Unlocked is a daily teen devotional, centered on God’s Word. Each day’s devotion—whether fiction, poetry, or essay—asks the question: How does Jesus and what He did affect today’s topic? With daily devotions read by our hosts, Natalie and Dylan, and questions designed to encourage discussion and a deeper walk with Christ, Unlocked invites teens to both engage with the Bible and to write and submit their own devotional pieces.
READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-11; 11:23-33
My favorite football team made it through one game in the NFL playoffs, and then they lost. It was a heartbreaking loss because I knew they easily could have w…
READ: JONAH 1:1-17; 2:1-10; 3:1-3; LUKE 15:11-32
Like Jonah I’ve been running away even though I hear God’s call above the crashing waves Still I’m sinking in my sin deeper than I’ve ever been sha…
READ: PSALM 119:9-16; ROMANS 12:1-2; PHILIPPIANS 4:8
As we go about our everyday lives, we will inevitably see and hear things that bother us—from things people talk about and jokes they make, to …
READ: PSALM 13; REVELATION 6:9-11; 21:1-7
Working in a fast-paced environment can be stressful, especially when you’re new. I used to work at a very busy coffeeshop, and I was so nervous and stres…
READ: PROVERBS 10:20; LUKE 6:43-45; JAMES 3:1-12
Have you ever had trouble with saying the wrong thing at the wrong time? I have, more often than I’d like to admit. At times I have my tongue under…
READ: PSALM 29:2; MATTHEW 2:1-12; JOHN 4:23-24
Today, many Christians celebrate Epiphany by remembering how the magi followed a star and traveled to Bethlehem to see Jesus. In many ways, the magi …
READ: JOHN 3:16-17; 14:1-10; REVELATION 1:5-8; 21:1-5
Do you like having something to look forward to? I do! I think having something to look forward to keeps me in a positive mindset. Whether it’…
READ: PROVERBS 16:24; 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-7; EPHESIANS 4:29-32
Have you ever tasted unsweetened chocolate? By itself, chocolate is very bitter! When a dessert recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa pow…
READ: PSALM 56:8; ISAIAH 53:3-5; HEBREWS 4:14-16
She was sick and had been for a long time. Her siblings were at school and her parents were at work. All she had to keep her company was the rain t…
READ: GALATIANS 6:9-10; COLOSSIANS 2:6-7
A wise friend of mine once said, “I never realized how much of my adult life would be choosing between good things.” He’s lived longer than I have, so I pa…
READ: ROMANS 12:1-21; 14:7-9
I purchased a new calendar, Am I silly for wanting one for the wall? I look at the days that await me, I want you to be Lord of them all. There is so much life coming,…
READ: LUKE 22:24-27; PHILIPPIANS 2:1-18
“Pastor, could you follow me to make sure I get home okay?”
Mrs. Nelson asked this question. The pastor was my dad. It was New Year’s Eve, and it was ver…
READ: 1 CHRONICLES 16:8-14; ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8; ROMANS 8:28-29; 35-39
A lot can happen in a year. A year can seem like both a long time and a short time all at once. Already, this year is nearly o…
READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-7; 1 JOHN 4:7-21
The simple note written on a card and given to me by a family member echoed in my mind. It read, “Love you! Proud of you!” I couldn’t stop thinking about …
READ: ROMANS 5:5; 8:1-2, 8-11; EPHESIANS 1:13
Imagine you saw a pair of shoes walking down the street without anyone wearing them. You’d probably think it was some uncanny new technology or an ela…
READ: LUKE 15:1-32; JOHN 13:34
I said, “Give me my portion of the goods,” And in my youthful heart I knew he would. I took, and turned, and quickly walked away And relished in the freedom of that …
READ: PSALM 107:8-9; MATTHEW 13:44-46; JOHN 4:1-30
During Christmas, our hearts are full of expectations. Things like, who we will see, what we will eat, and what we will receive. Then, once all t…
READ: ISAIAH 53:2; LUKE 2:4-7; JOHN 3:16-17; 10:10-11
What matters more, the fancy wrapping on a gift or what’s inside? Once the paper and bows are off the present, we rarely think about them agai…
READ: ISAIAH 43:1; LUKE 2:8-20; JOHN 3:16
When Jesus came into the world, God could’ve invited anyone to welcome Him. God could’ve told the angels to invite priests, soldiers, or kings to visit th…
READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-13
Do you ever wish you had someone else’s talent? Maybe you have a friend or family member who’s really good at math or basketball or singing. Sometimes, when we look at …