The One Year Mother-Daughter Devo

By Dannah Gresh and Janet Mylin

Over 90,000 copies sold!

Devotions designed to help mothers and daughters grow closer to God and each other

• 365 daily devotional readings
• Discussion questions
• Mother/daughter activities
• Great for conversation starters
• Perfect for tweens and young teens

Moms, do you want to connect with your daughter and God at the same time? Girls, do you ever wonder if your mom knows what it’s like to be in your shoes? This devotional is uniquely designed to help mothers and daughters grow closer to each other while they grow closer to God.

Written by best-selling tween and teen author Dannah Gresh with Janet Mylin, each devotion includes a Bible passage and an activity or discussion question to help moms and daughters apply the lesson to their lives.

Topics for the devotions are centered around issues that best-selling author Dannah Gresh is known for addressing through her books and mother-daughter conferences. Topics include modesty, purity, self-esteem, handling emotions, witnessing, living the faith, and more.

Throughout this book, there are also tips for meditating on God’s Word, easy-to-swallow theology lessons, some craft activities, and even a few recipes to serve as reminders of Scripture.

After 365 days, mother and daughter are sure to see a difference in their relationship with God and each other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
• Release date: Oct 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781414346960

Dannah Gresh

Dannah Gresh lives in the mountains of Pennsylvania with her husband, Bob, their children, Robby and Lexi, and their Labradoodle, Stormie. The Greshes founded Pure Freedom, a ministry that has provided biblical retreats and teaching resources for more than 500,000 people all over the world. Dannah has appeared as a guest on programs such asFamilyLife Today, The 700 Club, and Focus on the Family.

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The One Year Mother-Daughter Devo

Copyright © 2010 by Dannah Gresh. All rights reserved.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, second edition, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. (Some quotations may be from the NLT, first edition, copyright © 1996.) Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV 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 NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible,® copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked The Message are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

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For my sweet niece Rebecca,

who I pray will love God’s voice as much as I do.

—Aunt Dannah

For my mom, Rachel, and my mother-in-law, Fran—

I love how you love God.

—Janet

Introduction

Hi, Moms and Daughters!

I love devos!

Since my mom gave me my first daily devotion book when I was in elementary school, I have loved opening up the Bible every day to hear the special things God wants to tell me.

I hope you’ll love it too. Whether you’re a well-practiced daily student of the Bible or this is the first time you’ve given it a try, my greatest prayer is that this will be fun for you. If you like it, you’ll want more, and daily Bible reading will become a lifelong practice.

My dear friend Janet Mylin helped me write these for you. We worked really hard to make this book unlike any other daily devotion you’ve ever used. Our answer was to put some fun and unique elements together to help you study the Bible.

Bible Blast: The Bible Blast at the beginning of each devotion is optional. If you really want to dig in deep, open your own Bible and read the Bible Blast Scripture offered just under the date and title of the day’s devo. It’ll be referenced in the devotion that day and will give you a little extra meat to chew on, but the reading is not necessary. Mom, you might want to use this if you have an older daughter. It’s great for building the discipline of opening your own Bible each day.

Language Lab: The Language Lab devotions are easy-to-swallow theology lessons for both of you. You’ll learn what big and important words in the Christian faith mean and how God wants you to apply them in your life. You’ll find one or two each month.

Amazing Animals: What girl doesn’t love animals? Each month includes one or two Amazing Animals devos. On those days, you’ll meet some pretty amazing creatures and dig into the Bible to see what they can teach us about God.

Kickin’ Kraft: If you love crafts, you’ll love these devos. (And if you don’t, relax! They’re easy and optional.) A couple of times a month, a craft project made from everyday items that you’ll find around your house will provide a simple object lesson or reminder to go along with your devotion.

Meditation Moments: It’s great that you’re doing devotions. I’m so proud of you. Since I also want you to be able to have devotions without my help, we’ll take some time to practice meditating on God’s Word. Meditation is what I do when I write a devotion for you. I study a Bible verse and then let God guide my thoughts about it through prayer. Meditation is easy, and it’s a great habit to form if you love reading your Bible.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s dig in!

Dannah

January

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11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20

21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28 29  30

31

January 1

Can You See Where You Are Going?

