You Matter Creative Devotional Journal for Teen Girls by Margot Starbuck by Barbour Books

You Matt

Creative Devotional Journal

f Teen Girls

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.

Print ISBN 979-8-89151-353-2

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. 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.

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Devotions by Margot Starbuck. Prompts by Kelly McIntosh.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations 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 msg are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

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.

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You Matt , Girl!

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. . . . That’s how much you mean to me!

That’s how much I love you! I’d sell oﬀ the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.”

Isaiah 43:1, 4 msg

If you’re like most girls, you have some awesome days and some really hard ones. You have days when you feel like you’re on top of the world and you also have days when it doesn’t feel like anyone notices you or cares about you. Even if you have friends and family who love and support you, you still need a solid anchor to ground you in what is true about you and about your Creator, God. You Matter will remind you how much the heavenly Father loves and values you. It includes dozens of encouraging readings and inspiring prayers to reassure your doubting heart. Alongside each devotional reading, you’re invited and guided to tap into your creative soul as you write and consider beautiful, comforting truths from God’s Word. With each turn of the page, you’ll encounter the bountiful love and grace of your Creator while coming to understand His plan—for you and you alone.

Because you matter, girl, you can be grounded in God’s big love for you every day. Because you matter, God wants to use you to touch the lives of those around you. And because you matter, God has a wonderful future in store for you.

Today, and every day, you belong to God and He calls you by name. Be blessed!

I Am Fearfully and Wond fully Made

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Psalm 139:13–14

When you’re having a rough day, have you ever wondered about your worth? If a friend has blown you off or if it feels like no one cares about you, have you wondered whether your life even matters at all? A lot of girls have thoughts like that. In the Psalms, we hear from a writer who knows where to find the answer to that question. This writer has prayerfully imagined the very early beginnings of his life, and he sees God knitting him together inside his mother’s body. Isn’t that a wild and beautiful image? Can you see God forming and perfecting you in the same way? You are immeasurably worthy because you are God’s handiwork. You are precious to God, and you are infinitely loved.

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply)

Anxious

Chill

Excited

Frustrated

Conﬁdent

Courageous

Cheerful

Hopeful

Silly

Grateful Sad

Afraid

Depressed

Content

Insecure

Hopeless

Embarrassed

Overwhelmed

Surprised

Blah

Fabulous

I experienced all these moods today because. . .

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your feelings of worthiness and why?

How does God rate your worth?

What does God think about you?

Based on what God thinks about you, how should you feel about your worth?

Called to S ve

Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here am I.

Exodus 3:3–4 ampc

Have you ever seen the classic animated movie, Prince of Egypt? God appears to Moses in a burning bush and calls him by name. Then God tells Moses what He wants him to do. Wouldn’t that be awesome? I mean, it was a hard job, but the part about God showing up, speaking to you, and giving clear instructions? God has called you to be His servant, but He probably won’t speak to you from a burning bush. Maybe a youth pastor has noticed a special gift in you. Perhaps the Lord has given you unique opportunities to serve. Or maybe you serve as you respond to what you read in scripture. Pay attention, because you and your gifts matter to God.

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply)

I experienced all these moods today because. .

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

Even though you won’t hear God speaking to you from a burning bush, in what ways can you hear Him speak to you today?

What are some of the gifts God has given you and what are some ways you can use them to serve others?

Is it easy or di cult to say yes to God and do what He has asked?

God Hears You, God Se You

God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

Exodus 2:24–25

Ever have one of those days when everything goes wrong? You might be dealing with small things, like tripping on the stairs at school, or spilling your favorite latte on your sweater, or starting your period during language arts class. (Okay, that last one is no small thing.) But you also might be facing tougher challenges. Maybe your grandmother is really sick. Or maybe you crashed your mom’s car. Or maybe your parents are considering divorce. Whatever you’re going through, girl, you are not alone. When God’s people were suﬀering under slavery in Egypt, God saw. God heard. God cared. And God intervened. And today, God sees you, God hears you, God cares for you. He will come to your rescue. You are held in His love.

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply) Anxious

I experienced all these moods today because. . .

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

What hard things are you currently going through? How are you coping?

How does it feel to know that you never have to go through anything alone— that God is always with you?

How has God rescued you from hard things in the past? How might He rescue you in the future?

Be Still, and Know

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 46:10–11

If you’re like most teens, your daily schedule is jam-packed. You might hit the ground running before 7 a.m., and by the time clubs, school, sports, youth group, and homework are done in the evening, you’re ready to crash. You might be bombarded by obligations and responsibilities that keep your wheels spinning to the point of exhaustion. But God is inviting you to something better. Whether you’re on the school bus, at the local coﬀee shop, or in your kitchen heating up dinner, God whispers in your ear, “Be still, and know that I am God.” God gives you the very good reminder that He is God and you are not. God also invites you to pause and be still. Set a reminder on your phone to practice a pause before each meal. . .to breathe deeply and say, “I am still, because You are God.”

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply)

Anxious Chill

Excited

Frustrated

Conﬁdent

Courageous

Cheerful

Hopeful

Silly

Grateful Sad

Afraid

Depressed

Content

Insecure

Hopeless

Embarrassed

Overwhelmed

Surprised

Blah

Fabulous

I experienced all these moods today because. . .

