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

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Do You Belong? Jun 27, 2025

Show notes

Max opened his car window and smelled pine trees. Mom and Dad sang their old camp song about a cowboy and his one-eyed horse. Max usually sang along. But today the lyrics caught in his throat.

Mom and Dad’s stories of camp made Max feel like he knew the place even though he’d never been there. He couldn’t wait to come to Bible camp. But now as camp came into view, he wasn’t so sure.

“It’s too bad the other boys from church couldn’t come with you,” Mom said.

Dad parked the car and patted Max on the shoulder. “You’re going to love it here!” Max felt funny inside as he watched Mom and Dad drive away.

Max met his counselor, who showed him around his cabin. “Okay, Mike, here’s your bunk.”

He doesn’t even know my name, Max thought. Nobody here does. I don’t belong here.

The counselor shouted, “Campers! Time to meet out by the lake. Bring your Bibles. Move out!”

In the noisy crowd, everyone seemed to be with friends. No one spoke to Max.

At the beach, the camp director blew a whistle and shouted, “Bibles up! First one who turns to Isaiah 43:1, whistle the cowboy song!” A moment later Max and most of the other boys started whistling. The director pointed to Max. “Read the last part of verse one.”

Max read, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.”

The director nodded at Max and said, “Even though I don’t know this camper’s name, God does. And God knows each of your names. He knows all about you because He made you. He sent His Son, Jesus, to save you. This is the theme verse for camp this week, so we’re going to memorize it and talk about it every day. It shows that God loves you and wants you to belong to Him.”

Max prayed silently, “God, I know I belong to You—thank you for saving me and always being with me. Please help me feel like I belong here too.”

On the way back to the cabin, a boy walked up to Max. “You must be new here,” he said. “I’m Oliver.”

Max smiled and said, “My name is Max.”

–Laura Roesler

How about you? Do you ever feel like an outsider and that people around you don’t really know you? No one knows you better than God. He made you and wants to have a relationship with you because He loves you. Whenever you feel like you don’t belong, remember that God wants you to belong to Him. (To learn more, go to https://keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Trust Him to be with you when you feel alone and afraid.

Today's Key Verse: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. (CSB) Isaiah 43:1

Today's Key Thought: God knows you and wants you

Incredible Saguaros (Part 2) Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

Read: Romans 12:9-13

"Look!” said Rylee, stepping back from the huge saguaro cactus. “There’s something in that hole!”

Dad and Easton came over to see. Sure enough, a pair of blinking yellow eyes peered back at them from a hole in the trunk of the cactus.

“I think it’s a screech owl,” said Easton. “We learned that woodpeckers peck holes into cactuses when they make their nests. Then after they leave, other birds move into the empty holes and live there.”

Dad nodded. “Each time the cactus skin is broken—like when a woodpecker makes a hole—a thick gluey liquid seeps out and forms a waterproof pouch. The liquid hardens, kind of like a scab, to make the pouch permanent. Inside the hole it’s cooler in the day and warmer at night, so it makes an ideal home for desert birds.”

Rylee saw big and little holes in the arms of one of the cactuses—they were everywhere. “This saguaro is like a high-rise apartment building!” she said with a laugh. “What a crowded place to live.”

Easton grinned. “Just like our house.”

Rylee nodded thoughtfully. Grandma had recently moved into their house, and Julia, a single mom who went to their church, was going to be living with them for a while with her two-year-old son, Wilder.

Rylee remembered the discussion they’d had about Julia and Wilder coming. “You’re kidding!” Rylee had said. “Where are they going to sleep?”

“Well, they will need to move into your room, and you’ll have to share a room with Easton.” Dad patted Rylee’s hand when he saw the look on her face. “It’s only for a while until Julia can get back on her feet. We’ll all have to make some sacrifices, but that’s often necessary when we’re called to love others like Jesus, who sacrificed everything for us. Pray about it, will you?”

