READ: PSALMS 84:3; 139:1-18; MATTHEW 10:29-31; LUKE 12:6-7

I love bird watching. Birds are amazing creatures, and their design showcases God’s ingenuity and creative power. In my yard I see mostly sparrows, not the most exotic of the bird kind, yet as I watch them many truths reverberate in me.

The sparrow is a common bird, found on nearly every continent, yet it is mentioned in the Bible on more than one occasion.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, for example, we read that Jesus mentioned sparrows. They were a small, common, and cheap bird. One copper coin (which would be less than a dollar in today’s economy) could get you two, but Jesus said that, even though they seem to have little value in the world’s eyes, God the Father knows when each one falls, and He cares. Then Jesus said, the very hairs of our head are numbered by God, so we don’t need to fear, because we are “worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).

Our God knows when an everyday common bird falls to the ground, yet our hairs are numbered! To me, this is both humbling and encouraging. God, who created the entire universe, is intimately involved in all of His creation—from the littlest bird to His beloved image bearers (Genesis 1:26-27).

It’s easy to feel distracted, lost, and even worthless as we go through life in this broken world, but when we turn to Scripture, it reminds us that God deeply loves, cares for, and is involved in all of His wonderful creation.

Not only does our loving God remember each sparrow, He tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14; Luke 12:6). We are a part of God’s creation, and if we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we are a part of His family, and that is a wonderful thing! • Stephanie Mathews

• Why do you think the world seems to value things that are rare and exotic more than things that are common and ordinary? Do you think that’s how God sees His creation?

• How could you take some time to be outside and behold God’s creation this week, whether through bird watching or some other way?

[Jesus said,] “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” Luke 12:6 (NIV) 

READ: 1 KINGS 19:1-18; MATTHEW 17:1-8; JOHN 10:27-28

Listen. It calls in the treetops. Be still. It roars on the waves. Shh. It croons in the meadow. Listen. It whispers in the wind.

For as long as Aylen could remember, she had heard it. The Voice. It was one of her earliest memories. The Voice crooning to her—just as the nursery rhyme said—as she lay in a meadow of flowers. Whenever she thought about that day, a confusion of emotions flooded her.

It should have been a day of sorrow and fear—the day she had lost her parents. Instead, all she could remember was being surrounded by The Voice. It sang to her until one of the village shepherds found her sitting on a blanket in the middle of the field. Alone.

She loved The Voice. It filled her with joy and peace, comforting her in the absence of her parents. But as she grew up, The Void seemed to grow stronger, and The Voice seemed harder to hear.

Now, Aylen watched from her vantage point on the valley’s tallest surrounding hill, as her village was swallowed by the sticky darkness of The Void.

Early on, Aylen had tried to reason with the villagers. “Listen. The Voice will rescue you. The Voice is stronger than The Void.”

Her friends had mocked her. “The Voice isn’t even real, Aylen. It’s just a story.”

“It can defeat The Void,” she insisted.

But no one wanted to hear it. And so, The Void crept steadily on. By the time the people were ready to listen, it was too late. Following The Voice’s instructions, Aylen had led the survivors to this hill.

Turning from the devastation, Aylen raised her hands to catch the others’ attention. “Listen.”

The people stilled. A powerful gust of wind blew in from the east, whipping at their clothes before settling into a gentle breeze. One by one the survivors fell to their knees, eyes wide with wonder.

Aylen smiled. The Voice, speaking words of hope to those who would hear.

And just like that, The Void was pushed back by a whisper in the wind. • Jessica McFarland

• Today’s allegorical story is inspired by many Old Testament prophets who listened to the voice of God. They spoke about God’s great power and love, and they urged the people to turn back to Him and follow His good ways. In particular, this story is based on 1 Kings 19:1-18, when the prophet Elijah heard the voice of God as “a gentle whisper” (verse 12). Elsewhere in the Bible, it says that God sings over us with joy and surrounds us with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7; Zephaniah 3:17). When you think of God’s voice, what do you think of?

