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Jean Fischer
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YOU are the reason we do what we do here at Barbour Publishing. We promise that we will always use our God-given talents to produce content with you in mind—and that we will remain biblically faithful, no matter what. Thank you for being the heart of our business.
© 2022 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. ISBN 979-8-89151-265-8 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher. Reproduced text may not be used on the World Wide Web. No Barbour Publishing content may be used as artificial intelligence training data for machine learning, or in any similar software development. Churches and other noncommercial interests may reproduce portions of this book without the express written permission of Barbour Publishing, provided that the text does not exceed 500 words or 5 percent of the entire book, whichever is less, and that the text is not material quoted from another publisher. When reproducing text from this book, include the following credit line: “From Bible Wisdom Devotions for Girls, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.” Scripture quotations marked cev are from the Contemporary English Version. Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ncv are taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked niv are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®. niv®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked nirv are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®. Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked nlv are taken from the New Life™ Version, copyright © 1969 and 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683. All rights reserved. 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. Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible. Printed in China. 002806 0126 DS
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Introduction These devotions and prayers were created just for you, girl! Take a few minutes each day to nourish your blossoming spirit with these inspiring and encouraging devotions, scriptures, and prayers that will draw you closer to God’s heart and fill your soul with everlasting joy. Touching on topics like choices, kindness, love, loyalty, honesty, and so much more, these just-right-sized readings will meet you right where you are in life. Bible Wisdom Devotions for Girls is a great way to help you grow in your faith!
“I will be a Father to you. You will be My. . . daughters, says the All-powerful God.” 2 Corinthians 6:18 nlv
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Who Is That Girl? I will give thanks to You, for the greatness of the way I was made brings fear. Your works are great and my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14 nlv
Look in the mirror. Who is that girl looking back at you? Why, she’s a perfect creation, a work of art! God, the great Creator of everything— the same God who made the sun, the moon and stars, the towering mountains and the vast oceans—made you! When He looks at you, God sees His girl, His child, perfectly and wonderfully made. God didn’t make you to be ordinary or random. Not at all! He made you with a specific purpose. God has your whole life planned, and His plan for you is perfect. You can’t know yet everything God has waiting for you. Much of it is secret. He will reveal His plan to you little by little throughout your whole life. Your job right now is to trust that God’s plan for you is good.
Dear God, help me to see myself as You see me. Help me to trust You every day of my life. Amen.
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True Beauty Do not let your beauty come from the outside. It should not be the way you comb your hair or the wearing of gold or the wearing of fine clothes. Your beauty should come from the inside. It should come from the heart. 1 Peter 3:3–4 nlv
When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you hope to see a girl with perfectly styled hair? A girl wearing cool clothes on a perfect body? A girl with perfect skin? Perfect teeth? Perfect everything? True beauty has nothing to do with how you look on the outside. Instead, it comes from your heart. When God made you, He filled your heart with all the good stuff: things like love, kindness, generosity, forgiveness, thoughtfulness, caring, respectfulness, courage, strength, politeness, responsibility, and more. God filled your heart with everything that makes you—you! When you care more about what’s inside your heart than your image in the mirror, then you will be pleased with yourself just as you are. And when you let others see what’s inside your heart, your beauty will shine like the brightest star.
Dear God, remind me always that I’m beautiful both inside and out. Amen.
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Make God Your Everything God is in the center of her. She will not be moved. God will help her when the morning comes. Psalm 46:5 nlv
God sees you. He has the amazing ability to be everywhere all the time at the same time. God knows everything. There’s nothing about you He doesn’t know or see. That might make you feel a little uneasy. God isn’t spying on you. He’s not watching and waiting for you to do something wrong so He can punish you. God’s plan is to guide you through your life. When you make Him your everything, when you make God the center of your universe, great things will happen. He will add His power and strength to all those good things He put inside your heart. God will make you strong enough to stand up to whatever trouble comes your way. When you make God your everything, you can count on Him to help you all day every day forever!
Dear God, I want You to be my everything. Teach me to put all my faith and trust in You. Be my guide every day. Amen. 8
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What Is Sin? If you know what is right to do but you do not do it, you sin. James 4:17 nlv
There’s that word—sin. Maybe you know what it means, kind of. But what is sin really? A sin is anything a person does that God says isn’t right. You learn what God says is right by reading the Bible. Your heart also helps you know the difference between right and wrong. There’s a little voice inside your heart that says, “Stop. Don’t do that.” Some people call it their conscience. But that voice is really the Holy Spirit of God reminding you to make the right choice. No one is perfect. Everybody is guilty of sin. As hard as you try to please God, you will never be able to please Him 100 percent. What’s awesome about God, though, is that when you sin He will always forgive you. Tell Him what you did, ask for His forgiveness, and He will erase that sin as if it never happened.
