This is Disaster Day.

Whoever decided to proclaim this disaster day probably had a good reason. Maybe a bunch of bad events piled up at this time of the year. Or maybe someone thought, “Why not have all our disasters on one day and get them over with!” (as if that were possible). But we probably wouldn’t hold a Disaster Day party. If this were “No More Disasters Day,” then we’d celebrate!

Everyone has experienced disasters, big and small—those times when things go wrong and life seems to be falling apart. It could be something personal like a relationship dissolving, a prized possession breaking, or a pet dying, or it could be something really big like a tornado, fire, earthquake, or war. Terrible events can do more than ruin our day; they can wreck our lives!

But the news isn’t all bad. In fact, it’s very good. God turns bad events into good (see Romans 8:28) and is able to keep his people from the worst kind of disaster.

The verse for today reminds us of that promise. Jeremiah was a prophet who experienced nothing but disaster from a human point of view. Yet he tells us that God’s plans are good, giving us hope for the future.

So if today, or any day, seems disastrous, remember God’s promises for you and keep trusting in him.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

To Do

Take a few minutes and read about the life of Jeremiah. Look in the Bible book with his name as the title, or use another Bible study resource.

Also on this day . . .

1870—The first motion picture was shown to a theater audience in Philadelphia.

1901—Ed Prescot patented the loop-the-loop roller coaster.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

Charles Lindbergh (1902) and Rosa Parks (1913) were both born on this day.

Have you ever heard of Charles Lindbergh? What about Rosa Parks? They were very different people, but they shared a couple of important qualities. Each had a goal and the determination to reach it. And they each displayed great courage in pursuing the goal.

Charles Lindbergh was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. On May 21, 1927 he took off from an airport in New York in his little plane, “The Spirit of St. Louis” The plane had only one engine and a propeller, and Lindbergh had none of the sophisticated navigational tools that modern pilots have. With only a magnetic compass, his airspeed indicator, and luck to navigate, Lindbergh flew the 1000-mile trip, often through snow and sleet, and landed in Paris 33 ½ hours after takeoff.

Rosa Park’s journey was much shorter but took just as much courage. As an African American, she was tired of racism and of how she and other African Americans were treated. So on December 1, 1955, she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. This violation of the rules sparked a controversy that was a catalyst for the civil rights movement. Rosa’s convictions and courage came from her faith. She says, “I had a very spiritual background, and I believe in church and my faith, and that has helped to give me the strength and courage to live as I did.”

What goals do you have? Maybe you have a big one, like Charles Lindbergh, that you want to achieve one day. Or perhaps, like Rosa, your goal involves making something right in the world.

Ask God to give you the right goals and to give you the courage to achieve them.

I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven (Philippians 3:14).

To Do

Using an index card, list your goals in these categories: Big Life Goals, Day-to-Day Goals: Physical, Social, Mental, Spiritual. Keep the card on your desk as a reminder and motivator.

Also on this day . . .

1894—J.W. Goodrich introduced rubber galoshes (boots) to the public.

1957—Smith-Corona Manufacturing, Inc. of New York began selling portable electric typewriters. The first machine weighed 19 pounds.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

On this day in 1995, Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot the space shuttle when the Discovery blasted off.

Exploring space has been very important to the United States for many decades. The name of the shuttle, “Discovery,” accurately describes the goal of all of our rocket launches, orbital missions, visits to the moon, space walks, space stations, and space shuttles. We want to discover what’s out there—in our solar system and beyond. Because of the space program, words like “launch,” “probe,” “orbit,” and “re-entry” have become common. And our new heroes include Shepherd, Grissom, Glenn, Armstrong, Aldrin, Ride, McAuliffe, Husband, and many more—Eileen Collins, too.

People have always been fascinated with space. Looking up on a clear night, away from city lights, can feel awesome and overwhelming. Countless twinkling stars and planets fill our field of vision. And in considering the millions of miles to the nearest star, we can feel pretty small and almost insignificant.

