Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

A heart wrapped up in worry, A fearful mind wondering, “What next? Why? When?” Pressure, exams, relationships, Friends—here, then gone, Anxieties tattooing a lasting impression. Hold on. In the …

You didn’t make the team. That singing part you were trying out for? The girl who always gets the main part got it again. No one invited you to that party. Your parents are disappointed with your gra…

Has prayer ever been confusing or boring to you? Prayer is how we talk with God, and, in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can talk with God about anything—because we are resting on the…

How many times have you misread a text or an email? Now, let’s flip it: how many times have you had a message misinterpreted? Maybe you took your friend’s sarcasm literally, or—in a hurry to get the …

Have you ever invited a friend to church, or tried to tell them about your faith, only to have them turn you down? Facing rejection can be discouraging, and it’s one reason we hesitate to share our f…

Ever been wide awake at night? Maybe you’re afraid of the unknown. Maybe you’re overwhelmed with a never-ending to-do list. Maybe you’re heartbroken by injustice and brokenness in the world. When I …

Because Jesus loved us first, let us fill our lives with love and not hatred. By the power of His Spirit, let us love even those who want to hurt us—those who could very easily be our enemies. Bec…

God is very good, and He wants us to know Him. He shows—or reveals—who He is to us in two ways. First, He created the universe and filled it with good things. Even though our world is broken by the e…

Kids under ten tend to be blunt. While listening to the book of Leviticus, the blue-eyed, freckled-faced girl with a knack for honesty commented, “I feel like the God of the Old Testament is so diffe…

Today, there was a time change. In many parts of the world, lots of people turned their clocks back an hour and sighed at the prospect of one more blissful hour of sleep. I don’t know about you, but …

Can you name five types of apples? There’s the Granny Smith, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Gala—just to name a few of the 7,500 varieties! Each variety of apple has a distinctly different ta…

Have you ever asked for something for your birthday and not gotten what you asked for? Maybe the gift you asked for was too expensive, or maybe your parents knew the gift you asked for wasn’t what wa…

The betrayal of a close friend, a sickness, a crime against us, the death of a family member, natural disasters, family difficulties, financial woes so many things can put us in the middle of a whirl…

I was days away from graduating college. Having just completed my final exam, I walked to the front of the room to turn it in. The professor stopped me. “I’d like to see you in my office later. We ha…

How well do you think you would be able to communicate with other people if you weren’t allowed to talk or text for a day? It would probably be pretty hard because the spoken and written word are suc…

Music filled the air as the church celebrated Palm Sunday. Everyone was joyful—except me. As I sat in my pew, I realized I doubted the Bible. What should have been a joyous day became dark. My doubts…

Sometimes I hate myself. I look at the people around me and wonder how they look so put together, so beautiful, so confident. “My jeans don’t fit right, and my jacket is warm instead of adorable. I f…

The last stars winked out. The sun rose, as it had countless mornings before. The oxygenated atmosphere glowed blue, and the clouds pink and yellow. Birds chirped and warbled to greet the day as the …

Do you share your friends with God? You’re probably wondering what that means. Some may even think it’s a typo and should read, “Do you share God with your friends?” While it is important to share…

Our world promises us a lot of “solutions” to anxiety: “Read this book! Use this blanket! Listen to this song! Exercise for one hour each day! Eat more of this! Buy this wristband!” The problem is…