Rylee had tried, but she hadn’t felt comfortable praying. She knew she was being selfish. But now Rylee looked at the big saguaro that offered a home to any creature who needed it, even if it meant having holes pecked into its walls. I won’t complain, she thought. Even if Wilder pounds holes into our walls too—and knowing him, I’m sure he will!

–Trudy Vander Veen

How about you? Are you willing to give up some of your comforts or conveniences to help others? Try to put yourself in their shoes and consider how you might feel if you needed help and no one was willing to give it. When we needed to be rescued from sin, Jesus sacrificed His life to save us. Trust Him to help you love others the way He does and be willing to make sacrifices for them.

Today's Key Verse: No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. (NIV) 1 Corinthians 10:24

Today's Key Thought: Make sacrifices for others

Incredible Saguaros (Part 1) Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

Read: Psalm 119:9-16

Rylee leaned back to see the top of the huge saguaro cactus next to her. Its spiny arms reached out and up toward the sky. “With so many big arms, this thing should be holding something. Try sitting on one of its arms, Easton,” Rylee said with a grin.

“No way!” said Easton. “I’m not sitting on those prickly things!”

“Those arms,” said Dad, “are holding what is probably the most valuable thing in the entire region.”

“And I know what it is,” Easton said. “Water! Cactus plants can live in the dry, hot desert by storing water inside their trunk and arms.”

“That can’t be right,” said Rylee, looking around at the sand and rocks. They extended as far as she could see. “There’s no water here!”

“Easton is right,” said Dad. “Cactus roots don’t go very deep into the earth. Instead, they go down only about three feet and then spread out about a hundred feet in all directions. The spread-out roots draw in every drop of rain, sending it to a hidden storage area in the arms and trunk of the cactus. That inner water supply is what keeps this cactus alive and growing. These big fellas can soak up as much as two hundred gallons of water—enough to last them a whole year!”

“Yeah, that’s why they’re pleated like an accordion,” Easton said, eager to show his knowledge. “The pleats expand as the spongy material inside absorbs water.”

“That’s incredible!” said Rylee. “Well, Mr. Cactus, I can see you’re a pretty smart guy!”

Dad smiled. “One with a good lesson for us about the importance of storing things.”

“About storing water?” asked Easton. “I don’t really mind carrying a water bottle—and I like the size of my arms the way they are!”

Dad laughed. “I wasn’t thinking of your arms, Easton. Let’s try your heart! I hope both of you will store God’s Word in your heart and mind. Then when things get difficult, you can draw from those words of hope, comfort, and guidance. Knowing God’s Word helps us remember what Jesus has done for us and that He’s always with us. Like water in a dry desert, it will nourish you and help you grow in your relationship with Him.”

–Trudy Vander Veen

How about you? Have you been growing spiritually? Are you storing God’s Word in your heart by reading the Bible and memorizing verses? Storing God’s Word in your heart will help you understand how much Jesus loves you and who you are in Him. Read and study it so He can use it to guide you in your life, comfort you in hard times, and remind you of His promises.

Today's Key Verse: Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. (NKJV) Psalm 119:11

Today's Key Thought: Soak up God’s Word

In Quebec Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

Read: Revelation 7:9-12

“I can’t even understand what they’re saying,” Ezra said as he and his family entered the church building. His family’s car had broken down just over the Canadian border, so they now had to go to church at a place in Quebec, Canada, that his dad had heard about. Everything about the church seemed different to Ezra—the language most of all.

When everyone started singing hymns, Ezra’s dad passed him a book that said Cantiques on the front. “It’s a hymnbook,” Dad said. He flipped to the correct page and pointed to a line of words in the song. Ezra tried to follow along with the French song, but none of the words made any sense to him.

Later, after church was over, Ezra noticed someone waving to him as he and his family left. He waved back, and his dad asked, “Who’s that?”

