Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia. They passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Devotion based on Acts 16:6,8-10

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Imagine an older version of yourself is attending a huge school on a university campus—over 40,000 students go to school there! You see students from all over the world. You hear people talking in Mandarin, Hindi, Korean, and English. These students are learning things like math, science, farming, and money stuff. Everyone looks different, talks differently, and has different dreams for what they want to be and do for their lives.

But on Saturdays in the fall—something remarkable happens. All those differences seem to disappear. Thousands of students put on their team colors, pile into the stadium, and cheer for the football team together. They shout, high-five, hug, and jump up and down like they’re all one big happy family!

The apostle Paul knew what it was like to be around people who were different too. He was Jewish, but that didn’t stop him from telling the good news of Jesus to everyone—even people who weren’t Jewish. He traveled all around (like in today’s country of Turkey), sharing the life story of Jesus with people who ate different foods, wore different clothes, and spoke different languages. The one thing they all had in common: Jesus. That made Paul super happy, and he wanted to keep sharing the good news with even more people!

Then one night, Paul had a special dream from God. In the dream, a man from another place—maybe dressed funny and looking different than Paul—said, “Please come to us! We need Jesus too!”

That was Jesus’ way of saying, “Go tell everyone in the world about me!” (Mark 16:15). So off Paul went—to tell people about the Savior who came for everyone, no matter where they lived or what language they spoke.

And guess what? That good news has made it all the way to you and me!

Dear Jesus, thank you for sending your helpers to share your love with people from every country and language. Help us remember that we all belong to you. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Devotion based on John 16:16-24

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Ever heard of “The Weaver’s Poem”? It describes my life like a big picture God is sewing together—kind of like grandma’s homemade quilt. On one side, it’s all messy and full of knots and loose threads. But flip it over—and wow, it’s beautiful! Same with God’s picture for my life. I don’t get to pick the colors. Sometimes, he uses dark, sad colors, and I don’t understand why. But God can see the whole picture, and I only see the messy side. One day, when I’m with him, he’ll show me the beautiful picture he made—using all the colors, even the dark ones.

Sometimes things go wrong. A pet dies. You get hurt. You feel sad. Those are the “dark threads” in the quilt of your life. The disciples felt this too when Jesus told them, “In a little while, you won’t see me . . . then you will.” They were confused and sad. But Jesus promised, “Your sadness will turn into joy.”

He even gave an example: a mom giving birth. It’s painful but once the baby is born, all she feels is joy. Jesus says that’s what it’s like for us. Life is hard now, but we’ll see him again. We’ll be filled with joy that no one can take away.

And while we wait? We pray and remember that God is sewing something beautiful together with our lives—even if it doesn’t look like it yet.

Dear Lord, thank you for weaving the story of my life. Thank you for the bright threads like family, friends, and fun. Help me trust you even when I can’t see the whole pattern. I know you have a plan! Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Devotion based on Revelation 21:21,23,27

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever had your eyes checked at the doctor? You look through that big machine, and the doctor keeps asking, “Which is better: one or two?” It’s all about helping you see clearly.

In Revelation chapter 21, it’s like God is giving us a picture of heaven so we can see it clearly in our hearts! The streets are gold, so pure you can see through them like glass. The gates are giant pearls—not just decorated with pearls, but each gate is one huge pearl! And there’s no need for a sun or moon because God himself is the light. It means there’s no night, it’s sunny and bright all the time in heaven! You won’t need a special eye test or glasses to see it either!

That’s not all. In heaven, there’s no darkness, no sadness, and nothing bad ever gets in. But guess who gets to go in?! Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life—that’s Jesus’ book. And guess what?! Your name is in it because you believe in him!

Dear Jesus, I want to walk as a child of the light; I want to follow you. I can’t wait to see you, the Lamb and the light of the City of God. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

Devotion based on Acts 14:8-12,14,15

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever seen someone do something so amazing, people freak out a little? Maybe someone made a full-court basketball shot or landed a skateboard trick that seemed impossible. Now imagine seeing a man who had never walked in his whole life suddenly jump up and walk because someone told him to. That’s what happened when Paul saw that the man had faith to be healed and shouted, “Stand up on your feet!” The man didn’t just stand—he leaped!

The crowd went wild. But they got the wrong idea. They thought Paul and Barnabas were gods—Zeus and Hermes! That’s like someone seeing a teacher do a science experiment and shouting, “She must be Wonder Woman!” It wasn’t true, and it wasn’t okay. So, Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes (an old way of saying “Stop! This is very wrong!”) and yelled, “We’re just humans like you!” Think of Incredible Hulk-level frustration—except without turning green.

Paul pointed them to the real God, the one who made the world, sends the rain, and gives us joy. But not everyone liked that message. People threw stones at Paul and left him for dead. But guess what? He got up, went back to the city, and kept sharing the good news. He didn’t give up!

