Bible Reading: Psalm 12:5-7

"He said he was going to help us." Sammy frowned. "How could Uncle Riley say that and then change his mind? We need help if we're going to move!"

Mom held a finger to her lips. She nodded to the open window. "Look at our babies getting their first meal."

Sammy peeked out the window. In the branch of the tree right outside, there was a nest with baby birds that had just hatched. A big bird was feeding each of the babies with something out of her beak. It was cool to watch.

When the meal was finished, Sammy looked to his mom. "Without money from Uncle Riley, we're going to be stuck here forever."

"I was excited when he said he was going to help," Mom said. "But we can figure things out without him. It will just take a little longer. We're going to be okay."

"How can he make a promise and then change his mind?" Sammy moved to their brown couch and sank down onto it, running his finger along a tear in the fabric. "We were counting on him doing what he said he would do."

"People are like that sometimes," Mom said. "They make promises and then don't keep them."

Sammy crossed his arms. "It's not right."

"No, it's not." Mom looked at him. "You know who isn't like that? God. Every promise He makes, He keeps."

Sammy frowned. "It doesn't always feel like it."

"It might not," Mom said. "But it's true. It's like those baby birds. I heard them chirping when their mom left them this morning. They were probably worried that she wouldn't come back. But she did come back, because she knows they depend on her to feed them and take care of them. Our heavenly Father is much more dependable than a mother bird, and He promises to take care of us."

"What if He doesn't?" Sammy asked.

"He will," Mom said. "The Bible tells us that God keeps His promises. When we were lost in sin, He promised us a Savior, and He fulfilled that promise through Jesus. And Jesus promises that even though life is full of difficulties, He will always be with us and help us. Other people may fail us, but God never will."

–Emily Acker

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:17-24

Preston jumped from seat to seat in the back of the school bus. He joined in with the boys who were pestering other kids and laughed loudly when rude gestures were made at passing cars. After he and the others ignored several warnings, the bus driver pulled over and wrote down their names. Preston felt ashamed--and he felt even worse when he found out his parents would be contacted.

"I heard from your principal today," Mom said when Preston got home. "We'll have to talk about it later. Right now go get your homework done."

Preston was relieved when his behavior wasn't mentioned at dinner. When they finished eating, Dad turned on the news. The screen showed a man who'd been found wandering the streets. He couldn't remember anything about his past--not even his own name. "Authorities believe this man has amnesia," said the reporter. "Anyone with information that may help identify him should notify the police."

"He doesn't know his name?" Preston asked. "That's hard to believe!"

"They think he may have received a very hard blow to his head, or that something shocking happened and the man's brain reacted by blocking everything out," explained Mom.

"Oh, that's so sad!" said Preston's little sister, Mia.

"Can a person really forget who he is?" asked Preston.

"We wondered the same thing after Mom got a call from your principal today," said Dad. "It sounded like you might have been suffering from spiritual amnesia on the bus. You seemed to have forgotten who you were."

"Preston has amnesia?" asked Mia, looking at her brother wide-eyed.

"Well, he seemed to forget that he is a child of God," said Dad. "Preston--just like all Christians--has the Holy Spirit inside him. Because of God's presence in us, we're able to do what is right and show others the love of Jesus. If we forget that and start acting out of selfishness instead of love, it's kind of like we have spiritual amnesia--we've forgotten who we are in Jesus." Dad turned to Preston. "Could anyone on the bus this morning have identified you as belonging to Jesus?"

"I--I guess not," said Preston. "I'm sorry."

His parents smiled at him. "We forgive you," said Dad. "And Jesus will forgive you too."

–Nance E. Keyes

Bible Reading: Acts 4:13-20

Topher brought Mexican jumping beans to school today," said Tiernan at dinner one evening. "They look like regular beans, but they move all by themselves. Topher wouldn't say what made them move--he said it was a secret. But I looked it up and found out. I don't know why Topher didn't just tell us. It's no secret!"

"So what makes them move?" asked Tiernan's sister Ariel.

"Moths," said Tiernan. "Mexican jumping beans are three-celled bean pods that house moths. The jumping is caused by the moth larvae moving inside."

"Ew, gross!" Ariel put down her knife and fork. "Well, now I've lost my appetite."

When dinner was finished, Dad got out his Bible for family devotions. "Tiernan's story about the jumping beans made me think of something," he said. "Like Tiernan said, the reason they move isn't a secret, but there is something we often keep secret even though we shouldn't. Just like how the moths in the bean pods makes them jump, we have something in us that makes us choose to do the things we do, but we often don't tell anyone what it is."

"Well, what is it?" asked Tiernan. "I don't know either."

Dad smiled. "It's the love of Jesus in our hearts. For example, I remember when you ate lunch with the new boy at school who didn't know anyone and your friends later asked why you didn't sit with them. What reason did you give them?"

"Um, well…I just told them I knew him from math class," replied Tiernan.