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 12:1-7

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105

I have the best dog in the world. She is a huge chocolate Labradoodle named Stormie. She brings me my newspaper every morning and cuddles on my feet when I’m writing books. She’s my constant companion. As wonderful as she is, Stormie has one fault: she’s a scaredy-cat! Once, my husband, Bob, took her on a survival camping trip. Stormie was scared silly! She whimpered and whined into the wee hours of the morning. Realizing he wasn’t going to get any rest, my husband finally stood up and said, Let’s go home, Stormie. Eager to leave, she tore off in the direction of the car. Bob ran after her, jumping over branches and avoiding holes by using his flashlight. Suddenly, Stormie stopped and stood dead still! Bob knew something was wrong. Ever so carefully, he moved the light toward the spot where Stormie was staring. Imagine his shock to find a porcupine hanging on the side of a tree and staring right back at him! He slowly moved toward Stormie, and together they walked around the danger.

The Bible is like a flashlight for you and me. It shows us the way to walk in a world that’s full of darkness. The Bible is the light to show us where to walk so we won’t stumble into things that could hurt us—like that porcupine!

When Abram obeyed God and headed out to the Promised Land, he didn’t know where it was. He had to listen to God’s voice. He didn’t even know he’d gotten to a place where he could see the land until God told him he was there. Pretty cool to have God’s voice as your guide, huh? Well, you can have it too! Just read your Bible, and you’ll hear God telling you what to do from day to day.

On this first day of the year, make a promise to use the Bible together—as mom and daughter—to guide you in every decision you make.

Girl Gab: Mom, share a time when you had a difficult decision to make and the Bible was a light for your path, giving you a clear answer. Daughter, talk to your mom about a situation at school or in your family that is difficult for you right now. Pray about that situation together and start looking for direction from God in the pages of your Bible.

January 2

A Tall-Icy-Glass-of-Red-Kool-Aid Story

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 12:10-20

Don’t lie to each other. Colossians 3:9

Do you know what it’s like for a fib to grow out of control? I do. It all started one hot summer afternoon when I was a kid. I needed to use the typewriter in my dad’s office. (What’s a typewriter? Ask your mom!) I just couldn’t stand how hot it was, so I broke the no food allowed rule. I made myself a nice tall, icy glass of red Kool-Aid and placed it next to the typewriter. Big mistake. You see, typewriters have this thing called a return. It’s a big clunky piece of metal that returns to a starting position when you finish a line of writing. Well, when I hit the return button, that thing returned right into my tall, icy glass of red Kool-Aid. I scrubbed and scrubbed and tried my best to hide any trace of the tragedy, but my dad knew. (Parents have a sixth sense!) I was so afraid that the punishment would be more than I could stand. When he asked who had spilled Kool-Aid in his office, I said I didn’t know. He just smiled knowingly. And then the fib started growing. Oh, it never really came up again. But in my heart that lie was like an inflating balloon just waiting to burst. I’d wake up in the morning and think about it. I’d pour a glass of Kool-Aid and remember. I’d hear my dad coming home from work, and I just knew that this terrible lie stood between us. Finally, I couldn’t stand it. I told my dad the truth. He just smiled and said, Yeah, I knew it was you, but you were doing such a good job punishing yourself that I felt no need to help! Then he forgave me.

In the Bible, we learn that Abram lied. Why? Because he was afraid! And it caused a lot of trouble. Many people got sick. Abram almost lost his wife to Pharaoh, and Abram and Sarai had to leave Egypt. Lying makes life difficult. That’s why God doesn’t want you and me to lie. Lying also proves that we’ve lost faith in God’s ability to work things out for us.

Got a tall-icy-glass-of-red-Kool-Aid story in your life? Get rid of the guilt. Confess it today. I’m sure your mom will forgive you just like my dad forgave me.

Girl Gab: Mom, can you remember a time when you told a lie that made things difficult for you? Share that with your daughter. Daughter, tell your mom about a time when you lied and how it made you feel. Pray together and thank God for his forgiveness and make a decision to tell the truth!

January 3

Language Lab: What Does Hallelujah Mean?

Bible Blast: Read Revelation 19:1-8

I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

Revelation 19:6-7 (NIV)

Have you ever been on a roller coaster? Do you remember going slowly up, up, up the first big hill as your heart started beating faster and butterflies swirled around in your stomach? When you finally began plunging down going super fast, you probably screamed something like Wa-Hooooooo!

