Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

Read: Isaiah 40:28-31 Liam looked out the window of his friend Michael’s house as they finished their lunch. “Look at those trees,” he said. “They’re bending over from the wind.” “So were we, a few minutes ago,” said Michael. “It’s too hard to play ball with this much wind. I’m tired. We’ll have to think of something to do inside.” Liam pulled a movie out of his backpack. Michael’s mom took their plates. “I’m sorry, Liam, but I promised your mother you’d play outside, not watch movies. I’m sure you boys can think of something to do.” “I know!” said Michael. “You brought your rollerblades, right? I have an idea.” The boys put on their skates, and Michael pulled four snow shovels from the shed and handed two to Liam. “Are you crazy?” Liam asked, giving his friend a fake punch. “It’s hot out, not snowing!” Michael smiled. “Just wait and see.” They stumped around the house to the driveway. “Hold up your shovels like this,” Michael said. He held his shovels high. A blast of wind whooshed, and Michael skimmed along the drive and onto the sidewalk. “Come on, Liam!” he shouted. Liam held his shovels up, but nothing happened. Grumbling, he bent and struggled against the wind to where Michael stood. Just as he got there, panting, another gust sent Michael soaring. He made a wide circle and swooped over to Liam. “Are there wings on your rollerblades or what?” Liam demanded. “You took off like a huge bird!” “That’s what gave me the idea! In church we talked about how even kids get tired and how God gives us wings like eagles. Wings made me think of using snow shovels to catch the wind. The trick is to hold them up in the right direction so the wind does the work.” Mom walked over carrying knee pads. “That’s what Jesus does for us,” she said. “He did all the work of saving us by dying for our sin, and He gives us strength when we grow tired. When we feel worn out from trying to do things on our own, we need to depend on Him for strength and trust Him to lead us in the right direction.” “Cool. Thanks, Mom. Let’s go!” The boys put on their knee pads and sailed off. –Robin Steinweg How about you? Do you feel tired and worn out? Are there problems in your life you’re trying to fix on your own? Life can be difficult sometimes, but remember that if you trust in Jesus, He’s always with you. He is strong enough to save you from sin, and He promises to give you strength when you face hard times. Trust Him to help you through difficulties and lead you in the right direction. Today’s key verse: Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (CSB) Today’s key thought: Jesus gives you strength

Read: 1 Timothy 4:8-12 Abby was happy with herself for coming up with a good morning routine. Each morning before she went down for breakfast, she picked up her Bible from her nightstand and read a bit from it, and then she prayed. It felt good to connect with God before she even talked to anyone in her family. Abby knew her aunt had been doing something like that for a long time, and she was the one who had inspired her. She felt a bit silly telling her about it, but when she saw her aunt one afternoon, she did just that. “Wow! I’m so proud of you.” Aunt Hannah hugged her. Abby blushed. “You inspired me. I know you read your Bible and talk to God every day.” Aunt Hannah’s brows lowered as she took a seat on the porch step. “Actually, I’ve been so busy lately that I’ve been forgetting to do that.” Abby’s eyes widened. “Really?” Aunt Hannah nodded. “It’s too easy to become distracted by other things. But I want to get back into good habits and a good routine.” She smiled at Abby. “Thank you for telling me what you’ve been up to. Now you’ve inspired me!” “I have?” Abby hadn’t expected that. She had just wanted her aunt to know how she had encouraged her. Aunt Hannah got up and hugged her. “We all need to do that for each other sometimes. As Christians, we’re all part of God’s family, and the Holy Spirit uses the truth of God’s Word to work in our hearts and make us more like Jesus. That means we need to remind each other what Jesus did to save us and how He wants us to live. We need to encourage one another and set an example for others.” “Even a kid like me?” Abby asked. Aunt Hannah laughed. “Yes. The Bible says not to let anyone think less of you because you are young. You can do so much to inspire others, just like you did for me today.” Abby had never thought of that before. She knew she wanted to read her Bible and pray each day to grow in her relationship with Jesus, but maybe she could do more to encourage others in their relationship with Him too. –Bethany Acker How about you? Has someone inspired you to make changes in your life that will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus? Maybe you’ve seen how their spiritual habits have helped them and you want to follow their example. God uses the encouragement and example of other Christians to work in our hearts, and He wants you to be an example for others, no matter how young you are. How can you encourage others in their walk with Jesus? Today’s key verse: Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) Today’s key thought: You can inspire others

