God calls us to live lives of joy, but sometimes we feel mad, sad, or scared. This reading plan teaches kids that God loves them no matter what they’re feeling, and Scripture can empower them to manage their emotions. Kids will be encouraged to observe, name, and release their emotions while turning to God for the strength, love, and care they need as they begin the process of growing up.
HarperCollins/Zondervan/Thomas Nelson
Day 1
Scripture: Psalms 34:18
Not Invited
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18
Michelle
I will never forget the first time I found out one of my friends was having a sleepover, and I wasn’t invited. I wondered if I’d done something wrong. I remember thinking, Wasn’t I nice enough, fun enough, or good enough to be included? It was one of the first times I remember my heart feeling like it was broken.
When our emotions are strong, we feel them in our bodies. Sometimes they flow through tears. Other times our chest gets so tight it hurts. I remember coming home from school after hearing those girls talk about all the fun they planned to have, throwing myself on the bed, and having a good cry. It was a hard day.
My cat came alongside me on the bed, and I felt her love and warmth. I probably talked with her and told her how unfair life was and how mad and hurt I felt.
My cat provided comfort, but I wish I’d realized then that God was also there to provide comfort. Now, I have a dog, but I don’t usually talk to him about my heartaches. I turn to my God who loves me so much. He draws close when I experience rejection from others and feel deeply sad.
Embracing Hope
Think back to a time when your heart hurt. Where were you? Who was there? What did you think and feel? Now take a moment to bring God into that picture or scene. What would He say to you? How would He comfort you? Draw what you see or write any words of comfort God might say to you.
Giving Your Sad to God
God, when my heart hurts, help me remember I can talk to You and trust You are listening. Amen.
Day 2
Scripture: Psalms 18:6
Someone, Someplace, or Something
“In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” Psalm 18:6
Lynn
When you are feeling sad what is the first thing you do?
Some of us run to someone—a friend, a parent, a teacher, or a sibling. But what about those times when someone isn’t available?
We may run to something that brings us comfort, like a blankie, stuffed animal, or our favorite food or drink.
Other times when we’re sad, we go someplace -a place like our bed or a special hideout- to feel better.
But what happens when someone, something, or someplace can’t be there for us? What then?
David gives us not only some great advice but also a pattern. He says in Psalm 18:6, “In my distress, I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” David was in a tough place where someone who was supposed to love him became his enemy. The thing that brought him comfort, a musical instrument, couldn’t be carried everywhere he went. And he was on the run from his enemy who was trying to harm him, so he couldn’t go to his place of comfort.
One thing David always had with him wherever he went was the Lord. When he was distressed, in great pain, anxiety, or sorrow, he knew the Lord heard him. No matter where David was or what was going on, he could cry to the Lord for help.
Embracing Hope
Who is someone you turn to? What is something that brings you comfort? Where is your someplace?
Write about someone you could turn to if you are upset. In your mind, practice what it would be like to talk to them about a problem. You could also imagine turning to something or going somewhere that brings you comfort. Now add God into the picture.
Giving Your Sad to God
God, thank you that I can turn to You for help anytime and anywhere. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 3
Scriptures: Isaiah 26:3, Psalms 121:2-4, John 8:12
Perfect Peace
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3
Michelle
Have you ever been up in the middle of the night feeling scared, overwhelmed, and anxious? You just really want to feel some peace so you can go back to sleep. Maybe you are worried about a test, a project due date, whether someone is or will get mad at you, or if something in the future will or won’t happen. You might have had a bad dream that seems so real the fear stays with you even after you’ve been awake and told yourself it wasn’t real. Your heart keeps pounding, your body so restless you feel like you can’t stay in bed.
Struggling with sleep is a tricky thing that lots of kids encounter. If you’re struggling to fall asleep, it’s important to develop a before-you-go-to-bed routine so you can teach your body to know it’s time to rest. This might include a checklist you do in the same order every night. Baths or showers, brushing teeth, putting on pajamas, reading your Bible or a devotional before bed, and listening to relaxing music may help. Some teens and adults use a sound machine like I did when my babies were little. It’s good for blocking out noise and providing a soothing sound.
If you have thoughts racing through your head, you might want to keep a journal by your bed to write. Writing can help slow down the thoughts in your head. The Bible tells us that God does not sleep, and He will watch over us through the night (Psalm 121:2–4). I remind my kids of this truth when they have bad dreams or they feel like something is in the room with them. I’ve taught them to say to the darkness, “Go away in Jesus’ name” because Jesus called Himself the Light of the world (John 8:12).
Embracing Brave
Take a look at your sleep habits. Do you need to improve your routine? Warming up your body before you go to sleep can trick it into being sleepy because as we fall asleep, our body temperature falls. Taking a warm bath or drinking something warm like a relaxing hot tea can help your body begin to get sleepy. Baths several times a week also reduce muscle tension in your body and help you relax. Finally, learn more about God’s perfect peace as you read His word, talk with Him, and learn to trust Him more each day.
Giving Your Scared to God
Father, I need Your help on the nights I struggle to fall or stay asleep. Help me sense Your presence that brings peace. May I not only know in my head that I am safe but feel it in my heart, as I rest trusting in You. Amen.
Day 4
Scriptures: Galatians 5:22-23, John 14
When I Feel Like Giving In
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
Lynn
You know when you’re so upset it seems like you’ll explode? Yeah, me too!
At times like these, it feels like there is nothing we can do when we’re furious. We feel out of control; like we can’t stop whatever we might say or do.
I’ve learned a secret though: the Holy Spirit can empower us to control our actions even when our emotions feel like they’re controlling us. The word for this is self-control.