Hallelujah is like Wa-Hooooooo! But you use hallelujah to express your excitement and love for God. You can think of it as a special word reserved just for telling your Creator how awesome he is.

Hallelujah means to be bright, to shine. It has to do with radiance. The word radiant always makes me think of Charlotte’s Web when Charlotte weaves that word into her web for everyone to see. Wilbur the pig was definitely clean after his milk bath, but I don’t think he actually glowed! When we praise God, it doesn’t just please him; it changes us. It causes our lives to be radiant. Matthew 5:14 says that you are the light of the world. How can you give off light?

Light is something that helps people see clearly in a dark place. Some lights even give off warmth. When you live a life of hallelujah—a life of praising the Lord—other people will see that you’re different. They may even ask why you’re not complaining all the time like everyone else. When you tell them about the hope of Jesus, that’s being a light! People who don’t know Jesus are living in darkness because they haven’t seen the truth. When they begin to see him for who he really is, they begin to walk in light.

So the next time you sing, Hallelujah, tell others to put on their sunglasses. You might be radiating!

Girl Gab: Do you know someone who lives a Hallelujah Life—a life that glows with praising God in every circumstance? Come up with a creative way to encourage that person today! Listen to or sing a song with the word hallelujah in it.

January 4

God’s Secret Name for You

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 17:1-15

I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it. Revelation 2:17

Names are pretty cool, and they have a lot of meaning. If your name is Emily—the number one girl’s name in the United States for the past decade—it means revival or rebirth. Is your name Brianna? That means noble, strong, and pure. I like that one a lot and encourage you to live up to your name. Alexis is a favorite of mine because I gave it to my own daughter. It’s from ancient Greece and means defender. Any girl named Alexis should be a defender of God’s truth. I also love the name Natalie. It comes from Italy, where the saying Buon Natale means Merry Christmas. So every time someone says, Natalie, they are mentioning the birth of our Savior!

When Abram was ninety years old, he still wasn’t a dad. Whoa! Had God forgotten him? No way! In fact, God appeared to remind Abram of the promise that he would be the father of many. And then God did something really cool. He gave Abram a new name: Abraham. His first name—Abram—meant high father. What a funny thing that this childless man carried a name about being a dad. (Maybe that’s one reason he wanted to be one so badly.) God changed it to Abraham. Bible scholars say that the new name is hard to understand. Stumped as they are, scholars conclude that the new name means father of a multitude and that God made the name by taking the h in God’s own Hebrew name, Yahweh, and placing it into Abram’s name. See that? AbraHam. God did that with Sarai, too, when he changed her name to Sarah, which means princess. Wow! From that day on they’d be saying God’s name when they said their own names!

Do you know that God has a special name for you, too? The book of Revelation tells us that one day, you’ll be given that new name on a white stone. I wonder what yours will be. How very much God loves us to be so personal with us!

Girl Gab: Mom, get on the Internet with your daughter and look up both of your names. Just Google meaning of names, and you’ll find lots of Web sites to choose from. Write your names and their meanings on a piece of paper, and put it on your fridge! Daughter, pray for your mom! Ask God to give her confidence to walk in the power of her name. Sometimes moms need you to do the praying!

January 5

Amazing Animals: Jessica the Hippo

Bible Blast: Read 2 Corinthians 11:12-15

I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

It’s a sunny, warm day, and you’re lying on a blanket in your backyard reading a good book. Curled up next to you is your cute, snuggly pet . . . hippo.

Not what you were thinking? Well, for Tonie in South Africa that’s exactly how life is. In the year 2000, a newborn baby hippo washed up on Tonie’s lawn. He adopted the lost animal and named her Jessica. Today Jessica—weighing almost a ton—fits right in with the pet dogs. She loves coffee and sweet potatoes, and she will even wander inside looking for a snack.

Hippos seem so gentle and adorable. Other than its size, a hippo would be the perfect pet. Right? Wrong! Did you know that in Africa, hippos kill more humans than any other wild animal? This is a great mystery because hippopotami are herbivores, plant eaters.

