READ: PSALM 119:10-16, 50-52, 103 I used to have crippling anxiety during violin recitals because I put too much pressure on myself to nail every note in front of an audience. No matter how well I knew the music, my fingers, arms, and legs would shake uncontrollably. Instead of playing the beautiful flowing melody I spent months learning and rehearsing, my performance would be choppy and somewhat screechy. It would crush me every time. But I finally learned how to tackle this anxiety—I would memorize my music. Through the process of memorizing, I would know the music so well that I wouldn’t need to think about it while playing on stage. I could simply close my eyes and let my violin sing. I could even pray while playing! And I stopped feeling so anxious at recitals. Violin recitals aren’t the only things that have made me anxious. Tests at school, trying out for sports teams, and having hard conversations with friends—just to name a few—have made me anxious. But, like I’ve learned that memorizing music calmed my anxiety during recitals, I learned that memorizing God’s Word calms my anxiety throughout everyday life. In Psalm 119, David says, “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word” (verse 15-16). Memorizing God’s Word helps us focus on Jesus and what He has done for us, especially in times when we feel anxious and our minds easily stray from the truth. Memorizing my violin music helped my mind and body calm down because I didn’t have to overthink what I was doing—the music was engraved in my mind and heart. God’s Word is like that too. When we carve His Word on our hearts, we often find that anxiety-inducing situations are not as overwhelming. Though we’ll all have times when we experience anxiety in our bodies and minds—that is, until the day Jesus returns—we don’t have to go through it alone. Jesus is with us, and He helps us relax as we join in the music of His truth. • Rachel Wierenga • We all feel anxious from time to time, but God has so much compassion on us, and He wants to help us through His Word, His Spirit, and His people. Do you have any favorite Bible verses that help you when you feel anxious? Consider choosing one to memorize this week. • Who is a trusted Christian in your life you can talk openly with when you feel anxious? If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:15-16 (NIV) 

READ: PSALMS 32:1-11; 139:7-10; JEREMIAH 17:7-8 Sometimes, when God seems silent, it’s easier to ask, “Where is God?” than to consider what the silence really means. There are so many stories in the Bible of God working through people in major ways. Moses led thousands out of slavery, Joseph saved entire nations from starvation, not to mention Jesus—God in human flesh—made the way to save the world from sin and death. What we often ignore are the stories before the story. God took Moses to the wilderness of Midian before sending him before Pharaoh. Joseph was taken to the figurative wilderness of slavery before becoming a great leader in Egypt and saving the lives of countless people during a famine. Jesus fasted in the wilderness for forty days before starting His ministry, which would culminate in His death on the cross and victorious resurrection. Often, God takes people through a wilderness before working in their lives. The key word here is through. He doesn’t just take people to the wilderness and leave them there. No, the wilderness is a training ground. And training grounds are meant for us to pass through, not to stay in. In His faithful timing, God will lead us not just to the wilderness, but through it. Wildernesses can feel like valleys of isolation and silence. But remember that even in the valley, the Holy Spirit is growing our roots into Jesus Christ. So, if God seems silent, draw in close to Him. Closeness with God requires dropping our walls and getting silent sometimes. It’s often in the silence that we hear God’s truth and experience His love in new and profound ways. As we hear truth, we are trained in truth. And it’s only after we’ve been trained that we can confidently go out from the valley—and onto the battlefield. Psalm 32:7 says God surrounds us with “shouts of deliverance.” So, embrace the valley for the training ground it is, then go out with the confidence that comes from resting in Jesus’s love—God’s shouts of deliverance leading the way! • Sarah Rexford • Can you think of a time God used a valley in your life to deepen your relationship with Him and teach you new things about the good news of Jesus? What happened? • Has God seemed silent to you lately? Consider taking a moment to talk to Him about this. • If you want to dig deeper, read Genesis 37; 50; Exodus 2–3; Romans 5:1-5; 8:31-39; 2 Corinthians 10:1-5; Ephesians 6:10-20; Colossians 2:6-7; 1 Timothy 1:12-19. He led his people in the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:16 (CSB) 