“Oh, that’s Jacque,” Ezra explained. “I met him in Sunday school. He helped me understand the French on the papers the teacher handed out whenever there wasn’t English underneath it.”

“I see,” his dad said. “I suppose it was a bit confusing for you in the church service and in Sunday school.”

“You can say that again,” Ezra replied.

“Going to church in a different country is an interesting experience, isn’t it?” said Dad. “Though it can be confusing when things are different from what we’re used to or we don’t understand what’s being said, it’s good for us to worship God with Christians from other places in the world. We’re all part of God’s church and are brothers and sisters in Christ, who saved us by dying for our sins. We worship God in the same way, just in different places and languages.” Dad smiled. “In fact, the apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation that there will one day be countless people of every nation, tribe, and language worshiping Jesus in heaven.”

“Including people from Quebec who speak French?” Ezra asked.

“That’s right.” Dad turned to see Jacque and his family leaving. “By the way, au revoir means ‘goodbye’ in French.”

“Au revoir, Jacque!” Ezra called.

“Au revoir, Ezra!” Jacque called back. “I hope to see you again!”

–Ethan Terry

How about you? Have you ever attended a church in a different country or where a different language was spoken? Church is not simply a building—God’s church is made up of everyone who trusts in Jesus, and He saves people from all over the world. Though we worship Jesus in different places and languages, we are all part of God’s family, and one day we will worship Him together in heaven.

Today's Key Verse: I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. (NLT) Revelation 7:9

Today's Key Thought: Christians live around the world

Waterparks and Hope Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

Read: Romans 5:1-5; 8:24-28

“It’s such a nice day,” Adrianna said. “Look at the sunshine, Mom! Nate, don’t you wish we could go to the waterpark today?”

Nate looked at his little sister. “It would be fun, but I’m sure Mom and Dad have other plans for the day.”

“I’m not sure what our plans are,” Mom said, taking a sip from her mug of coffee. “And it does look like a nice day.”

“Can I ask Daddy if we can go to the waterpark?” Adrianna asked, carrying her cereal bowl to the sink.

“You can ask,” Mom said. “I’m not sure what he’s thinking for today though.”

“Yay!” Adrianna skipped out of the kitchen. “The waterpark! The waterpark!” she sang.

Mom smiled at Nate. “She’s sure abounding in hope, huh?”

“What?” Nate’s forehead wrinkled. “What do you mean?”

“In the Bible, the apostle Paul writes to the church in Rome encouraging them to abound in hope,” Mom said. “To abound in hope means to be filled with it.”

“What kind of hope?” Nate asked. “Hope in what?”

“Hope in God,” Mom said. “Paul reminds them that those who trust Jesus as their Savior have peace and joy and can be filled with hope because of His promises. It’s a little like how Adrianna has hope your dad will say yes to a waterpark trip—she knows he loves her and enjoys doing good things for her.”

“And we can have hope God will do good things for us?” Nate asked.

Mom nodded. “That doesn’t mean He’ll give us everything we ask for, but we can abound in hope knowing that He saved us, gave us His Spirit to be with us, and promises to do good things in our lives.”

“Do you think Dad will say yes to the waterpark?” asked Nate.

Before Mom had a chance to respond, Adrianna bounded back into the room. “We’re going to the waterpark!” she shouted.

Mom grinned. “Your sister’s hope did not disappoint,” she told Nate. “Just like God does not disappoint us when we hope in Him.”

“The waterpark—yay!” Nate pumped a fist in the air. “And a God we can hope in.” He glanced at his mom. “I’m happy for that too.”

–Emily Acker

How about you? Have you ever hoped for something? Did it work out the way you wanted, or were you disappointed? The Bible says that if you trust in Jesus, you can abound in hope knowing that He will never let you down. He saved you from sin and gave you eternal life, and He promises to always be with you. Let the joy, peace, and hope of knowing Him fill your life as you trust Him to do good things.