But get this: The Creator of everything—each planet, galaxy, quasar, and quark—is also the creator of our tiny planet, Earth. And he takes a special interest in each and every one of the billions of people who live here. That includes you.

Not only did God make you, but he also loves you. To prove it, he came to earth, becoming a person just like you, to die for you (check out John 3:16). So you’re pretty special after all.

Many people haven’t yet made that discovery. We don’t need a space shuttle to find God. We’ll never be able to understand everything about God, who he is, and why he does what he does. But the real discovery is knowing that he lives and that he loves and cares for us.

So look to the skies and celebrate!

Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! His greatness is beyond discovery! (Psalm 145:3).

To Do

Tonight after dark go outside and look into the skies. Try to count the stars. Think about God and thank him for letting you discover his love.

Also on this day . . .

1894—Norman Rockwell, the famous painter, was born.

1959—Rock singers Buddy Holly (22), Ritchie Valens (17), and the “Big Bopper” (28) died in a plane crash in Iowa.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

This is Groundhog Day.

The crowd grows larger and more excited by the minute. And as the time draws near, they push forward, each person trying to get a good look. Then the creature emerges—it’s dark and furry, bigger than a squirrel, about the size of a small dog, and built close to the earth. Taking a few hesitant steps on this cloudy morning, it seems bold and in no hurry to return to its hole. And the crowd cheers.

The place? Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The occasion? Groundhog Day. Tradition holds that if the groundhog sees its shadow and is frightened back into its hole, then we’ll have six more weeks of winter. But if it doesn’t run scared, we’ll have an early spring. At least that’s the idea—the hope.

By February, people who have to struggle with the cold, ice, and snow of winter are tired of it all. They want spring to come early, the sooner the better. So they celebrate with Punxsutawney Phil and the crowd and hope.

Everyone needs hope. Imagine winter without spring, night without morning, school with no vacation, or sickness without the possibility of getting well. People without hope become very discouraged.

The Bible talks a lot about hope because God offers hope to everyone who believes—hope for forgiveness and for eternal life. And because God is the one offering the hope, we know it’s true and real.

So when you feel like you’re in an endless winter, remember God. Look up to him and hope. You can do this anytime—he’s always available—and you don’t have to wait for a furry animal to make its move.

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises (Romans 15:4).

To Do

Draw an arrow on a piece of paper. Make it about two inches wide and eight inches long. Write HOPE on the arrow and pin it to your bulletin board in your room, pointing up. Use it to remind you to look up to God for hope.

Also on this day . . .

1802—The first leopard to be exhibited in the United States was shown by Othello Pollard in Boston, Massachusetts.

1863—Samuel Langhorne Clemens used a different name for himself for the first time. He is better remembered by that name—Mark Twain.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

This is Robinson Crusoe Day.

Robinson Crusoe is probably the best-known “survivor” of all time. This man ended up alone on an island after his ship wrecked. He had no TV, phone, DVDs, video games or CDs—pretty boring, right? Absolutely not! You can read the exciting story of his adventures in the book by Daniel Defoe.

Suppose you, like Robinson Crusoe, were marooned on an island, cut off from family, friends, and the rest of civilization. What would you like to have with you to help you survive? How could you make it through those long, lonely days and nights?

A knife would come in handy. And how about dry matches, a raincoat, and fishing hooks—those sure would be good to have. But here’s another suggestion: your Bible. That’s right. You also would have to survive spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Having God’s Word would help you stay in close contact with him. The Bible’s stories, teachings, and promises would give you hope and encouragement. In fact, many other “survivors” (including prisoners of war) have said that Bible reading and prayer helped them hold on until their rescue.

How many Bibles do you have? How often do you read God’s Word? Instead of taking it for granted, pretend that, like Robinson Crusoe, you live on an island and need to survive. Then read the Bible, looking for hope and for direction and, of course, for God.

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103, New International Version).