READ: EPHESIANS 1:17-19; 2 PETER 3:18; 1 JOHN 5:20 In fifth grade, I wrote a report on Eleanor Roosevelt. For weeks I studied her, read many resources about her, and wrote down all kinds of information and facts about her. I even had to dress up like her to make my presentation to the class. By the end of all that research, I felt like I knew just about everything about her. But even with all of my fact-gathering, I didn’t really know Eleanor Roosevelt at all. I knew about her, but I didn’t know her personally. I didn’t know her voice, the way she smiled, what made her laugh, her character, or any of the things you know about someone when you have a close relationship with them. The same is true for our relationship with Jesus. We can participate in Bible studies, Christian camps, youth group, Sunday school, and a multitude of other good things. But unless we are seeking to know Jesus better through them, it’s all just head knowledge. We can know all sorts of facts about Jesus without really knowing Him at all. Jesus wants more for us than just head knowledge. He desires a deep, personal relationship with us. That’s why He was willing to die on the cross— because He loves us and wants to be with us forever. When we put our trust in Jesus, we enter a relationship with God, and His Holy Spirit comes to live in us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our relationship with God becomes more and more central to our everyday lives. Jesus invites us to spend time reading His Word—and asking Him what He wants to say to us through it. He invites us to talk with Him throughout the day. To ask Him for guidance, for help in difficult situations, and for strength on hard days. To bring our worries to Him. To bring our joys to Him. And He invites us to rest in His deep, unconditional love for us. • Cara Campbell • If you want to know more about entering a relationship with God through Jesus, see our "Know Jesus" page. • Even after we’ve put our trust in Jesus by believing in His death and resurrection, sometimes we can fall into pursuing head knowledge about God while forgetting that we have a relationship with the God we’re learning about. We might also be hesitant or even resistant to interact with Him, and this happens throughout our lives for a variety of reasons. How would you describe your relationship with God lately? What do you want your relationship with Him to be like? [Jesus said,] “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.” John 10:14 (NLT) 

READ: MATTHEW 12:46-50; MARK 6:4; JOHN 1:12-13 If anyone understands messed up families, it’s Jesus. Imagine the ridicule He could have received growing up when His neighbors and friends assumed His mother had Him out of wedlock (Matthew 1:18-25). People at school might have muttered about how neither Jesus nor Mary deserved to live. Their cruel words could have rivaled some of the insults I received from bullies in middle school. Or the fact that His father, Joseph, likely died before He began His ministry. With few occupations available for widows back then, taking care of Mary became Jesus’s responsibility as the firstborn (John 19:25-27). No pressure there, especially on top of the whole Messiah gig. Not to mention His mother and siblings stormed one of His sermons, likely to tell Him to keep quiet. Even James, Jesus’s brother, doubted Jesus’s true identity as the Messiah until long after His death and resurrection (John 7:2-5; Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 15:7; James 1:1). You heard that right: His own brother didn’t believe in Him. Growing up, when confronted with constant sibling fights and my parents’ divorce, I hated the meaning of family. To me, family meant slamming doors and shouting matches. I would forget that I have a family bigger than the one in my house. Even though my biological mother and brothers may cause disappointment, my family in Christ gives me hope because, in Him, I always have a family—one that lasts forever, rooted in His promises. Sure, we mess up. Our Christ-family still slams doors and causes deep hurts. But we all take part in a restoration process. Messed up? Sure. Storming Jesus’s kingdom to tell Him He’s not doing a good job? Guilty as charged. But Jesus calls us family, walking with us and restoring our broken selves through His death and resurrection. If anyone can turn a messy family into something beautiful, it’s Him. • Hope Bolinger • Everybody has brokenness in their family. What kinds of brokenness do you see in your family? Consider taking a moment to ask Jesus to restore your family and heal your hurts. • Maybe your family is also part of your Christ-family. You can praise God for that! But maybe your family doesn’t believe in Jesus. You can pray for them and ask God to show you how to tell them about Jesus. Consider taking some time to do this now. [Jesus said,] “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:50 (CSB)

READ: PSALM 16; HEBREWS 13:5-6   Moment by moment He is always there Never have to worry Don’t have to be scared   Moment by moment He sees my pain He gives me comfort I cannot explain   Moment by moment He shows He cares I am a sinner But my life, He spared   Moment by moment He is always good I can rely on Him Always be understood • Bethany Acker   • 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. [Jesus said,] “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 (NIV) 

READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 3:16-18; PHILIPPIANS 1:6-11; 1 JOHN 3:1-3 When you were younger, did you ever think gemstones came out of the ground perfectly cut and polished? I did. It shocked a younger me to learn that, when gems are mined, they come out looking like small, lumpy rocks—dusted with grime and seemingly fit to be tossed aside. People are like that too. We’re covered from head to toe with the dirt and grime of sin. And, though many of us may appear clean on the outside, we’re all equally grimy deep down. From the beginning of your life, the dust of the earth covers you, and there is no going back or erasing the sin and brokenness. But there is a way forward. Jesus came to earth to save us: to turn thieves, traitors, and liars into emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. He removes us from the ground, gently picking away at the sin we are encased in. Then He cleanses us, renewing our hearts, souls, and minds so we can praise Him! He shapes us into His image, and the journey, though slow and difficult, transforms us. Jesus showed that we are more precious than the largest diamond ever found when He gave up His life for us on the cross. And then He rose from the dead— so now, if we put our trust in Him, we become clean in our hearts, pure in our minds, and polished from our baby toes to the tops of our unruly heads of hair. We’re still a work in progress, but we can look forward to the day when we will see Jesus face to face, and we will be completely free from sin and death. In the meantime, we rejoice that we are saved through faith in Jesus, but we shouldn’t assume our lives will necessarily be easy. As Christians, we will face persecution and other trials. When all of it seems unbearable, we always have God to turn to: He is our expert craftsman, the One who dug us out of sin and cleansed us, making us new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). As we go through life, we can remember that we are God’s gems—immeasurably precious in His sight. • Sophia Grogg • If we know Jesus as our Savior, we can rest in His promise to complete the work of saving us from sin and death (Philippians 1:6). How can this promise encourage us when we fail? • When you look at your flaws and shortcomings, how could it be helpful to think of yourself as a gemstone in the hand of God—inherently valuable and treasured, but not finished yet? I rejoice greatly in the LORD, I exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a groom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10 (CSB) 

READ: MARK 7:20-23; ROMANS 3:10-18, 23-24; 1 TIMOTHY 1:15-16 It didn’t matter how good people tried to make themselves look. The mirror never lied. Not to Amiah. She could see a person’s true image in their reflection. And what she saw were monsters. She didn’t know why no one else saw them, but the monsters were always there, flickering across sheets of glass and curves of metal. A spoon at a restaurant would betray the maniacal rage of a friendly waitress, her yellow, blood-rimmed eyes popping out of her head. A subway window would illuminate the green, slimy jealousy of the well-dressed man sitting next to her. On the street, the side of each building became its own danse macabre as grotesque figures stumbled across the glass. But they weren’t the reason she avoided reflective surfaces: she was. She was the worst monster of them all. Whenever she looked in the mirror, she shuddered at the horrifying creature gazing back at her, hatred and rage rotting the flesh off her bones. She wanted to scream and run away, but it followed her from one pane of glass to the next. One day, a man sat down across from her on the subway. He had long, stringy hair and wore a faded T-shirt and tattered jeans. Before she could stop herself, Amiah turned toward the window to see what monster he was hiding—and felt the air go out of her lungs. There was no monster. Only his pure reflection smiling back at her. She was suddenly pierced with the realization that he could see the monster she was, and her face grew hot with shame. But as the train screeched to a halt, he nodded toward the exit. Come, his eyes said. Follow me. He pushed open the doors and walked out. This wasn’t her stop, but everything in her propelled her to follow him off the train. She hurried toward the beeping doors and stepped out just as they swooshed close behind her. She joined him on the platform, and as the train pulled away, she caught a glimpse of herself in the window and gasped. For the first time ever, she saw her face. Soft black curls fell across her shoulders, and her eyes shone clear and bright. The monster was gone. • Courtney Lasater • What monsters have you seen in the mirror—even if no one else can see them? • Read 1 Samuel 16:7. How does God’s view of people differ from the way humans see each other? • Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. What does it say about how God sees those who belong to Jesus? How can knowing Jesus change the way we see ourselves? Today’s story is an allegory. If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 1:16-20; John 1:43-46; 5:24-25; 10:27; Ephesians 2:1-5.  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) 

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 8 Halloween can be a controversial time for Christians. While some view Halloween as a celebration of all that is dark, demonic, and evil, others view it as a community-building opportunity to share Jesus with their neighbors. Both sides have valid points, so which one should we pick? The origin of Halloween is definitely worrisome. It was a pagan holiday, believed to be a day when spirits came to earth to wreak havoc. To avoid being haunted, people would disguise themselves so that the spirits wouldn’t recognize them. Halloween has long been linked with witchcraft, evil spirits, and death, so naturally some Christians feel we should avoid it. Other Christians, however, view modern-day Halloween as so far distanced from its pagan roots that it has turned into a harmless night of fun and fellowship. They note that many Christmas and Easter traditions have pagan roots too, but Christians now use these celebrations to glorify God. “So,” they say, “Why not do the same with Halloween?” They may use Halloween as a way to connect with neighbors they rarely see and even tell them about Jesus. So who is right? Well, probably both. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul is discussing a very controversial issue in the Corinthian church: is it okay to eat meat that has been sacrificed to an idol? Paul says, if I may paraphrase, “Well, it’s up to you. You are free in Christ, so idols hold no power over you. Eat if you want, but watch those around you. Are you causing a fellow believer to stumble? If so, then don’t eat. It’s not worth it.” Paul’s wise advice can be applied to many controversies that are not central to our faith. If your family celebrates Halloween, take full advantage of the opportunity to reach out to others, but don’t make other Christians feel bad because they choose not to recognize this holiday. And if your family doesn’t celebrate Halloween, don’t look down on those who do. The most important thing is to love one another in Christ even when we disagree. • Taylor Eising • Do you celebrate Halloween? Why or why not? • As Christians, how can we demonstrate love to one another even while discussing topics we disagree on? • Why is it important to know your reasons for practicing the things you do (or don’t do)? Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 (NIV) 