Today's Key Verse: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV) Romans 15:13

Today's Key Thought: Have hope in God

Running Rough Jun 22, 2025

Show notes

Read: Psalms 26:1-3; 139:23-24

“What’s wrong with the car, Daddy?” asked five-year-old Lydia as the family drove to their country home after a church service in the village. “It’s jerking.”

“It’s sure running rough,” said Dad. “It’s been doing that lately, but it’s never been this bad before.”

“Are we going to make it home?” Lydia peered through the window at the trees lining the steep drop at the side of the road.

“Sure, we’ll make it,” said Lydia’s older brother, Barrett. “We always do.”

The car slowly climbed a long, steep hill. Dad pushed the accelerator pedal to the floor, but the car refused to speed up. Dad frowned. “I must say, I’m annoyed with myself for not checking this out sooner,” he said. “I should have taken the car to the mechanic when I first noticed it wasn’t running smoothly.”

“I think it’s getting worse,” said Barrett. He wasn’t so sure they’d make it home after all.

Mom sighed. “Well, at least we’re close enough to home that we can walk the rest of the way if we have to, but we’d have a long uphill hike.”

“I guess the car needs regular checkups just like we do,” said Barrett. “Like Pastor Kim said in his sermon this morning—have a checkup every day, and if you see a trouble spot, take care of the problem before it gets worse.”

“Our car needs a checkup every day?” Lydia asked, puzzled.

Barrett laughed. “No, we do! As we pray, read the Bible, and go to church, we need to be on the lookout for any trouble spots of sin that God may be pointing out to us. If we see any, we need to confess them to Him right away. Jesus will forgive us and help us fix them so we can run smoothly again.”

To the relief of the whole family, the car kept going and they finally reached their driveway. “Well,” said Dad, “I hope you’ll remember this lesson about doing regular checkups in your life, because I don’t intend to let this car teach us that lesson again. Tomorrow it goes to the mechanic to be fixed!”

–Emilia D. Nichols

How about you? Do you do regular checkups in your life? Do you spend time with the Lord in prayer, in His Word, and at church? When you do that, you may see trouble spots of sin in your life that don’t match up to how He wants you to live. If so, confess them to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. Trust Him to help you turn away from sin. Then keep doing checkups to make sure you’re living in a way that shows others His love.

Today's Key Verse: Search me, O God…see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (NKJV) Psalm 139:23-24

Today's Key Thought: Examine your life daily

Fruits of Labor Jun 21, 2025

Show notes

Read: Matthew 25:14-29

"Yum, your mangoes are the best, Nenek!” Eyes sparkling, Kira chewed the scrumptious mangoes her Indonesian grandmother had just peeled for her.

“You mean Kakek’s mangoes,” Nenek said, chuckling. “Your grandfather was the one who bought and planted the seeds in our backyard. The tree grew and grew, but no mangoes. Kakek persisted and kept fertilizing it though. It was only after his death that fruit buds bloomed. Too bad he never saw the fruits of his labor.”

Kira’s eyes dimmed as she thought of her grandfather, who died two years ago. “I miss Kakek.”

“Do you remember how he often took you to church?” said Nenek. “Even when his health started failing, he loved to take you and talk about what you learned afterward.”

Kira nodded. “I remember he took me to church two weeks before he was hospitalized. I didn’t want to go then—I was tired from a basketball tournament on Saturday night, which we lost. But on Sunday morning, Kakek showed up with a huge smile and convinced me to go.”

“I remember you were really down that night,” Nenek said. “You and your team worked so hard for that tournament.”

"Yeah—I thought of quitting basketball then. But then Kakek took me to church, and the sermon was on the parable of the bags of gold. Two of the servants were faithful with what God gave them and were able to make it grow. After church, Kakek said the parable was about using whatever God has given us—including our talents—to help more people know about Jesus. He told me about the time he lost a tennis match but kept on practicing and eventually won a game. He said his faith in Jesus kept him going and that he was trusting God to help him use his gifts however He wanted him to. It made me realize how much I needed Jesus. I asked Kakek to pray with me, and I became a Christian that day.” Kira’s face brightened. “I’m so glad I had him in my life, Nenek.” She wrapped her arms around her grandmother.

