Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids

Keys For Kids Ministries
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Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids

Keys For Kids Ministries is a children's ministry organization, offering Keys for Kids, Down Gilead Lane, and much more.

  1. 22 HR. AGO

    A Wonderful Gift

    "Mom! Dad just drove in," said Millie. "He probably brought a Christmas tree!" But as she opened the door, Dad came in, and he didn't have a tree. "I'm sorry, sweetie," Dad said, giving Millie a hug. "I know how much you wanted a tree, but…" Millie shrugged away and hurried to her room. She didn't feel like celebrating Christmas. As she lay on her bed, the sound of voices drifted down the hall. Millie went to her door and listened. "I wish we could afford a Christmas tree this year," Dad said. He sounded very sad. "Since it's so close to Christmas, I thought they'd be marked down, but the prices were still pretty high. And with all the extra expenses we've had, I didn't think it was a good idea. But I know Millie's disappointed." The hurt in Dad's voice brought tears to Millie's eyes. Then a plan began to form in her mind. Christmas is all about God's gift of Jesus and the joy He came to bring us, she thought. Maybe I can give Dad and Mom a gift of joy too. Millie went out to join her parents. "Mom, can we bring out that little artificial tree we used in Grandma's hospital room last year?" she asked. "Sure," said Mom, and she got the tree. Millie pretended to be thrilled with it. "Help me decorate it!" As they worked, Millie continued her cheerful act. "I remember when you and I went shopping and bought this ornament, Dad," she said as she hung a wooden bird on the tree. "We had so much fun." The angel they had used in years past seemed too big for the tiny tree, but they put it on the top anyway. "Mom and I bought this angel for your first Christmas," Dad reminded Millie--just like he did every year. By the time they finished, Dad's spirits had lifted, and Millie was surprised to find that she no longer had to pretend to be happy. Her joy was real, and she looked forward to Christmas morning. She didn't expect to get many presents, but it didn't matter anymore. She had already received a wonderful gift--the joy of making another person happy. –Esther M. Bailey

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    Gradual Growth

    After breakfast, Thatcher sat quietly as his dad read a passage of Scripture. "Well," said Dad as he closed his Bible, "these verses tell us that God is working to help us develop the same character traits Jesus has and become more like Him." Dad looked at his family. "Has anyone noticed ways He's been helping you do that in your life?" No one said anything for a moment. Then Thatcher spoke up. "I don't get in fights as much as I used to, and I don't cheat on spelling tests anymore. And I like church better now too." His brows furrowed. "But I haven't been changing much lately." "Well, we never stop growing as Christians," said Dad. "But often it's hard to pinpoint where the changes are taking place." After they discussed the verses a little more, Dad led them in prayer. Then they all gathered their things for a trip to visit Grandma, who lived several hours away. When they got there, Grandma greeted them eagerly. "You've grown!" she exclaimed as she hugged Isla. "I see you've lost some teeth too!" "Thwee teeth," lisped Isla. "And Thatcher, you must be six inches taller," said Grandma, hugging him. "My! You're a young man now!" Throughout the day, she frequently commented on how much they had changed. As Mom tucked Thatcher into his sleeping bag that night, he said, "I didn't think I had changed much since the last time we saw Grandma, but she couldn't stop talking about how much I've grown." Mom laughed. "I know. I often don't notice how you and Isla grow either--until you grow out of your clothes, that is! I guess I see you too much to notice the gradual changes." She gave Thatcher a hug. "That reminds me of what we were talking about this morning. Maybe we're too close to ourselves to notice gradual changes that make us more like Jesus. But Grandma saw them. She mentioned how you and Isla played together without fighting and were quick to help when asked." "Really?" asked Thatcher. "Really," said Mom. "Trust that God is working in you to make you more and more like Jesus every day." –Hope L. Aderman

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    Christ Light

    Emily licked the icing off her fingers and carefully added another snowflake sprinkle to her Christmas cookie. Christmas parties were the best! She grinned as she looked around the table at her friends. Some of them were already devouring their cookies piled with sweet decorations. "All right, kids! While you finish decorating your cookies, I have a special story to tell you," said Emily's mom. One of the other moms started passing around oranges while Emily's mom answered a question. "No, they aren't to eat just yet. We have to do something with them first! I was looking up different Christmas traditions from other countries and found this really cool one from Germany in the 1700s." The children now each had a candle, four toothpicks, dried fruit, and a red ribbon next to their oranges. "This is what they did," Emily's mom said, holding up an orange. "The orange stands for the world. God loved our world so much that He sent His Son to save us. Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of our sins and then rose from the dead so we could have eternal life. That's what the red ribbon stands for--the blood of Jesus. Take your ribbon and glue it around your orange." "What are the toothpicks for?" Emily asked curiously. "We put the four toothpicks in our orange pointing different directions for north, south, east, and west," her mom explained. "Jesus wants us to spread the good news that He saves all over the world! The dried fruit go on the ends to remind us that when Jesus is our Savior we have the fruit of the Spirit. What are they?" Some of the kids murmured, "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." "Is the candle for 'this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine'?" Wyatt sang with his eyes sparkling. "How did you know, Wyatt? Yes, we're all going to place our candle inside the top of our orange and the grown-ups will light them. This thing you created is called a Christingle, and it's a symbol of Christ's light in us. If you know Jesus as your Savior, you are the light of the world. Kids, let your light shine for Jesus this Christmas!" –Savannah Coleman