READ: MATTHEW 28:18-20; 1 CORINTHIANS 3:6-8; 1 PETER 3:15-16 Sharing our faith can be exciting, especially if someone is eager to listen. How can we do this well? Here are some tips: First: Be prepared. The Bible tells us we should always be ready to explain our hope (1 Peter 3:15). If we want to bear witness to the good news of Jesus, it’s important to be investing in our relationship with God and continually deepening our understanding of our faith. Regularly reading God’s Word, talking with Him in prayer, and gathering with His people will help us be ready to share how the death and resurrection of Jesus saved us from our sins. Second: Choose the right timing. For example, if a friend is going through something really difficult, we might think that telling them about Jesus is the best way to help. That might be true, but we might also need to just be a friend, letting them talk about what they’re going through and really listening to them. If we try to push our faith on others, or if we try to talk about spiritual things in the wrong timing, they may walk away feeling more alone than ever. Third: Watch your language—and your attitude. If we grew up around Christians, we might be familiar with words and concepts that others won’t understand right away. We might also assume that everyone knows certain things about God. It can be helpful to use simple language when sharing our faith, at least in the beginning. Maybe we start by asking the person we’re talking with what they have heard about God or how they feel about Him. It’s important to be patient and kind too, speaking “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). This can be difficult sometimes, but as we rest in Jesus’s love for us, He will help us have the same loving attitude toward others that He has toward us (John 15:5; Philippians 2:5). Finally: Follow God’s lead and direction. Above all, when we’re sharing our faith, we should pray often. We can ask God about how we can invite others to know Him. And we can listen when He calls us to talk with someone, and when He calls us to wait. Remember, timing matters, and we can trust that God’s timing is just right. • Emily Acker • Have you ever talked about your faith with someone who didn’t know Jesus? What was that like? • Do you feel prepared to tell others about Jesus and invite them to follow Him if you get the chance? What steps could you take to become more prepared? How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:14 (NIV) 

READ: DEUTERONOMY 31:6-8; PSALM 23; MATTHEW 28:20; JOHN 8:12 My father wheeled me out of the outpatient infusion center where I had just received my first iron infusion. I watched the bare walls and bleached floor pass by in a watery blur. By the time my dad pushed me into the box-shaped hospital entryway, now empty of people, I was crying and holding my purse like a teddy bear. Parking my wheelchair near the sliding doors, my dad paused. “Are you okay?” I didn’t know what to say. Did he want me to explain how I had gone to bed the night before, afraid I wouldn’t wake up? Or should I say that I was terrified of facing a chronic health issue? Honestly, I didn’t have an answer. I just nodded. When my dad left to get the car, I felt the emptiness encircle me. The volunteers were gone, and chairs stacked away. The lights were off, but brilliant sunlight shone into the room, contrasting the shadows of the trees. Why do I have to experience this, Lord? Will I ever get better? I have learned that Jesus is present in those empty moments, like the vacant room of a hospital where I sat alone in a wheelchair, sobbing with fear as the daylight streamed in. No, not truly alone, for Jesus was there. The light and beauty testified to my Savior’s love and goodness. I just couldn’t see it at the time. If I could go back to that day, as that girl sat waiting for her father, I would push her out into the world underneath the shifting shadows of the trees and say, “Our lives are like those shadows. They are punctured with light. All we must do is look for the Light. He is always there.” “But what if I don’t get better?” she would ask, her face moist from weeping. “No matter what, He will be there.” • Sophia Bricker • Have you ever faced an illness or a situation in life that really scared you? Were there any ways you experienced Jesus’s nearness in that time? • Walking through hardships is not something any of us want. Yet, how can knowing that the Lord is with us, by our side even in the darkest valleys, give us hope and strength? “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) 

