President: Greg Yoder Editor: Courtney Lasater Design: Warren Kramer Editorial Assistants: Emily Tenter, Naomi Vroegop Editorial Intern: Carole Chee Theological review: Chad Bresson, Richard Vaughn, Kevin Zeller Coloring pages: Gina Graham

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked CSB are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Scripture quotations marked ERV are taken from the Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version © 2014 by Bible League International. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLV are taken from the New Life Version, copyright © 1969 and 2003. Used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio, 44683. All rights reserved. © 2020 Keys for Kids Ministries, Box 1001, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501-1001. Printed quarterly in the USA.

1 AUGUST 1 A NEW BEGINNING READ: LAMENTATIONS 3:22-26

’ll never be happy here, Cassidy thought as she stared out Ithe window at the kids playing next door. Her family had moved far away from their old home for her mom’s job. I’ll never find friends like I had before, she thought sadly. There’s no use even trying. So she didn’t try at all. She didn’t go out to play with the neighbor kids, and if any of the kids at church spoke to her, she mumbled a reply and looked at the ground. One Saturday the family took a trip to the ocean. As Cassidy walked along the water’s edge, she was startled to see a little orange starfish just offshore. She reached to pick it up but frowned when she saw that two of its arms were broken off. “Let me see it,” said Dad, coming up to join Cassidy just as she was about to throw the starfish away. He held out his hand, and she gave it to him. Dad turned it over. “See those little moving feet?” “You mean it’s alive?” asked Cassidy in surprise. Dad nodded. “Well, it’s gonna die,” she said. “It has only three arms instead of five.” “It will live,” said Dad. “Starfish can regenerate.” “Regenerate? What does that mean?” asked Cassidy. “It means that over time the starfish will grow new arms to replace the old ones,” Dad explained. “It’s how God created them. He made it so that a wounded starfish can begin a new life. And He made you the same way.” “Me?” Cassidy looked at him in surprise. “Right now you’re something like this starfish,” Dad told her. “You’ve had to leave your friends and the life you’ve always known, and you’re hurting. But your life can be regenerated too. You began a new life with Jesus when you trusted Him as your Savior, and He promises to be with you in every new beginning. It’s scary to begin again, but with His help, you can start a new life here by making new friends and trying new things.” Cassidy hesitated, but then she smiled. “You’re right, Dad. If a starfish can begin again, I guess I can too.” JAN L. HANSEN

YOU CAN BEGIN AGAIN KEY VERSE: I HAVE LEARNED IN WHATEVER STATE I AM, TO BE CONTENT. PHILIPPIANS 4:11 Are you facing a hard change in your life? Do you feel like you have to start over and doubt things could ever be as good as they were before? Big changes can be scary, but remember that Jesus is with you. In times of uncertainty, trust Him to help you adjust and find the good things He has in store for you. With Him, a difficult change can become a new beginning.

36 AUGUST 2 A JUST-RIGHT PLACE READ: JOHN 14:1-6

ate eagerly ripped open the envelope. He took the letter out and quickly Nlooked at the ending. Yep. It ends the same way, he thought, and I can’t get anybody to tell me what it means! Nate had spent a few weeks of his summer vacation in the mountains with his grandparents, followed by a couple weeks of camp. While he was away, he’d received several letters from home, and each one ended with, “We have a big surprise for you when you get back.” Nate wondered about the surprise. It must be a puppy, he thought. He had wanted a puppy for a long time. But when Nate arrived home from camp, no small dog greeted him at the door. Instead, his little brothers came running. Jumping up and down with excitement, they pulled him toward the basement steps. “Come on, Nate!” they squealed. “Come see your surprise!” His parents just smiled. Nate couldn’t figure it out. What surprise could be in the basement? At the bottom of the stairs, he noticed a wall and door that hadn’t been there before. His brother Owen opened the door. “Ta-da!” he exclaimed. Nate walked into the room. “Whoa! My very own bedroom!” He could hardly believe he would no longer have to share space with his two little brothers. “You even got me a desk—and bookshelves!” The room had been painted a deep shade of blue, his favorite color, and white carpet covered the floor. “Well, what do you think?” asked Mom. “Do you like it?” “It’s the best surprise ever! Thank you!” Nate grinned. “It’s kinda like heaven!” Dad laughed. “We’re glad you like it, but it’s not quite that good.” “No, but it reminds me of something we talked about at camp—that Jesus is in heaven right now preparing a place for us. You made me a just-right place here at home, and Jesus is making us a just-right place where we’ll live with Him forever!” “Yes,” said Dad, “He’s preparing a perfect place for all His children—all who trust in Him as Savior. And it will be better than anything we can imagine.” LINDA M. WEDDLE

JESUS IS PREPARING A PLACE FOR BELIEVERS KEY VERSE: IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS… I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. JOHN 14:2 Did you know that Jesus is preparing a place where all His children will live with Him forever? It will be a place free of sin, sickness, and death, so there will be no jails, hospitals, or cemeteries. It will be better than anything you can imagine. If you trust Him as your Savior, He’s preparing a place there just for you. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?” on page 102.)

37 AUGUST 3 THE HOPELESS CASE (PART 1) READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58; 16:13-14

oor Mrs. Bennett,” said Mom. “I think she must be very lonely. She told me Plast week that all three of her children live across the country with their own families now, so she hardly sees them.” “Is that the old lady who lives on the corner?” asked Tessa. Mom nodded. “I’m going to visit her this afternoon. Want to come along?” Tessa hesitated. I’ve always wondered what the inside of her house looks like, she thought. So Tessa decided to go with her mother. After Mom knocked on Mrs. Bennett’s door, Tessa heard feet shuffling, but the door didn’t open right away. A shaky voice called out, “Who is it?” “It’s Meredith Adams,” called Tessa’s mother. “I stopped to talk to you when you were taking your trash out last week, remember? My daughter Tessa and I are here to visit you, and we brought some homemade bread. May we come in?” After a few seconds of silence, Mrs. Bennett finally opened the door. She invited them in and accepted the bread. They spent the rest of their visit listening to Mrs. Bennett talk angrily about her children. “After all I’ve done for them, they almost never come to see me or even call me,” she complained. “They should all be ashamed of themselves.” “Wow!” said Tessa as she and Mom headed home. “Let’s not go there again! I think she’s hopeless.” “Mrs. Bennett is lonely, and she needs Jesus,” said Mom. “Today we took the first step in introducing Him to her.” “The first step?” Tessa asked. “But we hardly even talked about Him.” “No, but we listened,” said Mom. “Sharing Jesus with others doesn’t just mean talking to them about God. If you want a person to trust you and listen to what you have to say, you often have to be a true friend first. That’s how we show people what Jesus is like—by loving and caring for them like He does. And don’t forget—Jesus specializes in hopeless cases. So I’ll continue to pray for Mrs. Bennett and go see her again.” Mom looked at Tessa. “Will you join me?” Tessa shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe,” she said. “I’ll see.” JORLYN A. GRASSER

SHARE JESUS THROUGH FRIENDSHIP KEY VERSE: BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU. AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES, TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT ME EVERYWHERE. ACTS 1:8 (NLT) Do you know someone who doesn’t seem to have any interest in God? Have you tried being a friend to that person? Perhaps they need to talk to someone and know somebody cares enough to just listen. Maybe an invitation to join you in activities would be welcome. Then, as your friendship develops, you’ll have opportunities to talk about Jesus and how much He loves them.

38 AUGUST 4 THE HOPELESS CASE (PART 2) READ: ISAIAH 55:10-12

essa decided to go with her mother to visit their elderly neighbor a second Ttime—and several times after that. “Don’t you think we might as well give up?” Tessa asked at last. “I don’t think Mrs. Bennett will ever have any interest in God.” “Don’t forget, being a friend is a long-term commitment,” said Mom. “Let’s not give up.” Tessa sighed, but she continued to go along when her mother went to visit Mrs. Bennett. One day, Tessa was surprised to hear Mrs. Bennett ask, “Why do you keep coming to see me? My own children hardly ever visit me!” “We care about you,” Mom replied. “I know it can be lonely when you live by yourself, but did you know there’s a friend who wants to be with you all the time?” Mrs. Bennett frowned. “Who would that be?” Tessa spoke up, surprising herself. “It’s Jesus.” Mom nodded. “We visit and bring treats, but Jesus has done so much more for you. He died and rose again to save you from sin. Having Him in your life will bring you great comfort and peace, even when you aren’t around other people.” Mrs. Bennett listened quietly, and Tessa noticed that she seemed to be thinking about it. “Do you have a Bible?” asked Mom. “Someplace. I haven’t done anything with it in years,” said Mrs. Bennett. “Why?” “If you can find it, Tessa will show you a special verse,” said Mom. Tessa looked surprised as Mrs. Bennett rose and shuffled to another room. “What verse?” she whispered. “John 3:16,” Mom whispered back. “And here’s a card you can give her that explains the way of salvation very simply.” When Mrs. Bennett returned with the Bible, Tessa took it and found the verse. “Here, Mrs. Bennett,” she said. “This verse tells you how much God loves you.” Mrs. Bennett took the Bible and the card. “I’ll read this after my nap,” she said. Tessa was thoughtful on the way home. “I think you’re right, Mom,” she said. “Mrs. Bennett isn’t hopeless at all—at least not to Jesus.” JORLYN A. GRASSER

DON’T GIVE UP ON OTHERS KEY VERSE: [MY WORD] WILL NOT RETURN TO ME EMPTY, BUT WILL ACCOMPLISH WHAT I DESIRE AND ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH I SENT IT. ISAIAH 55:11 (NIV) Do you continue to pray for someone who seems hopeless to you? Do you keep sharing God’s love with that person? Sometimes it may take months—or even years— before you see any results, but don’t give up. Keep on being a friend to them, praying for them, and sharing the truth of God’s Word. He promises that it will accomplish His purpose.