Dear God, I did something today that I know is wrong. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Amen.
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Saved! “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11 niv
From the beginning, when God created the first humans, people sinned. They kept trying to please God, and they failed. Sin separated people from God, and God didn’t like that. He wanted everyone to be made right with Him, so He made a plan. He decided to send His Son, Jesus, into the world to save His people from sin. Jesus took all the world’s sin on Himself, and He suffered all the punishment for the wrong things people did and would forever do. God said if people believed that Jesus had taken the punishment they deserved, they were promised life forever in heaven after they died. God makes that promise to you! If you believe that Jesus took the punishment for the wrong things you do and you ask Him to come into your heart, He will stay with you forever.
Dear Jesus, thank You for saving us from the sin that separates us from God. And thank You for promising us life forever with You in heaven. Amen. 10
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Role Model Do as God would do. Much-loved children want to do as their fathers do. Ephesians 5:1 nlv
Is there someone you look up to as a role model, someone whom you respect and want to be like? It’s okay to have people as role models, but the best role model of all is Jesus. He is just like God, His Father. So when you try to be more like Jesus, you are becoming more like God. You can read the story of Jesus’ life in the Bible in the New Testament books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. As you read and learn about Jesus and model your behavior after His, you will be growing into the kind of girl God wants you to be. As you become more like Jesus, others will see Jesus in your actions and words. If they say, “I want to be more like her!” then you will have become their role model. (How cool is that!) How well do you know Jesus? Can you name some of His qualities? Things like forgiving, loving, caring. . .
Dear Jesus, I want to learn about You and become more like You. Amen.
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The Greatest Law Jesus said to him, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest of the Laws.” Matthew 22:37–38 nlv
When someone asked Jesus which is the greatest of God’s laws, He answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” How can you show God you love Him? By doing your best to follow His commands, reading the Bible and obeying its words, praying to God, trusting Him, and thanking Him for all the good things He does for you. And praising Him too, because He is the one and only God. Putting God first is the most important thing you can do. When you ask Him to lead you in everything from the tiniest actions and decisions to the biggest ones, you let loose His power in your life. God’s power working through you is all you need to accomplish more than you can imagine.
Dear God, You have first place in my life. You come before anyone or anything else. Amen. 12
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Who Is My Neighbor? “The second is like it, ‘You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ” Matthew 22:39 nlv
It doesn’t matter to God what people look like, whether they are a girl or boy, or even if they are young or old. God made everyone. We are all His children. And while He made each of us special and unique, we are alike because we have the same needs. Every one of us has hopes and dreams. We all worry about things, and sometimes we feel afraid. We always need friends to share in our good times and bad. Jesus said the second greatest of God’s laws is “You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.” This law tells us that God wants us to treat every- one with love and respect. He wants us to set our selfishness aside to be giving and to share with one another. Who is your neighbor? Everyone on earth is your neighbor, everyone near and far.
Dear God, please help me not to be selfish. Help me to remember that everyone has needs, just as I do. And help me to be giving. Amen. 13
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A Heartfelt Connection May the Lord lead your hearts into the love of God. 2 Thessalonians 3:5 nlv
The Bible says that God is love. God created you because He loves you and He wants a loving relationship with you. God’s love is different from human love. God doesn’t love you because your good behavior pleases Him. He doesn’t love you because you’re cute, fun to be with, and lovable. God’s love is unconditional. That means even if your behavior was the worst of the worst, and even if you wanted nothing to do with Him, God would still love you. God’s love is absolutely perfect. He would do anything for you, even allow His Son to take the punishment for your sins so you can live with Him someday in heaven. God wants His heart and yours to be connected in love. That’s one reason He gave us Jesus—to teach us about love so we can share it with others. Can you think of some ways to share God’s love?
Dear God, thank You for loving me no matter what. Teach me what it means to love others the way You love them. Amen.
