of them, right?" Mom laughed and gave her a playful jab. –Pauline Youd How About You? How does your life compare to God's standard that He gives us in the Bible? Do you feel like you measure up? Or do you know that your life is like the flour in this story--more gray than white? Only Jesus measures up to God's standard. When you trust Him as your Savior, He purifies you from sin and makes you good in God's eyes. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV) (2 Corinthians 5:21) Today's Key Thought: Only Jesus measures up

Bible Reading: Matthew 21:1-11; John 3:16-18 Arlo giggled as his sister Marni raised her palm branch over his head. "Save me! Aunt Lori, Marni is going to rule over me!" Aunt Lori called to the kids from the deck. "Quit playing with those. Come on, let's eat lunch." Arlo and Marni groaned. They tossed their palm leaves to the side and trudged up the steps. "Those branches are perfect for sword fighting," said Marni. "Why can't we play with them?" "Yeah," Arlo added. "We got them in church, but all we did was wave them around and lay them on the floor. It was boring." Uncle Damien brought out plates of sandwiches. "Do you even know why you got them?" he asked as he set the food down. The kids shrugged and said in unison, "Palm Sunday."' Uncle Damien nodded. "A week before Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He entered Jerusalem on a donkey. The people laid down their cloaks and palm leaves as He rode through the city to honor Him as the Messiah--the Savior God had promised. Every year on the Sunday before Easter, we celebrate that day by remembering that Jesus is the humble King who came to save us." Marni thought about the church service earlier. "But why did the pastor have us say 'hosanna'? What does that mean?" "Actually, it's kind of like what Arlo exclaimed when you beat him in your game earlier," said Aunt Lori. "I joked that you had to save me from Marni's oppressive rule," said Arlo. "And hosanna means just that," Aunt Lori said. "It's a word meaning 'save us' in the language Jesus spoke." Marnie nodded in realization. "So we shout it in church on Palm Sunday to remember that God saves us from our sins." "And He did just that," Uncle Damien said. "When Jesus died on the cross, He took the punishment for sin we deserved. Then when He rose from the grave, He conquered death so we could have eternal life with Him. The moment we trust in Him, He frees us from the oppressive rule of sin and death and makes us right with God." "Wow!" Arlo exclaimed. "We should shout hosanna more often!" –Zoe Brickner How About You? Have you ever gotten a palm branch at church on Palm Sunday? During Jesus's time, the leaves and cloaks on the ground showed respect to kings. Jesus was a different King than all the others--He's the King of kings! He is the most powerful King, yet also the humblest. Jesus became human and died on the cross to save us, and that's a good reason to shout, "Hosanna!" Today's Key Verse: The crowds who went ahead of him [Jesus] and those who followed shouted…"Hosanna in the highest heaven!" (CSB) (Matthew 21:9 ) Today's Key Thought: Jesus came to save us