• All the Old Testament prophets pointed ahead to the greatest prophet: Jesus Christ (Luke 13:33; John 6:14; Acts 3:22-23). He is fully human, yet He is also fully God. He came to save us from darkness—but the way He defeated sin, death, and the devil was unexpectedly peaceful. Jesus let people put Him to death on a cross, though He had done nothing wrong. They didn’t realize He was taking all our sin upon Himself, and they didn’t know He would rise from the grave three days later. But now, He invites all of us to put our trust in Him—to listen to His voice and follow (John 10:27-28). For more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page.

• Sometimes the darkness of our broken world can be overwhelming, but God is infinitely more powerful than the darkness. As we look forward to the day Jesus will return and make all things new, we can rest in His joy and peace because He is with us. He offers us His comfort through His Holy Spirit (who lives inside Christians), His Word (the Bible), and His people (the church). Can you think of any ways God has given you comfort in hard times? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)

READ: GENESIS 50:15-21; ROMANS 8:18-39

My teenage desire was to belong to an encouraging community where I could bless others with my gifts. But I struggled to cling to that dream when my high school experience was a time of loneliness, anxiety, and uprooted plans. After being rejected by cliques, feeling alone at church, and living through the pandemic, I was eager to move out for college. People assured me that this would be where I’d find community and pursue my dreams.

But after experiencing even more anxiety and isolation due to campus tensions and a manipulative roommate, the healthiest choice for me was to move back home and transfer to an online university. Through many tearful nights, I wondered what God could possibly do with my fizzled dreams and frazzled hope. Did my painful past deprive me of a future purpose?

In the book of Genesis, we meet a man named Joseph. He had a boatload of dreams—and challenges. He received visions of becoming a ruler someday, which he shared with his jealous brothers. They sold him into slavery, which caused Joseph to lose his reputation, autonomy, and community. Eventually, he wound up in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Yet God was still with Joseph no matter his circumstances.

As a result of God’s work in and around Joseph, he became an important ruler in Egypt and even forgave his brothers. God used the hardships Joseph overcame to make him a strong leader, reliant on God, and humble enough to forgive. Joseph’s life was purposeful because even when the future looked bleak, his needs were satisfied in God alone.

As Christians, “we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). Our call is not to let go of our dreams and give into despair. Our call is to surrender our dreams to God, trusting He has an even better purpose in store for us. No matter how challenging our past may be, nothing can thwart the wonderful plans God has for His beloved children. • Hannah Chung

• What dreams do you have? It’s great to dream and plan for the future! But God calls us to hold those dreams with open hands, knowing that He is the One in control, and He loves us.

• Can you think of a time you saw something good come out of a difficult time, whether in your life or in the life of someone else? Consider taking some time to thank God for that!

[Joseph said,] “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Genesis 50:20 (NLT)  

READ: GENESIS 1:27; PSALM 139:13-18; ROMANS 5:8; 8:38-39

Self-worth is something we all struggle with. Photoshopped and filtered images are plastered on every magazine, in every store, and all over social media. All the while, our own accomplishments are advertised, and our shortcomings are hidden. The world tells us that looking good and being successful are the two most important things to strive for—and that if we aren’t achieving greatness by our looks or performance, our value as a human significantly decreases. Or does it?

While the world uses these things to define value, God says that success and appearances have nothing to do with the measure of our worth. Humans have value because we have each been created in the image of God. Even though the first humans rejected God, and we have all rejected Him since then, He still loves us. He loves us so much that, when we were separated from Him and broken because of our sins, He reached out to us. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice before you and I were even born. He died on the cross for our sins, and He rose from the grave to give us new life. Now, God invites us to join His family through faith in Jesus. There is nothing we need to earn.