Read: Psalm 143:8-10; Titus 2:11-14 Austin’s black Labrador tilted his head to one side and lifted his front paw. “No, not shake! Lie down! Can’t you learn anything?” Austin sighed. “Let’s try something else. Fetch, Baxter! Fetch!” Austin hurled a ball across the yard, and Baxter raced after it. Before it dropped to the ground, Baxter leaped into the air and caught it in his mouth. “Wow! Good dog!” Austin called, clapping his hands. “Now bring it here, Baxter!” Baxter’s wagging tail stopped and pointed into the air. He perked his ears and stared at the other side of the yard. Then he dropped the ball and dashed after a squirrel. “This is hopeless,” Austin said, letting himself drop to the ground. “What’s hopeless?” asked Austin’s older sister, Makenna. She sat on the grass next to him. “I’m trying to train Baxter. I’ve been trying to teach him how to sit and shake and lie down and fetch, but I’m about ready to give up. Sometimes it seems like he’s getting the hang of it, then, out of the blue, he runs off and chases a squirrel or something.” “Baxter’s a hunting dog, so it’s in his nature to do that,” said Makenna. She glanced at her brother. “Kind of like it’s in our nature to do the wrong thing sometimes. That’s what Pastor Pham’s sermon was about, remember?” “Yeah, thanks for the reminder,” Austin said, thinking of something mean he’d said to Makenna the day before. He hoped God didn’t give up on him as easily as he gave up on Baxter. “Do you suppose God thinks we’re hopeless?” he asked. “Of course not,” said Makenna. “When we were hopelessly lost in sin, God sent Jesus to save us! He promises to train us and make us grow to be more like Jesus by helping us understand and obey what He says in the Bible. And though there will be many times when we wander away from Him and do something wrong—like Baxter going after those squirrels—He never gives up on us and will always forgive us.” Something pawed at Austin’s back. He turned to find Baxter holding the ball in his mouth. Austin smiled and patted Baxter’s head. “Want to try again?” He threw the ball, and Baxter bounced away after it. –Debra VanDyke How about you? Do you feel like a hopeless case—like you’ll never be able to stop doing things that are wrong? Struggling against sin is part of every Christian’s life, but don’t give up on yourself, because God never will! He sent Jesus to save you from sin and will always forgive you, no matter how many times you do something wrong. Trust Him to train you and make you more like Him—He is all the hope you need. Today's key verse: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10 (CSB) Today's key thought: God trains Christians

Read: Acts 11:27-30 Caden tugged his mom’s sleeve in the church hallway. “I need some money for our offering.” “Okay,” Mom said, opening her purse. Caden took the money she held out and dashed off to class. “I’m guessing many of you get your offering money from your parents,” Mrs. Hallman said after the class had taken the offering. “I have a suggestion. For the next month, why don’t you only put your own money in the offering? Missionaries will be using it to set up a school. You’ll be giving your money to the Lord so those kids can hear about Jesus.” Caden didn’t like the idea of giving away his own money. “I don’t see what difference it makes whether we give the money ourselves or our parents help us,” he said on the way home from church. “The difference is you don’t get any real joy out of giving to the Lord when the gift doesn’t cost you anything,” Mom said. “Maybe not, but I don’t get much money, and I’ve got to save up for a new bike.” “God doesn’t expect us to give what we don’t have,” Mom said. “No matter how little we have to give, God can use it to bless others in big ways. But giving still requires sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed His life for us, and we give to Him out of gratitude for all He’s given us. Maybe you can give some of the money you’ve already saved for a new bike—and if you want to give more, you could find ways to earn extra money. Pray about it and ask God what you should do.” Caden prayed about it and decided to give a portion of his bike money to the missionaries. Then, over the next few weeks, he was surprised at how many extra jobs he was able to pick up. He mowed lawns for neighbors and cleaned his grandma’s basement. He actually enjoyed earning money for the missionary offering. “When I’m working for extra money, I pretend I’m a missionary and that I’m doing the work so people can hear about Jesus,” Caden told his mom one day. “Pretend?” Mom smiled. “It isn’t pretend, Caden. Even though you’re not in a far-off place, God is using the work you’re doing to help more people come to Jesus!” –Bernard Palmer How about you? Do you truly give to God, or do you just pass along someone else’s gifts? Remember that giving always costs something. When God gave us His Son, it cost Jesus His life. Ask God to show you how you can give to Him. Maybe it’s by giving your own money or by donating your things or time to show others His love. Whatever it is, give out of gratitude for all He’s done for you. Today's Key Verse: I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing. 2 Samuel 24:24 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Give to God

