Odd(ly) Enough: 3-Minute Devotions to Passionately Pursuing Your Purpose

© 2019 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Print ISBN 978-1-64352-324-8 eBook Editions: Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-64352-383-5 Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-64352-384-2 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.

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 Odd(ly) Enough: 3-Minute Devotions to Passionately Pursuing Your Purpose, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.”

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, 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 esv are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Published by Barbour Books, an imprint of 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 the United States of America.

Introduction If you’ve ever felt insignificant, out of place, uncomfortable, or unqualified, Odd(ly) Enough, these 3-minute devotions are for you!

These devotions were written especially for those moments when you need a little reminder that there is undeniable freedom in passionately pursuing the purpose the heavenly Father has just for you.

Three short minutes is all you’ll need to reassure your uncertain, doubting spirit.

• • •

Minute 1: Read the day’s Bible verse and reflect on its meaning.

Minute 2: Read the devotional and think about its application for your life.

Minute 3: Pray.

Although these devotions aren’t meant as a tool for deep Bible study, they can be a touch point to keep you grounded and focused on the One who walks alongside you as you come to know and understand your God-given purpose. May every moment you spend with this book be an encouragement to your soul!

5

Set Free See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 John 3:1

Know this: your identity isn’t revealed through the minds and mouths of those around you.

Deep down into your soul, God whispers the character He created in you. He leaves hints of your gifts, draws a path to your passion. You don’t have to listen to the world. You are His greatest creation. All your suffering, grief, regret, guilt, shame, and grudges can make you new when mixed with love. So next time the enemy asks you who you think you are, let him know. Let him know through your refusal to settle for anything less than everything God created you to be.

Give in. You’re free to celebrate the bright future you have ahead of you in your newfound God-fidence. Be set free!

Set me free, Father, I pray. Help me to know and understand just what You have planned for my future. Amen.

7

Character for Your Calling God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

Psalm 46:5

“I’m not worthy.”

That’s often how you feel when someone tells you that God loves you just as you are. When our worth is attached to what other people think, our social status, and class, we find it hard to believe that we could be accepted by someone as big, pure, and holy as God. Shame can keep you from receiving the love of the Lord. However, it’s the way that He sees you that’s true; and the guilt and insecurity put on you by your enemy, Satan, and others is a lie. Everything you’ve been through. Every mistake. Every failure. Every hardship. Every regret. These can be used to build the character needed for your calling. But only if you let them. Isn’t that odd and beautiful all at the same time?

God works for good in all things (see Romans 8:28).

Father, I trust You to work everything out for my good. I know You can use hard things to reveal Your glory. Thank You, Lord! Amen.

8

Without a Doubt “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

Jesus didn’t say, “Come to Me when you’ve got it all figured out” or “Come to Me once you’ve earned your grace.”

He simply said, “Come to Me.” If we believe that Jesus died for all the things marking up our clean slates, then we must know we are loved through anything and everything. Girlfriend, aren’t you tired of pretending? Isn’t carrying all those bricks around in your back pocket exhausting? Jesus’ burden is light, and He will take your heavy burdens—like guilt and shame and failure—from you. You don’t have to earn His love. You can simply let Him in and give Him all your cares. He loves your soul, and there’s nothing this world or your flesh can do to change that.

Heavenly Father, I know without a doubt that You love me—just as I am. I am done pretending.

Take my burdens from me, Lord. Amen.

9

Worthy of Redemption “The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke 19:10

Jesus seeks those who are lost. Jesus will not turn away any person, not one, who humbles themselves and seeks out salvation.

But if we’re completely honest with ourselves, sometimes we don’t like that. Am I right? We don’t like the idea that someone who doesn’t deserve our forgiveness could receive favor from our Lord.

But there is no required standard of living to be had in order to be worthy of redemption.

And remember this: a change of heart is always the result of love.

Never forget that love is kind and patient. None of us, not one, is without sin. All sins may not be the same, but all sins are forgiven when you give your life to Jesus and trust in His sacrifice.

Father, I thank You for sending Your Son to save the lost—to save me. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, I am forgiven! Amen.

10

Keep On Going The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

Whatever you’re facing in your life right now, no matter how desperate and low you feel, remember that love will never fail you. Your life has a purpose so much bigger than you know.

