Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

When we’re in a hard place, it feels like the darkness will last forever, but it won’t. The Bible tells us there is a time for everything in life. A time for joy and, unfortunately, a time for pain (…

When I clean my house, I only use all-natural cleaners. Now, before you start thinking how earth-conscious I am (although that is a great reason to use natural cleaners), there’s a deeper reason. Whe…

Easter is a divine mystery, a celebration that leaves us with questions we don’t understand. How could God love us so much He would send Jesus to die? How did His body change when He rose from the de…

For Christians, Easter is all about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But some people have fuzzy or unclear ideas about what that really means. They might see the resurrection as a symbol for new beg…

When Jesus died, He did what no one else could do. From the prophets of old to the priests in the temple, none of their deaths could have accomplished what Jesus’s death was able to. Although God wor…

After all Jesus went through at the hands of His accusers, they proceeded to have Him crucified on a cross. This was a form of execution developed by the Roman Empire. It was a long, painful, shamefu…

Have you ever heard of hyssop? Hyssop is a plant with long, hairy leaves that grew in ancient Israel. And it shows up several times in the Bible. First, in Exodus 12:21-22, God tells the Israelites …

I sense myself struck dumb with the overwhelming horror, walking without strength—drawn by the crowd—drawn to be with you, my Lord, no matter where this ends I had hoped I had thought But my dirty…

Out of all the animals mentioned in the Bible (and there are over one hundred), sheep are the stars. They are found in the book of Genesis on through to Revelation. They are led by shepherds who go a…

The Bible is full of celebrations! Moses, together with the Israelites, celebrated their escape from slavery in Egypt after God brought them through the Red Sea (Exodus 14-15). Later, the Israelites …

Christians around the world celebrate the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ as we remember Jesus riding on a donkey into the city of Jerusalem. This is popularly known as “Palm Sunday,” beca…

Every hurt that Spills from your eye, Slips down your cheek, And falls from your chin, Is caught. Is treasured in a bottle. By a loving Father Who values His children’s tears, Knows why they cry …

Aurelia looked at the tattered map in her hand, then up at the mountain. This was it. The place she had been searching for all her life, ever since she had heard the tales of the lost treasure of Cor…

Late evening sunlight filtered through the tree leaves as I walked the wooded path, breathing deeply. Looking down, I saw pieces of a broken bird’s egg, shards of sky blue scattered in the dirt. My h…

We have friends who have prayed for a miracle for years. But they haven’t yet received their miracle. They haven’t heard an answer from God. Why do some people get miracles, while others seem to spen…

Have you ever been mad at the church? I know I have. And sometimes, that’s okay. Now, when I say “the church,” I mean all of God’s people around the world and throughout history. And I absolutely LO…

I examined the scroll. The instructions were clear, but sometimes hard to interpret. I nodded my head confidently as I rolled up the scroll and stuffed it into my satchel. I would need to make my way…

In high school, I became a vegetarian and avoided eating meat for a number of years. I often skipped school lunches since they usually featured a main dish that included meat. And I only took the tim…

Sometimes, I wonder how God loves me so much. Me. A “normal” person. A messed-up person. A person who sins. What have I done to deserve what He gives me? How can I show Him how much His love means t…

Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t pray? You are not alone. Why does this happen, and what can we do? Living in a world that has been broken by sin means that problems often arise, …