READ: HABAKKUK 3; ROMANS 8:28-39; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 What are you most grateful for? It’s often easy to praise God for joyful blessings, but sometimes we forget we can also be thankful in suffering. In the book of Habakkuk, God announced His severe judgment on the rebellious people of Judah. The prophet Habakkuk was devastated. God would send the dreaded Chaldeans, and the effect of their brutal attacks on Judah would be complete destruction, ruin, and captivity. The prophet lamented to God, and God answered him with three assurances: His grace would protect the righteous who live by faith, His glory would be revealed, and His sovereign rule would prevail. After Habakkuk presented his complaints to God and listened for His answers, the prophet was left awestruck at the greatness, power, and majesty of God. He recounted God’s miraculous interventions and deliverance, His trustworthy character and mighty deeds throughout Israel’s history. Though trembling on the threshold of doom, Habakkuk’s focus was redirected from the impending disaster onto the holiness, righteousness, and faithfulness of God. In the end, Habakkuk’s primary concern was no longer personal safety or deliverance for the people of Judah, but the work of God and the glory of God. Once he’d experienced a vision of God’s goodness and sovereignty, his priorities changed: he desired that God should accomplish whatever He wanted to do and receive the due glory for His work. If that involved pain and suffering, so be it. If judgment and discipline were necessary to achieve His divine agenda, so be it. Habakkuk’s outlook echoes the prayer Jesus would later teach His disciples: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Habakkuk teaches us that, as we draw near to God, He guides us to a point where His work and His glory become more important to us than our comfort and safety. God loves us, and when our desires are subordinated and yielded to His higher kingdom plans and purposes, we can be truly praiseful and thankful in any circumstance, even trial and suffering. • L.C. Nuttall • Habakkuk got to hear exactly how God was going to work through the suffering and pain in his life. We, on the other hand, may never know how God was at work in our suffering until we see Jesus face to face. Yet, we do know that He is always with us, providing comfort and strength. And He invites us to bring all of our pain, anger, and complaints to Him. How can resting in God’s love and presence with us lead us to praise and gratitude even in painful times? [Jesus said,] “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 (NIV) 

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; JOHN 14:6; 1 JOHN 5:19-20 They blare in our headphones, they shine out from our devices: defining voices of this world. They come subtly, yet suddenly. They echo as a whisper, yet in our minds they resound as a shout. They avert our gaze off of where it should be, redirecting our focus onto worthless lies. The voices of this world try to define who we are. We get distracted by these voices that try to tell us who we should be, so much so that we start to believe that their lies aren’t lies at all, but reality. And when we try to follow these voices, it’s exhausting. They tell us we should look a certain way, act a certain way, and be a certain way. They distract us from the Way, which is the only way that really matters. It is vital to redirect our eyes onto Jesus. He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The reality is, the things of this world don’t have to define us. Ephesians 5:8 says that all of us were once darkness, but those who know Jesus have become children of light. We are chosen and dearly loved by the True King. He laid down His life for us, dying on the cross and rising from the grave so that our sins could be forgiven and we could become part of His eternal family. Once we belong to Jesus, He is the only one who can define us. That’s why it’s so important for us to slow down and take time to dwell on the truth that Jesus is God, the King of the world, and He loves us with an unshakable love (Romans 8:38-39; 1 Timothy 1:16-17). When we spend time with Him—by talking with Him in prayer, reading His book, the Bible, and gathering with His people, the church—we have the opportunity to remember again and again that, indeed, He is God and we are His children. And because we no longer belong to the darkness, we are no longer defined by the voices of this world. • Emma Pamer • What things in your life divert your eyes from Jesus? Can you think of a time Jesus redirected your eyes back onto Himself? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. • Lies are from the devil, but sometimes people—even people in the church—repeat his lies, either on purpose or unknowingly. That’s why it’s so important for us to study God’s Word for ourselves and not be afraid to ask hard questions. Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you weigh the messages you’re receiving—from people you know, from books, online, and even at church—against the Bible? (If you want to dig deeper, you can read more about who we are in Jesus in Romans 8:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 1–2; 1 Peter 2:9.) You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (CSB) 

