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

Read: Psalm 136:1-3, 23-26; Philippians 4:4-8

"I hate that we don’t have money to do stuff!” Don wailed when he saw his mom in the garden. It was the last day of school, a day he’d looked forward to, but he came home pouting. He sat down beside Mom in a huff. “I love summer, but I hate hearing about all the cool stuff my friends get to do. One of them’s even going to Japan, and his hotel room has an indoor slide! Before they could ask me what I’ll be doing, I ran home. I feel like such a loser!”

Mom kept pulling weeds, then suddenly gripped Don’s arm, looking pale.

“Mom! Are you okay?” Don asked, alarmed.

“I’m just a bit woozy,” she whispered, rubbing her belly. She was pregnant and needed daily injections to protect the baby. After a moment, she smiled as color returned to her face.

“How can you be so happy? You’re sick every day!” Don said.

Mom gestured around her in response. “What do you see in my garden?”

“Weeds!” Don muttered, noticing how they kept cropping up. “They’re so irritating!”

“Besides the weeds, what else?”

“I see…uh…flowers. Oh, they’re finally blooming!” Don passed by the garden every day but hardly noticed the colorful blooms.

“That’s like life,” Mom explained. “When we focus only on the weeds, we miss the other beautiful things around us.” She rubbed her bulging belly. “It’s the same with my pregnancy. If I focus on the discomfort, I’d lose sight of the miracle growing inside me.”

She tapped Don’s chest. “Our heart is like a garden, Don. If you count the blessings you have in Jesus, your heart will be full of flowers. He saved you from sin and has given you eternal life, and He shows His love to you in so many ways each day. Because of Him, you can rejoice. When you do, you’ll be surprised to find yourself being happy for others and their own triumphs. But if you only focus on what they have that you don’t, then jealousy will choke out whatever happiness is in your heart.”

Don sat in thoughtful silence. Finally, he turned to his mom and grinned. “Maybe I’ll help you with the weeding this summer! I’ll take out the pesky stuff and make this garden even better!”

Mom laughed. “That’s the spirit!”

–Kristin Lim

How about you? Do you compare yourself to friends and feel like they have it better? Maybe they get the latest gadgets or go on exciting trips while you stay home. Don’t let jealousy poison your heart. Focus on the gifts God has given you. The greatest gift of all is Jesus, who died for us so we could have eternal life. No earthly treasure can compare to Him!

Today's key verse: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

Today's key thought: Count your blessings and rejoice

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

When he got home from school, Jason found his mom in the laundry room. “How was your day?” Mom asked as she looked up from a shirt she was ironing.

“Terrible!” said Jason. “I failed a math test and have to take it over again. Then I found out my favorite teacher is moving away. And then I accidentally knocked down the principal’s daughter!”

“Knocked her down? How did that happen?”

“I came around a corner really fast and ran right into her,” Jason said. “I apologized, but she’s probably still mad.”

“I’m sure she knows you didn’t do it on purpose,” Mom said.

Jason sighed. “I doubt it. She probably told all her friends what a loser I am.” Jason looked at the shirt Mom was ironing. “That’s my shirt for your cousin’s wedding this weekend, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.” The doorbell rang, and Mom handed him the partially ironed shirt. “Here. Why don’t you finish ironing it while I answer the door?”

When Mom returned, Jason had just finished pressing the shirt. He held it up. “Look at this,” he said. “It’s wrinkle-free!”

Mom nodded. “The heat and pressure of the iron took the wrinkles right out.” She turned off the iron and unplugged it. “Sometimes that’s how God gets the wrinkles out of us too.”

“Wrinkles?” Jason rubbed his forehead. “I don’t have wrinkles yet.”

Mom laughed. “I’m thinking of wrinkles in the ways we think and act—things like impatience, anger, and self-pity, just to name a few. God sometimes uses the heat and pressure of difficulties in our lives to iron them out.”

“So you think God is using the stuff that happened to me today to make me more patient and not feel sorry for myself so I can be wrinkle-free?”

“Well, we’ll never be wrinkle-free until we get to heaven—we’ll always have things we struggle with. But He does use the things that happen in our lives—even things we don’t like—to make us more like Jesus and help us love and care for others. And He’s always with us in the troubles we face too.”

Jason nodded. “I guess I’d better go study for that math test, huh?”

“Yes,” Mom said. “At least you’re getting another chance to iron that out!”

–Barabara J. Westberg

How about you? Do you ever feel pressured by what’s going on in your life? God sometimes uses difficult circumstances to press the wrinkles out of us. It may be uncomfortable for a while, but He’s doing it to make us more like Jesus. Be patient as He teaches you to trust Him and show His love to others. He promises to be with you as He irons the wrinkles out of your life.