Remember this: God can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things—not to make them famous, but to point others to Jesus—not with lightning bolts or superpowers, but with love, truth, and courage.

Dear Jesus, sometimes people believe the wrong things. Help us be brave like Paul and Barnabas—to tell others about you, even when it’s hard. When we feel like giving up, remind us you’re with us. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Devotion based on John 13:31-35

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever walked down your school hallway and seen a super cool bulletin board?

Mrs. Hill made some of the best ones! When school started, her board showed a giant crayon box that said, “It’s going to be a COLORFUL year!” Then, inside her classroom, every kid had a name tag shaped like a crayon in a different color! Every few weeks, the board changed to match the season, like snowflakes in winter or pumpkins in fall. But here’s the neat part: the hallway bulletin board gave a sneak peek into what was happening inside her classroom.

Guess what? You are like that bulletin board, too! What people see in your words and actions shows what’s in your heart. When Jesus lives in your heart, his love shows up on the outside!

Before Jesus went to the cross, he told his disciples something super important: “Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should love one another. When you love each other, everyone will know that you follow me” (John 13:34,35).

Jesus wants us to love others the same way he loves us—with kindness, patience, and forgiveness. That’s how people know we’re his followers!

Just like Mrs. Hill’s bulletin boards showed what was happening inside her classroom, your life shows the love Jesus has put in your heart.

So, what’s your bulletin board showing today?

Dear Jesus, thank you for loving us so much that you died on the cross and came back to life. Help us show your love in what we say and do. Make our lives like bright, loving bulletin boards that point people to you! Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Devotion based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (select verses)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

At the 2025 WELS National Band Fest, the concert ended with an awesome piece of music called “Foundations.” It was based on the hymn “The Church’s One Foundation.” Before the music started, the band director told the audience, “Listen carefully to the percussion at the beginning—it sets the beat for the whole song!”

To the untrained ear, the opening measures sounded like someone clapping two wooden blocks together. Clap. Clap. Clap. It didn’t sound very exciting at first. But then the flutes joined in, then the trumpets and trombones—and the music grew louder and more beautiful. By the end, the music was huge and amazing!

This is kind of like what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. If we don’t have love, we’re just like that lonely percussion—clap, clap, clap—without a melody. Even if we do good things like give toys to kids, feed the hungry, or help others, if we don’t do it with the love of Jesus in our hearts, it’s just noise.

But when we do have Jesus’ love, our lives become a beautiful song! The Bible tells us what that kind of love sounds like:

Why? Because Jesus never fails.

Dear heavenly composer, thank you for writing the music of our lives. Help us show your love in everything we do. Thank you for sending Jesus, who makes our lives beautiful—and gives us the promise of heaven. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’’ . . . So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Devotion based on Acts 11:4-18 (select verses)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever seen Beauty and the Beast? There’s a fun scene where Belle sneaks downstairs at night because she’s super hungry. Instead of treating her like a prisoner, all the enchanted furniture welcomes her with a fancy dinner! They roll out a huge white tablecloth, pile on yummy food—beef stew, cheesy treats, flaming desserts—and sing, “Be our guest!” They want her to feel special.

A long time ago, Peter, one of Jesus’ followers, had a super strange dream. In the dream, a big white sheet came down from heaven. On it were animals—big ones, creepy ones, flying ones. Then Peter heard a voice say, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” Peter was shocked! “I can’t eat those! Jewish people don’t eat those animals!” But then the voice said, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

God was showing Peter something amazing: Jesus didn’t just come for one group of people. He came for everyone. Jesus’ love is for the whole world—no matter where you’re from or what you’ve done.

It’s like God rolled out a big tablecloth, filled it with something way better than beef stew and pie, and said, “You’re my guest. Come sit at my table. You belong here because of Jesus.”

Jesus died on the cross and rose again to wash away all our sins—even the really messy, ugly ones. Because of him, we’re not prisoners to sin anymore—we’re invited guests at God’s heavenly banquet!

And guess what? The guest list is HUGE. Everyone is welcome. Even people who weren’t part of God’s family before. That means you. That means me. That means everyone!

Dear Jesus, thank you for taking away the old rules and making a place for us at your table. Thank you for loving us and inviting us to the party in heaven. Help us tell others that they’re invited too! Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

[Jesus said] “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Devotion based on John 10:27,28

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have your mom or dad ever promised to take you somewhere fun—like the zoo, a movie, or out for ice cream? Did you believe them? Hopefully, you did! But why? Why do you trust that your mom or dad will do what they say?

You might say, “Because they love me,” or “Because they’ve taken me places before.” And that’s a great reason! If someone keeps their promises again and again, it’s easy to trust them the next time, right?