READ: PSALM 18:19; ISAIAH 43:4; ZEPHANIAH 3:17; 1 JOHN 4:9-10 If you’ve ever had a pet you loved, or saw your favorite animal at the zoo, or had the opportunity to hold a beloved baby in your arms, think about what it felt like when you looked at them. When we truly delight in an animal or a baby, we don’t need anything from them. We don’t expect anything from them, except to just be themselves. Even though they can’t do anything for us, we love them anyway, and we enjoy the time spent together. And this is similar to how God sees us. Sometimes, when we think about God, we can be tempted to believe the lie that He is distant and cold, just waiting for us to slip up. But that’s just not true. We are His creation made in His image, and when He looks at us, He sees that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 139:14). God adores you so much more than you could ever imagine. He delights in you. And not because He needs anything from you (Psalm 50:9-11; Acts 17:25). He chose you because He loves you, and He wants to spend eternity with you (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:4-8). I don’t know what you’ve been told about God or what kind of experiences you’ve had in church, but no matter who you are, where you’re from, what you look like, or what you’ve done, Jesus loves you so much that He died on the cross and rose from the grave so that you would have the opportunity to walk alongside Him for all eternity. • Elizabeth Blanton • Do you have a family member, a friend, or an animal you delight in? God cherishes you even more than that. He even knows how many hairs are on your head! (Luke 12:6-7) • Can you think of a time you felt like God was distant and cold, just waiting for you to slip up? We all fall into believing this lie from time to time, even after we’ve put our trust in Jesus, but God always looks at us with love, He always wants to be with us—and He knows we need reminders. Can you think of a time God reminded you of His love? What was that like? But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV) 

READ: HEBREWS 2:17-18; 4:14-16, 1 PETER 5:7-10 God wants us to pour out our hearts to Him. Think about that. God tells us to spill out all our wants, needs, emotions, dreams, troubles, joys, and thoughts to Him. We might be tempted to think God only wants us to confess our sins, ask for direction, and thank Him for our blessings when we pray to Him. But that’s not the case. God offers Himself as a safe outlet where we can vent, cry, and be fully ourselves. When we pour out our hearts to God, we don’t need to worry about Him telling others our dirty secrets or rolling His eyes because of our immaturity. He knows we’re fragile humans who struggle with life and don’t know how to act sometimes. And that doesn’t scare Him off. He wants to approach us for that very reason. He invites us to be totally honest about our struggles—this is one of the ways we can cast our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). As we pour out our hearts to God, we often find it gets easier to settle our minds and hear His voice. It isn’t good to bottle things up because the noise in our hearts becomes too much for us. But letting go of those things and telling them all to God not only brings relief, it opens the door of our hearts so we can more effectively listen to Him. As we talk to God, it helps to remember that He knows what it’s like to be human. Jesus is both fully God and fully human, and He faced more than His fair share of hardships here on earth. And every time, He went straight to God the Father in prayer. Even while Jesus was dying on the cross for our sins, He continued to speak to the Father from the depths of His heart. Whenever we start to feel the weight of the world, or we think we can never get through something, it’s time to take a step back and pour out our hearts to God. • Morgan A. Mitchell • When you pray, what kinds of things do you tend to hold back? What do you avoid saying to God? Why do you think that might be? • How do you think God feels when you share what’s on your heart with Him? Do you imagine He’s angry, annoyed, or disappointed—or do you picture Him responding with compassion, patience, and wisdom? Consider taking a moment to ask God to show you how He truly feels about you. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8 (NIV)

READ: PSALM 51; MATTHEW 18:21-35; EPHESIANS 4:32 I witnessed my father and mother fighting at a very young age. As the years went by, I learned that my father was not only a gambler but was also unfaithful to my mother over and over again. As I grew up, my hatred for my father grew. He was not sorry for his faults. He was self-centered and insensitive, which made me abhor him all the more, even though I was his favorite child. And though I was studying in a Christian school where forgiveness was being taught, I did not forgive my father for his transgressions. I did not find any valid reason to forgive him, because he did not even ask for forgiveness. I only forgave my father many years later when the Holy Spirit prompted me to forgive him. Jesus was hurt and offended by the people who crucified Him, yet He forgave them despite experiencing humiliation, severe pain, and suffering on the cross. Because of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, if we’ve put our trust in Him, we can know that we have been forgiven completely. And the Holy Spirit empowers us to forgive those who have offended us and caused us pain, knowing that Jesus has forgiven us for the pain we cause Him and others. Jesus loves us, and He wants us to forgive others because we have been forgiven. Further, He knows that forgiveness can help us move toward peace, joy, and better relationships. Jesus even forgave people who did not ask for forgiveness (Luke 23:34). He forgave and continues to forgive us in spite of knowing that we sin repeatedly. As we rest in His love for us, Jesus will lead us to forgive the way He has forgiven us. • Golda Dilema • As Christians, we live our lives in a constant rhythm of repentance and forgiveness. And Jesus’s forgiveness will never run out! Consider taking a moment to thank Jesus for His amazing gift of forgiveness. And if any sins come to mind, you can always confess these as well. • Is there someone you’re struggling to forgive right now? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about this. He invites you to share all your questions and struggles. He loves listening to you, and He is always eager to help you. • Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to be in a close relationship with them. If you’re struggling to forgive someone who consistently makes you feel unsafe, who is a trusted adult you can talk to about setting good boundaries? Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 (NIV)