Today's key verse: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)

Today's key thought: Patiently endure difficulties

Read: Psalm 1:1-3; 119:97-104

Naomi couldn’t wait! Any minute now the bus would arrive to take her and her dad to the chocolate factory. “Do you think we’ll get to taste any chocolate?” she asked eagerly.

“I’m sure there will be some samples,” her father replied. “But don’t get too excited. We won’t eat more than a few bites, most likely.”

Naomi’s face fell. “Oh.” She sighed. “Can we buy some to take home then?”

Dad smiled. “Of course. I know your mom and Ethan would like some.”

Screech! The bus pulled up to the curb. Over the next two hours, Naomi and her dad toured the whole factory and saw how every machine worked. Finally, it was time for the samples. As they sat down and took their first nibbles of the tiny chocolate samples, Dad asked, “Did you do your devotions this morning?”

Naomi looked at the table. “No,” she admitted. “I was too excited about this!” She held up her last piece of chocolate before popping it into her mouth.

“Hmm,” Dad said. “That reminds me of something my dad told me when I was about your age. He said we should think of our devotion time as a tasty treat!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Naomi. “We can’t eat our Bibles!”

“No, but we can take in what we read and store it in our hearts and minds. Remember how excited you were to come here this morning? Well, how much more exciting is it that God speaks to us through His Word? That He loves us so much He sent Jesus to die for us so we could have a relationship with Him? And that He wants to spend time with us and help us remember His truth and promises?”

“Oh!” exclaimed Naomi. “Now I get it. The Bible is a gift from God. He loves us and wants us to know Him, and spending time with Him tastes good to our hearts!”

“Bingo!” Dad declared.

Naomi grinned. “Dad, when we get home, can we do devotions together?”

“Sounds like a plan!” Dad announced. “And maybe we can even eat some chocolate while we’re at it!”

–Katelyn Claggett

How about you? Have you ever gotten really excited about something? What about devotions—are you ever excited to read the Bible and spend time with God? We don’t usually think of devotions as exciting, but being able to have a relationship with God and hear Him speak to us is the most exciting thing of all! When you spend time with God reading the Bible, you’ll see how good His words taste to your heart and mind.

Today's key verse: How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103 (NIV)

Today's key thought: Spend time with God

Read: Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 8:28-30

Hope sat on the porch swing, staring at the blue cast on her arm. It stretched from her wrist to above her elbow and was covered in scribbled messages and doodles from her friends.

She held out her arm and frowned. “This is not how I wanted to spend my summer.”

Dad sat down beside her, holding two popsicles. He handed her the blue one—her favorite. “How are you doing, kiddo?”

Hope didn’t answer at first. She peeled back the wrapper and took a bite. “I was only on the hoverboard for twenty minutes,” she finally said. “One tiny wobble, and now…” She lifted her arm again. “Boom. Cast. No swimming. No sports. Nothing.”

Dad nodded. “I know you were excited about this summer.”

“I had plans, Dad. I was going to ride my hoverboard to the park, have a sleepover every weekend, go to soccer camp, and now I can’t do any of it.” She shook her head. “Why would God let this happen? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Dad leaned back on the swing. “You know, I’ve asked that question too. When I lost my job last year, I asked God, ‘Why?’ It didn’t make sense.”

“But you got a better job later,” Hope said.

“I did. But back then, I couldn’t see what God was doing. I just knew I had to trust Him, even when nothing made sense.”

Hope was quiet for a while. A squirrel darted across the yard, and a breeze rustled the trees. “I guess it’s just hard to trust Him right now,” she admitted.

Dad looked over at her. “That’s okay to say. God already knows what’s in your heart. But here’s the thing—He still has a plan for you, Hope. It might not look like your plan, but it’s still good.”

“How can breaking my arm be good?” she muttered.

“Maybe it’s not about the arm. Maybe it’s about what He wants to teach you while you can’t do everything. Maybe it’s about growing your heart and helping you become more like Jesus.”

Hope took another bite of her popsicle and let the quiet sit for a moment. “It still stinks.”

“Yep,” her dad agreed. “But God’s still good.”

Hope looked down at her blue cast and sighed. “Okay. Then I guess I’ll trust Him. Even if I don’t like it right now.”

–Naomi Beachy

How about you? Have you ever had something ruin your plans? Maybe it was something small, like losing a game, or something bigger, like losing someone you care about. It’s okay to feel upset. But remember, God’s plan is always filled with love, even when we can’t see what He’s doing. Trust Him to be with you and shape your heart as He works out His plans for your life.