Read: 1 Peter 3:3-4 Luca’s grandfather patted the tire of the four-wheeler he had purchased. “I found this quad online and got a good deal on it,” he said with a smile. Luca wasn’t so sure. The fenders were dented, and the seat had a tear in it. The rack behind the seat was bent, and a headlight was cracked. “It doesn’t look very good,” he said. “Why didn’t you buy a new quad, Grandpa?” “Well, this was much less expensive than a new one, and the engine is in excellent running condition. It also gives us something to work on together. It just needs a little body work, that’s all. We’ll get it all fixed up. You’ll see.” Luca wasn’t convinced. “It looks awfully banged-up to me,” he said as he began to polish a black helmet that had come with the four-wheeler. “You’ve got to learn to see beyond outward appearances,” said Grandpa. “Put on that helmet and hop on. I’ll give you a ride.” Luca slid on behind his grandfather. After a drive through the field across the road, Luca was impressed with the quiet, steady hum of the dented-up quad. “This runs really well!” he said. “Just goes to show that you should never judge things by appearance alone—and that includes people,” said Grandpa. “I didn’t like the looks of this quad myself when I first saw it. But when I heard it run, it was music to my ears!” He grinned. “Know any people like that?” “Well, Aaron, I guess,” Luca replied. “He’s new in my class, and when I first saw him I thought he’d be mean. But we started talking, and now we’re friends.” “We need to see people like God does,” said Grandpa. “He doesn’t judge us by the way we look. He sees way beyond that. He sees what’s in our hearts and what we can become—just like we see what this beat-up quad can become. Jesus can make anyone a new person. He made us new people when we trusted in Him, and He wants us to treat everyone in a way that shows them His love.” “You’re right, Grandpa,” Luca said. “You’re always right!” Grandpa laughed. “You go on inside now and tell that to your grandma!” –Vicki Reinhardt How about you? Do you judge people by the way they look? We often focus on appearance when we look at others, but not God. He looks at our hearts. You can’t see inside hearts like He does, but you can look past a person’s outward appearance and see how much they’re loved by Jesus. Treat everyone in a way that shows them His love. You might even end up with a new friend! Today's Key Verse: People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Look beyond looks

Read: Isaiah 61:10; Matthew 20:28 “Jordan, could you please put Athena’s toys away while I give her a bath?” called Mom as she carried Jordan’s little sister to the bathroom. Jordan groaned. He was right in the middle of a video game. He slammed his controller down and stomped into his baby sister’s room. “This is so unfair!” he said as he threw Athena’s toys into the toybox. “I didn’t make this mess. It’s not my job!” After soccer practice the next day, Coach handed Jordan a big bag of dirty laundry. It was Jordan’s turn to take the soccer uniforms home to be washed. Jordan dumped the bag of filthy clothes in the kitchen. “Hang on a minute,” said Mom. “What’s all this?” Jordan was confused. Mom had washed the soccer uniforms countless times before. “It’s our turn to wash the uniforms,” he replied. Mom tossed the bag back at Jordan. “Well, I don’t play soccer, so why should I wash them? It’s not my job!” All of a sudden, Jordan’s own words came back to him. “But I can’t wash these!” he cried. “I don’t know how!” Dad got up from his chair, a wry smile on his face. “Well then, I’ll show you!” Dad patiently showed Jordan how to operate the washing machine. “You know, families should help one another, Jordan, and sometimes that means cleaning up someone else’s mess.” Jordan sighed. “But cleaning up after Athena is hard!” “Well, so is going to work every single day,” said Dad. Jordan had never thought about that before. “And how about Mom?” Dad continued. “She changes dirty diapers. She washes our clothes and cleans up after people all the time. Imagine if she stopped doing all those things because they weren’t her job?” Jordan laughed. “We’d all stink!” Dad grinned. “It reminds me of what Jesus did to save us. He came to earth and cleaned up the great big mess of sin we had made. Jesus never sinned. Not once. But He was willing to die on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. I’m so thankful He saved me and made me clean!” “Me too!” Jordan said as he dumped the dirty uniforms into the washing machine. –Angela Jelf How about you? Do you moan and complain when you’re asked to clean up a mess someone else made? Jesus loves us so much He was willing to save us from the biggest mess of all that none of us were able to clean up—sin. When we trust in Him, He removes our filthy rags of sin and clothes us in garments as white as snow. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:5 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus makes us clean

