Countdown to Christmas with Zach - An Advent Podcast for Kids

Burdens Jan 07, 2024

Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.

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Burdens

"This is cool!” said Weston as he and some other boys from church hiked through the woods. Sometimes they walked easily along the well-beaten trail, but other times they had to scramble over fallen trees or weave their way around them.

“Hey, Lucas!” Weston called out. “Race you to that tree up there!” But as he started off he tripped on a tree root, and down he went. “Ouch!” he cried, grabbing his ankle. Their leader, Mr. Greg, hurried over as Weston got up. “I think I can walk okay,” Weston said, gingerly testing his ankle. “It doesn’t hurt too bad.”

“It’ll be easier on him if he doesn’t have to carry the extra weight of his backpack,” said Lucas. “I’ll carry it for him.”

“Me too,” chimed in several other voices.

“Thank you, boys,” said Mr. Greg. So for the rest of the hike, the boys took turns carrying Weston’s backpack.

At the end of the hike, the boys built a campfire and had a hot dog roast.

“You know,” said Mr. Greg, “what you boys did for Weston today is exactly what Jesus tells us to do for others. We all carry different responsibilities and problems in our lives, but if one of us has a load that’s too heavy, the others need to help carry it until that person is able to handle it on their own again. You helped Weston carry his backpack, and Jesus wants us to help others carry their life’s burdens. He carried our greatest burden of all—our sin—to the cross, and He offers us help and comfort whenever we’re weighed down with life’s struggles. When we help carry other people’s burdens, we show them His love. What are some ways kids like you get burdened down, and what could a friend do to help?”

After a moment, Weston spoke. “Some kids have trouble with tests,” he said. “Maybe we could offer to help them study.”

“Yeah, and we could make friends with new kids at school and invite them to church,” offered Lucas.

“We could even try to reach out to kids who aren’t always nice to us,” said Pete. “And pray for them too.”

Mr. Greg nodded. “Good suggestions,” he said. “This week, let’s see how many burdens we can help carry for others.”

- Gayle J. Thorn

So how about you?

Does anyone around you have a burden you could help carry? Maybe you know someone who’s struggling with homework or who’s lonely and needs a friend. Even if you can’t help them with their problems, you can still help carry their burdens by praying for them. When we show that we care about others by helping meet their needs, we show them the love of Jesus.

Key Verse

Galatians 6:2 NIV "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Key Thought

Help one another

Always Showing Up

"It’s so snowy,” Johnny said as he looked out the school bus window. “I wonder if my mom will make it to meet the bus.”

Caden glanced at his friend. Sometimes Johnny’s mom was waiting for them when their bus got to their neighborhood, and sometimes she wasn’t. “My grandpa will be there,” said Caden.

Johnny nodded. “He always is.”

When their bus reached its first stop, a younger girl started crying. “I don’t see my aunt. She’s supposed to meet me.”

“She’s probably having trouble walking through the deep snow.” An older girl took the younger girl’s hand. “I’ll walk with you until you find her.”
Johnny watched them get off of the bus. “My grandpa knows to head out early. He’ll be waiting for me. I trust him.” Ever since he and his brother had moved in with their grandpa, he had made sure to be waiting each day when the bus came to a stop.

The bus moved on, and there was drama at each stop as kids looked for the people who were supposed to walk them home. Caden relaxed against his seat. His grandpa would be there.

When they pulled up to his stop, Caden spotted his grandpa waiting with a big sled.

“Have you seen my mom?” Johnny asked when they got off the bus.

“She asked me to help you home,” Grandpa said. “She didn’t want to take your baby sister out in this weather.”

Caden climbed into the sled with his friend. “I told you he’d be here.”
They bounced their way home, and Caden put the sled away after Johnny ran to his house across the street.

Inside, Caden sat down by his big brother. “Grandpa is always there. He never changes. He’s just there. Waiting.”

Cole smiled. “Kind of like Jesus, huh?” He pointed to the Bible in front of him. “I was just reading about how Jesus is the same every day. Never changing. We can trust Him because of that. He loved us enough to die for us, and He’ll always be there for us.”

“I really do trust Grandpa,” Caden said. “When someone shows up over and over again, you know they’ll do what they need to do to be there.”
Cole rubbed Caden’s head. “I’m telling you, Jesus is like that too.”

- Emily Acker

So how about you?

Do you have someone in your life who you trust as much as Caden trusts his grandpa? Someone who is always there when you need them? Someone who does what they say they’re going to do? Jesus is like that. He is always there for you, and that will never change. Even trustworthy people might let us down sometimes, but Jesus never will. You can always trust Him.

Key Verse

Hebrews 13:8 NKJV "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Key Thought

Jesus never changes.

The Path Less Traveled

“This is so much fun!” exclaimed Scarlett as she tramped along through the snow with the other kids from her church.

“Yeah,” said Ada. “This is a cool place to have a winter retreat.”

Soon they came to a fork in the path. The kids ahead of them took the path to the right. “Wait!” called Scarlett. “Mr. Bailey said to turn left at each fork, and then we’ll end up back at camp.”

The other campers hesitated. “Yeah, but look! This path on the right is full of footprints. There aren’t as many in the path to the left,” argued one of the boys. “I think we should take the one everybody else used.” Most of the kids agreed, and they all continued down the well-trodden path.

Scarlett and Ada didn’t know what to do. “Mr. Bailey said to take the fork to the left,” said Ada. “I think we should do that.”

“Me too,” said Scarlett. “Let’s at least take it for a little ways. If we don’t get back to camp soon, we can turn around and follow the other kids.” Ada nodded, and they started off.

To the girls’ delight, it wasn’t long before they arrived back at camp. They explained to Mr. Bailey why the other campers weren’t with them. He shook his head. “They’ll come to a dead end and have to turn around. I’ll send someone out on a snowmobile just to make sure they’re all right.”

During camp devotions that evening, Mr. Bailey grinned at the group. “We have some tired campers tonight,” he said. “Most of you took a longer hike than you planned because you didn’t follow the directions you were given. Instead, you followed the path many others had taken.”

He opened his Bible. “As many of you learned today, the right path is not always the popular one. God’s Word tells us that many people choose the wrong path in life. We might be tempted to follow our own selfish desires thinking it will make us happy, but the Bible says that well-worn path only leads to destruction. There’s only one way to have true joy and peace, and that’s Jesus. When we trust in Him, He walks with us along the path that leads to eternal life. Choose to follow Him, not the crowd.”

– Mary Rose Pearson

So how about you?

Which path have you chosen to follow? Are you walking with Jesus down the path that leads to eternal life? Or are you going your own way? Though the world may tell us we can find our own way to happiness, the Bible says that path only leads to a dead end. Jesus says He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Trust and follow Him. (To learn more, go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Key Verse

Matthew 7:14 NIV "Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Key Thought

Follow Jesus, not the crowd.

The Smelly Cover-Up

Jonathan took out his dad’s aftershave lotion and rubbed some on his face before leaving the bathroom. When his mother stepped into his room a little later, she sniffed the air. “What do I smell?” she asked.

“Jonathan used Dad’s aftershave lotion,” Sophie hollered from her room across the hall. She came to the doorway. “He didn’t take a shower again.”

Mom checked the bathroom. “His towel is damp.”

“Check the soap,” said Sophie. “Lots of times when I shower after him it’s not even wet—he just wets his washcloth and towel and pretends he showered.”

“Is that true, Jonathan?” asked Mom. She went to the shower and picked up the bar of soap. It was bone dry, and she glared at him.

“I just don’t like getting all wet,” Jonathan said defensively.

“You’re so gross!” said Sophie.

“Shhh.” Mom held up a finger. “Jonathan, I’m sure you know that using this—” she held up the aftershave, “doesn’t take the place of using soap. When you splash on cologne or lotion instead of washing, you may smell nice for a while, but the dirt remains. And pretty soon people can tell.”

“Yeah,” said Sophie. “That smelly lotion can’t cover up the fact that you’re still as dirty as a pig!”

Mom cast Sophie a warning glance before turning back to Jonathan. “Well, Jonathan is going to take his shower now,” said Mom. She sighed. “It’s important to keep our bodies clean, but we also need to think about something even more important. Just like our skin gets dirty, our hearts can get dirty—dirty with sin. Things like pride or an unloving attitude fall into that category, Sophie. And so does deceiving your mother, Jonathan.”
Both Sophie and Jonathan looked at the floor as Mom continued. “We may sometimes try to cover up the wrong things we do and hide them from other people, but there is nothing we can hide from God. Whenever we sin, we need to confess our wrongs to Jesus. He’ll forgive us and wash us clean.”

– Nance E. Keyes

So how about you?

Do you try to cover up your sins? God can see through any cover-up. Even if you can keep people from knowing what you did wrong, you can’t hide it from God. You need to confess your sins to Jesus so He can forgive you and make you clean. He died to pay the price of your sins, so you never need to hide them. Trust Him to give you a clean heart so you can enjoy fellowship with Him.

Key Verse

Psalm 51:2 ERV "Scrub away my guilt. Wash me clean from my sin."

Key Thought

Don’t cover up sin.

Stretched Thin

Angelo kicked at a stone on the pavement. “Did I tell you that I can’t go live with my dad?” he asked his friend Tai. “I have to stay with Mom.”

Angelo sighed. “Dad always took time to do stuff with me. Y’know—guy stuff. Now I’ll only get to be with him every other weekend.”

“Well, you can still call and text him, can’t you?” asked Tai. “You still have a lot to be thankful for.”

As Tai spoke, Angelo noticed that his eyes were bright. Are those tears in Tai’s eyes? he wondered. As he thought about it, he realized he’d never heard Tai talk about his father. “Does your dad live with you?”

Tai shook his head. “My dad died,” he said softly.

“Oh! I’m sorry,” said Angelo, not sure what else to say.

The boys walked quietly for a while. “It’s been tough, and I miss Dad a lot,” Tai said finally. “But one day, Mom helped me understand how she deals with it. I had this toy guitar I made by stretching rubber bands around a long box. When I strummed them they made different sounds, depending on how tight they were.” He paused, and Angelo looked at him curiously. “Some of the rubber bands fit over my box easily,” Tai continued, “but others were tight and had to be stretched out thin in order to get around the cardboard. A few even snapped.”
“What does that have to do with missing your dad and getting along without him?” Angelo asked.

“Mom pointed out that when I strummed my make-believe guitar, the rubber bands that fit super-tight made different musical sounds than the ones that were looser. She said life is like that too, and when bad things happen, we’re stretched like those small rubber bands. We may be hurting, but we can still make music during the hard times of our lives because Jesus is with us. He understands what we’re going through because He suffered too. We don’t have to give up and snap.”