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Love Is Patient Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 niv
Grown-ups can be so poky! Maybe you wanted to go to a friend’s house, but Mom and Dad were too busy to take you. They told you to wait awhile. Did you complain, or did you wait patiently? Imagine you are in your room listening to music and reading. Your younger sibling keeps hanging around bothering you. Would you say, “Stop that” or “Go away”? Think about it: How patient are you? The Bible says love is patient. Patience is about waiting. It’s also remembering that your annoying little sister or brother looks up to you and wants to spend time with you. Being patient isn’t easy. But patience is one way to show others you love them. God is patient with you all the time. Every day you do things that displease Him, but, always, God forgives you, and He waits patiently while you try to do better next time.
Dear God, please help me to be more patient. Remind me that being patient shows others that I love them. Amen.
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Patience Takes Practice Learn from the farmer. He waits for the good fruit from the earth until the early and late rains come. James 5:7 nlv
When you want something badly, it comes with a feeling that you want it right away. But most of the time you have to wait. Waiting patiently is something you learn. If you practice waiting with a good attitude, your patience will grow. James 5:7 says that farmers wait a long time for their seeds to become plants that produce good food. Farmers have faith that, in time, the seeds they plant will provide the crops they hope for. Wouldn’t it be silly for a farmer to plant seeds and expect fully grown plants to pop out of the ground? When you ask God for something, He wants you to have faith, like a farmer, and wait for Him to answer your prayer. Practice waiting patiently. God loves you. Trust that He’s working on a plan to give you something good.
Dear God, I know You hear me when I ask You for something. I trust You to answer my prayers, and I will practice waiting patiently for You to answer. Amen. 16
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Love Is Kind “You must have loving-kindness just as your Father has loving-kindness.” Luke 6:36 nlv
Jesus said we should be kind to others the way God is kind toward us. Can you think of some ways God has been kind to you? Kindness is all about recognizing when someone is in need and then doing something to help. You can see people doing little acts of kindness all around you: people holding doors open for others, helping to carry groceries from the car to the house, pitching in with chores, feeding the birds, smiling, saying hello, complimenting one another. . . Kindness is about caring for others: comforting someone who is sad, sending a card to someone who is sick, checking on an elderly neighbor, sharing what you have. . . Kindness is also about including others: welcoming the new kid in class, teaching someone a new game, making new friends and inviting them to have fun with you. . . Kindness is another way of sharing God’s love.
Dear God, open my eyes to the needs of others. Teach me to be kind and caring toward everyone I meet. Amen. 17
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Kindness Is Contagious “Those who show loving-kindness are happy, because they will have loving-kindness shown to them.” Matthew 5:7 nlv
She has something contagious! Oh no, stay away from her! When you hear the word contagious, does it make you feel jittery? Does it make you want to run in the opposite direction? Let’s give that word a new meaning, something positive. Kindness is contagious. Give it a try. Video chat with your grandparents and see their faces light up with smiles. Play with your dog and watch how his tail wags with delight. Read a book to your baby sister and notice how she snuggles up close to you, hanging on your every word. Jesus said that those who show loving-kindness are happy because they will have loving-kindness shown to them. When you show kindness to someone and it makes them happy, it gives you a happy feeling too. The happier you feel as a result of your kindness, the more likely you are to continue being kind. Kindness is something you want to spread around.
Dear God, I need some ideas. What kind things can I do today that will make others feel happy? Amen.
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Kindness Is My Responsibility Each person must be responsible for himself. Galatians 6:5 ncv
Kindness is about taking responsibility for your actions. It’s saying to yourself at the start of each day, Today I’m going to. . . , and then sticking with your plan. You could start by telling yourself, Today I’m going to be kind to everyone. But that’s not enough. You need to have some ideas of how you will spread your kindness around. Make a list: Today I’m going to compliment someone for doing a good job. Today I’m going to do something helpful for my parents without being asked. I will smile and say hello today. I will notice if someone is struggling with something, and I’ll help. When you make a list and follow through, you will be growing the loving-kindness God has already put inside your heart. The Bible says, “Each person must be responsible for himself.” Today and every day you are responsible for sharing God’s loving-kindness with others.
Dear God, when You created me, You put Your loving-kindness in my heart so I can share it with others. It’s my responsibility. Help me to do it well. Amen. 19
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Love Is Never Selfish Nothing should be done because of pride or thinking about yourself. Think of other people as more important than yourself. Philippians 2:3 nlv
You are a girl who cares about others! You are a girl who sees when people are in trouble, and you jump right in to help. You are always thinking about others and what they need. Good for you! But not everyone is unselfish like you are. Can you think of examples of selfishness? Selfishness is always wanting stuff for yourself instead of giving to others. It is thinking about what you want and need without noticing the wants and needs of those around you. Selfishness is not seeing or caring when someone is feeling sad, lonely, discouraged, or afraid. It is not appreciating what you have and always wanting more. By acting unselfishly, the way you do, you are setting a good example for others. By being unselfish, you are helping to spread God’s love around. Keep it up. Keep on being the kind, patient, caring girl you are.