Read: Psalm 136:1-3, 23-26; Philippians 4:4-8 "I hate that we don’t have money to do stuff!” Don wailed when he saw his mom in the garden. It was the last day of school, a day he’d looked forward to, but he came home pouting. He sat down beside Mom in a huff. “I love summer, but I hate hearing about all the cool stuff my friends get to do. One of them’s even going to Japan, and his hotel room has an indoor slide! Before they could ask me what I’ll be doing, I ran home. I feel like such a loser!” Mom kept pulling weeds, then suddenly gripped Don’s arm, looking pale. “Mom! Are you okay?” Don asked, alarmed. “I’m just a bit woozy,” she whispered, rubbing her belly. She was pregnant and needed daily injections to protect the baby. After a moment, she smiled as color returned to her face. “How can you be so happy? You’re sick every day!” Don said. Mom gestured around her in response. “What do you see in my garden?” “Weeds!” Don muttered, noticing how they kept cropping up. “They’re so irritating!” “Besides the weeds, what else?” “I see…uh…flowers. Oh, they’re finally blooming!” Don passed by the garden every day but hardly noticed the colorful blooms. “That’s like life,” Mom explained. “When we focus only on the weeds, we miss the other beautiful things around us.” She rubbed her bulging belly. “It’s the same with my pregnancy. If I focus on the discomfort, I’d lose sight of the miracle growing inside me.” She tapped Don’s chest. “Our heart is like a garden, Don. If you count the blessings you have in Jesus, your heart will be full of flowers. He saved you from sin and has given you eternal life, and He shows His love to you in so many ways each day. Because of Him, you can rejoice. When you do, you’ll be surprised to find yourself being happy for others and their own triumphs. But if you only focus on what they have that you don’t, then jealousy will choke out whatever happiness is in your heart.” Don sat in thoughtful silence. Finally, he turned to his mom and grinned. “Maybe I’ll help you with the weeding this summer! I’ll take out the pesky stuff and make this garden even better!” Mom laughed. “That’s the spirit!” –Kristin Lim How about you? Do you compare yourself to friends and feel like they have it better? Maybe they get the latest gadgets or go on exciting trips while you stay home. Don’t let jealousy poison your heart. Focus on the gifts God has given you. The greatest gift of all is Jesus, who died for us so we could have eternal life. No earthly treasure can compare to Him! Today's key verse: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) Today's key thought: Count your blessings and rejoice