Each child of God has a unique purpose in God’s kingdom, and this is not based on whether their accomplishments or beauty outweigh their weaknesses. God’s power is made perfect in weakness anyway—weakness doesn’t lessen our worth as image-bearers of God or as children of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

We are each of magnificent value simply for being created in the image of God. And, as Christians, our identity is anchored in being known and loved by God. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can rest in the truth that there is nothing we can do that would seperate us from the love of God and nothing we can do to lose or lessen our worth. We are forever—eternally—valued by God. Therefore, we also ought to value ourselves. You are called to treat yourself as the daughter or son of the great King that you are, and treat others the same way. • Lauren N. Trittin

• When was the last time you felt truly valued by others? What did they do to make you feel your worth?

• How does what Jesus did—when He died on the cross and rose from the grave—make it so that we don’t have to perform to be loved by God? (For more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page.)

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 (NIV) 

READ: PSALM 139:1-12; HEBREWS 4:14-16; 1 PETER 5:7

Have you ever thought about God going to school? He has attended school for as long as it’s been going on—He watches all that happens in the world, and He is with you everywhere. So when you’re struggling to make a basket in P.E.—God is there. When you can’t make sense of algebra—God is there. And when your crush doesn’t even know you’re alive—God is there.

I remember the day I fell out of the school bus. I was in seventh grade, not a particularly easy time of my life, and I was riding the bus home. As I stepped off the last step, my foot caught. I tumbled to the ground, books flying in all directions. My house was at the bottom of a grassy hill, so instead of walking that day, I rolled on home. I could hear everyone’s laughter as the doors shut and the bus drove away.

I’d like to say I just got up, gathered my books, and laughed about the whole thing. I didn’t. I cried, and cried, and cried. It wasn’t life-shattering. I didn’t die, but I still remember that day, and it’s been many years since I was in seventh grade. Thankfully, I’m not the only one who’s felt this way. In Psalm 56:8, David says that God collects his tears in a bottle. Our sorrows and embarrassments are so important to God that David envisions God storing them in a bottle. He must have quite a collection of my tears, much of them from my school days.

There will be hard days at school, work, church, home, and everywhere else you find yourself, but don’t worry—you’ll survive. School doesn’t last forever, but God’s love does. Jesus has promised to always be with us, and He can empathize with what we’re going through because He “became human and made his home among us” (John 1:14). He experienced all our suffering here on earth, ultimately enduring an excruciating death on a cross. And then, He rose from the grave in order to end suffering forever. If we know Jesus, we have hope in His promise to return one day to make all things new and wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:3-5).

Consider taking a moment right now to thank God that He cares about every tear you cry—and every tear you stifle. You can ask Him to remind you that He goes with you tomorrow, whether you’ll be in school or somewhere else. Tomorrow won’t be perfect, but it will be better knowing God is walking down those halls beside you. • Sharon Rene

• How does it make you feel to imagine God right next to you? Why?

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 (NLT) 

READ: PSALM 143:7-8; MATTHEW 14:22-33

When worry invades each hope and dream,

When fretful nights keep you awake,

Keep your eyes on God.

When panic drowns your heart and mind,

Give God each problem, each anxious thought.

Trust in Him.

He is Master of the waves, Author of lives.

Jesus, Messiah who hears each cry.

Focus on Him.

Holy Trinity, Three in One, loving,

Ready to respond, patiently waiting.

Trust in Him. • Cindy Lee

• In Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus walked on water. Then Peter walked on water too—when he kept his eyes on Jesus. But when Peter looked away, he began to sink. And yet, Jesus reached down and saved Peter. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, amazing things happen. But even when we get distracted, Jesus reaches down and pulls us back up. When do you struggle to trust and remain focused on Jesus—the one who loves you deeply and gave His life for you so you could have a relationship with Him? Consider spending some time talking to Him about it. He loves to hear from you. Nothing you could say could surprise Him or make Him love you any less. In fact, He invites you to be totally honest with Him so He can reveal His love to you in deeper and deeper ways.

• If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 6:6; 34:5; 116:1-7; Matthew 8:23-27; 11:28-30; Acts 3:15; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 Peter 5:7; 2 Peter 3:9.

Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you. Psalm 143:8 (WEB) 

READ: JUDGES 2:16-23; 10:15; 17:6

In the book of Judges, God’s people are spinning in a sin cycle—rebellion, repentance, rescue, and restoration. They cycle twelve times, once for each of the twelve judges within the book. And if we look closely, we’ll probably see ourselves in the story.

Rebellion. The people rebelled against God. Instead of obeying Him, they followed their own way. We’ve all believed the same lie at times: “If it feels good, do it.” And Israel did. The Bible says that “in those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25).

Repentance. But following their own way got them into deep trouble. Desperate, they repented and cried out for a Rescuer. We see this in Judges 10:15: “But the Israelites said to the Lord, ‘We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.’”

Rescue. God saved them! In His great love, He sent twelve judges—like Deborah, Gideon, and Samson—to rescue them from their enemies. Judges 2:18 says, “Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies.”

Restoration. The verse goes on to say, “The Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them” (Judges 2:18). Because He loves His people, God restored them to Himself. In the same way, God loves you and wants a relationship with you.

Sadly, whenever a judge died, the people circled back to rebellion. It was a spinning cycle of death. No judge could save them or restore their relationship with God forever. Only Jesus can. Jesus is our Great Judge. God in flesh came to pay the price for our sin on the cross so we could be forgiven. He rescued us from the spinning cycle of sin and death, and He restored us to a forever relationship with God. There is no sin too big that He can’t forgive, or too addictive that He can’t break through and give you freedom. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus broke the power of sin and death. And He gives you the power to live free. • Lenae Bulthuis

• Isn’t it good to know that God is with us moment by moment? Think about it: if you know Jesus, the Creator of the entire universe is with you right now. And He will never leave you. When you feel afraid, or hurt, or worried, or alone, He’s there. Always. He loves you, and He wants to help you know His love more and more (Ephesians 3:14-21). Can you think of a time you were acutely aware that God was with you? What was that like? Consider taking a moment to thank God for His constant presence with you, and ask Him to help you notice some of the ways He is showing kindness to you today.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 (NIV) 

READ: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9; HEBREWS 12:2; 1 PETER 5:6-9

Life can be overwhelming. From a bad day at school to a betrayal by people we thought were our friends, sometimes we don’t know how to respond.

Feeling overwhelmed or anxious is a common problem, but it’s not a new one. Though today we have social media and busy schedules contributing to our stress, people who lived thousands of years ago felt overwhelmed and anxious too. Thankfully, God has not left us to deal with this problem on our own. What does God’s Word remind us to do when we feel overwhelmed and anxious? In Philippians 4, Paul has some advice that is as fitting for us today as it was for the Christians in Philippi back then.

First, Paul reminds them (and us) to find joy in Jesus. He says, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). Jesus is our real source of hope and meaning, but many things can distract us from the hope we have in Him. The good news is, once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, His Holy Spirit lives in us, reminding us of God’s love and His unshakable promises—which are all tied to Jesus’s death on the cross for us and His wonderful resurrection from the grave.

That sounds good, right? But it’s still hard to do. How do we remember Jesus and rejoice when we don’t feel like it? In verses 6 and 7, Paul says that when we feel anxious, we should turn to God in prayer, talking to Him about the burdens we’re carrying and laying them at His feet. Then Paul shares this promise: peace from God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul doesn’t stop there though. In verses 8 and 9, he challenges us to set our minds and hearts on the right things. Sometimes we feel stressed out and overwhelmed because we buy into the lies we encounter every day, lies that say things like “God isn’t good” or “He doesn’t really love us,” and we forget the truth of God’s Word. So Paul says to dwell on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, morally excellent, and praiseworthy.