READ: MATTHEW 6:19-33; COLOSSIANS 3:2-4; 1 TIMOTHY 4:8 I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve had a six-pack (abs, not sodas) on and off for about twenty years. Exercise has become part of my lifestyle. But something I realized about ten years ago was that my weight training had become an obsession. It slowly moved from low priority, to medium priority, to high priority, and finally to, “Life, get out of the way, because I’m working out no matter what!” This is called an obsession. Even if you don’t work out, obsessions come in many forms. My obsession may have been about health, but it wasn’t healthy. You see, an obsession is when something takes God’s place as the decision-maker for all other areas of your life—rather than Jesus being at the center of all your decisions. Obsessions can be about anything: appearances, video games, sports, clothes, relationships, etc. Schoolwork can even become an obsession. The bottom line is this: If you place your identity in anything other than your relationship with Jesus, then your life is built on unsteady sand (Matthew 7:24-29). Sure, an obsession may not be about an evil thing, but the way we pursue that thing can become evil when we let it take the place of God in our hearts. So what do we do when we realize something in our lives has become an obsession? We turn to Jesus. He loves us more than any other, and He has come to set us free. • David Shorts • God created us out of love, to be loved by Him and to love Him back. It’s because of God’s love that Jesus died for us and rose again. Any obsession we may have will leave us empty. But Jesus invites us to fulness of life with Him (John 10:10). In your own life, what things have become obsessions, decision-makers, or idols—either in the past, or in the present? • What might it look like to love God and honor Him through the activities you enjoy, without placing your identity in them? This is a question we need to ask ourselves throughout our lives, but God is so patient with us, and He is eager to help us. Consider taking some time to talk to Him about these things. In addition to talking to God, who is a trusted Christian in your life you could talk to? We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (WEB) 

READ: PSALMS 25:1-5; 32:8; ISAIAH 30:21; JOHN 8:12   God is the one who guides my way, Directs my path, and leads each day. I want to go where He takes me, Even in times when I can’t see.   The road for me is dark ahead. He takes me by the hand and says, “I know the path that you should take. Trust me for the right choice to make.”   So I press on, holding His hand, And with His strength, I always stand. Turn to the left, turn to the right, I trust Him because He’s my light.   I don’t know what the future holds, But trust God’s plan to soon unfold. He holds the future in His hand. On His promises I will stand. • Brooke Morris   • Life can be confusing, especially when we don’t know what the future holds or we need help making a big decision. Thankfully, Jesus is always with us, even when we feel uncertain about His plans for us. When we feel afraid or anxious about the future, how might it help to imagine Jesus holding our hand, walking with us? • God loves to help us discern the next steps to take, and He provides an abundance of wisdom through His Word (the Bible), His Holy Spirit, and His people (the church). Can you think of a time God gave you wisdom to make a decision about the future? What was that like? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. • When we’re waiting to see how our circumstances turn out, what are some of God’s promises we can rest on? (Matthew 11:28-30; 28:20; Romans 8:35-39; James 1:5; Revelation 21:1-5) “The LORD will guide you always.” Isaiah 58:11 (NIV) 