39 AUGUST 5 THE SIN TESTER READ: PSALM 19:7-11

h no!” moaned Drake as he looked at the swimming pool. “There’s green stuff Oin the water!” He and Amaya had the responsibility of putting chemicals into the pool when needed. But they hadn’t done their job. “Now we’ll have to put in extra chemicals to kill all that algae, and we won’t be able to swim for a couple of days,” Drake said, wiping sweat off his forehead. “And they’re supposed to be the hottest days we’ve had all summer!” Amaya sighed, fanning herself. “How did it get like this so fast? The water looked fine yesterday.” “Have you been using the water tester every day?” asked Mom. Drake shook his head. “I guess we just thought we’d notice if it was getting dirty.” “Yeah,” said Amaya. “All that green stuff wasn’t there yesterday.” “You didn’t see it yesterday, but it was there all right,” said Mom. “If you had used the water tester, you would have known that.” Mom gazed at the unappealing algae. “The sooner you get the chemicals in there, the sooner it will be clean again.” That evening, Dad heard about the problem. “Well, hopefully this will help you remember how important it is to test the water, even if you don’t see any algae.” Dad grinned. “It reminds me of a different kind of test we all need to take regularly.” “What other test?” asked Amaya. “We need to test our lives using God’s Word,” Dad replied. “When we do something wrong that seems small to us—like tell a white lie or make an unkind remark—we often don’t do anything about it. But when we compare our actions to how the Bible tells us to live, we see how ugly those so-called little sins really are. The Bible shows us our sin and tells us what to do about it.” “You mean, tell Jesus we’re sorry?” asked Drake. Dad nodded. “We all do things that are wrong, and when we recognize sin in our lives, we need to confess it to Him. He’ll forgive us and help us change our behavior.” “And He does it right away,” added Amaya. “Unlike the algae, we don’t have to wait to have our sin cleaned away!” DEANA L. ROGERS

TEST YOUR LIFE WITH THE BIBLE KEY VERSE: HOW CAN A YOUNG MAN CLEANSE HIS WAY? BY TAKING HEED ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. PSALM 119:9 Are you using the Bible to test your actions? Has it shown you ways you’ve been dishonest or unkind? Sin is a serious problem, which is why Jesus died for us—so our sins could be washed away and we could be forgiven. Don’t let any sin, no matter how small it seems, take root in your life. When the Bible shows you something you’ve done wrong, confess it and change your ways.

40 AUGUST 6 PART OF THE FAMILY READ: HEBREWS 2:10-12

ook out!” L Caroline ducked as a football sailed over her head. Her older cousin Jacob ran past to retrieve the ball. “Sorry about that,” he said as he scooped it up. Caroline laughed. “No problem. It missed me!” “Want to join us?” asked Jacob as he turned to resume his game with several other kids. “Maybe later. Right now Lauren is going to get a jump rope.” Caroline was having a great time at their family reunion. People were everywhere—old people, young people, laughing people, quiet people, aunts and uncles, and lots of cousins. Caroline loved it. There was always someone to talk to or play with. After lunch, Caroline and another cousin played with the smaller kids while their parents cleared tables. Later, when the little kids were taken to be put down for naps, Caroline looked around, trying to decide what to do next. She saw her aunt Sara approaching. “I saw wildflowers down at the end of this lane,” said Aunt Sara. “Want to come along and have a closer look?” Caroline nodded eagerly. Aunt Sara lived far away and didn’t come to visit very often. But as they walked and talked, Caroline discovered that she and her aunt enjoyed many of the same things. “This family reunion is so cool,” said Caroline. “There’s always someone to play with and talk to.” “It’s fun to get the whole family together, isn’t it?” said Aunt Sara. “It reminds me of another family we’re a part of. God’s family is made up of all those who trust in Jesus, and there are many of us all over the world.” “Too many for a family reunion!” said Caroline with a laugh. Aunt Sara smiled. “Maybe so, but one day we will all be together with Jesus in heaven. Think of how much fun that will be! And until then, we can enjoy being with other Christians here too.” “You mean, by going to church?” asked Caroline. Aunt Sara nodded. “This reunion has reminded me how special it is to spend time together as a family, and we do that each week when we go to church and worship Jesus together. No matter how old we are or where we live, we’re bound together by God’s love.” MYRINA D. MCCULLOUGH

SPEND TIME WITH GOD’S FAMILY KEY VERSE: BOTH THE ONE WHO MAKES PEOPLE HOLY AND THOSE WHO ARE MADE HOLY ARE OF THE SAME FAMILY. HEBREWS 2:11 (NIV) Do you enjoy spending time with your family? It’s fun to get together with extended family you don’t get to see as often. If you trust in Jesus, you’re also part of another family—God’s family! Even though we can’t all be together until we’re in heaven, we can enjoy being together in smaller groups at church. Spend time getting to know other members of God’s family.

41 AUGUST 7 NOT A GUMBALL MACHINE READ: HEBREWS 4:14-16

sher put a quarter into the gumball machine at the grocery A store. The colorful balls in the machine shifted around. Then Asher heard a plunk as a yellow gumball fell into the slot. Asher picked it up, popped it into his mouth, and walked with his mom to their car. On the way home, Asher looked at the big hospital they were passing. “Mom, can we stop at the hospital and visit Grandma?” “We’ll go there this afternoon,” Mom replied. Asher sighed. “She’s been sick a long time. I’ve been praying and praying for her, but I guess God’s not answering. I wish He would just heal her!” “I know it’s hard, honey,” Mom said, “but God doesn’t always answer prayers the way we want Him to—or at the time we wish He would. We have to trust Him to do what’s best for us and for Grandma. He loves us, and He loves her too.” When they got home, Asher helped his mom unload groceries from the trunk. Then he sat down at the kitchen table. “Why doesn’t God answer prayers the way we want Him to?” Asher asked, still thinking of his grandma. “To tell the truth, I don’t even feel like praying anymore. God doesn’t do what I ask Him to do anyway, so why should I bother?” “You mean He’s not a gumball machine?” asked Mom. “You can’t just give Him a quarter—or say a prayer—and He automatically gives out a gumball? Or the answer you want?” Asher smiled at the idea of God handing out gumballs. “We can’t think of God as a prayer-answering machine,” Mom continued. “He’s the One who’s in charge, not us. He won’t always answer our prayers our way, but He will always answer them in the best way because He loves us. When He doesn’t answer the way we want, we need to remember that we belong to Jesus and trust Him to help us with difficult answers.” For a few moments, Asher quietly thought about what his mother had said. Then he nodded. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll keep on praying for Grandma, and I will trust Jesus. I know He loves her—and me too—no matter what happens.” HOLLY F. CEPEDA

TRUST GOD’S ANSWER TO PRAYER KEY VERSE: THEY CRIED OUT TO GOD DURING THE BATTLE, AND HE ANSWERED THEIR PRAYER BECAUSE THEY TRUSTED IN HIM. 1 CHRONICLES 5:20 (NLT) Have you prayed for someone or something for a long time with no results? Or maybe you see results, but they’re not what you want. Continue to go boldly to God with your requests, remembering that you’re His child and He loves you. Trust Him to do what He knows is best, even when it’s not what you were hoping for. When His answers are difficult, He will be with you and help you through them.

42 COLOR!

TRUST GOD’S ANSWER TO PRAYER

They cried out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayer because they trusted in him. 1 Chronicles 5:20 (NLT)

Visit www.keysforkids.org/color for a how-to video from the artist who created this page! 43 AUGUST 8 SIR BRENDAN READ: ROMANS 12:6-8; 1 PETER 4:10-11

rendan stared at the rain pouring down outside his living room window. B“Something on your mind, son?” asked Dad. “I’m just thinking about spiritual gifts. I don’t think I have one,” Brendan said. “Hmm,” Dad said thoughtfully. “Well, think about things that give you energy and joy. What comes naturally to you?” Before Brendan could answer, his very wet and drippy mom sloshed through the front door. “I forgot the groceries in the car!” she exclaimed. “I’ll get them,” Brendan volunteered. He hopped up and dashed out into the rain. Later that evening, Dad found Brendan in his room reading about knights and heroes in the Middle Ages. “Hey, buddy. I think I have an idea of what your spiritual gift is—you’re a good helper.” Brendan shrugged. “But that’s not anything special.” “It is to Jesus,” Dad said. “He gave you that gift. And it was special to your mom today too—you helped her so she wouldn’t have to go back out in the rain. You also help our neighbor and lots of other people.” “Yeah, but I wish I had a more important job—like being a knight,” Brendan replied. “Did you know knights made a promise to serve their king and country? They had a special ceremony and everything!” “Well, how about we have our own special knighting ceremony for spiritual gifts?” Dad suggested. Brendan thought about that. “Okay,” he agreed, “but I have to kneel down.” He reached for a coat hanger and handed it to Dad. “We can use this as a pretend sword.” “You’re the expert,” Dad told him. Then he added, “Do you think this coat hanger is tired of hanging around?” “Daaad,” Brendan groaned. Clearing his throat and becoming serious, Dad spoke with authority. “Brendan, when you use your spiritual gift of helping, you’re serving Jesus, who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He gave you that gift so you could show His love to others and bring Him glory.” Dad gently tapped the coat hanger on each of Brendan’s shoulders. “I dub thee Sir Brendan, Helper of Others. Now arise, knight, and advance in God’s name.” Brendan slowly rose and shared a grin with dad. He was no longer Brendan- without-a-spiritual-gift. He was Sir Brendan, Helper of Others. KELLY HOPE

SERVE GOD WITH SPIRITUAL GIFTS KEY VERSE: GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF YOU A GIFT FROM HIS GREAT VARIETY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS. USE THEM WELL TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER. 1 PETER 4:10 (NLT) What’s your spiritual gift? The Bible says that if you know Jesus as your Savior, you have been given a spiritual gift to bring Him glory and help others know Him. Make a list of things that bring you joy when you do them. If you’re still not sure what your gift is, that’s okay! Keep serving others and trusting God to help you use the gift He’s given you.

