The Plans I Have for You Devotional and Journal

8/20/2019 The Plans I Have for You Devotional and Journal

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DEVOIONAL

AMY PARKER

ILLUSTRATED BY

VANESSA

BRANTLEY-NEWTON


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ZONDERKIDZ

The Plans I Have for You Devotional Copyrigh © 2015 by Amy ParkerIllusraions © 2015 by Vanessa Branley-Newon

This ile is also available as a Zondervan ebook.Visi www.zondervan.com/ebooks

Requess for informaion should be addressed o:

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

ISBN 978-0-310-72522-0

All Scripure quoaions, unless oherwise indicaed, are aken from The Holy Bible,New Inernaional Version®, NIV®. Copyrigh © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All righs reserved worldwide.

Any Inerne addresses (websies, blogs, ec.) and elephone numbers in his book areoffered as a resource. They are no inended in any way o be or imply an endorsemenby Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for he conen of hese sies and numbersfor he life of his book.

All righs reserved. No par of his publicaion may be reproduced, sored in a rerievalsysem, or ransmited in any form or by any means — elecronic, mechanical, phoo-copy, recording, or any oher — excep for brief quoaions in prined reviews, wihouhe prior permission of he publisher. Zonderkidz is a rademark of Zondervan.

Art direction and design: Kris Nelson

Printed in China

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o Grandmommy and Granddaddy,

for your shining example of

living a life truly devoted to God

and for never doubting the

plans God had for me.

—AP

each them the way

that they should go.

For Sharonda Singelton and family.—VBN


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Hey, YOU!Did you know that God wants to spend time with you? YES,

YOU!

He wants to hear about your day, what you love, what gets on yournerves. Of course, he knows these things before you even think them—he really just wants to hear them from YOU. Tat’s what a devotionalis: a tool that helps you spend time with God and get to know him better

by thinking about him, talking to him, and hearing from his Word.Tese devotionals focus on God’s plans for you, how to find your

unique purpose in this world, and how to pursue that purpose with God’sguidance. When you’re a kid (even when you’re an adult), it’s sometimeshard to see your purpose in this big ol’ world. But there’s no doubt that

God had a purpose for you before you were even born. He’s given youa part in his plan—for the benefit of the world and your own life.

In order to learn about God’s plans, you’ve got to spend time withhim. Each day, try to find a quiet spot and read one devotional. Praybefore or after or both! You can flip to a random page or read them inorder. Look up the verses in your own Bible or just read them out ofthe book. But the one, single, solitary, absolute, most important thing isthis: Spend time talking to and listening to God. Every day.

You don’t even need this book to do that—but I hope it helps. AndI also hope that it helps to paint a great big arrow pointing you downthe path that God has waiting just for you.

I’m praying for you—and for the plans God has for YOU.

Love,


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I’ve GotBig Plans

forYOU!

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Hey, I’ve got big plans for you!

Yes, YOU, and you,

and YOU over there too!

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What plans do you feel God whispering to your heart?In what ways have you seen others follow God’s plans?In the days that follow, we’re going to explore the plans

God has forYOU...

15I’ve Got Big Plans for YOU


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I’ve Got Big Plans for Moses!

But when [Moses’ mom] could

hide him no longer, she got a papyrus

basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch.

Then she placed the child in it and put it

among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.

His sister stood at a distance tosee what would happen to him.

EXODUS :–



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Imagine how difficult it must have been for Moses’ mother to puther tiny baby boy in a basket and send it down a river. Imagine howfrightened Moses would have been—even as a baby—to see his mom

getting farther and farther away as he entered strange surroundings.

Imagine how his big sister, Miriam, felt as she watched her baby

brother float away into the unknown.

But do you know who wasn’t worried? God.

Imagine God smiling as Moses’ mother carefully crafted thebasket, as Moses wriggled in fear, as Miriam watched wide-eyed.

God knew exactly what he had planned for Moses. And God knew it

would take some stepping out in faith for Moses to get there.

If things seem a little scary for you right now,

if God’s plans seem unclear, talk to him, trust him.Just as he did for Moses,

God has big plans for YOU.

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Trust in the Lord.

Do you ever feel like everything is out of whack?Like you’re heading in the wrong direction? God knewthere would be days like this.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your

paths straight.

PROVERBS :–

Give God your questions,

your concerns, your heart.He will guide you.



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He Is Watching

He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber.

PSALM :

God never sleeps.He watches over you day and night.

When you’re frightened, worried, or feeling lonely,he’s there, waiting for you to whisper his name.

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He Directs

This is what the LORD says—

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the LORD your God, who teachesyou what is best for you, who directs

you in the way you should go.”

ISAIAH :

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Te God who told Noah to build an ark,

Te One who parted the Red Sea, Te God who calmed the wind and waves— Tat God directs you and me.

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The Humble Hear

Only the humble will hear God’s direction. Prideful hearts won’t need help. Te arrogant already know the way. Te haughty have their own things to do,

thankyouverymuch. But those who admit they need God’s guidance, those who wait for instruction,

those who make time to listen . . . Tey will hear, and they will find the way.

He guides the humble in what is rightand teaches them his way.

PSALM :

Only the

humble will hear God’sdirection

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Choose

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . .But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

God had big plans for Joshua. He had big plans for the Israelitestoo. But before they could fulfill God’s plans, a choice had to be made.

Would the Israelites serve the gods of the people around them? Or

would they choose the one true God, the God who had guided them

and provided for them throughout their journey? Joshua knew they

could not serve both.

Joshua left the decision up to the Israelites, but he also made it

very clear: he was choosing God.

Whom will you serve? Whom will you follow?Whom do you choose?

JOSHUA :



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Hope Fully

For in this hope we were saved.But hope that is seen is no hope at all.

Who hopes for what they already have?

But if we hope for what we do not yet have,

we wait for it patiently.

ROMANS :–

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Hope fully.

Wait patiently. Dream

big.

Look at all of the hope in these verses! But what does it all mean?

Read through the verses again, carefully, slowly, phrase by phrase,

and consider what God is trying to tell you about hope and the plans

he has for YOU.



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The Desires of Your Heart

Take delight in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

PSALM :

What does your heart desire? To be rich and famous? To sail the

seas? To eat a big piece of chocolate cake? Sooo, according to Psalm

37:4, if you delight in the Lord, he’ll give you a big piece of chocolate

cake! Right?

Well, not exactly.

As you learn more about God, you will find the true joy that

comes with knowing him. You’ll also see that what you really want

begins to change. You may start to care a lot less about what you get

and a lot more about what you give. God’s desires become your

desires. His plans become your plans. And your life will be better

because of it.

oday, tell God the desires of your heartand take delight in knowing that he will lead the way.

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The Plans I Have for You Devotional and Journal