That’s kind of how it works with Jesus, but even better! Jesus always keeps his promises—every single one. Sometimes, it might feel like his promises are taking a long time. Or maybe they don’t happen exactly how we thought they would. But Jesus never forgets. He always does what he says.

That’s why it’s important to listen to Jesus’ voice—your Good Shepherd’s voice. But how do you hear his voice?

You hear Jesus’ voice when you read the Bible. You hear him when you do devotions at home with your family. You hear him when you sing songs and listen during church. Every time you learn about Jesus, you’re learning to recognize his voice more and more.

And when life gets scary or confusing—and it will sometimes—you’ll know which voice to listen to: your Good Shepherd’s.

In today’s Bible verse, Jesus makes an awesome promise. He says that he gives his sheep (that’s you!) eternal life, and no one can ever pull them out of his hand. You belong to him. You are safe. Forever.

So, until the day you get to meet your Good Shepherd face-to-face in heaven, keep listening to his voice. Trust his promises. And tell other people how great it is to have a Shepherd like Jesus who loves you so much!

Thank you for being my Good Shepherd and making me one of your sheep. Help me listen to your voice more and more every day. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

“They are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Devotion based on Revelation 7:15-17

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Beth started crying. It really wasn’t that big of a deal—her brother teased her a lot—but today, that tiny tease was just too much. She had woken up late, left her lunch at home, forgot her math homework, and even tripped while playing basketball in gym class. It had been a really bad day, and Beth felt like she just couldn’t take one more thing going wrong.

But thankfully, Beth had someone she could go to for comfort. No matter how rough the day was, Beth knew her mom would be there. Her mom gave her a big hug, handed her a tissue, and told her that tomorrow would probably be way better.

It feels so good to have someone who helps you feel better when you’re sad. Your mom or dad, grandma or grandpa, aunt or uncle, or big brother or sister—they’re special because they care about you and try to help when you’re hurting. But here’s the thing: they’re not perfect. They can’t stop every bad thing from happening. Because we live in a world full of sin, there will still be times when you get hurt, feel sad, or even cry.

That’s why the picture from today’s Bible reading is so amazing. In the book of Revelation, John gets a special peek into heaven. What he sees is a huge crowd—so many people he couldn’t even count them all! They’re standing in front of God’s throne, worshiping him.

John asks who they are, and he gets a beautiful answer. These are the people who went through hard times on earth because they trusted in God. But now? They’re safe. They’re happy. They’re with Jesus. They’ll never be hungry or thirsty again. They won’t get sunburned or tired. Jesus will be their shepherd, leading them to fresh, cool water. And best of all? God will wipe away every single tear from their eyes.

One day, you will be there too. One day, you’ll get to stand in heaven with all of God’s people, and nothing bad will ever happen again. No more pain. No more crying. Just perfect joy with Jesus!

Until that day, it’s okay to cry sometimes and go to someone you love for comfort. But remember, you can always go to God, too! He loves you so much—and one day, he’ll wipe away every one of your tears for good.

Dear God, sometimes the world feels really hard. Thank you for the promise of heaven, where everything will be perfect and happy. Help me to always remember that you love me and are with me, even on my worst days. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

“We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.”

Devotion based on Acts 13:32,33

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever heard of Babe Ruth? He was one of the most famous baseball players ever—and he played about 100 years ago! He was super good at hitting home runs—714 in total! That’s a lot of baseballs flying out of the park.

But Babe Ruth’s most famous home run wasn’t his biggest or his last. It was one he hit in the 1932 World Series. Why? Because people say he “called his shot.” That means, before the pitcher threw the ball, Babe Ruth pointed to the outfield—and then hit the ball exactly there for a home run! Fans were amazed. He said he was going to do something—and then did it.

In today’s Bible verse, the apostle Paul talks about someone even better at “calling his shot”—God! Paul was talking to people in a synagogue (that’s like church), and he reminded them of all the awesome things God had done: rescuing his people from Egypt, leading them to the Promised Land, giving them kings like David. The people listening knew those stories really well.

But Paul had a bigger reason for reminding them. He was showing them that God had been making a BIG promise since way back in the Old Testament—a promise to send a Savior. It took a long time, but God always keeps his promises. And finally, he did it! God sent Jesus, just like he said he would.

That’s even cooler than calling a home run!

And guess what? If God kept that huge promise, you can be 100% sure he’ll keep the rest of his promises too. When you’re scared, worried, or sad, remember what God has promised you. He promises to always be with you. He promises to help you. He promises to forgive you. And he promises to bring you to heaven.

God doesn’t just say stuff. He keeps his promises. Every time.

Dear God, thank you for keeping your promise to send Jesus. Help me trust all your other promises, too. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above