Carolanne Miljavac - Odd(ly) Enough: Standing Out When the World Begs You To Fit In

In a fast-paced world where its easy to feel lost, this was a refreshing and humorous reminder to stay focused on my purpose. Her heartwarming and silly personal stories combined with passionate words of encouragement got me feeling like Im ready to conquer the world!

Tiffany Jenkins, author and vlogger of Juggling the Jenkins

I loved Odd(ly) Enough from page one. Its a beautiful reminder of how God has a great and unique purpose for each one of us.

Susannah Lewis (Whoa Susannah) author, podcaster, and humorist

For everyone whos been held prisoner by the box the world has put you in, felt compelled to hang drapes on the walls and move the furniture in, Odd(ly) Enough reminds us to bust out, break free, and believe that we areand have always beenenough.

Melissa Radke, author of Eat Cake, Be Brave

My reaction to the first few words of Odd(ly) Enough was, I need to hang out with this woman! Her humor, her transparency (my favorite way to relate), her storiesI loved it all. But it was her hard-won wisdom and humble willingness to lay it all bare before our sweet Jesus that kept me turning the pages. Dont miss this one, yall! I may reread it, slower this time!

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, speaker, radio host, and author of Devotions for the Hungry Heart

Her story is proof I was never alone. The truth that is laid out in this book is something I wish I would have read, known, and understood years ago.

Courtney Grill, Mrs. Alabama 2017

Odd(ly) Enough is a meeting place for the broken, the hurt, and the lost. Jesus will meet you in the pages of this book where He will undoubtably bring healing and restoration. Thank you, Carolanne, for your vulnerability and obedience in fulfilling your calling. This book is life.

Hannah Martin, Owner of Rubys Rubbish

2018 by Carolanne Miljavac

Print ISBN 978-1-68322-789-2

eBook Editions:

Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-68322-960-5

Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-68322-963-6

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: Standing Out When the World Begs You to Fit In, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the H OLY B IBLE , N EW I NTERNATIONAL V ERSION . 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 Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.shilohrunpress.com

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

Printed in the United States of America.

I N LOVING MEMORY OF A NSLEY A BIGAIL S MITH

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

2 C ORINTHIANS 12:9

Isnt it odd how God works? All the mysterious ways His plans come together with who He crafted us to be.

Have you ever taken the time to look back on all the moments you didnt think youd survive, and recognized the purpose in your pain? Or maybe youve been stuck in the mud, unable to see any value in your struggle. Sometimes we get so bogged down by self-doubt that we cant see any potential for a better life. But know this: the greatest lie the enemy has ever whispered into your thoughts is that you arent enough.

Have you ever had thoughts like this scamper through your mind?

Youre not

Good enough.

Smart enough.

Pretty enough.

Rich enough.

Kind enough.

Talented enough.

Loved enough.

Enough already, Satan! We get it! The evil one, the fallen angel determined to destroy those carrying the Spirit of Christ, is on a mission to convince us of all the things we know to be true about him. He hates the potential and redemption of those more powerful than hell ever be. The misfits. The oddballs. The unqualified. The ones called to defy the standards of the world and stand in his way.

Yes, we are easy targets. We emerge from ditches, broken hearts, and bondage. Minds can be easily manipulated when spirits are broken. This was true for me. I wanted nothing more than to fit in from the time I was a child. By societys standards, I was poor white trash from a trailer park. Destined to become a teen mom and a drug addict, contributing nothing to society and living out my days in poverty. Many times I attempted to prove society right. Believe me when I tell you I tried really hard to throw my life away. Every inkling of purpose that crept up in my heart was immediately shoved down in disbelief. I know youve been there too. I didnt know it then, but God had other plans. What I was blind to back then, I now can see clearly. This is exactly how it needed to be: I needed to make mistakes so I could look back and marvel at the miracle of Gods plan for my life.

It took a lot of wandering in the wilderness to build the character Id need for His calling. I was weak in my wilderness, and like 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, it is there that His power is made perfect. It is in our greatest moments of imperfection, when we are broken and humbled, aware of our need for God, that He comes in and shows us the beauty in our ashes. So everything that we think makes us an outcast is actually what makes us oddly enough. If youve ever felt insignificant, out of place, uncomfortable, or unqualified, I want to encourage you that it doesnt matter where you come from, what youve done, or what has been done to you. You have been qualified by the character built in your fall. The hardest parts of your life have given you the greatest value.

By the time you finish this book, I trust youll believe that with all of your heart. Im going to be completely bare, vulnerable, and transparent with my own life stories. A little bit of good alongside a whole lot of bad and ugly. Through poverty, molestation, bullying, sex, drugs, depression, and tragedy, God never gave up on me, and Hell never give up on you. So lets get naked. Okay, not legiterally. Keep your clothes on. Just keep reading.

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 J OHN 3:1

A young girl waits anxiously, her face flushed red with embarrassment as her mother swipes the card