  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    Rest Is Best

    Jade squeezed her new teddy bear tight as she ran to the living room. She waded through piles of wrapping paper to find the family Bible on the coffee table. "Momma," she said as she walked into the kitchen and found her mother rolling out pie dough on the counter. "We almost forgot to read the Christmas story! We always read it on Christmas after we open our presents." "I didn't forget, Jade. We just don't have time this year," Mom said. "I need to finish making the pecan pie we're taking to Grandma's and shovel the driveway so we can get the car out of the garage, and we need to leave in forty-five minutes or we'll be late." Mom punctuated her list with a sigh. "Maybe we can read it tomorrow instead." Defeated, Jade walked back to the living room. She plopped down in the crumpled wrapping paper and looked at her teddy bear. "What should I name you?" Jade asked the stuffed animal as she touched the pink bow on the bear's head. "I know," she said, "Martha!" Jade furrowed her brow. She thought about the story of Mary and Martha she learned in Sunday school and realized Martha sounded a lot like her mom. Jade returned to the kitchen. "I think you're being Martha," she timidly told her mom as she sat down at the counter. "Martha?" Mom asked. "Who is Martha?" "In the Bible, Jesus visits two sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha spent so much time cleaning and cooking that she didn't get to spend any time with Jesus. But Mary decided spending time with Jesus was more important than anything else." Jade looked down at the floor. "I think you're letting Christmas be more important than spending time with Jesus." Mom's face softened. "Thank you, Jade. You're absolutely right. I got caught up in all the work that goes along with the holiday. Even good things, like making a pie for family, can be bad when they keep us from taking time to rest with Jesus so He can refresh our souls and remind us of His love." Mom put down the rolling pin and smiled at Jade. "Come on, little Mary. Let's go read the Christmas story by the tree. Grandma won't mind if we're a little late." –Nicole Kraayenbrink

  5. 4 DAYS AGO

    Trouble at the Airport

    "We're finally going to Seattle!" Mom exclaimed after checking in at the airport. "Attle?" Billy said. "Who's Attle?" Susan gave him a funny look. "We're going to see Grandma." Billy tried but failed to hide his smile. "Mom just said we're going to see Attle." Susan groaned. "Seattle. The city." Billy laughed. As they waited at the security gate, Mom asked, "Billy, are all your toy cars in your backpack?" Billy placed his backpack on the conveyor belt. "Sure are!" All except the Formula One race car in his pocket--his favorite. But nobody would see it. Mom and Susan emptied their pockets into the bin and walked through the metal detector first. When Billy entered, a buzzer blared. He froze. Busted. Immediately a security guard stopped him. "Empty your pockets." Billy handed over his race car. The officer inspected the toy and made Billy walk through the metal detector again, this time with empty pockets. Once he had cleared the checkpoint, Billy walked to where Mom and Susan were waiting for him. He held up both hands. "Sorry." Mom shook her head as they started for their gate. "Billy, you thought if I didn't see the race car, the metal detector would miss it too, is that it?" He shrugged. "I guess I thought I had everyone fooled." "Well, if you're ever tempted to fool me--or anyone else--again, remember you can't hide things from God. He knows what's in our pockets--and in our hearts too." Billy thought for a second. "He even knows what I'm thinking, right?" Mom nodded. "Every thought." Susan grinned. "He even knows when you're not thinking. You really thought you could slip a race car through security?" Billy sighed. "It wasn't my finest moment, I'll admit." "The good news is that even though God knows everything about us, He still loves us and forgives us for our wrongs," said Mom. "We don't ever have to hide anything from Him because Jesus paid the price for all our sins on the cross." Billy stuffed the race car deep in his pocket. Every time he saw that car, he'd remember that he could never hide anything from God. –Matt Shoemaker

