A to Z Devotions for Courageous Girls (Paperback Edition) by kelly McIntosh by Barbour Books

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Print ISBN 978-1-63609-968-2

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Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Cover and interior illustrations by Anuki López.

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Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

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“Let the little children come to Me. Do not stop them. The holy nation of God is made up of ones like these.”

M ARK 10:14

YOU ARE GOd’S COUrAgEoUS GIRL!

What does it take to be a courageous girl of God?

You’ll ﬁnd out in this fun devotional book created especially for you.

Each reading touches on a positive character trait—from A to Z!

Are you Adventurous? . . .

What about Generous and Kind? . . . Or Patient and Wise? . . .

With each turn of the page, you’ll be inspired to grow up God’s way and become the wonderfully courageous girl He created you to be!

When you decide to follow Jesus, life is always full of adventure.

He might ask you to do something new—and maybe that “something new” will make you feel a little nervous (like butterﬂies in your tummy). He might want you to share something about Him with a neighbor. Or He might even ask you to volunteer your free time at church. Or maybe even go on a mission trip—near your home state or far, far away.

Whatever it is, you can be sure that when you say yes to Jesus, you’ll be so glad you did. His way is always best!

THInK ABoUt IT:

What is something adventurous God might ask you to do?

You will show me the way of life. Being with You is to be full of joy. In Your right hand there is happiness forever.

P SALM 16:11

Did you know that being brave means facing your fears with courage? Courage is when you have a strong mind and determination. It doesn’t mean you’re never afraid of anything.

The truth is, everyone is afraid of something. Think about it: What are you most afraid of? . . . And when you are afraid, how do you deal with it?

Whether you’re afraid of the dark or thunderstorms or creepy-crawly bugs. . .if you ask God to help you face your fears with courage, He’ll hear you, and He’ll help calm your worried heart.

THInK ABoUt IT:

When do you feel the most brave?

“Be strong and have strength of heart. Do not be afraid or shake with fear because of them. For the Lord your God is the One Who goes with you. He will be faithful to you. He will not leave you alone.”

31:6

Are you conﬁdent? To answer this question, you need to know what conﬁdent means.

Being conﬁdent means that you’re sure of yourself— you don’t wonder whether you’re good enough. . .or smart enough. . .or talented enough. You know you’re perfect just the way God made you.

If you ever begin to worry or wonder—if you ever feel unsure of yourself—talk to God and read His Word. He’ll remind you that you are His. And that’s all the conﬁdence a girl could ever need!

THInK ABoUt IT:

What things could you say or do to help a friend feel confident?

Let us go with complete trust to the throne of God. We will receive His loving-kindness and have His loving-favor to help us whenever we need it.

H EBREWS 4:16

When Mom or Dad asks you to do something, do they know they can count on you? Do you say, “Yes,” and then do it? Or do you say, “Sure, I’ll do it later”. . .and then forget all about it?

Courageous girls of God shine their lights for Him when they are dependable. Following through on a request from your parents honors them—and it sets a great example for your brothers, sisters, and your friends too!

The next time you’re given an opportunity to be dependable, say, “Yes!”

THInK ABoUt IT:

Share about a time when you showed that you were dependable. How did it make you feel?

There are many people who belong to Christ. And yet, we are one body which is Christ’s. We are all different but we depend on each other.

R OMANS 12:5

What can you do if a friend is going through something super hard or just having a terrible, horrible day? While you might not be able to ﬁx your friends’ problems for them, you can do something to help. . . You can be an encourager!

Encouragers do many things to give others hope and support when they need it most. Showing you care doesn’t have to be difﬁcult. You can encourage others with simple things like kind words, handwritten notes, small gifts, or hugs.

Do you know someone who could use some encouraging today? Show you care with a kind word or action, and then lift them in prayer!

THInK

ABoUt IT:

Can you think of other ways to offer encouragement to someone who needs it?

Remember to do good and help each other. Gifts like this please God.

H EBREWS 13:16

Has a friend ever hurt your feelings? If so, how did it make you feel? Were you sad or angry?

When friends do or say hurtful things, it’s hard to forgive them. But God wants us to show His love by offering forgiveness and then moving on. This is just what He does for us when we make a mistake. . .He forgives us no matter what we’ve done. And still, He loves us!

Today ask God to help you say, “You’re forgiven.” If mighty God can erase mistakes from His mind, we can too!

THInK ABoUt IT:

Why is it so hard to forgive? Why is it important to forgive?

You must be kind to each other. Think of the other person. Forgive other people just as God forgave you.

E PHESIANS 4:32

Did you know that the Bible says God loves people who give because they want to give? It also says that the way you give will be the same way you get. What that means is the more you give to others, the more you’ll be blessed. Courageous girls are generous givers. This means they give more of what they have. They don’t give just a little bit. They give a lot!

Ask God to give you the energy you need to keep being generous. The more you focus on giving to others, the happier you’ll be!

THInK ABoUt IT:

In what ways can you be more generous?

“Give, and it will be given to you. You will have more than enough. It can be pushed down and shaken together and it will still run over as it is given to you. The way you give to others is the way you will receive in return.”

L UKE 6:38

Is it ever okay to tell a lie? . . . Even a “little” one?

Telling the truth can be really hard sometimes, especially if it means we’ll probably get into trouble for something we shouldn’t have done in the ﬁrst place.

But lies—even little ones—almost always lead to more trouble and even more lies. And before you know it, you have one big mess that hurts you and others. So what’s a girl to do?

Follow God and His Word: be honest! It’s important to God. It’s what He expects from His courageous girls!

THInK ABoUt IT:

Have you ever told a lie and wished you could take it back? What would have been different if you had told the truth instead?

All the words of my mouth are right and good. There is nothing in them that is against the truth.

P ROVERBS 8:8