To Do

Commit to reading the Bible regularly—a passage or a chapter a day. Keep a record of God’s “Survival Tips.”

Also on this day . . .

1790—The U.S. Supreme Court convened for the first time in New York City.

1862—”The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” by Julia Ward Howe was first published in the Atlantic Monthly.

1900—Eastman Kodak Co. introduced the $1 Brownie box camera.

1957—P.H. Young became the first black pilot on a scheduled passenger airline.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

In 1958, the U.S. launched its first satellite, the Explorer I, into space.

A year after the Russians had launched Sputnik, the world’s first satellite, into space, the United States countered with its own earth-orbiting satellite. Weighing only 31 pounds, the Explorer I satellite was launched into space aboard a Jupiter-C rocket. The entire country waited for 90 long seconds to hear the fate of the satellite. Finally, a tracking station in California reported, “Goldstone has the bird.” The launch was a success; America had entered the Space Age.

The country had been reeling ever since the Russians had first successfully put a satellite into space. No one knew exactly how to react to the knowledge that a man-made (and specifically Russian-made) object was possibly spying on America as it circling the earth every 90 minutes. The idea made people nervous and a bit scared.

Today, the idea of man-made objects circling the earth is commonplace. In fact, many homes have satellite dishes designed to collect signals from space so we can watch hundreds of different TV channels. The idea that someone is “watching us” from outer space is no longer the threat that it once was. But it is true that someone is watching us from the heavens—God.

The Bible tells us that God sits on his throne in heaven and looks down on all of his creation. Nothing happens on our planet that God does not see or know about. But rather than fill us with dread as Sputnik did, this knowledge should make us feel secure that God knows every last detail of our lives. He is in total control of everything that goes on around us. And that’s 24-7, not just an occasional pass around this earth of ours.

The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do (Psalm 33:13–15).

To Do

Check out a satellite tracking site on the Internet to see how many satellites are orbiting the world at any given time.

Also on this day . . .

1797—Composer Franz Schubert was born.

1990—McDonald’s opened their first restaurant in Moscow, Russia.

1981—Singer Justin Timberlake was born.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

In 1790, the first official lifeboat was tested at sea.

The birthplace of the lifeboat was at the River Tyne in northeast England. The mouth of the river, which opened onto the North Sea, was extremely dangerous. As one sailor described it, the entrance into the harbor was “very narrow, with dangerous rocks on one side and a steep sand bank on the other, with a hard shoal bar across, where the waves of the sea frequently run very high.” In other words, it took a very skilled seaman to safely navigate a sailing ship into the harbor.

After one particularly devastating shipwreck, where more than half of the crew lost their lives as the townspeople watched helplessly on the shore, a local businessman decided something had to be done. Nicolas Fairles organized the institution for “The Preservation of Life from Shipwreck” and offered a reward for anyone who could design a boat that could rescue sailors in the worst conditions at sea. Henry Greathead took the challenge, and it was his design that became the model for the lifeboat. Greathead’s boat, called the Original, was first tested in 1790 on the open sea, and it became a true lifesaver.

Today, we have many devices designed to save lives—seatbelts, safety caps on medications, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers. But the greatest lifesaver is neither a boat, nor a restraining device, nor anything we can hold or see. It is a name—Jesus—the only name that anyone can call upon and be saved forever. The Bible tells us that without Jesus we are lost, dead in our sins. Jesus alone, through his sacrifice on the cross, offers us complete forgiveness for all our wrongdoings and saves us for all eternity.

Now that’s a real lifesaver!

“There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them” (Acts 4:12).

To Do

Buy a pack of LifeSavers® candy. Hand them out to your friends and tell them about the real lifesaver, Jesus!

Also on this day . . .

1487—Bell chimes were invented.

1798—The first brawl in the U.S. House of Representatives took place. Congressmen Matthew Lyon and Roger Griswold fought on the House floor.

1847—The town of Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco.

1882—Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32^nd President of the United States, was born.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

This is National Puzzle Day.

