Friday Friends Giveaway! No Such Thing As Ordinary

Sharon JaynesUncategorized 194 Comments

Hurray! It’s Friday and time for the Friday Friend giveaway. Today, my guest is Suzie Eller. I’ve known Suzie for over 20 years and just love her heart. I know you will too. And believe me, she’s no ordinary girl…and you’re not either. Let’s soak in and savor Suzie’s words from her new book, Come With Me Devotional: A Yearlong Adventure in Following Jesus.

For a long time, I believed I was ordinary.

And I still do, except for the fact that Jesus lives in me. Which means that His presence spills out over every part of my life. Everything that I am. Everything that I do.

Really, Suzie?Ā 

I know. Faith has been diminished ā€“ even by believers ā€“ to something we do, or donā€™t do. Weā€™ve forgotten that faith is life changing. That we have been given power from on high, for the purpose of loving a broken world.

When I look in the mirror, I see a middle-aged woman (if I live to 114) with a smattering of freckles and hazel eyes. I see a mom. A wife. A wrinkle that has crept under my nose, just like my momā€™s.

Jesus sees a warrior. Anointed. Called. Equipped.

Thereā€™s no such thing as an ordinary life if Jesus is at the center.

In Luke 9, Jesus calls together a group of ordinary men. He speaks over them, telling them that theyā€™ll walk in power and authority as they follow Him.

But Suzie, thatā€™s the disciples. Thatā€™s not me.

I donā€™t know about you, but Iā€™m a disciple too. As the early disciples walked with Jesus, their circle grew. They shared the Gospel. They mentored. They believed. They lived their faith. Other ordinary men and women joined in ā€“ all of them disciples.

Just like me. Just like you.

We are modern-day disciples and thereā€™s an invitation as we follow Jesus. Every single day. We are invited to move beyond loving our faith ā€“ all the good things that come with it ā€“ toĀ liveĀ our faith.

What happens when we listen for His invitation in the everyday, ordinary aspects of our life?

We overcome hard things, with His help. We forgive our enemies, even when everything within us wants to punish them for a life time (or at least for a day or two). We acknowledge when we are the difficult ones, and seek His forgiveness. We believe in the face of the impossible. We reach for Heavenā€™s wisdom, when ours is in short supply. We fill ourselves with the power of His word and presence, instead of all the other things that donā€™t come close to that gift.

We dare to believe that we are anointed, simply because Jesus offers it.

We arenā€™t perfect.

We donā€™t have all the answers.

We wonā€™t fix the world, though Jesus will help us influence a portion of it.

We still look in the mirror, and see those same old features staring back at us. Iā€™ll still be holding on to my middle-aged status, even though it means Iā€™ll have to live to 114.

Yet what is on the inside becomes just as visible.

We live as disciples, following Jesus in our ordinary lives, making a dent a broken world with His love. Becoming more like Him as we walk with Him. And thatā€™s an extraordinary life, because Heā€™s at the center of it all.

Thank you Suzie! If you would like to win a copy of Suzie’s new book, Come With Me Devotional: A Yearlong Adventure in Following Jesus, leave a comment and say, “I’m no ordinary girl!” We’ll pick a comment at random to send a FREE copy. (U.S. only)

Suzanne Eller (Suzie) has served Proverbs 31 Ministries for 10 years. Sheā€™s anĀ author,Ā popularĀ internationalĀ speaker and Bible teacher, top 100 Christian womenā€™s blogger, andĀ media guest. She loves nothing more than watching God work in the heart of a woman.

Suzie has a free gift for you: ā€œ13 Prayers for Come With Meā€, a free PDF to encourage you to accept the invitation to follow Jesus wherever He goes. ClickĀ hereĀ to subscribe and receive the PDF in your inbox.

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Comments 194

  3. I sometimes feel so ordinary too. It’s those times I need to remember who I am in Christ but at times forget. Thanks for the reminder.

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  7. Thank you Sharon for your blog and news letter that comes in my inbox. I would just love the “Come with me Devotional.

