Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

I like to take walks with my dog almost every day. One evening, I passed a house that had so many flowers of all different colors, and it just made me so happy! A woman was outside watering them, so …

“She does WHAT?” As we walked out of class, a friend told me something surprising. A boy at our school, who I’ll call “Henry,” had persuaded his girlfriend, “Vanessa,” to do his homework for him. W…

Have you ever felt deeply satisfied after enjoying a meal that you love? Have you found yourself eating slowly while savoring your favorite food, thinking about each bite and fully tasting it?

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In P…

When my friend invited me to her twelfth birthday party, I couldn’t contain my excitement! I anticipated the fun we’d have—playing games, eating cake, and swimming in her backyard pool. There was jus…

When we lived in Guinea, West Africa, we witnessed the beauty of hospitality. There’s even a proverb that states: “An unexpected visitor is like an unexpected rain.”

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We lived through two seasons ea…

A storm is swirling around you, the winds howling. The rain falls hard from the sky, stinging you as it hits. Terrified, you cry out for help. Suddenly, something drapes over you. You are pulled clos…

I’m great at trusting God until I have to. Trusting God is easy when things are going my way, but when I face a challenge or when life isn’t lining up the way it’s “supposed to,” I start trying to …

On October 5, 1703, in East Windsor, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards was born—the son of Timothy Edwards, a pastor, and Esther Edwards, his wife. Young Jonathan soon found himself surrounded by ten sis…

Once there was a King whose wisdom and favor toward his subjects was renowned. From the highest mountain peak to the smallest village in the valley, the King’s care for His people and His justice in …

My grandmother had invited me to join her for a special event: the trip to the airport to pick up her brother, my uncle Barton. I felt

grown up accompanying Nanny to the airport, so I decided to wear…

Have you ever been in the kind of situation where you were just screaming out to God, painfully aware that you needed Him with you? Have you ever been hurt or scared, and you needed to feel His prese…

She is leaving, and I feel so lost

I didn’t want it to be this way, but it is

Where are you, God?

I am hurting, but you’re not healing

I am falling, but you aren’t saving me

With the psalmist, I cry…

It was my turn to do laundry. At my house, wet laundry often gets hung out on a backyard clothesline to dry in the sunshine and breeze. Sometimes, though, we use our clothes dryer. But its timer brok…

“Search me, God, and know my heart.” When my heart doesn’t know itself. When my thoughts and my feelings are so jumbled and confused that I can’t see the truth through the fog. Every day, O Father, …

Kyle hesitated as he came to the doors of the library before opening them and slipping inside. Book dust wafted in the air, illuminated by golden shafts of light that poured in from the tall windows.…

Hannah took a swig from the can. It wasn’t like anyone cared what she did anymore. Her parents were caught up in dealing with her little sister’s illness; they wouldn’t notice if she came home drunk.

“If God is loving, why does He deal with sin so harshly?” It’s a great question. Before we go on, let’s remember that God is always the same, always keeps His promises, and is always good, even when …

Three items: one dress, one skirt, one jumpsuit. These were the pieces I wanted to sell at a consignment shop. If they sold, the store owner would earn a profit, and I would also walk away with some …

One element in storytelling that I enjoy is called a “redemption arc.” It’s where we get to see a character who was evil, hurtful, or just made a lot of mistakes” …turned to good and brought into co…