Tai looked at his friend. “Mom and I decided to trust Jesus to be with us through the hard parts of our lives. I’ll pray that you’ll be able to do that too.”

– Nance E. Keyes

So how about you?

Have you had hard things happen in your life? The death of someone you love, a divorce in your family, a move away from old friends, a difficult time at school? Jesus understands your pain and promises to be with you. Because He suffered and died to save us, we have hope knowing that we will spend eternity with Him. Trust Him to make your life a beautiful song that points to His love and faithfulness, hard times and all.

Key Verse

Psalm 40:1 NIV "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry."

Key Thought

Trust God in hard times.

Instant Replay

Levi and his dad were enjoying a football game on TV. “Watch out for that guy on your right!” yelled Levi, and Dad waved his arms as if the players could see him. But it was no use—the man they were cheering for went down. “That was dumb!” exclaimed Levi in disgust. “He should have seen that guy coming at him! He wasn’t paying attention.”

Dad nodded. “The coach pulled him out now. I expect they’ll show him an instant replay of that move and he’ll see his mistake.”

Once the game was over, they headed to the table for dinner. “Hey! How come Henley gets pizza and the rest of us get meatloaf?” asked Levi, glancing at his sister’s plate. He yanked out his chair and bumped the table hard as he sat down. “You’re such a spoiled brat,” he said to Henley.
Henley began to speak, but Levi wouldn’t listen—not even when his mom tried to explain. Instead, he gave his plate a rough shove, spilling his milk.

“Levi, go to your room!” said Dad. “Your behavior is not fit for this table. You can come back when you’re ready to apologize.”

Levi trudged to his room, hungry and angry. He plopped down on his bed. In his mind, he replayed what had happened. He tried to tell himself he’d been treated unfairly and that Henley was spoiled. But then he remembered that Henley had been sick when they’d had pizza the day before and his mom had saved some for her. That’s why she’s getting it now, he thought. He’d made a mess of the situation and hurt his sister’s feelings.

The rest of the family was almost finished when Levi returned and took his place at the table. He looked at his dad. “In my mind, I watched an instant replay of what happened and saw that I made a mistake.” Levi turned to his mom and his sister. “I’m really sorry for the way I acted.”

“We forgive you,” Mom and Henley said together.

“And remember that God will forgive you too,” said Dad. “Whenever He shows us our mistakes through an instant replay of our actions, we can confess our sin to Jesus and He will forgive us and help us do better.”

– Phyllis M. Robinson

So how about you?

Do you sometimes say or do things you later regret? Maybe you often find yourself snapping at your siblings or talking about others behind their backs. When you replay your words and actions in your mind and notice any that were hurtful and wrong, confess them to Jesus. He will forgive you and help you speak and act in a way that reflects His love instead. Then ask anyone you hurt for their forgiveness too.

Key Verse

Psalm 32:5 ERV "I decided to confess my sins to the Lord. I stopped hiding my guilt and told you about my sins. And you forgave them all!"

Key Thought

Confess sin.

No Strings Attached

“Grandma, in Bible times people had to sacrifice animals to God, didn’t they?” Jovie asked one day. “Why don’t we do that now?”

“When Jesus died for our sins, He was the perfect sacrifice. Animal sacrifices are no longer needed because Jesus’s sacrifice covers all our wrongs when we trust in Him.”

“Well, when people made a sacrifice, something had to be killed, right?” said Jovie. “But my memory verse talks about a living sacrifice. What does that mean?”

“To be a living sacrifice means to give your whole life to God.” Grandma picked up a small piece of yarn. “Pretend this yarn is my life. It’s my love, my family, my time, my actions—my everything. Here, I’ll give it to you.” Grandma held out one end of the yarn. Jovie took it, but Grandma kept hold of the other end. “There—my life is all yours now. I’m sacrificing it to you.” She tugged on the yarn a little as she spoke.

Jovie giggled. “Then why are you still holding on to it?”

“Good point,” said Grandma. “That’s like Christians when we say we’ve made our lives a living sacrifice to God, but then we leave strings attached to some areas. For example, we might not want God to have any say in how we spend our time or our money. Or perhaps we continue to put ourselves in situations where we’ll be tempted to do things that are wrong. It’s possible to hold something back in any number of areas.” Grandma dropped her end of the yarn. “Now tie that into a bow.”

“Okay,” said Jovie, but as she began to tie a bow, Grandma reached out and took hold of the yarn again, almost tugging it out of Jovie’s grasp. “Grandma! What are you doing?”

“That bow you’re making is too small,” said Grandma. She smiled at Jovie’s puzzled look. “Christians sometimes act the way I just did. When we don’t like the way things are going, we try to pull our lives back out of God’s hands. To be a living sacrifice, we need to remember that we belong to Jesus, who sacrificed His own life to save us, and trust Him to guide us in every part of our lives.”

“Even when things aren’t going the way we want, right?” Jovie nodded. “I think I get it.”

– Jean A. Burns

So how about you?

Are you listening to God as He guides you in every area of your life? Or are you still holding on to some strings and trying to control some areas yourself? Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so you could be saved from sin and spend eternity with Him. He cares about you and what’s going on in your life—every part of it. Trust Him to help you and guide you in every area of your life—no strings attached.

Key Verse

Romans 12:1 NIV "I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God."

Key Thought

Give your whole life to God

End of Vacation

When Jack sat down for lunch, his mom noticed his glum mood. “What’s wrong, Jack?” she asked. Jack just shrugged.

Mom placed sandwiches and chips on the table. “It’s a beautiful day,” she said after they thanked God for their food. “You have several Christmas gifts to keep you busy, and school is out for a few more days. But you don’t look very happy.”

“It’s just that…Christmas vacation is almost over,” Jack replied. “School starts next week, and I haven’t gotten anything done.”

“What do you mean?” asked Mom. “What didn’t you get done?”

“I was going to read the book Tommy lent me and learn how to ski during vacation,” said Jack. “And I was going to surprise Dad by cleaning the garage and vacuuming the car. I was even planning to shovel Mrs. Patten’s walks and driveway for free, but I never got around to it. She ended up hiring someone.” He sighed loudly. “I wasted my whole vacation.”

“I understand how you feel,” Mom said. “I often feel that way myself when I don’t get to everything on my to-do list. But, Jack, you didn’t waste your vacation.”

Jack looked up from his sandwich. “I didn’t?”

Mom shook her head. “You spent time with friends and family, and you also got a much-needed break from a busy school year. Rest and relationships are important too. Instead of fretting over everything we want to get done, we need to trust Jesus to help us do the things He wants us to do. We can rest and enjoy time with others because Jesus did what we could never do ourselves—He died and rose again so we could have eternal life with Him!”

“So, it’s okay I didn’t do all that stuff?” asked Jack.

“Would it even be possible to do all that in two weeks?” Mom asked, grinning. Jack smiled. “I guess not.”

“But it’s good you want to use your time well and help others,” said Mom. “Maybe you can set aside time to work on things that are really important to you. And you still have a couple days of vacation left.”

Jack nodded and began wolfing down his sandwich. “I should have time to clean the garage before Dad gets home!”

So how about you?

How have you been spending your Christmas vacation? Did you have fun? It’s important to relax and enjoy spending time with others. Maybe you had things you hoped to accomplish too—did you do them? It’s good to set goals and get things done, but remember that Jesus has already accomplished the most important thing of all. Trust Him to help you use your time well as you balance work, fun, and rest.

Key Verse

1 Peter 3:18 NLT "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God."

Key Thought

Use your time well.

Unexpected Answer

Christmas was over. Colorful wrapping paper and bright ribbons had been cleared away, and the opened presents were sitting under the tree.

Because Dad had been out of work for several months, most of the gifts were very practical—useful things like socks, sweaters, mittens, and boots. “God is good,” Dad said. “My best Christmas present is that He has provided a job for me. It’s an answer to prayer!”

Grandma noticed her grandson’s frown as he got up and walked to the kitchen. She followed him. “Is something bothering you, Marcus?” she asked.

“God may have answered Dad’s prayers, but He sure didn’t answer mine! I prayed and prayed for a scooter, but did I get it? No! I hardly got any fun stuff at all!”

“Could it be that you missed God’s answer?” Grandma asked.

“Is there another present somewhere?” Marcus asked in surprise. He started back to the living room to look, but Grandma stopped him.

“That’s not what I mean. What would you think if your dad had turned down his job offer and then declared God wasn’t providing for his family?”

“Why would he do that?” asked Marcus. “That would be silly.”

“Yes, it would,” agreed Grandma, “yet your mother told me Mrs. Brown offered you the job of shoveling her walkways this winter, but you weren’t willing to do it.” She paused for a moment. “You asked God for a scooter, and He gave you a chance to earn it. But now you’re blaming God because you don’t have it. Isn’t that silly too?”

Marcus sat down at the table. “I guess it is,” he admitted.

Grandma sat down next to him. “I know it’s been a tough year for your family, and you just wanted to get something fun for Christmas. God understands that too. He loves you and promises to do what’s best for you. Sometimes that means His answer to your prayers is no, but in this case, I think it may be a yes, but you need to take action. Perhaps He knows you’ll appreciate your scooter more if you work to pay for it yourself.”

Marcus nodded. “I’ll see if Mrs. Brown still needs help. Maybe it’s not too late to earn money for a scooter.”

So how about you?

When you pray for something, are you prepared to be part of God’s answer by taking action? For example, do you pray for good grades and then study hard? Sometimes God answers prayer by providing you with the next step to take. In today’s Bible reading, God answered Cornelius’s prayer by instructing him to ask Peter for help. So pray, and then be ready to follow God’s action plan.

Key Verse

Matthew 7:7 NIV "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Key Thought

Pray and be ready to act!

Gabe and Asaph

Gabe crossed his arms and scrunched his face in disgust. “Hunter’s parents let him do anything he wants,” he told his dad, “and it seems like everything always turns out right for him. He just got a brand-new skateboard for Christmas!” Gabe started to feel bitter as he thought of all the things Hunter had. “I thought God would treat people who love Him better than those who don’t. Hunter isn’t a Christian, but he’s got better things than me! How come?”

Dad smiled. “You sound a lot like Asaph.”

“Like who?” Gabe peered quizzically at his father.

“Asaph. He was a man who wrote some of the psalms in the Bible. Come over here—I’ll show you.”