44 AUGUST 9 SWEET LIKE HONEY READ: PROVERBS 16:24; JAMES 3:3-5, 7-10

he peace and quiet upstairs was suddenly shattered by accusing voices. “You’re a Tcrybaby!” Will told his sister, Chloe. “Oh yeah? You’re a tattletale!” Chloe replied. “Will! Chloe! Come down right now!” Mom called from downstairs where she and Aunt Susie were cooking. Two red-faced kids trudged into the kitchen of their aunt and uncle’s house. Mom looked at them sternly. “I’m disappointed in you. You know better than—” Suddenly, a door slammed. Mom, Chloe, and Will snapped their heads up, the scolding forgotten. “Uncle Matthew!” Will shouted. He and Chloe raced out of the room to greet their uncle. Soon they all came into the kitchen. Uncle Matthew carried a rectangular wooden frame filled with hexagon-shaped wax. “Thought I’d pop in and let you try some honey I harvested,” he told the kids. “Can we taste some honey, Mom?” Will asked. She nodded. Chloe and Will gathered around Uncle Matthew. “Press your finger into the wax,” Uncle Matthew told them, then demonstrated. Some wax broke under his finger and covered it in gooey, golden honey. Chloe and Will followed his example. Will licked a honey-coated finger. “Wow,” he said. “This is the best honey ever. And I’ve eaten lots of honey.” Chloe tasted hers. “Mmm!” Mom’s eyes widened with an idea. “You know, the Bible mentions honey.” “Cool!” Chloe exclaimed. “Where?” “Proverbs 16:24,” Aunt Susie said. “’Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.’” Uncle Matthew nodded. “Honey’s delicious, and it’s perfect for healing our bodies. Words are similar.” “We need to remember the impact words have,” Mom said, eyeing Will and Chloe. “Our words need to show others the love of Jesus. There’s a verse in Psalms that says God’s words to us are as sweet as honey. His Word, the Bible, speaks truth to us and encourages us. Those are what our words to others should be like—words that taste like honey, not words that hurt like a honeybee sting.” Will and Chloe looked at each other. “Sorry for calling you a crybaby,” said Will. “Sorry for calling you a tattletale,” Chloe replied. They smiled, then each reached for another taste of honey. JULIE POTTER

SPEAK LOVING WORDS KEY VERSE: HOW SWEET ARE YOUR WORDS TO MY TASTE, SWEETER THAN HONEY TO MY MOUTH! PSALM 119:103 (NIV) Are the words you say to others sweet like honey? Or are they more like angry bees on the attack? It’s easy to be hurtful or careless with our words. But as Christians, what we say should point others to Jesus and His kindness and love. Apologizing, giving genuine compliments, and thanking others are a few ways to use our words for good. How else can you share God’s sweetness in your words?

45 AUGUST 10 THE COFFEE CAN READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-16

lose your eyes, Eric, and tell me what this smells Clike,” said Aria. Her brother did as directed, and Aria held a stack of papers under his nose. Eric sniffed cautiously. “Coffee,” he said, making a face. He opened his eyes and stared. “Wow! I thought you had a cup of coffee in your hand! How did those papers end up smelling just like coffee?” “I’ve been keeping them in this old coffee can,” Aria said, holding up a big aluminum can. “Too bad,” said her brother. “Now those papers stink!” Aria looked at him in surprise. “You don’t like the smell of coffee?” “Of course not!” said Eric. “Do you?” “I don’t like the taste—Dad let me try his once, and it was really gross—but I love the smell!” Aria held the papers to her nose and breathed in deeply. “Yuck!” said Eric. “Keep them away from me.” Dad, who was on his computer in the corner of the room, looked up. “It can be really hard to get rid of strong smells like coffee,” he said. “At least Aria likes that smell, so she can continue to use the coffee can to store things.” Eric scrunched up his nose. “I just don’t get how someone could like that smell.” “That reminds me of a passage in the Bible,” said Dad. “In the book of First Corinthians, Paul says that the lives of those who have been saved by Jesus are like a sweet fragrance that rises up to God. But to those who don’t know Jesus, it’s not a fragrance—it’s a stench. Because they aren’t willing to admit they’re sinners, the truth of Jesus dying for their sins is like a bad smell instead of a good one.” Aria nodded. “One of my friends used to laugh at me when I talked about Jesus, but then she decided to trust in Him too!” “Yes,” said Dad. “When God works in someone’s heart, He can open them to the fragrance of His love. That’s why we need to keep sharing His love with others and praying for them—so they can smell the sweet aroma of Jesus in our lives.” HOLLY F. CEPEDA

CHRISTIANS ARE THE FRAGRANCE OF JESUS KEY VERSE: WE ARE TO GOD THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST. 2 CORINTHIANS 2:15 Did you know that Christians are the fragrance of Jesus? He fills us with His love so others will be drawn to the sweet aroma of His salvation. But to some, the reality of sin is a truth they don’t want to believe, and they turn away like they would a bad stench. But God can change any heart. Keep showing His love to those who don’t know Him, and pray He would open their hearts to His sweet aroma.

46 AUGUST 11 HUNGRY AGAIN? READ: JOHN 6:28-37

hen are we going to eat?” Henry asked as he and the others in his Sunday Wschool class hiked down a trail in a national forest. For weeks the class of sixth-grade boys had been planning this outing—a couple days of backpacking, cooking over a campfire, and sleeping under the stars. “My stomach has been growling for an hour,” Henry said. “Mine too,” said Connor. “I hope we stop soon.” “It won’t be too long now,” Mr. Larson assured them, and soon they came to the place where they were going to set up camp. “This is it, boys,” said Mr. Larson. “Good! When do we eat?” Henry asked again. Mr. Larson smiled. “We’ll start a fire right away, and then we’ll fix supper. You can all help gather wood for the campfire.” The boys got to work, and soon they were eating beef stew from tin mugs. “Yum! This tastes better out here than it does at home!” declared Connor, and everyone agreed. After supper, they played games and told stories around the fire. “Do we have any more food?” asked Henry after a while. “I’m hungry again!” “Me too,” echoed several other boys. Mr. Larson nodded. “Okay. We’ll have a snack in a few minutes, but first, let’s have some spiritual food,” he said, getting out his Bible. “Who can remember the Bible verses we’ve studied in class so far this year?” The boys began to recite the verses and were doing fine until someone said, “I am the Bread of Life.” Everyone moaned in hunger. “Okay, okay!” Mr. Larson laughed. “We’ll eat. But while you eat your snacks, I want you to think about something. How do you think you’ll feel when you wake up in the morning?” Several voices gave the same answer. “Hungry!” Mr. Larson nodded. “That’s because the food we eat only satisfies us for a short time. But when Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life, He means He can satisfy our spiritual hunger forever. The grace, peace, and life we have through Him will never end.” Mr. Larson pulled some fruit, cookies, and crackers from his backpack. “Okay, boys,” he said. “Let’s eat!” RAELENE E. PHILLIPS

JESUS SATISFIES THE HUNGRY HEART KEY VERSE: JESUS REPLIED, “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. WHOEVER COMES TO ME WILL NEVER BE HUNGRY AGAIN.” JOHN 6:35 (NLT) Do you eat when you feel hungry? Even if you do, it’s probably not long before you feel hungry again, is it? Do you ever feel hungry—or empty—deep down inside? Do you try to fill up feelings of loneliness or restlessness with TV, friends, or lots of activities, but still feel empty? Jesus is the Bread of Life. He’s is the only one who can satisfy our spiritual hunger. Trust in Him today. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?” on page 102.)

47 AUGUST 12 STICKING YOUR NECK OUT READ: PSALM 23:1-6

. like our new church, don’t you?” said Claire’s mom. “And don’t forget, your kids’ I class will be starting soon.” Claire walked over to the aquarium where her pet turtle Shelley lived. As she dropped some fresh greens into the aquarium for Shelley to eat, she said, “Mom, I’m nervous about the new class. What if the other kids don’t like me? What if I don’t make any friends?” Her mom walked over and put a hand on her shoulder, and they watched Shelley the turtle peek out of her shell. She slowly came out and walked over to eat the greens Claire had left for her. Mom smiled at Claire. “Did you see what Shelley did?” “What do you mean?” Claire asked. “She’s just eating the food I gave her.” “Yes, but before Shelley could eat, she first had to come out of her shell. She had to stick her neck out in order to walk to the food she wanted.” Mom looked at Claire. “Sometimes we have to come out of our shells too.” “Mom, I don’t have a shell!” said Claire. “What I mean is, sometimes we have to step out and do things that seem scary to us for our own benefit,” replied Mom. “If we want to make friends, we have to step out and be friendly.” “Oh, I see what you’re saying,” Claire said. “You mean if I want to make friends, I’m going to have to be brave enough to be a friend to the other kids.” Mom nodded. “Church is where we go to learn about Jesus and worship Him, but it’s also where we have fellowship with other believers. Spending time with other Christians nourishes us spiritually. It’s one of the ways Jesus helps us grow and know Him better.” Mom pointed to the aquarium, where Shelley was slowly munching her food. “But in order to have fellowship, you need to be willing to come out of your shell.” Mom gave Claire a gentle hug. “I know it’s hard sometimes, but remember Jesus is with you. Trust Him to help you reach out to others.” As Mom walked away, Claire stood and watched Shelley nibble on the greens, thinking about what her mom had said. KATRINA DOUGLAS

REACH OUT TO OTHERS KEY VERSE: BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE; DO NOT BE AFRAID… FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO. JOSHUA 1:9 Do you ever get nervous about meeting new people? Do you worry that others won’t want to be your friend? Getting to know people in a new place can be scary, but remember that Jesus is with you. He will help you develop friendships with other Christians that will feed your soul. Don’t be afraid to stick your neck out so you can have fellowship with others.