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

How busy are you? Should you reconsider your daily activities and let go of some of the unimportant stuﬀ?

Is it a problem to go from activity to activity with no downtime? Why or why not?

Why is it important to pause. . .to be still? Is this a challenge for you?

When God Says No

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.

Acts 16:6 nlt

I don’t know about you, but when I want something, I want it now. Maybe it’s a chocolate milkshake. Maybe it’s an acceptance letter from a certain school. Or maybe it’s a person I’d love to be dating. But sometimes God doesn’t give me what I want when I want it. When things didn’t go the way that Paul and Silas expected them to go, scripture says that the Holy Spirit actually prevented it. And this makes me think that, in ways I can’t always see, God prevents me from realizing or experiencing something that might not be God’s best for me. And although I can’t always know the reason, I do know that I can trust in God’s goodness and in God’s love for me.

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply)

Anxious

Chill

Excited

Frustrated

Conﬁdent

Courageous

Cheerful

Hopeful Silly

Insecure

Hopeless

Embarrassed

Overwhelmed

Afraid

Depressed

Content

I experienced all these moods today because. . .

Surprised

Blah

Fabulous

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

What are some of the hardest things that you’ve had to wait for?

Has there been a time when God said no, and you soon realized He was right—and it was for your good?

Do you struggle with trusting God? If yes, how might you begin to strengthen your trust in Him?

God R ponds to Pray

After that God responded to prayer. 2 Samuel 21:14 nasb

When was the last time you prayed, asking God for something big? Maybe you were praying for someone who was ill. Or maybe you prayed for someone who was hungry or incarcerated. Or perhaps you prayed for one of the conflicts or wars unfolding around our globe. Scripture assures us that when we pray, God hears our prayers. And not only does God hear, but He responds to our prayers. So, what would be different in your life today if you lived daily as though God was actively listening to your prayers? (I, for one, would pray more!) This week, choose one thing that’s on your heart to offer to God daily, with the assurance that He hears and cares.

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply)

Anxious Chill Excited Frustrated Conﬁdent Courageous Cheerful

Hopeful Silly Grateful Sad Afraid Depressed Content

I experienced all these moods today because. . .

Insecure Hopeless Embarrassed Overwhelmed Surprised Blah Fabulous

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

What “big” things are you currently praying for?

How can you know and trust that God hears your prayers? Knowing that God hears and responds to your prayers, how do these truths aﬀect your prayer life?

God Se Your Pain

A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overﬂowed with compassion. Luke 7:12–13 nlt

The Gospel writer Luke describes a funeral procession marching past as Jesus approached the city gate. It was a funeral of a young man who’d been his mother’s only son. And on top of that, the woman was widowed. So it’s fair to assume that this young man who died had been her whole world. And when Jesus saw her, “his heart overflowed with compassion.” He noticed her tears. And when you are sad, beloved, God sees your tears as well. With that confidence, offer God the hurts in your heart today.

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply)

Anxious Chill Excited

Frustrated

Conﬁdent

Courageous

Cheerful

Hopeful Silly

Grateful Sad

Afraid

Depressed Content

I experienced all these moods today because. . .

Insecure

Hopeless

Embarrassed

Overwhelmed

Surprised

Blah

Fabulous

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

When you’re sad or grieving, who notices your tears?

How do you think Jesus feels when He sees that you’re hurting?

When you’re in a season of grief, who oﬀers you comfort and compassion?

Trust That God Se Your Pain

“Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.”

2 Chronicles 20:15 nasb

Sometimes we’re asked to do something that seems bigger than we are. Maybe we’re attempting to help others by raising a lot of money for a charity. Or maybe we have the rare opportunity to bless someone battling cancer by donating our bone marrow. Sometimes God puts big opportunities in front of us, and those opportunities require us to trust Him. When Jehoshaphat got word that a huge army was coming to attack the people of Judah, he sought the Lord. And the Lord assured Jehoshaphat that He would be with them in battle. God would help them do something bigger than they could do on their own.

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply)

I experienced all these moods today because. . .

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

What “big” opportunities has God placed in your path?

Why are big opportunities so scary? Have you ever said yes to God when He asked you to do something super big for Him? If yes, how did it go?

God Hears You When You Cry Out

“If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.”

Exodus 22:26–27

Sometimes when we pray, it can be tempting to wonder if God is listening. At times it might feel like our prayers are just hitting the ceiling and not quite making it to God’s ears! But throughout the scriptures we encounter a God who not only listens, but who is particularly attentive to those in need who cry out to Him. That’s the person who has only one set of clothes. It’s the person who’s being oppressed. It’s the one who must depend on God to be a deliverer. When you cry out to God with the needs of your heart, know that God hears your prayer and He cares.

Today’s Moods (circle all that apply)

Anxious

Chill

Excited

Frustrated

Conﬁdent

Courageous

Cheerful

Hopeful

Silly

Grateful Sad

Afraid

Depressed

Content

I experienced all these moods today because. . .

Insecure

Hopeless

Embarrassed

Overwhelmed

Surprised

Blah

Fabulous

Record your thoughts on today’s reading in the space below. (Not in the mood to write? Sketch your thoughts instead!)

Questions to consider:

What prayers have you prayed that didn’t seem to reach God’s ears?

Did you give up those requests? Or have you persisted in praying for those things?

Why is it important to trust that God is listening to everything you have to say?