READ: ISAIAH 41:10-14; 49:14-16; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-11 I saw a young child get off a school bus today— and go right into the waiting embrace of his mom. As she straightened up, he wrapped his arms around her neck, resting his head against her shoulder. I wondered if something had happened at school today, or [...]

READ: PSALM 4:8; MATTHEW 11:28-30; PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 The sound of white noise as we lay down to sleep can give us comfort and cover up distracting sounds that might keep us awake. A fan going while we rest can help us feel comfortable and breathe easier. Some of us have a particular pillow we need [...]

READ: PSALM 62:5-12; MATTHEW 2:1-11; LUKE 2:1-7 From the time we’re young, Christmas can leave us feeling disappointed. As a little kid, you might have longed for a certain gift and gone without it. You might have hoped a family member would be around to celebrate the holiday season with you and found that they [...]

READ: PSALM 25:16-18; 1 PETER 1:3-13 Lonely, sad, life isn’t what I hoped Desperate, scared, I feel alone No one is for me, I stand by myself Many are against me, I can’t face them I need mercy, need someone to help I need strength, need to be held I cannot go forward on my [...]

READ: PSALM 102:25-28; HEBREWS 13:5-8 It can be comforting to have something in your life that always stays the same. You might have dinner with your grandparents every weekend, or you might have a pet who meets you at the door every day when you get home from school. No matter what goes on in [...]

READ: PSALM 94:17-19; MATTHEW 6:25-34; 11:28-30 There are a lot of anxious and worried people in the world today, but that’s nothing new. People have been worrying for a long time, otherwise the Bible wouldn’t address worry like it does. We’re not the first people to have days when we feel anxious or nights when [...]

READ: JOHN 8 It can be hard to answer people who question us about our beliefs, especially if they speak aggressively and make us nervous. Studying the Bible can help us have answers in our heads, but getting those answers out can still be an issue. In John 8, Jesus was questioned by some Pharisees, [...]

READ: MARK 2:1-12; LUKE 5:17-26; JOHN 15:12-15 I was reading through Mark 2 last night, and I was struck by all that a group of friends chose to do in order to bring one man to see Jesus. Mark 2:3-4 says four men carried a paralyzed man to Jesus. “Since they could not get him [...]

READ: JOHN 10:27-30; ROMANS 8:31-39 My favorite baseball team made it to the playoffs one fall, and I was excited to watch the first playoff game with my brother and sister. We were preparing food ahead of time so we wouldn’t have to worry about it during the game, but as I was working in [...]

READ: PSALM 139; ISAIAH 41:10, 13 My life has taken me Down twisting and turning paths Like a pretzel I have never had it easy My path has never been a straight line Through every question and every fear Through every change in my course I have felt You with me I have leaned on [...]