48 AUGUST 13 THE FREE GIFT READ: JOHN 3:14-17

. can’t wait to choose a new book to buy with my birthday money!” Abigail said, I her brown eyes sparkling as she and her mom walked toward Sheldon’s, a new children’s bookstore that was opening that day in town. Outside the store, Abigail stared at the window display with a collection of colorful new hardbacks and photographs of the authors. A crowd of people dashed passed them to the door. Abigail and Mom waited for them to go by before stepping inside. When they entered the store, a bell jangled and a man bustled toward them. “Congratulations!” he said excitedly. “Welcome to Sheldon’s. I’m Mr. Sheldon, the owner. I’m pleased to announce that you’re our one hundredth customer today and will receive a free gift to celebrate our grand opening.” “A free gift?” Abigail exclaimed. “I can’t believe it! If we hadn’t let all those other people pass, we wouldn’t have won.” Mr. Sheldon handed her a small token. “With this prize token, you can choose five free books today and have a snack at our café.” “Thank you,” Abigail said in disbelief. Mom nodded in agreement—she looked as stunned as Abigail. They wandered all over the beautiful new store, browsing all the different books available before selecting five free ones. “I never expected this at all,” Abigail said, biting into a delicious blueberry muffin at the café. “I can’t wait to tell everyone.” “Me neither,” Mom agreed, sipping her coffee. “The owner was so kind.” Later that evening, when Dad got home from work, Abigail told him the good news about her free gift. “That is wonderful news,” said Dad. “It reminds me of another free gift—the amazing gift God has given to us. It seems too good to be true, but He has given us the free gift of salvation and eternal life through Jesus. We don’t deserve it and could do nothing to earn it, but God freely offers it to everyone because He loves us. We just have to accept it.” As Abigail walked to her room to read one of her new books, she smiled and thanked God for the most precious gift of all—salvation through Jesus. CINDY LEE

GOD GIVES US SALVATION KEY VERSE: FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. JOHN 3:16 Have you ever been surprised by a free gift? Maybe someone gave you a prize without you having to do anything to earn it. The good news is that God offers us the most precious gift of all—salvation and eternal life through His Son, Jesus. We don’t deserve it, but He gives it to us freely because He loves us. Accept His free gift today. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?” on page 102.)

49 AUGUST 14 WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES READ: ROMANS 5:1-5

OOM! A clap of thunder shook the house, and rain began to pour down. “That B sounded awfully close,” said Camila in a shaky voice. “I hate storms.” “I know,” Grandma said. “When I was your age, I’d go hide under the covers. I felt safer if I didn’t have to see the lightning.” “Why can’t it just rain without all the thunder and lightning?” Camila asked. “Well,” said Grandma, “did you know that when lightning hits the ground it breaks down nutrients in the soil so plants can use them?” “Really?” asked Camila. Grandma nodded. “That means lightning plays a part in helping plants grow.” She smiled. “Isn’t it great that God takes even things that seem bad to us and uses them for a good purpose?” Camila looked at her grandmother. “Well, sure, but storms can do damage too. So I hope you don’t expect me to like them.” Grandma laughed. “No, we don’t have to like them,” she assured Camila, “but we can be thankful that they bring about something good.” She winced as a flash of lightning was closely followed by a loud roll of thunder. “Storms of life can be that way too—the difficult things that happen to us. When we get hit by problems, we can trust God to help us grow as we go through them.” “Do nutrients come from them too?” Camila asked. “In a way, they do. Difficult times often help us see that we need to rely on Jesus for help and strength,” Grandma explained. “We grow spiritually as we learn to trust and lean on Him.” “I can see that’s good,” said Camila. “But it doesn’t make it any easier when you’re in the storm, does it?” “Oh, but it does,” said Grandma. “It makes it easier when we know Jesus is right there with us. It helps to remember that He’ll not only see us through but will somehow use our difficult experience to help us grow to be more like Him.” Camila sighed. “Okay,” she said, “but I don’t have to like those kinds of storms either, do I?” Grandma smiled. “No. Just remember that Jesus will help you through them and promises to use everything you face for good.” CHRISTINE KELLER

TRUST JESUS THROUGH LIFE’S STORMS KEY VERSE: WE ALSO GLORY IN OUR SUFFERINGS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SUFFERING PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE; PERSEVERANCE, CHARACTER; AND CHARACTER, HOPE. ROMANS 5:3-4 (NIV) Are you going through a hard time right now? Are you in the middle of a storm? Perhaps you or someone you love is struggling with illness, or you feel like you’ve lost all your friends. If you know Jesus, you’re not alone, no matter what storm comes your way. He’s right there with you. Talk to Him about your problems and trust Him to bring good out of every situation.

50 AUGUST 15 IN HIS EYES READ: ROMANS 5:6-8; JAMES 2:1-9

om, are we going to get the new kitties this week?” MSerena squealed in anticipation. “Yeah!” Cole jumped up and down. “I can’t wait much longer!” Mom laughed. “Now that you mention it, kids… they will be here in about an hour! But I need to let you both know something.” Mom’s voice rose above the excited shouts. “These cats have eye problems. The woman who has been taking care of them told me no one wanted them because of it. I have not seen a picture yet, so I don’t know how bad it is. I just want you both to be aware. They won’t look like any cats you would see at a pet store, and we will have to give them medicine every day.” “Will they ever get better, Mom?” Serena asked. Mom sighed. “I don’t know, sweetie. But I do know they are very sweet kittens. They are sisters, and the woman wanted them to stay together and go to a good home with people who will love and care for them regardless of how they look.” “I don’t care how they look, Mom!” Serena spoke with conviction. “I just want to take good care of them!” “I know you both will,” Mom said with a smile. Cole handed Mom a bag of cat food. “You know, I bet the way we’re going to see our new cats is kind of like how God sees people. No one is perfect—we all have problems. But God loves us anyway.” Serena nodded to her big brother. “Cole’s right! And we will love them because they’re our kitties—not because of what they look like or what they can do.” Mom blinked back tears. “They need us, just like we need Jesus to heal us with His love. We are so precious in His eyes.” “I don’t care what our cats’ eyes look like, Mom. I just want to love them and take care of them—the way Jesus cares for us,” Cole said softly. “Me too, kids.” Mom gave her children a squeeze. “Now, let’s finish setting up our cat paradise!” SAVANNAH COLEMAN

LOOK AT OTHERS THROUGH GOD’S EYES KEY VERSE: GOD SHOWED HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US BY SENDING CHRIST TO DIE FOR US WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS. ROMANS 5:8 (NLT) Have you ever thought about how Jesus sees you and other people? He does not focus on our imperfections or our scars. Instead, He accepts us just as we are and heals us with His love. In turn, we should look at others the same way so we can share His love with them. How can you practice seeing others with the eyes of Jesus today?

51 HEY ZACH! TOPIC: CARING Hey, kids! I’m Zach, host of the Keys for Kids radio program. I want to ask you something—have you ever felt like no one cares about what you’re going through? Maybe it seems like your problems aren’t as big a deal to other people as they are to you. I want you to know that someone does care—GOD cares. He cares about EVERYTHING you face and promises to help you through it. And He puts people in your life who care for you too. But even when others let you down, He never will. You can trust Him to take care of you.

That’s the topic we’re going to be looking at this week—caring. We’re going to see how God cares for us and how we in turn can show that care to others.

To get started, think of some ways God shows He cares for you. How has He taken care of you? Write them down here. ______

Now see if you can think of any Bible stories about God caring for His people. How about the one where God takes care of the Israelites as they’re wandering in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2-4)? Can you think of any others? Look them up and write down ways God cared for people in the Bible. ______

Do any of the things God did in the Bible overlap with how He takes care of you now? Which ones?______

Are any of the items listed above things you could do to help take care of someone else? Who?______

Think about the questions you answered as you learn more about caring on the following pages. And be sure to send me a question on our next topic. Go to KeysForKids.org/HeyZach

ZACH Listen to Zach on the Keys for Kids radio program at keysforkids.net 52 AUGUST 16

GOD’S NEVER-EMPTY NEST CARING READ: PSALM 23

aige looked at the bird’s nest her dad had found on the ground in the Pbackyard. “What kind of bird made it?” she asked. “Looks to me like a robin’s nest,” Dad replied. “It’s empty now, but I bet it once held a family of chirping baby robins.” “Cool!” said Paige. “Can I have it?” Dad nodded, and Mom came over to examine the nest more closely. “What are you thinking about?” Dad asked when he saw Mom looking at the nest thoughtfully. “Do you want a robin’s nest too?” “No,” Mom said. “I was just thinking about you and Paige and the twins and the lovely nest God has provided for us.” “Nest?” Paige asked in surprise. “What nest?” “Our home is like a nest—a nest for a family of people,” Mom explained. “Just like the baby robins, you and your brothers will leave our nest, Paige. Before we know it, you’ll go off and start your own lives.” “Not right away, I hope,” said Dad, giving Paige a hug. “No.” Mom laughed. “But growing up and leaving home is all part of God’s plan for children.” She smiled at Paige. “When you kids leave, we’ll miss you.” Paige looked at the nest again. “I’ll miss you too. It sounds kind of exciting to go off on my own, but I’m glad I won’t be leaving for a while. I still need you to take care of me.” “And even when you do leave, you won’t be on your own,” said Dad. “Since you trust in Jesus, you won’t ever leave God’s nest. He gave His life so you could be part of His family, and He will always be with you and take care of you. In the Bible God gives this us this promise—’I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.’” “That’s a good verse for all of us to remember,” said Mom. “God is with you kids and will watch over you while you’re here in our family’s nest and also when the time comes for you to leave it. And He’s with Dad and me and will watch over us too. All of us are in His nest, where He will take good care of us.” JORLYN A. GRASSER

GOD’S CARE FOR YOU NEVER ENDS KEY VERSE: I AM WITH YOU AND WILL WATCH OVER YOU WHEREVER YOU GO. GENESIS 28:15 (NIV) Do you wonder if you’ll ever be able to get along without your parents? Most people look forward to being on their own, but it can be kind of scary too. But if you trust in Jesus, you will always be in His nest. He will watch over you when you leave your family’s nest and start your own life. No matter where you go, He will be with you and take care of you.