Christ’s love for us was much greater than the anguish He was feeling hours before He stepped into His calling on the cross. He knows your pain. He knows your suffering. He’s felt your fears, and He’s cried your tears. His Spirit will give you the motivation you need to keep going.

Never forget: it’s often through the storms of life that we begin to grow into the people God created us to be.

Father, my life isn’t what I want it to be right now. Please give me strength to press on—to keep going. I know You’re here with me in the storm, and I trust You’ll see me through it. Amen.

11

Where Jesus Shines Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3–4

If you’re going through something that seems too heavy for you to carry, let God have it. Let Him set you free. You can be weak, for that’s when you see His strength. Be humble and meek. Lay your worries and fears at the Father’s feet.

Have trust and faith, because without them, how good are things going to be? With God at your side when your circumstances are really horrible, you can feel peace, love, joy, and strength when others can’t even fathom it. And that’s where Jesus shines through. Most people feel uncomfortable and confused when someone is happy in the midst of a tragedy. You stand apart from the world when You’re a child of the King with an ability to overcome your feelings. With His help, you can feel joy through your sadness, happiness despite your anger, and love for those who have hurt you.

God of comfort, I praise You for all You are and for Your goodness and mercy. I trust You to be in control of my life today and all my days to come. Amen.

12

As God Sees We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

If you tell yourself each day that you are worthless, ugly, tired, and stupid, it’s difficult to take care of yourself or have a good attitude.

Isn’t it?

A little truth? What you believe about yourself will guide the life you live. Have you ever known anyone to “hate” themselves into a happy, healthy life?

Truly it isn’t until we know God’s love that we can love who He made us to be.

Do you want to be at peace with yourself? Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally? Love yourself now so you can maintain your health and truly fulfill God’s calling on your life—so you can pass joy on to others. Being useful in God’s kingdom is difficult when you’re sick and miserable.

Today, choose to see yourself as God sees you. Beautiful. Strong.

Worthy. Loved.

Father, I desperately want to see myself as You see me. But it’s so difficult at times. Help me today to see myself clearly—through Your lens of love—so I can be a faithful worker in Your kingdom. Amen.

13

As You Are It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Philippians 2:13

Did you know that your pain has a purpose? Yes, it’s hard to grapple with emotions and struggles. And when life is hard, it’s difficult to believe that a good God loves you and has a call on your life. But know this: if you shut out the lies of the world and believe what God says about you, there is nothing He can’t do with your future.

Nothing. He can and will use you as a worker in His kingdom.

We humans are far from perfect. Our lives are not always wholesome with sunshine and rainbow sprinkles. Sometimes we are full of anger. We can be defensive and full of doubt. We have a hard time saying “I’m sorry” even when we know we should. But as we are, we are loved. As you are, you are loved. And your heavenly Father sees your true potential!

Dear heavenly Father, I trust You. I trust that You will show me the purpose of my pain. I believe that You have a plan for my life, and that even in my imperfection You will use me for a greater purpose than I can imagine right now. Amen.

14

Beautiful The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

Do you ever look at the sky, study the clouds, listen to the waves of the ocean, or gaze at the stars and think to yourself, Wow, it’s just gorgeous! Well, guess what? That’s what the heavenly Father thinks when He looks at you. Right now. Even if you feel dirty or unworthy, you are just as breathtaking to Him as you were the day you were born. And there is nothing—nothing—that can change that.

The beauty of life lives in you. It lives in your joy. It lives in your laugh. It lives in your gifts and your talents. And if you have given your life to Christ, He lives in you too. Don’t let the world shut out the part of you that can change the world. This is what separates you from the rest—this unusual spirit of peace that surpasses all understanding. When everyone else is hateful and unhappy, choose to be different. Look around: the world is overwhelmed with sin. I don’t want to fit in. Do you?

Father, it does my heart good to know that in Your eyes I am loved. I am worthy. I am beautiful. Thank You for the gift of Your peace. Help me to share it with others. Amen.

15

Chosen “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

John 15:16

Jesus literally came and died for the lost. Read the Word! He set people straight when they started getting an attitude about His neverending pursuit of the wild ones.

