Chick Chat: Devotions for Girls (Faithgirlz!) [Paperback]

Kristi Holl (Author), Jennifer Vogtlin (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 14, 2006 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Faithgirlz!

What girl doesn't like a nice cozy chat with a friend---especially a friend who understands everything about her? In Chick Chat, you'll learn how to build that heart-to-heart connection with the One who loves you best. Each devotion brings the Bible right into your world and offers lots to learn and think about---from the values that will be good for a lifetime to the things you can do to survive every day. Faithgirlz!---Inner Beauty, Outward Faith. Through imaginative and innovative products, Zonderkidz is feeding young souls.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kristi Holl is a best-selling award-winning author of dozens of middle-grade novels. With additional background as an elementary school educator and instructor of writing for children, Kristi's books are on many recommended reading lists and have been nominated for numerous Children's Choice Awards. Kristi has three grown daughters and lives in Texas.

Jennifer Vogtlin is Kristi Holl's eldest daughter and formerly an educator in special education preschool and pre-kindergarten. She lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chick Chat So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. --2 Corinthians 4:18 Your Best Shot On different days, you do different jobs with your hands: wash dishes, shovel snow, do math problems, practice cheerleading routines, clean your room---and so much more. Instead of rushing through each activity, do your very best work. Don't just do enough to get by. That sounds inspiring, but what if the job is something you don't understand? What if it's a task to do for someone who irritates you, like your bossy big brother? What if you're paired for a science project with a rude girl with scraggly hair who actually wears pink boots in the classroom? You don't want to go the extra mile. In fact, you're willing to take an F for the project if the science teacher will let you off the hook. That isn't going to happen, so you grit your teeth and get to work with her. Then one day you learn a great secret from Colossians 3:23 (NLT): 'Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for 8 Devotion #1 'Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.' ---Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV) the Lord rather than for people.' Each day after that, when you walk into science class, you take a deep breath and say, 'You know I don't want to do this, Lord, but I'm doing it for you.'Then, with a fresh surge of energy, you work with all your strength. Whatever you have to do today---whether it's stuff you love or stuff you hate---do it to the very best of your ability. Be determined. There is much satisfaction to be found in a job well done. 9 More to Explore: 1 Corinthians 15:10 Did You Know . . . one way to show love to others is to 'never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.' Romans 12:11 NLT God Talk: Lord, I want to do everything to the best of my ability. Help me to remember that I'm really doing it all for you. Amen Girl Talk: What activities, school subjects, or chores are the hardest for you to do 'with all your might'? If you performed them with excellence, might you feel differently about them? Fun Factoid: Exercise with all your might too! A one-hundredpound, twelve-year-old girl biking leisurely (under ten miles per hour) burns 181 calories in an hour. But by biking vigorously with all her strength (between sixteen and nineteen miles per hour), that same girl can burn 544 calories per hour! Devotion #2 'A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.'---Proverbs 17:17 (NLT) Loyalty A friend loves at all times. She shows unwavering devotion to others and is truehearted. A real friend keeps the promises she makes. Close friends are there to help when sudden suffering, distress, or trouble strikes. Anna was worried about her best friend, Jessie. Jessie's dad had been arrested for taking money from the company where he worked. Jessie was afraid to go to school, fearing the remarks other kids were sure to make. The week after the arrest report appeared in the newspaper, many of her classmates did make nasty or thoughtless remarks. But Anna stuck by Jessie, never leaving her side before school or during lunch or on the way home. She stuck up for her, shielded her from nosy questions, and (most important) prayed for her and her family situation. 'A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother' (Proverbs 18:24 NKJV). You may have brothers within your family circle at home. But if you are a believer, you have many brothers (and sisters)---others who also love the Lord. You need to be loyal to them. The friend you must be most loyal to is Jesus. He said to his disciples, 'Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command' (John 15:13--14 TNIV). You are never without friends. Jesus is your best friend, and he will stick closer to you than anyone else can. What a privilege it is to have such a friend! 11 More to Explore: Ruth 1:16--17 Did You Know . . . Jonathan was such a good friend to David that he made a special vow to David, and he sealed the pact by giving David his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt? See 1 Samuel 18:3--4. God Talk: Father, thank you for giving me good friends. Help me be a loyal friend to others. Amen. Girl Talk: Can you think of a friend who has helped you through some trouble? What friends have you helped through a tough time? Mini Quiz: Are you a loyal friend? Your best friend's been feeling down. You A.invite her to spend the night so you can talk through her problems. B. call her to ask what's wrong. C. tell her to snap out of it! (Answer: A. Loyalty Plus!; B. average; C. zero) Victory Prize People who do God's will during times of trial and testing are blessed and happy. Afterward they will receive the 'crown of life,' or eternal life. In biblical times, a crown was a wreath placed on the head of a victorious athlete. You may be an athlete, but you may not feel victorious! You may be exhausted. When you join the track team, you dream of getting in shape and winning a ribbon at the first meet. However, a week into the season you want to quit. Your shins hurt. Your ribs ache. Your lungs burn. Your big toes are bruised. And yet, you want that ribbon. So you take a deep breath and head out to run those laps. Ribbons aren't given simply for entering the race. Prizes aren't awarded for merely entering your art project in the contest. Diplomas aren't given just for starting high school. Starting isn't difficult. 12 Devotion #3 'God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.' ---James 1:12 (NLT)

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Zonderkidz (March 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310711436
• ISBN-13: 978-0310711438
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #691,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #26 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Religions > Inspirational

More About the Author

Kristi Holl's first middle-grade novel was published by Atheneum (1983). To date, Kristi has sold 34 middle-grade books (29 fiction and 5 nonfiction) and Writer's First Aid, an adult book to help writers survive the writing life. (Eleven of her books are mysteries; her Haunting of Cabin 13 won the Maryland Children's Book Award.)

She loves being around other writers. Kristi is a frequent speaker at SCBWI conferences and taught at the Highlights Foundation Chautauqua writing workshop in 1998 and 2004. Kristi's Writer's First Aid blog has 40,000 subscribers. "I love keeping in touch with other writers this way," she says. "They encourage me every bit as much as I try to encourage them."

Kristi has three grown daughters and three perfect grandchildren. Iowa born and raised, Kristi moved to Texas in 2003 to be near her kids and grandkids. She and husband live in San Antonio. "I do miss the four seasons and the snow, and I still scream for help when I spot a rattlesnake or scorpion," she admits. "But I wouldn't miss being near my family for anything in the world. I started writing when my kids were babies and toddlers--now it's just come full circle."

With an elementary teaching degree and 25 years as an instructor of writing for children, Kristi's books have been nominated for numerous Children's Choice Awards.