53 AUGUST 17

BELLA’S NEW BEDROOM CARING READ: PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7

ella threw the last of her toys into a box. “Are you ready?” Mom called from Bthe other room. Bella began to cry as the movers came in and picked up her bed. “Bella, what’s wrong?” Mom asked as she entered the room. “I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave my room.” Mom gave her a hug. “I know leaving what you’re familiar and comfortable with is hard, but remember that Jesus cares about you and will help you through this. Give your worries to Him, and trust Him to help you adjust to living in a new place. I think you’ll soon feel at home in your new bedroom, just like you did in this one.” Bella helped Mom carry the last box out of her bedroom, and they loaded it onto the moving truck. She ran back to her room for one last look, then she climbed into the car with mom. Bella’s dad started the truck, and they began the trip to their new home. Bella sadly looked out the window until she could no longer see their old house. How am I ever going to feel comfortable in my new bedroom? she wondered. She prayed a quiet prayer and then drifted off to sleep. When Bella woke up, they were pulling into the driveway of their new home. When Dad unlocked the door to the house, Bella rushed inside to her new bedroom. She found a note on the floor and picked it up. The note read, Dear Bella, I am leaving you in the care of my bedroom. I hope you have as much fun playing and laughing in here as I did. Sincerely, Sharon. “Mom!” Bella yelled as she ran out to the moving truck. “I found this note in my new bedroom.” Mom smiled as she read the note. “The people who lived here before have a daughter about your age. That was so thoughtful of her.” Bella nodded. “On the way here, I asked Jesus to help me not to worry and remember He’s taking care of me. When I saw that note, it made me feel so much better about moving here. I’m going to tape it up in my new bedroom so I’ll always remember He cares for me.” LISA FULLER

JESUS CARES ABOUT YOU KEY VERSE: GIVE ALL YOUR WORRIES AND CARES TO GOD, FOR HE CARES ABOUT YOU. 1 PETER 5:7 (NLT) Have you ever been worried about something? Did you wonder if God cared about what you were going through? He always does. No matter what you’re worried about, you can trust that He hears your prayers and cares about you. Even when you face difficult situations, He will help you through them. Give your worries to Him, knowing He loves and cares for you.

54 AUGUST 18

VISITING GRANDPA CARING READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:22-27

very Sunday, Aaron went with his parents to visit his grandpa at the nursing Ehome. “Is Grandpa ever going to get better?” Aaron asked. “Since he had that stroke, he never talks to me anymore.” “I know,” said Mom. “I’m sure he’d like to, but he can’t. We don’t know for certain, but it’s possible Grandpa won’t be completely well again until he’s in heaven with Jesus. I know it’s hard to see him like this, but remember that, because Grandpa’s a Christian, Jesus will give him a new, perfect body one day. Our job right now is to take good care of him.” Aaron nodded, then pointed to a photo album Dad was carrying. “Did you bring that to show Grandpa?” “We think he’ll enjoy seeing the pictures again,” Dad replied. When they walked into Grandpa’s room, he was sitting in his wheelchair. He looked up but couldn’t say anything. Dad placed the album on the table and opened it. As Mom and Dad talked to him and pointed to pictures, Grandpa stared down at the photos and opened and closed his mouth. Aaron looked away as his mom wiped some dribble from Grandpa’s mouth with a tissue. “That’s you and me, Grandpa!” Aaron said, pointing to one of the photos. “I was really little then.” He looked more closely. “What were we doing?” he asked his parents. Dad chuckled. “Grandpa was trying to teach you how to play checkers.” “You were so little then and didn’t know how to move the pieces,” said Mom, “but you liked it when Grandpa moved them for you.” She laughed. “You kept trying to eat the pieces too.” Aaron grinned. “Looks like we were having fun.” The next Sunday, Aaron brought Grandpa’s old checkerboard to the nursing home. He set it on the table in front of the wheelchair. “Don’t worry, Grandpa,” Aaron said. “I’ll move the pieces for both of us.” He put the checkers on the board and began moving them, switching colors every turn. “Who’s winning?” asked Dad after watching for a while. Aaron looked up and smiled. “We’re not playing to win. We’re just having fun, aren’t we, Grandpa?” Aaron glanced at his grandfather’s face. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw a little smile. LETITIA L. ZOOK

TAKE CARE OF OTHERS KEY VERSE: PURE AND GENUINE RELIGION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD THE FATHER MEANS CARING FOR ORPHANS AND WIDOWS IN THEIR DISTRESS. JAMES 1:27 (NLT) Do you know someone who needs help? Maybe a family member is sick or a friend is going through a hard time. They’re important to Jesus, and you can show His love to them by taking care of them in their time of need. What can you do to lift their spirits? How can you remind them of the hope they have in Jesus?

55 AUGUST 19

THE GARDENER CARING READ: ISAIAH 58:11; 61:10-11

ily frowned as she grabbed a pair of gardening gloves and a hat. Pulling weeds L in her grandmother’s garden was the last thing she wanted to do on the last day of her summer vacation. “Lily, I know this isn’t how you wanted to spend your time today, but I’d at least like you to have a little fun,” Grandma said after they had pulled a few weeds. “Don’t you have a garden at home?” “Yeah, but I just water the plants,” Lily said. “The weeds won’t do much harm. And besides, it’s a lot of work.” Grandma looked surprised. “You don’t pull the weeds in your garden? What kind of things do you grow?” “I grow mint, parsley, cilantro, tomatoes, blueberries, and hibiscus,” Lily replied. “Wow!” said Grandma. “That’s a lot for one little girl.” Lily shrugged. “I just water them on Saturdays, so it’s not that hard.” “Only on Saturdays? I water mine once a day, and I pull the weeds out once a week.” Lily made a face. “That sounds like too much work to me.” “But that’s what you need to do so the plants can grow and your garden will look pretty,” Grandma said. Lily sighed. “I guess my garden doesn’t look very pretty.” “You know, that’s kind of like what our hearts were like before Jesus came into our lives,” said Grandma. “Nothing beautiful could grow in us because weeds of sin were sprouting everywhere. But then Jesus saved us. He watered us with His love and pulled out our weeds, and we grew under His care. And we’re still growing!” “Wow,” Lily said. “Jesus really does a lot for us, doesn’t He?” “Yes, He does,” said Grandma. “He takes care of us every day and gives us everything we need. He makes us beautiful.” Lily nodded. “When I get home, I’m going to follow Jesus’ example and take better care of my garden. I’ll water it and pull the weeds out and everything!” She beamed at Grandma. “I could even buy a little bench to put in it so I can read my Bible out there!” she said, getting more and more excited. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Lily,” said Grandma. “I can’t wait to see your beautiful garden.” CALY GROVES

JESUS CARES FOR US KEY VERSE: [THE LORD] WILL SATISFY YOUR NEEDS…YOU WILL BE LIKE A WELL-WATERED GARDEN, LIKE A SPRING WHOSE WATERS NEVER FAIL. ISAIAH 58:11 (NIV) Do you have a garden that you help take care of? Having a garden is a lot of work. A beautiful garden can’t grow if the plants aren’t watered and the weeds aren’t pulled. The same is true for us. We need Jesus to pull the weeds of sin from our lives and plant His love in us. Under His loving care, we will grow to be like a beautiful garden.

56 AUGUST 20

MEMORIES CARING READ: PSALM 103:1-6

hen Catherine and Edward came home from school, they found their Wmother sitting in the middle of the living room floor, surrounded by small piles of pictures. “You kids want to help organize these?” she asked. They eagerly agreed, and soon Edward and Catherine were giggling about the pictures—some taken many years before. “Look at Mom in this one!” said Catherine. “She has a ponytail!” Edward laughed. “Here’s Fiona when she was a tiny kitten.” When Dad came home, he joined the twins on the floor. Soon all three were chuckling over a group of baby pictures. As they sat down for family devotions later that evening, Dad held up two snapshots. One was a picture of an old car. Mom laughed. “Oh dear! Remember all the trouble we had with that car?” “I sure do,” said Dad. “When I saw this picture, I remembered the time the transmission had to be replaced and we didn’t have the money. Remember how God provided the funds for it by allowing me to find that painting job?” Mom nodded. Then Dad showed the second picture—a photo of Catherine in her bathrobe, looking very pale. “That was taken after my operation,” Catherine said, and the family talked about how her appendix had ruptured and the doctors had said she might die. “Wasn’t God good to us?” Dad asked. “He healed Catherine.” Edward was puzzled. “What do those pictures have to do with family devotions?” “They’re here to serve as reminders,” Dad replied. “We’ve all been a little anxious lately, wondering if I might lose my job with all the changes going on at my office.” “Oh yeah,” Edward said quietly. “But we need to remember what God has done for us in the past. He provided salvation for us through His Son, Jesus, and He’s provided for us in so many other ways too. Just like He was faithful then, He will continue to lead and help us in the future—no matter what changes take place. We are His children, and He promises to take care of us.” Catherine smiled. “Looking at these picture brings back memories of how God took care of us before,” she said. “And that helps us trust Him to do it again!” RAELENE E. PHILLIPS

REMEMBER GOD’S PROVISION KEY VERSE: YOU SHALL REMEMBER THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD LED YOU ALL THE WAY. DEUTERONOMY 8:2 Are you worried about the future? Perhaps your parent needs a job or there has been an illness, death, or some other hardship in your family. Remember that God is always faithful. He provides for His children, even though it may be in ways you don’t expect. Think back on what He’s done for you in the past, and trust Him to take care of you in the future.

