MAY 29, Psalm 56:3

A piercing scream from Amelia’s room filled the midnight air and woke everyone in the house. Mom’s feet hit the floor, running. She found Amelia shaking and sobbing. “Did you have a bad dream, honey?” asked Mom soothingly.

“There was a gwate, big, giant bug.” baby Amelia held her arms far apart to show its size. “He was c-c-coming at me!” Mom hugged Amelia and turned on the light. “But it wasn’t real,” Mom assured her. “It was just a dream.” Mom held Amelia and quietly talked to her. It took a while, but the little girl finally calmed down and went to sleep.

The next morning, Amelia talked about her nightmare. “It was an awful dweam,” she said, “about a gwate, big bug.” Amelia shivered as she thought about its pincers and creepy eyes.

“You don’t need to be afraid of bugs,” said Jacob, her older brother.

“Right,” agreed her sister, Alyssa, “especially when they’re in dreams. They don’t even exist.”

“I’m scaid of them anyway,” said Amelia. “All of us are occasionally afraid of things that don’t exist,” said Mom, “and nighttime seems to be a time for those fears to come out.” Alyssa nodded. “Sometimes I’m just plain afraid of the dark,” she said. “What about you, Jacob? What scares you?”

Jacob shrugged. “Let’s see…well, I do have scary dreams sometimes,” he admitted, “but they have scarier things in them than a few little bugs.”

Thought: What frightens you? When you’re afraid, do you trust God?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your promise to be with me and care for me. I remember that Your children will never be separated from Your love and care. I believe it, and the next time I’m afraid—I’ll talk to You and ask You to watch over me. In Jesus’ name I pray – amen.