Read - John 20: 24-29

Examine - School is an area where students dive so deeply into evidence and physical proof. When students go into a science lab, they are recording physical evidence that they see with their own eyes to solve a problem. Most of us are Thomas. We want proof, certainty, and clarity before we believe, and many students feel that same tension when it comes to faith. They may hear about Jesus and still wrestle with questions like, “Is this actually real?” Faith in Jesus means believing even when you don’t see everything. The resurrection is what everything hinges on. It proves that Jesus is who He says He is, that sin and death don’t have the final say, and it invites us into a life of trusting Him even when we don’t have all the answers.

Apply - Ask your student where they struggle to believe without seeing. Is it trusting God’s plan, His goodness, or His presence? Create space for them to be honest about doubts or questions, and share how you’ve learned to trust God in seasons where you didn’t have all the answers.

Pray - Pray that your student would grow in their trust in Jesus, even when they don’t see the full picture, and that their faith would become real and personal as they understand the power of the resurrection.

Read - Acts 1: 6-11

Examine - After Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples were still focused on what they thought Jesus was going to do next. They were thinking about restoration, power, and what this meant for them. But instead of giving them a timeline or a plan they expected, Jesus gave them a mission. He told them they would receive power through the Holy Spirit and that they would be His witnesses everywhere they went. Then in verse 9, Jesus ascends into heaven, making it clear that His plan moving forward was to work through His people.

And as the disciples stood there staring into the sky, the angels confronted them, essentially asking, “Why are you still standing here?” In other words, don’t just stand around, go. Following Jesus means stepping into the mission, not standing on the sidelines. Just like the disciples, students can easily wait for the “right time,” feel unqualified, or assume they’re not ready, but Acts shows us that Jesus’ plan has always been to use ordinary people right where they are. As parents, this is a great opportunity to help your student see that their faith isn’t meant to stay private, but to be lived out in how they love, serve, and represent Jesus in their everyday lives.

Apply - Ask your student where they feel hesitant or unsure about living out their faith. Talk about what it could look like for them to be a witness at school, on their team, or in their friendships, and encourage them to take one small step this week.

Pray - Pray that your student would have boldness and confidence to live out their faith. Ask God to help them see opportunities to be a witness and to trust that He can use them right where they are.

Read - Acts 2:1–8, 22–24, 41

Examine - When the disciples were gathered together, something incredible happened. The Holy Spirit came in power, filling them and giving them the ability to do what they could never do on their own. What once was a group of fearful, uncertain followers became bold and confident witnesses. As people from all over the world gathered, they began to notice something different about these followers of Jesus. Then Peter stood up and boldly shared the gospel, clearly pointing to who Jesus is and what He had done. This moment shows both the power and the responsibility of the mission. God empowers us to do what we could never do on our own, but our role is simply to be faithful in sharing. We don’t change hearts, we don’t force outcomes, and we don’t carry that pressure. Our responsibility is obedience, and God is the one who produces the results. For students, this means they don’t have to have all the right words or feel fully prepared. They just have to be willing.

Apply - Ask your student where they feel pressure when it comes to sharing their faith. Talk about the difference between being responsible for sharing versus being responsible for the outcome, and encourage them to take a step of obedience this week.

Pray - Pray that your student would be filled with boldness through the Holy Spirit. Ask God to help them trust Him with the outcome and to give them confidence to simply be faithful in sharing their faith.

Read - Acts 9; 1 Corinthians 15:9

Examine - Paul’s story is one of the most powerful in all of Scripture because of where it starts. Before encountering Jesus, Paul was actively working against Him, persecuting Christians and trying to shut down the movement of the early church. By his own words, he saw himself as the least deserving. And yet, Jesus met him, completely changed his life, and used him to spread the gospel in incredible ways. This challenges a lie that many students believe, that they are too far gone, too messed up, or not good enough for God to use. But Paul’s story shows the opposite. No one is too far gone for God to save, and no one is disqualified from being used by Him. The same Holy Spirit that empowered the early church is given to every believer, which means students don’t have to wait until they feel “ready” or “qualified” to live on mission.

Apply - Ask your student if they’ve ever felt like they weren’t good enough for God or that He couldn’t use them. Talk about how Paul’s story challenges that thinking, and encourage them to see themselves as someone God can use right now.

Pray- Pray that your student would believe the truth about who they are in Christ. Ask God to remove any lies that make them feel unusable and to give them confidence that He can work through their life.