Gabe and Dad sat down on the sofa, and Dad brought up Psalm 73 on his phone. “Look here, Gabe,” he said. “At the beginning of the psalm, Asaph is complaining to the Lord because evil people are prospering and having lots of success while terrible things are happening to him.” Dad read several verses.

“Wow! I know just what he means,” said Gabe.

“I thought you might,” said Dad. “Later verses show that Asaph changed his mind. He was reminded that people who don’t know the Lord can only look forward to destruction in the end. Those who are saved will have it good when life on earth ends.”

Gabe thought about that. “I guess I don’t have it so bad after all,” he said. “Hunter will get what’s coming to him someday.”

“Whoa!” said Dad. “Not so fast. We can be thankful that God has shown us mercy. It’s only because we trust in Jesus, who took the punishment for our sins by dying on the cross, that we won’t get what we deserve. It’s not up to us to judge Hunter. Instead, let’s pray for him. Ask God to use you to show Hunter His mercy and love so he will put his trust in Jesus and all will be well for him in the end. Okay?”

Gabe nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I know Jesus loves Hunter too, and I want both of us to spend eternity with Him.”

So how about you?

Do you know unsaved people who seem to have it better than you? Unless they trust Jesus as their Savior, they don’t have a future with Him in heaven. Thank Jesus for saving you from sin, and pray for those who don’t know Him. Tell others what He’s done for you so they might know they can be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him too.

Key Verse

Psalm 73:28 NLT "How good it is to be near God! I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."

Key Thought

Jesus saves us from destruction.

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Advent Day 28: The Hidden Gift Dec 28, 2023

Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!

Send In Your Answers

The Hidden Gift

Christmas was over, and Henry and Nevaeh helped their parents remove the ornaments, lights, and strands of garland from the Christmas tree branches. Soon the shimmering and festive tree looked bare except for the colorful tree skirt surrounding the tree stand.

“Hey,” Henry called out. “Look at that!” He pointed to a small box wrapped in green and red paper peeking out from under a fold in the tree skirt.

“Where did that come from?” Mom asked as she bent down to pick up the box. “We must have missed this when we opened our gifts.” She held the box in her hands and looked for a name. “It’s for me! From Aunt Martha,” she said in surprise. “I didn’t think she had sent anything this year, and here it was under the tree the whole time.”

Mom opened the gift and found a necklace and matching earrings. “They’re so pretty!” Nevaeh said as Mom held them up for everybody to see.

“Just think—Aunt Martha’s gift was here all this time, but Mom couldn’t receive it because she didn’t know it was there,” Dad said. “It reminds me of another gift—God’s gift of salvation. It’s available to everyone, but many people don’t even know it’s there. It stays hidden until someone shows it to them—like you showed the package to us, Henry.”

Nevaeh and Henry thought about that. “So we need to show people God’s gift by telling them about Jesus,” Nevaeh said.

“And tell them that if they accept it, Jesus will save them from sin and give them eternal life,” added Henry.

“That’s right,” said Dad. “It’s an amazing gift! But they can’t accept it if they don’t know it’s there. That’s why we need to share it with others.” Dad motioned to the boxes of decorations. “Let’s see if we can all come up with a person we can tell about God’s amazing gift by the time we finish putting
this stuff away.”

So how about you?

Have you received the gift of salvation?(See “Have You Heard the Good News?”) It’s wonderful to know you have eternal life through Jesus. But many people don’t know this amazing gift exists. Think of someone you know who may not know about Jesus and the eternal life He offers—then tell them about it! God may use you to help someone receive Jesus, the best gift of all.

Key Verse

Romans 5:18 NKJV "Through one man's righteous act the free gift came to all men."

Key Thought

Tell others about God's gift.

Skating on Thin Ice

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the Wagner family always walked to ice-covered Pine Lake, where they would bring in the New Year under the stars as they tossed glow sticks into the air.

But this year Aiden was in a grumpy mood. Three times that day his dad had told him to do something, and even though Aiden eventually got around to listening, his father had not been happy with his hesitation.

“You’re skating on thin ice, Aiden,” Dad said. He said that a lot when Aiden was about to get in big trouble.

Now at midnight Aiden dashed onto the frozen lake. “We’re here!”

“Stay close,” Dad warned. “The weather has been unusually warm. The area around the dock is especially unstable because of the heat from the underwater plants growing there.”

Aiden threw his glow sticks in the air. Immediately the blue one skidded across the ice toward the dock area. He knew Dad had warned him about the dock area, but it was so close…

Suddenly he heard the ice crack beneath him, and he was in the water. “Help! Help!” Aiden screamed. The water was freezing, and he was sure he was going to drown.

“Put your feet down!” called Dad. “You should be able to touch bottom.”

Aiden did and was surprised to discover the water only came to his waist.

“Here.” Dad took off his coat and threw it to Aiden, still holding on to one of the sleeves. “Grab hold.”

Soon Aiden was back on solid ground. They ran back to the house, where Mom wrapped him in blankets.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” said Aiden once he’d stopped shivering. “If I’d listened to you and not gone on the thin ice… ” His voice trailed off.

“You wouldn’t have fallen into the lake,” Dad finished for him. “But you were on thin ice earlier in the day, too, remember?”

“You mean when I didn’t obey you right away when you told me to do something?”

Dad nodded. “Maybe it didn’t seem like a big deal to you at the time, but it was a sin. And sin always leads to trouble, no matter how small it may seem.”

So how about you?

Do you like to skate on thin ice? Do you see how close you can get to doing something wrong without getting in trouble? The Bible tells us if we know what the right thing to do is but don’t do it, we’re sinning—and sin always leads to trouble. Stay far away from sin by refusing to do what you know is wrong—and by choosing to do what you know is right.

Key Verse

James 4:17 NKJV "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."

Key Thought

Stay far away from sin.

After-Christmas Sale

"Look at my new sweater!” said Brianne, holding it up for her dad to see. “You should see all the stuff Mom and I got on sale today.”

Mom sighed. “Yes, but it was such a hassle getting through the crowds at the mall and pawing through the racks of clothes that I wondered at times if it was really worth it. But we did get some really good deals.”

“Yeah!” said Brianne. “It makes you wonder how the stores can afford to sell things at those prices.”

“They know what they’re doing,” Dad assured her. “They’re clearing out things that are no longer profitable and making room to restock their shelves with new things people want—things that will make them more money. Right now, they’re selling off winter stuff to make room for spring merchandise.” He paused for a moment. “I think we could take a lesson from them.”

“Like what?” asked Brianne curiously.

“There are things in our lives that we need to clear out from time to time,” Dad explained as he reached for his Bible. “Let’s read about them for our devotions tonight.” He opened his Bible and read a passage from the book of Colossians.

“Hearing those verses makes me regret getting angry and impatient with some people in the store today,” Mom confessed. “I need to get rid of anger and selfishness from the shelves of my life and make room for patience and humility.”

“How much do you suppose we can sell our bad qualities for?” asked Brianne with a mischievous grin.

Dad laughed. “Forget having a sale and just trash them. Those unprofitable traits don’t fit who we are now because Jesus has saved us from sin. Instead of wasting space on them, we can restock our shelves with good things like compassion, kindness, and patience—qualities that fit the new life Jesus gave us when we trusted in Him.”

“And how much of a profit can we get with our new qualities?” asked Brianne. “That’s the best part,” said Dad. “We can give them away for free, and they’ll still be profitable. When we are kind, gentle, and forgiving with others, we show them God’s love and help them see who Jesus is, and He can use those good qualities in our lives to draw more people to Him.”

So how about you?

What traits are found on the shelves of your life? Do others see qualities that reflect Jesus and fit the new person He’s made you to be? Or do you still have outdated habits from your old life taking up space—things like lying, a hot temper, or a desire to get even with someone? Trust God to help you replace old, sinful attitudes with loving qualities that fit your new life with Jesus.

Key Verse

Colossians 3:12 "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Key Thought

Put on traits that reflect Jesus.

A Gingerbread House

"Mom! Tell Ella to stop dipping her finger in the icing!”

“Karis, you know she’s only five. You can’t expect her to make a gingerbread house without eating any of it.”

“But I want it to be perfect!” It was a Christmas tradition for Karis and Ella to make a gingerbread house. Karis lined up the red and green gumdrops like little army men. The containers of colored sprinkles stood at attention like soldiers. “Mom, I think there’s more icing in Ella’s hair than on our gingerbread house.”

“Don’t worry about it, honey,” said Mom. “I’ll give her a bath when you’re finished.”

Karis smiled at her sister. “If you get any more icing on your face, you’ll look like a snowman.”

Ella giggled and handed her sister a broken piece of graham cracker.

“That’s a great idea, Ella,” said Karis. “We can use little pieces of graham cracker to make shingles for our roof. We’ll stick them on with icing.”

An hour later, Karis plopped the last gumdrop on the roof of the gingerbread house to make a chimney.

Mom picked up a leftover graham cracker and used it to scrape the bottom of the icing bowl. “That’s one of the most beautiful gingerbread houses I’ve ever seen, girls. I’m so proud of you.” She popped the graham cracker into her mouth.

“You know, this gingerbread house reminds me of a Bible verse. Jesus said He was going to heaven to prepare a place for us to be with Him forever. It took you girls a whole hour to make your house. Can you imagine how awesome the place is that Jesus is preparing for us? If we trust in Jesus, He’s already made a home in our hearts, and one day we’ll get to be with Him in heaven forever.”

Karis smiled. “I’m pretty sure the place Jesus is preparing for us in heaven isn’t made out of gingerbread.”

Mom smiled and licked a bit of icing off her finger. “You’re right. I don’t think it will be made of gingerbread. But it will be just as sweet!”

So how about you?

Have you ever built a gingerbread house? Then you know how much time and preparation it takes to make it look good. Right now Jesus is preparing a place for those who trust in Him, and it will be better than any mansion on earth! But there’s only one way to get there. Trust in Jesus, and He will make a home in your heart—and prepare one for you in heaven too. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”)

Key Verse

John 14:2 ERV "There are many rooms in my Father's house...I am going there to prepare a place for you."

Key Thought

Christians have a home with Jesus.

Temporary Connections

Julie sighed in satisfaction as she looked at the Christmas decorations she had hung in her room. She had tried to tie a string from her closet door to her curtain, but the string wasn’t long enough, so she’d stretched her curtain into the middle of her room and managed to tie the string tightly around it. Bells and Christmas ornaments were meticulously strung along the string. It had taken her the better part of an hour to get it all set up the way she wanted.

