Bible Reading: Psalm 62:5-8

Natalie glanced at her phone. Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes to change and eat something before she had to leave for dance. Gotta move. She grabbed some mac and cheese and popped it into the microwave. As she bounded up the stairs, she passed her little brother Jacob sitting in time-out. Minutes later, the microwave dinged. Natalie tugged her leotard into place and pushed one more bobby pin into her bun. She rushed downstairs and retrieved her food. Stirring her mac and cheese, she glanced at Jacob sitting on the bottom step with his elbows on his knees, fists digging into his chubby cheeks.

"What did you do this time, sport?" Natalie plopped beside her brother.

"Yelled at Mommy." Jacob sighed. "I hate time-out."

Natalie patted his back. "Mom doesn't stick you here just because you're in trouble. It's to help you settle down and get under control. Are you still mad?"

"No." Jacob paused. "Nat? Does sitting help you too?"

Natalie paused mid-chew. Sitting still didn't happen much. Rushing to school and dance left her feeling anything but in control. "I'm too big for time-outs now," she said.

"You're never home." Jacob's eyes were sad. "I miss you."

Natalie licked the cheese from her spoon. She loved dance company, though it meant she practically lived at the studio. What happened to family time? What happened to time with God?

She looked at the shelf in the kitchen where she put her Bible. Maybe I need a time-out too.

Natalie glanced at her phone. Five minutes. She squeezed Jacob, then walked over and picked up her Bible. A highlighted verse caught her attention: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Rest. Sounds great, God. Natalie remembered learning that this verse meant those who trusted in Jesus didn't have to strive to earn God's favor, because Jesus earned it for them. I need to stop and remember that more often. Remember He's in control. She took a deep breath and continued to read.

Soon Mom was calling. Time for dance. Natalie checked her phone. Her five minutes were gone. Somehow God had stretched them, and she sensed His peace. She grinned and grabbed her brother's hand. "Race you to the car!"

–Gayle Veitenheimer

Bible Reading: Isaiah 64:6-7; Ephesians 2:8-10

"All right!" Oliver exclaimed as his mom presented him with a pair of bright new sneakers. "They're just what I wanted!"

"I'm glad you like them," said Mom. "But let's try to keep them clean. Save them for school or when you're out with your friends. You have plenty of old shoes to wear when you're in the yard or playing basketball at the park."

"Okay, Mom," Oliver said as he put on the new shoes.

He did remember to be careful with them for a while, but one day when he came into the house, he left a trail of muddy tracks through the kitchen.

"Stop right there, Oliver! Oh, your new sneakers--they're a mess!" Mom pointed to his mud-caked shoes.

"I'm sorry, Mom," said Oliver. "I forgot I had them on. Mrs. Alberts needed help in her garden, and I guess I went a little bonkers with the garden hose."

Mom sighed, shaking her head. "It was nice of you to help her, Oliver, but in spite of your good deed, your shoes are still dirty."

"Yeah." Oliver looked down at his feet and sighed. "They look pretty bad." Then he smiled. "It's kinda like the verse we learned at church last week. My teacher said it's easy to think that the good things we do can cover up the wrong things we've done. But the verse we learned says our good deeds are like dirty rags--or in this case, dirty sneakers. They can't make us clean."

"That's right," Mom said. "Nothing we do can ever clean up the sin in our lives. That's why we need Jesus." She bent over to help Oliver pull off his dirty shoes. "Jesus promises that when we confess our sins to Him, He will forgive us and wash us white as snow."

"Can you forgive me too, Mom?"

Mom smiled. "Of course I'll forgive you, Oliver."

"I'll try to be more careful." Oliver looked at his muddy shoes. "Will you make my sneakers clean again?"

"Not as clean as Jesus can make your heart," said Mom. "But I'll do my best. Bring them over to the sink and I'll check the cleaning supply cabinet."

–Nathan Runyon

Bible Reading: Luke 6:27-37

After their bikes were stolen, Ryder and Zach asked all their friends and neighbors to be on the lookout. They prayed about it too--and Dad even prayed for the person who had taken the bikes.

As they were praying together a few days later, Ryder's thoughts wandered. I wish I could get my hands on whoever took my bike, he thought. He'd have a black eye and a bloody nose and--

Ryder opened his eyes just then and noticed the words on a plaque hanging on the wall: "Forgive one another as the Lord forgave you." He struggled with his thoughts and feelings. He felt like getting back at the person who had taken his bike, but he knew Jesus wanted him to forgive.

Later that week, Ryder looked out the window to see Bryn, a girl from his class at school, standing outside with a man next to her. What's Bryn doing here? he thought. Then he noticed she was holding on to a red bicycle.

"My daughter has something to say to you," the man said when Dad and Ryder came to the door.

"I think this is your bike," said Bryn. "I saw a man putting a blue bike in his truck in front of your house. This one was standing there too, but when I came along, he took off. I meant to just borrow it and bring it right back, but then I scratched it and was worried you'd call the police. I'm sorry. I'll pay for it."

"You're the person who stole my bike?" Ryder felt a rush of anger as he looked at the long scratch on his new bike, but then he remembered how he'd once made fun of Bryn at school and made her cry. He'd later apologized, and she'd forgiven him. I need to forgive her, he thought, because she forgave me--and because Jesus forgave me too.

"It's okay, Bryn," Ryder said. "I forgive you."

As Bryn and her dad walked away, Ryder happily pushed his bike into the garage. As he did, the long scratch caught his eye once more--but this time it didn't make him angry. Thank you, Jesus, for forgiving me for all the wrong things I've done, he prayed, and for helping me forgive Bryn.

–Evelyn J. Behrens