Read - Acts 10: 34-48

Examine - Peter begins to realize something that completely changes how he sees people. He says, “God shows no favoritism,” meaning the gospel isn’t just for one type of person, one background, or one group. It’s for everyone. As Peter shares the gospel, the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles, people who were previously seen as outsiders, and it becomes undeniable that God is moving in them just as much as anyone else. This was a massive shift, not just in belief, but in how the early church would live moving forward. It forced them to confront their assumptions and expand their view of who God wanted to reach. Students face this same tension today. It’s easy to stick with people who are like them, to build comfortable circles, and to overlook those who feel different or outside. But this passage makes it clear. God doesn’t show favoritism. If that’s true, then it should change how we see people, how we treat people, and who we are willing to reach.

Apply - Ask your student who in their life feels different, left out, or outside of their normal circle. Talk about what it could look like for them to intentionally include and care for that person this week.

Pray - Pray that your student would begin to see people the way God sees them. Ask Him to give them a heart for everyone and the courage to live that out in their everyday relationships.

Read - Galatians 1:6-10

Examine - When someone is learning how to skydive, an expert usually tells them the safety protocols. For example, they learn how to fold their parachute, how to fasten it to themselves, and how to pull the ripcord. It’d be pretty foolish for someone to ignore the expert’s instructions and do it their own way. Throughout the Early Church history, the Gospel was being twisted and added to, with people doing things the way they wanted to and calling it right. In Paul’s letters to different churches, he continually emphasizes that the Gospel of Jesus is the only way to have a relationship with God. That’s because following Jesus means tossing aside our “truth” to follow THE Truth. We encounter the twisting of the Gospel today. People add to, take away, or twist Scripture to line up with the life they want to live already. As Paul encourages, it’s important that we put down our desires and embrace God’s desire for us.

Apply - Ask your student about some of the things that they have heard outside of the Bible/church that disagrees with what the Bible says is true. Discuss how we should approach these differing viewpoints as followers of Jesus.

Pray - Pray that your family is given the discernment to be able to see and follow the Truth that God gives us instead of the lies the world pushes.

Read - Acts 16:25-33

Examine - From a very young age, every person knows what pain feels like. Whether it was falling off a bike, jamming a finger, or getting a splinter, pain was a common occurrence, but something we tried to avoid. Why would we ever do something that basically guaranteed pain? We see in Paul’s life that being sent often leads to shipwrecks and sentences. And we are all sent, so difficulties should be expected. While difficulties aren’t something we enjoy, our attitude in the shipwreck shapes our serving. We don’t have to act like everything is perfect or deny our pain. But when we hold onto the belief that God is good even in the midst of it, we make space for Him to work through us in ways we might never have imagined.

Apply - Ask your student about some hardships that they have faced in following Jesus. Discuss with them how they continue to serve Jesus within the difficulties.

Pray - Pray for the difficulties that your student is facing, and for God to show His sovereignty throughout them.

Read - 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Examine - As a person grows, they have people that they want to be more like. Parents, famous athletes, and historical figures are powerful examples that people want to emulate when they get older. The same can happen in the Church. It’s easy for students to see themselves as the FUTURE of the Church, while the adults are the present. And it’s equally as easy for adults to see it this way. However, as Paul makes clear, young leaders are not the Church of tomorrow. Students are the Church of Today. Students have an incredible opportunity to reach people with the Gospel, and be used by God to change the world. They are being sent into their schools, homes, and neighborhoods to show the love of Jesus to the people they interact with.

Apply - Find a way to serve alongside your student this month. You could even allow them to pick and help plan the way and the people you serve.

Pray - Pray for your students to desire to be leaders for the Gospel in their everyday lives.

Read - Revelation 21:1-4

Examine - Students are often asked about their future. What school are they going to? Will they get a scholarship from a sport? What is their job is going to be? The future can be an anxiety-producing thought, especially for students who don’t have as much control as they may want over certain elements that impact their future. This may be why people have so many questions about the end times. It is a mystery that we don’t have total clarity around. However, we do know one thing for sure: Jesus came to make you right and is coming back to make the world right. God has always been fighting to get us back, and He will succeed. Therefore, the future is something that we don’t have to worry about. If we know what WILL happen, we can have greater confidence in what IS happening, and therefore, what we are called to do now.

Apply - Read Revelation 21:1-4 together. Be honest with your student about what things in the future cause you to worry. Then discuss how God gives you confidence based on those verses.

Pray - Pray that your family can have confidence and trust in God being in control and the knowledge that Jesus is coming back.