Today's key verse: We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)

Today's key thought: God’s plans are better than yours

Read: Psalm 18:28; John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:6

“We’re almost there!” said Jeff. He sprinted along the path toward the lighthouse in Peggy’s Cove. He crossed the large flat rocks surrounding the building. He didn’t notice his mom pause to help his little sister, Sarah, clamber onto a boulder. While his family admired the ocean, Jeff climbed a few concrete steps built into the rock leading to one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.

He tilted his head back, gazing in awe at the white building with the red top. “Can we go inside, Mom?” When she didn’t answer, Jeff turned around. He scanned the crowd of strangers. She wasn’t there. Jeff’s heart pounded. “Mom? Where are you?”

“Right here.” Mom and Sarah approached him from the side.

Jeff exhaled. “I thought I got lost.” He hugged his mother.

“You looked the wrong way,” she said, squeezing him back. “I was watching you from over there.” She pointed to a boulder.

“I climbed that big rock!” exclaimed Sarah, bouncing on her toes. “Now let’s climb the lighthouse.”

“We can’t go inside,” said Mom. “This building is more than a hundred years old.” She led her children around the lighthouse. “Think of all the sailors and fishermen saved by its one beam of light.”

“How could it help them out there?” asked Sarah, staring at the ocean.

“When it was dark or foggy, they pointed their boats toward the beacon’s light. It guided them to land. Without the light, they wouldn’t know which direction to go and could get lost at sea.”

Jeff’s brow wrinkled. “That would be scary…like when I thought I was lost but worse.”

“You were looking the wrong way. I was always nearby,” said Mom, putting her arm around his shoulder.

“So is Jesus. He’s the light of the world. He saved you from sin and will always be there to guide you, especially when you’re afraid or don’t know what to do…sort of how a lighthouse shines into the darkness to help people find their way.”

Mom took out her camera. Jeff saluted like a sailor, kindling laughter from Sarah. Mom snapped their photo and said, “We’ll frame that one!”

–Elena Dee

How about you? Are you sometimes unsure about what to do in a complicated situation? If you feel lost, ask Jesus for help. He is the light of the world, and you can trust Him to lead you through difficulties. He gives guidance through His Word, the Bible, and He’s put people in your life you can go to for help too—like a friend, a family member, or a trusted adult. No matter what you’re going through, you are never alone when Jesus is your guiding light.

Today's key verse: Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12 (NKJV)

Today's key thought: Jesus is our guiding light

Read: Romans 12:10-15

Emerson angrily kicked a stone and sent it flying along the sidewalk. When he heard someone coming up behind him, he turned and saw that it was Isaac, one of his classmates. “You mad about something?” Isaac asked when he saw how upset Emerson looked. “What’s wrong?”

Emerson sighed and kicked another stone. “I’m just so sick of being bald. Some of the kids at school make fun of me.”

Isaac frowned. “Having leukemia doesn’t make your hair fall out, does it?” he asked cautiously. “That just happens because of the treatments, right?”

Emerson nodded. “My mom says the kids will get used to seeing me like this, but they still tease me.” He bit his lip, struggling not to show how much the teasing hurt. “You never tease me, though,” he told Isaac.

Isaac shrugged. “You look fine to me,” he said as they turned onto Emerson’s street. “Want to come over and play with my race cars?”

“Sure,” said Emerson. “I’ll just stop by my house and ask my mom if it’s okay.”

Once Emerson got permission and they went on to Isaac’s house, the boys talked as their little cars sped around the track. “Does it hurt to have leukemia?” Isaac asked.

“Some of the tests hurt, and the treatments make me feel sick,” said Emerson. “And even though I wear a cap most of the time, I know I look funny with a bald head. When kids tease me about it, it just makes me feel worse.” He stopped his race car and looked at Isaac. “How come you don’t tease me like other kids do?”

“Like I said, you look fine to me. Besides, I…” Isaac paused before continuing. “I don’t want to make you feel bad, and Jesus wouldn’t want me to. He loves everyone, and He helps me see people the way He does.”

“Well, I wish the other kids knew more about Jesus then,” said Emerson. “Actually, I don’t know much about Him either.”

“Let’s go to the kitchen for a snack and I’ll tell you more about Him,” Isaac said. “Maybe you could even come to church with me sometime and learn more about Him there.”

Emerson smiled. “Okay,” he said and followed Isaac to the kitchen.

–Carolyn E. Yost

How about you? Do you know someone whose appearance is affected by a health problem? Maybe they have scars from an injury or were born with a physical challenge. Don’t cause them further difficulty and pain by teasing them about it. Jesus loves them so much He died for them, and He’ll help you treat them with kindness and respect. You might even end up with a new friend who wants to hear more about Him!