In Luke 15:2 when the tax collectors and sinners gathered to listen to Jesus, the Pharisees muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” And you know what? Jesus turned to them without hesitation and said, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” (v. 4). He then pressed them further, asking if they wouldn’t rejoice over finding that lost sheep as well as celebrate with their neighbors. Listen to what He said in verse 7: “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Don’t you get it? He won’t let you go. You are the reason for His bloodshed. He wears the holes in His body for you. Can you see how much He loves you?

Your Word overflows with wisdom and guidance to help me understand just how much You love me—just how much you love every single person. Thank You for coming to save the lost. Thank You for saving me! Amen.

16

Dying to Self I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

When God says, “Give it up,” He means giving up your life, giving up control, giving up worry and fear, giving up anger and all the negative things your soul clings to. You have to let those things die and bury them so God can open your eyes to the beautiful things He has for you. The hardest part about dying to yourself is getting to a place in life where you’re ready to be selfless. You can’t have a single ounce of pride left. Can you accept that, apart from God, you don’t know what you’re doing?

Think about it: Why do we care so much what people think of us? Why do we hide who we are? Why do we put on fake, filtered faces to please people who have no real importance to the purpose of our existence? On some level, no matter what we do, we aren’t going to please everyone anyway. So why not at least feel the freedom, peace, and joy of being who you are and doing what you love?

Dying to myself was the best thing that ever happened to me. What about you?

Father, I humble myself before You today. I give up my control and lay my life at Your feet. Amen.

17

A Better Way “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.

But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

John 12:24

You know why Jesus bothered people so much? He knew who He was. He knew who He belonged to. Nobody could tell Him any differently. That doesn’t settle well with people who are lost, does it? Not with people who have convinced themselves that life is as it should be—and that means hardship and misery. Not with people unwilling to admit they are making bad decisions. Not when the truth begins to threaten the way of life they’ve become addicted to.

When Satan sees someone stirring up your spirit, what starts to happen? You begin to feel conflicted, right? Sometimes angry and defensive. After all, you don’t want your way of life threatened. Even if you aren’t particularly happy, you get stuck in your ways—but some of the things you are holding on to are the things that are making you unhappy. Truth is, your spirit is always going to lead you in a direction that’s best for you and best for others. But oftentimes it means sacrificing things you like. You have to be humbled, broken down, willing to admit your way isn’t better. Then God can—and will—take you higher!

Give me Your confidence, Lord. I want to be secure in who I am— in who You made me to be. I belong to You! Amen.

18

Freedom !

Truly I am your servant, LORD; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.

Psalm 116:16

Nothing in this world tastes as good as the fruit of freedom. That’s what you get when you let your flesh go. You get to be happy. You forgive and move on. You look forward to what tomorrow will bring instead of spewing worry and what-ifs all over your life and everyone around you. With freedom in Christ, you can feel the fear and push through it. With freedom in Christ, doors will open that no human being can shut.

And you will plant seeds everywhere you go. Seeds of hope, kindness, wisdom, laughter, and joy. So shout His praises, speak the truth, share your story, say your prayers. Speak it, sister. Let them know. Let the enemy know who you belong to. Let the world know the work that God has been doing in your heart. He softens your hard heart. Can you feel the dierence?

Thank You for freeing me from my chains, Father. I will shout Your praises. Please help me to recognize opportunities to share how You have worked in my heart. Amen.

19

The Best Version of You Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24

“Death to flesh” isn’t about losing yourself or changing who you are.

It’s about blossoming into the best version of who you are. It’s allowing your Christ-filled spirit, instead of your own mind and desires, to lead the way. It’s the acquiring of discernment, guidance, and wisdom. It’s getting over your feelings and being guided by your spirit.

It’s being humble yet confident and strong.

Don’t you want more of Christ’s love in your heart? Let’s be honest: the more of “me” we live by, the worse our lives get. Our flesh carries hurt feelings, anger, regret, shame, doubt, confusion, depression, and self-destructive habits. That’s what the world built into each one of us. So let’s tear down the flesh. Brick by brick, destroy the old foundation and start over by being obedient to the truth of God’s Word. Are you ready? Are you willing? Nothing else matters.

Bury my burdens, Lord. I don’t want them anymore. Let me live for You and do something meaningful with the time I’m given here in this life. Less of me, more of You—so much more that Your love overflows to everyone around me. Amen.