Sometimes the things in life that appear to be harmless are the most dangerous things around. Like, if you get a book from the library, you may not pick the one with the creepy dude on the cover because you know that book will have some seriously evil stuff inside. Instead you pick a book that has a happy boy and girl on the cover. As you read that story, you find yourself thinking that you need a boyfriend to be happy or cool, when you know the Bible says true joy is found in the Lord, not in boy-craziness (see Nehemiah 8:10). So even though some things seem harmless, they’re putting wrong ideas in our heads. We really need something called discernment from God when we’re making choices. Discernment is the ability to know what’s good and what’s evil.

Girl Gab: Mom, you can find some great footage of Jessica the Hippo online. After you watch a clip of this amiable beast, talk with your daughter about some things that appear to be good on the outside but aren’t good on the inside. This is a great time to discuss why you don’t allow her to indulge in certain TV shows, movies, books, music, or friendships. Daughter, ask God to give you discernment so you can make godly choices every day.

January 6

The Richest Dad Ever

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 22:1-13

This same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

One of the wealthiest men to ever live was Alexander the Great! At one point, he actually owned many civilizations, which added up to what he thought was the entire world. Let’s try to wrap our heads around his wealth by checking out his schooling. When Alexander was thirteen, his dad began to search for a tutor. But he didn’t want just any tutor, so he hired the great Aristotle. To top it off, Alexander’s dad bought him a temple to serve as his private schoolhouse. (This is homeschooling on steroids, girls!) Aristotle’s fee? Aristotle wanted Alexander’s dad to build him a city! Now that’s a dad who will do anything to meet the needs of his child.

Alexander’s wealth was nothing compared to the riches God has. He actually does own the entire world and the universe, too. Every morsel of food, every dollar, every medication, every airplane, and every piece of property is God’s, first and foremost. (We’re just helping him manage it.)

Abraham’s faith had become so solid that the truth of God’s ability to provide for his needs was like a rock in the bottom of his heart. Nothing would shake it. So when God came to him with a startling request—to sacrifice his only son—Abraham humbly obeyed. When Isaac asked his dad where the lamb was that they would sacrifice, Abraham just said, God will provide a lamb, my son. Abraham trusted God to provide. To Abraham, God was like a father who owned the entire world and would give his son what was needed at just the right time. God is not like an earthly father, but he is our Father. And he is the richest dad ever! He’s got what it takes, but he might need you to climb up a mountain like Abraham did to demonstrate your faith.

God will provide for you, too, my friends. Whatever your need is today, take that need to him with confidence.

Girl Gab: Mom, using discernment about what your daughter can understand and handle, share a need that you and your daughter can pray for together in expectation that God will provide through his riches. Daughter, from this day on, every time you begin to wonder if God will provide what your mom has decided you will pray for, you can just say, God will provide _________ for my mom.

January 7

Kickin’ Kraft: Check the Label

Bible Blast: Read 1 Samuel 18:1-7

David replied to the Philistine, You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 1 Samuel 17:45

Lisa was in fourth grade, and she wanted to be the spelling bee champion. But she had a problem: Jeffrey. He’d been the class bully ever since she’d known him.

One day in third grade, Lisa had gotten a bad grade on a spelling test. Jeffrey found out and started chanting, Lisa’s dumb! She can’t spell! It was as if he took a big label that said, Loser Lisa, and attached it to her shirt. Lisa pretended the bullying didn’t bother her, but it really did.

One year later, Lisa’s mom asked her if she wanted to sign up for the spelling bee. Lisa looked down at her feet and said quietly, I used to want to. Her mom said, That’s wonderful! Lisa burst into tears and said, I can’t! I’m dumb! I’m a loser! Lisa’s mom grabbed her by the shoulders, looked her in the eyes, and said, You are not dumb, Lisa. You are a very intelligent girl who God created! If you want to be in the spelling bee, God will give you the strength to do it!

That day it was like Lisa’s mom tore off the label of Loser Lisa that Lisa had secretly been wearing since first grade and put on a new label of Smart Girl. With her mom’s encouragement and help, Lisa knew she could compete in the Spelling Bee.

The Bible teaches that when David was a young boy, he tended the sheep while his brothers were in King Saul’s army. David’s brothers put the label of Shepherd on him, but God had other labels for David in mind. To God, David was Commander and Warrior.