READ: JOHN 20:24-29; ACTS 17:10-12; PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11 We all have doubts and questions from time to time. Does God exist? Are heaven and hell real? Does the Bible actually teach what people say it does? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Maybe it’s questions from a friend that make us doubt. Maybe it’s something we hear on social media, in a movie, in a book, or from a teacher. Or maybe it’s just our own wondering hearts. Let me assure you: it’s absolutely okay to doubt. It can even be good! Faith is not blind belief in what someone tells us. Instead, it’s a trusting reliance on a God we can know personally. Doubts can help us realize what we still need to learn… and what we don’t yet understand. That’s a healthy part of the Christian life. It wouldn’t be healthy, though, if we just ignored our doubts, or if we gave in to them. We have to do something about them. We have to answer them. How? The way we answer any question: with thought and research. But also, with prayer. God invites us to entrust our doubts to Him, asking Him to make the answers clear to us and to help us know Him better in the process. For example, if you can’t come up with reasons why you know God exists, maybe ask a trusted Christian in your life to tell you their reasons—such as a friend, pastor, or family member—or find a book by a Christian apologetics expert. If you’re wondering whether something you’ve been taught is truly right, be like the Bereans in Acts 17—pick up a Bible, and find out what God has to say! Easy? Certainly not always. But if we don’t challenge ourselves, if we don’t ask tough questions and search for tough answers, how will we grow? Remember, God can use our questions—and the things we learn from them—to equip us for the missions He has for us in His kingdom. So we don’t need to be afraid of doubts. As Jesus mercifully appeared to Thomas when he doubted—showing Thomas His wounds from the cross to prove that He was alive again—Jesus reveals Himself and comes near to us in our search for tough answers. • Christiana Albrecht • What doubts do you have about your faith? Which topics make you uncomfortable? • Is it hard for you to admit that you don’t have all the answers? Why do you think that is? • When you find yourself struggling with doubt, who is a trusted Christian in your life you can talk openly with—someone who will listen well, pray with you and for you, and remind you that you are forgiven and loved, completely and eternally, in spite of your doubts? But test all things. Hold on to what is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (CSB) 

READ: PSALM 139:23-24; 2 TIMOTHY 1:9-13; 2:19-26 As a kid, one of my jobs after dinner was to clear the table and help wash the dishes. Many of my mom’s fancy dishes couldn’t go into the dishwasher but had to be washed by hand. I can still remember the feeling of having finally rinsed them and put them on the drying rack, only to discover there were some spots I had missed. Bits of dried food would be left under the brim or deep in some crevice, and the dish would have to be washed again. The only way to be sure the dishes were completely clean was to turn them over and over under the hot water, searching out every nook and cranny with a soapy sponge. The same is true with our spiritual lives. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul says to Timothy, “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable [or special] use and some for dishonorable [or ordinary use]. So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (verse 20-21). How do we purify ourselves like this? Paul goes on to instruct Timothy to flee the lusts of youth, to pursue what is good, to “reject foolish and ignorant disputes,” and to instead patiently and gently teach his opponents in hopes that God will grant them repentance (verse 22-26). In order to move toward righteousness and away from wickedness, we need to search out our hearts, thinking deeply and inviting the Holy Spirit to come into those places where, if we’re honest, we would really rather He not go. And this is something we do in community with other believers. Paul says in verse 22 that we are to do this “along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” Together, we pursue righteousness and obedience to Jesus Christ, who saved us from sin by His own death and resurrection. When we are in relationship with brothers and sisters in Christ, we can lovingly point out things in each other’s lives that need repentance and growth. We don’t do this out of pride or arrogance, but out of love for Christ and for one another. God wants to cleanse every nook and cranny of your heart. Will you invite Him to do that today? • Jacob Bier • To be holy is to be set apart. What does holiness have to do with service? How does unconfessed sin get in the way of serving the Lord? And how does Jesus cleanse us? So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 2 Timothy 2:21 (CSB) 

READ: LUKE 9:10-17; ROMANS 5:5; 1 THESSALONIANS 3:12 Do you like leftovers? I love them. I would prefer to take leftovers as my lunch over a sandwich any day! When I was growing up, I remember my grandmother would designate one day of the week to have “must-go” casserole for supper. That meant she would take all the leftovers from the week before and make some sort of casserole—it was always something unique. Personally, I’m thankful for leftovers because it means that my family has more than enough to eat. The amazing thing about today’s Scripture passage is that there were leftovers. Jesus was feeding over 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. There shouldn’t have been any leftovers at all. In fact, there should have been several thousand people who didn’t get anything to eat. Instead, Jesus did a miracle, and there ended up being more food than they started out with—that day was overflowing with leftovers. God can do that in the lives of His people too. He can take a sinner who has lots of bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness, and He can fill them with His overflowing love—so much so that they have leftover love to give to others. The truth is, we’re all sinners apart from Jesus. But once we know Jesus, we can share His abundant love in any situation because, as Romans 5:5 says, “God’s love has been poured out in our hearts.” And His love is too good not to share! • Melissa Yeagle • Can you think of a time someone showed God’s love to you? What did they say or do? • In God’s kingdom, there is always more than enough love, compassion, and forgiveness to go around—because Jesus’s death and resurrection is just that powerful! (You can find more about this good news on our "Know Jesus" page.) And if we know Jesus, we never need to worry about running out of love because His Holy Spirit lives in us. The love we share with others doesn’t come from us—it comes from God! When do you find it difficult to love others? Consider taking a moment to talk to God about this. You can always ask Him to remind you of how much He loves you and the people around you. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (CSB)