Today's key verse: Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NLT)

Today's key thought: Don’t tease when it hurts others

Read: Numbers 13:25-33; 14:6-9

“Slug bug blue!” Zac exclaimed when he spied a blue Volkswagen. As he spoke, he slugged his brother Teague, who was sitting beside him. The boys were playing their favorite game on the way home from school—seeing who could spot a Volkswagen first and slug the other guy. They kept count to see who got the most.

Violet sighed. She pulled down the mirror on the sun visor and looked at herself. “My freckles look awful,” she said.

“Slug bug yellow!” Teague yelled and slugged Zac as a yellow Volkswagen sped past them.

Violet frowned. “If I can’t do something about these freckles, I think I’ll go into hiding.”

“Violet, lots of people have freckles. Besides, I think they make you look cute,” Mom said as she turned onto their street.

“Slug bug red!” Both boys laughed as they spotted the same Volkswagen at the same time and socked each other.

“You hit me too hard,” Teague said, “so I get the point. That’s the rule.”

“Is not!” Zac appealed to his mother. “Mom?”

“Boys,” Mom said, looking at them in the rearview mirror, “that’s enough slugging. It’s time to end the game.”

Violet turned around and glared at her little brothers. “I think you’re making those up. I’ve never seen that many Volkswagens in one short ride home from town.”

“You aren’t looking for them,” Teague said. “You only see what you look for.”

“That’s true, you know,” Mom said, looking at Violet. “It’s easy to overlook the good things in life—or in others or even ourselves—when we’re constantly looking for things to criticize and complain about. That’s why the Bible says to look for the blessings God has given us. When we remember that He loves us so much He sent Jesus to save us and promises to be with us in every difficulty we face, even things we don’t like won’t seem as bad to us anymore.”

Violet looked at herself in the mirror again. This time she looked at her shiny brown hair and bright green eyes, and suddenly the freckles didn’t seem so bad after all.

Mom pulled the car into their driveway. “Let’s try to remember to look for the good things God has given us and thank Him for all He’s done for us.”

–Barbara J. Westberg

How about you? What do you see—good things or bad things? When Moses sent twelve spies to check out the land of Canaan, most of them only saw problems because they didn’t trust God. Only two were able to see the blessings God had for them there. Instead of finding things to criticize, trust Jesus to take care of you and look for all the good things He puts in your life each day.

Today's key verse: Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:19 (NLT)

Today's key thought: Look for good things

Read: John 1:44-49

“Hey, Tristan,” Antonio called as he caught up with his friend in the school hallway. “There’s going to be a special kids’ program at my church on Sunday. There’s going to be music and games and prizes and other cool stuff. Why don’t you come?”

“Nah,” said Tristan as he stopped to get some books out of his locker. “I’m gonna watch the baseball game on TV. Nothing’s gonna get in the way of me watching the Tigers!” He laughed. “Even if there wasn’t a game, I wouldn’t want to go to church. It seems pretty silly to me.”

“Church isn’t silly. It’s great!” said Antonio.

“Church is a big waste of time!” Tristan insisted.

“No, it’s not!”

“Yes, it is!”

“Is not! You don’t know what you’re talking about because you never—”

“Forget it, Antonio,” Tristan said as he slammed his locker shut. “I’m not going.”

Antonio felt bad as Tristan walked away. I wish he’d come, but I shouldn’t have argued with him about it, he thought. He remembered the Bible story he’d heard in Sunday school a few weeks before about Philip and Nathanael. When Philip told Nathanael about Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael said, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” But Philip didn’t get angry. He simply said, “Come and see.”

Going to church isn’t the most important thing anyway, Antonio thought. Knowing Jesus and having a relationship with Him is what matters most. Maybe if I’m just friends with Tristan, he’ll come to see that knowing Jesus is a good thing.

“Tristan, wait up!” Antonio called, running after his friend. “Look, I’m sorry I argued with you about coming to church. I really do think you’d like it, and you should come sometime and see for yourself. But this Sunday, how about coming to my house after I get home from church? We can watch the game together.”

“Even if I don’t go to church with you?” Tristan asked in surprise.

“Sure,” said Antonio. “What kind of snacks should I ask Mom to get?” He knew it was going to be a good Sunday.

–Linda Weddle

How about you? Have you invited friends to church and told them about Jesus? If they laugh and say you’re silly, don’t argue. Keep being a good friend to them and showing them Jesus’s love. After a while, your friends may be curious and willing to come and see what your faith is all about. Best of all, they may come to know Jesus!