Names people call us when we’re little can affect us during our whole lives if we let them. Ask God today to tear off any bad labels you’re wearing. Then start calling yourself the opposite of that label. For example, if you feel like you’re wearing a label that says, Weak, start calling yourself Strong in the Lord!

Kickin’ Kraft: Radical Reflections!

(Check out p. 367 for a great mother-daughter craft that helps reinforce today’s devo.)

January 8

Mushy Marshmallows

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 25:27-34

Be self-controlled and alert. 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

Many years ago Stanford University conducted the Great Marshmallow Experiment. They took four-year-olds individually into a room with a marshmallow sitting on the table. The scientist told each child that he needed to leave the room for a moment and that he or she could eat the marshmallow. But if the child waited, he or she could have two marshmallows instead when the scientist returned. Some of the kids grabbed that mushy marshmallow the moment the door closed. Others waited—sometimes for twenty minutes—so they could have two.

Fourteen years later, the scientist compared the children who ate the marshmallow right away and those who waited. Guess what? The ones who waited scored higher on tests. They also tended to be more self-controlled and became teens making positive, good choices as opposed to poor decisions like shoplifting, cheating, or drinking underage. Learning to wait is a critical skill for lifelong success.

Esau traded the lasting benefits of his birthright—or family inheritance—for an immediate pleasure, a bowl of stew. (Sounds a lot like those kids who could not keep their hands off the marshmallow.) Esau exaggerated his hunger when he said, I’m about to die. He wasn’t going to die, and he could have waited. Instead, he acted impulsively and did not pause to consider what his choice would mean in the long run. It meant that the honor of continuing the family leadership now belonged to Jacob. From that day on, it was destined that we would refer to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Esau lost a lot when he slurped up that bowl of soup.

It’s easy to be like Esau. Sometimes we just see something and want it, so we go after it. But it’s better to think things over and consider what will happen.

If that experiment were conducted today, which group would you be in: the group that took one marshmallow or the group that waited and got the reward of having two?

Girl Gab: Mom, tell your daughter if you’re a one-marshmallow girl or a two-marshmallow girl. Then ask her what she thinks she is. Take some time to discuss this, and make suggestions so you can both be more self-disciplined. Daughter, grab some marshmallows out of the cupboard, and enjoy a whole handful! (Or put them on Mom’s shopping list.)

January 9

Don’t Let a Grudge Hold You

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 27:41-45

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. Leviticus 19:18

Kim was only nine years old when her village was raided. She remembers running down a street after fire had burned off her clothing. The photo of her running terrified and naked through the streets is a famous image from the Vietnam War. When Kim returned home from the hospital, everything was gone. She was also told she could no longer attend school, destroying her dream of one day becoming a doctor. Headaches, hatred, and anger consumed her until she began to spend hours in the library reading books, including the Bible. Through that book, she met Jesus and made him Lord of her life and learned to forgive those who hurt her. Today she is living a happy and healthy life because she chose to stop holding a grudge against those who hurt her and to live in forgiveness.

God wants you and me to forgive people, no matter how badly they hurt us. It would have been best if Esau had forgiven his brother for getting the birthright that he actually gave away for a bowl of stew, but he didn’t. The Bible tells us that he held a grudge.

How can you know if you are holding a grudge? Here are three questions I ask myself. 1.) Am I planning evil in my mind? These are not necessarily plans you intend to carry out, but you enjoy thinking about how to get revenge. 2.) Am I running away from the relationship? If your heart is clean, you’ll hope that you can eventually work it out. 3.) Do I find myself lying to make this person look worse? If you answered yes to any of these, you may be holding a grudge.

But here’s the deal: I’m not sure if we hold grudges or they hold us. You see, the Hebrew word for grudge is satam. Sound similar to a name you know? It means to hate, and it is the root word for Satan. We have to be very careful to guard against grudges, because they are really Satan holding on to us and using us. That thought often gets me on my knees asking for forgiveness and being willing to extend it.

Girl Gab: Spend a moment in quiet prayer asking God if there is anyone you need to forgive. Mom, after the silence, ask your daughter if there is a relationship she’d like to talk about. Coach her through the process of truly forgiving and letting go.