Nenek planted a kiss on Kira’s forehead. “So in the end, Kakek did see the fruits of his labor—not the mangoes, but you putting your faith in Jesus.”

–Ruth Setyadi

How about you? Have you ever worked at something but failed to see results? Perhaps it was a hard subject at school or a sport. Maybe you prayed for a family member or friend to trust in Jesus, but they continue to reject Him. Don’t give up. Be faithful and persistent in the things God has put on your heart to do, and trust Him with the fruits of your labor—whether you see them or not.

Today's Key Verse: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (NIV) Galatians 6:9

Today's Key Thought: Be faithful and persistent

Mom Needs Her Coffee Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

Read: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

"I need you to move a little faster, Lincoln. What’s taking you so long? This morning could not be going any worse, and you’re not helping things at all.”

Lincoln blinked back tears as his mom snapped at him for being too slow heading out to the van. One of his shoes had been hard to get on, so he was dragging his foot a bit, waiting until he was seated to fix it.

“I can’t believe I overslept,” Mom muttered to herself as they got into the van. “Today of all days, when I have a meeting with my boss…”

Lincoln got settled in the van and worked on adjusting his shoe. He had it fixed by the time his mom dropped him off at his grandma’s house.

A few hours later, Mom returned to pick him up. “I’m sorry I was a little grumpy this morning, Lincoln.” She held up a cup of an iced brown liquid. “I needed my morning coffee. I really can’t go without that.”

Lincoln sighed. “You needed it, Mom?”

“Yes. You know me and coffee; I can’t function without it.”

Lincoln followed his mom out to the van. “I thought the only thing we were supposed to need was Jesus.”

“Hmm.” Mom settled into the driver’s seat. “Well, technically, He is all we need,” she said. “But we have some earthly needs too.”

Lincoln frowned. “Like coffee?”

Mom backed out of the driveway and started through town. She was quiet for a few minutes before she glanced back at Lincoln. “Okay, that’s not a good excuse,” she said. “I’m not a baby, crying because I need my milk at the start of the day. More importantly, Jesus gives me the power to love others the way He does. I should be able to be a loving and kind person without coffee. I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you,” Lincoln said. “And I’m sorry you overslept this morning.”

“Everything worked out in the end,” Mom said. “Right now I just need God’s grace, huh? I need Him to forgive me for letting my bad morning and lack of coffee affect my attitude and lead to a case of the grumpies taking over.”

–Emily Acker

How about you? What do you need each day in order to be kind and loving? Do you ever find yourself treating others badly because you’re hungry, haven’t slept well, or just want more time to yourself? Things like eating and sleeping well are important, but your greatest need of all is for Jesus. Trust Him to forgive your wrongs, meet your daily needs, and give you the power to show His love to others—even when you’re tired or hungry.

Today's Key Verse: And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (NIV) Philippians 4:19

Today's Key Thought: Let Jesus be all you need

Right Tool for the Job Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Read: Philippians 3:4-11

"Dad, my glasses broke!” Levi said.

“Let me see,” said Dad. “It looks like a screw needs tightening. I think I can fix them.”

“I wish I could get new glasses like Justin’s,” Levi said. “The ones he got are really cool. He’s always getting new things, and kids crowd around him to see his new stuff. With glasses like that, I’d be important like Justin.”

“Well, let’s see what we can do with these,” said Dad. He set Levi’s glasses on his workbench and reached for his toolbox. “For a job this important, I’ll use my best tools.” Dad lifted out a tray of screwdrivers, all of them in good condition. Dad was a carpenter, and he took good care of his tools. He pushed the tray toward Levi. “Which one should we use?”