  6. 5 DAYS AGO

    Candy Canes at Christmas

    "Look! I had just the right amount of string to attach the candy cane message about Jesus to each candy cane!" Loralee declared. "Great! Now we're ready to deliver them," Loralee's mother replied. That afternoon, Loralee and her mother knocked on doors in their neighborhood. As they strolled from house to house in crisp, cool weather, Loralee looked forward to talking with people about how the red-and-white-striped candy told the message of Jesus and the sacrifice He made to forgive people for their sins. Standing on a broad porch, Loralee handed a candy cane to her neighbor Miss Zelda. "I like this candy, but I'm not sure I'll read the little story about Jesus." Miss Zelda smiled and shut the door. As Loralee and her mom turned back to the sidewalk, Loralee sighed. "Mama, I don't know if this is doing any good." "What do you mean?" asked Mama. "Most of our neighbors weren't home, so we just left the candy canes hanging on their doorknobs. And the ones who were home didn't seem to care about Jesus being the real reason for Christmas." "Loralee, you want others to know about Jesus, right?" Mama asked. "Of course! I gave my life to Jesus last year and trusted Him to forgive my sins, and now I want our neighbors to trust in Him too so they can be God's children." "When you began a relationship with God as His child, do you know what He poured into your heart, Loralee?" Loralee scuffed her shoe on some fallen leaves. "I don't know." "His love! The Bible tells us He pours His love into our hearts." Loralee smiled. "If God's love is in my heart, that means I have God's love to give to others." "Exactly!" said Mama. "People may not want to talk about their beliefs or hear about Jesus, but because you have God's love in you, you have something special to share. Just keep sharing God's love with others and trust Him with the rest." Loralee started walking faster. "Let's go, Mama! We have more of God's love to give to our neighbors today!" –Allison Wilson Lee

  7. 6 DAYS AGO

    The Creative Carolers

    Brenda put down the birthday card she'd gotten from her relatives. "Bobby, when's the last time we saw Aunt Vicky and Uncle Al?" Her brother shrugged. "It's been a long time. They're always too sick." Just then Dad walked into the kitchen, wiping his hands on a rag. "Hey, Dad," Bobby said. "Did you fix the go-cart yet?" "Still working on it. But it's getting cold outside, so I wanted to get a warmer coat." "Dad," Brenda said, "how come we never see Aunt Vicky and Uncle Al anymore?" Dad grabbed a cookie and sat down. "Aunt Vicky has developed severe allergies to many foods, so it's hard to get together for dinner. And perfumes and other odors make her break out in a rash. And her immune system is really weak, so I'm afraid one of us might pass on a virus or something." Bobby frowned. "It seems like trying to visit them is more trouble than it's worth." Brenda gave her brother a surprised look. "I mean, I want to see them and everything," Bobby said. "But it seems like anything we do will just create problems." Dad thought for a moment. "You know how I've spent most of the day working on the go-cart?" Bobby and Brenda nodded. "This job should have taken an hour at the most, but things keep going wrong," said Dad. "I'm tempted to just throw the whole thing over the back fence into the field. I tell myself, 'It's not worth it! I could be playing golf or something.' Then I remember how much fun we had riding that old go-cart, and I figure it's worth all the trouble to fix it. It's kind of like that with visiting your aunt and uncle. It's getting harder and harder, but I know a visit would really encourage them. When we put in some creative effort to show someone we care, we're showing them the same kind of love Jesus shows us." "What about going over to their house and caroling outside?" asked Brenda. "We'd keep far enough away so we wouldn't give Aunt Vicky our germs, but we'd still be able to cheer them up." Dad liked that. "That's being creative, Brenda. I think they'd appreciate that a lot. Some things are worth the extra effort." –Mike Dize

  8. DEC 16

    Living Christmas

    "I don't know what I'm going to do, Seth," Jaden told his big brother. They were playing one of their favorite video games while waiting for Mom's homemade pizza to finish cooking. "You could start by actually playing!" Seth paused a moment, then said, "No, really, what's up?" "Well, you know Brenden, that really awkward new kid in my grade I was telling you about?" asked Jaden. "Yeah, it reminds me of how I felt when we first moved here and I was just starting middle school. That was not fun!" "I know, that's why I've been trying to help him out and sit with him at lunch, but now I almost wish I hadn't. His birthday is coming up, and his mom told him he's only allowed to invite one person over for his party to stay overnight at his house. Guess who that lucky person is?" Jaden said sarcastically. "Me!" "That's not so bad," Seth said. Jaden looked back at him with a very unconvinced frown. "It just happens to be on Friday--the Friday we have our last kid's club at church before Christmas break, the Friday when everyone gets to take a big prize home instead of just hoping they win the prize drawing! If I ride the bus home with Brenden, I'll miss kid's club! I asked him if he could come, but his mom doesn't know anything about it, so he's not allowed to. I'd have to miss it, and miss my chance to get a prize!" When Mom called the boys to dinner, she told them she had overheard them talking about Jaden's problem. "It reminded me of what we read in the Bible this morning about Jesus giving up the glory of heaven to come into this world as a baby to save us," Mom said. "Remember how we talked about looking for ways to show that same kind of love to others this Christmas?" "Yeah." Jaden sighed. "Okay, I'll tell Brenden I'm in. Maybe I can tell his mom more about kid's club and she'll let him come with me. Then neither one of us will miss out on the fun--and Brenden can learn more about Jesus!" –Alicia Albert

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Keys For Kids Ministries is a children's ministry organization, offering Keys for Kids, Down Gilead Lane, and much more.

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