A few minutes later, Mom walked in to close Julie’s blinds and noticed the string contraption and the curtain suspended parallel to the floor. “Julie?” Mom asked. “Will you please cut this string so we can close your blinds? It’s getting dark outside.”

Julie stomped her feet and wailed, “But it took me forever to tie that string!”

“I’m sorry, honey, but it can’t stay this way. Next time, make sure you’re connecting it to something that won’t have to move if you want it to last a long time.” Julie burst into tears and flung herself on her bed.

Mom sighed. “I understand you’re upset. When you’ve had a chance to process, we’ll talk about it.”

Mom walked out to the living room where Julie’s older brother, Dan, was working on building a ramp for his car and connecting it to the couch. “Just so you’re aware, you’ll have to take your ramp down before bedtime,” Mom told him.

“Okay, Mom. Why is Julie so upset?”

“I asked her to cut a string she tied to the curtain.”

Dan nodded. He had seen Julie stringing up her decorations earlier. “She spent a long time doing that.”

“I know. I explained if she wanted it to last a long time, she’d have to be wiser about how she set it up.” Mom sat on the couch to watch Dan build. “It’s a good reminder for how we should live our lives. The things of this world are temporary, but the truth and salvation of Jesus lasts forever! We need to build our lives wisely by trusting and obeying Him.”

So how about you?

Are you building your life in a way that will last? The only way to do that is to trust in Jesus. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”) Then live out His truth in your daily life. In today’s Bible reading, Jesus tells a story about a man who built his house on rock and another who built his house on sand. When the rain came, the house on sand washed away, but the one on the rock stood firm. Jesus is the Rock—build your life on Him.

Key Verse

John 6:27 NIV "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Song of Man [Jesus] will give you."

Key Thought

Build your life on Jesus.

Mary's Part

Speaking parts were being assigned for the church Christmas program, and Kaylee eagerly waited for her name to be called. She was sure she was the perfect one to take the part of Mary, the mother of Jesus. No one can memorize lines as well as me, she thought.

“Braelyn.” Mrs. Roberts’ voice interrupted Kaylee’s thoughts. “I think you would be a good choice to play the part of Mary.”

Kaylee gasped. Braelyn! She stutters sometimes, Kaylee thought. What kind of Mary would she be? Kaylee scowled. Well, that’s just fine with me. Who wants to be in this dumb play anyway? When Mrs. Roberts offered her another part, Kaylee made excuses and refused to be in the production at all.

On the night of the program, Kaylee sat in the front row. She had come to laugh at Braelyn’s mistakes. Mrs. Roberts will be embarrassed for making such a dumb choice! she thought in disgust as Braelyn walked up front. That drab outfit looks like it was made from a feed sack. Mom would have made me a much better costume than that! She snickered to herself and rolled her eyes.

Hesitantly, Braelyn began reciting from Luke chapter one: “My soul magnifies the Lord…because…because…” She paused briefly. “Because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant.”

Humble condition, thought Kaylee. That sure fits Braelyn! Suddenly another thought struck her, causing her mouth to drop open in surprise. It fits Mary too! Kaylee tried to push that thought away, but she couldn’t. More unwanted thoughts persisted as she watched the rest of the Christmas performance. Mary was willing to obey God and carry out His commands, and Braelyn’s like that too, Kaylee realized. She’s a good Mary!

In her heart, Kaylee knew that if she had gotten the part, she would be saying Mary’s words only to make herself look good and be the star performer. But Braelyn was humble like the real Mary was—and like how Jesus was too. They were both willing to obey God and make sacrifices for the good of others. Feeling ashamed, Kaylee prayed silently, asking God to forgive her proud spirit and to help her be humble like Mary—and Jesus.

So how about you?

Are you humble like Mary? Or do you think you should be the one chosen to sing the solo, answer the questions, or lead the group because you do it best? Jesus wants humble servants who are willing to serve His purpose instead of their own so that He will be honored. Even though He is God, Jesus was willing to die for our sins so we could be saved. Mary was His humble servant. Does that description fit you?

Key Verse

Matthew 20:27 NLV "Whoever wants to be first among you, let him be your servant."

Key Thought

Be a humble servant.

Santa Pause

"All right, boys. Turn off that video game and help set the table.”

Ethan hit the pause button. “We should be able to beat that level after dinner,” he told Levi as they scooted into the kitchen.

Mom was balancing the baby on her hip and stirring a bubbling pot of spaghetti sauce. “Don’t forget to put out napkins,” she told the boys. “And don’t forget we’re heading out to do some Christmas shopping after dinner.”

“We’re in the middle of a video game, Mom,” Levi said.

“You’ve been playing that game for over an hour. It’s time to take a break. We need to get presents for your cousins, pick up ingredients for Christmas cookies, and buy some extra Christmas tree lights.”

“Can’t we go shopping tomorrow?” Ethan asked.

Mom shook her head. “We have rehearsal for the Christmas play tomorrow.”

Dad walked into the kitchen and pulled a strand of spaghetti from the pot. Mom turned and handed him the baby. “You seem really stressed out,” Dad told her. He turned to the boys. “I’ve got an idea.”

“Does it involve video games?” Levi asked.

“It does not involve video games, but it does involve hot chocolate. I’m going to make a batch of hot chocolate, and we’re going to sit down as a family and watch a Christmas movie.” Dad already knew what Mom was thinking. “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll get up early and take care of all the shopping. It sounds like everyone needs a little break from the craziness of the Christmas holiday. Think of it as a Santa pause.” Everyone laughed, even Mom.

“I guess you’re right,” she said. “Even Jesus and His disciples needed some time to rest. If I remember the Bible story correctly, Jesus told his disciples to come with Him to a quiet place and rest because so many people were coming and going that they didn’t even have time to eat.”

“No time to eat!” Ethan said. “There’s not a crowd big enough or even a video game that could keep me from your spaghetti, Mom!”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Mom said. “But we still need to take time to rest and remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus coming to save us.”

So how about you?

Do you need some time to rest? Sometimes life can get very busy, especially around the holidays. We’re busy doing a lot of really good things, but there’s nothing wrong with hitting the pause button and taking a break. Jesus knew what it was like to be tired. If He took some time to rest, so should we. Take a breather and spend some time with Him. After all, He’s the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Key Verse

Mark 6:31 NIV "[Jesus] said to them, 'Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'"

Key Thought

Take time to rest.

The Grinch

Isaac slammed the door and began kicking off his boots while grumbling under his breath.

“Everything all right?” his mom asked.

“Not according to Mr. Hanson,” Isaac spat out. “Whatever I do for him is never good enough! I mean, it took me an hour to shovel his sidewalk, and what do I get for it? ‘You missed the second step, Isaac. You didn’t get all the way to edge.’ Mr. Hanson is a total grinch! This is the last time I help him out.”

Just then Isaac’s sister, Holly, came bouncing into the room. “Mom, the green popcorn is done, and the green soda for our grinch punch is cold. I can’t wait to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas with our special treats!”

“I know a real grinch next door,” Isaac grumbled.

“Isaac,” Mom said gently, “I know Mr. Hanson can be difficult, but remember that he doesn’t know Jesus. The only way he’s ever going to change is if he allows Jesus to come into his life and transform him. Only God can make that happen, but we can point Mr. Hanson to Jesus by showing him love and joy, even when he doesn’t deserve it.”

“Kind of like how the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes when he saw how joyful the Whos were even after he stole all their Christmas gifts and decorations?” asked Holly.

“Exactly,” said Mom. “Even when Mr. Hanson is mean, that doesn’t have to kill your joy—it actually gives you a chance to show him the love of Jesus.”

“Hmm,” said Isaac, “I never thought about it like that before. I didn’t realize that just by shoveling snow and being kind to Mr. Hanson I was allowing the love of Jesus to shine through me. I’ll try to remember that the next time I shovel his sidewalk.”

“I’m glad to hear there will be a next time,” Mom said as she gave Isaac a squeeze. “And now it’s time to watch . . .”

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Holly squealed.

“I think I’ll watch that movie with a whole new perspective tonight,” Isaac said with a smile.

So how about you?

When you have grinchy people in your life, do you still try to treat them with love and kindness? When we show others love and joy, it points them to the source of our love and joy—Jesus! He gives us the strength to be joyful in any circumstance. Trust Him to help you joyfully do good for others, even when they least deserve it.

Key Verse

1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else."

Key Thought

Joy points others to Jesus.

A Special Baby

As Mateo and his friend Tory rode the bus home from school, they talked about their Christmas plans. “Grandpa and Grandma are coming for a whole week this year,” said Tory, “and on Christmas Eve we’re all going to see a movie about Santa Claus! Wanna come with us? I’m sure Mom will say it’s okay.”

“I can’t,” said Mateo. “Our family always goes to church on Christmas Eve. We have a candlelight service where we read the Christmas story and sing Christmas carols.”

“Christmas carols? Like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’?”

Mateo shook his head. “No, songs about the real meaning of Christmas, like ‘Away in a Manger’ and ‘Silent Night.’”

“Oh.” Tory frowned. “The Christmas story is about somebody named Mary, isn’t it? And a guy named Joseph? And about some special baby? What was so special about Him?”

Mateo could hardly believe Tory didn’t know the answer to that. “It’s about when Jesus was born. He’s the Son of God,” he explained.

“Well, then how could He be born as a baby on earth?” Tory asked. “If He was God’s Son, why did He come to earth anyway?”

“Because we needed Him to save us from our sin—our brokenness—so we could have eternal life,” said Mateo, and he did his best to help Tory understand who Jesus is and why He came.

When Mateo told his mom about their conversation, she had a suggestion. “It’s possible other friends of yours don’t know the real meaning of Christmas. Would you like to have a Christmas party so you can share it with them? You could play games and have prizes, and I’ll help with singing carols and tell the Christmas story before we have some snacks and hot cocoa.”

“That would be fun!” said Mateo.

Mateo invited several friends to come. He didn’t know if any of them would believe in Jesus because of the party, but he wanted to give them the chance to hear about the special baby who was born to save the world—the real reason for Christmas.

So how about you?

Do your friends know who Jesus is and why He came to earth? How can you share the real meaning of Christmas with them? Maybe you can have a party where you sing carols and have someone tell the story of Jesus’ birth, or invite them to a Christmas program at your church. You could even simply talk with them about what Jesus has done for you. Share the message of Jesus at Christmas—and all year long.

Key Verse

Matthew 1:21 "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

Key Thought

Share Christ at Christmas

When Love Is Difficult

Mom turned from the sink when she heard a door slam and feet running quickly down the stairs.