57 Hey, kids! I hope you liked the stories on caring. Did they help you think about ways God takes care of you and how you can care for others? They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and since the stories we read this week show how God cares for us in so many ways, I think we should take a cue from the last story and use a picture to help us remember God’s care. ZACH Put a picture in the space below that shows a time God took care of you. (You can use a photo or draw a picture.)

Keep your picture handy so you can look at it whenever you need to. Let it be a reminder of God’s promise to always take care of you.

Your friend,

58 Listen to Zach on the Keys for Kids radio program at keysforkids.net AUGUST 21 PARENTS AS TEACHERS READ: PROVERBS 4:1-7

’m going to be in Mr. Simon’s class,” said Micah as he and his friend Hudson rode I their bikes past the neighborhood schoolyard. “Do you know who your teacher will be?” Hudson grinned. “Yep. Mom and Dad. I’m not going back to that school.” “Yeah, right,” said Micah. “Everybody has to go to school!” “Sure, but not to a school building. Some of the kids at our church are homeschooled, and Mom and Dad are going to teach me at home too,” explained Hudson. “Since I’m really interested in animals in the oceans, Mom said we could do a special section on that. Isn’t that cool?” Micah nodded, but he was doubtful. Can parents really teach kids like the teachers at school do? he wondered. When he got home, Micah went to the kitchen where his dad was cooking dinner. “Hey, buddy,” Dad said. “How about slicing some carrots for the soup I’m making?” “Sure.” Micah washed his hands and then followed his dad’s instructions for how to slice the carrots. “Hudson isn’t coming back to school this year,” he told his dad. “His parents are going to homeschool him.” “Really?” said Dad. “Well, I know you’ll miss him at school, but you can still see him in the afternoons and on weekends.” Micah nodded and handed Dad the sliced carrots. Dad tossed them into the pot. “Now we have to let it cook for a while so it thickens,” Dad said. Micah began his homework at the kitchen table. “Dad, can you help me with this math problem?” he asked. Dad came over, and they went through the problem together. “Oh, now I get it,” Micah said. He grinned. “You’re a good teacher. I guess kids don’t have to go to a school building to learn.” “They certainly don’t,” said Dad. “In fact, one of the roles God has given parents is to be teachers. Your mom and I may not be teaching you all your school subjects like Hudson’s parents, but we take our responsibility to teach you about Jesus and what He says in His Word very seriously.” Dad got up to stir the soup. “And I hope we’ve taught you some other things too.” Micah grinned. “You have—like how to make soup!” SHERRY L. KUYT

LEARN FROM PARENTS KEY VERSE: CHILDREN, LISTEN TO YOUR FATHER’S TEACHING. PAY ATTENTION AND YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO LEARN. PROVERBS 4:1 (ERV) Would you include parents in your list of teachers? School teachers, church teachers, piano teachers, sports coaches—all teachers are important, but parents are some of the most important teachers God has given you. He’s put them in your life to teach you all kinds of things—especially things like who He is and how much He loves you. Learn from your parents and listen carefully to their teaching.

59 AUGUST 22 THE WALLET READ: LUKE 15:3-10

here did my wallet go? wondered Nico as he got ready to leave school. WHe checked his pockets and looked all through his desk. I’m sure it was in my pocket when we walked back from the baseball field after gym class. Before going home, Nico and one of his friends went out and searched all around the baseball diamond. No wallet. They looked in Nico’s locker. It wasn’t there either. They asked other kids if they had seen it. No one had. When Nico got home, he looked all through the house, even though he was sure it wouldn’t be there. He was right. But when he checked the Lost and Found box at school the next day, he let out a whoop. “There it is!” he said joyfully. That evening, Nico happily told his parents he had found his wallet. “Your lost-and-found wallet reminds me of some parables Jesus told,” said Dad. “In one, a shepherd searched till he found a sheep that was lost. In another, a woman lost a coin and searched until she found it. Both the shepherd and the woman called their friends to let them know what was lost had been found so they could rejoice together.” Nico grinned. “Did they throw a party? I could invite my friends over to celebrate my wallet being found!” Mom laughed. “We’ll skip the party, but you can have some cake,” she said, getting it out. “Do you know who else is happy when something is found?” “No. Who?” asked Nico. “Jesus!” replied Mom. Nico looked puzzled. “Jesus is happy I found my wallet?” “Well, I’m sure He is because He cares about you,” said Mom, “but I was thinking about people being found, not wallets. Those parables Jesus told show us how He seeks out people who are lost in sin and celebrates when they are found.” Dad nodded. “The Bible says the angels in heaven rejoice when a lost sinner turns to Jesus and is saved.” Nico took a bite of cake. “So, there was a party in heaven when I trusted Jesus as my Savior? That’s cool!” “It sure is,” said Dad. “That’s how much Jesus loves us.” JORLYN A. GRASSER

JESUS WANTS TO FIND AND SAVE YOU KEY VERSE: THE SON OF MAN [JESUS] CAME TO SEEK AND SAVE THOSE WHO ARE LOST. LUKE 19:10 (NLT) Have you ever lost something and searched a long time for it? Do you remember how happy you felt when you finally found it? That’s how Jesus describes the joy in heaven when a lost sinner turns to Him. He came to this earth to seek and save sinners—He gave His life so they could be found. That’s how much He loves you. When you trust in Him, you’re no longer lost. You’re found. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?” on page 102.)

60 AUGUST 23 A PICTURE TO REMEMBER READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-28

ubrey was thoughtful as her family arrived home after church. There had been A a communion service that morning, and she had some questions. “I know when we take communion it reminds us of Jesus’ death—and we’re supposed to do it until He comes back and makes everything new and perfect. But will we have communion in heaven too?” Dad shook his head. “No, Aubrey. Not in heaven.” “Why not?” asked Aubrey. “I don’t understand.” “Well…” Dad thought for a minute, then pointed to a picture on the piano. “Before Uncle Dan and Aunt Lisa left to be missionaries in Asia, they had that picture taken. It reminds us to pray for them while they’re gone—while they’re at work telling people about Jesus.” Aubrey nodded. “It helps us keep them in mind when we can’t see them.” “Remember when they were home last summer?” Dad asked. “They spent a couple of weeks with us when all our rose bushes were blooming. Mom cut so many for the house, we had vases of roses everywhere we looked.” Aubrey laughed. “I remember! We cleared off all the tables to make room for flowers. We even put Uncle Dan and Aunt Lisa’s picture away for a while because we needed the space on the piano for another bouquet.” “Yes,” said Dad. “Do you think they minded?” “No,” Aubrey replied. “It didn’t matter then because they were here in person. That’s better than a picture!” “Exactly! Think of the communion service as a picture of what Jesus did for us. The bread and the juice are symbols reminding us that He suffered and died to pay the penalty for our sins,” Dad explained. “But the time will come when we won’t need that picture anymore, because we’ll be with Jesus in person, and we’ll see the scars from the sacrifice He made for us on His hands and feet.” Aubrey nodded. “We’ll have the real thing, not just a picture!” “Right,” said Dad. “And instead of communion, the Bible says we’ll have a feast in heaven to celebrate the gift of eternal life He provided for us through His death and resurrection.” LINDA M. WEDDLE

COMMUNION IS A PICTURE OF JESUS’ DEATH KEY VERSE: AS OFTEN AS YOU EAT THIS BREAD AND DRINK THIS CUP, YOU PROCLAIM THE LORD’S DEATH TILL HE COMES. 1 CORINTHIANS 11:26 Do you take part in the communion service? Before you do, it’s important to know what it means. Talk about it with your parents, your teacher at church, or your pastor. When you do participate, remember the sacrifice Jesus made for you and look forward to His return, when He’ll get rid of sin and death forever. When that time comes, we won’t need the picture of communion anymore because we’ll see Him face-to-face.

61 AUGUST 24 THE BEST ARTIST READ: PSALM 107:21-24, 31

ook at that funny monkey!” Sophia giggled as she pointed toward a little monkey L who was making faces at his reflection in a mirror. Sophia and her brother, Sam, were spending the day at the zoo with their Uncle Steve. “It was fun to see all the different animals, but the peacocks were my favorite,” Sophia said when they returned home. She tugged on Uncle Steve’s arm. “Draw them for us!” Taking a pencil and paper, Uncle Steve, who was an artist, drew pictures of the peacocks they had seen. “I’ll draw some other animals for you,” he said. Sophia and Sam sat close beside him and watched. Each wanted to be first to guess what animal their uncle was drawing. “I know what that is!” exclaimed Sophia after a minute. “It’s a bear.” “Right,” said Uncle Steve. “How about this?” He began another sketch. “A giraffe!” exclaimed Sam. He grinned. “You’re good, Uncle Steve. It’s easy to tell what you’re drawing.” “Yeah,” chimed in Sophia, “all your pictures are so cool. I think you’re the best artist in the world!” Uncle Steve laughed. “Thanks, but you know, if it weren’t for the greatest artist of all, I wouldn’t have anything to draw.” “What do you mean?” Sophia asked. Uncle Steve motioned toward the living room window. “Look out that big window,” he said. “It’s called a picture window, and I think that’s a good name for it. What do you see?” “Lots of things!” answered Sophia. “There’s the apple tree, the flower garden, and there’s a robin in the birdbath!” “And there goes Mr. Turner’s dog running across the lawn,” added Sam. “And who made that big picture?” asked Uncle Steve. “God did,” said Sam. “He’s the artist you were talking about, isn’t He?” Uncle Steve nodded. “I love to look at God’s pictures. He created so many things, and each one is just the right color, just the right shape, and just the right size. Whenever I see His beautiful creation, it reminds me of how awesome He is and how much He loves us. He’s the greatest artist, and His pictures are the very best!” Sophia laughed. “Okay,” she said. “Then you’re the second best, Uncle Steve!” DEANA L. ROGERS

GOD’S CREATION IS TRUE ART KEY VERSE: THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD; AND THE FIRMAMENT SHOWS HIS HANDIWORK. PSALM 19:1 Have you ever thought of God as an artist? Have you noticed how creative He is? He made cold white snow and warm summer sunshine. He made oceans wet and deserts dry. Kittens are soft, and porcupines are all prickly! And aren’t you glad He didn’t leave everything in black and white? He created everything there is as a picture of His great glory and His love for us.