Today's key verse: Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

Today's key thought: Be a friendly Christian

Read: Hebrews 10:1-10, 17-18

“Mom, in Sunday school today we learned about Abraham and Isaac.” Myra climbed onto the stool and watched as Mom kneaded some dough.

“Which story did you learn about?” Mom asked.

“The one where Abraham almost sacrifices Isaac. God was just testing Abraham to see if he would give up his son for Him, so He didn’t let him go through with it.” Myra scrunched her nose. “But then God provided a sheep for Abraham to kill instead, and Abraham put that on the altar. People in the Bible sacrificed sheep and other animals a lot. It’s so gross! Why did they do that?”

“Well, in Abraham’s time, Jesus hadn’t been born yet.” Mom punched the dough in front of her. “It’s kind of like this bread. Right now, it hasn’t been baked.” She picked up a knife and a plate. “If I cut a slice of this, it won’t even hold it’s shape.”

Myra giggled as the dough turned into a puddle on the plate. “That’s not what bread is supposed to look like.”

“Exactly.” Mom added the dough back to the rest of the pile. “People back then were under a different law, like this bread dough has different ‘laws’ than baked bread. Animal sacrifices were a way to remember that the wrong things they did were sins against God and required payment.”

Mom put the bread dough into a pan, then covered it with a towel. “Years later, Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice. He paid for every one of those sins on the cross, and even ones that hadn’t happened yet—He paid for them all. When we trust Him as our Savior, our sins are forgiven. There’s no need for sacrifices because Jesus was sacrificed for all of us. He met every requirement of God’s law so we could have a new life of freedom with Him instead.”

Myra nodded slowly. “I get it now. I mean, I still think it was gross that they killed animals and burned them, but I’m really glad Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice so we don’t have to follow those laws.” She glanced at the pan. “And I’m glad that bread is going to follow different ‘laws’ when it’s baked, because I like toast better than puddles!”

–Kimberly Brokish

How about you? Have you ever wondered why people sacrificed animals in the Old Testament? The people of those days had to follow a different law, and sacrifices were very important. But in the New Testament, Jesus came and died for every one of your sins. Sacrifices aren’t needed anymore because He sacrificed Himself for you. When you trust in Him, all your sins are forgiven. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today's key verse: For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Hebrews 10:10 (NLT)

Today's key thought: Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice

Read: Psalm 32:1-5

Asher looked up when he heard a knock at the window. Mom was outside motioning for him to join her. He pressed the pause button for his video game and ran out to the backyard.

Mom was standing behind the garage, looking at the ground. “There’s something here I want you to see,” she said, pointing down. “Look at those plants.” There, almost hidden by tall grass, Asher saw a cluster of green vines. “Those are watermelon plants,” Mom said. “The funny thing is, I never planted any watermelons.”

“Maybe they got planted accidentally,” Asher said. “Maybe a squirrel dropped some seeds there.”

“You think so?” Mom asked, raising an eyebrow. “I was thinking of something else. Remember when someone stole a watermelon from Mr. Smith’s garden last summer? The whole neighborhood was talking about it. He was planning to enter it in a contest.”

“Yeah.” Asher shifted uncomfortably. “It was as big around as a basketball, wasn’t it?”

“You seem to remember a lot more details than I do,” Mom said. “I don’t remember how big it was, but I was wondering if maybe the person who stole it came here, ate it, and then buried the rinds and seeds so no one would find out.”

“I…uh…I guess that could have happened,” Asher said quietly. His face was red.

Mom looked at him closely. “Is there something you need to tell me?” Asher refused to look her in the eye.

“It was you, wasn’t it, Asher?” Mom said softly. “I wondered about it last summer because of the way you reacted back then.”

“I…I…Ward and I did it,” Asher finally said, close to tears. “When we buried everything, I thought that would be the end of it. I didn’t know those little green plants were going to come up and tell on me!”

“Sin often pops back up to tell on us when we try to hide it,” said Mom. “The good news is no matter what you’ve done or how you’ve tried to hide it, you can always confess it to Jesus and He’ll forgive you.” Mom wiped a tear from Asher’s cheek. “I’ll walk you over to Mr. Smith’s house so you can tell him what you’ve done and ask him to forgive you too.”

–Harry C. Trover

How about you? When you do something wrong, do you try to hide it? You may be able to keep parents, teachers, or friends from knowing what happened, but you can’t hide anything from God. Instead of trying to keep the sin a secret, confess what you’ve done to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you. Then ask anyone you’ve hurt for their forgiveness too.

Today's key verse: God, you know my faults. I cannot hide my sins from you. Psalm 69:5 (ERV)

Today's key thought: You can’t hide sin