“Mom!” Alicia cried as she ran into the kitchen. “Candice is being mean to me, and she even said she hates Christmas!”

Alicia’s foster mom dried her hands. “I heard some loud voices up there and wondered what that was all about.”

“I wanted her to help me look for Christmas toys online,” Alicia explained, “but she just got mad and yelled at me.”

Mom poured Alicia a glass of water as they sat at the table. “Honey, Candice just moved into our house a month ago. She’s still having a hard time adjusting to the big changes in her life. You can remember what that’s like, can’t you?” Alicia shrugged as she drank her water. “Christmas can be a hard time for people,” Mom continued. “Instead of being a celebration, it can sometimes remind them of the people and things they have lost.”

“Oh, like Mrs. Jameson next door?” Alicia asked, remembering how they brought meals to their elderly neighbor after her husband had died.

“Yes, exactly,” Mom replied. “Mrs. Jameson is probably going to have a difficult Christmas this year missing Mr. Jameson. Maybe we can think of a way to show love to her.”

Alicia brightened. “She really likes my chocolate chip cookies! Could I make some for her?”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea. How about you give some to Candice too?”

Alicia’s face clouded again. “But she was just so mean to me. Why should I make her cookies?”

Mom pointed to a plaque above the sink that read, People need loving the most when they deserve it the least. “Candice may not be acting very loving toward you, but that doesn’t change the fact that she needs our love. Wouldn’t we be in sad shape if Jesus only loved us when we deserved it?”

“Oh, I guess that’s true,” Alicia agreed. “Sharing chocolate chip cookies is a pretty small thing compared to how much Jesus loves me.”

Mom smiled. “That’s a great attitude, honey. You go ahead and get started on the cookies while I go upstairs and talk with Candice."

So how about you?

Do you feel like you should only love people who are loving toward you? That’s not the way Jesus loves us—He showed us His love by coming to earth and dying for our sins when we least deserved it. This Christmas, look for ways to show love to people who might be sad or hurting and perhaps not acting in a loving way toward others. Be like Jesus and love others even when they don’t deserve it.

Key Verse

John 13:34 "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

Key Thought

Love one another.

The Story of Santa

"Ho, ho, ho! And a merry Christmas to you!” bellowed a tall Santa at the entrance to Mia’s favorite toy store. Mia and her dad were doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. They needed a few more things for the shoeboxes they were filling for kids who lived in orphanages in poor countries.

“Dad, why do I see so many Santas around at Christmas instead of manger scenes?” Mia wondered aloud. “Everywhere I look I see Santa! See, there’s a gigantic stuffed Santa right over there!”

“I agree, there’s a lot more of Santa than Jesus in most stores at Christmas,” said Dad. “I think the tradition of Santa has overshadowed the truth of Jesus’ birth. However, not many people know the story of the real Saint Nicholas where our tradition of Santa began. Do you want to hear it?”

“Of course!” said Mia.

“According to history scholars, Saint Nicholas was born a long time ago around 280 A.D., which means 280 years after Jesus’ birth,” Dad explained. “His parents were very wealthy and left him a large inheritance when they died. Nicholas was a Christian, so he decided to share his wealth by giving gifts and money to the poor and sick in his town. He later became a Christian bishop in the church and eventually became Saint Nicholas.”

“So, did he wear a red suit and have a white beard?” asked Mia.

“No one really knows what Saint Nicholas looked like. All we know is he had a reputation of giving to those in need,” Dad said.

“Just like we’re filling those shoeboxes for the needy kids!” Mia exclaimed.

“Exactly!” said Dad. “People often associate Santa with getting a lot of presents. Instead, I think we should think of Saint Nicholas and giving to others. And remember, the reason Saint Nicholas gave to others was to show Jesus’ love to them. As a Christian, he knew the greatest gift we could ever receive was Jesus, who became human in order to save us from sin. That’s really what Christmas is all about—celebrating the gift of Jesus!”

So how about you?

Do you focus on giving to others at Christmas? Sometimes it’s easy to make Christmas all about getting presents for ourselves rather than thinking of how we can give to others. Money and presents aren’t the only ways to give. Share a kind word, do something extra around the house, or let someone go ahead of you in line. When you give, you point to the greatest gift of all—Jesus.

Key Verse

2 Corinthians 9:15 "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

Key Thought

Give generously to others.

The Most Important Gift

Austin woke with excitement and quickly jumped out of bed, wondering what would be in the wrapped presents under the tree. “It’s Christmas Eve, Mom!” he said as he ran into the kitchen for breakfast. Austin’s family had a tradition of opening their gifts on Christmas Eve.

Throughout the day, Austin made many trips to the Christmas tree to look at the presents. Just when he felt he couldn’t wait any longer, the evening meal was over and the family gathered to open presents. Austin got a book, a pair of jeans, a movie, and the thing he wanted most of all—a baseball mitt!

Austin was already dreaming of summer when Dad reached for his Bible. “Let’s read about the gifts the wise men brought Jesus.” After reading the story, Dad said, “We’ve given gifts to show our love for one another, and we have a gift for Jesus too.” He rattled a shiny red tin that had money from every member of the family in it. Collecting a Christmas offering was another tradition in Austin’s family.

It was Mom’s turn to read, and she read a passage from Second Corinthians. “Just like the people in this story who gave gifts to help the apostle Paul, you all gave money to be used for God’s work,” Mom said when she finished reading. “But the most important thing they gave Jesus wasn’t their money. It was themselves. They gave themselves to the Lord by remembering that He died to save them and submitting to His will for their lives. As Christians, we need to do that too. While it’s good to give money, it’s more important to depend on Jesus to guide us in doing His will and help us love others the way He does.”

Austin thought about that as he went to bed. He trusted in Jesus, but he hadn’t really given much thought to how Jesus wanted him to live. Suddenly he jumped up and ran into the living room. “I want to give myself to Jesus! I want to ask Him to help me love others and live my life for Him.” He grinned at his parents. “That’s the most important gift I can give!”

So how about you?

Have you given yourself to Jesus? That’s the most important gift you can give. As Christians, we must continually give ourselves to the Lord by depending on Him to help us do His will and show others His love. Give Jesus the gift of yourself this Christmas, and trust Him to use your life to share His gift of salvation with others.

Key Verse

2 Corinthians 8:5 "They first gave themselves to the Lord."

Key Thought

Give yourself to Jesus.

The Exchange Student

"That was a good play,” said José, an exchange student from Mexico who was living with Ronan’s family. They were returning home after attending a Christmas program at church. “I’ve heard a lot about the Bible, but I’ve never been to a pageant like that one.”

Ronan pointed. “Look! There are some carolers. They go from house to house singing Christmas songs. Do you have carolers in Mexico, José?”

“No,” said José, “but we do have what we call Los Peregrinos. Like Mary and Joseph, people go from house to house. They pretend to be looking for a place where they can stay. It’s planned ahead so that the third one they stop at lets them in. There’s a piñata ready for the children and hot drinks for the adults.”

“Sounds fun!” said Ronan.

“When we get home, I could show you pictures of that and other Christmas traditions we have,” José said.

Ronan nodded. “I’d like that.”

Later that night, Dad and Ronan wrapped gifts while José talked to his family in Mexico. “Do you like having José stay with us?” asked Dad.

“Yeah, I do,” Ronan answered. “We’ve studied Mexico at school, but learning that way isn’t the same as knowing somebody who’s from there. Having José live with us and listening to him explain what people were doing in the pictures he showed me is a better way to learn.” Ronan fastened a bright red ribbon to a package. “If I had just read about Mexico but had never met José, I wouldn’t know half as much about his culture as I do now.”

Dad put down his scissors and tape. “You know, it’s the same with knowing Jesus too. Just knowing things about the Bible is much different from having a personal relationship with Jesus and trusting Him with every part of your life.”

“Yeah,” Ronan said thoughtfully. “I think we should explain that to José. He seems to know quite a bit about the Bible, but we should make sure he understands why Jesus died and that he needs to know Him personally.” Ronan paused. “I’ll try to talk to him some more about it when I get a chance.”

“That’s a good idea,” Dad said. “I’ll do the same.”

So how about you?

Do you know Jesus personally? Do you trust Him as your Savior and Lord? Studying the Bible is great, but just knowing Bible stories, facts, and verses is not enough. You need to understand that you’re a sinner who is unable to earn your own salvation and that Jesus died to pay the price for you to have eternal life. Trust Him as your Savior. Learn more at keysforkids.org/GoodNews.

Key Verse

Philippians 3:10 "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead."

Key Thought

You can know Jesus personally.

No Room

"Rayna, how would you like to have a roommate for a few days?” Mom asked when she picked Rayna up from school. "Pastor Rollins is looking for places for the Peterson children to stay while their mother is in the hospital. I thought maybe we could take Morgan.”

Rayna groaned. “Mom, no! She’d want to tag along everywhere I go.”

That evening, Rayna’s family read part of the Christmas story during family devotions. “Imagine Joseph’s disappointment when he asked for a room and the innkeeper turned him away,” Dad said as he closed the Bible. Then he prayed that they would be careful not to do the same thing.

Rayna thought about that when she went to bed. In her mind, she could almost hear the innkeeper saying, “Sorry. We have no room!” As Rayna tried to go to sleep, she couldn’t get the phrase out of her head. “No room! No room!”

No room for the Son of God! she thought. That’s terrible! Then the words of a Bible verse echoed through her mind: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” She tried to forget those words but couldn’t. Maybe letting Morgan share my room is like offering Jesus a room too.

When Rayna sat down for breakfast the next morning, she smiled at her mother. “Did you tell Pastor Rollins to send Morgan to us?” she asked.

Mom shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Well, let’s tell him,” said Rayna. “I know she’s a lot younger than me, but she needs a place to stay, and maybe I can help her forget her troubles for a while.”

Mom smiled. “I’m glad you decided that, but why the change?”

“I thought about the innkeeper last night,” said Rayna. “I don’t want to make the same mistake he did.”

“The innkeeper?” asked Mom. “Oh. The one who didn’t have room for Jesus?”

Rayna nodded. “I realized that Jesus wants me to make room for her this Christmas. Since I’ve welcomed Him into my life by trusting in Him, He wants me to welcome others too. And I don’t want to turn either one of them away.”

So how about you?

Have you made room in your heart for Jesus? Have you invited Him into your life? If you trust in Him, He’s shaping your heart so you can show His love and hospitality to others. Perhaps there’s someone He wants you to make room for in our life, like an older person who is lonely or a classmate who needs a friend. By showing them hospitality, you’re showing them the love of Jesus.