Bible Reading: Psalm 71:15-17 Jade, Leah, and their little sister, Izzy, joined their mother in the backyard one spring day. "Wow, look at all the flowers!" Jade said, walking over to her mother's garden. "I love the hyacinths. I think they're my favorite." "Not mine. I like those yellow ones," said Izzy, pointing to the daffodils. "They're so pretty. Yellow is my favorite color!" Leah shook her head. "The tulips are the best. They come in lots of colors--they don't just stick to one!" Jade looked around at the garden. "There are lots more flowers than there were last year. Did you plant more this year, Mom?" Mom shook her head. "No, but over the winter, they multiplied." "Multiplied?" asked Izzy. "What does that mean?" "That means there are more of them," said Jade. "That's because the bulbs in the ground produced more bulbs, so now there are more flowers for you to see. Right, Mom?" "Right." Mom removed a few dead leaves from the base of a daffodil. "You know, these spring flowers are a good example of what Christians should be like." "Really?" asked Jade. "How?" "I know!" said Leah. "Because Jesus gives us new life when we trust Him as our Savior, and we should bloom for Him." "Yes," said Mom. "He puts His love in our hearts, and as we rely on Him to help us show it to others, our lives bloom with the love and beauty of Jesus. That's how Christians multiply." "Oh no!" said Jade, looking at Leah. "You mean there are going to be more Leahs popping up?" Leah laughed. "Or more Jades?" Mom smiled. "You girls know what I'm saying--that we should be sharing God's love with others and praying He puts seeds of faith in their hearts and makes them grow. It's not more Leahs or Jades we want popping up, but more people who know Jesus and show His love to the world." Izzy bent over to look more closely at one of the daffodils. "I hope the whole yard is full of these pretty yellow flowers next year!" "Yeah," said Jade. "And I hope the whole world is full of people who love Jesus!" –Shelley A. Janofski How About You? Have you trusted Jesus to forgive your sins and give you a new life? Then your life should be like a flower and bloom with the love and beauty of Jesus. Show His love to others and let them know about all the wonderful things He's done--like coming to earth and giving His life to save us from sin. Ask Jesus to use your life to bring others to Him. Today's Key Verse: O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. (NLT) (Psalm 71:17) Today's Key Thought: Show Jesus's love to others

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:32-5 Wyatt called to Mom as he raced down the stairs and toward the back door. "I'm heading out to my garden to weed." Wyatt had his own garden in the backyard and was looking forward to caring for his plants. Mom stuck her head out of the kitchen. "Can you take William with you, please? He's been wanting to go outside all day." Wyatt sighed. Taking William with him would make tending his garden go much slower with all the questions he would ask. Wyatt was tempted to complain, but thought better of it. Mom needed to take care of baby Rose since she was teething and feeling miserable. Besides, William could be cute sometimes. "William," Wyatt said, "do you want to come with me to the garden?" "Yes!" William shrieked with delight. "Will you help me put on my shoes? Why do we have to go to the garden? What are we going to do there?" Wyatt sighed but smiled as he kneeled down to buckle William's sandals. "We need to go to the garden to pull weeds and care for the plants." William paused a moment, but soon thought of more questions. "How do we care for plants? Why do we pull weeds?" Wyatt continued to answer William's questions as they headed outside. "We care for the plants by checking to see what they need. They may need water or extra support. If we don't pull the weeds, the plants won't have room to grow." He knew there would be many more questions before the day was done. Mom and Dad had told him that asking questions was how William learned and that answering them kindly and carefully helped him grow and showed him God's love. The kind of love Jesus shows us, Wyatt thought. Love that is always patient as He helps us learn and grow. While William paused to chase a butterfly, Wyatt realized something. Showing patience and kindness to William wasn't that different from taking care of his plants. He decided he would keep tending William and do what was needed to help him grow. –Myrical Barton How About You? Do you get impatient when younger kids ask lots of questions? Does it annoy you when friends or classmates don't understand something? Remember that Jesus is patient and loving toward you and that you show His love to others by treating them the same way. Be patient with others and do all you can to help them grow. Today's Key Verse: Be patient, bearing with one another in love. (NIV) (Ephesians 4:2) Today's Key Thought: Be patient and help others grow