January 10

XOXO

Bible Blast: Read Genesis 33:1-12

Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

Genesis 33:4 (NIV)

Ever wonder how XOXO came to mean kisses and hugs? The X symbol was traditionally a symbol for the Christian cross and for the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, Xristos. Could there be a more awesome symbol of love than Jesus? The O is believed to be a symbol that looks like two people’s arms meeting for a hug.

Imagine the hug between Esau and Jacob. Remember how Esau traded his family inheritance for that pot of stew? What came after that was the grudge. When it had been many years since they last saw one another, Jacob decided to go back to his homeland with his family. As he drew near, he suddenly saw Esau coming to meet them with four hundred men! Jacob didn’t know if he was going to live or die. He put his children in front of him, hoping Esau would be merciful, and he got down on the ground behind them to bow before his brother. Bowing seven times was commonly associated with a sign of respect for a king. Jacob didn’t want to take any chances! But when Esau saw him, he ran to him and hugged him!

Imagine how hard this reunion must have been for both of them. For Esau, Jacob was the man he’d once wanted to kill. And Jacob was hugging the man who had wanted to kill him! But time had allowed the bitter wounds to heal, and the brothers were able to see that their relationship was more important than their real estate. They’d finally learned to share and to love each other.

You might not have an inheritance, but you have real estate. Your room is your real estate. Your hairbrush is your property. The family computer is shared property. Do you value your relationship with your brothers and/or sisters as more important than those things?

Maybe today would be a good day to share some of Jesus’ love and some hugs by sharing what is yours.

Girl Gab: Daughter, let’s start with you today. On a scale of 1 to10 (1 being very bad and 10 being almost perfect), how good are you at sharing things with your siblings? What do you need to do in response to how you have rated yourself? Mom, encourage your daughter in her evaluation, and help her to follow through with a plan of response. (Hint: She might start with a hug.)

January 11

Meditation Moment: Psalm 145:1-10

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. Joshua 1:8

When I say meditation, you might picture a yoga guru with her legs crossed and her fingers making circles. But that’s not real meditation. That’s just a fake for something better. True meditation is something God asks you and me to do so that we can feel closer to him and learn from him. I think it is one of the most important skills you can learn as you develop a habit of daily devotions.

What is meditation? I like to say that meditation is when studying the Bible and praying crash into each other. Basically, it’s a math equation. Studying + Praying = Meditation Moment.

In our Meditation Moments, you will study a word or concept in the verse. Then you will have time just to pray, asking God for clarity. After that it’s time just to sit and wait. When you have a story, thought, idea, prayer, or picture in your head, then you are really meditating! Just like I do when I write a devotion, you may want to write something down as well, so that you can remember what God is speaking to you as you meditate. You might want to scribble right in this book, or choose another journal or notebook for this purpose.

Why not start by meditating on the idea of meditation? Read Joshua 1:8 above with that word in it. Think about it. Pray. And then wait and write.

Girl Gab: Share with each other what you heard from God as you meditated on Joshua 1:8. (And then, Mom, friend me on Facebook so you and your daughter can tell me how the first meditation went. I love to hear about what God says to my reading friends.)

January 12

Language Lab: What Is Grace?

Bible Blast: Read Romans 6:14-16

Since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Romans 6:15

Grace is one of the most powerful words you’ll ever encounter. It means joy, favor, acceptance . . . a favor done without expectation of return. Unearned and unmerited favor. Those definitions are big, fancy words for getting something that we don’t deserve.

One of my favorite stories is about a girl who was really, really bad during church one Sunday. (And her dad was the pastor!) Twila was disrespectful and made noise on purpose, just to be bad. Her mom drove her straight home after church and sat her on the porch. Twila knew she would be in big trouble when her dad got home. She waited for what seemed like forever. And then he came.

Twila, said her dad. Get in the car. She obeyed.

He drove without saying a word, and she was scared. She knew she deserved a big punishment, but where could he be taking her? They stopped at the grocery store. He took her inside and bought the biggest package of Tootsie Rolls you’ve ever seen. They were Twila’s favorite candy of all time.

They drove home in silence. Then her dad took her back to the porch where he opened the bag of candy.

I want to share these Tootsie Rolls with you, Twila, said her dad. Come over here and sit closer to me so we can enjoy them together.

After munching for a long time, her dad said, "Twila, I want you to remember this. Today you were bad and you deserved a punishment, but instead I decided that because I love you, I would get you Tootsie Rolls. That’s what God calls grace. He gives us something we don’t deserve."