Key Verse

Matthew 25:40 "The King [Jesus] will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me."

Key Thought

Be hospitable.

White Christmas

"It’s still snowing, Grandpa,” said Evan. “We’ll have a white Christmas for sure!” Evan had not seen much snow when he lived in the valley, but now he was staying with his grandpa in the mountains.

Grandpa nodded. “It makes the whole world look so clean, doesn’t it?” he said. “It reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses. Isaiah 1:18 says our sins can be made as white as snow. That happens when we trust Jesus as our Savior from sin.”

Evan nodded, even though he wasn’t really sure what that meant. “I like the snow,” he said. “Can I go sledding for a while?”

“Sure,” said Grandpa, so Evan bundled up and went out.

That evening, Evan enjoyed a mug of hot chocolate while Grandpa read the Christmas story from the Bible.

When Grandpa finished, Evan turned to him. “Grandpa, I was thinking about that verse you like—the one about snow. Didn’t you say my dad trusts Jesus as his Savior?” Grandpa nodded.

“So does that mean his sins are as white as snow now?” Evan asked.

“It sure does,” Grandpa assured him.

“Then why is Dad still in jail?” asked Evan.

“Well, Evan, for many years, your father didn’t want to have anything to do with Jesus,” Grandpa explained. “Just like all of us, he sinned, and he started doing some very bad things and couldn’t stop on his own. He broke the law, so now he has to face the consequences for what he did—even though He decided to trust in Jesus while he was in jail and asked Him to forgive him for all the bad things he did. Jesus washed all his sin away and made his heart clean, and your dad is a new person and will spend eternity with God. Even though there are still consequences for the wrong things he did here on earth, God won’t hold those things against him. In God’s eyes, he’s as white as snow.”

Evan thought about that. “I want to be as white as snow in God’s eyes too,” he said.

“You can be,” said Grandpa. “Trust Jesus to forgive your sins and make you clean. Then you can have a white Christmas—inside and out.”

So how about you?

Did you know that you can have a white Christmas anywhere in the world? Even if you don’t get snow where you live, you can have a white Christmas on the inside by asking Jesus to wash away all the wrong you’ve ever done. He died to take the punishment for your sin, and when you trust in Him, He will make your heart as white as snow. Trust Him today! Learn more at keysforkids.org/GoodNews.

Key Verse

Isaiah 1:18 "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

Key Thought

Trust Jesus as your Savior.

Crybaby Christmas

"This is the worst Christmas ever!” Stella told her brother. “Not only did we have to move because of Dad’s job, we have to live in this tiny apartment because we can’t find a house.” She groaned as she tripped over a box on her way to the couch. “There’s no room in here!”

Logan shrugged. “At least we have beds. When Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem, all they could find was a stable. They probably just had straw.”

Stella sighed. “Yeah, well, at least they had the gifts the wise men brought them. We don’t have any presents to open tomorrow because we’ve been so busy moving that we haven’t had any time to go Christmas shopping!”

“Actually, the wise men didn’t bring gifts to Jesus right when he was born,” Logan said. “They didn’t come until later.”

Stella crossed her arms. “Well, at least they had the angels singing. I can’t stream any music because the internet here is too slow!”

“It was actually the shepherds who heard the angels singing—not Mary and Joseph.” Logan looked at his sister. “It sounds like you’re having a crybaby Christmas.”

Stella raised her eyebrows. “A crybaby Christmas?”

“Yeah,” said Logan. “You’re complaining about everything! If you stopped complaining and started singing, at least you’d have some music to listen to and one less thing to complain about!”

Stella threw a pillow at her brother’s head, but Mom came down the hallway just in time and caught it in midair. “Okay, you two. What’s going on?”

“Logan says I’m complaining about everything!” said Stella.

“Well?” said Mom. “Are you?”

Stella sighed. “Well, maybe. But everything’s a mess, and just because he’s not bothered by any of it doesn’t mean he can make fun of me!”

Mom nodded. “I know Christmas is a lot different for us this year, but we can still be joyful. When we remember that Jesus came to earth to save us and that He’s always with us, we can be joyful even when things are hard. He cares about our problems—and He wants us to care for each other.”

Stella and Logan looked at each other and smiled. Then Logan started singing “Joy to the World,” and Stella and Mom joined in.

So how about you?

Have you been rejoicing in the birth of Jesus this Christmas season? Or have you been too weighed down by problems to feel joyful? Problems can be hard to deal with, especially at Christmas, but remember that Christmas is all about Jesus fixing our biggest problem of all—sin. Remember that He came to earth to save you and is always with you, no matter what problems you face. Then celebrate Christmas with joy!

Key Verse

Luke 2:10 "The angel said... 'I bring you good tidings of great joy.'"

Key Thought

Be joyful!

Hugo's Rescue

Rose sat forward in her seat, her eyes riveted to the screen. “Oh, no!” she exclaimed as Hugo, the main character in the movie they were watching, fell into the ocean while trying to get the sail of his ship down. “What will happen to Hugo now? He was sailing alone!”

Her brother Barrett grinned. “He’ll get rescued,” he said. “Just wait.”

The music played. Excitement mounted. Rose nibbled on a handful of popcorn as she watched the man on the screen struggle for his life. He kicked and splashed to stay afloat as angry waves rolled about and threatened to drown him. Suddenly, a shark’s fin sliced through the water behind the man. “Look out, Hugo!” Barrett exclaimed.

“Now who’s worried?” said Rose. But her heart pounded as the shark got closer and closer to Hugo. He fought the sea, unaware of the danger behind him. Just when it seemed the shark would surely gobble him up, a boat roared into view.

“Someone jumped in and got a hold of him!” Barrett yelled. “They’re reeling him in!”

“Wow!” Rose said when the movie ended. “Good thing that boat came when it did!”

Barrett nodded. “That was a good movie.”

“Yeah.” Rose got up and adjusted an ornament on the Christmas tree. “It was good, but I like watching Christmas movies this time of year, and that wasn’t very Christmassy.”

“Well, it may not have had any Christmas trees or caroling in it,” said Dad, who had watched the movie with them, “but Hugo’s story actually reminds me a lot of what happened at Christmas.”

“Really?” asked Rose. “How’s that?”

“Christmas is the day we celebrate God rescuing us,” Dad said.

“You mean because it’s when we celebrate Jesus’ birth?” Barrett asked. “He came to earth to rescue us.”

Dad nodded. “God knew we had no hope of being saved from the sea of sin we were drowning in without Him, so He sent His only Son to jump in and rescue us. When we trust in Him, He reels us in and gives us eternal life.”

“I’m glad Jesus came to our rescue,” Rose said. She looked at her dad and grinned. “I guess that really was a Christmas movie after all!”

So how about you?

Have you been rescued by Jesus? Or are you still drowning in sin? At Christmas, we celebrate that Jesus, God’s Son, was born in Bethlehem. He grew up and lived a perfect life. He died on the cross to take the punishment for your sin, and He rose from the grave to give you eternal life. Trust Him as your Savior today! (See “Have You Heard the Good News?” at keysforkids.org/GoodNews.)

Key Verse

1 John 5:12 "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Song of God does not have life."

Key Thought

Jesus rescues us from sin.

A Fake Christmas

"It’s so pretty!” said five-year-old Jessie as she stood at the rope barricade and stared in wonder at the shiny balls, glittering stars, and sparkling snow on a Christmas tree at the mall. “Is the snow on the Christmas tree real?”

“No,” said Jessie’s older sister, Dakota. “It comes in a spray can, and you just spray it on.”

“It looks so real,” said Jessie, disappointed. “Who are all the presents under the tree for?”

“They’re not real presents,” said Dakota. “They’re empty boxes wrapped to look like presents—just part of the decorations. They’re supposed to get people in the mood to buy Christmas presents.”

Jessie could hardly believe that the beautifully wrapped boxes were empty. She wanted to reach over the barricade, pick one up, and shake it.

Back home, Jessie told her mother about the tree. “The snow looked so real,” she said. “And the presents did too, but Dakota says they’re just empty boxes. Are they really?”

“I’m afraid so,” said Mom. “Even though they’re covered in shiny paper and colorful bows, there’s nothing inside.”

“That’s sad,” said Jessie. “It’s not real at all—it’s a fake Christmas!”

“In a way, it is,” said Mom. “And we wouldn’t want to celebrate a fake Christmas, would we? Not at the mall, and not at our house.”

“At our house?” Jessie giggled. “We don’t wrap empty boxes and put them under the tree!”

“No,” said Mom, “but if we’re not careful, the things we do to celebrate Christmas—all the parties and gifts and decorations—can distract us from the real reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus coming to earth to die for our sins. He’s the true gift of Christmas, and without Him, Christmas is empty—just like one of those empty boxes wrapped in pretty paper.”

“So is it bad to do those things, like give each other presents or decorate the house?” Jessie asked.

“Of course not!” said Mom. “But those things are like the pretty paper we use to wrap the gifts we give each other—it’s not the gift itself. And all the fun things we do at Christmas point us to the real reason we celebrate—that God sent His Son to the world to save us and give us eternal life.”

So how about you?

Do you celebrate the real reason for Christmas? Or do you just focus on buying gifts or getting presents? At Christmas, we celebrate God giving us the best present ever—Himself. He sent Jesus to save us from sin so we could have eternal life with Him. If you haven’t received that gift, do it today by trusting in Jesus. (Learn more about salvation at keysforkids.org/GoodNews.)

Key Verse

Romans 6:23 "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Key Thought

Celebrate the true gift of Christmas.

Forget Your Shoes!

Lexie dangled her feet off the bunk bed as her sister got ready for their Christmas program rehearsal. “I’m going to mark my script so I don’t miss any of my lines,” Lexie said. She stuck her pen in her princess purse.

“Girls! We need to be at church soon!” Mama stuck her head in the door. “What! You’re not even dressed? We should have left already!”

Anna poked her head out of the closet. “But I can’t find my shoes.”

“Forget your shoes! Just come on!”

Mama rushed away to check on the twins. By the time everyone was loaded in the van, Mama was downright angry.

“This happens every time we need to go somewhere!” Mama said. “I’m so sick of being late!” As Mama was about to shut the van door, she looked at Anna’s feet and gasped. “Anna, where are your shoes?”

Anna looked like she was about to cry. “You said to forget them.”

Mama let out an exasperated groan. “Get your shoes now! And if you’re not back in one minute, I’m leaving!”

Five minutes later, Anna climbed into the van, shoes in hand. Mama fussed as they pulled onto the street.