20

Control Then Jesus said to his disciples. . .“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

Luke 12:22, 25–26

When you give God control, you gain a sense of peace, because no matter what happens, you trust Him to do whatever needs to be done. At times you might not feel like He’s really doing anything at all. And you just might start to get a bit impatient, or maybe you won’t like the way things are working out. But there’s so much we’ll never know that He knows.

Our lives are connected in many intricate ways. God sees each of those connections, and He is using every one of our circumstances in a way that will serve us best down the road. We may not like some of it—we might feel as though He favors others over us. But the truth is, His plans for us are to prosper us and not to hurt us. Just think about how many of your own plans ended up hurting you.

How many of your decisions ended up hurting someone else? Trust that with God in control, something good can be worked out in any situation.

I know that my plans—my decisions—aren’t always what You have planned for me, God. Forgive me when I try to establish my own way in the world instead of listening to Your voice. I trust Your plans. Amen.

21

Letting God Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7

Let go and let God. It’s a scary thought, isn’t it?

Clinging to your self-destruction as an excuse to live in a way that’s comfortable and easy is tempting. Admitting you could put more effort into being the best version of yourself seems like admitting that whatever horrible thing has been done to you doesn’t matter or was okay. But hear this: whatever it is you are hanging on to doesn’t identify you. Where you are in your life right now is a culmination of reactions and decisions. You aren’t responsible for what someone else did to hurt you, but you do have to take responsibility for the choices you made afterward.

Letting go is okay. Release yourself from the control of your emotions. Embrace your potential. Understand that it’s not your job to dole out punishment to your offender. Own your decisions and take responsibility for the quality of your life.

Letting go of control requires trust. And trust requires faith.

Know that God is good, and then lay down your life before Him. God, today I commit to “let it go.” I give all my cares to You. Thank You for being such a good, good Father. Amen.

22

Thrive Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!

Ephesians 3:20–21

Sister in Christ, you weren’t meant to live in misery. Christ didn’t die so you could be exhausted, stressed, overwhelmed, and joyless.

He left His Spirit so you could experience peace and joy in a fallen world. So you have to take care of yourself every day. What’s a girl to do?

Pour into your relationship with Christ each day. Just hang out with Him. Study the Word. Pray. Making this time for yourself is not selfish; it’s necessary. How will you be someone through whom God sends out a ripple of light and love if you’re moody all the time, never feeling good, always tired, anxious, depressed, and unhappy?

God has compassion and love for you. He wants you to thrive.

He wants you to succeed. He wants you to love the vessel that houses your soul. Most importantly, He wants you to live out your life’s purpose.

I admit it, Lord. I don’t set aside time for myself—or even for You some days. I’m exhausted. Help me to reprioritize so I spend time each day in Your presence. Amen.

23

Mistakes and Grace [Christ] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Embracing mistakes is what makes life interesting and beautiful. It’s what creates amazing potential. When you embrace mistakes, they become building blocks to develop better character. You will be able to pursue God’s plan for your life with more courage than fear.

Welcome every aspect of life. Be open to never-ending possibilities. Tap into the fruit of the Holy Spirit so your wilderness is your promised land. If you feel like you just don’t know what God is doing in your life and nothing makes sense, look around and ask these questions: Who is around me? What can I learn from this? Is there a way for me to bless someone right now? What do I have to be grateful for? You won’t always know what’s going on and why. And that’s okay. Just say these words out loud: “God is good.” That’s really all you need to know. Your love for Him and your trust in Him can’t be conditional. And that’s that.

Heavenly Father, I feel like I don’t know what’s going on right now. But I do trust You. And I love You. Please give me peace and courage for what lies ahead. Amen.

24

The Finish Line For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.

For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10

An encouraged spirit is powerful. It will carry your tired, hurting, doubtful flesh up the hills and across the finish line. That’s what life is like when you have a relationship with Jesus.

You’ll have plenty of times when you’ll feel like giving up. Your body will be in pain; your brain will tell you that you can’t go on.

But when you’re bent over and feeling broken, the Holy Spirit will pick you up and carry you until you catch your second wind. He will fill you with an energy of peace, hope, and joy you didn’t think was possible. He will renew your spirit and fill your heart with belief—belief that you can do all things through Christ who is your strength when your flesh is weak. Trust—that’s all that’s required.

Keep your eyes on the finish line.

When I am weak, You are strong, Father. Thank You for all the times You’ve carried me. I praise You! Amen.

25