God’s grace is much bigger than any sin you will ever commit. He sent his Son to die on the cross for your sins, and he is always ready to forgive you when you ask for his forgiveness. And the grace God gives us is always better than Tootsie Rolls!

Girl Gab: Mom, share a time when you really experienced God’s grace—when he gave you something you didn’t deserve. Daughter, tell your mom what you think grace is. Then, thank God for his grace.

January 13

When You Can’t Find the Words

Bible Blast: Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

Dear God, um, like, I don’t really know how to, like, pray for this thing, so like, I guess, just, you know, do something. Like, change stuff and make it better and . . . and . . . um, Amen, I think.

Have you ever prayed like that before? Sometimes when we have something really big to pray about, our words get jumbled up. I used to get that way, but not anymore because I’ve learned about a secret weapon God’s given us. Well, it’s not really a secret, but it’s so amazing and powerful, it’s like finding a buried treasure! Here it is: I can take Bible verses and turn them into prayers! And so can you!

Second Corinthians 10 talks about how the weapons Christians use to fight evil aren’t the same weapons the world uses. For instance, if a girl who doesn’t love Jesus gets hurt by someone, she may think the best way to handle that hurt is to hurt that person back and make her feel terrible for what she did. But if a Christian is hurt by someone, she can go to the Bible to find out what to do. Luke 6:27-28 says, Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. See? Christians’ weapons are totally different from the world’s weapons, and our weapons are more effective.

The Bible is one of the greatest weapons we have. Today’s focus verse even tells us that the Bible is a sword! The book of Hebrews says that God’s Word is alive and powerful. We know that God’s Word can show us what to do in tough situations, but did you know that his words are always the right thing to say when you pray? When I don’t really know what to pray or how to pray, I take God’s words and make them my prayers. If I was hurt by someone and wanted to use Luke’s writing to pray, I might say, Dear Lord, you say to love my enemies. Help me love that girl who hurt me. I want to do good to her and bless her. Show me how.

Isn’t that cool? Go ahead and give it a try.

Girl Gab: Mom, show your daughter how to use the concordance in the back of a Bible. Ask her which subject to look up and instruct her how to do it. For instance, if she says, I’m having trouble waiting to find out where Dad’s new job is going to be, look up the word patience in the concordance and help her find a Scripture that she can pray as she waits. Then let her help you find a Scripture to pray for something you’re dealing with right now.

January 14

Megan’s Music

Bible Blast: Read Psalm 121

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!

Psalm 121:1-2

Do you know what it means to have the blues? It’s kind of like feeling blah or lonely or just kind of sad like Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh’s donkey friend.

I know a girl named Megan who has chocolate brown hair and dark, smiling eyes. She’s a gifted guitarist and singer, and she loves Jesus with her whole heart. When Megan feels the blues coming on, she sits in her room and strums her guitar. Sometimes she sings worship songs from church, and other times she writes her own songs to Jesus. To Megan, praising Jesus is more comforting than hugging a big, fluffy pillow.

I’m so proud of Megan because she knows where to get help when she feels kind of blah. She goes to Jesus. According to today’s focus verse, our help will never come from any other place. When we’re upset, it’s not always easy to praise and thank Jesus, is it? It might be easier to eat a ton of food, watch TV, or climb into bed and pull the covers over our heads. But to get real help, we need to turn to him.

If you’re like me, you may not have the ability to play the guitar or write songs. I love to put on my headphones and blast one of my favorite worship songs while I sing along. Are you a writer? Take time to write, telling God why you feel so blue. Do you love the outdoors? Go on a hike, and talk to Jesus out loud as if he were walking right beside you. Does art excite you? Grab a canvas or some paper, and create a picture that expresses your emotions. Are you a reader? Pick up the Bible, and start reading some psalms. You can even turn those psalms into prayers. Try Psalm 121!

When we feel like Eeyore, it’s super important to keep talking to God. He’ll give us strength and perseverance to get past the blues. He may even teach us something new about himself in the process.

Girl Gab: Mom, is there a time when you can remember choosing to worship God even though you didn’t feel like it? Tell your daughter about it. Daughter, what are some ways God can help you when you feel blue? How can you help a friend who’s feeling that way? Thank God for his help.