“Anna, how could you possibly think I meant for you to go out without shoes on a day this cold? And Lexie, that is the last time I want to see you lollygagging when you should be getting ready!”

Just then the radio began to play a song that the twins had been singing all week. Their three-year-old voices quickly chimed in with the music. “For unto us a child is bo-own...unto us a Son is gibben...”

Mama stopped yelling. Then she let out a big sigh. “I’m sorry, girls,” she said. “I’ve been so concerned with blaming you for making us late that I forgot why we’re going to rehearse for the Christmas program in the first place—to tell others about Jesus. The truth is, I wasn’t ready on time either, but I didn’t want to admit that, so I made you feel bad about it instead. Will you forgive me?”

Anna and Lexie looked at each other. “Forgive you?” Lexie asked.

Mama nodded. “Sometimes parents make mistakes too. Jesus is still working to make me more like Him, just like He is with you.”

Anna smiled. “Yes, Mama,” she said. “We forgive you!”

So how about you?

Have you ever heard your parents say things they later regret? Just like you, parents make mistakes. The good news is that Jesus is still working on all of us, so remember that when your parents fall short. Remember that Jesus has forgiven you, and He wants you to show His love to others by forgiving them—including parents!

Key Verse

Ephesians 4:32 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

Key Thought

Forgive your parents.

Candy Cane

"Can we have a candy cane?” asked Josh as he looked at the striped candy canes hanging on the Christmas tree.

“Yeah, can we? Please?” echoed his sisters, Adriane and Nicole.

Mom smiled. “All right,” she said, “but as you eat them, I want you to think of how they remind you of the reason we celebrate Christmas.”

Each of the kids quickly selected a red and white striped candy cane from the tree. Nicole held her candy at arm’s length and stared at it. “I don’t really see what candy canes have to do with Christmas,” she said, “except that it’s the time of year when you always see lots of them. Or maybe it’s because there’s red on them—Christmas colors are red and green.”

“Nah. That’s not a good enough reason,” said Josh. He stared at his candy cane, too. “Hey!” he exclaimed. “Part of our Sunday school verse last week said, ‘By His stripes we are healed,’ so the stripes can remind us of how they whipped Jesus.”

“That’s part of the Easter story,” said Adriane. “It doesn’t have anything to do with Christmas.”

“Oh, but it does,” said Mom. “It has to do with why Jesus came to earth. He came to suffer and die and take the punishment for our sins so those who trust in Him could be saved.”

“So maybe the red stripe on the candy cane can stand for the blood Jesus shed for us when He died on the cross,” said Nicole.

“And the white can stand for having our sins washed away when we trust in Jesus,” suggested Adriane.

Josh nodded. “And look,” he said, holding his candy cane upside down. “When you hold it this way, it’s a ‘J’—a ‘J’ for Josh.” He grinned as his sisters started to protest. “Just kidding,” he said. “It’s a ‘J’ for Jesus.”

“Excellent thinking,” said Mom. “Those are all great ways candy canes remind us of the real reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus being born into the world so He could die for us on the cross. I hope these candy canes will help you remember that—not only at Christmas, but all year long.”

So how about you?

Do you get excited about Christmas and all the food, parties, and presents that go along with it? Those are all good things, but don’t forget the real reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus being born so He could die to save you from your sin. This Christmas, accept the best gift of all—the gift of salvation. (Learn more about how you can be saved at keysforkids.org/GoodNews.)

Key Verse

1 Timothy 1:15 "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

Key Thought

Jesus was born to save you.

Rock-Solid Protection

Brennan listened as the woman on TV reported that temperatures had dropped to a record-breaking low with a strong wind. “Can we still go for our breakfast tomorrow morning?” he asked anxiously. To him, the best part of the season was having breakfast with his dad the day before Christmas. Each year, they’d get up at dawn, load backpacks with supplies, and walk through the snow to a favorite spot on a nearby lake, where they would start a fire and cook their food. Now he wondered if they would have to change their plans because of the weather.

“It will be an adventure—a really cold one,” said Dad. “But let’s do it.”

Early the next morning, they dressed in several layers of warm clothes and headed for the lake. Wind whipped the snow all around, stinging Brennan’s cheeks. When they finally made it to the rocky lakeshore, Brennan was so cold! “Maybe we shouldn’t have come,” he yelled to his father over the sound of the wind.

“We’ll be okay,” Dad assured him. “Head for those huge boulders over there.”

Behind a towering rock, Brennan instantly felt warmer. Within minutes, they had a fire going, and they began to warm up even more. “I can hardly feel the wind here,” said Brennan.

“I know,” said Dad as he turned bacon in the frying pan. “We can hear it blowing all around us, but the rocks protect us from most of its effects.” He cracked some eggs into the pan. “This huge rock is a good picture of what the Bible means when it says God is our Rock. He gives shelter and protection, and we can trust Him even though there’s chaos all around.”

“My teacher at church said something like that,” said Brennan, “but I didn’t really know what it meant until now.”

Dad put the bacon and eggs on their plates, and Brennan poured hot chocolate out of the thermos. “I’m glad we came,” said Brennan, “but I’d hate to be out here very long without this rock to shelter us.”

“Me, too,” said Dad. “It reminds me that life can also bring many storms—and I’d hate to be in this world without God, our Rock, to shelter me.”

So how about you?

Have you ever stood behind a big rock to get out of the wind? Rocks can protect you in many ways, and the Bible says God is a Rock for Christians. He gives shelter and protection from the bad things of this world. Remember that He is there for you during storms in your life—the difficult experiences you sometimes have to face. Go to Him and trust Him to see you through.

Key Verse

Psalm 62:6 "He (God) only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved."

Key Thought

God shelters His own.

A Wonderful Gift

"Oh, Mom! Dad just drove in,” said Katie. “He probably brought a Christmas tree! I’ll get my coat on and help him bring it in.” But as she opened the door, Dad came in, and he didn’t have a tree.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” said Dad, giving Katie a hug. “I tried to find… ” But Katie shrugged away and hurried to her room. She didn’t feel like celebrating Christmas. Dad knows how much I want a tree, she thought, and he let me down.

The sound of voices interrupted her thoughts, and she went to her door and listened. “I feel so terrible that we can’t afford a Christmas tree this year,” said Dad. He sounded very sad. “I know Katie was looking forward to one. Since it’s so close to Christmas, I thought they’d be marked down, but the prices were still pretty high. And with all the extra expenses we’ve had, I just didn’t think it was a good idea.” Katie felt ashamed of her attitude, but then a plan began to form in her mind.

A little later, Katie went out to join her parents. “Mom, can we bring out that little artificial tree we used in Grandma’s hospital room a year ago?” she asked.

“Sure,” said Mom, and she got the tree.

Katie pretended to be thrilled with it. “Help me decorate it,” she begged her parents. As they worked, she continued her cheerful act. “I remember when you and I went shopping and bought this ornament, Dad,” she said as she hung a bird in a cage on the tree. “We had so much fun.”

The angel they had used in years past seemed too big for the tiny tree, but they put it on top anyway. “Mom and I bought this angel for your first Christmas,” Dad reminded Katie—just like he did every year.

By the time they finished, Dad’s spirits had lifted, and Katie was surprised to find that she no longer had to pretend to be happy. Her joy was real, and she looked forward to Christmas morning. She didn’t expect to get many presents, but it didn’t matter anymore. She had already received a wonderful gift—the joy of making another person happy.

So how about you?

Is there something you can do to make someone's Christmas happier? Maybe you won’t be getting all the presents you hoped for, but bringing joy to someone else beats anything you’ll find under the tree. God brought joy into the world when He gave us the greatest gift of all—His Son, Jesus. Remember that wonderful gift this Christmas as you look for ways to bring joy to others.

Key Verse

Acts 20:35 "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Key Thought

Giving brings joy.

Peace and Good Will

Annistyn stomped into the kitchen when she got home from school and collapsed into a chair so hard it made a scraping noise against the floor.

“Annistyn!” said Mom. “Be careful! You’re going to leave marks!” She sighed as Annistyn’s little sister started crying in the other room. “This house is like a war zone,” she muttered. “Oh, for some peace and quiet!”

Annistyn was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she hadn’t heard a word her mother had said. “Who do you think got the part of Mary in the Christmas play?” she asked sarcastically. “Holly, of course! She didn’t even want it, but she’s Mary, and I’m the narrator—again!”

Dad looked up. “Isn’t Holly your best friend?” he asked.

Annistyn made a face. “Was my best friend,” she corrected.

As four-year-old Emmy helped Mom decorate cookies a little later, she practiced her part for the Christmas program. “Glory to God in… in the high… highest, and on earth peace, good… good will toward men,” she recited. Then she asked, “Mommy, did Mary get baby clothes for Jesus at the Goodwill store?”

Mom smiled. “No, honey,” she said. “They didn’t have Goodwill stores then.”

“Mom,” said Annistyn, coming back into the kitchen, “when are Aunt Lynn and Uncle Ben coming?”

Mom frowned. “They’re not,” she replied shortly.

“Not coming!” cried Annistyn. “Why not? It won’t feel like Christmas without them!” Mom didn’t reply, and Annistyn looked at her suspiciously. “We haven’t seen them since Grandma’s funeral,” said Annistyn with a frown. “Are you still mad about that picture album?”

“I’d rather not discuss it,” Mom said icily.

“You’re mad at Aunt Lynn,” said little Emmy, “and Annistyn’s mad at Holly. I don’t know who I’m mad at.” She went back to practicing her lines. “On earth peace, good will toward men.”

Mom sighed. “On earth peace, good will toward men,” she repeated softly. “I could use some peace and good will right now.” She went to the telephone. “I’m going to call Aunt Lynn. It’s not too late to invite them to come for Christmas.”

Annistyn smiled. “Really?”

“Really,” said Mom. “And maybe you should do the same with Holly?”

“I… I… well, okay,” said Annistyn. “Maybe she can come over and help decorate these cookies.”

So how about you?

Do you have bad feelings in your heart toward anyone? Is there someone you need to make up with? Jesus came to bring peace and good will on earth. He wants you to have peace in your heart and live in peace with others. If there are hard feelings between you and someone else, do what you can to mend the problem.

Key Verse

1 Thessalonions 5:13 "Be at peace among yourselves."

Key Thought

Live in peace with others.

Special Light

"Wow! Look at that!” exclaimed Arabella. She and her father were taking their annual Christmas lights tour around the city. Dad pulled to the side of the street so they could get a good look at the house that had won the award for having the best display of lights. They admired it for a few minutes. As they continued on their way, they agreed that no other place could compare to the house that had won the award.