62 COLOR!

GOD'S CREATION IS TRUE ART

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1 Visit www.keysforkids.org/color for a how-to video from the artist who created this page! 63 AUGUST 25 A TINY LIGHT READ: MATTHEW 5:13-16

om!” Jaden yelled as he entered the house. M“I’m in the laundry room,” called Mom. Jaden went to tell Mom the exciting news. “Kalil’s family invited me to go with them to Mammoth Cave next Friday. Can I? Please?” Jaden’s family had recently moved to Kentucky, and Kalil was a new friend he had met at school. “Sounds like fun,” said Mom. “I’m sure it will be fine.” She smiled. “Why don’t you ask Kalil if he’d like to stay here overnight next Saturday and come to church with us in the morning?” “Well…I guess I could,” said Jaden, but he wasn’t so sure he wanted to. He’d heard Kalil make some unkind remarks about kids at school who went to church. Jaden sighed. If I tell Mom, she’ll remind me of the verses we read this morning about letting our lights shine for Jesus so others can know His love for them, he thought. But I’m just one person. I’m not sure the little light I could give would make much of a difference. The trip with Kalil’s family was as much fun as Jaden expected. Exploring the cave was a real adventure. When the group reached a room deep in the cave, the tour guide flipped a switch and turned out all the lights in the area. “I want you to experience total darkness,” she said as the cave went inky black. “Are you there, Jaden?” whispered Kalil. “Yeah, I’m here,” Jaden whispered back. Then the tour guide turned on a tiny flashlight, and every eye focused on it. As they stood there, Jaden was surprised at the huge difference that one little light made. On the drive home, Jaden thought about the tiny light. I guess knowing Jesus makes me give off more light than I thought, he admitted to himself. “Kalil,” he said finally, “you wanna stay overnight at my house tomorrow and go to church with us on Sunday morning? Mom said it would be fine with her.” Kalil was quiet as he thought about it. Then he grinned and nodded. “Sure,” he agreed. “I’ll ask my mom.” Jaden grinned back and thought, Maybe my small light will end up making a difference after all. ESTHER M. BAILEY

SHINE FOR JESUS KEY VERSE: YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. MATTHEW 5:14 Does your light—the reflection Jesus’ love in your life—seem very small to you? Don’t forget that even a small light makes a big difference in a dark place. Trust Jesus to help you let your light shine for Him. Maybe it will be by talking to someone about Him, inviting a friend to church, or just being kind and helpful. You may be surprised at the difference your light makes.

64 AUGUST 26 A DIRTY RAG READ: ISAIAH 64:6; EPHESIANS 2:5-9

om,” Davy said as he scrubbed the car. “Can I ask you a question?” M“I don’t know, can you?” his mom responded with a teasing smile. “Mom, this is serious!” Davy cried. “Okay, sorry,” Mom said. “Fire away!” “Jake and I were talking about heaven today, and he said he thinks the good things he’s done will be enough to get him there,” Davy said. “I thought only Jesus could get us into heaven. Who’s right?” Mom put down the sponge she was using to wash the car’s windows. “I’m glad you asked, Davy. It’s critical we understand how salvation works. The only way to be saved from sin and have eternal life is through Jesus Christ. Doing good things won’t get us that. I’ll explain more, but first, could you grab that rag over there by the hose?” Davy quickly retrieved the dirty ripped cloth and awaited further instructions. “Now, clean the car with it,” said Mom. “What?” Davy stared at the limp rag. “Mom, this thing is filthy! We need to use a clean rag to wash the car.” “You’re absolutely right!” Mom said. “If you try to wash a dirty car with a dirty cloth, it won’t be cleaned. It’s the same with salvation. Our good deeds come from our human hearts, which are dirty with sin and evil. So, when we take our deeds, which are dirty, and try to cleanse ourselves, can we become clean?” “No, we can’t,” Davy answered slowly. “Now, if the story stopped there, it would be pretty hopeless. But Jesus, who never sinned, was spotless and therefore able to clean our dirty hearts by dying for our sins on the cross so we could have His goodness. That’s salvation.” “Okay, I think I understand. Our own deeds can’t save us, but Jesus can. But, Mom, why do we need to be clean in the first place?” Davy asked. “Because God is holy and perfect,” Mom answered. “He can’t have sin in His midst, so we must be clean in order to have eternal life with Him.” “And that’s why we need to trust in Jesus,” Davy said. “So He can clean our sins away.” “Exactly.” Mom smiled. “Now, hand me a clean rag and let’s wash this car!” NATALIE CROWE

ONLY JESUS CAN SAVE US KEY VERSE: FOR IT IS BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED, THROUGH FAITH— AND THIS IS NOT FROM YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD— NOT BY WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE CAN BOAST. EPHESIANS 2:8-9 (NIV) Do you think your good deeds will get you to heaven? They won’t. Trying to make ourselves good when our hearts are full of sin is like trying to clean something with a dirty rag—it doesn’t work. You need Jesus, the perfect Son of God, to save you. He took the punishment for your sin so you could be clean. You can only have eternal life by trusting Him. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?” on page 102.)

65 AUGUST 27 SPILLED MILK READ: EPHESIANS 4:29-32

om, remember I told you about Amanda—a new girl in my class at school? MShe’s really nice,” Erin said one evening. “In art class today, I was looking at the picture she was painting, and my brush accidentally bumped the corner of it. I was sure she’d be mad, but she wasn’t. She said not to worry—that she’d paint over it with another color.” “Did that work?” asked Mom. Erin nodded. “It covered the smudge so you couldn’t even see it anymore.” As Erin ate breakfast the next morning, her little brother Trenton bumped his glass of milk. It tipped over, and before Erin could get out of the way, milk flowed down onto her lap. She was furious. “Trenton, you are so clumsy!” she yelled. “These are my brand-new jeans, and now I can’t wear them. I’m sopping wet!” She jumped up to go and change. “Leave it to my dumb brother to spill his milk on everything!” Trenton was distraught. “I’m sorry, Erin,” he said. “I didn’t mean to get your clothes dirty.” Erin scowled and turned away. Mom frowned. “Trenton apologized, Erin, and he’s truly sorry.” “Being sorry doesn’t make my jeans clean,” Erin muttered as she hurried to her room to change her clothes. When Erin returned to the kitchen, Trenton had left, and her mom looked at her solemnly. “You need to remember that we all make mistakes and need forgiveness at times,” Mom said. “You owe your brother an apology.” She held up a hand as Erin started to protest. “Remember what happened with Amanda’s picture yesterday?” “Oh,” Erin said quietly. She had forgotten. “Amanda covered the smudge on her picture with more paint,” Mom said. “A verse in the Bible tells us what we need to cover more serious spots. It says, ‘Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.’ I know you love your brother, but it didn’t show this morning, did it?” Soberly, Erin shook her head. “Jesus says we are to treat others with the kindness and love He has shown us,” continued Mom. “When we remember how much He loves us and has forgiven us, we can respond to others in kindness instead of anger.” “I’ll go find Trenton,” said Erin, “and tell him I’m sorry.” DEANA L. ROGERS

BE KIND TO OTHERS KEY VERSE: HATRED STIRS UP CONFLICT, BUT LOVE COVERS OVER ALL WRONGS. PROVERBS 10:12 (NIV) How do you respond when someone makes a mistake? With kindness and understanding—or mean, angry words? Even when you love them, you don’t always respond in a kind way, do you? But think about the kindness and grace Jesus has shown you. Trust Him to fill you with His love for others and to help you respond to them in kindness instead of anger.

66 AUGUST 28 ENDLESS FORGIVENESS READ: MATTHEW 18:21-22, 33

am sat on the couch at her grandparents’ house Pforlornly. Her mother had dropped her off earlier while her sister and friends went to the pool. Her grandma studied her for a moment. “So, Pam,” she started. “When your mom dropped you off, she said you weren’t going to the pool because something came up. Do you have homework to do?” Pam swallowed. “No. I got into another fight with Mom,” she said. “Now I can’t go swimming. I got really angry and said things I shouldn’t have said. I feel really bad now, and not just because I got grounded. I want to ask Mom to forgive me, but I’ve gotten into so many fights and asked for forgiveness so many times, I’m worried she’ll get fed up with it and not forgive me.” She sighed dejectedly. “I feel that way about asking God for forgiveness too.” Grandma was silent for a moment. Then she asked, “Pam, when your sister was little, she messed up a lot of your things, didn’t she?” Pam smiled a little. “Yeah. Once she scribbled all over my notebook that I won as a prize. I was so angry!” “Did you ever get fed up with it and decide you would never forgive her again?” Pam looked surprised. “No. I mean, sometimes I was furious, but I always forgave her eventually because I love her.” “God is a bit like that,” Grandma explained. “He will always forgive us because He loves us. There’s a verse in the Bible where Jesus tells us to forgive others seventy times seven times.” Seeing Pam starting to calculate, she quickly added, “Now, that doesn’t mean that on the 490th sin against us we say, ‘Nope! I’m done forgiving you!’ It means that we shouldn’t put a limit on forgiveness. Your mom will forgive you because she loves you and because she herself has been forgiven by Jesus. And if that’s what God commands us to do for others, won’t He forgive us even more?” Pam thought for a moment, fingering the couch fabric. “Yes,” she finally said. “He will. I’m ready to ask Him for His endless forgiveness.” NATALIE CROWE

GOD’S FORGIVENESS IS NEVER-ENDING KEY VERSE: IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. 1 JOHN 1:9 Do you ever worry that God won’t forgive you anymore because you’ve sinned so much? Maybe you’ve committed the same sin over and over, and you feel bad about asking for forgiveness again. Don’t worry! The Bible says God will always forgive you because of the sacrifice Jesus made for you on the cross. Are you ready to ask Him for His endless forgiveness?