Celebrate National Puzzle Day and have fun doing the Word Search below. Look for the following names of famous Bible characters in the puzzle below. Remember words can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, backwards or upside down! Have fun!

Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything there is to know about the Almighty? (Job 11:7).

Also on this day . . .

1843—William McKinley, 25^th President of the United States, was born in Niles, Ohio.

1861—Kansas became America’s 34^th state.

1900—The American Baseball League was organized in Philadelphia. It consisted of eight teams.

1924—R. Taylor patented the ice cream cone rolling machine.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

In 1547, nine-year-old Edward VI became King of England after his father, Henry VIII, died.

King Edward VI was a child when his father Henry VIII died. Expectations were high when Edward VI was crowned. It was hoped that the new king would enjoy a long and successful reign, resolving the religious problems of the day. But Edward died of tuberculosis only a few years after taking the throne, long before any of these expectations could be met. In fact, Edward never ruled the country himself. His uncle, the Duke of Somerset, governed as regent because Edward was so young.

Maybe you are nine years old or know someone who is nine. Imagine being the ruler of an entire country! Imagine your friends and family calling you “King” or “Queen.” A pretty scary thought, isn’t it? But this wasn’t the first time that a young person was named king. In Bible times, Joash was only seven years old when he became king. Unlike the unfortunate Edward, Joash ruled for forty years. At first, Joash got off to a good start. He had a wise advisor, Jehoiada, who helped him to follow God’s laws. But when Jehoiada died, Joash began listening to the wrong advice. Instead of obeying and relying on God’s Word, Joash led his people into evil. Eventually, his own officials killed him.

Both Edward and Joash depended on those around them for good advice. We need to do the same. But eventually we need to begin making our own decisions. As a youngster, Joash knew about God because of his wise helper, Jehoiada. But Joash needed his own relationship with God. We do, too. It’s OK to learn from our parents and our Sunday-school teachers about God, but at some point we need to make our own decision about following God.

Have you?

“Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life” (Deuteronomy 30:20).

To Do

Make a timeline of your personal history. Start with the day you were born. Mark other important events in your life. Put a star on events that were significant to your spiritual growth, such as the day you were baptized and the day you first shared your faith with a friend.

Also on this day . . .

National Kazoo Day

1878—The first telephone switchboard was installed in New Haven, Connecticut.

1938—The first ski tow started operation in Vermont.

1986—The space shuttle Challenger exploded just after takeoff, killing all seven of its crew.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

In 1880, Thomas Edison patented the electric incandescent lamp.

Thomas Edison, considered one of America’s greatest inventors, has been credited with ushering in the electrical age with the refinement and development of the electric incandescent lamp—otherwise known as the light bulb. Although people had been using electric arc lights, which produced light by creating an arc of electricity between wires, the blinding glare that these arc lights gave off made them unsuitable for use in the home. Edison came up with the idea of producing light by heating a wire (or filament) until it glowed brightly. While others had come up with a similar concept, Edison patented the first practical electric light bulb, one that used only a small current and that lasted a long time before it burned out.

Incandescent lighting remains the primary way that we light our homes today. Take a walk through your home and count all the light bulbs. You may be amazed to discover how dependent we are on this one single invention.

But just as we depend on Edison’s incandescent lamp to light the way in our home, we need to depend upon another type of lamp to light our path for living. Psalm 119:105 says that God’s word is a “lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” Just as you turn on the light before you enter a darkened room, so you turn to God’s Word the Bible to help you see the right way to live.

Whenever you are confused or wondering about what you should do, read God’s Word to help guide you and light your way.

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105).

To Do

Think of a Bible verse that has helped “light” your path. Write it down and carry it with you today.

Also on this day . . .

1756—Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born.

1888—The National Geographic Society was founded in Washington, D.C.

1926—John Baird, a Scottish inventor, demonstrated a pictorial transmission machine called television.

1973—The Vietnam Peace Agreement was signed.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.