Zondervan - Adored: 365 Devotions for Young Women

ZONDERVAN

Adored

Copyright 2017 by Zondervan

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Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Epub Edition August 2017 ISBN 9780310762782

ISBN 978-0-310-76279-9

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 of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

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Published in association with the Books & Such Literary Management, 52 Mission Circle, Suite 122, PMB 170, Santa Rosa, California 95409-5370, www.booksandsuch.com

Content Contributor: Lindsay A. Franklin

Interior design: Denise Froehlich

Printed in the United States of America

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EBOOK INSTRUCTIONS

In this ebook edition, please use your devices note-taking function to record your thoughts wherever you see the bracketed instructions [Your Notes]. Use your devices highlighting function to record your response whenever you are asked to checkmark, circle, underline, or otherwise indicate your answer(s).

L ove is such a complicated word for so few letters. We might say we love a lot of different thingsour friends, close family members, mentors... or the book we just read, a chai tea latte, and chocolate-chip cookies. The word love means something different in each of those contexts, doesnt it? Throw in the love found in romantic relationships, and we have a full spectrum of complex feelings. And all expressed using those four little letters.

Maybe the fact that this little word has so many different uses is the reason we struggle to understand what it really means when the Bible tells us God loves us. Not only does God love us, but he himself is love. We can figure out pretty quickly were talking about something other than chocolate-chip-cookie love, but that doesnt necessarily help us understand what God does mean when he says he loves us.

The fact is, God doesnt just love us. He adores us. And maybe we struggle to understand that because we look in the mirror and wonder why the great big God of the Universe would look at us and think, Yes. She is my adored, beloved daughter. But make no mistake: no matter what our insecurities try to tell us, God does delight in us, his beautiful creations. This devotional will explore Gods great love for us. Well look at everything from deep spiritual truths to the everyday ups and downs of life.

Theres a short scripture verse and devotional message for every day of the year, but you dont have to start at the beginning of the year or the book! Start where you like. Read as many as you like. One per day is great, but the important thing is that you keep going, keep learning more about our amazing God and his limitless love. And if his Spirit moves you, let God know how much you adore him on the journaling lines following each devotion

All right, adored daughter. Lets get started.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

ROMANS 5:8

W e are Gods adored. You are his cherished, treasured possession. Thats a tough truth to swallow sometimes. When we feel awkward, rejected, misunderstood, or lonely, its hard to imagine the God of the universe even remembers us, let alone adores us. And who isnt awkward ninety-seven percent of the time? Ninety-nine if you count the times we run into things, trip over our own feet, or drop things just because.

But its true. God does adore us. His very character reveals to us just how deeply were loved. This Godthis unchangeable, eternal, beautiful, jealous, all-knowing, all-powerful, merciful God of loveknows you by name. He calls you his own, and, despite his utter bigness, he sent his son into the world to save you long before you were ever born. Thats how much he adores you. And by getting to know him in all his glory, we learn exactly how big a deal it is to be called adored.

[Your Notes]

[The foundations of the earth] will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.

PSALM 102:2627

M aybe youve never thought much about God remaining the same, always and forever. Sure, youve seen the Bible verses that say God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. But have you ever thought about why thats so important, or how much it affects your life?

Can you imagine if God was changeable? What if his standards, his nature, his very self evolved the way our culture does? What if what God thought was acceptable one second was the next second deemed uncool, unwise, or flat-out wrong? Even worse, what if the greatest gift God has ever given to you was suddenly taken back because God changed his mind?

But he never will. God is unchangeable. He remains the same, always. What he promised yesterday still stands today. He sent his son to the cross because you are so loved. Your redemption was worth it to Godand he hasnt changed his mind.

[Your Notes]

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

GENESIS 1:1

I t would be clich to start our devotions with the first verse of the Bible. So were doing it on Day 3. Because were original like that.

Theres this indescribably huge, massively powerful, amazingly creative God who made everything. I bet youve read that beforelike if youve sat in any Sunday school class, ever. So when you feel the warmth of the sun on your face, see the beauty of a natural landscape, study the intricacy of a human cell, you know God made all that. He spoke, and it was. He imagined, and it was born. Every good thing you see, taste, hear, touch, think, or feel is a result of that God-creation.

And this is the same God who wants to hear about your day. This is the same God who tells you to come to him when youre tired, overloaded, stressed-out. This is the same God who tells you to pray to him, ask for good things, trust him with your hopes and fears. Do you think hes able to hold those details in the palm of his universe-sized hand? Of course. Because your God is the God of the beginning.

[Your Notes]

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

HEBREWS 13:8

P op culture changes by the second. The new It-Couple breaks up and makes up faster than the paparazzi can snap the pics to prove it. Social media moves at warp speed. If you blink, youve missed the latest hashtag or filter. Its impossible to stay on top of it all. And we may very well decide we have no desire to!