Read: Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 6:26-27; Philippians 4:6-7 “I’m worried I’m not going to pass my math test!” Clara told her dad as they walked barefoot in the grassy yard after dinner. “You’ve been studying and doing math problems for weeks, Clara,” Dad said. “I’m sure you’ll pass.” “But I’m not going to be good enough. I just know it!” Clara looked up and wished she was one of the birds soaring overhead. They didn’t look worried at all. “Hmmm.” Dad pulled open the door to their shed, which let out a metal squawk, and poked his head inside. “I might have something…” His voice trailed off as he stepped inside. He reappeared seconds later holding a rusty sprinkler. Clara crossed her arms. “Is this a joke?” “No,” said Dad. “It’s a quiz. Does this sprinkler have water in it?” Clara shook her head. “It’s not even connected to the hose!” “Passed the first question!” Dad said, smiling. “Is this sprinkler empty?” “Yeah,” Clara said, uncertain how this was supposed to help. “Guess we should just throw it out then, huh? No good anymore.” “Dad, it’s a sprinkler! It’s supposed to be empty until the water’s turned on!” “Exactly.” Dad sank into the sun-dappled grass and handed Clara the sprinkler. “We’re a lot like sprinklers. A sprinkler doesn’t worry it’s not good enough to do its job. It’s not afraid to be empty. When it’s connected to the hose, the water’s power flows through it. It’s the same with us. Because we have faith in Jesus, we’re always connected to Him through the Holy Spirit, and His power flows through us. He’ll give us the strength we need to do the things He wants us to do.” “So He’ll help me pass my math test?” Clara asked. “Well, I can’t promise you that, but you don’t have to worry about it. He wants you to pray about your math test and then do the best you can. Trust Him with the results, no matter what they are.” “I didn’t know He cared about stuff like that,” Clara said. “Absolutely He cares! He even cares about the birds.” Dad pointed to the birds flying above them. “But you’re far more important to Him.” Clara thought about that. “Dad, can we pray?” –Pearl Allard How about you? Are you worried about something right now? Maybe you have a test coming up at school or you’re trying out for a sports team. Whatever it is, have you prayed about it? Jesus loves you and cares about all the details of your life. Instead of worrying, He wants you to pray about what’s bothering you. Then trust Him to give you strength and be with you, and leave the results in His hands. Today's key verse: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Philippians 4:6 (NLT) Today's key thought: Pray instead of worry

Read: John 10:25-30 Brayan and his parents lived out in the country, right next door to the McNairs’ alpaca ranch. Brayan was fascinated with the alpacas. He would often sit outside and watch them grazing. “Brayan!” Mom called to him one day. “Mr. McNair invited you to come over at six-thirty this evening to help feed the alpacas.” “All right!” Brayan rushed through his homework and dinner and arrived at the McNairs’ barn right on time. “First we’re going to fill the hay bins and pour the feed into the troughs,” Mr. McNair told him. “Then we’ll call the alpacas in.” After the hay bins and troughs were filled, Brayan followed Mr. and Mrs. McNair toward the pasture. Mr. McNair began to call the alpacas. “Come, pacas, come!” Brayan watched in amazement as the alpacas responded to the sound of Mr. McNair’s voice. They began running toward the barn. Soon all the alpacas were gathered around the feeding troughs. Once the alpacas were done eating, Mr. McNair put a halter on Loki and led him over to Brayan. “You can gently stroke his fur, if you like.” Brayan, with a big smile on his face, slowly raised his hand and began to pat Loki. “You’re a good boy!” Brayan said. Mrs. McNair smiled. “You can come back anytime, Brayan.” When Brayan returned home, Mom asked, “How did it go?” “I loved it! The coolest part was watching all the alpacas running toward the barn when they heard Mr. McNair calling them. All he had to say was ‘Come, pacas, come!’ and they all came running.” “That reminds me of a verse in the Bible,” said Mom. “In the book of John, Jesus says, ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.’ The alpacas recognize Mr. McNair’s voice because they know him and trust him. As Christians, we trust and follow Jesus because we have a relationship with Him. He speaks to us through His Word, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit helps us hear His voice and know what He says is true.” “Wow, that’s really cool!” said Brayan. “Can I help feed the alpacas tomorrow? Maybe someday they will trust me too, just like they do Mr. McNair.” –Lisa Fuller How about you? Are you a follower of Jesus? Do you listen to His voice? The Bible reminds us that we are like the Lord’s sheep, and just like sheep follow their shepherd, we trust and follow Jesus. As we spend time with God in church, in prayer, and in His Word, we learn to recognize and respond to His voice. Spend time with the Lord today and listen to what He tells you. Today's key verse: My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 (NLT) Today's key thought: Listen to God’s voice