Jesse Florea - Devotions for Super Average Kids

I love your magazine.... Most of all I love the Adventures of Average Boy stories because theyre fun and creative.

T URNER L. , 12, Colleyville, Texas

[Average Boy is] seriously funny. Then again, that isnt such a good thing when Im reading the column and start laughing in the middle of a very quiet room. :)

M ARY

I am so glad I subscribed [to Focus on the FamilyClubhouse magazine]. I love Average Boy.

A MY N ., 10, Winterville, North Carolina

Why are you called Average Boy if you go on so many not-average adventures?

H ANNAH

Every time I get a new Clubhouse magazine, the first thing I flip to is Average Boy. I read it to my parents, and then to my brothers and sisters, and after that I read it over and over again.

A NNA D., 10, Wylie, Texas

I met Bob Smiley, author of Average Boy, at the Alive conference in Ocean City, Maryland. He was really funny, and the stories he told were very inspirational.

A PRIL X. , 12, Gaithersburg, Maryland

A Clubhouse magazine without Average Boy is like a clock with no hands.

J ORDAN M ., 12, Edmonton, Alberta

I really like your stories. They always make me laugh.

A LLISON , 12

I love Average Boy and always look forward to his mischief.

R ACHEL P ., 11, Abington, Pennsylvania

I love your funny answers to questions! Please keep up the average-ness.

L ITA

I wish Clubhouse magazine was bigger.... There should be four Average Boy stories every month.

M IJOLAE W ., 10, Austin, Texas

I dressed up as Average Boy for a book party at school!

J OSHUA H ., 11, Rochester, Minnesota

I really like how Average Boy tells stories and always relates them back to God. Its nice to read funny stories.

L YNDSEY F ., 12, Southbank, British Columbia

I dont think youre average at all. No one can do all those crazy shenanigans and still be called average. Youre above average, dude.

J OE

Here are some suggestions to make your magazine better... #10: Never change Average Boy.

M ARISSA K. , 10, Horn Lake, Michigan

I think Average Boy rocks. Maybe hes a little disobedient, but he always has a Bible fact and a fun lesson to learn.

A LEX Y., 10, Raleigh, North Carolina

Are you planning on writing any more books? I hope you do, because I love every story.

J ESSE

Devotions for Super Average Kids

Copyright 2013 by Bob Smiley and Focus on the Family

ISBN: 978-1-6240-515-24

A Focus on the Family book published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188

Focus on the Family and the accompanying logo and design are federally registered trademarks of Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, CO 80995.

TYNDALE and Tyndales quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide (www.zondervan.com).

Scripture quotations marked ( ESV ) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ( HCSB ) are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB, and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked ( MSG ) are taken from The Message [paraphrase]. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked ( NI r V ) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Readers Version. Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998, by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide (www.zondervan.com).

Scripture quotations marked ( NKJV ) are taken from the New King James Version, (NKJV). Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout prior written permission of Focus on the Family.

Editor: Marianne Hering

Cover design by Jerry Price

Illustrations by David Harrington

Portions of this book were previously published as Growing Up Super Average.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data for this book is available by contacting the Library of Congress at www.loc.gov/help/contact-general.html.

ISBN 978-1-62405-154-8 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-62405-155-5 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-62405-153-1 (Apple)

Build: 2013-04-19 15:04:25

I dedicate this book to all my schoolteachers who loved me enough to put my desk right next to theirs.

Also, a special thanks to Trent, Zander, Colter, Mom and Dad, and the beautiful Wendy!

If it werent for you, there would be different names listed here in this dedication.... Oh, and I wouldnt have all these stories either! I love you all.

B OB

For Nate, Amber, and every child whos on the awesome adventure of following God. Strive to be super average!

J ESSE

Introduction

Meet Average Boy

Name: Bob Smiley

Middle Name: Something worse than Gertrude

Height: Five feet four inches, or up to five feet seven when my hair stands up in a strong wind

Weight: 94 pounds without cape (98 pounds with cape; 100 pounds with cape soaking wet!)

Favorite Sport: Kickball

Best Friend: Billy (Youll see why after reading this book.)

Favorite Food: Chocolat... uh... my mom says its broccoli

Greatest Quantity of Food Eaten at One Time: Six hot dogs at Billys birthday party (Note: Two of them stayed with me!)

Favorite Book: Used to be How to Get Out ofTrouble by Billy (only one copy in circulation); now its a new book: Devotions for Super Average Kids

Favorite Color: Depends on what wall Im painting

Favorite Subject in School: English, becauze Im really very well at it

Daily Chores: Cleaning room, cleaning paint off walls, feeding my pets, mowing the lawn, apologizing to my brother

Greatest Accomplishment: Telling people about Jesus

Favorite Bible Verse: Joshua 1:9

Favorite Hero from Bible: Jesus (Anyone who would die for me is the kind of hero I want!)

Favorite Adult: Tie between my parents, because theyre always there for me

Favorite Hobby: Playing outside

Least Favorite Hobby: Filling out these answers

1

The Quest to Become Super Average

B eing a popular superhero is awesome! Fans always notice me and stop me in public. Once I got noticed by eight different people in one hour! Of course, my dad likes to point out that we were at a family reunion. But I know my dad was just jealous of my fame.