The next day was the first day of Christmas vacation for Arabella. “I’m glad we won’t have school for a little while,” she said at breakfast. “I can’t do anything right there. I don’t read well, I can’t spell, and I’m crummy in math.” She let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “I’m a failure.”

“Arabella,” said Dad, “I know school is hard for you, but… ” He paused. “Go get your coat,” he said as she finished her breakfast. “I want you to see something.”

Arabella eagerly jumped up and went out to the car with her father. “Where are we going?” she asked as they drove through the city.
“You’ll see,” said Dad. Soon he pulled to the side of the street. “Do you recognize this place?”

Arabella nodded. “That’s the house we saw last night—the one that had all the beautiful lights!” she said in surprise. “It looks different now. It doesn’t look very special at all.”

Dad nodded. “You’re right—it’s when we see the lights shining in the night that it looks beautiful,” he said. “I thought about that when you said you couldn’t do anything well. You see, we may not feel like we’re all that special, especially when we aren’t able to do things as well as we’d like. We might think we’re as ordinary as that house looks right now. But because we’re Christians, we have something special—we have the light of life. People need to see that light—the light of Jesus in us.” Dad smiled. “Arabella,” he said, “I want you to know that the Lord surely does shine through you—and that’s much more important than getting good grades in school. You’re a special light for Jesus shining brightly in the night.”

So how about you?

Do you ever feel like a failure? Does it ever seem like you can’t do anything well or that you don’t have any special talents or abilities? If you’re a Christian, God has given you everything you need to be a light and a witness in the world. That makes you a very special person—to God and to everyone you meet!

Key Verse

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world."

Key Thought

Be a light for Jesus.

Just Like Sammy!

"Sammy is so sweet!” whispered Hayden, gazing at her brand-new brother. As she watched the baby, Sammy stirred and opened his eyes. He waved chubby little

arms in the air. “He’s so tiny!” Hayden said in awe. Then she frowned as the baby began to cry.

Mom came and leaned over the side of the crib. “Maybe it’s time for a change of position.” She turned Sammy on his side and gently patted his back. He soon stopped crying.

“I can’t wait till he’s big enough to play with me,” said Hayden. “But I guess that won’t be for a long time, huh?” She looked at Sammy thoughtfully. “Babies are pretty helpless, aren’t they, Mom? All they do is sleep and eat.”

Mom nodded. “Yes, but before you know it, he’ll be much bigger and will learn how to do all kinds of things.”

A little later, the baby began to cry again. “I think your brother is hungry,” said Mom. “It’s time for Sammy to eat.” She went to pick him up.

“Mom,” Hayden said after the baby was fed and once again fast asleep, “since it’s Christmastime, we’ve been learning about the things that happened when Jesus was born. He was helpless, just like baby Sammy, wasn’t He?”

“Yes, He was,” Mom replied. “You know, Jesus could have come to earth as a fully grown man or even as a mighty king if He wanted. But He didn’t—He chose to be born as a helpless baby, dependent on His family to take care of Him.”

“I wonder why?” said Hayden.

“Well, the Bible says Jesus humbled Himself—He didn’t come as a rich, important ruler, but in the form of a servant. The Bible also says Jesus is able to sympathize with us because He knows what it’s like to be human—He’s experienced things we do like feeling hungry or tired or sad. He even knows what it’s like to be tempted, even though He never sinned. I think we’re able to understand and trust Him more, knowing that He came to earth as a tiny baby, just like we did.” Mom smiled. “He did that for us because He loves us so much. Isn’t that great?”

So how about you?

Do you realize how much Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a helpless baby? Christmas is a good time to thank Him for loving you so much that He was willing to do that for you. Thank Him for growing up as a human, facing the same temptations you face, and understanding all your needs and problems and questions. Thank Him for all He has done for you.

Key Verse

Luke 2:11 "There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord."

Key Thought

Thank Jesus for coming as a baby.

The True Meaning of Christmas

Evelyn glared out the car window as Dad pulled into the parking lot. It was Christmas Eve, and working at a soup kitchen was not how she wanted to

spend the afternoon. She and Mom always baked Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve, and Dad let her help build a fire in the fireplace, and then they’d all watch a Christmas movie together. But her parents decided they needed to start a new tradition this year—serving others in need. Evelyn sighed in frustration. She still had presents to wrap!

Evelyn got her serving assignment at the door and dragged her feet as she made her way over to a man stirring a big bowl of mashed potatoes. He smiled when he saw her. “Hi, I’m Doug,” he said, and he showed her how to dish out the gravy. Soon the main entrance was opened and people started streaming in. Doug smiled and talked with everyone as he served them potatoes, wishing them a merry Christmas. Evelyn just scooped the gravy, wishing there would be fresh-baked cookies waiting for her when she got home.

She was glad when it was finally time to leave. “Evelyn, I can’t believe you got to serve food next to Douglas Remington!” Mom said as they got in the car.

Evelyn looked at her mom in disbelief. “That was Douglas Remington? The guy who started that huge tech company?”

Mom nodded. “He’s a Christian, and he helps out at the soup kitchen a lot.”

“A good example of the meaning of Christmas, don’t you think?” said Dad. “Even though Douglas Remington could spend the holidays throwing lavish parties for his family and friends, he serves the hungry at a soup kitchen. Who else left their place of honor to help those in need?”

“Um…Jesus?” answered Evelyn.

“Right!” said Dad. “Jesus left the glory of heaven to become human and die for our sins so we could have eternal life with Him. That’s the true meaning of Christmas.”

When they got home, there were no cookies in the oven, no fire in the fireplace. But Evelyn thought it was the best Christmas Eve she’d ever had.

So how about you?

Do you ever think about what Jesus gave up when He came to earth as a baby? Heaven was full of His glory and splendor, but He left all that to suffer and die so you could be saved and live with Him forever. Don’t pass up His offer of eternal life—He gave up everything to give it to you! Trust Him to save you. Learn more about trusting Jesus at keysforkids.org/goodnews.

Key Verse

John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him Who sent me."

Key Thought

Jesus left heaven to save you.

One Small Word

Daniel listened politely as his elderly neighbor chatted with him and his mom in the front yard. “You and my grandson Benjamin would get along so well together,” Mrs. Crane was

saying. “He really enjoys skateboarding. And did I tell you that he plays basketball?”

Daniel nodded. “And that he’s in my grade in school, and that he has a baseball card collection.”

Mrs. Crane smiled and nodded. “I really hope the two of you get a chance to meet sometime.”

After Mrs. Crane left, Daniel turned to his mom. “Mrs. Crane is always telling me about her grandson. I must know just about everything there is to know about him. He sounds like a nice guy, but I’m getting pretty tired of hearing about him. I wish she’d either introduce us or forget the whole thing.”

The next Saturday, it happened. The doorbell rang, and there was Mrs. Crane and a boy about Daniel’s age. “Hi, Daniel,” said Mrs. Crane. “This is Benjamin, my grandson.” She smiled at Benjamin. “And this is Daniel.”

Benjamin was visiting his grandmother for a week, so the boys played together often and had a great time.

“I’m glad Mrs. Crane finally introduced Benjamin and me,” Daniel told his parents one day. “I knew all about him for a long time, but now I actually know him.”

Mom nodded. “You can ‘know about,’ or you can ‘know.’ The elimination of one small word makes a lot of difference, doesn’t it?”

“It’s like that when it comes to Jesus too,” Dad said. “Some people know about Him, but they don’t know Him personally.”

“I often think of that at this time of year,” said Mom. “Many people have heard the Christmas story over and over. But knowing about Jesus isn’t enough. It’s as useless as knowing about Benjamin without being able to meet him.”

“Yeah,” said Daniel. “I was really tired of hearing Mrs. Crane talk about him! Knowing somebody personally is so much better than just hearing about them. I’m glad I know Benjamin now, and I’m especially glad I know Jesus.”

So how about you?

Do you get bored hearing the same stories about Jesus coming to earth as a baby and dying on the cross for sinners again and again? Maybe that’s because you only know about Jesus, but you don’t know Him personally. He loves you and wants you to know Him as your Savior and friend. Trust Him as your Savior and start getting to know Him today. Learn more about knowing Jesus at keysforkids.org/goodnews.

Key Verse

1 John 5:13 "You may know that you have eternal life."

Key Thought

You can know Jesus personally.

Credit Due

"Guess what, Mom?” Taylor yelled breathlessly, running up the driveway to where her mom was painting the window trim of their new house. “I got the lead part in the school play!”

“Oh, Taylor! That’s terrific!” Mom put her paintbrush down and hugged her daughter.

“Yeah,” said Taylor. “It’s about time my teachers notice how good at acting I am. Oh! We also got the results of our band tryouts today. I’m first chair flute! I did it!”

Taylor danced around. “And I got an A on a tough math test too. This is the best day of my life!”

“Wow, honey! That’s great. But…” Mom motioned for Taylor to sit down beside her on the porch swing.

“What is it?” asked Taylor.

“You do so well in math, and you’re also very talented in music and drama,” said Mom. “But how much credit can you actually take?”

Taylor was puzzled. “How much credit can I…” Suddenly her face broke into a smile. “Oh, sorry, Mom! You helped me with the audition lines for the play, and Dad quizzed me in math. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Okay! Enough!” Mom laughed. “That’s not what I meant. Think about it this way—we’re enjoying our brand-new house, right? Well, if it could talk, should it be bragging about how well-built and beautiful it is?”

“Of course not!” Taylor giggled. “Dad should get the credit! He built it—well, him and the workers from his construction company.”

“So you think it would be ridiculous for the house to praise itself for its

top-notch design and structure instead of giving credit to the builder?” Taylor nodded. “Well,” Mom continued, “the Bible says we are God’s workmanship. He’s the one who created us and gave us the talents we have—yet nothing we can do could ever compare to the great things He has done, like saving us from sin and changing people’s hearts. Sounds to me like He deserves the credit and praise, not us. What do you think?”

Taylor sighed. “You’re right, Mom. I need to give God the credit for the things I can do.”

So how about you?

Do you give God credit for the things you can do? After all, He made you and gave you your talents and abilities. The Bible tells us not to boast (or brag) about anything except for the Lord, because He’s the one who created us and sent His Son, Jesus, to save us by dying on the cross for our sins. Everything good comes from Him. Thank Him for all He’s given you, and the next time you feel like bragging, brag about Him!

Key Verse

Psalm 44:8 "In God we boast all the day long."

Key Thought

Boast in the Lord.

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