READ: JOSHUA 1:9; ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12; ISAIAH 43:1-3; MATTHEW 28:20 Einar pushed open the portal door of his new habitat and started down the desert path. He’d only lived on the planet Themisto for a few weeks, and he still wasn’t used to its dry climate—or its moonless nights. Even in the afternoon sun, he shivered [...]

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:42-49; 1 JOHN 3:2 Have you ever been involved in renovating a house? It’s usually pretty chaotic. Maybe there’s a constant dripping in the bathroom sink, the walls are covered with holes, the carpet is old and worn out—plus a long list of other things that need fixing! In the midst of [...]

READ: ROMANS 8:38-39; 1 JOHN 4:7-11 One thing I wish I could go back and tell my younger self over and over is “God loves you.” It’s something I wish every young person could grasp and believe. Life can be tough, especially when you’re a teenager. You’re trying to learn about yourself. You discover your [...]

READ: MATTHEW 12:33-37; ROMANS 12:2; EPHESIANS 4:22-24, 29-32 Take a moment to remember a compliment that has stuck with you. For example, I remember a friend telling me I was very intentional, and I really appreciated that. Now, think of something someone said that was harsh. Maybe it was a biting remark, a lie, or [...]

READ: PSALM 32:1-5; ROMANS 3:23-24; 1 JOHN 1:8-9 Have you ever buttoned your shirt wrong? One button off can cause a shirt to hang longer at the bottom on one side than the other…or cause a sagging of extra fabric in the middle. Usually, the only way to fix this problem is to unbutton the [...]

READ: PSALMS 39:7; 119:49; LAMENTATIONS 3:13-26 In the Bible, we see over and over again how the Israelites (God’s people) turned away from God, abandoning His good ways and embracing sin. But God still had a great love for His people, even though they sinned and no longer followed His commands. He often sent prophets, [...]

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; 1 PETER 4:10-11 Do you know what I hate? Limits. I hate that I’m a finite being and I can’t do everything. I hate that I can’t have all the skills, all the energy, and all the knowledge. I can’t do all the things, and I can’t be all the things. And [...]

READ: GENESIS 16:13; PSALM 34:17-22; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4 "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18). He knows about every one of your heartbreaks, both big and small. God knows when you’ve been having a tough day or year. It’s not always easy to see God during those times, but He sees you. He [...]

READ: LUKE 5:17-26; 23:32-43; EPHESIANS 2:1-10 Icy iron chains bind my hands behind me, weighing me down more and more with every step as I’m led toward the throne room. My heart pounds in my chest and sweat slides down my temple. Why did I have to be so foolish?! Why did I think it [...]

READ: JOHN 10:27-30; HEBREWS 4:14-16; 12:1-3 Click-click-click-click. Drumsticks rose and fell in unison. As drumline leader in our marching band, it was my job to ensure the drummers played tightly together, with sticks all rising up to the same height and hitting the drums with the same intensity. To do this, I had to watch [...]