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  22. As a mom of an adult special needs daughter with a very hard Syndrome called Phelan Mc Dermyd Syndrome, I definitely been going trough a lot! But I know Jesus is for me , for her, for us! Iā€™m clinging on Him to overcome! Iā€™m not an ordinary girl!!

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  26. This is wonderful – I have never thought of being a follower of Jesus this way – “I am no ordinary girl” I do know that Jesus chooses people to do His work that are not always the person’s first choice who need people to serve. Thank you for this devotion and the give away. Enjoy

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  46. Right on Suzie. I’m no ordinary girl! I am unique, special and made in the image of God. Nothing ordinary about that. Thank you for the reminder. Keep shouting it out!

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  50. Iā€™m not an ordinary girl but lately it has been hard to believe that. My hunger and thirst for Godā€™s Word has almost dried up, prayer life almost dried up, and I want it back! Looking for something to help flame the dying embers back into life again and put self back where she belongs…. the altar of sacrifice.

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  51. That was a wonderful reminder that “I am no ordinary woman!” Through the mess of the week of going to school and raising two boys. Life can take away that reminder that I am not only a child.of God, but a disciple.

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  53. ā€œIā€™m no ordinary girl!ā€ I’m new with my walk with God and its been hard but I finally seen what faith can do. So full of joy right now. Thank you for your book Praying for your husband head to toe. It has helped my husband even though he isn’t walking with God yet but im still praying. Keep us in your prayers please.

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  59. I’m not an ordinary girl. I’m facing through a lot at this time with my work, kids and marriage and your words hsve been an encouragement. Thank you and god bless.

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  60. I’m no ordinary girl and I serve an amazing, extraordinary God…the King of kings and Lord of lords! Thank you, Jesus….for your unconditional love, forgiveness, mercy and grace! Praise God I’m not who I used to be! šŸ’œ

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  64. ā€œIā€™m no ordinary girl!ā€
    I LOVE this passage. I think as we get older and fall into our lives and routines we look in the mirror and feel like we don’t make a difference anymore, bogged down by life.
    This is such a refreshing reminder.

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  70. Iā€™m no ordinary girl!!! Thanks to Jesus!!
    Love the middle agešŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚
    I see that too..if I live to 104!!
    Thanks for the encouraging reminder that we are all Godā€™s Masterpiece!!

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  73. Iā€™m no ordinary girl! This sounds like a wonderful resource. Our Father has been hammering this message of my true identity for some time, but wow…itā€™s so hard to walk in it in the day to day chaos of life. Thank you, ladies for your faithfulness in encouraging your sisters in the faith. Itā€™s so needed! Grace and peace to you!

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  76. I am no ordinary girl!
    Jesus sees a warrior. Anointed. Called. Equipped.

    Thereā€™s no such thing as an ordinary life if Jesus is at the center.

    Wow great word of encouragement that my heart needed to hear this morning!!

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  80. Thank you Sharon! This is just what I needed to read this morning. I’m trying to live a life of abandonment with Jesus. He is so good to me. I love Him so much.

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  84. Just last night I was asked to mentor two young Moms. I’m 65 and had been asking the Lord for directions on service to HIM. I read this and felt encouraged to consider mentoring. I know I will gain more than those I mentor because the Lord is always working on me. Any resource I can find would be helpful.

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      Author

      I have a friend who has a new book out called Mentoring for All Seasons. That might be a great resource. It is by Janet Thompson.

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  94. Absolutely correct. In our selves we are just ordinary but when we allow Jesus to be the center of our life, we become extraordinary because we are being his disciples. “I’m no ordinary girl!”

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  104. Iā€™m no ordinary girl! And I am so very thankful that my Heavenly Father didnā€™t give up on me when everyone else did. All the honor and the glory to God!!

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  106. WOW! I used to be a Prayer Warrior and hear this kind of thing all the time for my Spiritual Sister’s in Christ. Two in particular, my Spiritual Moma and Sister Lou, I would call and ask for advice and prayer on a dime. Sister Lou has gone to be with Jesus and Moma is busy with her Grand babies, not that I couldn’t call, I just call directly on HIM now. This really brought back some very special memories from when I was a new baby Christian and just learning the true power of Prayer and speaking in tongues. Thanks for making it an even more awesome day. May God continue to Bless you and yours on your journey.