January 15

I Have a Dream . . .

Bible Blast: Read Galatians 3:26-28

You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:26

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke these words in one of the most famous speeches ever written. Born on this day in 1929, he led the famous March on Washington in 1963. Thousands of people from different races and religions gathered to take a stand against prejudice—hatred or unfair treatment toward a person or group without cause or reason.1

Some prejudices are really obvious, like disliking people with a different skin color. But some prejudices aren’t so easy to see. What about a person who thinks poor people aren’t hard workers? Have you ever thought someone with a different accent wasn’t smart? If you have a negative experience with one person, it can be easy to misjudge an entire group of people.

God created everyone. He doesn’t play favorites, and he’s more concerned with our hearts than with our outside (see 1 Samuel 16:7). Ask him to show you if you have any prejudices and to replace them with his great love for all people. Remember John 3:16 says that God loved the world!

Girl Gab: With your mom’s help, go online and find a video of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech at the March on Washington in 1963. It’s a little more than fifteen minutes long. Watch the video together. Take some time to thank God for his love for you and everyone.

January 16

Fresh Fruit: The Fruit of the Spirit

Bible Blast: Read Romans 8:9-11

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:22-23

When you hear people mention the fruit of the Spirit, they’re talking about these nine things: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Picture the fruit of the Spirit as a beautiful, juicy cluster of grapes. Love, joy, peace, and the others are individual grapes in that cluster. Let’s consider why God decided to call them fruit.

Have you ever heard the phrase, You reap what you sow? Did you know that’s from the Bible? In Galatians 6:7-9, God says that whatever you plant, you’ll grow. If you plant a watermelon seed, you will get watermelons, not strawberries. When we plant the Holy Spirit in our lives, we grow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Planting the Holy Spirit means that we let him guide us. Look at Galatians 5:16-17. Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. So if we just went around doing whatever we felt like doing, we would not have the Spirit’s fruit hanging from our vines. We would have things like hatred, worry, stress, selfishness, and laziness growing in our lives. Fruits like those are rotten from the moment they’re planted.

As we look at the fruit of the Spirit for the next nine days, ask yourself, Is this something that grows in my life? If the answer is no, then go searching for that fruit with all you’ve got.

Girl Gab: Make a list of your favorite fruits, and get them at the grocery store the next time you’re out. Make a point to eat more fruit during these next nine Fruit of the Spirit devo days. You could even try a funky fruit you’ve never eaten before, like star fruit. When you slice it, it makes little star shapes. So cool!

January 17

Fresh Fruit: Love

Bible Blast: Read Mark 12:28-31

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, joy, peace,

Reviews for The One Year Mother-Daughter Devo

[jenniferbogart · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dannah Gresh’s writing ministry serves teenagers, and girls who are striving to stay pure and to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Her heart for purity, character, and discipleship in young girls comes through in The One Year Mother Daughter Devo. Equipping mothers with this devotional, Gresh has provided an open-and-go devotional resource that mothers and tweens (9-12) can read together.With enough devotionals for one each day, moms and daughters can simply open to the current date (devotionals can be somewhat seasonal), open scripture together, read the focus verse, and the devotional itself which ranges anywhere form object lessons, character sketches, theological explorations, animal antics, and more. For extra fun (and bonding) mother daughter teams can do the activities and discussion activities in the sidebar. There are crafts, recipes, discussion topics, written activities, and more.This devotional is diverse and well balanced, covering a wide-range of topics important to the spiritual growth of young girls. My oldest daughter (8) and I have read through several weeks worth of devotions together and she really seems to enjoy the one-on-one aspect of talking with me about spiritual matters (we also read the Bible together daily and discuss it). I do feel that she’ll get more out of it in another year or two so I’m putting it on hold to revisit then.The conversational, laid back writing style of Gresh is accessible and humorous, though I have to admit that the ‘valley girl’ verbal styling does grate on my nerves from time to time. Each devotional is a single page in length (with some of the additional crafts and recipes included in the appendix). The devotionals themselves take around twenty-minutes to go through together, the occasional, more involved extras will of course take longer if you choose to complete them. These 365 days of devotions for mothers and daughters are sure to draw many children closer to their mothers, and to draw both children and parents closer to God’s heart.Reviewed at quiverfullfamily.com