Key Bible Verses: I rise early, before the sun is up; I … put my hope in your words. I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise (Psalm 119: 147-148). Bonus Reading: Hebrews 11:2, 5-6

The first day of family vacation on the Oregon coast, we slept in and headed down to the beach around 9:00 A.M., looking for washed-up treasure: a perfect sand dollar, one with no chips or cracks. Though we searched hard, we were skunked. The next day the same thing happened—nada.

On the third day, I saw a woman with a bag full of shells—many whole sand dollars—walking up the beach.

"Where'd you find all those shells?"

"Down the beach a mile or two."

Aha! I wasn't going far enough! Then I realized, Someone's already beat me to the good shells. But if I get up earlier, I'll find the treasure.

Next morning, we arose at the crack of dawn. After walking almost a mile down the beach, we'd found only one or two. But a hundred yards farther on, we hit the mother lode: a dozen whole sand dollars in one 30-foot patch. We continued on, eyes fixed on the sand—and collected more than 125 perfect sand dollars!

Later, during my quiet time, the lesson hit me: We wanted treasure. We got up earlier and traveled farther—and exceeded our goals beyond our wildest dreams.

My Response: In order to further my God search, I'll …

Thought to Apply: God answers the diligent seeker, not the casual inquirer.
—Joy Dawson (Youth With a Mission staff)