Levi looked through the tray of short, long, wide, and narrow screwdrivers. None of them was the right size for the tiny screw. “None of these will work,” he said.

“Are you sure?” asked Dad. “These are my very best tools.”

“But they aren’t the right ones for the job,” said Levi.

“You’re right.” Dad pulled a tiny screwdriver out of a drawer and used it to tighten the small screw. “You know, getting new stuff to make us feel important is like using the wrong tool for the job. New stuff gets old and breaks, or someone else gets something better or more exciting than what we have. We might even find that other people just think our stuff is important and not us.”

"So if getting new stuff is the wrong way to feel important, what’s the right tool we should use?” asked Levi.

“The only way to truly feel loved and important is by receiving Jesus’s gift of eternal life and embracing our identity in Him. He died and rose again to make us God’s children, and that’s a gift that will never break or wear out. Nothing will ever come along that’s better. We’re always loved and important to Him.”

Dad handed Levi the repaired glasses, and Levi put them on. “Thanks, Dad,” he said. “I can see much better now—and I see I’m important to Jesus. No new stuff needed.”

–Heidi J. Schmidt

How about you? Do you wish you had cool stuff so other people would notice you or like you more? Having something that others want may make us feel important for a time, but that feeling only lasts until something new comes along. You don’t need anything new to get God’s attention. Being His child makes you important to Him, and His love and acceptance of you will last forever.

Today's Key Verse: Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (NLT) Philippians 3:8

Today's Key Thought: You are important to Jesus

Security Blanket Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

Read: Deuteronomy 31:7-8; Joshua 1:5

"Mae, I’d like you to put Miles down for his nap today,” said Mom. “I need to make an important phone call.”

“Okay,” said Mae, smiling at her little brother. “Nap time!” she announced to the energetic little boy. Laughing, Miles toddled away, wanting his sister to chase him. Mae caught him quickly. “Sleepy time, buddy,” she said, taking him to his crib. She hoisted him over the side and laid him down. Little Miles scrambled around on the mattress, ignoring soft toys and stuffed animals. He settled down when Mae patted his back for a few moments. “Sweet dreams,” she whispered, backing out of the room.

Just as she was about to shut the door, Miles started crying. “Blankie!” he sobbed. “Blankie!” He pulled himself up and began to shake the railing.

Mae frowned. Where did he leave his blanket? She checked the TV room. She dug through the toy box. She searched the hall closet. She looked under the dining room table and on the chair seats. Finally, she found the blanket in a lower cupboard in the kitchen.

As soon as Mae handed Miles his blanket, he stopped crying. He clutched the blanket in his arms and dropped to the mattress. After a few shaky breaths, he smiled contentedly at Mae. “Sweet dreams,” she said again as she left.

“Miles had to have his ‘blankie’ before he’d go to sleep,” Mae told her mother later. “Good thing I found it or he never would have settled down.”

“That blanket is his security,” said Mom. “I guess we all need security—even grown-ups! We need to feel comfortable and cared for and safe. What’s your security, Mae?”

“My security?” asked Mae in surprise. She shrugged. “You, I guess. I know you’re here to help me if I need you.” She grinned. “You’re my ‘blankie.’ What’s yours?”

“Well, we all find some security in family and friends, but a Christian’s real security is in Jesus and His love and forgiveness. He cares for us, and He’s always available. He saved us and promises to do what’s best for us, even when we go through difficult times.”

Mae nodded thoughtfully. “He’s better than a blanket any day.”

–Mary M. Ihlenfeldt

How about you? What’s your security? People look for security in lots of places—money, possessions, government, and the people in their lives. But none of those things can provide real security—even the people who love you can’t be with you all the time and make mistakes. Only Jesus can bring real security. He cares for you and will always be with you. Depend on Him.

Today's Key Verse: I [Jesus] am with you always, even to the end of the age. (NKJV) Matthew 28:20

Today's Key Thought: Jesus is always with you

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