As we wait for Jesus to return and make all things new, there will be times when we feel overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure. But we can know that Jesus is always with us, and as we turn to Him in prayer and dig into His Word, we find that He is the source of true peace. • Phil Cox

• Have you ever experienced God’s comfort when you felt anxious or overwhelmed—maybe through a Bible verse or passage, a beautiful sunset, or a hug from a friend? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this, and then bring Him any burdens you are carrying today.

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (CSB) 

READ: JOHN 6:37-40; 10:27-30; 15:15; ROMANS 8:31-39

Willow, Madison, and Emilia had been best friends since preschool. But one day, everything changed in the concession line. Emilia said to Willow, “No one wants you here anymore!”

Willow turned around to see if Emilia was talking to someone else. She wasn’t. “I’m talking to you, Willow,” said Emilia. “No one wants you here!”

“Why?” Willow looked at Madison, who shrugged her shoulders but said nothing. Without using words, Madison pushed Willow away too.

So, she ran, her mind racing faster than her feet. What had she done? Why did they crowd her out now? What was wrong with them? What was wrong with her?

If you’ve ever been pushed out of a group of friends, you know how painful it can be. Maybe they told you they didn’t want you there, or maybe you realized the others in the group kept hanging out without you. Maybe you wondered, Why did they push me away?

Jesus made a promise about those who belong to Him. He said, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37).

When you belong to Jesus, He will never push you away, turn His back on you, or walk out. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever. Jesus won’t forget your name, lose your number, or get sick of spending time with you. Not even death can separate you from Him.

Jesus will never crowd you out. He died on the cross for you because He wanted to be your friend. And He rose from the grave, so you can know that He will stick close by your side no matter what. Even when you feel alone, He is there. He wants to comfort you and help you figure out what’s next, whether that looks like restoring old friendships or making new ones. With Jesus, there’s always room for one more. No one is left behind or crowded out! • Lenae Bulthuis

• Can you think of a time you were excluded from a friend group, left out of weekend plans, or removed from a group chat? Can you think of a time you excluded someone else?

• Jesus promises never to push you away. Nothing can separate you from Him. Even on your worst days, He sticks close. Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about His promise to you. You can thank Him for His love and forgiveness, and you can also ask Him to help you see others (both the excluders and the excluded) as He does.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life…nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) 

READ: JOHN 1:12-13; ROMANS 5:1-11; EPHESIANS 2:1-10

It’s tough being best friends with a brain. I know because that was my story. My best friend Jean was nicknamed “The Brain” in middle school, and it stuck. The upside was she got me through my math classes. Thank you, Jean! The downside is that I put incredible pressure on myself to keep up with her, which I never could.

Does getting good grades stress you out? Maybe you feel pressured to keep up with your siblings or meet your parents’ expectations. Perhaps you live test by test, always wondering if your grades are high enough for the honor roll or good enough to stay on the football team.

If so, take a deep breath and read slowly. Getting good grades is good, but it’s not everything. Sound scandalous? Well, there’s something infinitely more important than grades. Your greatest standing is not in your class rank; it’s in Jesus. Romans 5:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

That good news is a mouthful. So let’s break it down. One thing matters above all things: your relationship with God. If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, believing He died on the cross and rose from the grave to forgive your sins, you are God’s child. You have gained the greatest standing possible. You belong to God today and forever. This is the greatest thing about you, and you don’t have to study for it, pull an all-nighter, or memorize your notes. It’s a gift from God to you.

When you understand that you are God’s child no matter what, everything else falls into its right perspective. Work hard at school, but don’t stress. You are not your grade, class standing, or university admission letter. You are God’s beloved child, and nothing matters more. • Lenae Bulthuis

• Do you feel pressure to get good grades or succeed in some other way? Does that pressure come from others or yourself?

• It’s easy to fall into believing that our identity is somehow tied to our performance. But the truth is, beforeyou could even do anything, God already loved you completely. It was worth it to Him to suffer the cross so that you could be forgiven and become His child. You could never earn God’s love, and you could never make God stop loving you. How can remembering Jesus’s death and resurrection help us see achievements like grades and athletics in the right perspective?

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NIV)