The Bible tells us in Galatians 5:22–23 that self-control is a sign that the Holy Spirit is working in us. It’s important for us to understand what it means for the Holy Spirit to be in us. In John 14, Jesus is preparing His disciples for the time when He will return to heaven to be with His Father. Jesus is reassuring His friends that although He will physically not be with them anymore, He is leaving those who love Him with a great gift: His Holy Spirit. The reason this is so great is that no matter where we are or what is happening in our lives, the Holy Spirit is in us, helping us. When we allow the Holy Spirit’s power to work in our lives, we see beautiful things in us. The Bible calls these traits the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22). Think of it like apples on an apple tree. Since it is an apple tree, it grows apples. Since you and I are followers of Jesus, we grow love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Yes, because the Holy Spirit lives inside those of us who have chosen Jesus, as we ask, He will teach us how to have self-control and direct our energies wisely, even when that energy feels negative.
Embracing Calm
Review the list of traits the Holy Spirit works into our lives in Galatians 5:22-23. This “fruit” comes from having the Spirit in you, not from you being perfect. Take a moment to recognize that to have self-control, you’re going to need power from the Holy Spirit.
Giving Your Mad to God
Jesus, controlling myself is hard! Thank You for sending Your Spirit to live in me, helping me do hard things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 5
Scripture: Proverbs 14:29
Anger Control
“People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.” Proverbs 14:29
Michelle
“I’m mad. I’m really, really mad.” As my preschooler told me how he felt about having to pick up his toys and stop playing, I smiled at his words because he was naming his emotions.
One of the first steps to releasing your emotions is to name them. Say the name to yourself or out loud. Then, try and figure out where you feel the mad in your body. Is your heart racing? Does your stomach hurt? Maybe there is a place in your body that tenses up, like your neck or shoulders.
If you feel you are getting angry a lot, you may need to adjust or change your expectations about what you want to happen next. The reason my son was so mad was that he expected to play with his toys as long as he wanted and resented being interrupted by me.
As I write these words, Nolan is now almost twelve, but his biggest struggle with anger today is very similar to when he was three. Now he plays games online with his friends. He makes plans without always checking our family schedule. So, when I ask him to do something or tell him we have to go somewhere, I can see him battling his anger about things not going his way and choosing to control how loud his voice is, how distressed he sounds, and the words he chooses to use. I think about when he first started working on responding calmly. I could tell by watching his face and body, it was a hard struggle. But over time and with practice, it seemed to take less time for him to control his emotions.
Embracing Calm
Sometimes, when I work with families in our counseling offices, parents report to me that their child is mad all the time, but often, the kid doesn’t agree. I then ask everyone in the family to track when they got mad for a week. I ask them to write down what happened and then rate on a scale from one to ten how mad they got. If you struggle with melting down and getting mad, you might want to check the frequency (how often your mad happens) and intensity (how big it is on a scale from one to ten).
Giving Your Mad to God
God, help me train my brain to become more flexible instead of getting mad when my plans are interrupted. Amen.
Day 6
Scripture: Psalms 34:8
So Good
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8
Lynn
The summer before I began attending a new school, I worried. I wondered how I would make friends. Would I meet some kids who liked what I liked? Kids I would have things in common with? Then, I met Wanda.
Wanda went to my new school. She asked me if I liked to run. Run? I had never really thought about running. I ran when I played basketball or went around bases in softball. I even ran after the ball in volleyball. But run just to run? Nope.
Wanda said she was part of a running team at school. It was open to anyone who wanted to join. That sounded like a good way to meet friends. So, in the middle of the hot summer, I started running. I was slow, but, by the time school started, I could run two miles without stopping. In my diary, I wrote: “Running is a lot of fun.” I tried something new and found I liked it; I discovered running was good.
The same can be true in our relationship with Jesus. If we begin a relationship with Him, or as David, the writer of Psalm 34, said, “taste and see,” we will find the Lord is good. He is a wonderful God and savior. Jesus can be our best friend.
Embracing Joy
Ask a friend, sibling, or parent about foods they like that you have never tried and write those down. Now make a choice—try them! Taste and see. Is it good? Think about how good it can be to try new things and the happiness we might find when we do.
Sharing Your Happy with God
Jesus, I don’t have to guess whether or not You are good. I already know You are! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 7
Scripture: Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4
Michelle
Some kids swear to me they were born grumpy. I get it. Rejoicing may not come naturally to everyone. But we can train our minds so things that seem hard become easier. Math problems are a great example of this. It might seem impossible to learn all the math facts at first, but the more you practice them, the easier they get. Eventually you know them like you know your name.
I believe rejoicing in the Lord is something you can train your brain to do, just like a math problem. But in order to do so, you will have to make time for it, just like you would any skill you practice. Think of it like learning a play on the field or playing an instrument. It also may mean that if your life is already pretty full, you may have to give up some play, screen, or chill time to make the practice of rejoicing part of your everyday routine.
You might try pairing it with something you already do… maybe something that doesn’t require a lot of mental energy, like brushing your teeth, folding your clothes, doing dishes, or walking to school. While doing these activities, focus your mind on the characteristics of God you are learning about in His Word. Rejoice that He is strong, powerful, and loving, as well as your help, shield, and light in the darkness.
Embracing Joy
What does it look like for you to rejoice in the Lord? How could you put this practice into your life on a regular basis? A great way to make sure you rejoice in the Lord is to make some goals to practice in your everyday life. Here are some ideas:
1. I will focus on one good thing about God as I get dressed in the morning.
2. I will focus on rejoicing in something good God has done for me when I take a bath or shower.
3. I will name a different characteristic of God I’m learning from the Bible every time I get in the car to go to church.
Sharing Your Happy with God
God, I live in a busy world that often distracts me from You. Help me set aside time each day to rejoice in You. Amen.