"And when I was so sick, God gave me a miraculous recovery," said Dad. "But I wonder how many of us told our friends that God had answered our prayers?"

"I didn't," admitted Ariel.

"It's almost as though we're keeping it a secret that we know Jesus," Dad said, opening his Bible to the fourth chapter of Acts. "Tonight, let's read about some men who didn't keep it a secret that they knew Jesus. How about reading it for us, Tiernan? Read verses sixteen to twenty."

After Tiernan finished reading, Dad said, "Peter and John couldn't keep themselves from telling others about Jesus and how He died and rose again to save them. Let's join them by telling everyone what He's done for us too."

–Nance E. Keyes

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:44-46

Roman stomped into the house and headed for the stairs, not even bothering to say hello to his family. "Hey there, Roman!" Dad called from his place at the counter. Roman mumbled something and then proceeded upstairs and slammed his bedroom door. The house shook.

Eva, his sister, entered the house a moment later. Mom finished chopping a potato and gave her a hug. "What's wrong with Roman?" Mom asked.

Eva opened the fridge and dug out an apple. "Well, this kid named Carson Peters keeps bullying and teasing him," she replied. "Especially on the walk home from school."

Later that evening, Roman was asked to help make his mom's famous homemade applesauce. As he chopped apples, he remembered some of the things Carson had said to him on the way home from school. Infuriated, Roman slammed the knife into the apple. The apple squished and splattered all over him and the counter.

"Oh dear. I suppose that was a rotten apple. I should be more careful when I pick out the bags at the market," Mom said, wiping the gunk off Roman and the surrounding area. "Why did you slam the knife so hard?" she asked. "You could've hurt yourself."

"Well, I--I was just thinking about what this guy Carson said to me earlier. He says a lot of mean things."

"I think how you're dealing with this is a bit like that rotten apple," Mom said as she mashed up the good apples. "You've been holding all this inside. Allowing angry, bitter feelings like that to stay in your heart can make you rot inside. Eventually, they would've overflowed--or in your case, exploded."

Roman sprinkled some cinnamon into the apple mixture. "I guess I thought I could deal with it on my own."

"Sometimes the only way to deal with something--or someone--is to ask for help," said Mom. "Jesus loves you so much that He died to save you, and He wants you to go to Him with your problems and hard feelings. He also puts people in your life to help you--like your dad and me. Let us help with the situation, and trust God to help you release those feelings and replace them with His love and peace."

–Taylor Carey

Bible Reading: Romans 3:10-26

"Peyton! Avery!" Dad called up the stairs. "Dinner is ready! Please pick up your toys and then come eat."

Peyton quickly put her dolls in a basket, then put the basket high on the shelf and ran downstairs. Avery, who was five years younger, couldn't quite reach the shelf to put her dolls away or lift the heavy lid to the toy chest. She eventually gave up and went to eat.

The next morning at breakfast, Avery began singing "Jesus Loves Me." Usually Peyton loved listening to Avery sing and would clap along, but today she just quietly listened.

"What's on your mind, kiddo?" Dad asked.

Peyton frowned. "Well, I know that Jesus died on the cross to take away sins, but I guess I don't really understand how that shows He loves me."

Dad thought for a moment. "Yesterday I asked you and Avery to clean the playroom, remember?"

Peyton shrugged. "Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well," Dad replied, "Avery can't put her toys away herself, so I want you to pick them up for her."

"But that's not fair!" said Peyton. "She's the one who made the mess!"

"You're right, she is the one who made the mess, but no matter how hard she tries, it's impossible for her to clean it up. She needs help." Dad paused. "Jesus shows us His love in the same way."

Peyton furrowed her eyebrows. "By picking up our mess?"

Dad nodded. "We're the ones with a huge mess of sin in our lives. Do you think it's fair for Jesus to clean it up? Jesus didn't sin. He didn't make our mess, but He also knew we could never get rid of it ourselves. So, because He loves us, He died and rose again to do what we couldn't--to take our sins away."

"So you're saying I can show Avery I love her by picking up her toys because she can't do it herself--just like Jesus shows me He loves me by taking away my sin because I can't do it myself?"

Dad smiled. "You got it."

As Avery continued to sing, Peyton smiled and began to clap along.

–Bethany Den Boer

Bible Reading: Romans 12:18-21

James was quiet as the plane rolled down the runway. "Nervous?" asked Dad.

"No," said James. "Well, not about the flight. I was thinking about something you said. Are you sure everyone has luggage they carry in their lives? Even bullies?"

Dad nodded. "Bullies often have the heaviest life luggage of all. It's filled with rocks of hurt, sadness, and anger they can't seem to get rid of."

"But then why is Dylan--I mean, bullies--so mean?"

"Remember in the airport when you wanted someone to carry your luggage for you?" asked Dad. "Well, we can get so tired of dragging our life luggage around by ourselves that we try to push our rocks onto others."

