Bible Reading: Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11; Romans 8:35-39
Ryan helped his dad straighten the canvas of the tent that lay on the ground. "I love camping," he said. "Sleeping in a tent is so cool!"
Dad smiled. "I think so too. Okay, help me get the pegs through these tent loops. We'll pound the pegs in about halfway at first and then secure them when they're all in place."
Dad took one of the pegs and stuck it through a loop on the side of the tent. Ryan pounded it with the hammer. As Dad continued putting each peg in place, Ryan pounded it down. Then they put the poles together and raised the tent. "I can't wait to go inside and get my sleeping bag rolled out!" said Ryan.
"Well, don't try going in yet," said Dad. "It could collapse on you. We need to pound the pegs deeper into the ground first, remember?"
Ryan nodded, and they got to work. When the tent was finally secured, they put their sleeping bags inside. Then they grabbed their fishing poles and headed for the river.
Around midnight, Ryan woke to the sound of distant thunder. He saw that Dad was awake too. "Our tent won't blow down, will it?" Ryan asked.
"Oh, I don't think so," said Dad. "The wind is pretty gusty, but I don't think it will get strong enough tonight to blow the tent away. The pegs will hold it in place."
He was right. The wind soon died down and the storm passed, and Ryan and Dad went back to sleep.
"I'm glad we pounded those tent pegs in good and tight," said Ryan as they enjoyed a campfire breakfast the next morning.
"Me too," said Dad. "They kept our tent in place during the storm." He smiled at Ryan. "Do you know who holds us steady through the storms of life?"
"Jesus does," said Ryan. "If the wind got strong enough, the tent pegs might have let go, but nothing could ever make Jesus let go of us, could it?"
"No way," said Dad. "He died for our sins and rose again so we could spend eternity with Him. No matter how many difficult things come into our lives, we can always count on Jesus to hold us steady and help us through them."
–Pauline Youd
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