Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Perfect timing!” I exclaim as my family walks in the door just as I finish baking cookies. Usually, “perfect timing” is what we say when things happen when we want them to, at our convenience, acco…

Do you have a constant contact list on your phone? Mine includes my family and some close friends. I’m constantly texting, calling, or emailing these people with my schedule updates, plans, and schoo…

“I’m afraid my cousin is dying,” I confessed with a catch in my voice. I clutched my Bible as I sat in an upstairs room in our church building with a small group of young adults. The class leader ha…

Of all the interesting things Jesus did, one of the most intriguing was that He stayed on that cross. Growing up, I remember childhood adversaries who would taunt, “I bet you can’t ” Of course, the …

“Gone. Passed away,” Distorted, disturbing words. Swallowing back painStinging eyes, blurred. I think of you. Gone! Stumbling away, Heart pounding. I can’t talk Searching a quiet space, To silence m…

My mom taught first grade at a local elementary school. One year, the group of students in her class included a girl named Rosa. But Rosa struggled to pronounce the letter R. When she introduced hers…

Did you know that you are gifted? When you become a follower of Christ, He gives you at least one spiritual gift to edify the body of believers. In Romans 12, Paul wrote to the church in Rome and rem…

CRASH! You failed. Again. You are sad and mad at the same time, not to mention humiliated. We have all experienced failure: making a low grade on an assignment, forgetting to complete a promised task…

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah and relocated some of the Jewish people to Babylon. God gave special wisdom to three of these young men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They impressed …

How do you feel about libraries? They’re one of my favorite places! As the library doors swoosh open, I love breathing in the familiar scent of book pages and seeing the colorful spines lined along t…

I recently planted sunflowers and realized the nature of the great outdoors reflects God’s nature. Consider the seasons: there’s an objective order to them—it’s always hottest in the summer, and bird…

Levi was not a popular guy; in fact, most people didn’t like Levi at all. In Jewish society during Jesus’s time, tax collectors were despised as the lowest of the low. They worked for the enemy—Rome.…

During the summer after finishing high school, I had the opportunity to fulfill a dream: leading my all-state marching band as drum major. Along with other musicians and dancers in this group, I flew…

When I wake up in the morning Let each breath be love When I go out and aboutLet my actions spread your love When I come home againLet me love those around me When life gets hardLet your love surroun…

Before, I used to think I was weak. I was not proud of myself. I looked down on myself because of my imperfections. I did not consider myself beautiful, talented, significant, or important. I had a b…

Sometimes, thinking about the future makes me feel stressed. I can get caught up trying to figure out what I’m going to do, and I can miss out on a lot.One of the most important things I can miss out…

I’ve been to many funerals. I’ve yet to see the deceased rise up from the coffin and thank me for coming. I suppose there are scenes like this in horror movies, but movie-makers have ways of making y…

The air was cold and bitter as Taylor trudged up the mountain path. She was after a rare flower; this flower was the last hope of saving her village from a deadly illness.The flower only grew in the …

Have you ever asked a question and received an answer that began, “Well, in a perfect world ”? What would your perfect world be like? No pain or sorrow? Everything beautiful and fun?When God made th…

I remember when I got sheepskin winter boots in middle school. That might not seem significant, but they weren’t just any winter boots. Everyone at school seemed to have them. When you got them, it w…