Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Ugh, my daughter said in disgust. Whole peppercorns covered Eloise’s
broccoli alfredo and looked like mini meatballs floating on a sea of white
sauce. The culprit: a broken pepper grinder. Lately, ou…

When you read Psalm 136, you might see why I’ve called it a psalm of
thanksgiving. The first three verses say, Give thanks. This Psalm was
written to be a group song of thanks, meaning that one perso…

There have been times in my life when I would hear hurtful words,
especially when I made a mistake. But there were also moments when I would
speak harshly and hurt others. I would be inconsiderate of…

Military conflict breaks out. A tsunami hits. Justice is not accomplished.
Christians are martyred. Violence escalates. At times, it seems there are
unanswered ills that God is (at best) ignoring or …

We often feel like we have to be a certain way or reach a certain goal
because that’s what will make the people around us respect us. I have
struggled with this. I feel like I need to be at a certain…

Jesus had the power to heal sickness. He had the power to forgive sins. He
still does. You can trust Him with everything because He is great and
powerful.

Jesus has compassion for the hurting, and He…

When life is busy, our minds are constantly full of things we have to do,
places we have to go, and people we have to see. It’s very easy to find
ourselves becoming a little self-centered. We never i…

Do you ever think about eternity? As a little kid, I used to lie awake at
night, thinking about what it would be like to live forever and ever and
everwith no end. An eternal life with God! There was…

Why is this happening, God? When will it stop? Tears fell as I poured out
my heart and journaled to the Lord. I had prayed for a particular person in
my life for years, but the grueling situation con…

READ: PSALM 73:26; LAMENTATIONS 3:21-23; MATTHEW 11:28-30

When my alarm clock first went off, I did not want to rise; I laid within my bed awhile; It held me like a vice.

A blackened cloud hung…

We all have them: thoughts or desires that pop into our headssome
uninvited, others invited. There have been many times when, after such a
thought, I was relieved that it was only in my mind and not …

Ready for Bible trivia? What is the longest chapter in the Bible? The
answer: Psalm 119, with a whopping 176 verses! Though it’s long, this psalm
is all about the importance of God’s Word and how muc…

Glistening gold, embedded with rubies, topaz, emeralds, sapphires,
amethysts, and pearlsthe throne beckoned for something, or someone, to sit
upon it. What would suffice? What could fill the desires …

If only they took the time to really know me….

If only they took the time to ask how I’m doing…

If only they understood my interests and what I want my life to be about…

Do you sometimes feel like no…

There are things in my life that I had once that I don’t have anymore.
There are relationships that were once a big deal to me that were taken
from me and are gone now. There are times when the pain …

Have you ever witnessed an incredible storm? These amazing forces of nature
can be mind-blowingand dangerous. One of Jesus’s well-known miracles
happened in this context. Because of the hills surroun…

Injustice is everywhere; just look outside. It’s hard not to see injustice.
Why does God allow it? Humans have been wondering this for a long time.
Psalm 73 was written by Asaph and records his strug…

If you listen, you can hear it: the wind moving branches of trees long
dead, these creaking bones that ache to live again. You hear it in the
weary words of a mother at the store, comforting her cryi…

The nightmares had started again. It had only been a few nights, and
already I felt like I was sleepwalking through the dayspure exhaustion
from the moment I opened my eyes. As the shower water beat …

God, not in my own strength
I can’t do this alone
God, not without your help
I am too weak to press on
God, not without your promises
I can’t keep going
God, not without you holding me
I am too weak …