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  117. I’m no ordinary girlā£ Thanks for the reminder, Suzie and Sharon!! As my husband and I start a new chapter in our lives, moving across the country and semi-retiring, I have been wondering what God’s plan for us is here. Starting over in so many ways…..the encouragement that you give is helping me remember that “God’s got this” and He will lead us to fulfill His plan for us! I need to remind myself daily to have confidence in God and myself, to handle whatever comes my way and give Him the glory in all I do.

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  119. I am no ordinary girl!! I am a mother to two beautiful amazing girls, a wife to an amazing man, a daughter, a sister, a friend, an advocate for women surviving Domestic Violence, a survivor of Domestic Violence and the daughter of a King ā¤ļø Have a blessed day and thank you for your encouraging words ā¤ļø

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  120. I am ordinary but thru his blood he made me that blessed girl that is holy anointed and special I am set apart for showing other women that they are loved by our king who loves them like no one else

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  124. I still wrestle with divorcing my husband back in 1996 – as time went on we remained friends as we did have grown children together – he died in 2009 and there is so much I would like to have said, especially “I’m sorry”. I ask God to forgive me daily. And although I live more in the Lord daily I still live with guilt. But I’m no ordinary girl so I have faith that the Lord will improve my life and help me live my faith and live the life the Lord wants me to live. I AM NO ORDINARY GIRL!

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  126. I’m no ordinary girl, at least that is what I’m trying to learn to be. I’m a new believer in Christ and I’m learning to love myself by loving Jesus. Thank you for the inspiration you give me. It’s wonderful to find so much information and to know I’m not alone.

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  127. “I’m no ordinary girl”

    You know last week when you did Friday Friends, my week was so busy I could not get to read it till Tues. I sent it to my husband as it seem to talk to some issues he was having. I send it to him and he didn’t read it till last night when I asked him about it. The reason was it looked like a woman thing and when I mentioned the authors name and read some of the content he said he would read it. Thank you for your ministry. You are a blessing.

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  137. I’m no ordinary girl. I an a 76 year old woman who loves the Lord and especially all she can to minister to other women through P 31 OBS.

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  146. Iā€™m no ordinary girl! Itā€™s taken me a long time to say this. Years ago, I would
    have said I wasnt even an ordinary girl! But, the more I study what God is, I see that Iā€™m his child and He doesn’t make anything ORDINARY! I have unique talents that He has given me, to use to serve others, for Him!

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  160. I’m no ordinary girl! But I often need to be reminded of that. So thankful that God sees me differently than the way I see me. How I need to remember that I’m God’s child. He loves me. Forgive me, Father, when I fail to realize who I really am, and what I really have.

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  175. To the world, I may look ordinary. After all, I’m just a teacher at a small international school who’s never going to qualify for teacher of the year, a mother of 4 children who’s never going to be mother of the year. But I am a child of God with the Holy Spirit living inside me, and, giving my Lord permission to rule and reign in my life every day instead of me makes me no ordinary person. I teach with the love of Jesus and the wisdom of God. I train up my children in the way they should go, imperfectly but with faith that they are in God’s loving hands. That’s what makes me no ordinary person.

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  179. ā€œIā€™m no ordinary girl!ā€ (although I may have to practice saying that to really believe it when I try to say it šŸ™‚ )

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  181. I’m no ordinary girl! I’m no ordinary girl! I’m no ordinary girl! I’m no ordinary girl in Jesus!
    (Just trying to remember this when I start focusing on me)

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  185. “I’m No Ordinary Girl!!” With Jesus in my life I’ve survived many things that should have destroyed me. But, Satan will always fail when I’ve got God with me!! I’ve survived my worst fears and I’m stronger than ever because of Him!!

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  186. Thank you for the reminder that as a Jesus girl I am no ordinary girl. About to move away to another state because of the death of my husband and I want to leave the encouragement of not being an ordinary girl to those the Lord has brought in my path for the last 30 years so that we can point people to Jesus

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