Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Editor’s Note: Today’s reading mentions the subject of abortion. Sarah and I had been best friends since third grade. She was an amazing ballerina and began ballet years before we met. I think the on…

We all make wrong choiceswe all sin. The struggle of a decision gone sour is real, but take heart. Mistakes don’t have to define us; they can refine us. Because of Jesus and what He did, God does not…

Mass shootings, racism, sexual assault, displacementour world is riddled with injustices, and they sting. We live in a world broken by sin. But there is hope in the midst of these injustices. The boo…

Jesus won. He went up against the cosmic forces of sin and death and beat them. He died, but He didn’t stay dead. His body came alive after three days in the tomb, and He is no longer mortal. He is f…

When the night is dark, Your light dissolves the shadows. When sadness spills from my heart, Your mercy dries my tears. When fear extends its grip, Your protection shields me. When my weaknesses anno…

There’s something wonderful about French fries. But have you ever had disappointing French fries? Ones with no salt? It’s the worst thing that can happen to a perfectly good batch of fries because sa…

Have you ever trusted a friend and then found out they were not trustworthy? Maybe you confided in them, spilling your guts about something personal. And, even though your friend promised to keep it …

Have you ever read a psalm and thought, Wow, that person was really mad at God. Are you even allowed to say that to Him? The short answer: yes, and it’s called lament. In fact, about a third of the p…

Did you know God commands His people to party? Skim through Leviticus 23 to see how many times God orders His people to celebrate. In fact, Jesus’ first miracle took place at a wedding celebration (J…

A lot of us had big dreams as kids: to be astronauts, singers, chefs. But where do those dreams go when we’re older? As Christians, we have a great calling: to follow Jesus wherever He leads us, incl…

Last year, I went to traffic court after being cited for an illegal left turn. When the judge asked for my plea, I said, Guilty, with circumstances. I told him the sign prohibiting the left turn was …

Many people love snow. Others not so much! Some people love sledding, ice skating, tubing, snowboarding, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and more. Others dread the trouble snow often causesdangero…

Ever heard of Habakkuk? This book of the Bible is rarely preached on or even discussed, which is a shame because it’s a fantastic gem in Scripture. Like the other eleven minor prophets, the book of H…

The more I study worship, the more frustrated I get with how we do or don’t do it in our churches today. From coffee snobs to music snobs, we all know that guy. Well, I might have become that guy whe…

Peter finished climbing the mountain. He glanced at the other three with him: John, James, and Jesus. What will the Lord show us this time? he wondered. All of a sudden, Jesus’ skin and hair and garm…

Glistening with sweat, we parked our bikes by the local convenience store. It was a hot, summer day, and air conditioning sounded pretty good. As recent graduates of eighth grade, my friend Allie and…

Pain and illness are terrible results of the fall, which is when sin and death entered the world. Whenever we or someone we know is affected by an illness, God wants us to pray for healing in faith t…

“But I don’t want to go. For months, I begged Mom. I didn’t want to leave our home to move to a new state, hundreds of miles away. I didn’t want to say goodbye to friends and neighbors I had known fo…

I stand in a large room, staring at a table. About twenty cups, ranging from jeweled goblets to simple glasses, are arranged before me. I walk to the table and pick up the biggest, fanciest goblet. T…

The redemption of God’s people was over before it began. Until it wasn’t. Abraham and Sarah not being able to get pregnant. The slavery of their descendants in the land of Egypt. The rebellion of tho…