67 AUGUST 29 A GOOD FRIEND READ: PROVERBS 27:5-6

ayden’s eyes widened as his dad took a pair of tweezers from their first aid Zkit. “Hold still, Zayden,” Dad said. Zayden and his dad had been working on his tree house when a large splinter got lodged in Zayden’s thumb. He instinctively drew back his hand. “I know this will hurt a bit,” said Dad, “but you don’t want to leave this splinter in your hand, do you?” Zayden shook his head. He squeezed his eyes shut and held his hand out. Dad worked carefully, and soon the splinter was out. Then Dad washed and disinfected the cut and put a bandage on it. “Dad, why do things have to hurt?” asked Zayden as Dad poured them glasses of lemonade. “Well, we live in a fallen world—you know that,” Dad replied. “When Adam and Eve sinned, pain became a part of our lives. Even good things can hurt.” Dad handed a glass to Zayden. “Can you think of something that was painful but good for you?” “Yeah,” Zayden said. “Taking that splinter out of my thumb!” Dad nodded. “It hurt, but it helped you. And how about the time your friend Martin admitted to your teacher that the two of you cheated on a test?” “That wasn’t helpful! You grounded me for a week—and my teacher changed my grade on that test to an F.” Zayden frowned. “I’m glad Martin got himself in trouble too. I’m still mad at him.” “But he did the right thing. Martin helped you learn that cheating is always wrong. It’s hurtful to the other kids in your class and to those who are trying to teach you—like me and your teacher,” said Dad. “I’d say that makes him a pretty good friend to have. I think God used Martin to help you realize how wrong your actions were and to shape you to be more like Jesus—even though it hurt.” Zayden looked at the bandage on his hand. His thumb was still sore, but it felt much better since the splinter was out. “I guess Martin is a good friend. I should probably apologize for getting so mad at him.” “Good idea,” said Dad. “Even though it hurt, he did it to help you.” AGNES MADDY

GOOD FRIENDS HELP EVEN WHEN IT HURTS KEY VERSE: FAITHFUL ARE THE WOUNDS OF A FRIEND. PROVERBS 27:6 Have you felt wounded by what someone has done even though they did it to help you? Did a friend point out you were doing something wrong? Did a teacher make you stay in at recess because you were goofing off? Instead of getting mad, think about your actions. If they were wrong, ask Jesus to forgive you. Then thank Him for putting faithful friends in your life to help you, even when it hurts.

68 AUGUST 30 ACTS OF KINDNESS READ: COLOSSIANS 3:12-15

atie browsed through the toys at the church’s huge indoor sale while her mom Ksorted through stacks of books. “Isn’t it great that all the proceeds go toward the youth group mission trip?” she overheard her mom say to one of her friends who was volunteering at the sale. Then Katie saw it—an adorable grey-and-white-striped kitten that could move and meow and everything! She ran to her mom. “Mom! I found the toy I want to spend my money on. It’s so cute!” Mom smiled. “Well, go get it!” Katie bounded back over to the toy table, then stopped short. Her face crumpled in dismay as she saw a woman pick up the kitten and place it into her brimming basket of items. Katie was heartbroken. But then she remembered that the whole point of the sale was to raise money to help tell others about Jesus. I can be kind instead of angry at that woman, she thought. Even though she took the toy I really want. Katie walked up to the woman. “Do you know how that kitten works?” she asked politely. She proceeded to show the woman how to press the kitten’s nose to make it meow and how to get it to move. “Where’s your toy, honey?” Mom asked when Katie came walking back. A tear trickled down Katie’s cheek. “When I went back to get it, some lady was putting it in her basket.” “I’m sorry, Katie. Perhaps she’s buying it for a little girl who needs it.” A few minutes later, the woman who bought the kitty toy walked up to Katie. She whispered something in her ear and handed her a bag. A smile lit Katie’s face. “Thank you!” she exclaimed as the woman waved and walked away. “What’s in the bag?” Mom asked curiously. Katie lifted the treasured kitty toy out of the bag. “She told me she could tell I wanted this toy when I came up to her and that she was touched by the kindness I showed her in letting her have it instead. She said she wanted me to have it as a reminder to keep showing others the kindness of Jesus.” Mom smiled. “What a kind thing for her to do.” SAVANNAH COLEMAN

SHOW GOD’S KINDNESS TO OTHERS KEY VERSE: DEAR CHILDREN, LET US NOT LOVE WITH WORDS OR SPEECH BUT WITH ACTIONS AND IN TRUTH. 1 JOHN 2:4 Can you think of a time when someone was kind to you? Maybe it was a person you knew, or even someone you didn’t know. How did it make you feel? When we put others before ourselves, we help them see what Jesus is like. He showed us the ultimate kindness in becoming human and dying for our sins. How can you show someone His kindness in your actions today?

69 AUGUST 31 THROUGH IT ALL READ: JAMES 1:2-4, 12

tunned, Ayden stared at his dad. He had just learned Sthat his father had a very serious disease, and the doctors could not promise that surgery would help. “You’re not going to die, are you?” whispered Ayden. Ayden’s father didn’t answer immediately. “That’s something only God knows for sure,” he managed at last. “We need to trust Him, knowing His will is best even if it doesn’t seem best to us at the time.” “But, Dad, Mom and I need you, and…” Ayden’s voice caught in his throat. Dad reached out and gave Ayden a hug. “I pray God will let me stay with you for a long time, but your mother and I have come to the place where we’re willing to submit to God’s will, whatever it is. We’re hoping and praying you can come to that place too.” “I don’t know if I can,” Ayden said honestly. “It seems all wrong. Besides, we’re Christians—why would God let anything bad like this happen to us?” Dad shook his head. “Christians don’t get a free pass that keeps hard things from happening, but what we do have is hope and assurance that Jesus is with us and will use our troubles for good. He knows when we’re sad or discouraged, and He wants to give us His comfort and peace. Even when things are very hard, we can have that comfort and peace because He has saved us and promised us eternal life with Him.” Dad smiled at Ayden. “God never makes any mistakes, Ayden. Whenever what’s happening seems to be more than you can handle, remember that your mother and I love you very much, but Jesus loves you even more than we do. He will be with you and give you strength in hard times.” Ayden walked away, thinking about his father’s words. He went to his room and shut the door. Dear Jesus, he prayed, I still don’t understand why You let this happen, but I know You’re in control of everything and that You love me so much You died for me. He brushed away a tear. I can’t handle this without You. Please give me and Mom and Dad strength in this hard time. Please make Dad get better, but help me to trust You, no matter what. RUTH I. JAY

GOD IS WITH YOU IN TIMES OF TROUBLE KEY VERSE: GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE. PSALM 46:1 How do you react to hard things in your life? Do you get bitter and angry? Or do you remember that God has promised to be with His children through every difficult situation? Jesus wants to help you. Tell Him how you feel—He understands, and He loves you. Even though you may not understand why He allows some things to happen, you can trust Him to be with you and to give you strength.

70 HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS? GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH HE DID SOMETHING AMAZING FOR YOU! THE BIBLE—GOD’S MESSAGE TO ALL PEOPLE—TELLS THE WHOLE STORY.

GOD MADE YOU AND LOVES YOU God created everything there is—including you! He loves you more than any person could ever love you. He loves all people and created them to live in a perfect relationship with Him. THE BIBLE SAYS: SO GOD CREATED HUMAN BEINGS IN HIS OWN IMAGE. IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED THEM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM. (GENESIS 1:27, NLT)

THE PROBLEM OF SIN The first people God created—Adam and Eve—disobeyed Him. This caused sin to enter the world, breaking the perfect relationship they had with God. We sin by doing things God says are wrong and making ourselves the center of our lives instead of Him. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed, every person is born a sinner. Our sin separates us from God, and because He is perfect, He must punish sin—and the punishment for sin is death. Not just death of the body but separation from God that lasts forever. THE BIBLE SAYS: EVERYONE HAS SINNED; WE ALL FALL SHORT OF GOD’S GLORIOUS STANDARD. (ROMANS 3:23, NLT)

GOD’S PERFECT PLAN Because every person—including you—has sinned, every person deserves to be punished by death. But God loves us so much He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take the punishment for our sin. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth and then died on a cross in our place, even though He didn’t deserve it. But it didn’t end there—God raised Him back to life! Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the punishment for sin was paid so we could be forgiven and have a relationship with God. THE BIBLE SAYS: GOD LOVED THE WORLD SO MUCH THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, SO THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WOULD NOT BE LOST BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. (JOHN 3:16, ERV)

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? It means you don’t have to pay the price of death for your sin—Jesus paid it for you! When you trust in Jesus by believing He died and rose from the dead to save you from sin, God forgives your sin and gives you a new life as His child that lasts forever. Your grateful response to His wonderful gift is making Jesus the center of your life instead of yourself.

ARE YOU READY TO TRUST IN JESUS? Tell Him you know that only He can save you from sin and that you want to begin a wonderful relationship with Him.

Still thinking it through? Answer the Key Questions at keysforkids.org/goodnews/keyquestions

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