Dear God, please guide us all to unselfish love and care for each other. Amen.
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More Like Jesus I want to please everyone in all that I do. I am not thinking of myself. I want to do what is best for them so they may be saved from the punishment of sin. 1 Corinthians 10:33 nlv
Whatever Jesus did, He thought about what was best for others. He wanted everyone to be saved from facing any punishment for the sinful things they did. Jesus was never selfish. When people asked for His time, He gave it willingly. Jesus provided food when people were hungry. He healed them when they were sick. Even when He was tired, Jesus kept going, putting the needs of others before His own. The best thing you can do for yourself and others is to try your hardest to be more like Jesus. Do everything with the goal of pleasing God. If someone asks for help, give it willingly. If someone needs food, clothes, or something else, be ready to share what you have. God’s love for you is never-ending. He is always thinking about and caring for you. It pleases Him to see you loving and caring about others.
Dear Jesus, teach me to be more like You. Amen.
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Love Is Never Snooty Love does not put itself up as being important. Love has no pride. 1 Corinthians 13:4 nlv
“Snooty” describes someone who thinks she is too good for everyone and everything. She looks down at everyone and thinks she’s better. It’s hard for snooty people to love others just as much as it’s hard for others to love those who are snooty. True love means loving others just because we are all created by the same God. He didn’t make any one of us to be the prettiest, richest, or most popular. God gives each of us the ability to choose how we will live and how we will love. We can follow God’s example and love each other equally, or we can choose not to follow God and choose to love some people and not others. Snootiness often leads to hurt feelings. No one likes being made to feel they are not good enough. Love is all about making people feel important and cared for. What can you do today to make others feel good about themselves and loved?
Dear God, remind me to treat everyone the same. No one is better than another. Amen.
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Hey, Look at Me! Live and work without pride. Be gentle and kind. Do not be hard on others. Let love keep you from doing that. Ephesians 4:2 nlv
Yay! Good for you! You worked hard and accomplished something great. Your heart is filled with happiness. You feel even better when others celebrate what you’ve done. It’s great to feel good about reaching your goals. But it’s important to remember who helped you get there. Without God you wouldn’t have the talents or skills that led to your big win. It’s okay to take pride in what you do, but too much pride is like closing the door on God and not inviting Him to your celebration. Maybe you’ve seen athletes or actors accept awards and then thank God for His help. That’s a good example for you to follow. Thank God for helping you. Then take it one step further. Help others to reach their goals. Be gentle and kind and happy for others when they win. That’s a loving thing to do.
Dear God, thank You for helping me reach my goal. I couldn’t have done it without You. Amen.
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Getting to Know You Love never thinks of itself. 1 Corinthians 13:5 nlv
Let’s see if you can answer these questions: What is each of your siblings’ favorite thing to do? What is your grandmother’s best childhood memory? What does your best friend worry about? Do you know someone who could use a little help? You learn about people by wanting to get to know them and asking questions. When a new kid comes to your school, a simple question like “Where did you go to school before?” gets a conversation going, and it might even begin a new friendship. The Bible says, “Love never thinks of itself.” If you’re all wrapped up in you, then it’s hard to notice others and care about getting to know them. Asking questions like “What would you like to do today?” or “Do you need a little help with that?” or “Is something bothering you?” shows that you care. Give it a try today. Turn your thoughts toward others. See if you can get to know your family members and friends even better.
Dear God, teach me to care even more for others by getting to know them well. Amen.
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Love Is Serving Others Everything we do shows we are God’s servants. 2 Corinthians 6:4 nlv
Jesus always focused His thoughts on others. He was a servant to their needs. You can be more like Jesus and share His love with others by serving them. That means keeping your eyes open to their needs and taking action to help. God gave you a caring heart and things you are good at. When you combine caring with what you do well, you can make a difference in your community. It doesn’t need to be something big. If you are good at art, you could make cards for kids in the hospital. If you enjoy singing, you could encourage your church’s youth group to do a sing-along at a nursing home. Are you good at a subject in school? You could guide those who need a little help. Use your imagination. Be creative. When you become God’s servant, His love will grow even bigger inside your heart. The more love you have, the more love you’ll have to give to others.
Dear God, please give me some ideas of how I can serve others. Amen.
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