"I try to be nice to Dylan, but when I do, he just gets meaner! Yesterday I asked if he wanted some help, and he called me a--well, it wasn't very nice."

"Some people haven't been shown how to be kind," said Dad. "Dylan is probably afraid of looking weak. He probably feels stronger when he acts mean."

James looked down. "Dad, sometimes when Dylan is mean, I just want to get back at him by making him feel bad too."

Dad nodded. "I know a lot of adults who hurt others back instead of learning how to love them better. Two bullies won't change anything." Dad squeezed James's shoulder. "I'll call the school when we get back and tell them what's happening with Dylan. In the meantime, you can give your anger and hurt to--"

"I know!" James interrupted. "My luggage carrier!" Dad nodded and gave James a high five. "You know, Dad," said James, "Dylan probably doesn't know that Jesus wants to be his luggage carrier too."

"You might be right," Dad said as the plane took off. "He needs someone to tell him--and to pray for him too. He also needs to see God's love in action--someone who will continue to show him kindness, even though he's mean in return. Maybe someday, with prayer and persistence, that will change."

Just then, something in the compartment above their heads shifted with a loud THUD! A woman in the row behind them gasped. "What was that?"

James tried to swallow his laugh. "Probably the rock from our backyard!"

–Kelly Carlson

Bible Reading: Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 5:7

"It's too heavy!" James dragged his bag through the airport. "Dad, I need a luggage carrier!"

Dad chuckled. "What did you pack? Rocks?"

"Just one."

Dad stopped walking. "Seriously?"

"I didn't want to forget our backyard!"

"Well, come on." Dad pointed ahead. "It's just a bit farther to our gate."

After James plopped down hard into a chair, he noticed the many people passing by. One gray-haired woman dragged a suitcase half her size. I wonder what's in there, thought James. She must have a lot she doesn't want to forget. Next came a small girl twirling a tiny tote bag. Crayons and candy, James guessed. Not too heavy.

"You know," Dad said as he watched the people go by, "everybody has luggage."

Just then, James spotted a man holding only a phone. "Not him."

"Sure he does. Let's say your life is a suitcase, James. Every friend, conversation, sports game, or test is like an item in your luggage. We carry the good and bad things with us--but sometimes the bad things become heavy, and it's hard for us to carry those things around."

"So what happens when life gets too heavy?" asked James with a glance toward his bag.

"That's the best part of all," said Dad. "Jesus will carry all your burdens so you can rest--like that man carrying nothing but his cell phone."

Just then an announcement came over the loudspeaker. "Group four, please begin boarding."

"That's us!" James leapt up and reached for his bag, but his arm was still too sore to lift it. "Hey, Dad, can you help me?"

"Of course." Dad grabbed James's bag, and they boarded the plane.

After they were seated and their bags were stowed away, James turned to Dad. "So how does Jesus carry my burdens?"

"Well," said Dad, "He took the biggest burden from us--the punishment for our sin--when He died on the cross. And He wants us to give our worries and regrets to Him in prayer and trust Him to help us with our problems and forgive our wrongs. Instead of trying to handle life's heavy burdens on our own, He wants to give us peace and rest."

"I get it now," James said. "Jesus is my luggage carrier!"

–Kelly Carlson

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 1:6-9

It had not been a good week. First, Allison didn't get the part she wanted in a skit her class was going to perform. Then she hurt her arm in gym class. To top it off, she discovered that a stain on her favorite shirt hadn't washed out. "Everything's going wrong," Allison told her mother in tears.

Mom had just returned from shopping and had placed a big rectangular package, wrapped in paper, on the table. "I'm sorry, honey," she said, giving Allison a hug. "Sometimes it seems like everything goes wrong all at once, doesn't it? But don't forget that Jesus still loves you and is with you. Remember those verses we read about trusting God to work things out for our best?"

Allison sighed. "I don't see how having those things happen can do any good at all, let alone be for my best!"

Mom took a pair of scissors and began to cut a small hole in the paper covering the package. "What are you doing?" asked Allison. "What's in the package?"

"I bought a picture to hang in the living room." Mom held the package up for Allison to see. "What do you think?"

"Unwrap it so I can see it," said Allison.

"Look through the hole in the wrapping," said Mom.

Allison frowned, but she squinted and tried to look through the hole. "This little hole is way too small. I can't see enough of the picture to tell what it looks like!"

"You're right," Mom said. "But what I really want you to see is that life is like this picture."

"Really?" asked Allison in surprise. "How?"

"We can only see a small part of our lives. We see what's happening now, but not how it fits into God's overall plan. It's like we're looking at it through a small hole. But God can see the whole picture. He knows exactly what we need to experience to shape our lives into the big, beautiful picture of what He has planned. We just have to trust Him, looking forward to the day when Jesus comes again and the whole picture will be unveiled." Mom smiled at Allison. "Now go ahead and unwrap this picture. I think you'll agree that it really is beautiful."

–Richard S. Maffeo