Bible Reading: Psalm 119:65-73 Denver tugged his mother's hand. "Come on, Mom! I want to find out if my science fair project won a ribbon!" "Okay, but help me keep an eye on Darcy," Denver's mom answered as she motioned for his little sister to follow them. When they arrived at the table holding Denver's project, they spotted a red ribbon attached to the board displaying Denver's research. "Second place! Cool!" Denver exclaimed. Then he, his mom, and Darcy walked around the gym looking at other projects. Denver congratulated some of his friends on their ribbons too. "Denver, did you give Darcy a piece of gum?" Mom asked. "No, I know Darcy's too little for gum." "Well, she's chewing something." The three of them sat down on the gym's bleachers so Mom could ask Darcy about the gum. When they realized Darcy had yanked an old, already-chewed piece of gum from under one of the science fair tables, Denver cried, "Gross!" Darcy began to whimper. "Darcy, it's okay," Denver consoled his sister. "Mom, why would she do that?" "She's little. She saw something that looked good, so she grabbed it. She doesn't have much experience making wise decisions yet. But she's not the only one who needs help making good choices." Mom smiled and shook her head. Then they returned to admiring the science projects set up in the gym. On the ride home, Denver asked, "Mom, what did you mean about how Darcy's not the only one who needs help making choices?" "Well, we all need help choosing what's best sometimes," said Mom. "Because not everything that looks good is actually good for us," Denver said. "Like Darcy's gum." "Exactly," Mom replied. "Thankfully, we have a place to turn when we need wisdom. Because you and I trust in Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins and then came back to life so we could have a relationship with God, we can go to our heavenly Father with any need we face, and He'll give us guidance." "Good to know, Mom. I'm going to ask God for guidance about next year's science project--and about keeping Darcy away from old chewing gum." –Allison Wilson Lee How About You? Have you ever faced a decision and needed help? We all have choices in life to make, and some of them are difficult. But as God's children, we can ask God for help and trust Him for wisdom in making decisions. As we look to God's Word, the Bible, for guidance and share our needs with Him, He will help us make wise choices that show others we have a relationship with Jesus. Today's Key Verse: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (NIV) (Psalm 32:8) Today's Key Thought: God helps us make wise choices

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 31:4-6 Editor's note: This story may not be suitable for young children. Asha's heart was pounding. She walked slowly down the jetway to the plane, clutching her mother's hand. "It'll be okay," Mom told her gently. "I know you're scared, but everything will be all right." Asha looked up at Mom with her big round eyes, then snapped them back to the open door of the plane. Just a week ago, a bomb went off at an airport in another country. Asha shuddered as images of wrecked planes on the news flashed into her mind. She definitely didn't want anything like that to happen to her and Mom! They finally crossed from the jetway to the plane, and the flight attendant greeted them with a warm smile as they began shuffling down the aisle. Mom pointed out their seats. "Row 27, seat F. That's you, Asha. I'll be in the seat right in front of you." Asha's stomach lurched. "But Mom, I want you right next to me! I can't ride the whole way by myself. What if I lose you?" "Don't worry, honey," Mom said as she slid into her row and pointed to the seat behind her. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here with you the whole way." Asha climbed into her seat, buckled her belt, and stared out the window as the plane rolled into position on the runway. The engines began to roar, and she felt the pressure of the plane building up. She thought about her mother's words and remembered a Bible verse she had learned in church. "The Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you." She realized that even if flying on a plane seemed really scary to her, Jesus would be there to comfort her, just like Mom was with her on the plane. He would never leave her. Even if something horrible did happen and the plane crashed, He would still be with her, and she'd go to heaven to be with Him there. She smiled as she sat back in the seat, feeling more comfortable. She spoke up so Mom could hear her. "Thanks for being here with me, Mom. I know Jesus will be with both of us too!" –Dylan Kraayenbrink How About You? Do you often see scary things on the news? It's hard not to worry about the bad things that happen in the world. But remember that if you trust in Jesus, He'll always be with you to comfort you and carry you through every situation. No matter what happens, Jesus will never leave you. Your future is safe with Him. Today's Key Verse: The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged. (CSB) (Deuteronomy 31:8) Today's Key Thought: God comforts His children

Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6; Hebrews 12:1-2 "Can you quiz me on some review questions for a test, Dad?" Lydia asked one evening. Dad agreed, so Lydia handed him her study sheet. Dad asked Lydia several questions on topics she had studied. "Just a few to go," Dad said finally. "What's the name of the famous tower in Italy? And why is it famous?" "The Leaning Tower of Pisa," Lydia replied. "It was supposed to stand straight, but the ground it was built on was soft and it began to lean during construction." "Good," said Dad, closing the book. "I'll have to make up some harder questions if I'm going to stump you. Let's see…what's the Leaning Tower of Pisa leaning on?" Lydia had to think about that one. "Is that a trick question? It doesn't seem to be leaning on anything." Looking out the window, Lydia saw her little brother wobbling down the driveway on his bike. "Eli's leaning on something though. Without those training wheels, he'd fall right over!" She grinned. "Is God holding up the tower? Maybe He's what's keeping it from falling over." "That's an interesting idea," said Dad. "Eli, the tower in Pisa, you and me, we all need to have something--or someone--to lean on." He smiled. "Eventually Eli will learn to ride his bike without leaning on those training wheels. But as Christians, we'll always need someone to hold us up." "You mean Jesus, don't you?" asked Lydia. "That's right," said Dad. "If we think we can get through life or be a good person by leaning on our own efforts, we'll just fall right over. Only by leaning on Jesus--trusting in Him--can we be saved from sin and love others the way God calls us to. It's impossible for us to do it ourselves." He paused. "I'm not sure what's holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Some people think it might fall one day. But our foundation--Jesus--will never let us fall. No matter what happens, He will always hold us up." Lydia smiled. "So, because I trust in Jesus, I'm Leaning Lydia! I'll have to remember that." "Good," said Dad. "That's way more important to remember than anything on your study sheet!" –Nance E. Keyes How About You? Are you leaning on Jesus? Or are you trying to hold yourself up? Only Jesus can save us from sin and provide us with all we need to live a life that points to His goodness and love. He wants us to lean on Him, and He puts people in our lives we can lean on too in hard times, like friends and family. You can trust that He will never let you fall. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (NKJV) (Proverbs 3:5) Today's Key Thought: Lean on Jesus

Bible Reading: Acts 9:26-31 "That's enough TV for today, Simon," Grandma said, turning it off. "Don't you have homework to do?" Simon shrugged. "It doesn't matter, Grandma." He reached down and scooped up Tiger, the stray cat Grandma had rescued. "Even if I do it, Mrs. Stevens still won't like me." "I thought you enjoyed her class. What happened?" Grandma asked. "I do like it. But I forgot to do my homework a few times, and now she always asks me if I've done it." "That doesn't mean she doesn't like you, Simon," Grandma said. "She cares about you and wants to help you be responsible and do your work." "But she won't let me go to the puzzle corner during study hall unless my homework's done. And if I tell her it's done, she doesn't believe me! She makes me show her my work." Simon stroked the fur on Tiger's back, making him purr. "She doesn't make anyone else do that." "I see," said Grandma. "Simon, do you remember when I first got Tiger?" Simon remembered how skinny Tiger had been. His striped fur was dirty, and one ear was torn. "Tiger hissed and scratched at anyone who came near him," said Simon. Grandma nodded. "Tiger had been mistreated. It was hard for him to trust people again. I spoke gently to him and offered him his favorite foods for many days. Then one morning Tiger stepped away from his dish and brushed against my legs. More time went by before he trusted me enough to let me pet him." "But he's okay now," Simon said as he gently petted the purring cat. "I guess he figured out we're not going to hurt him." "Sometimes when we make mistakes, it takes people a while to trust us again, just like Tiger," Grandma said. "But that doesn't mean we should give up. Jesus always forgives our wrongs and gives us the strength to do what's right. He'll help us show others we can be trusted again. But it can take time." "You mean, if I continue to do my homework, eventually Mrs. Stevens won't need to remind me anymore?" "Not only that, Simon," said Grandma. "You'll also show her--and yourself--that because of Jesus, you have the power to change." –Heidi J. Schmidt How About You? Have you lost someone's trust because of a mistake you made? Have you felt like giving up showing you've changed? Remember that God works through people who make mistakes. The apostle Paul made some big mistakes before Jesus saved him. Depend on Jesus for the strength to do what is right, and ask Him to help others notice the change. Today's Key Verse: If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. (NLT) (Luke 16:10 ) Today's Key Thought: Trust takes time